You never quite know what you’re going to get with a new Matchbox Moving Parts Lamborghini. The Centenario is a brilliant casting that reset the collecting world’s expectations for what a Matchbox supercar can be. It was beautifully detailed, had great proportions, and featured scissor doors that remain the only opening doors in the entire Moving Parts line that I actually like. The Aventador SVJ, on the other hand, is a droopy-nosed disappointment with scissor doors that don’t work properly. When Matchbox announced that they would be taking a stab at the Huracan Sterrato, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The early 3D printed prototype that the Matchbox team showed off at the Gathering in 2024 showed some promise. It was bigger than the undersized Gallardo police car mainline casting, though the rear wheel fitment looked questionable. When we saw leaks of the diecast prototype earlier this year, my expectations dropped considerably because that prototype looked rough. Obviously, the base and wheels were wrong, but what we didn’t know at the time was that the model would ultimately get the crucial side detailing that was missing from that prototype.
In fact, I can’t think of another Matchbox model with as big of a difference between the prototype and final version. What looked like one of the biggest misses of the year just a few months ago has now arrived as one of the most impressive Moving Parts models of the year! As soon as I took the Sterrato out of its package, I knew this model was something special because every single complaint I had about either of the prototypes had been fixed.
The most striking part of this model is its deco. The Sterrato features a truly unbelievable level of detailing, with printing on the front, back, both sides, and even the roof! It would have been easy for Matchbox to choose a paint scheme without the hood and roof printing to save some money, but they chose to go all out for this model, and I’m glad they did. The addition of the rear detailing elevates this model compared to its Hot Wheels counterpart, which feels very cheap in comparison with its unfinished back side. Oddly enough, the only printed detailing that was omitted on this Matchbox model was underneath that opening engine cover.
Most Moving Parts models with opening hoods have detailed engine bays, and I have a suspicion that the leaked early prototype we saw in July had printed detailing on the engine at the expense of side detailing. Perhaps the Matchbox designers saw that prototype and agreed that it looked as bad as I thought it did. I have no insider knowledge so this is all guesswork on my part, but I’d love to get my hands on that prototype to confirm my suspicions. I think it’s likely that the upcoming Collectors series version in orange will have the engine detailing that this one is missing.
However it happened, the Matchbox designers absolutely made the right call with this Moving Parts version, and that’s immediately apparent when you put it next to the Hot Wheels Sterrato. The extra detailing makes the Matchbox look leagues better than the Hot Wheels, and that’s before you consider the differences in the castings. Where the Hot Wheels version has always felt too small, the Matchbox Sterrato feels perfectly scaled within the loose scaling rules that govern the Matchbox lineup. It’s smaller than the “big Lambos” in the lineup, but it’s bigger than small sports cars like the Miata and similarly sized to the 911…which feels about right. It’s also clear that Matchbox was burned by the too-short nose of the Aventador SVJ casting, because this Huracan features a much more supercar-appropriate hood rake, and it makes the Hot Wheels version feel cartoonish by comparison.
That hood features the Sterrato’s distinctive LED light pods with a Lamborghini badge between them. The headlights are a bit on the pixelated side, but I’m glad to see the LED daytime running lights and a little bit of lens detailing within them. The front bumper is particularly impressive, as it features an intricate mix of green painted sections and black sections formed from the black plastic base.
The detailing on the sides is crucial to making this model instantly identifiable as a Sterrato thanks to those boxy black fender flares. The rear wheel fitment that looked so concerning on the 3D printed prototype has been completely fixed, with both the front and rear wheels sitting perfectly under those flared fenders. Matchbox’s use of the black base to provide the color contrast for the rocker panel is clever, and the color match with the printed fender flares is quite good. The black window trim detailing is a nice touch too, because it helps reduce the perceived size of the A-pillar which makes this model feel more delicate than it actually is.
Rear detailing can make or break a model, so I’m thrilled to see it here, especially when the Hot Wheels version omitted it. Sure, there isn’t any crazy license plate or exhaust detailing, but the black grille and red brake lights go a long way to making the back of this Sterrato look realistic, and I really appreciate Matchbox’s choice to stretch the detailing budget to include them. Oddly, I noticed that the ridges on the rear diffuser are the wrong shape – they’re supposed to be trapezoidal, but they look more like rectangles here.
Given Matchbox’s decision to forgo printed detailing in the engine bay on this model, it’s fortuitous that the Huracan Sterrato’s engine cover is matte black rather than glass like the standard Huracan. That engine cover is well executed too – this has to be some of the best fitment I’ve ever seen on any diecast moving part, even among the more premium brands. There is zero side-to-side movement of the engine cover piece, yet it still drops perfectly and smoothly into place. Bravo!
The best part? Matchbox was smart enough to make this spectacularly detailed, highly desirable model 2 per case, so it should be relatively easy to find. Hallelujah for that, because this is exactly the kind of model Matchbox needs to be getting into people’s hands. It’s about time Matchbox doubled up on a model that won’t just be keeping the pegs warm…maybe there’s hope for them yet.
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