Matchbox Monday reviews a lot of multipacks

2024 is another of those years, when it comes to larger multipacks.  For those who do not know, mid-way through the year, the Matchbox brand reduced from a 9-pack down to an 8-pack.  Through the years, we have seen many multipacks. 3-packs were pretty common in various places. The 5-pack first appeared in earnest in 1980, as Lesney were dumping out a load of Japan exclusive items that were about to debut, before they pulled the plug on the whole Japanese experiment.  But, there was never a proper series for larger packs. 5-packs, 10-packs, 15-packs, 20-packs, 25-packs and 30-packs have appeared over the years. 1993 saw the first official 5-packs. These were the still current, way of selling 5 themed models in a unique theme.  10-packs were still being sold, but they didn't really have anything unique to them.  Sure, we had odd models that were supposed to be sold as singles (a few 1997 Challenge models were more commonly found in a 10-pack, but as the new millennium dawned, so did the sales of 10-packs being normal.

2000 saw a unique model, sold in a pack exclusive to FAO Schwartz in the USA. The MB205 TV News Truck was supposed to have been a model from the ROW exclusive MB36-40 section, but they never appeared. 2 of the models (an MB299 Ford Ambulance and MB233 Airport Fire Tanker) appeared in a 3-pack, and this did make its way into the 10-pack. The other 2? A Ford Transit Taxi never got beyond the mock-up stage, and the last model was never even noted. Nobody knows what that one was, or even what the order for the 5 would have been. The 2000 range had been split 5 ways, and the USA, German, UK and Australian sets appeared in full.  Only the "other ROW" had a small issue as they never ordered at the time when these would have been in boxes.

In 2001, an anomaly appeared. The MB504 Jeep Liberty had arrived at the start of the year as a promotional issue, alongside the launch of the real vehicle. Sadly, due to the rush in getting things done, they broke the casting. It was due to arrive as MB71 later in the year in red, with a Police side design.  However, the silver bodies had been overproduced for the promotion. Once they got a new base in place and resumed production, they decided to just use those spare silver bodies, threw the side design on them, and popped them in the last 10-pack release of the year. Then, they set about making the red one, finally releasing it in early 2002. These were the only 2 unique models to be found for a while. 10-packs had been properly set up in 2000 as an accompaniment to Launchers. A new thing that Mattel launched in 2000. Each box would contain 2x launcher sets with exclusive items, and alongside 2 each of 2 different assortments of 10-packs. 6 items in total.  This continued through 2005 unchanged, and the 2x 10-packs included with the launcher were simply pulled from the other ranges.

However, this all changed in 2006. The Launcher/2x 10-packs assortment was changed. For 2006, the all-exclusive item would be an action pack. 1 was still a launcher. The other 2 were simply themed multipacks, with a mummy theme or construction theme to them. However, they decided that the 10-packs that were sold alongside them would have something exclusive added to it.  2006 was the launch of the large multipack exclusive, which still runs to this day. For the first year, they stated that the same 2 models would be exclusive to each batch, but each batch would see a different colour. The MB320 '57 Chevy Belair Convertible and MB508 '33 Ford Coupe Police would be the models included. The first batch saw them in orange and black respectively.

The second batch would see the Chevy turn pale blue, and the Ford would switch to white. The same livery was kept.

The final batch saw the Chevy in purple and Ford in blue.  This turned out to be the final time we would see the Ford. The MB508 casting was retired after this outing.  Why am I mentioning this?  Well, it turns out that this is a bit of a recurring theme for large multipacks.

For 2007, the series was tweaked again. This time, there would be 4 batches. But, now all 4 would be 10-packs. However, each batch would see one of those in all-exclusive themes, with a rough spread of "Real", "Action", "Adventure" and "1st Editions" for the all-exclusive sets. I am not showing the all-exclusive packs (this would take way too long), but I will concentrate on the other packs sold alongside. You see, they kept the same scenario as 2006 for that. Take 2 models, and make them run for the entire year, but in a different colour for each batch. This time, they chose the MB368 '99 Ford Mustang Convertible and MB515 '00 Chevy Corvette Convertible as the exclusive. For the first batch, the Mustang was a golden yellow, and the Corvette was in purple.

