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HOME CATALOGS NEWS LINKS New Superfast 2007 MB75 2008 Range MB75 2007 Range 15 September 11 May 20 March Added pictures of the first two waves. Added USA Wave E Added more recolors in 2007 Catalog 25 June, Greg Andrews Ten 2008 Batch F Images FIRST COLOR 22 34 47 58 89 73 See Catalog for a complete overview of 2008! RECOLORS 20 57 78   21 June, John Nijhuis This is a picture of the number 63, which was issued only for a short while with an orange dump. The model is very hard to find indeed. Was replaced later for the model with the reddish dump because someone at Mattel didn't like the orange dump. By the way this red model has also been spotted with a black 710 on the dump iso white (.........no the 10 pack model is different). 23 June, David Tilley (slightly rearranged by John Nijhuis) Hopefully I have included all the known variations of 2008 vehicles to date, but if anyone knows of one I omitted please let me know. For the utility 6 spoke, I have made note of those that have been found with small hub/thick tire [hereafter known as small] and large hub/thin tire [hereafter known as large]. When it comes to models that have a mid-year recolor, those are not mentioned here, but in the main batch number listing. Only variations on each of the colours are listed here. Note: All basic range models are listed under the US 1-100 number 1-100 series Shades of the same Colour: MB2 Cadillac Sedan Deville: light tan - dark tan MB3 1968 Mercury Cougar: light rose red - dark red MB3 1968 Mercury Cougar: light silvery blue - dark silvery blue MB7 1965 Austin Mini Van: orange - mustard orange MB14 Dodge Charger: lime green/matt black hood - lime green/gloss black hood - mustard green/matt black hood - mustard green/gloss black hood MB43 Volvo XC90: - light blue - dark blue MB49 Chevy Van (version 2 in purple): dark purple - light purple MB93 1997 Land Rover Defender 110: matt reddish brown/light tan base - matt reddish brown/yellow sand base - matt brown/yellowy-sand base MB95 Jeep Hurricane: lime gold - mustard gold 1-100 series Different Variations but not Colour Shade MB49 Chevy Van (version 1 in white): orange side stripe - yellow side stripe MB57 Quarry King (version 1 in yellow): yellow wheel hubs - chrome wheel hubs MB58 Scraper: yellow "Adler" tampo on the side - white "Adler" tampo on the side MB60 Power Lift: orange side stripe - brown side stripe MB63 Dump Truck: - orange dump - dark red dump MB71 Dodge Magnum Police: - correct light bar/dark windows - reversed light bar/dark windows - correct light bar light smoke windows 5-packs Pack 1 - Dino Mountain Chevy Avalanche: small utility wheels - large utility wheels 2006 Dune Buggy: light gold - dark gold Pack 3 - Farm Highway Maintenance Truck without plow: different shades of green Foam Fire Truck: different shades of yellow Tractor Plow: yellow wheels - chrome wheels Licensed 5-packs #1 Nickelodeon VW Golf GTi Danny Phantom: different shades of gold Chevy SSR Jimmy Neutron: charcoal/flower wheels - gray/flower wheels - gray/double 10 wheels #2 Scooby Doo Taxicab: flower wheels - double 10 wheels Chevy SSR: flower wheels - double 10 wheels #3 Go Diego Go 1999 Ford Mustang Convertible Diego Dora: flower wheels - double 10 wheels 10-packs Exclusive pack - "Real" VW Golf GTi: blue/smoke windows - darker blue/darker smoke windows Opel Speedster: different shades of green Battle Kings Mountain Defence ARV: dark gray - light gray Hummer With Gun: dark gray - light gray Mountain Attack Desert Thunder V16: purpley blue - baby blue Mission Helicopter: purpley blue - baby blue Best of USA 2008 SF1 Bentley Continental GT: different shades of green 5 spoke wheels - double 10 spoke wheels SF2 Porsche 911GT3: 5 spoke wheels - double 10 spoke wheels SF5 Volvo C30: 5 spoke wheels - double 10 spoke wheels SF8 1965 Austin Mini Van: Superfast retro wheels - cut tri-star wheels SF9 1963 Cadillac Hearse: Superfast