Matchbox Mini Moment Makes a Mercedes shine

Hey look, Wheyhemes is back. Here to tell you that Mattel Creation Matchbox branded number 2 is imminent. in fact, we are literally just days away from launch. Thursday morning, at 9am Pacific Time, the latest Mattel Creation Matchbox model will be launching on their website. You can keep an eye on the countdown at this Mattel Creations link (it will open in a new window so you can keep reading here too). And it is a lovely little model.

You may recognise the box. It is exactly the same as the one Wheyhemes came in. Except now the legal jargon is slightly different in reference to the model included and the little story.

This time it is all about the MB1136 ’62 Mercedes-Benz 220SE Coupe. It references the original, which was also the original Mercedes-Benz that Matchbox ever made too. Until that time they had never made a casting from that manufacturer. But enough about the box, I need to get inside and see the model in question.

Ooh! Shiny! As was the case with Wheyhemes (pun intended), this comes in a plexicase surrounded by a velveteen cardboard surround with a window to view inside. This time it is in black and showcases the model sitting in front of the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany. The brickwork it is sitting on is important as many classic vehicles get to sit there in real life. Mercedes-Benz host a “Classics & Coffee” event each week, and the view from there was part of the inspiration for placing a classic in that spot. You can see more about Classics & Coffee at this link (again it will open in a new tab). Just so you know why they chose that particular view for the model. It seemed the most appropriate.

On the rear of the plush outer wrap to the plexicase you see a little more information about the model in question, and how this is a current casting that honours the classics from the earlier days of Lesney Matchbox.

The bottom has all the legal jargon.

Sliding off the outer sleeve you notice that the Mercedes-Benz Museum comes with it.

You almost feel like you are there.

So; plexicase. Hmm! This is me.

Goodbye cover. Getting to the model inside.

Of course I will need a little screwdriver to get rid of those screws in the base too.

There we go. All freed.

One last view of the base to the plexicase. That colour variation is actually a part of the pattern. It is not being caused by flash on the camera or anything. It almost makes it look like the sun is breaking through at one area. I like it. Not enough to keep the model on it, but I like the idea of it.

So say goodbye little Merc. This is the last time you roll along the Mercedes-Benz Museum concourse.

So let’s take a close look at the model in question. This looks really nice to me. A lovely deep silver with chrome base and opening doors. A very simply tampo scheme with grey accents around the model.

I know not everyone is a fan of the blue window, but this is a staple for Matchbox classics and to me, it helps to break up the silver on the model which moves in to the shiny black roof.

Now I do apologize. The camera is finding the model so shiny it is struggling to keep focus on it. I show here the front end which does have the front lights depicted. Quite subtle as with a silver background you almost don’t notice them. But they are there, and honestly, look even better up close in person. That was my camera struggling. Note to self: must get better camera, or learn to take better photos.

At the rear too, yeah it came out blurry. Seriously, I need a course in how to take better shots. But trust me, the attention to detail is spot on. There is more grey pin striping going over the rear and the Mercedes-Benz badge & model name clearly depicted.

And that roof. Oh that is gorgeous. A lovely shiny black which dips down the pillars and has a silver pin stripe going around the edge. Carefull attention to detail throughout the model. And I love the burgundy interior. I can imagine a real one being a burgundy leather, which this reminds me of.

The wheels may not be the exact wheels that the 220SE would have sported back in the day, but I don’t think there is enough to keep making factory original spec wheels for each and every casting they put out in the Mattel Creations list. These are multi-spoke wheels, and do look fairly classic and suit the model in question.

This model is the second Mattel Creation, and the second with a nice chrome base too. Of course that helps to solidify the front end of the model with the chrome grille area.

As you can (sort of, sorry blurry again) see here.

I think this is a beautiful little model. And being in silver, it reminds me of the classic Mercedes-Benz silver arrows, as silver is quite a big thing in Mercedes-Benz circles. I think it was a great choice for a colour on this model, as the maroon was already done for the debut.

