The Best of the Best: Series Two of Matchbox's "Best of World" Line

Can I just say that this is the bestest series ever?

The premium lines always bring out the best in diecast. Hot Wheels has always had a premium range for those who want weightier cars with nicer wheels and more realistic designs. Occasionally, Matchbox will do something similar, but done more so in a different style. There's usually more of an emphasis on emergency, off-road, and what I call "service" vehicles. The problem is that those models attract only a certain, very niche market, one which I am not a part of.

For the second coming of the "Best of World" series, Matchbox changed its philosophy and went with personal vehicles only. There's a police car in here, but it's an M5, and no one should be complaining about getting another release of the M5. This series is highlighted by the return of the Mercedes-Benz CLS and, in a way, the Lamborghini Miura as well.

And perhaps the most notable feature is the use of Real Riders on most of these models, taken straight from the Hot Wheels parts bin. It's a decision I'm against, in principle. It tells me Matchbox isn't proud of its own work. It's one company borrowing the ideas of another because deep down they know they can't compete. It's acknowledging inferiority. Auto World wouldn't take wheels from Johnny Lightning.

To me, this is waving the white flag.

Perhaps they just need time to design and develop new wheels, and I would hope that this is simply a one-and-done scenario. Wherever you stand, you can't argue that the wheels look great here.

I found these models back in December, before they were supposed to be released, and I haven't seen them again since. My local store had one case (two sets) and a nutty Vee-Dub collector likely took both of the buses, which is why you don't see it here. In an act of supreme selfishness, I followed suit and grabbed everything else for myself, leaving only a single Range Rover for the next poor bloke.

Obviously, the CLS and the Miura are to die for, but the 911 GT3 was the most surprising of the batch. Easily one of the greatest Matchbox castings ever, this one sparkles with its orange, bordering on gold, paint job. On all the models, the designs are simple, allowing the castings to do the talking. That's how we like our Matchboxes anyways.

Paragon's 1/18 BMW M5 (F10), in Silverstone II

There's always a lot of debate over which shade of BMW blue is the best. Laguna Seca blue? Interlagos blue? Estoril blue? Wrong, wrong, and wrong.

Silverstone Metallic is the best BMW blue.

It might not officially be "blue", but you would need to get your eyes checked if you can't see that it is. And that’s why I got this model. It’s Paragon’s F10 M5, 1/18 scale, in said shade of blue/silver that’s officially called Silverstone II. 

Most avid eighteenth scale collectors would know that Paragon has replaced Kyosho as BMW’s official dealership model producer. That's some big shoes to fill right off the bat. This is my first example from the brand, and I was able to pick this up for a deal as cool as the color on this car. Generally, Paragon models are priced between the mid-to-high end of the 1/18 diecast spectrum. Therefore, how does a model like this compare with the big boys?

First, you’ll notice on a lot of Paragon’s models that they opt to use the “standard” wheels on their ///M models. You would think dealer models are supposed to showcase the best of the brand (BMW). Guess not. Meanwhile, the non-///M’s get some of the sportier wheels. Weird. These don’t look as bad as, say, the wheels on the Paragon M4, but I would’ve preferred the five spokes. After all, have you ever seen a real M5 wearing these shoes? Certainly not me. It also doesn’t help that the wheel-to-tire ratio is wrong. That’s a problem that Kyosho had with its models, and it looks like nothing’s changed.

Overall, the level of detail on this model isn't bad. I would consider this middle tier as far as 1/18 goes, and that's just about right for its price. The front bumper vents don’t have perforation, though the signature kidney grilles do. The brakes are basic. The M5 badge looks to be a decal. The hood uses the dogleg hinges that every collector gasps at. It's really little details that are missing, and ones that I’m sure Kyosho would’ve nailed down.

