Greetings folks…
Now it being April 1st, I must admit to thinking through several scenarios to celebrate the occasion. A little trickery in the weekly reports would not be a bad thing, right? So I thought through a whole write-up on how Matchbox was switching entirely to plastic, or how Hero City would be brought back in full force, complete with whistles and police hats with wheels. But I don’t want anyone jumping off cliffs or anything like that, so I will refrain. Some of you old-school collectors seem to have lost your sense of enjoyment when it comes to collecting based on your mildly entertaining diatribes on the state of Matchbox, so I don’t think I should rock the boat.
What I should do is show some more sneaks. I am currently enjoying a little vacation in Durango, Colorado (Bill B., are you in town?), and it is late Sunday night after an exhausting weekend, so I will get to them and get some needed sleep…
As always, these images are posted here with permission from Mattel.
This week we will focus on more upcoming 60th Anniversary models. We have two newer castings and one older one in this batch of sneaks. We will start with the new. Both castings have been introduced in the last few months among a lot of discussion.
Starting with the Ford Explorer. We have seen two versions of the Explorer so far, and in the 60th lineup it comes in a “Construction Security” livery. One of the great things about the 60th lineup is we can see castings realizing their full potential, so to speak, and that is definitely the case with the Explorer. The cog wheels work better, as does the deco, and my personal hope is that all future versions get the black or grey wheel well trim in in place of the green or red we have seen on the first two basic versions. Oh, and you can’t argue with the front and rear tampos. I think a lot will agree with me that this is the best version of the Explorer so far, by a long shot:
Next up is another new model that debuted to a mixed response. The International Scout was a highly anticipated model that ended up being a little different than what collectors expected. Instead of a more stock look, the model is a modified off-roader, and the proportions left a little to be desired for a lot of collectors.
Like is the case with the Explorer, the 60th Anniversary Scout looks a lot better with a little extra detail. Of course the main complaints of collectors, its size and style, don’t change, but the model does look nice fully detailed:
Finally, for the third 60th sneak, we have a look at the London Taxi. We have seen the Taxi in standard black a few times, including in 2012. The model stays black, but this time sports a side deco that to me resembles a tourist-aimed vehicle. I will admit that my knowledge of London Taxi’s is not at a presentable level, so we will have to rely on our British friends to let us in on whether this type of livery can be seen around London’s streets:
Lastly, a bonus sneak. We should see this GMC Tree-Trimming Truck appear in stores soon. It was meant to be a 2012 model but hits in 2013. Where? I don’t know, but as soon as I do I will report it:
That is it for now. There is much more to come, including info on an upcoming double-diecast (diecast body, diecast chassis) model to be released as part of the 60th Anniversary celebration. So stay tuned.
Until then…
The Explorer does look nice like that.
Are you saying that the tree trimmer in that livery was intended to be a 2012, or the tree trimmer in general? Because I found the orange-and-white one last September (I was in Missouri at the time).
Thanks for the update.
–Mavanerick
The Explorer rocks! It is my favourite version so far. It looks great in that livery, which does suit it very well, and full front and rear tampos put it above the mainline versions. But the best thing of all? The colour. Looks so amazing in that burnt orange and orange lipped rims plus the clear windows are an added bonus. Thats it. Not interested in anything else.
– Black Wind, SwiftysGarage.
I have lived in London, for over a year. I think a taxi with a livery like that could be seen in London's streets. I have seen them in a full union jack livery, although it was for Vodafone
http://sp.depositphotos.com/6243506/stock-photo-London-taxi.html
Other than Big Lots, there are very few stores where you can find RWR's in a single package. Please see if you can find out where this RWR will be sold.
Keith Hoskins
If you have a Kroger (or any Kroger-owned chains) near you, try your luck there. Also, if you know of any grocery stores near you that occasionally get Mattel shippers with Hot Wheels and Matchbox stuff, that's another option, as RWRs may be included in them.
-ThisDudeAbides
I would have preferred a police version of the Explorer for the 60th line, but that version still looks great.
The Scout has great detail, but at the premium price point, it's in direct competition with the Johnny Lightning Scouts, and to be frank, the JL Scouts knock it out of the water. It only benefits from the fact that the future of JL is in limbo.
The London Taxi has a little too much going on, but it's nice to see the casting included in the 60th line and it's a nice companion to both Routemasters (and the gold Mini Cooper).
The Tree Trimming truck looks great. Would have preferred white, dark blue, red, or black for the main color, but it still looks pretty realistic.
-ThisDudeAbides
The Explorer looks wonderful like this. Is a pity I can't see such a nice version of the Explorer by Matchbox at retail in Chile. This castings need front tampo to come alive, and it sure does in this example.
And it also seems to complement the orange Ford F-250 Super Duty (the one that represents a real-life custom) perfectly.
No report this week?