Ambassador Report 12
The Matchbox team will be in Asia for a while in November and then will be on holiday in the coming weeks forThanksgiving. Please bear this in mind when making your comments and posing your questions which are always welcome. I may have to store them up and send them later on. I have a few images that I will divide up for the next three weeks as well as some answers to your questions. Recently there have been two offers from collectors for Matchbox to use a real vehicle. If you have access to a real vehicle that you think would appeal to children and collectors alike and would lend itself to a miniature and would not involve licensing costs, please send me a photograph with some details and I will pass it on to the team.
The three models shown this week will all feature in the 2014 Jungle Reconnaissance 5-pack. The first design shows the Off Road Rider in white and turquoise.
The second model for this week is a further recolour for the Coyote 500. It will be found only in the Jungle Reconnaissance 5-pack.
The final new model for this report is sure to be a favourite for many collectors. The Land Rover Defender 110 has had a number of colour schemes but this is possibly one of the best.Your views are welcome on these three new liveries.
The Land Rover has long been a favourite in the range and was included in various forms from 1955 until the present with only a few exceptions. Here are a few Land Rovers from over the years. I am sure my gold regular wheel version will win first prize for the poorest condition miniature but though it has been extensively played with, I believe it to be genuine nonetheless. The Police Patrol Range Rovers and 90 models are all pre-production versions.
Matchbox answers your questions
I try to include as many questions as possible from various message boards. If I am missing out on any boards, please let me know. The Matchbox team are not able to answer all of the questions posed for a variety of reasons but will do their best to respond. The number of questions answered this week is reduced because I will be carrying some answers over to the next two reports.
1.
Can you show us an example of the packaging for 2014, please? Certainly.
Here is an example of the 2014 long card. The design for the small card will be on the same lines. The main changes areas follows:
1.
New horizontal Matchbox logo replaces the vertical one2.
Relocated logo no longer covers the vehicle illustration.3.
New die-cut shape for the blister card.4.
Theme bar is moved to left corner. Vehicle name and collector number remains in same location.2.
Will all 2013 models be presented in the old packaging and will all 2014 models be in the new packaging?
Only 2013 models that carry over into 2014 will have the new package look but the packaging will say that they are part of the 2013 collection.
3.
It would have been ridiculously easy to model that boat on a real boat and have it be spectacular.... It could have been a "Safe Boat", a real military and Coastie model. My Brother in Law is the CEO, and he would have signed off that in an instant. ...and for no monetary payment, just to have one made like it!
Wish we would have known this 6 months ago, however the team is satisfied with the design of the Sea Spy.
4.
Can we please see the Seagrave in white next year?
The Seagrave color for next year is TBD.
5.
I'm not a big fan of a Fire vehicle that takes a ladder to get into and a parachute to get out of. But I notice the knobs and gauges are mostly at the bottom of that pump panel, with mostly the discharges and intakes above. If your fire department is composed of college or NBA basketball players, no problem. Was this considered?
Our fire department is composed of college basketball players. Lucky guess.
6.
I have to start by saying it is great news that the Matchbox team would consider working with us again. I can say with certainty the Wilton Fire Department would look forward to the opportunity. Back in 2011 when the RWR Tower was released for us, an article was ran in a local paper, one of the secretaries when nuts in the weeks that followed fielding phone call and emails from people interested in finding out how to get the model. This ranged from collectors and parents looking for one for their child, to residents of the town, area firefighters and elected officials (among them was the then states attorney general) who wanted one. Please do your best to ensure a Wilton Fire Department model is could join the range in the next 2 years. (Any chance of these two being considered as well?)
We will contact the Wilton Fire Department directly should we decide to use their liveries again in the near future.
7. I cannot afford the prices being asked on certain sites for the special Brush Fire Truck so I remain optimistic that it may be released some time.
We are optimistic that the brush truck will see the light of day. Keep your fingers crossed.
8. Are there going to be any future releases of the Checker cab in realistic taxi liveries? Yes .
17. You asked for clarification on the "better generics". These are vehicles which are perceived by collectors as being a very good representation of a real vehicle but with the ability to avoid paying a license fee to a specific manufacturer. Both the Swamp Raider and Badlander are vehicles that collectors see using an influence of a certain manufacturer with a sprinkling of other manufacturers and mixing them up to make a generic look that still feels fairly realistic. This is in relation to a vehicle that has huge wheels (Blaze Buster, Flame Smasher, upcoming 2014 4x4 School Bus etc), or a completely fantasy look (Whiplash, Turn Tamer etc). I refer to vehicles that are specifically designed to appeal to younger children. However, the main question for the Badlander and Swamp Raider was asking if they were going to be used as a single issue in the basic range. They have been used in multipacks, but have never been issued on their own as a basic range model.
Thanks for defining what was meant by “better generics”.Based on this definition we will continue to create “better generics” styling if you will but will also continue to apply our new Matchbox aesthetic if we feel it is necessary.
18. We were wondering if they will ever be issued as a single basic range model?
Yes, in the future the Bad Lander and Swamp Raider will be used in the singles line. As we have stated before, these models are not going away.
18. Talking of the Swamp Raider (this could also apply to the new Terrainiac). The rear canopy is detachable, and as such are there any plans to simply create an alternate rear section to insert and therefore create a different look to the vehicle?
This is possible.
19. Can Matchbox do any racing? What specifically can Matchbox do?
Hot Wheels does racing. We can do exploration, endurance, discovery, rescue and mission based experiences which includes military. We have not completely abandoned city vehicles which will still include sports cars, hatchbacks, luxury cars, delivery & service vehicles. These will still be included in the “Adventure City Segment”.
I have heard from several collectors in the UK who would have liked to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Matchbox Toys in the country of its birth. I was contacted by an editor of the UK magazine “Best of British” and I wrote an article for them. They are also running a small competition for some of the earlier 60th Anniversary models provided by Matchbox in England. If you would like a copy of the magazine please contact Mark Amies atmark.amies@bestofbritishmag.co.uk and he will do his best to get a magazine to you.
2014 UK MATCHBOX CONVENTION
I have been asked to inform collectors that the Matchbox Convention in the UK has been resurrected. The details are as follows:
It is being held on Saturday 5th April 2014 at the Queens Hotel in Chester. The average room price with the Matchbox Club discount of 15% is £152 for bed and breakfast for two people sharing (quoted 08.11.2013 by reservations). Parking is £15 per night. The train station is directly opposite. thetrainline.com has tickets available from London to Chester for £50 return if you book them early enough, usually four months in advance. We are close to both Liverpool and Manchester airports.
At The Convention it is planned to have a Code 2 Matchbox Club Convention model for attendees, talks by Matchbox specialists, 10 free tables for anyone wishing to trade on the Saturday between 9.30 – 2.00 and 4.00 – 6.30 – this is going to be in the same room as the talks. There will be a three course dinner with a complimentary pre-dinner drink included. There will be an auction where unique Code 2 models and pre-production Matchbox models will only available at the auction. The price of the ticket is £40 and is available fromwww.matchboxclub.com/events
In the past collectors from all over the world have gathered to renew acquaintances and talk Matchbox. Anyone with an interest in Matchbox is invited to attend.
Finally, here is a question or two to test regular wheel collectors. Which year do these images involving Land Rovers refer to? Notice the hubs in the Mercedes Truck & Trailer which were never fitted. Fred Bronner had little knowledge of British vehicles and often chose the best name he could in the description. Notice in the military flyer he refers to the Land Rover as a Jeep.
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