But, another anomaly happened. Each pack actually contained a second exclusive. Nobody knows why these appeared, but funnily enough, this second exclusive was a casting of the alternate model. The Mustang pack saw a light blue MB630 Chevy Corvette C6 included. It never appeared anywhere else. The Corvette pack saw an MB609 Ford Mustang GT Concept in dark green. Again, this was the only place you saw it.

The second batch saw the Mustang turn green and the Corvette turn red. This time, they were the only exclusives.

The third batch saw the Mustang in silver and Corvette in blue.

The final batch saw the Mustang turn blue and the Corvette in orange. I did notice that the shade of orange to the 'Vette did shade quite well. But, that was not all.

The Corvette pack saw another model that was, sort of, exclusive. This was the MB652 Highway Maintenance Truck without plow. The thing about this is, the vehicle was in a Monsters set. But, that was the MB222 casting. It was the same, but it had a plow in the front. For some reason, when they threw it in the 10-pack, they did not bother with the plow. So, technically, especially as it had a different MAN number, it was exclusive. Plus, this model was also found with either crown or sawblade wheels.  

2008 followed the exact same format. 4 batches, Real, Action, Adventure and 1st Edition all exclusives, and 2 side packs with an exclusive that stayed the same, but in a different colour across each batch. This time, they chose the MB298 '68 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet and MB434 Mercedes-Benz S500. The first batch saw the Mustang in lavender, and the Merc in blue.

The second batch saw the Mustang turn red, and Merc turn silver.

The third batch saw lemon and iridescent white for their looks.

But wait. What was this? The MB661 '05 Tow Truck in purple was in the Merc pack. Yet, this was another model that was never found anywhere else. So, we got another exclusive.

The final batch saw the Merc in a dark grey, and the Mustang in an even darker grey. But, you remember me mentioning the Ford Coupe Police not being used? Well, the Merc was also retired after this outing. It has never been seen since.

2009 saw the smallest of tweaks to the exclusive models. There was still a plan to release 2. That didn't change. But, this time out, they binged each casting. The first batch saw the MB616 '70 Plymouth Cuda in either orange or black, depending on which pack oyu picked up.

Batch B saw the other 2 Cudas arrive. Green or purple this time.

Batch C then brought us the other casting. The MB277 Ford Mustang Cobra. Yes, this does mean that a Mustang was chosen as one of the exclusives for 3 years in a row. It came in either blue or tan. I discovered shades to the tan.

Again, we found some non-exclusive exclusive models. The MB519 Hovercraft was found in the blue Mustang pack and MB518 Rescue Boat was in the tan Mustang pack. Neither appeared anywhere else, but these definitely looked like they were planned for something. After all, both had a matching design to it.  

The final batch of the year saw the Mustang in either black or red.

We now move to 2010, where the original plan returned. 2 castings, 1 each in every batch in a different colour each time. This time, we had the MB702 DAF XF95 Space Cab and, yes another Mustang. The 4th year in a row Mustang was the MB322 '70 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet. The first batch saw the DAF in blue and Mustang in green.

The second batch saw them turn maroon and blue respectively.

The third batch saw them turn golden tan and red.

With a final batch seeing white and yellow versions of the 2 models.

2011 saw quite a change to 10-packs. After 4 years with 1 of the models being a Mustang, we only went and had a 5th! Yes, 5 years in a row where a Mustang was one of the 2 castings. This was the MB342 '65 Ford Mustang GT Fastback.  This time, it was joined by the MB302 '69 Chevy Camaro SS-396 Convertible.  Funnily enough, both castings have been modified since that time and are still with us.  But, that was not the big change. No, the all-exclusive packs were phased out.  But not in 1 go. Batch A of 2011 saw 3 each of 2 different packs. One containing the Mustang in blue, the other with the Camaro in yellow.

