Matchbox and Jaguar seem like companies made for each other. British heritage and elegant designs are hallmarks of both brands, and the old Matchbox Jaguar XK shows just how nice a well-done Matchbox Jaguar model can be. So imagine my excitement a few years back when Matchbox announced they would be making the XK’s spiritual successor, a Jaguar F-Type. However, the resulting model underwhelmed me. This was almost exclusively due to the lack of detailing on the front of the model.
Every basic line release of the F-Type so far has featured the same tampo design – tail lights and Jaguar logo on the back, and headlights and hood vents on the front. Every single one is missing any detailing on the grill or the vents on the front bumper. As a result, this model looked great from the back but incredibly lackluster and odd from the front. Not only did the lack of detail make the model look less realistic, it resulted in the front of the car looking too tall and monolithic.
The Collector series model finally fixed that problem, and in turn changed the F-Type from an underwhelming model to an excellent model. The black grill with a silver accent piece around it, topped off with an aggressive red Jaguar logo captures the combination of attitude and grace that makes the 1:1 car look so stunning. Ian Callum would be proud.
However, fixing the grill is not the only change the Matchbox team made for the premium release. The tail lights have been redesigned as well. No longer are we stuck with a monochromatic red strip. Instead, we are treated to a more intricate design that replicates the reflectors that make up the different sections of the light. The green accent of the R logo is a nice touch as well.
In fact, the biggest downside to this Collector series model is the additional “styling” lines that I find somewhat detrimental to the realism of this model. On a car this elegantly designed, they come off as gaudy and distract from the gorgeous body lines of the car. Hopefully, we will see a future release without those lines, and without the inescapable Matchbox premium wheels that curse every Collector series sports car (the new premium wheels mentioned at last year’s Gathering cannot get here soon enough).
Despite those minor downsides, I truly hope this is the future of the Collector series. Moving Parts vehicles can be cool, but I find the body lines often don’t quite work on a 1:64 scale car, so instead I would like to see Matchbox use the concept of this F-Type and run with it. They should use the extra budget allowed by the $5 price point to push the envelope for detailing and realism on some of their best recent castings. Some ideas:
- Bugatti Divo with full carbon body
- Mk2 VW Golf GTI with front and rear detailing AND side detailing of the wheel arches and accent trim
- Bentley Bentayga with an interior
- Dodge Charger Police Car with full livery and lights
Naturally, these are just a few of the many ways Matchbox could use the Collector series to fix/improve their existing mainline castings. I’d love to hear some of your ideas in the comments!
diecastleno.com 
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