#lamleydaily – March 18, 2018
Model: Matchbox 2016 Cadillac Escalade
Line: 2018 Matchbox Mainline
Where to get it: Coming in Mix F
Why it will be added to my collection: I collect realistic, licensed Matchbox models in realistic colors and decos. This one qualifies. And it looks good.
I still need to compare this one to the old Matchbox Escalade, as well as with the Hot Wheels version. This one comes in a great color with crisp – as usual – tampo work. It is a little on the small side, but that is to be expected these days, sadly. So with all that in mind, I’m in. It looks good, especially with the VUM base and grill.
As far as a casting choice, I’m a little meh. I guess the Escalade provides a more interesting contrast with that massive grill, but it does seem like a dated model. If Cadillac was the choice, I would have preferred an ATS-V. But this one is executed well, and that is an easy add to the collection.
I am torn when MBX does a *large* vehicle like the Escalade, Ford F 150 or the Mercedes G63 AMG 6×6. I mean they look visually appealing, but they lack the ooomph required when sitting next to a Honda or a Nissan…they look too small. I realize it is a product of cost…but still…they hang on the pegs rather than join my collection as a result.
Looking forward to this one. I have a wheel swap in mind and I think it’ll look great!
I guess it is sad that we have to accept that cars won’t be scaled accordingly. These are getting comically small. UNfortunately the wheels are remaining the same size and this really skews the look of the model. The new Wagoneer is a prime example.
For me this is another nicely cast model I can’t love due to the size.
I’m with you 100% concerning the size. I wish they’d just raise the damn prices to $1.50 and start making appropriately scaled models again. I may still pick this up depending on how it looks in person, but it’s certainly disappointing.
Matchbox never really has been about scale consistent across the line. One example standing out for me is the regular wheel Honda Motorcycle + Trailer . I suppose it was closest in scale to the Lambretta and sidecar, but that was really about it.
You can’t possibly be consistent with scale in a dollar product line that does everything from garbage trucks, scrapers to fire trucks to sport cars and small Japanese cars. The vehicles all have to be sized about the same physically (some a little smaller but all limited to a size that fits in the singles packaging). Matchbox is pretty good about putting the exact scale they had to use on the bottom of the vehicle, although sometimes they fail to do it even with licensed vehicles. Overall given the limitations they do the best they can with scaling. Most of the vehicles look OK together, are ‘close enough’. Some fall outside of this range and look funny with other closer to 1:64 vehicles. I’d rather they do the strangely scaled vehicles than totally skipping them as models. Collectors can keep them far enough apart so they aren’t irritating and kids aren’t likely to care.
Matchbox has stopped putting scales on the bottoms of their licensed vehicles entirely, based on what I’ve seen. Probably because of how laughably “off” they all are. You’re absolutely right that the scales have always varied, but the variation has gotten more pronounced in the past decade or so
So far, none of the 2018 models that are new molds I’ve been able to find have scales on them, so you might be right. I hope they don’t get rid of the scale on the bottom–it’s interesting! On the other hand, raising the price to $1.50 won’t get rid of the problem. A good example is Auto World (which is at the $5 price point). They have very accurate scaling, but only do cars from GT and Mustang size up to Cadillac or Station Wagon size. They have way more financial wiggle room at that price, but still limit the size variation so they can stay true to 1:64 (and still aren’t 100% perfect). Matchbox will never (and should never) do that. Their line is about affordability and variety and they can’t really compete with Auto World, M2 Greenlight etc on accurate scale. Their market is both kids and collectors (as opposed to the lines just listed, which are aimed at collectors). I’m not sure how you’d survey how much or little Matchbox is following scale during its history. That would be a project. They’ve always been loose with it though, because they’ve always included working vehicles next to cars, which for budget, have to be about the same physical size. This hasn’t changed for 65 years as a general concept. However, it is very possible that Matchbox has been fudging more lately–doing scales a little off of 1:64 when leaving that scale doesn’t seem totally needed. If so, this might be an attempt by them to make the models look better individually. They basically have a very limited amount of wheels to use and then the vehicle has to be scaled according to wheel size, so it doesn’t look stupid and cartoonish (again a budget issue). I finally found the 1947 Chevy pickup today and I swear they used slightly smaller than normal wheels on it (they may be the same size as the tuk-tuk back wheels). This shows quite a bit of attention to scale of the body vs. the tires for a $1 car and may be the motivation behind the funky scaling (I have a couple that are 1:65 I think).
Thanks for the pics. Is the chrome grill part of the interior? Usually that’s how we have seen it in the past. But from the pics, it doesn’t look like chrome interior.
I’m not bothered by the small size of the larger vehicles. When I display them, I try to pick a group of vehicles that are a consistent scale. It works for me.