Batch B saw the same again. 3 each of 2 packs. The Mustang pack was in golden brown, which I noticed a big shade to. The other set had a black Camaro.

Batch C saw both packs featuring the respective model in red with white striping. This was the end for these 2 castings for 2011, as batch D simply contained 6 of an all-exclusive 1st Editions 10-pack. That saw a swansong before the all-exclusive packs went away completely.

2012 saw a very big change. As noted, there was no longer an all-exclusive pack. We were now only getting standard packs with 1 exclusive.  However, if you lived in the US, you would discover that you were now getting a 9-pack. Yes, this was the US change from 10-packs to 9-packs. However, the ROW market still continued with 10-packs for a number of years. They would simply have an additional "pulled" model included. We also saw a radical change to the pattern. There were no 2 models per batch release schedule. 2012 started with a bang. The first batch saw 4 different packs included. The MB420 Chevy Impala was one of the models in blue. Guess what? It has never been seen since. That's a third model retired after the large multipack release. The MB627 Jeep Compass in yellow, MB668 Mitsubishi Eclipse and MB778 Ice Cream Van in orange completed the quartet.

Batch B saw just the 1 pack, with a few from Batch A rolled over. This was the MB630 Chevy Corvette C6 in red. This was number 4 in the list of now retired models. It has not been seen since this release.

Batch C saw 2 packs. The MB628 Land Rover SVX appeared in white and MB379 International Pumper in black was in the other pack. If you were eagle eyed, you would have noticed something about the International pack.

The MB759 '08 Dodge Challenger was included in green. This was supposed to have been in the basic range that year, but there was a small issue and all Dodge castings were dropped for a year while it was resolved. Therefore, this model ended up being exclusive to this pack.  Weirdly, out of 3 Dodges that were skipped for 2012, one model was a new casting which simply rolled into 2013 (the Charger Pursuit), while the Dodge Magnum with surfboards was scrapped entirely. Which was a shame. The final model, the Challenger, eventually appeared in a late 2013 batch, supposedly as a 2012 model, but it was now in purple.  Keeping this as an exclusive.

Batch D was another single addition batch. It contained the MB399 Chevy Silverado 4x4 as the exclusive in a fantastic National Parks theme.  This has been a bit of a sought after model. The reason? Some markets skipped the batch. Notably the USA. The UK never got it either, and I had mine shipped over from Canada.

2013 saw another new idea when it came to the 9/10-packs. The basic range had taken a slight detour (which luckily was course corrected a few years later), but the team came up with a novel idea for 9/10-packs. Each model would be of a classic vehicle, and each would have the 60th Anniversary scheme included on a single pass through the tampo machine over the top. No side, no front or rear printing took place on these. Again, these saw no standard rollout. The first batch saw 3 models. The MB097 Chevy Corvette T-top in red, MB739 '69 Cadillac Sedan DeVille in blue and MB629 '69 Chevy Camaro in orange, which I noticed was shading.  The Camaro was semi-retired after this, but returned, albeit modifed, in 2022.

After 3 US models completed batch A, batch B saw another 3, this time from the UK and Europe. The MB765 '64 Austin Mini Cooper 1275S in black, MB785 '71 Porsche 914 in blue and MB760 '69 VW Karmann Ghia Type 14 in green were the exclusives. Ding ding ding. Where has this Karmann been since? Nowhere. Another retiree (although it was also in a 5-pack the same year, going out in style).  

Things were a little lean after that. Batch C was just a single model. The MB811 '68 Lamborghini Miura P400S in green.

The same with batch D. Just the one. The MB810 '71 Pontiac Firebird Formula was the exclusive in orange.

We now move into 2014, and simply a rule of something exclusive in each pack. They also settled down in to a "2 packs per batch" system. We start off with... A double elimination. Yes, models 6 and 7 being retired were the MB844 Batmobile in black and MB573 Opel Frogster in green. The Batmobile went out in style, as it gave us a wheel variation. Most have blue hot foil on the wheel rims, but a small batch was made with chrome ones.

