MATCHBOX - Dodge A100 Pick Up.

For me, i believe that there are far too may US products in the Matchbox line-up, yes, i am fully aware that Mattel is an American company and they own Matchbox, as well as Hot Wheels, but if you are selling a product worldwide, as they say they are, then you have to appeal to the world wide audience, so when this Dodge A100 pick-up was added to the line, it was met with both a sigh and surprise.

Surprise because it is not your usual, bog standard pick-up, like the Ford F-Series, Or Silverado, but a van based version, and one that you really do not see very often, so as much as i really hate the high US content, it was one i really wanted to have, and that's where this issues started, it became obvious from quite early on that Mattel were not going to send this model to Europe on a short card, so unless you have friends in the US or want to pay exorbitant prices on eBay, then your going to be left wanting.

But then, when i was poking about the Internet on my usual model sites, i read with interest that a British Company, Poundland, was selling long card models for a quid from their shops, so when i was nearby the other week, i popped in and they had a huge basket full of MBX, and that's where i found this and one other, along with a few other models i was lacking, so a happy trip for me, and next time i am in town, i will definitely be in there poking about again.

JOHNNY LIGHTNING - Citroen DS, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

As a self confessed lover of all things vampire, it was a no brainer to get hold of this and the other three models from the US TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel, this set of cars are from Johnny Lightning, made slightly larger than the 1/64 range of cars, this 1963 Citroen DS in silver, is a lovely model.

The tampo's are crisp and perfectly placed, the opening bonnet is a nice addition,  this and the other three are not packaged, obviously, however i am trying to locate replacements, as the seller i got these from, had removed the collectors card, and never advised they had done so, so you can guess that negative feedback was left.

JOHNNY LIGHNING - 1957 Chevy Bel Air, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

As a self confessed lover of all things vampire, it was a no brainer to get hold of this and the other three models from the US TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel, this set of cars are from Johnny Lightning, made slightly larger than the 1/64 range of cars, this 1957 Chevy Bel Air in red, is a lovely model.

The tampo's are crisp and perfectly placed, the opening bonnet is a nice addition,  this and the other three are not packaged, obviously, however i am trying to locate replacements, as the seller i got these from, had removed the collectors card, and never advised they had done so, so you can guess that negative feedback was left.

JOHNNY LIGHTNING - 1959 Desoto Fireflyte Sportman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

As a self confessed lover of all things vampire, it was a no brainer to get hold of this and the other three models from the US TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Angel, this set of cars are from Johnny Lightning, made slightly larger than the 1/64 range of cars, this 1959 Desoto Fireflyte Sportsman is a truly great casting.

The tampo's are crisp and perfectly placed, however the lack of proper wheels does slightly detract from and over all great model, this and the other three are not packaged, obviously, however i am trying to locate replacements, as the seller i got these from, had removed the collectors card, and never advised they had done so, also the front right wheel is damaged, i was none too happy with that, but it is a really stunning casting,  so you can guess that negative feedback was left.

JOHNNY LIGHTNING - Plymouth GTX - Angel TV Show

As a self confessed lover of all things vampire, it was a no brainer to get hold of this and the other three models from the US TV series Buff the Vamprie Slayer, and Angel, this set of cars are from Johnny Lightning, made slightly larger than the 1/64 range of cars, this Plymouth GTX is a truely great casting.

The tampo's are crisp and perfectly placed, however the lack of proper wheels does slightly detract from and over all great model, this and the other three are not packaged, obviously, however i am rtying to locate replacements, as the seller i got these from, had removed the collectors card, and never advised they had done so, so you can guess that negative feedback was left.

MOTORMANIA/MAISTO - BMW 1-Series Coupe, pale gold.

Not one of my favourite models, in fact i still dont know why i got this, it is boxed as Motor Mania, and is the same model utilised by a number of other brands, mainly Maisto, the wheels are horrid, and the blacked out windows, so they can do away with an interior, does little to enhace this model.