Perhaps one more shot in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum as I hadn’t moved the packaging out of the way yet.

So yes, this is the second Mattel Creations Matchbox model, and to me another spectacular home run. I love it! I liked the Mercedes-Benz 220SE Coupe when it first arrived in 2019, but didn’t love it. I thought it was great to see it honouring the classic Lesney model like it did, but now I see with the model taken to a new level, just how gorgeous it is!

I am definitely all in on the Mattel Creations stuff. This is absolutely great. Spectacular renditions of models from Matchbox, all in highly realistic and highly detailed schemes. I am thoroughly enjoying them. And yes, my camera went nuts and focused on the wrong vehicle here again.

Wheyhemes sold out in 20 minutes. With this high calibre of model I would think the Mercedes-Benz will too. Maybe even quicker. I am really happy with the way the Matchbox brand is being given love now. These last few years have really seen a huge upswing in the amount of licenses they have managed to obtain. We have seen more opening and moving parts on models than we have in a long time. Premium issues are back in full swing and now we are getting ultra premium models too. This brand is on the up and I am going to sit back and enjoy the ride. This is how I always wanted to see the Matchbox brand go. Realistic models of real vehicles, smartly done and given the love and attention it deserves.

So I was gone for a few minutes. I literally had to go into the attic to retrieve the box for the Routemaster. I had put it in a box out of the way but thought I would do a few shots of the pair with packaging. And then couldn’t remember where I put the box. Bus, no problem. I was straight to it. But the box? Chucked in a cardboard box and chucked up in the attic. As people know, I am not a packaging person, but I felt this was one package that wouldn’t get immediately thrown away. Good job, as I fished it back out to do these shots. As you can see, these Mattel Creations are being packaged the same way.

And I notice that the plexicase surrounds are not identical. The Routemaster was in blue, the Mercedes-Benz in black. It looks like we will be getting different colours for different releases.

Which is good. I like that things are the same, but different at the same time. This is definitely a great job done by the Mattel team, with the Matchbox brand. Yes, I keep saying it, I am loving that we are getting this much love from Mattel now. Long may this continue. If the models are like this, I am going to keep getting them all, and smiling as I get them. So, that is my review for the new model done. As I said, it goes live in just over 2 days from when this blog report went live. The countdown is continuing. Good luck to everybody. It will be going fast. You will not want to miss out. And talking of missing out. I could not go without doing one of my dive backs could I?

Obviously there is the logical one. The first release of this model. I had already mentioned it. It arrived in 2019 as part of the Superfast series and honoured the original Lesney one with its look.

By being built to around the same scale, coming in maroon just like the Lesney one did, having opening doors like the Lesney one did, and even coming with grey wheels like the Lesney one did. Oh yes, honouring the past to go towards the future here. This model had a great debut, and another Matchbox Collector model is coming in the latest batch too, and I will be showcasing it later this year. I am still to do batch B which is coming very soon.

I notice the new one has similar windows, as I said they are doing a light blue tint to windows on many classic vehicles in the range. This is a Matchbox thing. Remember in the past, during the Lesney era, windows were in all sorts of colours. Green, amber, blue, smoke, yellow, red, purple, you name it. There was likely a model sporting a window tint on most colours. Okay I don’t remember a pink one. But you get the idea. Window tinting was a classic things for Matchbox and Mattel are honouring this tradition with their “classics” too. However, they are not going too dark on the tints. Just a light touch. The rear of the new Merc gets a license plate, but is actually quite similar to the original. But to be honest, what else could they have added?

It’s the same with the front. The maroon was already highly detailed, so the extras are the other surfaces. Roof (including pillars) as well as enhanced side detailing. Well that didn’t take long. Hmm! Silver Merc….

News just in. They have done a lot of silver Mercedes-Benz models over the years. Like the MB205 Mercedes-Benz TN-series truck. They created a model out of it and released it as a TV News Van, complete with a camera and antenna that would lift up out of the roof. In 2000 it was a US MB98 issue complete with a Matchbox 2000 logo on the front window of the first 10,000 made.