Batch B saw model number 8 retire. The MB754 Morgan Aeromax in blue served as a swansong. It was never seen again. The MB733 '55 Ford F-100 Panel Delivery in red has been seen since.

Batch C saw the MB188 GMC Wrecker appear in yellow, and the MB883 VW Karmann Ghia Type 34 Convertible in silver. This was another I found was good for shades.

The 4th and final batch gave us retiree number 9. The MB356 Porsche Boxster bowed out in blue. Or silvery blue, as this was another cool shade model. The MB837 Ford F-350 Superlift was also in a pack, this time in white.

2015 only saw 3 batches instead of 4. The first time since the launch in 2006.  And we also hit double digits on the retirements. The MB802 '09 Caterham Superlight R500 finished its run black and green. The (very British looking, but American spelling) MB887 Two Story Bus (in the UK, we spell it "Storey", as a story is just what you read in a book here) also appeared in green and white.

The second batch gave us another National Parks model. The MB864 '74 International Scout 4x4 was given the look in one pack. The MB763 MBX Moving Van was in the other pack in gold and white.

I am guessing the MB693 '06 Ford Transit must have been a little tired. This became retiree number 11, finishing in a fantastic BF Goodrich black look. The MB866 Flame Smasher was in the other pack in blue and white.

2016 saw 5 batches released throughout the year. Batch A saw the MB777 '71 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser in its final outing in yellow, in the original configuration with dogs next to each other. It was modified after this, and the dogs are now astrayed.  It was joined by the MB1001 '70 Chevy El Camino in red.

Batch B was a black and white batch. The MB716 Ridge Raider being the black model, and MB808 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Police in white being the other.

We now hit a clean dozen on the retirements, as the MB906 '63 Mack Model B in green served as its swansong.  The MB899 Questor in orangey yellow (and dark yellow, if you like shades) was the other model.

Batch D was only the 1 model. The MB805 '85 Toyota 4Runner in blue was all we got.

The last batch was, again, just the one model. The MB987 '78 Dodge Monaco Police in white was the sole addition. So we still ended up with 8 models, just a little stretching of the batches.

This was a sign. In 2017, we saw 2 different packs in each batch, but regardless of which pack you got, you still got the same exclusive. It ran over both assortments. This meant, with 4 batches again, we simply had 4 exclusives.  The first batch saw the MB744 '07 Shelby Cobra GT500 Convertible in pea green. I did notice that was cool for a shade.

The second pack of the year was notable. It saw the MB675 Porsche Cayenne S become the unlucky number 13 retirement. But, what else was retired? 10-packs. After the US had switched for 2012, this was the point where the ROW market also switched to the 9-pack. From this point until now, worldwide got 9-packs.  

The MB1001 '70 Chevy El Camino in blue was in the 3rd set of 9-packs of the year.

In the complete opposite to retiring, the MB1129 '55 Cadillac Fleetwood debuted in the final batch of the year in a charcoal look. Of course, this was just a cost reduced (and shrunk) casting.

2018 continued along, just as 2017 was. 2 packs, each with the same exclusive. 4 batches again, and the first one saw retiree number 14. The MB865 Torque Titan in black.

Batch B saw a lovely MB1012 Mazda MX-5 Miata in blue.

The third batch saw a fun model. The MB1022 '71 Nissan Skyline 2000GTX comes with 2 different interiors. One has seatbelts, the other does not. This meant trying to get both of the orange ones.

The final batch saw another retirement. The MB872 BMW X5 Police signed off with this awesome Notarzt model.

2019 saw another tweak. For many years (apart from 2006 and 2015/2016), there had been 4 batches of these packs released through the year. For 2019, This was now upped to 6. We were now getting a batch every other month. As a bonus, the first 2 batches saw 2 unique models. The MB1014 '15 Chevy Corvette Stingray Police was in a cool CHP scheme, and we also saw retirement in the form of the MB808 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Police, and this 15th retiree was also in white.

