Perhaps my expectations were just too high. After all, this was one of my most anticipated models of the year, and I’ve been looking forward to it ever since we saw the first 3D printed prototype at the Gathering in 2025. My excitement was not unwarranted, as Matchbox has a history of making great Aston Martin castings like the DBS Volante, one of my all-time favorites.
Even the recent DB12 is a pretty good casting, though it’s held back a bit by Matchbox’s ugly premium wheels.
Aston Martin certainly gave Matchbox plenty of good material to work with. After nearly a decade of lackluster vehicle designs, Aston Martin has finally found their design mojo again. The Vanquish feels like the ultimate embodiment of an Aston Martin for the modern era. The classic grille design returns alongside beautifully sculpted bodylines on the doors and a rear design inspired by the one-off Aston Martin Victor. I wouldn’t hesitate to call it one of the most beautiful cars on sale today. No surprise, then, that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a Matchbox version.
Yet I knew this model was in trouble as soon as I saw the first leaks of the packaging. My eyes immediately went to that black detailing on the side vents, because I knew what that meant. Mainline Matchbox models typically only have the budget for printing on 2-3 sides, so if there was side detailing, this Vanquish had to be missing details somewhere else.
Sure enough, my fears were correct. Despite the grille design being the defining element of Aston Martins for more than 50 years, Matchbox chose not to detail the grille. I suspect their theory was that the texture of the grille would be sufficient, allowing them to use their printing budget elsewhere. Had this casting debuted in a darker color like black or gray, it might have even worked! This green is far too bright and metallic though, and the result is a model that looks unfinished (and not much like an Aston Martin). While I’m complaining, I also feel like the front splitter is too thick, squishing the grille and making it smaller than it should be. I find myself wondering if this casting’s designer originally believed there would be the budget for a detailed grille only to have it pulled late in the process, because if you were designing this casting from the ground up to have an undetailed grille, it seems better to use either the interior or base piece to form a contrasting color section for the grille.
The lack of detailing at the back is also disappointing, if a bit less egregious than the grille. While I’d have loved to see brake lights, the biggest problem at the back is the lack of a color-contrasting section on the trunk. In fairness to Matchbox, it is possible to get that section color-matched to the car’s body, but nearly every Vanquish I’ve seen has the contrasting panel. Luckily, we’ve seen sneaks of an upcoming chase version of the Vanquish that will get the proper color-contrasting trunk, but its positioning as a chase model will make it out of reach for many collectors. Plus, the prospect of a better version in the future doesn’t make up for the lackluster detailing on this example that’s in my hand. The diffuser and exhaust section looks good though, with about the right amount of aggression. Since the real Vanquish has black exhaust tips, there’s no need for extra exhaust tip detailing.
With those detailed vents on the side, the Vanquish’s side profile actually looks pretty good! The side skirt is a bit on the thick side, but the car’s long nose and sloping windshield are well replicated. What I’m less impressed by is the debut color combo. This green-and-gold combo is technically an option on the new Vanquish, but I always associate that color scheme with the DB12. Just like Matchbox’s own DB12, the wheels that are supposed to be bronze here look more gold, and the result is a bit more gaudy than classy. I would have much rather seen a color like red or black with silver wheels to give it that classy British look.
It’s not all bad news, though. This Vanquish does get a third printing pass on the hood, which gives it headlights and black hood vents. The design of the headlights isn’t overly detailed, but their existence is definitely welcome given the lack of details elsewhere on this model.
That combination of headlights and hood vents with an undetailed grille reminds me of another cool British sports car held back by its detailing: the Jaguar F-Type. Another stunningly gorgeous car translated into Matchbox form, the mainline F-Type always received headlights and hood vents, alongside brake lights and logos at the rear. Matchbox was at least smart enough to debut the F-Type in black to hide the lack of a grille, but its deco shortcomings were quickly revealed on subsequent recolors. Matchbox F-Types have always looked weird with their body-colored grilles, with one exception. The F-Type casting received one release in the Collectors series, where its detailing was upgraded with a grille print. It absolutely transformed the look of the car, and it showed us just what we were missing on the mainline versions.
Thus, the F-Type offers a ray of hope for this Vanquish. Perhaps one day we will see this casting get upgraded to premium with a full detailing treatment, or just make an appearance in a themed Walmart-exclusive set to take advantage of their higher detailing budgets! I really hope that happens, because right now this theoretically cool casting feels like a disappointment. With Hot Wheels premium firing on all cylinders and Matchbox struggling for shelf space, they simply can’t afford to whiff on hotly anticipated models like this. I hope we see Matchbox devote the time and money to fixing the deco sins on this Vanquish, because I still love the idea of this model. Barring that, I hope the next version at least releases in a darker color…
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