Matchbox MB1238 : 1962 Plymouth Savoy

Another American classic enters the Matchbox lineup with the introduction into the 2021 basic range of this 1962 Plymouth Savoy; positioned at #12 this first outing of the Savoy casting looks to be quite nice.  This initial release in all black is an interesting choice but one that I think works well, as this is essentially a childs toy you would think that a brighter colour may have been chosen but maybe Mattel are saving those for future versions.

The wheel choice was spot on, the ringed disc was almost identical to the original wheels from 1962 and the tampo design is exactly what is needed to highlight the classic lines of such a beauty; they even highlight the door handles which is a nice touch, its the small details like this that make it a great design.  I think older collectors will love this model and most will wax lyrical about its inclusion into the Matchbox basic range. Now I love a classic as much as the next person but I cant help but think this would be better placed in the defunct ”Models of Yesteryear” range.

The young collector and child that the basic range is aimed at will not know or care to much about this one, I know from my childrens comments and my own childhood that I liked to see vehicles that we see on the streets and this is not one of them.  The larger scaled ”Models of Yesteryear” range was specifically designed for a vehicle like this and in that larger scale you would get even more detail, not that this small version is missing too much in that regard.

For me the other downside for this model is that it is yet another USA vehicle that will not be known too much outside of the Americas as the original was never produced in any great numbers anywhere else and sadly that is a running theme, the overall Matchbox range seems to me to be far to USA heavy which leaves so many other markets out in the cold.