retro wheels - cut tri-star wheels SF10 Audi RS6 Avant: Superfast 5 spoke wheels - double 10 spoke wheels Playsets Fire/Rescue Cargo Plane Flame Tamer: lime gold - yellow 21 April, David Tilley I approached Mattel and requested a special 400 piece run of the 1965 Austin Mini Van for the UK MICA convention. It is my special Ambassador model and as I write some of the news for MICA and I live in the UK, it seemed the perfect place to pass it out at. This is an official code 1 produced Mattel model (it was Felix Holst's idea to add a black roof at the last minute). The majority were either passed out during the convention itself or sold on to members of MICA who could not attend. 21 April, David Tilley This is a picture (thanks to David) of the special limited edition 1 of 30 MB712 Desert Thunder V16 that was handed out at the special Matchbox Line Preview in March in El Segundo for collector clubs.  A very unique model, which was only available to those in attendance and some executives of Mattel. I have my doubts whether this is a code 1 model as it was a special restricted gift only available to attendees who could afford a flight ticket to El Segundo and some executives of Mattel. In this way Mattel made 30 people happy and (like with the special Line Preview Tractor a couple of years ago) hundreds of collectors unhappy. But  who still cares about this at Mattel nowadays. 9 March Konrad Noniewicz I have found 2 different versions of #67Jeep Rescue Concept. the White 56 lettering of the left picture has no Black shade around the figures like in the right picture.  9 March John Nijhuis Bernd Beger found wave B 2008 (with the final 2007 Model Unimog) in Germany and Jan Willem Blackstone found the same batch in Belgium. Bernd also reported two type of base plates on the 2007-43  MB 708  Isuzu DELIVERY TRUCK. Base plate can be found on both colors (dark red and white). 4 January 2008 Miro Ftacek Miro reported that the 2007 #9 AUDI RS 6 AVANT of the Regular Issues and the Stars of Germany were not only different on the base plate (Dinky), but both also showed a different number plate. Miro send me also the picture as at the right. Model with blue plow is from Monsters blisters. It is interesting, that the model from the monster has a blue plow and chromed base and the other model ( from 2007 10 packs ) is without plow and comes with gray base.   1 January 2008 Updates, Greg Andrews The '08 packing has had a face lift. The number has been moved to the lower right hand corner which will make it easier to scan the rows blisters. Instead of printing 'MBX METAL' on the package for every vehicle, it now has the name of the group that particular vehicle is a part of and these title bar groups are color coded. Also on the back of the blister is a collector card showing all the vehicles in that group you can cut out and also collect. Some of the blisters have a sticker on their backside (See below). That has probably to do with licence problems. Reported Variations: MB60 Power Lift Variation 1 - orange side stripe Variation 2 - brown side stripe MB71 Dodge Magnum Police Variation 1 - correct light bar Variation 2 - reversed light bar ......and especially for Willem 'Landrover' Brugman 19 December John Nijhuis We also promised you a MB75 model for the 10 Year celebration beside the (sold out) Automobilia Convoys we made and now you may buy a Chevy Van. The basis for the model is the 2007/#40 Chevy Van (modified) . The livery on the model is also based on the Patrick Snels design of our 10 Year Matchbox Forum drawings. The Chevy Van is available only to Matchbox Forum Club members and members of sister clubs who have reciprocated in the past like Illinois Matchbox Collectors Club, Pennsylvania Matchbox Collectors Club, Matchbox Northwest Collector's Club, Matchbox USA, New Jersey Diecast Collectors, Matchbox Collectors Club Deutschland, Keystone Diecast Collectors, Australian Matchbox & Hot Wheels