Retirement number 16 appeared in the form of the MB893 BMW 1M in silver. The MB957 '14 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk in orange was fun for shades.

After this, it reverted to the 1 model being in both packs of a batch routine. Batch C saw both packs feature the awesome blue Lamley Leaks MB188 GMC Wrecker. It has nothing to do with the "call D. Tilley 411" printing over the rear wheels.  

Batch D gave us the MB327 '33 Ford Coupe across both packs in a flaming good blue design. Ha ha!

Batch E saw the MB867 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia in a white "Follow Me" design.

With the final batch seeing the MB975 Jaguar F-type in British Racing Green across both packs.

2020 saw them continue with 6 batches for the year. However, in response from people asking for more, they came up with a clever idea. They still had just the one casting in both packs, but this time, they would be in alternate colours. The first batch went one step further, as the MB1035 '59 Chevy Brockwood Wagon was in either olive or silver in the recurring Camp Arrow Flint design. But, looking closer, we discovered one was Unit 3, the other was Unit 8. Sweet!

The MB947 (or is it MB729) Porsche 911GT3 was the batch B exclusive. It came in both blue or purple looks, with both sporting the new metal rear spoiler. This was supposed to have been altered years previously, but the base still had the original number, and nowadays it is being referred to by the original number again. So, this one is a head-scratcher.

I did like the 3rd model of the year. The MB1023 '70 Datsun 510 Rally saw both black or white releases, depending on the pack. I noticed my name was on one of the sides again.

The MB1039 BMW i3 was the model in the 4th batch of the year. This was not exactly a retirement, but although we have seen it since, these charcoal and red models were the last new designs it has sported.

The MB1021 '15 Ram 1500 Police was up next. This was another cool CHP liveried model, and came in both black and white looks.

The final batch of the year saw the MB1013 VW Transporter Crew Cab in either red or yellow with a Feuerwehr livery. Again, this is a model that has 2 interiors, with items or without in the rear bed. Therefore, this one got a little expensive. The red one appeared later as a German exclusive in the Best of Germany series.

For 2021, they did something really cool. We still had 6 batches. However, each batch would see a unique exclusive model. Batch A saw the MB815 Cadillac CTS Coupe in white in one pack, which served as a swansong. Retiree number 17. The other model was the MB838 '97 Land Rover Defender 110 in green. This has also not been seen since. Retiree number 18. But, there was more....

For 2021, they also added the semi-exclusive. A set of 3 models that was exclusive to 9-packs, but would feature in both packs in the assortment. So, whether you got the Caddy pack or the Landie pack, you would find the MB790 Honda Insight in black, MB818 Dune Dog in blue and MB1042 Glass King in silver and green. This model has not been seen since. Retiree number 19. Mind you, we are at a stage where the retirees may still return. so, these last few are not 100% guaranteed retirements.

Batch B gave us the MB759 '08 Dodge Challenger in golden tan and MB300 '56 Ford Pickup in black as exclusive. Only found in one pack.

With both packs in the batch seeing the MB781 Rock Shocker in red, MB444 Ford Panel Van in white and a totally awesome MB887 Two Story Bus in silver and white (with me on the side) as semi-exclusives. This model could be retiree number 20.

On to batch C, and the MB1052 '95 Custom Chevy Van was one of the exclusives in a returning Forest Ranger design. This was another model that sports a variation, with the rear featuring either a bike or some jerry cans.  This casting has not been used since this (and a Target Retro) in 2021, so is this number 21 on the retirement board? Or are we getting too new now? The MB969 '93 Ford Mustang LX SSP is the other exclusive.