Fit and finish are problematic, at least on this example. The rear door shown above leaves a gap because it’s misaligned. I actually have to push it up and in to get it to fully close, at which point you'll hear a very unhealthy snap and wonder if you just chipped off some paint from the panels. The trunk doesn’t open very smoothly. When in a neutral state, the wheels point to the right. Most of all, I don’t like the suspension because it creates the Maisto-esque sag on the front wheels, which creates the false impression that this is some cheap model, which it is not.

This is also my first 1/18, since my childhood days, with more than two opening doors. I’m not one to play around with opening parts, but it’s quite nice to have access the full interior for once. Grey interiors are the worst in my opinion, but it works well here with the Silverstone exterior. Oh, and being a 4-door, that weight. It’s definitely heavy, alright. 

For the $56 I paid? Pretty damn good. Your results may vary, but these don't go for much higher than that on the secondary market. I’m guessing there aren’t many fans of Paragon's models. Perhaps its the wheels. Please, Paragon, utilize some common sense and throw on some better kicks. Your Austin Yellow M4 would look rather delicious

Happy 100th, BMW!

In this day and age, everyone loves celebrating anniversaries. First anniversary? Let's host a big event! Twenty-sixth anniversary? Sure, why not? But BMW just reached the century mark, and that's something definitely worth celebrating. One. Hundred. Years.

And for that, I brought out all of my BMW's for a group photo. It's way past midnight here and I'm still up writing this. It's totally worth it. You only reach 100 years once and it's an incredible milestone.

As diecast collectors, we've been blessed to have access to miniatures of some of the best cars to come out of Bavaria. We've seen Hot Wheels do its thing, bringing heat in both modern and classic models. Sure, there have been a few duds, but mostly studs. Matchbox, after a brief hiatus, has given us a number of gems in the past few years. While BMW may not have the diecast presence of some of the other major automotive brands, it's slowly getting there. Let's take a look back at some of the best (and maybe some not-so-good) ones!

The 1-Series M is my favorite BMW of all time. It's fat, it's stubby, it's got ridiculously wide hips and an abnormal number of ducts, vents, and creases, but I love all of it. It's only right that it is also my favorite Matchbox model of all time. Nothing beats the orange of the debut release.

The M5 Polizei was my choice for Matchbox model of 2015. That's quite the praise considering the stiff competition it faced, with models such as the Tesla Model S and Alfa Romeo 4C. Four-doors are my kind of car, and they're largely under-appreciated when it comes to diecast. Thank goodness for Matchbox. We need more of these cars.

The E30 M3 is one of the best Hot Wheels mainline releases in recent memory, the silver one in particular. Gold wheels are always a plus, and so are the seldom-used lace wheels. It's a wonderful casting, but it hasn't always been executed to its full potential. I have to say I'm not a fan of the other three colorways (red, white, blue). Let's hope this model receives the proper treatment in the future.

The 2002 was the gateway for Hot Wheels to produce European classics and signaled the return of BMW. Since this was released back in 2012, we've seen new BMW models in the mainline every year. This Jun Imai casting still remains one of the best. It's hard enough as it is to find this casting in my neck of the woods. That's a testament to the 2002's popularity.

This is the BMW 1M from the Hot Ones series a few years back. A seldom used casting, it will be making a return in the upcoming (or depending on where you live, already out) Walmart-exclusive BMW series. It screams throwback, with its realistic livery and the school wheels. 

From here on out, I'll let the pictures do the talking. You might see some that are drool-worthy, and some that may be cringe-worthy.

It's ironic how some of the best castings here are the most rarely used. Z4 GT3 and M3 GT2? Only appeared as first editions with a recolor. 2002 and E30? Haven't been in the mainline the past 2-3 years. I think we can all agree that we need more of those and fewer E36's and M4's. The good thing is that we have plenty coming in the future. The Hot Wheels BMW series, for one. Then, the debut of the 3.0 CSL. Oh, and Matchbox has a variation of the Police M5 that just released.

All I have to say is, keep 'em coming!