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Showcase: Jaguar XJ-220
Topic Started: Oct 7 2012, 03:01 PM (730 Views)
mbx64
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Matchbox Collector
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Here's the Jaguar XJ-220 from the 'TYCO Era.' Luckily, this one was not splattered with bird poo, but with gold. It's part of the 1997 Edition Matchbox 75 Challenge, and it's one of 10,000. Not really limited, but it's still less than normal manufacturing numbers.

Remember that $1.99 Mack Auxiliary Power Truck that I 'Showcased' last week? Well, this Jag was $1.99 too. A great price considering the model at hand.

This Jaguar was way, way, way ahead of it's time, speed wise and look wise. At the time, it looked like it was from the future. Now, it actually looks lackluster and hum-drum compared to the crazily designed super cars of today. (I'm looking at you Aventador and McLaren P1) Still, it's obvious that as a vehicle, it was very sporty and futuristic looking. The casting of Jaguar doesn't uphold the same stand unfortunately. It just doesn't seem to capture that super car essence. It doesn't help of how high it's stance is. It should be low slung, but the wheels just won't let it be that way. However, the working suspension and smooth rolling helps to make up for that.

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The front of this British sports car is actually well detailed. The slots in the grille, the splitter, the lower air intake, fog lights and hood vents are all executed rather precisely.

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I can't say the same for the back. Not even close. There's no way of sugar-coating it, the back looks awful. In fact, it looks so bad, I'm going to provide a pic of the real thing just to compare the two. To the contrary, the Jag is copyright 1992, so the casting mold has held up pretty well considering it's already five years old.

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Tsk tsk. I can now see why everyone dreaded the 'TYCO Era.'

Luckily, the clear plastic in the windows held up nicely while it was in the package. I really wish Mattel would stop using recycled plastic nowadays because it gives the windows an awful yellow tint.

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Not the entire rear of the Jag is bad. Most of the rear vents held up nicely, but the casting edge around the windows did not. It looks very dis-formed, as if someone chewed the end of it before putting it together.

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In this picture, you can see that the long, swooping side vent looks great. The side light, lock, handle, and bold body line on the side of the XJ-220 appear just like they do on the real Jag.

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Not everything about this Jaguar is bad, in fact, it has more good than bad. Still, it shows why the 'TYCO Era' was such a bad one. The casting, 'bird poo' designs and wheels just prove why it was a less than good time for Matchbox. Luckily this Jaguar looks like it's ready to pounce! These pictures help show the great lines of the XJ-220.

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See? It's not hard to find the beauty!

Even thought this Jag was around rough times, it still goes to show that Britain sure can make a beautiful car! The Jaguar XJ-220 was 'gold among the coal', quite literally considering it's paint job!

I hope you enjoyed my latest Showcase! There's much more to come, including some Matchboxes from 2000-2008 and some of the latest models to hit the pegs!

Until then,

mbx64 :D

Edited by mbx64, Oct 7 2012, 03:10 PM.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Very nice, and thanks for giving credit for a seriously overlooked supercar. My opinion is informed more by the HW version, but the story is much the same...what could and should have been a gorgeous automobile done in such a less than flattering way that the castings tend to be ignored by collectors. Sad really, because it genuinely has so much potential, it has some truly beautiful lines.
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craftymore
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Support your local demo derby.

Really liked the 1/1 back in the day and the MB version has nice grill details.
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mbx64
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Matchbox Collector
juantoo3
Oct 7 2012, 03:57 PM
Very nice, and thanks for giving credit for a seriously overlooked supercar. My opinion is informed more by the HW version, but the story is much the same...what could and should have been a gorgeous automobile done in such a less than flattering way that the castings tend to be ignored by collectors. Sad really, because it genuinely has so much potential, it has some truly beautiful lines.
That is exactly what I'm trying to do here.

Literally 'Showcase' a vehicle in the hopes that it enlightens the viewer's feelings towards the model's design or the model itself.

This casting is seriously, seriously, SERIOUSLY overlooked do to the 'TYCO Era' Epidemic. Just doing this Showcase myself makes me like the model more, and that's really one of the reasons why I do them.
Edited by mbx64, Oct 9 2012, 09:40 PM.
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craftymore
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Support your local demo derby.

A similar occurrence happened during the Hero City days when they released the Checker Taxi.
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Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
This was one of the better castings of the Tyco era. If you want to review a lousy one, showcase the '93 Ford Probe. That's the reason we dreaded the Tyco era. It was a lousy casting, sporting lousy wheels, and more often than not was done up with all kinds of hideous tampos.

Actually, I'd like to see you do the Probe. If anyone can find something redeeming about it, I have confidence you will. The only thing I find redeeming about it is that its the only second generation Probe available in small scale.
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Dean-o-mite
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Muscle Car
Swifty
Oct 10 2012, 01:12 AM
This was one of the better castings of the Tyco era.
Part of that stems from the casting being from the Universal era. The early versions, released under Universal, had the 8 dot wheels, and the smaller wheel size brings it a bit lower to the ground, and makes it much more flattering.

The Probe, I actually truly like. I wish the rear panel was actually detailed, and that the C-pillars were not body color, but otherwise, I like it.
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JustDavid
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SUV
Great write-up as usual. When I first saw your sneak peak pic, I was thinking Probe.
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mbx64
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Matchbox Collector
Swifty
Oct 10 2012, 01:12 AM
Actually, I'd like to see you do the Probe. If anyone can find something redeeming about it, I have confidence you will. The only thing I find redeeming about it is that its the only second generation Probe available in small scale.

Thank you Swifty!

It's always nice to hear the great things you have to say!

Just David
 
Great write-up as usual. When I first saw your sneak peak pic, I was thinking Probe.


Thank you too David! And I actually don't currently own a Ford Probe, so I will have to attain one for my collection, and if I do, you can bet your best dollar I'll Showcase it here! :D
Edited by mbx64, Oct 10 2012, 06:27 PM.
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Dean-o-mite
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Muscle Car
8-dot Jaguar XJ-220. A great replica, as was the norm for Universal-era Matchbox.

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Black Wind
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Midsize
^ Now that is one sweet car mate! The front tampos, the proper looking wheels and the silver combined with red interior really make this car look beautiful.

Very nice showcase MBX64. Your pics are really nice. But I like the HW version more (especially the recent exotic 5-pack one) because it looks very much like the real car.
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daniel60
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Personal Luxury Car
Great car!!!
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