Well I know people have been curious on something for a short while this year. The 2020 1-100 list. There used to be a day when the basic range schedule was sorted before the year began. Those were the days. It was a simpler time. Over the years things have changed, and with it, the ability to fully set out a basic range schedule before the year begins. Various legalities and issues often arise, and with such a fast moving change-around nowadays, many things can change at a moment’s notice. Take last year, I posted the 2019 basic range list after the Matchbox Gathering and then MB99 needed to be dropped. A replacement was attempted but logistics caused too much of a delay and that ended up being dropped too. So we ended up with 99 models. Sometimes these things happen. It is the way things work nowadays across all industries. Not just toy cars. Unfortunately Mattel can’t prepare a full list too early as too many moving obstacles can cause loads of changes. And that could end up confusing us even more. So we wait until such a time that they feel 99% confident that “this is it”. Now is that time. So may I present the 2020 1-100 list….
MB1 MB1199 ’19 Jeep Renegade – green
MB2 MB1218 ’19 VW The Beetle Convertible – blue
MB3 MB1212 Self Driving Bus – blue/white
MB4 MB1202 ’20 Western Star 4900 Cab – TBC
MB5 MB1216 ’18 Renault Kangoo Express – white
MB6 MB1208 LEVC TX Taxi – black
MB7 MB1198 ’95 Chevy Caprice Classic Police – white
MB8 MB1200 VW Golf Mk 1 – orange
MB9 MB1207 ’41 Cadillac 62 Coupe – green
MB10 MB1217 MBX Garbage Scout – blue
MB11 MB1167 ’11 Mini Countryman – red
MB12 MB1205 ’16 Alfa Romeo Giulia – red
MB13 MB1169 ’80 Mercedes-Benz W123 Wagon – blue
MB14 MB042 ’57 Ford Thunderbird – lavender
MB15 MB1168 ’18 Dodge Charger – blue
MB16 MB327 ’33 Ford Coupe – brown
MB17 MB1188 Subaru Sambar – white
MB18 MB999 MBX Food Truck (Chow Mobile) – black
MB19 MB856 Load Lifter – blue
MB20 MB742 ’08 Garbage Truck (Garbage King) – blue/white
MB21 MB1189 MBX Mini Swisher – green/white
MB22 MB817 Ford F-550 Superduty – yellow
MB23 MB895 Road Raider – white
MB24 MB1014 ’15 Chevy Corvette Stingray Police – grey
MB25 MB1074 MBX Flatbed King – grey
MB26 MB843 Seagrave Fire engine – yellow
MB27 MB873 International Armored Truck – grey
MB28 MB821 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor – silver
MB29 MB726 Audi R8 – charcoal
MB30 MB765 ’64 Austin Mini Cooper 1275S – yellow/black
MB31 MB896 Range Rover Evoque – red
MB32 MB1187 Ford F-150 Animal Control Truck – white/grey
MB33 MB738 ’74 VW Type 181 – green
MB34 MB1003 Freightliner Business Class M2 106 – white
MB35 MB1012 Mazda MX-5/Miata – orange
MB36 MB1195 ’15 Mercedes-Benz G-Class – blue
MB37 MB423 Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible – white
MB38 MB1196 ’48 Willys Jeepster – red
MB39 MB579 ’03 Mini Cooper S – red
MB40 MB1087 Plymouth PC Sedan – blue
MB41 MB1219 ’19 Mazda 3 – red
MB42 MB1083 ’63 Austin Healey Roadster – cream
MB43 MB778 Ice Cream Truck – blue
MB44 MB1201 Mercedes Benz AMG 63S – white
MB45 MB1209 ’76 Honda CVCC – yellow
MB46 MB1211 Bugatti Divo – grey
MB47 MB1221 ’20 Chevy Corvette – blue
MB48 MB1179 ’16 Ford Utility Interceptor – black (CHP)
MB49 MB1195 ’15 Mercedes Benz G-Class – purple
MB50 MB1173 ’69 BMW 2002 – blue
MB51 MB1174 ’35 Ford Pickup – blue
MB52 MB975 ’15 Jaguar F-type Coupe – blue
MB53 MB1172 ’75 Chevy Caprice – burgundy
MB54 MB1170 ’18 Ford Mustang Convertible – blue
MB55 MB1083 ’63 Austin Healey Roadster – green
MB56 MB1088 ’70 Plymouth Cuda – yellow
MB57 MB1186 Polaris Slingshot – blue
MB58 MB1025 Toyota Prius Taxi – grey
MB59 MB1203 Polaris RZR – black
MB60 MB1210 Jeep Gladiator Pickup – red
MB61 MB1213 ’71 MGB GT Coupe – red
MB62 MB1206 ’95 Nissan Hardbody (D21) – red
MB63 MB1184 ’65 Land Rover Gen II Safari – tan
MB64 MB1182 ’18 Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon – white
MB65 MB1183 ’68 Dodge D200 Pickup – black
MB66 MB1185 ’85 Porsche 911 Rally – green
MB67 MB738 ’74 VW Type 181 Thing – tan
MB68 MB784 Jeep Willys – blue
MB69 MB953 Chevy K-1500 Pickup – grey
MB70 MB855 Oshkosh M-ATV – blue
MB71 MB1197 Big Banana Car – yellow