And in no order whatsoever and also might not include all silver, as I just grabbed a bunch. Just for fun, we have loads of others like the MB220 500SL Convertible, which debuted in silver in 1990 as MB12 (US range) or MB33 (ROW range).

Was also given the premium treatment in 1992 in the World Class series in silver.

And was given an ASAP blank run too in a darker silver, now with a black base too late in the day as it was the final item done for the model in 2000. Therefore this started and finished in silver.

It even got a Swop Top. And yes, that was the correct spelling. In 1993 they came up with a small set of models with a magic trick.

You lifted up a part on the model and it would allow you to flip the interior section over.

Turning the vehicle from a hardtop into a convertible. Clever trick. Sadly it only ran 1 year and we only saw 8 models. I don’t think it was as successful as they hoped. Either that or Tyco having just taken over the brand decided to trim a few lines and this got culled.

Of course not all models saw a silver release. The MB056 450SEL didn’t, but I lucked out in having a pre-production sample of it in silver.

Some saw silver releases adorned with a variety of tampos. Like the MB427 ML430 which has had 2 silvers, both with side designs. First off the 2001 Summit Seekers 5-pack saw a silver with a mountain and snow themed side design.

And in 2002 another silver appeared, this time in the Across America series for Connecticut.

Sometimes a model only ever appeared in silver. Take the MB11-A L-series which debuted in 1969 and ran until it was replaced in 1972. Apart from a change from regular to Superfast wheels, it always looked the same. Silver, with a Builders Supply Company logo on the side and scaffolding in the rear.

And yes you could take that scaffolding out and set it up too. That was why it was called the Scaffolding Truck. It was filled with scaffolding.

Sometimes a silver can be quite tough to find. The MB46-A 300SE was an example, as it randomly appeared in the MP-1 multipack in 1981 and is not an easy model to find.

Sometimes much easier as it was a general worldwide basic range issue, like the MB65 (US) or MB60 (ROW except Germany) issue of the MB334 E-Class from 1999.

Or the 2005 debut version of the MB672 SL55 AMG as MB48. This was a worldwide issue.

Some models saw not 1 but 2 variants of a certain silver model. Like the MB1109 ’14 G-Class as it arrived in the 2018 Jurassic World series in silver, mirroring the one from the film. But was also given a second run as a Battle Damage model later on with mud splattered all over the sides.

You might have to look at an enhanced model for a silver look. The MB135 500SEC did not get a silver in regular assortments, but the Light & Sound series, where the innards of the model were replaced with a battery operated sensor, would flash lights and make a siren sound when the model was depressed (as in pushed down, not when it was sad).

This was in 1997, and came in a Police theme and weirdly the Mercedes-Benz tri-star was blanked out on the front.

Silver could have been a bit of a go-to colour as well. The MB476 E430 Wagon Police saw quite a few, although the civilian variant never had a silver issue. The 2002 MB26 ROW was silver, and this too had a 10,000 logo variant.

Before it was used, not once but twice, in a Polizei theme in the Stars of Germany series (2003 no hood print) or Stars of Cars (2006 with hood print) exclusive to the German market.

Perhaps it was looking to bookend a model. The MB434 debuted in silver in 1999 as a German exclusive MB66, and was one of the 4 “final” models as it was a 10-pack exclusive in 2008 in 4 different colours before being retired.

Perhaps it was a model that didn’t want to retire. The MB149 280GE was first seen in 1984 although took a long time to see a silver variant. The 1999 Sea Explorers 5-pack was the first time we saw this one in silver, but definitely not the last.

It was a part of the 2001 SOS 5-pack again in silver, as this model was not ready to give up.

But sadly, after 26 years of action as a Matchbox model, this model bowed out in 2009 in the Euro Edition series (again exclusive to Germany) in a Polizei theme.

Some just didn’t want to be here. This was the debut basic range release of the MB234 600SEL. It arrived in silver, ran 2 years, and was never seen in the basic range again. Had it not been for Showstoppers, and a renewed life in 1996 for Premieres, this model would have had a very brief existence.

