I’ve said it is going to be an exciting year for Matchbox in 2019. Not that 2018 lacked excitement, but all the moving parts lines have been moved to 2019. And that is exciting.
We have seen the Basic Moving Parts Preview already, so now we go premium. The Matchbox Team sent over the first mix of Superfast 50th, the new premium line with all new castings, and all with moving parts. I have four carded, and all six models loose.
Have a look and enjoy:
Hats off to the mbx team! Wow! Lovely artwork and packaging!… What a nod to the past. Hope to see them…
……oh no I won’t.. USA only….is this true?!?! For FS…..you know how to dangle carrots…. Total BS if true……..
Does this mean we won’t get these castings in the Action line?
Really awesome. They should do all matchbox models with superfast treatment.
… one annoying thing. Why spoil the clean stock look by slapping 65 anniversary badges on all of them?
Agreed!!! Out comes the buffing compound or the acetone…. The Mercedes should have been with the ’64 Pontiac Grand Prix and the VW 1600TL price-point models if Matchbox / Mattel slapped plastic gray wheels on it. Personally, an update of the original would be a larger scale (although this looks slightly larger than the original at least . . . we’ll find out soon enough) along with a silver arrow hood ornament and rubber tires. But aside from those complaints, yes, the Range Rover, Honda S2000, Corvette and BMW are all mouth watering . . . it’ll be interesting how poorly distributed and difficult to find these will be . . . (yes, back to the moaning!!!!!!!)
I like em all. I have some SUPERFAST cars from 2004. I thought they were B.A. then and still do,but these are spot on. Opening parts seem to be the Trademark for this year and next year for MATTEL,MATCHBOX & HOTWHEELS.The 50 on the bottom with no tampo is cool. Will be looking out for them all. Thanks for sharing.
I hope that S2k is the same scale as the Hot Wheels one.
Oof…that Mercedes interior! Great opening features but that steering wheel looks like they plucked it out of a tugboat wheelhouse. Goofy looking as all get out from the front windshield angle and even worse with that door open. Why spend the money to do the doors and then cheap out on the interior with that chunk ‘o plastic dash/steering wheel??? The BMW looked wicked too and then the doors appear to be solid/opaque.
I hope the day comes when I can give a glowing review of new Matchbox product. Sadly, for me, this is not that day. I am struggling with the application of the name “premium” to this line. The Honda interior is made out of that horrid cheap grey plastic. The Mercedes has that flattened dash as mentioned above. The Wheel choice for the VW bus is bizarre. The bases are plastic. The logos, while somewhat discrete, are unnecessary. Why can’t the Matchbox team do better than this? The Hot Wheels 50th anniversary cars were stunning in every single way. We deserve better.
50 years ago they were able to make a vw bus with opening side doors that didnt have massive shelves on the roof and underneath. 10 years ago they mad eon that had clear windows in the roof.
@ Stephen:
Hot Wheels was, is, and always will be the preferred brand in the Mattel corporate structure because it was created inhouse. Matchbox was, will, and always will be the outcast stepchild because it was acquired during the Tyco purchase of 1997. Just like Corgi in 1988, Matchbox was used only to strengthen Hot Wheels’ access to the European market. Corgi was all but strangled to death by 1993 when its management team bought the brand from Mattel.
Matchbox deserves better than how it’s being treated now. Cases are cut from 72 to 24, distribution in the US is spotty at best, and nearly nonexistent in the rest of the world, especially in the UK, its country of origin. Right now, the big aisle displays are showing up at the Dollar General stores, and as usual, Matchbox gets perhaps two rows, while Hot Wheels make up the rest. And at said stores, MBX get maybe 5-10 pegs on the endcap, while HWs hog the main aisle displays.
Again, MBX deserves better and its worldwide fans do as well. I collect anything, but Matchbox was my first brand when I started collecting back in 1973, so you can guess what’s my preferred brand. I also remember how easy it was to communicate with matchbox corporate during the Lesney and Universal eras. I feel that Matchbox, and Hot Wheels, would fare much better if Mattel would really listen to its audiences (both young and old), but that’s too much wishful thinking on my part.
And to reflect on what I mentioned earlier, Corgi was purchased from Mattel for a bargain. It was nearly dead by 1993; a fate that befell the majority of England’s diecast industry. It would be hard to sell off Matchbox, because it’s too valuable. I don’t think anyone would have the cash to pay for this kind of history. At this point he best way to get Matchbox is to buy the entire Mattel company, which may happen if they continue to lose market share. they have been on the ropes since they lost the Ferrari license to Maisto and its Disney Princess line to Hasbro. The Toys R Us shutdown has had a major impact on Mattel as well, and there are rumors floating around a merger with Hasbro. the next few years will be interesting.