It is reasonably well modelled however, and is easily recognisable as the Beemer, and is not as good as the Matchbox version, which has yet to come to the UK through proper distribution channels, poxy Mattel, this has gone straight from picture to packing case, so i can hopefully forget about it for a few years.

MINICHAMP - Bentley Continental GTC, Glacier white.

Generally I steer clear of very expensive models, especially 1/64 scale ones, but at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which I attended a few weeks back, one of the stalls was selling Minichamp64 models at £5.00 each or four for £15, so four were swiftly picked up, this one, The Bentley Continental GTC is a limited Edition being one of 5,040 produced.

This stunning Bentley in Glacier White, really looks the business, I have not removed it from the plinth, I just took the perspex lid off to take the picture.

NOREV/PEUGEOT - Peugeot 2008 Matt Orange

Sorry that the picture is not as clear as I would like, but the colour, Matt Orange wouldn't re-produce any better, I did try, about 15 pictures, and this was the best, anyway, here we have a Peugeot 2008, an SUV based off the Peugeot 208, this particular model was purchased directly from Peugeot, and as such, it comes in a dark blue box with the Peugeot name and Lion logo on.

It is a 1/64 sized model, and is very life like, Norev is the maker, a brand that focuses on making extremely good replica's of real cars, this is one of a number I purchased.

VANGUARDS - Hillman Minx IIIA, Ash Grey, Oyster Grey.

Another Hillman Minx IIIA, and another great choice of colours, Ash grey/Oyster Grey, in an era when cars came in two tone shades, Hillman made it their own, the blue interior is also just right for the colour scheme, if maybe a little too blue, the chrome work and the tampo's are spot on, this is one model that no matter what colour scheme it is in, it is just perfect, I hope Vanguards continue to use this casting for some time to come.

VA06806 is another Limited Edition, #1452/2900, one of the lowest to date, and it is great to see that Vanguards are listening to collectors, and not flooding the market with thousands of models no one wants, the jewelled headlights and working suspension again set this off to a tee, bring them on Corgi, the more the merrier.

VANGUARDS - Ford Cortina MK1b, Goodwood Green.

The MK1B Cortina was a really huge hit for Ford, the MK1 was produced from 1962 until 1966 and sold in excess of 930,000 units, which was massive for Ford, and made the Cortina thee best seller for virtually its entire run which ended in 1982, but for me the MK1A was the best, the MK1B a very close second, this Goodwood Green version looks the part with the more deeper wheels that would have been on the Lotus Cortina, the badging and bright work are spot on too.

VA07300 is a great model and a limited one at that, #5558/7300, another high number and a quick check on ebay sees that there is a few on there from £5.50 to £20.00, glad I have mine though, as it is mint, the jewelled headlights and working suspension set this off just right.

VANGUARDS - Morris Minor Convertible, Black & Maroon.

Another Moggie, this time the convertible, but with the roof up, this Moggy looks better than the Traveller, in so many ways, the colour of teh wheels and grill are more metal coloured, so fit better, looks wise, the painting of the bright work, lights etc is as good as all other models, and the black paint is flawless.

VA05802, is a really good casting, with jewelled headlights and working suspension, the whole look is just spot on, it is also a Limited Edition #1234/5500, however, like the Traveller before this, the garish red interior really is at odds with the rest of the casting, they should have made the dash area a different colour, as red was never an option from Morris.

VANGUARDS - Vauxhall PA Cresta, Swan White, Lime Yellow.

A Vauxhall, and what a Vauxhall, the PA Cresta, in Swan white and Lime Yellow, with white walls to boot, this is a stunning model, you can clearly see the American owners influence on this car, with the mini wings, wrap round glass house, and so on, however, it was not really a roaring success, it was around only from 1957-1962 and sold just shy of 82,000 units, so Vanguards has picked another real life lame duck, and that's great, these are the sorts of cars that we want, not copies of other brands models.

