It’s that time of the year when we get to find out what is coming next year. Ooh, how exciting. I was a little delayed in getting the article up, but I tried to squeeze it all in while still on my trip around the USA. I hope you enjoy it. As usual, it is going up on the Wheel Collectors website, and if you click here, you can go to my Matchbox Monday section of the site. I hope you enjoy the read. It is long, but there is a lot to go through.
First of all… I collect modern Matchbox mainly because of it’s retro models. In 2025 there’s going to be less of those new retro models introduced 🙁 My first disappointment is visibly less retro models. i really could care about tons of suvs and electric “cars”. Today i was hunting for Matchbox all over the place with no luck, just old stuff, but what i like is look like kids are lots more smarter than adults, why ? Guess which models are pegwarmers including Teslas, Polaris and other generic cars, kids not buying this ! My second disappointment is 2025 Matchbox in general. i mean who chose those models for 2025 ? Not the greatest year, 2022-2024 was so much better.
Mbx Turf Hauler II, Mini Site Dumper, Mbx Ev Ladder Truck and coast to coast yacht are already candidates for pegwarmers. Waste of metal, that’s it.
Firstly a big thanks to David for putting huge amounts of time and effort writing reports like this, it is much appreciated and highly informative. One day, though I say it every year, I’d love to attend one of these conventions.
Although a personal opinion, I do think we have not only entered a new Golden Era for the Matchbox brand but I’d go as far as saying it’s in better shape than it’s EVER been. Taking aside distribution and certain cost cutting production methods the actual line up is exceptionally diverse with a huge amount of yearly new castings, monthly recolours and various different line ups. Definitely something for everyone and far more appealing than say less than a decade ago.
We all want different things from our diecasts and opinions will always vary. Two many classics/too little classics, too many EVs/not enough EVs, too many American cars not enough European etc.. If it was down to me their range would be full of British Leyland vehicles but that’s never going to happen…. I’m not a huge fan of the dominance of SUVs and the decree we all should be driving EVs after 2030 but unless something seismic happens then there will be a time when ALL new diecast models of modern contemporary cars will be EVs like it or not. There’s lots of SUVs in the Matchbox line up because that’s what’s happening in the real auto industry.
However… as always from a British point of view distribution continues to utterly frustrate and when watching the new 2025 releases it’s with a sense of frustration so little of it will be seen here. Mix 11 has just been announced yet the UK only briefly in a handful of stores got to Mix 3 and ALL stockists are going backwards. It’s not like the pegs are empty, it’s just no new batches are coming through and what’s coming from distribution centres have clearly been here for upto 12 months and nothing new is being shipped as all this old stuff ain’t selling quickly.
Until our retailers get on board properly with Matchbox and stock the full range then things will get worse.
They were massively over estimating how many they’d sell. Unfortunately kids these days are not interested in Matchbox, it’s Hot Wheels all the way. 90% of the stuff above I’m afraid is never going to get to the U.K. because apart from a small number of very niche retailers and the ability to order from Aliexpress etc there is no market to speak of for Matchbox in the U.K. now.
Hope to see better coverage in the UK.
Shame because I believe Matchbox can still be sold in the right way of advertising/promotional and every outlet stands like Hot wheels. Shame because we know a lot isn’t going to make it here sadly. Hope I’m wrong… Thank you for the write up 👍…