Guide: Matchbox's Jurassic World Line (2018-2019)

[Kooshmeister]

2018 Jurassic World Single-Carded Series:
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Basic:
1. Off-Road Rescue Rig
2. Armored Action Truck
3. 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550
4. Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020
5. 2010 Textron Tiger (green version)
6. Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6
7. 2015 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE
8. InGen Humvee
9. Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé
10. Deep-Dive Submarine
11. 2015 Triumph Scrambler
12. Kawasaki Brute Force 750
13. Armored Action Transporter
14. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #29
15. 1993 Ford Explorer #4
16. Gyrosphere
17. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #9
18. 2010 Textron Tiger

Legacy:
1. 1993 Ford Explorer #5
2. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #18
3. 1997 Mercedes-Benz ML 320
4. Fleetwood Southwind RV
5. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #12
6. MBX Tanker

Battle Damage:
1. Deep-Dive Submarine
2. '10 Textron Tiger
3. '14 Mercedes-Benz G 550
4. Armored Action Truck (green)
5. Gyrosphere
6. '93 Jeep Wrangler #9
7. '18 Textron Tiger (green)
8. '15 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE
9. Armored Action Transporter
10. Off-Road Rescue

2018 Five-Packs:
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Island Transport Team:
- Deep-Dive Submarine
- 2010 Textron Tiger
- 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550
- Armored Action Truck (exclusive dark gray version)
- Gyrosphere

Island Transport Team (Battle Damage):
- Deep-Dive Submarine
- 2010 Textron Tiger
- 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550
- Armored Action Truck (green)
- Gyrosphere

Island Explorers:
- 1997 Mercedes-Benz ML320 (exclusive gray camo version)
- MBX Tanker
- 1993 Ford Explorer #5
- 1993 Jeep Wrangler #18
- Fleetwood Southwind RV

All-Terrain Fleet:
- 2010 Textron Tiger
- 1993 Jeep Wrangler #9
- Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020 (exclusive gray version)
- Armored Action Transporter
- Off-Road Rescue Rig

Land Rescue Convoy:
- InGen Humvee
- 1993 Ford Explorer #4
- 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550 (exclusive black version)
- 1993 Jeep Wrangler #29
- 2015 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE

2018 Dino Transporters:
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- T. Rex Trailer
- Raptor Copter
- Tricera-Tracker
- Tyranno-Hauler
- Mosasaurus Sea Sub (apparently canceled)
- Tricera-Copter
- Dilopho-Loader
- Armored Raptor Hauler

2018 Playsets:
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- Island Escape with MBX 4x4 pack-in vehicle
- Harbor Rescuer with MBX Prospector pack-in vehicle

2019 Jurassic World Single-Carded Series:
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1.
2. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #18
3. 2010 Textron Tiger (tan)
4. Humvee
5. Fleetwood Southwind RV (green camo)
6.
7. 1997 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 1300
8. 2015 Triump Scrambler
9. Off-Road Rescue Rig (blue and brown and muddy with gray rollbar)
10. Armored Action Truck (dark gray; previously only available as an exclusive in "Island Transport Team" five-pack)
11.
12. 1993 Ford Explorer #4
13. Gyrosphere
14.
15. 1998 Cagiva Canyon 500
16. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #12 (muddy)
17. 1997 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 A.A.V.
18. InGen 4x4
19. Armored Action Transporter
20.
21. Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6 (muddy)
22. 1997 Mercedes-Benz ML 320
23. 1993 Ford Explorer #5
24.

? 1993 Ford Explorer #4 (crushed)
? 1993 Jeep Wrangler #10
? Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020 (black)

2019 Five-Packs:
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Island Transport Team:
- Deep-Dive Submarine
- 2010 Textron Tiger
- 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550
- Armored Action Truck (dark gray)
- Gyrosphere

Terrain Trekkers:
- 1997 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 1300
- 1998 Cagiva Canyon 500
- Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6
- Off-Road Rescue Rig (exclusive blue and black version with blue rollbar)
- Kawasaki Brute Force 750

2019 Dino Transporters:
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- T. Rex Trailer
- Raptor Copter
- Tricera-Tracker
- Tyranno-Hauler

2019 Sky Busters:
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- Airbus Helicopter H130

For pics:

https://jurassicpark.fandom.com/wiki/Jurassic_World_(Matchbox)
https://matchbox.fandom.com/wiki/Jurassic_World_(2018_Series)
https://matchbox.fandom.com/wiki/Jurassic_World_(2019_Series)
https://matchbox.fandom.com/wiki/Sky_Busters_series_(2019)

There's also the 2015 series, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms: https://matchbox.fandom.com/wiki/Jurassic_World_(2015_Series)

Only the 4x4 Scrambulance, MBX Prospector and the Chevrolet Silverado 4x4 actually resemble anything from the film (see below).

 

[Kooshmeister]

And: What Comes from What Movie? - The 2018 Series:

Legacy Collection:
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1/6 - '93 Ford Explorer #5

Obviously, this is Explorer 05, the one used by Grant, Ellie and Malcolm on the tour.

