Matchbox News – 12/7/2025 – Mainlines, Moving Parts, and a Plan Going Forward!

Back in the day, I used to regularly cover all the sneaks of upcoming Matchbox models that Abe Lugo would post to the matchboxworld Instagram every Friday.  Sadly, when Abe Lugo was laid off by Mattel, the Friday sneak posts stopped and the current team at Matchbox hasn’t really done much to cultivate excitement among collectors.  Since I always tried to limit my sneaks coverage to official sources, I decided to retire the Matchbox News series around that same time. 

However, I’ve noticed that I just don’t have the same excitement and engagement with the future of the Matchbox brand lately, and I’m having a harder time keeping track of what models are in development.  So, I’m changing the rules.  I will still aim to avoid covering too many prototype models that aren’t ready to be judged by the public, but I will cover the leaked press images that show the models with their final decos and final or WIP packaging.  Since these are being shared by fellow Matchbox enthusiasts, I’ll make sure to link their profiles whenever I’m covering models they shared. 

Hopefully, this will help rekindle my and your excitement for the future of the Matchbox brand, as well as help reinforce the original goal of this blog: to make sure there’s a way to engage with the diecast hobby without doom scrolling on social media.  I welcome your feedback as I narrow in on exactly how I want to cover Matchbox news going forward, so if you have any thoughts on how to cover these leaks in an ethical way, I’d love to hear them! 

Today’s new models come to us courtesy of @ada_3l3 on Instagram, starting with one of the most anticipated models from the Gathering – the 1997 McLaren F1 GT!  This long tail McLaren is designed by Hot Wheels legend Ron Wong, so my expectations for it are high.  The green paint looks perfectly suited for a 90’s supercar, and it’s great to see the same size wheels on both axles.  Part of me still can’t believe this car is coming to the Matchbox line, as a Matchbox supercar legend would have been nearly unthinkable just a few years ago!

Speaking of legendary cars making surprising appearances in the Matchbox lineup, we finally get a look at the debut deco for the hotly anticipated Mazda RX-7 Spirit R!  The metallic silver finish looks pretty good, though the metal flake looks a bit too large in this picture (I’ll have to get it in hand to make a final judgement).  The new smaller five spoke wheels look perfectly scaled to the car, and the red seat provides a lovely pop of color against the grayscale exterior.  I can’t wait to get this model and compare it to the Hot Wheels FD RX-7. 

Thanks to its preview at the Gathering, we already knew this 2024 Camaro ZL1 would be getting the Collector’s Edition Black Panther Metallic paint job, but it’s still exciting to see the final production version.  The matte black paint isn’t my favorite look for a Camaro, but if the previous Camaro convertible casting is any indicator, we can expect plenty of recolors of this casting in the future.  I’m definitely glad to see the final version of the Camaro getting the love it deserves from the Matchbox brand. 

Where we already knew about the Camaro’s deco, this new recolor of the C8 Corvette Z06 is a surprise!  I wasn’t crazy about the black debut deco on the Z06, and the second version is getting ugly side graphics, so I’m thrilled that its third outing is finally in a bright color like the C8 deserves!  Bright orange feels like a perfect fit, as do the black wheels, and the lack of side detailing means this model gets headlights and brake lights.  This is the Z06 I’ve been waiting for…now I just have to hope it’s easier to find than the debut black version. 

When I saw the Gathering preview of this new modded 4Runner, I thought the wheels looked much too big, so I’m happy to see the production version getting the same wheels as the recent Rav4 casting.  I was worried Matchbox was going to copy Hot Wheels with their giant monster truck wheels, but these look perfectly scaled (maybe even a tad small) for this casting.  I do wish the brake lights wrapped around onto the sides of the model, as the side of the 4Runner just looks a bit too monolithic and monochromatic without them. 

I find this new mainline Chevy Tahoe Z71 a bit confusing.  We already have a Moving Parts Tahoe of the same generation, so it seems odd to me that Matchbox would use one of their limited new casting slots to make a car that’s already in the lineup.  I find it doubly odd that they would debut it in one of the two colors we’ve seen on that existing Tahoe!  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a cool truck, but why not make a Suburban or an Escalade for a little more variety, or at least debut this mainline Tahoe in a different color! 

Matchbox licensed vans have a tendency to be pegwarmers, so I’m a little nervous about the introduction of another one, but the Sprinter has enough of a cult following that it should get some attention from collectors.  Plus, being an ambulance, there is plenty of potential for exciting licensed decos on future releases.  This version appears to be unlicensed, but it’s clearly a UK-inspired livery that should look great parked among all the Matchbox police cars with blue and yellow checkered liveries! 

We also saw a very yellow-heavy Moving Parts mix, starting with the Acura Integra Type S HRC.  Despite the fact that I would have rather seen a regular Integra Type S rather than the HRC concept, this is still one of my most anticipated Moving Parts models of the year.  I couldn’t have picked a better deco for it to debut in, and what we can see of the model looks great!  The headlights wrap nicely onto the sides of the model, and I’m impressed with how well Matchbox has replicated the black side skirt that flares up behind the front wheel. 

Also in yellow, we have Matchbox’s take on the 90’s Lotus Esprit!  Hot Wheels made a decent mainline Esprit casting back in 2015, but I personally prefer the look of this 300 Sport version.  While we can’t see too much of the model here, the packaging does show an opening engine cover, so hopefully Matchbox is able to replicate the impressive fitment I saw on the recent Huracan Sterrato. 

The final yellow model in this mix is a recolor of the VW Golf Cabriolet.  The white version has proven to be a bit of a pegwarmer in my area, so I’m a little worried by this recolor being issued so soon after that first version.  

There’s certainly no need to worry about this brown recolor of the stunning Sequoia TRD Pro warming the pegs.  The orange debut version was always the first of its mix to disappear from the pegs, and given how great the casting is, I expect the same from this one.  I’m glad to see the camo fender prints retained, as they are a big part of what makes the Sequoia such a great Matchbox model. 

The 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S is going to launch in a classy-looking silver coat of paint, though I’m a little worried about that black plastic roof.  On the card side, there is a bit of silver detailing to help break up the black plastic, but that detailing seems to be missing from the model itself.  I also think the Wagoneer looks a tad small in this picture, but I’ll have to set it up with some other Matchbox SUVs once I get my hands on it to make a final determination. 

I love the 2022 Mini Cooper SE casting, with its clever hood cutouts for the headlights that make the opening hood feel like a worthwhile addition.  This new red paint job looks great, but this is now the third time we’ve seen this model, and I can’t help but feel like it’s becoming a bit overused.  After this release, I hope this model takes a break for a year or two so it doesn’t become too much of a pegwarmer. 

That’s it for this round of Matchbox News!  Let me know what you think of this format, and if there are any changes you’d like to see as I work to narrow in on exactly how I want to cover Matchbox leaks going forward.  For now, I think this series will remain exclusive to my website (with no video counterpart over on Youtube) to allow for a faster turnaround.  As always, I’ve updated my list of upcoming models to reflect this new information, and I suggest bookmarking that page to make sure you can stay up to date on all the models that we have to look forward to!