One of the semi-exclusive models was the MB1022 '71 Nissan Skyline 2000GTX, which appeared in 9-packs for a second time. This green model was again a model that sported 2 different interiors. The MB785 '71 Porsche 914 in silver and MB885 Renault Master Ambulance, also in silver, were the other 2. Hmm! The Porsche hasn't been seen since 2021 (well, apart from a repeat in an Advent Calendar). Yes, I think we have the idea that many were retired after 9 or 10-pack outings. I will stop counting now.

Batch D saw a really cool retro liveried MB927 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, with a look that was inspired by a classic 4x4 Chevy Van from the 1980s.  We also saw the MB610  '71 Chevy Chevelle in red.

Both sets in the batch featured the MB863 Vantom in Forest Ranger green (matching the Custom Chevy from the previous batch), MB1032 Ford Transit TV News Van in white and MB1226 '19 Ford Mustang GT in red as well.

Batch E of the year gave us the returning MB629 '69 Chevy Camaro, as it had not been seen since the 2013 9/10-pack. It came in red with dual white stripes, and a little modification to the casting. We also saw the MB832 Jeep Wrangler Superlift in orange.

Semi-exclusives came in the form of the MB924 '14 Chevy Silverado 1500 in blue INC recurring design, as well as the MB810 '71 Pontiac Firebird Formula in blue as well, and an MB905 Alfa Romeo 4C in dark grey.

The final batch of the year saw the MB1033 '15 Chrysler 300 in black and MB911 Toyota Tacoma Lifeguard as the 2 exclusives.

And for the last time, we sported another 3 semi-exclusive models, that appeared in both batches. The MB097 Chevy Corvette T-top appeared in red, featuring a really cool flames design, inspired by the car in the 1978 Mark Hamill & Annie Potts film, Corvette Summer. The MB1020 Volvo V60 Wagon was in a simple bright red. And the best was left until last. The MB1198 '94 Chevy Caprice Classic Police was in a fantastic Bosque Security livery, except when you opened the package, and saw the other side, it was from a police auction, and the security sign badly taken off and a taxi sticker placed over it. This is still one of my favourite liveries of all time. I wonder if we will see any future models with something similar?

After 2021, the semi-exclusive experiment concluded. From now on, we were going to be back to just an exclusive in each pack. The plan was to continue with 6 batches through the year, and each batch would feature 2 different models for the 2 packs. Batch A saw the MB1079 Nissan Leaf in blue and MB1182 '18 Jeep Wrangler JL Unlimited in red. However, what is that?

Why, there was a sneaky little semi-exclusive. They had one left to go, and so managed to get it included in the first batch. The BM733 '55 Ford Panel Delivery returned in yellow and red with a Shell livery, and could be found in both sets in the batch. After that, the semi-exclusive was officially done.

Batch B and just the 2 models. The MB1194 '61 Ford Falcon Ranchero was in orange, and the MB706 Lotus Exige was in dark green.

Batch C gave us the MB1198 '94 Chevy Caprice Classic again, this time in black with a San Luis Obispo livery. This is a real livery. The MB1204 '56 Powell Sport Pickup saw only its second outing to date, when it came in red.

The Pismo Beach Racing Association Pace Car was based on a real look from a bygone era. This was on the MB1180 '59 Dodge Coronet Police casting. We also saw another 9-pack release for the MB911 Toyota Tacoma Lifeguard, coming less than a year after the last one. This time it was in blue.

The 5th batch of the year was another where you had to buy more than just 2 packs if you wanted everything. The MB1184 '65 Land Rover Gen II Safari was one of the exclusives, coming in a fantastic retro themed red look, with Red Valley Camp on it. This was based on a classic Land Rover from a 1990s 5-pack.  Of course, this was a casting with 2 different roof pieces, so you either had a partial load or full load roof piece. We also had the MB1214 '56 Aston Martin DBR1 in silvery blue.

The final batch of the year gave us a really cool Italian themed MB885 Renault Master Ambulance in yellow. We also had a silver MB1170 '18 Ford Mustang GT Convertible as well.

