My Want List: 2022 Matchbox Mix 5 - Glad To Be Done

Hello, and welcome to another edition of My Want List here on the Start Boulevard of Speed. Last month, I was able to find some of the releases I wanted from Matchbox's 2022 mix four and five. But my want list still wasn't complete, so the search continued. Now, there were a total of seven release that I still needed to find. Three of them were in mix four, and four of them were in mix five. And I was able to get all but two of them. One of the releases that I got was initially in mix four, but it seems like it was a part of mix five as well. Although... it could have just been a remnant that had yet to be placed on the pegs. Anyway, my mix five want list is now complete, and I couldn't be happier because I really didn't think I'd ever see two of them. But good things come to those who wait, right? And I don't mind waiting. Alright, let's go over what I got.

Some of today's hottest 1:64 scale diecast models are the various replicas of Tesla's vehicles. Now, being popular is both a good thing and a bad thing. Why is that? Well, let me start with the good. Right now, the world is starting to shift towards an eco-friendly future, and being popular makes it so the next generation of drivers will want to collect them. And that should ultimately make them have an interest in driving vehicles that are eco-friendly. 

So why is it also a bad thing for them to be so popular? Well, having a lot of hype means they'll usually be some of the hardest releases to find. And that makes it so you could ultimately miss out on a certain release. That's why I sometimes sigh whenever I see a new Tesla release from Matchbox that I'd want. And there ended up being three of them between mix four and five.

As most of you already know, this isn't the first Model X from Matchbox. The first one was actually released back in 2019, and it was in the Moving Parts line. Sadly, that casting has yet to be used again, and I don't know if it ever will be. That's why I'll sometimes say that I'm worried about a certain casting being a one-and-done thing. Anyway, Matchbox has finally made a basic version, and I think looks great. And you already know that I'm happy about its exterior color. 

Now, Hot Wheels did make their own version of the Model X, but I definitely like this version more. Of course, the other brand's version is still cool because it depicts the vehicle with its spoiler up.

Also making its Matchbox mainline debut is the similarly shaped Tesla Model Y, and like the other Tesla castings from this brand, it too is a nice 1:64 scale replica. And it's great how it basically has the same proportions as the Model X.

Just in case you didn't know, the Tesla Model Y is able to carry seven passengers. That right, seven! And this casting's interior piece accurately depicts that. So I think it's great how they chose to give it a window piece that's not tinted. Being able to see the interior piece is a huge plus for me because it adds to the overall appeal of the model.

In my opinion, Matchbox definitely has Hot Wheels beat when it comes to the overall design of a Tesla casting. And I know, the Hot Wheels castings are designed to be used on the brand's various track sets. But designing them like that has led to the creation of some diecast models that look a little off, and I think you all know what I mean by that. Of course, not all of their Tesla castings look bad. In fact, I think their Model 3 looks great. It's just certain castings look a little weird, and their Tesla Roadster is one of them. That's why I look forward to Matchbox's version of it, and I'm very happy to see another release of it.

The only reason why I got Hot Wheels' version is because I wanted to have an example of the car that's finished in silver. And I wasn't sure if there'd ever be a silver release from Matchbox. In fact, I wasn't even sure if Matchbox was going to give collectors any more releases of their version. Fortunately, that's not the case, and hopefully we'll continue to see a new release for many years to come. As for its exterior color, I actually think it looks better than silver. In my opinion, it kind of gives the car a stealthy look.

There's one thing all of these have in common, and it's a tampo detail that was applied to the license plate section. All three of them feature a white square with "zero emissions" insides of it. Usually, I would have preferred an actual license plate instead. But I'm sure they chose this detail to further promote the fact that they are eco-friendly cars. So I don't mind. Alright, let's move on to the next release I got.

Since re-acquiring the ability to make Toyota's vehicles, both brands have given collectors some fantastic models to add to their collection. And last year, Matchbox gave collectors a 1984 Toyota MR2. Now, as you already know, it isn't just an ordinary casting. Instead of just making a specific model, the Matchbox team chose to make four different versions of it. So it's always exciting when it's released because you never know which version of it you'll find. And once again, I was able to find two different versions. One has the headlights down, while the other has them up, and they are both left-hand drive.

In case you didn't know, my favorite version of this casting is the right-hand drive one with the headlights up. And I'd love to find that version every single time. But I do have two great examples of it in my collection. So at this point, it doesn't matter which version I find. All that matters to me is that I'm able to get the casting's various releases. That's why I don't mind the ones I found this time around.

Since there's been three releases of this casting, you'd think I'd have a specific favorite by now. Well, I don't. All three of its current releases are fantastic due to the colors they are finished in. I mean, the retro series release would technically stand out the most because its finished in a color that's not commonly used for licensed castings. But I also think this car looks fantastic finished in white as well as this version of red. That's why I like all of them equally. Alright, let's take a look at the last release I got.

There's been many different electric car releases from Hot Wheels and Matchbox. But as you know, vehicle manufacturers are also actively developing and making electric pickup trucks too. So what about a diecast version of those? Well, Hot Wheels has made the Tesla Cybertruck and the GMC Hummer EV. And now, Matchbox has given collectors of all ages the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning. 

Gone are the days where a Ford Lightning is powered by a supercharged V8. But hey, at least you don't have to try and make an actual V8 sound while rolling this model around. All jokes aside, this is an pretty good looking casting, and I'm fine with its overall proportions. 

Now, it's no lie that I would have preferred a blue one, but I have to admit that this truck doesn't look too bad finished in silver. And based on the pictures I've seen, this releases's exterior color appears to be based on Ford's "Iconic Silver," which is one of the colors you could pick for the actual truck. 

Well, as you can see, I have nothing bad to say about these five releases. Each one is a great example of the casting. Now I just have to try and find the last two releases I need from mix four. Hopefully I'll be able to find them, but if not, then that's fine. Ultimately, I'm happy with all of the releases I found.

So how do you feel about the releases I talked about in this post? Go ahead and let me know down in the comments section. Alright, that's all for this edition of My Want List. Till next time, thanks for reading, and happy collecting.