Collectors Club, Montreal Miniature Autos Collectors Club (ACAMM), N.S.V.A. (Peter Lee) and the Nederlandse Yesteryear Club. The artwork and printing was done by ColorComp The Americas price is $10.00 plus $3.00 postage and the European price is €8.50 excluding postage. Of each model sold in Europe € 2.00 goes to the Club. This money will be used to contribute to the cost of the Matchbox Forum Website (actual hosting cost is about €300.00 per year). For Club members in the Americas the price will be US$10.00 plus US$3.00 postage. Send a check or money order payment to Matchbox Forum and send it to Club Treasurer: Scott Firmender, 16 Centennial Drive, Milford, CT 06461. For Europe, Australia and New Zealand  the price will be € 8.50 excluding postage. European members can contact John Nijhuis at info@jnijhuis.com or Dirk Schleuer at info@moyshop.de or collect the Model at the Houten toy show. 1 December John Nijhuis This Ford Transit is made by Mattel for the employees of Ford Dunton, to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Transit Van. The model is a great project of Peter Lee (the chairman of N.V.S.A.) Ford Dutton made 7500 models. Each of the 3000 Ford employees got one model for free and could buy an additional one. All money of this sale is for charity and will be given to the foundation 'Help London Children'. At the picture below Peter signed the blister he gave to me! Thanks Peter for this great project. Mattel produced for the Ford Motor Company a limited edition Code 1 Ford Transit to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this well known van. A total of 7,500 models were produced by Mattel. About 3,000 of these models were given to Ford Motor Company employees at the Dunton factory in Great Britain and each employee was offered the option of purchasing an additional model with proceeds going to needy children in London. The Ford Transit is in a short blister pack, silver body, gray base, blue interior with livery "Dunton/40 Years/Engineering Excellence" along with Ford's blue oval logo on each side. 19 December John Nijhuis Matchbox Forum has secured a limited supply of these models exclusively for Club members. For Club members in the Americas the price will be US$10.00 plus US$3.00 postage. Send a check or money order payment to Matchbox Forum and send it to Club Treasurer: Scott Firmender, 16 Centennial Drive, Milford, CT 06461. For Europe, Australia and New Zealand  the price will be € 8.50 excluding postage. European members can contact John Nijhuis at info@jnijhuis.com or Dirk Schleuer at info@moyshop.de or collect the Model at the Houten toy show. 17 December 2007, John Nijhuis/John Yanouzas At Wal*Mart the first 2007 Holiday Issue of the Coal Cars have shown up. Some of the coals contains a golden #62 Ridge Raider. In the box are 16 Different two packs, each filled with two coals. This year the back side of the two pack has at the right lower corner a number embossed.  So now you know what is inside the coals. #1 Red Tractor & Yellow Off-Road Rider #2 Red Ladder Truck & Yellow Off-Road Rider #3 Yellow Ground Breaker & Yellow Off-Road Rider #4 Gold Ridge Raider & Yellow Off Road-Rider #5 Red Tractor & Orange Airport Fire Tanker #6 Red Tractor & Green Tractor Shovel (tan shovel, light green roof) #7 Gold Ridge Rider and Red Tractor #8 Red Ladder Truck & Orange Airport Fire Tanker #9 Orange Airport Fire Tanker & Yellow Ground Breaker #10 Orange Airport Fire Tanker & Gold Ridge Raider #11 Red Ladder Truck & Green Tractor Shovel (tan shovel, light green roof) #12 Red Ladder Truck & Gold Ridge Raider #13 Yellow Ground Breaker & Green Tractor Shovel (tan shovel, light green roof) #14 Gold Ridge Raider & Green Tractor Shovel (tan shovel, light green roof) #15 Gold Ridge Raider & Yellow Ground Breaker #16 Red Tractor & Yellow Ground Breaker Some collectors reported that the Orange Airport Fire Tanker has a grey pump on top of the car in stead of a white one.