When was the last time you thought about the Nissan Sentra? Unless you recently rented one from Enterprise, odds are it’s been a while. That’s not surprising, because the modern Sentra is a fundamentally uninteresting car. Sure, maybe you liked the old Sentra SE-R back in the day, but this isn’t an SE-R. This is a regular, rental-spec Nissan, and I shouldn’t want a model of it. And yet…
It seems like making exquisitely crafted models of boring cars is a core part of Matchbox’s brand identity these days. The Subaru Forester, Honda Ridgeline, and Mini Cooper Countryman come to mind, though there’s a plethora of others. They aren’t interesting as cars necessarily, but the model lover in me can’t help but enjoy a collection of Matchbox models that just look like traffic, rather than a car show. Perhaps these regular models make the Porsche 911’s and Bugatti Divos in the range more special.
The magic isn’t just in this being a boring car though – it’s that this is a fantastically executed model of a boring car. The front end detailing is sharp and plentiful, from the grill and headlights to the inclusion of fog lights to complete the look. On a car like the Sentra, Matchbox probably could have gotten away with not printing the fog lights and few collectors would have noticed, but they went the extra mile anyway.
The bodyline that stretches from the front fenders to the tail lights is super crisp as well (gotta love a fresh mold). Those door handles look great, and both the headlights and tail lights wrap around impressively far. Then there’s the paint color, which is one of my favorite paint colors we’ve seen on any Matchbox car. This gorgeous shade of blue has tons of metal flake, which helps the highlights and shadows of the bodylines pop. Some collectors are finding a wheel variation with the five spokes, which makes the Sentra look like a mid-2000’s tuner special in all the right ways, though these smaller six spokes are a much closer approximation of the factory wheels.
The back of the Sentra once again showcases Matchbox’s printing prowess, with perfectly aligned rear wheels, logos, and license plate. When was the last time you saw that kind of precision from the Hot Wheels mainline? The most impressive part is the silver trim piece on the trunk, which has a depth reminiscent of trim pieces on a MiniGT. Matchbox is definitely punching above their $1 price point with this one.
Ultimately, what makes this model so special is its ability to stand out while completely blending in. This isn’t a poster car, or even a phone background car. No child is going to see this hanging on the pegs and think “oh my gosh, it’s a Sentra!” but for a collector and diorama enthusiast like me, there’s something wonderful about a miniature version of the mundane. Now, does anyone else suddenly have the urge to make an Enterprise diorama…?
diecastleno.com 
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