Talking of brief, this one was very brief. The MB1195 ’15 G-Class was a part of the Matchbox 2018 European Convention in Leipzig Germany. It was made for the first 75 people who registerd for that year’s convention. 75, that was it.

Another we know the number for. The 2006 Superfast issue of the MB683 CLS500. 15,000 were made of this. Just 200 times more than the early bird G-Class.

Of course what we don’t know is how many were made of the Hungarian Matchbox. When they sent some castings over for local production in 1987, the factory just went nuts churning out whatever they could in as many colours and combinations of parts as they could as the castings were only leased for 1 year. This MB27-A 230SL Convertible is one of the many that they created.

Although Bulgaria got lucky with the MB006 350SL Convertible. At first Bulgarian models were also leased on a year by year basis, but a new deal was struck in 1988 where those that were sent over could be kept and the 350SL was one of the model that was sent over and used for many many years in countless colours and designs. Silver being one of literally hundreds of different combinations.

But what was definitely not hundreds, was the MB181 300E. This too was never made in silver, but I have managed to obtain 2 different pre-production samples of it. With or without black sides stripes.

Talking of 2 (again), the MB1056 G63 AMG 6×6 saw 2 silver (well they are off silver, but close enough for me) releases for Jurassic World. Silver was in 2018 and in 2019 they muddied it up.

Talking of mud, don’t you think they could have done the same here with the special Ewy Rosqvist debut version of the MB1200 ’62 220SE in 2000? I mean she did drive it in a number of rallys in the 1960s, and I would have thought this would have got quite dirty at times.

Mind you, I bet this model would have got a lot more than dirty. Being an ITCC (pre-cursor to DTM) vehicle, I am sure while racing the MB288 C-Class would have been dented quite a lot. This was a Racing 5-pack issue from 1997.

Which I am sure would have required help from the Rennservice (English translate – Racing service) from the AvD (Automobilclub von Deutschland) which was a special German only MB6 issue in 1977. Of course some came without all the labels too, leaving the car blank.

Talking of blank, the 2004 version of the MB400 CLK Convertible was rather blank too. Plain black grille with no chroming and pretty much no tampo (apart from a Matchbox logo and the model’s number in the 2004 range (MB20, where it was sold in the ROW market) adorning the rear numberplate.

Which was unusual as the ROW range in the early part of this century were usually still giving us some really nice models like the MB380 A-Class which in 2000 saw a lovely look in the ROW range as MB31.

Mind you, the simple front and rear tampo treatment was not expected on the Jurassic World models as such, but the MB1092 ’15 GLE Coupe gave us just that in the 2018 Jurassic World series. In among all the Jurassic themed stuff we had a regular car. Which was still true to the film.

But with all the Unimogs in the film, none were silver so we never got one. In fact, the closest we have ever been to any silver Unimog is the 2007 MB46 release of the MB728 Unimog U300 which has a bit of a greenish hue to it. Well I had to try and sneak in a Unimog somehow. I do enjoy them. But I think that will about do. I hope you enjoyed how I managed to pretty much link all the silver Mercedes-Benz models together into one long line. Just being creative. I think that is one of the things you need when you are in Mattel Creations.

And with that I am back where I started. With the new Mattel Creations model. Awesome little silver Mercedes-Benz 220SE Coupe which goes live on the Mattel Creations website very VERY soon. Remember, it is only available through the website at $24.99 plus shipping while stocks last so wait for the countdown timer to hit zero and good luck.

I think it is well worth it. These models are awesome. Wish I could say the same for my camera…. Stop focusing on the wrong model camera!!!! So for a mini moment, I think it was pretty long. Oops! Sorry about that. Okay thinning out next Monday’s report down to 3 pictures…. It was 130 something but I think I can trim it. Wait, no I can’t. I will see you for lots more Matchbox goodies next Monday, so enjoy the rest of the week and I hope people are able to secure their next Mattel Creations model on Thursday.