Interestingly, although Matchbox identifies these as 1993 Explorers, the screen-used vehicles' VINs identify them as 1992 MY Explorers.

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2/6 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #18

Based off of JP18, the one used by Grant, Ellie and Malcolm when they first arrive, most memorably in the Brachiosaurus scene.

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3/6 - '97 Mercedes-Benz ML 320

Kind of an unusual choice for Matchbox to start with, this particular ML 320 is based off of the one identified as "A.A.V. Montana" in pre-production art, and it's the only one of the three that isn't taken to Isla Sorna, despite this publicity photo of it.

It might've been taken had Sarah not left for the island ahead of the others, or if the story had retained the fifth gatherer team member, Dr. Juttson, a character from earlier drafts omitted from the final version of the script.

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4/6 - Fleetwood Southwind RV

Obviously, this is the gatherers' 1996 Fleetwood Southwind Storm mobile command center, rather critically minus the trailer component and done in the wrong color camouflage to boot.

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5/6 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #12

Newman--I mean Nedry's Jeep, JP12.

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6/6 - MBX Tanker

The first of a handful of reused castings in this line. Called simply "Utility Truck" on the underside, it was first introduced by Matchbox in 2006 and has been released under a variety of different names *Guzzler" and "Petrol Pumper" etc.). Exactly what movie it was intended to be from was initially a bit of a mystery. It's got the version of the park logo used in Jurassic World, and there is a Kenworth T-800 tanker seen parked outside of Paddock 11:

However, that was a six-wheeled truck and this is a four-wheeled one. Furthermore, it was released as part of the Legacy series, meaning it's from the first three films, and that leaves the 1966 GMC HM tanker Grant and Eric spend the night in, making it the (so far) only Jurassic Park III vehicle released. It's just missing the light on the cab roof.

Next: The 2018 Basic Series!

 

[Kooshmeister]

2018 Basic Series: Part I!

1/18 - Off-Road Rescue Rig

This is a generic dino transporter based on the BAE Systems Land & Armaments FMTV 6x6 (originally thought to be an Oshkosh FMTV) used by the mercenaries to transport Blue on the island in Fallen Kingdom.

The main difference, you'll note, is that it has a simple orange roll bar in lieu of the big cage in back. However, in a bit of genius on Mattel's part, you can remove the cage from the Armored Action Transporter (13/18) and put it onto the Rescue Rig, like so:

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2/18 - Armored Action Truck

Based on the duo of 2007 BAE Systems Land & Armaments Caiman CMTV armored cars the mercenaries use in Fallen Kingdom. There have been three different releases of this vehicle in three different colors, and none quite match on the onscreen vehicles. I suppose the initial single-carded version comes the closest.

Other than the color, the biggest issue with the toy vs. the onscreen armored car(s) is that the movie Caimans had fully enclosed rear passenger areas, whereas the Matchbox Action Truck's is open. Oh well.

Of note is the fact that at first, these armored cars were thought to be replicas of Caimans called MRAP Freemanators, but it turns out that they're apparently the genuine article.

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3/18 - '14 Mercedes-Benz G 550

Obviously, this is based on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550 staff vehicles used in Jurassic World, sort of Jurassic World's answer to the Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler staff vehicles. This is specifically Mercedes 05, the one Owen and Claire take when they go looking for the missing Zach and Gray.

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4/18 - Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020

In Fallen Kingdom, the most commonly seen kind of truck used by the mercenaries are Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020s, one of which is abandoned on the dock by its driver when the eruption of Mt. Sibo necessitates a faster boarding of the Arcadia on the mercs' part. It's this Unimog that is taken and used by Owen, Claire and Franklin that Matchbox has replicated here. Or tried to.

Although the color of the truck is correct (though the canopy is too light), the rear end is a little too long and it also has lights on top of the cab, something none of the U 5020s in Fallen Kingdom had.

Perhaps Mattel intends to retool this into the U 4000 MVU used in Jurassic World?

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5/18 - '10 Textron Tiger

I have no idea why this thing is numerically first in Matchbox's lineup, because as I noted elsewhere, there were no green Tigers in either Jurassic World or Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (especially given the InGen logo; InGen are not in that movie). This was just a fun recolor/judicious reusing of a mold they'd already done and wanted to get some more use out of.

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6/18 - Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6

Based on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6 six-wheeled pickup truck used as the lead ACU transport in Jurassic World. Commander Hamada rides shotgun in it. This is the second reuse of an old casting. Not as old as the MBX Tanker, though, the G 63 AMG 6x6 had already been released by Matchbox previously a few times, making its debut in 2017.

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7/18 - '15 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE

These things are seen everywhere in the background at the park in Jurassic World. The best look we get at one, though, is post-thrashing, when Zach and Gray find it crumpled against a tree trunk outside the old visitor's center from the first movie. They use parts from it as well as gas to repair and fuel JP29 in the visitor's center's garage.

And upon closer inspection, it appears both the toy and the one in the movie have the same vehicle number: 26. So this is in fact a toy of the Kawasaki that the kids find wrecked.

