I’m a few weeks behind on my coverage of Matchbox sneaks (be sure you follow @matchboxworld on Instagram to see them as soon as they drop) so today’s post will be playing catch up. Matchbox dropped some very exciting sneaks in the last couple weeks, so let’s jump right in.
First up is the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, one of the models I have been most excited for this year. This model is essentially the spiritual follow-up to the Cadillac CTS Coupe that Matchbox has used over the past decade, and I’m thrilled to see they went for the most aggressive, high performance version this time! I really appreciate the way the base is used to form the black side skirt along the side of the car, similar to the Mk5 Golf GTI. The red color is a surprise to me, as I was all but certain we would see this in the electric blue color of many of Cadillac’s press cars. The red works well though, and I’m happy to see we get full front end detailing here as it really helps the grill pop. The previous Cadillac CTS Coupe relied solely on texture rather than color for its grill detailing, and I felt it diminished the look of the model slightly. On the Blackwing, the black mesh on the grill looks aggressive, as do the angular LED lights that have been a design staple of recent Cadillac models. In the pictures we’ve seen so far, the front of the model looks ever so slightly too flat, but I will wait until I get the car in hand to render a verdict on that.
Next up, a late model Porsche Cayenne Turbo. You may remember in my piece about the Matchbox 918 Spyder, I felt a new Cayenne would have been a better new Porsche to include in the Matchbox lineup. As it turns out, we are getting one, and it looks absolutely fantastic! It’s finished in metallic black with full headlight detailing, with a lightbar and “Cayenne Turbo” badges on the back – we even get the Porsche logo on the hood! Despite the dark windows, the Cayenne appears to have an interior, as I can make out the edge of the dashboard through the windshield. One concern I have is with the fitment of the base at the back of this prototype model – it looks like the base is sticking out too far past the body. Hopefully this is fixed for the production model!
The Tesla Model X appears to already be making a mainline return, even though the blue version has yet to hit stores. That suggests we may be seeing quite a bit of this model as time goes on. This pearl white version appears to sport full front end detailing, and I can just make out the corner of a tail light tampo in back.
Matchbox also shared this photo of the Nissan GT-R Nismo in red, now featuring basic wheels, presumably for an appearance in the moving parts line. Given how hard the debut white model was to find, hopefully this release will be easier to come by. As is often the case with Matchbox models, the basic wheels look better than the ones used on the premium Collectors version, and this Moving Parts version retains the detailing on the fender vents and front bumper.
These sneaks also see the Dodge Charger police car make a return, this time in a Kennedy Space Center Security Patrol livery. My word, this livery is cool. I never would have thought to create a NASA security vehicle as a licensed Matchbox release, so massive props to the Matchbox team for their creativity. This model should fit right in with the other NASA vehicles in the Matchbox lineup…perhaps some of them could be used for a space themed Action Driver’s playset?
The KSC Dodge Charger is not the only police car making an appearance in the recent sneaks: The Alfa Romeo Giulia is back once again, this time giving us a more close up view. No surprises here, though I do find the lack of detail on the back to be disappointing if not surprising. We also got a look at what appears to be a Nissan 350Z with the same police livery as the recent Subaru WRX STI police car. Bizarrely, there are also a few already-released police cars featured in these sneaks, including the BMW M5, Ford Crown Victoria, Ford Mustang LX SSP, and Ford Taurus Interceptor. I also see the corner of what I believe is a new Honda E with a police livery. Perhaps there’s a police themed 5 pack coming?
The last new model I want to highlight in detail is the 5th gen Toyota 4Runner. When Hot Wheels released their take on the 4Runner earlier in 2022, it immediately became one of the most sought after models of the year. This one from Matchbox is obviously a very early prototype, and the wheels are not correct (as noted on the Matchboxworld Instagram), but we can see the basic shape of the casting. There’s an admirable amount of detail around the headlights which are fairly bulbous on this generation of 4Runner, and it appears to have a skid plate beneath the bumper which indicates this is most likely the TRD version. Based on the lack of texture on the grill, I believe we can expect full front end detailing on this model. Matchbox appears to have done an excellent job replicating the chunkiness of the 4Runner’s door handles as well. I can’t wait to see more of this model once it gets closer to production-spec!
The list of upcoming Matchbox models has been updated to reflect this new information.
DiecastLeno 
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