Happy Thanksgiving everyone…
Lamley is about geeking out on minicars, but before I do, please know that I am truly thankful for all of you. Thanks for reading the blog. Thanks for the support as I start the YouTube channel. Thanks for your comments, and for your criticism. And most of all thanks for the friendships. This blog has created friendships with folks from all over the world. I am most appreciative of that.
But let’s geek out!
Today on Thanksgiving, what in the diecast world this year am I most thankful for? Lots of things. Tomica Limited Vintage Crown Wagons and Nissan GT-R’s. Kyosho Porsches. The Hot Wheels Mooneyes Dodge Van Super TH. The Candy Striper Gasser. The Toy Fair 934. Greenlight Hitch & Tow. It goes on and on.
But this year, I am most thankful for what has happened at Matchbox. After a long dry spell where realism was put aside in favor of exaggerated cartoonish models, Matchbox has been slowly returning to its roots.
During the dry spell there was the occasional gem, like the BMW 1M and Dodge A100, but if you look at the last year, the good stuff has been slowly returning to the range. It started late last year with the phenomenal ’93 Mustang SSP and Alfa Romeo 4C…
Then the Chevy Silverado…
And Ford Stake Truck…
And all of a sudden brand new castings, diverse and real, starting popping up.
A Romanian Rescue vehicle:
A classic Lamborghini:
A Porsche:
A European Police car:
A Brazilian truck cab:
A beautiful indicator of the future:
The Best. Jeep. Ever:
The President’s limo:
A road traveler:
And a British beauty:
And those are just some of the licensed models. The new Ford Contractor Truck is one of my favorites of the year, and the new unlicensed models are thankfully better replicas of real vehicles as well.
And what else makes me thankful for these? It is just the beginning. 2016 brings Miatas and Skylines and all kinds of goodies, and the new Matchbox Team is hinting at an even bigger year in 2017. They say some VERY news is coming.
Matchbox is my first diecast love, and at its best nothing is more fun to collect. All indications are that we are returning to that. And for that I am thankful.
What are you thankful for?
Hoping this revival continues! Been very impressed with the releases I've found so far, especially the Tesla…found a selection of 2010 and 2011 releases buried in a hws shipper in a dark corner of a UK branch of WHSmiths a couple of days ago, if Matchbox are heading back to that standard then I'll be very thankful indeed!
Hoping this revival continues! Been very impressed with the releases I've found so far, especially the Tesla…found a selection of 2010 and 2011 releases buried in a hws shipper in a dark corner of a UK branch of WHSmiths a couple of days ago, if Matchbox are heading back to that standard then I'll be very thankful indeed!
I wish Matchbox went back to the removable light bars from years ago Cos the 4 piece rule they have now is bullshit
Would like to find the Jeep, Porsche & Jaguar, but all we have hanging on pegs around here are the commercial & construction trucks & weird snowmobile things with an occasional rare Mustang or Alfa Romeo.
I'm thankful for this blog showing these drop-dead-gorgeous pocket money models as if they were movie stars 😉
The Tesla S, a great casting by MB, but I respectfully disagree about it being an indicator of the future. The US Government gave taxpayer's money to this company to develop a luxury electric car for the rich!? Why not an affordable electric car for the masses? If there were no government subsidies, this car would not exist. So as an indicator of the future, it is just not sustainable as an environmentally-friendly alternative and I can't wait until the Gov. stops subsidizing the money-losing Tesla Motors until they design an produce a real “indicator of the future” car, like Germany did with the VW Beetle (I hate to give Hitler credit for anything!).
But yes, the Tesla S is indeed a nice casting, also made as a Hot wheels.
I really enjoy the Lamley Blog and appreciate all the time and effort put into it. Happy Thanksgiving!
I don't even care for Tesla, but the casting was executed so well, I actually bought one. 😀
When I started collecting sometime around 2011, Matchbox cars were realistic, and MBX picked out really cool cars to release. Glad to see the trend headed back to it. If I ever see that upcoming Skyline on the pegs, it would put a big grin on my face. 🙂
Yes!
Tesla paid back its loans early. Please inform yourself, but keep politics out of this. It's a freaking model car blog!
As an old Geezer who was collecting MB in the 50s , this is great news.
Dark Horse Casting of the Year? The GHE-O Rescue. That's one hell of a left-field choice, but it works. And those wheels… dear heavens those wheels are perfect. About the only thing that would elevate it to beyond legendary status would be working suspension.
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I HATED IT WHEN MATCHBOX BRAND DIED IN MALAYSIA.
I totaly agree with the Lamley blog, Matchbox is comming back. With small bits and pieces I find the models here in Holland and Germany but I'm getting there. Also I am glad that John Nijhuis still keeps selling the older models so I can complete my collection of Volvo's BMW's etc of the early 2000s. I hoop I will find the new Jag because that is a real beauty.
And let us not forget the Hot Wheels licenced model og this year because they could be Matchboxes to.
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