VA06402, is a Limited Edition 7168/8300, back to high numbers again, which is a shame, but to be honest I just checked and there is not one of these for sale on eBay, so maybe it is one of those models that people really wanted, this one has great bouncy suspension and jewelled headlights, and an interior that brings back memories of sliding from one side of the car to the other, if you can get one in this colour, get it, I think it is far and away the best.

2015 Matchbox line up, some good, mostly Bad, and more awful...

For me the highlights will be the, Presidential Limo bottom row left,  TESLA model S, bottom row, right, Porsche Caymen, third row second in, the Ford cargo truck, second row third in, BMW 5-Series police (just to look, hate beemers) top row second in, and Lambo top row far right.

Shame there is still NO news on the range Rover Evoque, and the dumping of the Land Rover LR4

News from the 2014 MAtchbox Gathering - 2015 New Model List

Thanks to Mark (Markkaz) on Swiftysgarage.net, we have some welcome news from New Mexico:

"The new Ambassador is Larry Scaduto.

Mystery Models coming in 2015
More licensed vehicles in the mix.
Packaging style will continue but with new 'guaranteed for life' notation.
125 in the line

25 new tools including:
Mack CF Pumper
Airport Crash Firetruck (generic)
Spark Arrestor (firetruck/dune buggy concept)
BMW 5 Series Police Car
Fire Boat H/L
Tracked Missile Launcher H/L
GHE-O Rescue Licensed from Romainia (G-O Motors)
Ford F150 Contractor Truck
Rain Maker (farm sprayer)
Mountain Mover H/L
Lamborghini (Cheetah) LM002? Hummer-like looking vehicle
All Terrain Moto H/L
Malibu Marauder H/L
2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk
Jeep Willys 4x4 Pickup
Roar By Four H/L (dune buggy)
Critter Truck H/L
Air Boat (swamp boat) H/L
2013 Ford Cargo
Porsche Caymen
Meter Made
Tesla Model S
Cadillac One Limo
New Licensed European Model (SECRET)
Airport Tractor H/L

Premium Diecast Line called "Supreme Heroes"
18 models (17 licensed)
soft tires
realistic liveries
Blister card package without box

12 5-packs
6 sky buster Mission Force packs
9/10 packs continue with 1 exclusive model
5 new Sky Busters
1:64 scale tall trucks (separate line)"

VANGUARDS - Morris Minor traveller, Rose Taupe.

A later, updated Minor Traveller from Vanguards, this still has no working suspension but does have jewelled headlights, and the wood style trim on the car is so woefully lacking, it is just so clearly brown plastic, the could have madea better job of that, the white slbs of plastic on the grill and wheels also make this model stand out, and not for the right reasons.

However, theychromed areas, like bumper, side stripe, bonnet furniture, door handles and so on, are spot on, it is just a shame that this Rose Taupe coloured Traveller is more toy than collection, VA01009, is a Limited Edition, and I am glad about that, as I wouldn't wish this cheap looking thing on anyone, haveing said that, it is 1839/3900, so again the LE numbers are dropping, making them more collectable, if you would want to collect this one, that is.

VANGUARDS - Sunbeam Alpine MK II, Carnival Red.

Ahh, a Sunbeam Alpine MK II, in a beautiful Carnival Red, i must have gotten the camera in just the right angle to make it look like the headlights were on, and its looks good, and takes away the dust, sorry, this MK II model is a surprise really, as Sunbeam, or the Rootes Group, only produced the MK II for one year only 1962, so a limited run from vanguards will no doubt be completed.

The working suspension and working jewelled headlights set this off, with white wall tyres and detailed interior, this model is an great casting to have in any collection, just a shame then that it will no doubt be a very limited run of versions, this particular model i purchased from Harrods, and it cost less than the equivalent models direct from Corgi today.

VANGUARDS - Ford Anglia Super, Venetian Gold.

Harry Potter would have been a little worse for the lack of this little beauty, the Ford Anglia was a massive hit for Ford with nearly 1.1 million cars sold in its short life, it had so much going for it, it had lots of interior room, the small fins, gave it style, the inverted rear window gave it a quirky look, the eyes and the slightly sad looking grill, made it a car that was loved by all, and one was on virtually every street in Britain, because they just sold and sold.

