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.

Project Premiere/World Class, Day 24: Ultra Volvo

From one Swede to another, today's feature is the Matchbox Ultra Class Volvo 760.

This one I obtained from a fellow LaLD member as part of a 2-car set with the green Jaguar XJ6. Together with the Saab shown in the previous feature, they make up a great trio of models that you wouldn't expect to see in 1/64. As I always say, collecting "normal" cars is infinitely more fun than collecting sports cars. It's something that Matchbox has always excelled at doing, and this is no different.

The Volvo's got all the frills, including opening doors and working suspension, a la Tomica. While it's nice to have added features, they usually come at a cost, especially when it comes to that suspension. This is a prime example of that.

The rear badges are part of the casting.

Project Premiere/World Class, Day 23: An Ultra Saab

As we take a break from the Skylines (more on the way soon!), now is an opportune time to continue the long overdue Premiere/World Class series. Patience has paid off again, and I've been able to obtain some rare models in the past week, including this one. It's the Matchbox Ultra Class Saab 9000 Turbo.

Wait, Matchbox makes Saabs?

Look, I didn't know either, until I found this one sitting pretty on the bay, inviting me to snatch it up. Due to its rarity, I had to up the ante. Chances are slim that I will find this one again anytime soon, and I wasn't taking any chances. Thankfully, this one didn't slip out of my hands.

The casting itself has a few rough edges due to its age and doesn't look quite right. Being no expert in Saabs, I couldn't immediately recognize this car until I googled it, and even then, it's hard to make the connection. It's a seldom used casting, which explains the collector appeal and value. As usual with the Premieres, it's got a ton of detail. I especially like the black trim around the windows and along the side of the car - something you don't see often in diecast today.

To be clear, this is an Ultra Class release and not a Premiere or World Class. The origins of the Ultra Class series are unbeknownst to me. I've read and heard all sorts of stories regarding them, ranging from being European exclusives to mail-in promotional models, and I still don't know what they are aside from the fact that they are essentially very rare Premiere cars. Those of you with the knowledge, please enlighten me.

Project Premiere/World Class, Day 22: Ferrari 308 GTB

Back at it with the Premiere/World Class features again.

It's been a while, but I hope you missed seeing these during the hiatus. Or, at the very least, I hope these features helped open your eyes to a great (in my opinion) series that doesn't get a whole lot of love around the internet. Maybe they've even convinced some of you to acquire some of these models for yourself. As for myself, I've still got a long way to go before completing my checklist. There are some castings that I will completely skip - semi-trucks, emergency vehicles, and fantasy rides - yet at the same time there are a number of rare, hard-to-find releases that I will patiently wait out until a reasonable price pops up.

Today, we have the classic Ferrari 308 GTB.

This is actually one of the harder-to-find releases from the World Class series. Arguably, it's also the most desirable; ending bid amounts typically go into the double-digit range - rather high for a World Class model. It's also the only 308 GTB done in the Premiere/World Class style, with the extra details and "real riders", sans the wide wheel syndrome. You'll have to live with the chrome windows, but this particular model is about as sane as it gets.

Project Premiere/World Class, Day 21: Trestarossa

I just received the red Testarossa in the mail the other day and felt compelled to post about it. So here it is!

Three Ferrari Testarossa's. Two from the Premiere series, one from the World Class series. A classic design that somehow manages to be very difficult to photograph at the same time. I'm still not happy with the way these photos turned out, but it is what it is.

While I have no qualms about the casting, there is one main issue, and that's the width of the front wheels. They stick out like a sore thumb and is a problem that reoccurs throughout these series. The castings were meant to handle mainline-type, thin-styled wheels, not the fatter ones with rubber tires that these cars have. You take the good with the bad.