MB72 MB1127 ’93 Jeep Wrangler with roll bar – grey
MB73 MB1214 ’56 Aston Martin DBR1 – green
MB74 MB939 International WorkStar Brush Fire Truck – red
MB75 MB1194 ’61 Ford Ranchero – white
MB76 MB1181 ’16 Nissan Titan Warrior – grey
MB77 MB1177 Ram Flatbed – green/grey
MB78 MB1179 ’16 Ford Utility Interceptor – black (El Segundo)
MB79 MB1076 Trailer Trawler – mint
MB80 MB878 Jeep 4×4 – white
MB81 MB1058 Sonora Shredder – orange
MB82 MB938 Ford F-350 Superduty – red
MB83 MB1190 Nissan NV Van – white
MB84 MB926 Sea Spy – mint
MB85 MB816 Porsche Panamera – grey
MB86 MB363 ’62 VW Beetle – pink
MB87 MB867 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia – white
MB88 MB976 Ghe-O Rescue – green
MB89 MB982 Hummer H2 SUV Concept – orange
MB90 MB1204 ’56 Powell Sport Pickup – yellow
MB91 MB834 Crop Master – red
MB92 MB1176 MBX Backhoe – blue
MB93 MB1078 ’16 Chevy Colorado Xtreme – blue
MB94 MB1180 ’59 Dodge Coronet Police – white
MB95 MB327 ’33 Ford Coupe – yellow
MB96 MB1130 ‘471/2 Chevy AD Pickup – mint
MB97 MB728 Mercedes Benz Unimog U300 – green
MB98 MB1045 Speed Trapper – orange/white/blue
MB99 MB1215 MBX Cycle Trailer – red/grey
MB100 ’62 Mercedes Benz 220SE – grey
I am pretty impressed how with the added stresses of this year in general that things have pretty much still gone to plan. You may notice the Western Star has a TBD colour. It is still being finished as we speak. As I said, things are so fluid with them nowadays that things are being finished at the last second. However, there may be a chance that the finished article doesn’t make the cut for batch F and therefore we could see it in 2021 batch A. We may see another run late. You don’t know. Many years recently have seen a random model or 2 slide into the following year. We currently have 20 still to be released for 2020 as batch E is just starting to appear (I will be doing a run down on those in future blogs starting later this month) but there is a chance that not all 20 will be in batch F. They try their best to get them all in, but sometimes the timer runs out, and it gets nudged into the next year. As I said, with the added stress that this year has thrown into the mix I think they have done extremely well to get as much done as they did.
But I do like showing some pictures too. So I will dive into the final mix of 2020 for the Working Rigs line. With thanks to Wheel Collectors, I have the opportunity to show 2020 batch B of Working Rigs. As I mentioned before, I am not actually a collector of them, but I have to be honest, some of the new batch are really cool. I do wonder though, if I keep on getting these new ones will I end up filling up with all the back-catalogue again and expand and try for them all?
I mean, take this RW048 GMC 3500 Attenuator Truck. It arrived last year in orange and this marks its second outing, where it is number 6 of 8 for 2020.
This is the first time I have really had a chance to have a proper look at the model. I did briefly see the orange one last year at a Walmart while I was in USA but didn’t really pay attention to it. It is really nice.
White body, blue rear section, black moving parts. It is a great little casting. Now as far as I know, we don’t actually have attenuator trucks in the UK. At least I have never seen them. I don’t think I have ever seen them in USA while over there, but perhaps I have not paid enough attention. I have seen crash cushions at the end of barriers, as these do appear to be getting more common in the UK now. Particularly around where I live. So you never know, we may end up seeing TMAs (truck mounted attenuators) eventually here too.
For those, who are a bit like me and unfamiliar with them, the attenuator is the rear section of the truck. It rotates down to form a sort of mobile crash barrier, which is very useful in construction areas. If a vehicle hits the back of it, it will crumple inwards to absorb the crash and avoid the worst harm. So obviously this truck has the attenuator that comes down. Plus it has a little arrow sign over the cab pointing you one way or another, which does rotate.