I am so glad you pointed out all the things I have been saying! Mattel now only gives us a glimmer of greatness because they see the money that can be made. Still in all they continue to put a limit on the greatness that could be because they own Hot Wheels! Right now there are way better castings in the MBX basic line and Hot Wheels hog up space with utter trash. I love HWs as much as I do MBX but I said exactly what your saying before they gave us decent castings. Mattel continues to hold back on MBXs potential! It is so obvious that MBX is 2nd to HWs.
The fact that we are searching down the models we want is proof positive that MBX is the better product. So what do they do? Limit what you can find! It’s absolutely ridiculous that they at Mattel robbes the UK of what they grew up on. If they had real sense they would see the money there. Maybe it’s the shipping costs but that makes no sense either seeing as HWs can be found there. Mattel is infuriating to say the least.
That Volkswagen is utterly terrible.
It looks terrible with the doors closed, and even more terrible with them open.
Ok let’s see if I can do this without getting my post pulled. Of course they are awesome! Matchbox has only been doing awesome of late! I will never knock them for their current quality. I’M NOT EVEN GOING TO BRING UP MY FRUSTRATION because apperently you can no longer post your disappointment here to try and push for change. I’ll leave it by saying great job to the Matchbox team! Mattel can…………
L🌍🌏k….L🌍🌏k…..L🌏🌍k……L🌏🌍k……L🌍🌏k………shocking ain’t it Mattel….🌏🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌏🌏🌏🌏🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌏🌍🌍🌍🌍🌍🌏🌏🌍🌍……….oh…spin that globe…total BS wasting my time……
Mostly good stuff, though some details are grating. The rear of the Land Rover looks too high off the ground, the doors on the VW are WAY too clunky (and they chose the wrong wheels too), and that particular example of the Mercedes appears to be listing heavily to the side. I applaud Matchbox for having the balls to do the opening doors on the i8, but they don’t really fit right when closed. The S2000 and the Corvette appear just about flawless, so those are my favorite two. The engine detailing is really spot-on.
One thing that always cracks me up about the BMW i8 (the real version, as well as this one) is how the rear of the car looks for all the world like it’s in the process of swallowing a Porsche 911. You will never un-see that once it’s pointed out to you.
Ha. Premium price ha. Metal bases? No!, Suspension? No! Original Superfast style wheels? No! Available for everyone to purchase? No! Available in the U.K. the Matchbox and overall diecast toy car homeland? No! Designers have done a great job but Mattel have totally missed the point.
To think that Tomica have everything and more than the Matchbox premium range in their basic range haha
Please Mattel can you remove 65..its offensive… What right have you to use that?!… Heritage and roots…. You have simply screwed that up!!….50.. Is when mbx reacted to HWs army with their multi…££££$$$$$$ ad campaigns….Mattel you have done nothing for UK for mbx , just ripped and screwed us of a lovely iconic brand……well done! You have done what you wanted and I’m never saying those are fine wheels!!!!……..good luck all….
Yes as good as their putting out they are STILL disrespcting the brand! They can’t treat one brand like diamonds and the other like a stone! That is my whole frustration with Mattel. Treat them equal and if MBX moves ahead, have team blue step up their game! Their not saving money on chrome and the color of their windows. Their trying to set the brand up for failure. Some will say that people are going to complain no matter what, maybe. This is not about complaining, crying or whatever you want to call it. It’s about respect and fairness. Mattel bought the brand so make it succeed! These minor inperfections are rediculious. EQUAL TREATMENT PLEASE!
They should of done the range rover in black bat still love it and would be cool if they did the porsche panamera 2018 in wight as they have done the old model and this would be really cool cast for this range a bugatti chiron in dark blue please do that soon I’m shore every one wants that model
*but
Shouldn’t be so hard for the UK to get them because Matchbox is British people think it american because of Matel it was really hard last year to get them only got 4 they where expencive on ebay I wanted the GLE but to pricy really love and want the range rover and when the tesla modal x comes out and the nissan leaf starting to give up on my hobby I’m a huge fan of matchbox I only have a fuw because of how expencive the shipping is last year spent 3 hours trying to find 3 for a good price love the mazda cx5 and the cadillac escalade was lucky to get them😍😭