So for Vanguards it was an obvious choice to produce one, and this one, really stands out in a stunning Venetian Gold paint scheme, VA00119 was a Limited Edition, this being number 0900/5400, the Jewelled headlights really set it off a treat, but there is no suspension on this model,  which is a shame, nevertheless the Ford Anglia Super is a great addition.

VANGUARDS - Ford Zephyr 6 MK III, City of Plymouth Police.

Another Zephyr, and another Police version, this time, a better one, not to say that the other one, (HERE) was bad, but i feel that a car in white shows off its best bits, and this one definitely does that. The Zephyr was never a small car, well, not on the outside, and it was powered quite well too, hence the police use, here in City of Plymouth trim, with roof light and siren on the front bumper.

VA04603 is the Ford Zephyr 6 MK III, lots of numbers and letters, all to denote a model, that's tapered off during the 80's but seems to be on the rebound, with manufactures adding numbers and trim levels to cars. This Police version was the third model in the range, and as such was Limited to 2102/5000, the vastness of the red interior does little for me, as it is way to red, and way too much of it, but the exterior is just right.

VANGUARDS - Hillman Minx IIIA, Embassy Black.

SIGH, well, here it is, the best Hillman Minx IIIA that they have produced, so far, i love black coloured cars, so for me this was a no brainer, the Embassy Black of this version is stunning, it has teh same treatment as the other models, working suspension and Jewelled headlights, but because it is in Black, i means the bright work and tampo's stand out far better than they do on a lighter coloured car.

VA06804, is one of those cars that stand out amongst the rest and being a Limited Edition too, makes this a perfect addition to my collection, 3418/4000 are the numbers, and as you can see, the Limited Edition units are getting lower, considering some were over 10,000 this is a large drop, and as we get nearer to today, those numbers get lower still, but I digress, if you can get this one, do so, you will not regret it. 

VANGUARDS - Triumph Herald Convertible, Damson (and dust)

Oops apologies for the dust, is this not a brilliant model, the Herald was for Triumph, what the Mini was for Austin, but not quite in the same sales league, but in its 12 year life span (1959-1971) they sold in excess of half a million units, and even in it's final year, it was still selling very strongly, here is the MK II, and personally i prefer this to the original, Vanguards has achieved a near to realistic model as can be with this one.

VA07400 was the launch model for the Herald, and they chose Damson as the colour, and a great choice it was too, the working suspension and jewelled headlights as well as a better interior, as it is a convertible, really makes this stand out, as an asside, they could have bowed the wheels a little just to make it more realistic... LOL.. 

VANGUARDS - Hillman Minx IIIA, Salford Police.

I am so please that the powers that be, chose to model this version, however it has to be said that of all the great cars that came from teh Rootes Group over the decades, why has Vanguards produced so few, Humbers come to mind, the Hillman Hunter, another, but for now, we have this, the Imp and the Avenger, with this being far and away the best .

theyhave taken a standard model and given it th epolice treatment, and it worked well for Hillman, they had a lot of their cars used by the various law enforcement depts, and this one looks the best with that stunning crest on the side, the working suspension and jewelled headlights make VA06801 a stand out model, and being a Limited Edition too, makes it even more special, 4594/5600.

VANGUARDS - Triumph Spitfire MK II

The Spitfire MK II, in Signal red,  from Triumph, was not the most modern of cars on the roads, it was heavily based on Herald underpinnings, but it sold, and sold bucket loads, in the 18 year run over 310,000 were sold, it had a number of updates with the last being the 1500 model, the last ever Spitfire is on display at Gaydon, where the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) is based.

This Vanguards VA06700 was the launch model for the Spitfire range, and so is not a limited Edition, but it has the dual roof covers, of either a full roof or the cockpit cover on the passenger side. I really do not like the slabs of white plastic on the wheels, but the rest, including jewelled headlights and working suspension really do make this a nice model.