In fact you can unclip it.
So as seen in these 2 pictures, you can direct the arrow either way. It’s a lot of fun this model. I really like it. I am now contemplating whether to get the previous orange one.
Also included in the latest batch is the RW028 MBX Excavator. It is in the number 8 of 8 slot for the year appearing in green.
This casting is a Matchbox originals casting, and first made its debut back in 2012. This will be it’s 5th release as a Working Rig (although the last one was a carry forward of a previously issued one), plus there was an additional issue in the 2013 Mission Force Construction Crew set. I had that one temporarily, but gave it away. Am I regretting it? Hmm! I will get back to you.
It has quite a few points of movement to it. The cab rotates around, the arm has lift and stretch, and the bucket moves back and forth too. Good use of parts for that one.
And this is a nice throwback for me. This was how miniatures used to be done until the early 2000s. No wheels, and rubber tracks instead. I’m waxing nostalgic now. Okay, I am getting back to you. I am regretting it.
I grew up with vehicles like this classic MB12-C Big Bull which ran from 1975-1978 in the basic range.
Those rollers often used to roll off.
The MB493 Bulldozer, which was launched in 2001 I believe was the last model to sport tracks in the basic range.Launched at the same time as the Artic Track Truck, this one did carry on until 2003 (the Artic Track was 2002 although it did roll on elsewhere until 2005).
Although when those tracks came off, you wouldn’t lose them, as the bucket held them to the vehicle. Of course this was altered into MB601 in 2004 after this 2003 MB67 US exclusive issue and that was the last we saw of tracks in the basic range. It is nice to see they have not been forgotten completely.
Next up is the RW003 Pierce Quantum Aerial Ladder Truck. This is one of the first castings that were created for Real Working Rigs as it was part of the first batch upon launch in December 2008 (officially part of the 2009 launch).
It’s quite unusual though. Considering how early this was released, it too has not seen a lot of use. In fact after the 3 different issues in 2009, it barely saw any use at all.
Now apart from the 3 versions from the debut year, we saw a later Mission Force release in 2012 (again I would have had that temporarily) and it was a special edition in 2015 which you can read more about here. Boy does it have a long ladder.
However for the variation hunters the special edition had silver and white striping around the front wheel, whereas the new one has just silver. Obviously I don’t have the special edition from 2015, so there is no side by side. But it is there.
It’s a nice little model. I don’t know why it had such little use.
I prefer it to the Pierce that was in the basic range (never a fan of that one). Perhaps this is the start of seeing more action from it.
Finally, the RW006 International DuraStar 4400 Flatbed.
Okay, first time I have properly looked at this. As I said, I wasn’t collecting before. So even a classic RWR from 2009 is all new to me. 2009 saw 2 different versions, and then in 2010 we saw another one before it retired from the earlier run of RWR models. When the series was relaunched in 2018 it was brought back in a new version, and in 2019 we saw the debut version carried forward for a second run. This is therefore its sixth release, but its fifth version. First one I got.
So I am having fun. As with the recent basic range MB1074 Flatbed King this features a rear that slides back and down to form a ramp for vehicles to go up.
But this one also has a secondary wheel lift that can be pulled out to use for a second model. Ooh, I am going to finish this with a little bit of fun. Well I need to test these things out.
Ramp goes down, model rolls on.
Model sits comfortably on the rear of the International.
Or I can use it to tow away 2 different vehicles at the same time.
Vehicles on the top can overhang quite a bit and not affect the second model that was lifted up too. This is a great casting. Lots of fun. So how many did I say have been done already? 4? Or possible 5 if you include the carry forward. Hmm! I may have to think about creating a group of these. I really like it.
So that’s the new batch of Working Rigs. I am just calling them Working Rigs now, as they dropped the “Real” part from the name. Although the models still use the RW… numbering system. Bit late to change that.
So I am starting to get more attached to these models as I go along. Will I be tempted to get all previous issues? I am not sure yet. But I am enjoying these ones a lot. So thanks Wheel Collectors for sending these ones. I think they are brilliant.
One final note. Some may remember that batch A only had 3 models. There was no 1 of 8. Unfortunately, as I said at the beginning of today’s article, things are fluid and occasionally logistics can get in the way. It got cancelled. But it was too late to alter the numbering for the first batch of artwork, and changing the second would have been too confusing. So we are only getting a set of 7 for 2020. The next Working Rigs you see will be the first batch of 2021.
Do it! Collect Working Rigs!