For 2023, we were told that there would again be 6 batches, with 2 models in each batch as exclusives. However, when the first batch arrived, we discovered a third. We were expecting the MB1227 '20 Honda E in grey and the MB957 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk in blue. But, we were surprised to see the MB1243 MBX Field Car in a third pack as well. This was in white, with a Matchbox Adventures side design (or if you turned it around you would discover it said "Adventur"). A small blooper with the tampo. This pack rolled over into batch B as well.

The 2 new packs for batch B were the MB720 '72 Ford Bronco 4x4 in grey with a real Bushwacker design on the side. The MB966 BMW M5 Police in the other pack was white, with a very Australian looking police design on the side.

For some reason, batch C of the year proved a little tough to find. I have no idea why. It seems whenever the MB1202 '20 Western Star 4900 appears anywhere, it is not easy to locate. This time it was in green in one of the packs, with a tan MB735 '68 Citroën DS in the other pack.

For batch D, we saw the return of the MB843 Seagrave Fire Engine after a few years in white. We also saw a blue MB1303 '21 Ford Mustang Mach-E in the other pack.

Then another random side pack appeared. This was a construction themed 9-pack, with models pulled from many years back in some cases, and not just recent issues. That in itself proved to be a little fun, checking for variations. But, we also got an exclusive in the pack, as the MB1177 '16 Ram 1500 Flatbed in olive with the recurring Forest Ranger scheme was in the usual exclusive spot.

Then it was on to batch E where we saw the green MB1025 Toyota Prius Taxi and silver MB1195 '15 Mercedes-Benz G-Class appear.

With a final batch sporting the yellow MB1211 '18 Bugatti Divo and orange MB1209 '76 Honda Civic CVCC in the 2 packs.

Which brings us to this year. When they showed off the upcoming 2024 packs at the 2023 Line Preview in Albuquerque, we were told that there was going to be 6 batches again, but at some point during the year, these would reduce from a 9-pack to an 8-pack.  Well, things have turned out slightly different.  The first batch came as expected. We had the MB1299 Audi E-tron in purple and MB1238 '62 Plymouth Savoy in red. Everything seemed logical.

And then batch B arrived. That's not 2. In fact, because the MB1351 Morris Minor Saloon in maroon has the steering wheel on either side, instead of the 4 sets, many were requiring 5. I am so hoping and praying that they don't throw the '84 Toyota MR2 (with 4 variations) in an upcoming 8-pack.The MB1212 Self Driving Bus was another National Parks liveried model, the MB728 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U300 in blue with a farm livery that has been used elsewhere, and the MB790 Honda Insight completed the official quartet of sets.  

With this third batch of the year proving to be a final batch of 9-packs. The MB1178 International TerraStar Ambulance in another recurring National Parks livery, as well as the MB1213 '71 MGB GT Coupe in black with gold stripes are the finale for the 9-packs from Matchbox.  This actually accounts for 8 packs of a proposed 12 for the year. However (spoiler alert), it looks like we will be getting more than 12. The first packs of the new 8-pack era have launched. The Unimog returned for another outing, and we also saw another Construction themed pack, but sadly with no exclusive, even though it says there is one. Then we got a 1975 Cadillac Eldorado in a pack. But, sneaks of future issues have shown 4 more coming. That means, unless some are 2025, we will end up with more packs than expected over the year.

So, this means the 9-pack is no more. These 8 are the last of the 9-pack models. That followed the 10-pack models. Now we will start getting used to 8-packs. I can't see them getting much smaller, as we have a 5-pack of exclusives. There is not a lot of wiggle room left to shrink these. But, I would think an 8-pack will continue for many years yet. And, as we get closer to 2025, the convention is happening this weekend. All being well, I will be doing a blog report on the convention and line preview of 2025 next. Please bear with me if it is not done for Monday. I will be trying to squeeze it in while on my USA trip. I may have to delay it a little if things get too tight. So, it may be on time, it may be late. We will see how I can do it. So, whenever I catch you next time, have a safe and happy week (or more).