Model: Matchbox MB711 Volvo C30
Release: 2007 1st Editions 10-pack
eBay link: Matchbox Volvo C30
Why is it in the collection: Because this shows that a Volvo can be sooooo cool
The year was 2001. Volvo attended NAIAS in Detroit in January of that year and unveiled the Safety Concept Car (SCC). The unveiling was a success and initial plans were to create a vehicle based off it for production commencing in 2002. However, delays caused things to be on hold for a while but in 2006, again at NAIAS they unveiled the C30 Concept Car. It was off-white with a gold under-carriage. This was almost production ready.
Later that year at the Paris Motor Show, they unveiled the production C30. It was white with a black undercarriage. Not quite as cool, but they were ready for production so off it went. Matchbox created a model of the vehicle and added it to the basic range in 2007. It was also a 2-version release, debuting in silver and then turning tan later. Sadly both basic range issues were deemed rather plain, and as such they didn’t exactly sell well. I remember visiting my local TRU and could find full pegs of each one alongside random other items (plus a few Radar Trucks from previous years that would just not go away).
But then at the end of the year, the 1st Editions 10-pack hit, and included as 1 of the 10 models was this awesome looking Volvo. They had created a model based on the 2006 NAIAS Concept look and it was amazing! I still remember people saying at the time that this should have been the debut basic range release. Not a plain silver one. This would have sold well. 2008 saw a lovely black issue in the basic range which did pretty well, and in 2009 a burgundy was only sold in the US market and again did well. But people often remember 2007 and how the debut just fell a bit, well flat.
Which is a real shame, as the Volvo C30 was a really nice car, and the model was expertly created in miniature. Even now, this white and gold issue really stands out from the crowd of C30s showing what can be achieved.
Some may think of Volvo as being quite a trustworthy, reliable, but rather unadventurous car manufacturer. But when you look closer at their offerings from over the years they have created some lovely vehicles. The C30 was a real looker to me, and stood out from other vehicles on the road. It was a bold move from Volvo. It only lasted the 1 generation, being produced for 7 years. The Matchbox one only saw 4 years from 2007-2009 and a single 2011 issue. But I think in years to come, the C30 will be seen as a classic.
And this particular Matchbox edition was the perfect example of that classic.
Pure gold!
I LOVE this car, in model form and real life. Sadly this was released juuuuust before I started really collecting in earnest, so I only have the silver version, but I’m glad I at least have that one.
There’s something about this car that I really enjoy! I had the silver one new when I was only ten years old! I was a diehard for Matchbox back then since I loved to play with real street cars rather than crappy fantasy cars. As I got older and wanted some of my nostalgic Matchboxes back, I was destined to find this particular casting. So I was fortunate enough to win a bid on a listing for the first three colors in silver, gold, and black. I put the bid in thinking I was gonna lose but I turned out to be the only bidder. It was wonderful. Now I have them proudly on display on my golden age Matchbox wall.