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8/18 - InGen Humvee

Another reuse of an old casting. The Humvee has been a staple of Matchbox since 1994 (!), making it even older than the MBX Tanker, and it's had very few modifications made to it over the years. Hey, if it ain't broke, right? Two were even used for Matchbox's 1997 toy line based on The Lost World: Jurassic Park (inaccurately; as I've said before, the InGen hunters used civilian Hummers, not military-grade Humvees). But this time, Mattel got it right. Kind of. This is meant to represent the InGen soldiers' AM General HMMWV M1025 which comes ashore with the Textron Tiger in Jurassic World.

For the most part, it's an accurate representation. Although always just called "Humvee," I'm pretty sure Matchbox's casting is in fact the M1025 model of HMMWV. The one in the movie had its front doors taken off for whatever reason, though, and I guess Mattel didn't feel like modifying the existing Humvee mold to represent this. It's also missing the bull bars around the headlights and grill. Oh well.

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9/18. Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé

Representing Claire Dearing's personal vehicle in Jurassic World, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé, this is yet another reused casting by Mattel. They'd done the GLE Coupé in dark gray in 2018, the same year they released this silver Jurassic World version.

Next: Part II!

 

[Kooshmeister]

10/18 - Deep-Dive Submarine

The very first vehicle we see in Fallen Kingdom is this tiny two-man submersible (code name "Marine One") used by the mercenaries to go into the Mosasaurus lagoon to retrieve one of Indominus' rib bones. I'm unsure if it's a specific brand of mini sub or just a rig done up for the movie.

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11/18 - '15 Triumph Scrambler

Obviously, this is Owen's motorcycle from Jurassic World.

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12/18 - Kawasaki Brute Force 750

Like the Kawasaki Teryx4 LE, this is another minor park staff vehicle featured in Jurassic World, but it has a slightly larger role. After abandoning Mercedes 05 near the wrecked Gyrosphere (why, I have no idea) and trying and failing to get the derelict JP18 going at the old visitor's center, Owen and Claire take this four wheeler from a staff substation and ride it to the main area of the park. Afterward, it's used by Barry to follow Owen and the raptors during the I-rex hunt.

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13/18 - Armored Action Transporter

This truck isn't really based on anything in particular. Ostensibly it's one of the dino transporters used by the mercenaries in Fallen Kingdom, but they never use anything like it onscreen. It does, however, had a front end roughly resembling that of the BAE Caiman armored car/Armored Action Truck, suggesting it's intended to be some kind of chopped and customized version of that, but, again, nothing quite like it appears in the film. And, no, although the cage can be attached to the BAE FMTV/Off-Road Rescue Rig, the Rescue Rig's removable roll bar isn't backwards compatible.

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14/18 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #29

In Jurassic Park, JP29 was the Jeep Wrangler used by Hammond and Gennaro when they arrived on the island.

Its muddied up condition and inclusion in the main line and not the legacy one, however, suggests that it is intended to be the Jeep as it appears in Jurassic World.

Interestingly, although the Wranglers used in the first film were '93 MY Jeeps, the ones in Jurassic World were '92s.

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15/18 - '93 Ford Explorer #4

In the first movie, Explorer 04 was the tour vehicle used by Gennaro and the kids and the one that got the brunt of the punishment during the iconic T-rex breakout and attack.

As noted, the ones used for filming were 1992 Explorers, not '93 ones as claimed here by Mattel, but whatever. Despite its relatively intact state (mud splatters aside), its inclusion here and not the Legacy series suggests this is meant to (very lazily) represent the vehicle as it appears in Fallen Kingdom.

The one in the movie is missing the wrong tire (Rexy bit off the left one, not the right one). Some more fun fact, since we were never going to see this Explorer right side up, the one they used lacks the sunroof, as seen here on the vehicle, pre-smashed, being transported to the set on the BAE FMTV truck that was also used in the film:

It's also an even older MY Explorer, a 1991 rather than a '92 like the ones used in the original film. Oh well.

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16/18 - Gyrosphere

It's a Gyrosphere, one of the big spherical tour vehicles meant to make Jurassic World look more futuristic and iPod-y. 'Nuff said.

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17/18 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #9

Like the green Tiger and the Armored Action Transporter, this silver and blue 1993 Jeep Wrangler with the Jurassic World logo is another in the "not from anything in particular" camp. It's not impossible that Jurassic World wouldn't use 1990s era Wranglers as staff vehicles, so there's no reason this thing couldn't exist offscreen somewhere. After all, they were using a 70s Steyr as a tour vehicle and 90s Chevrolet pickups as construction and maintenance vehicles. Besides, the Wrangler really looks cool in the Jurassic World colors and goes well with the G 550.

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18/18- '10 Textron Tiger

Last but not least is this thing, which honestly should've come before the green one, but whatever. It's a 2010 Textron Marine & Land Systems Tiger armored car, and one is used by InGen in Jurassic World.

It comes ashore with the Humvee during the scene where Hoskins is talking to the InGen contractor, and is the third vehicle used in the nighttime I-rex hunt along with Owen's Triumph Scrambler and Barry's Kawasaki Brute Force. It's a little too light vs. the one in the movie, which was a bit grayer, but, eh, whatever. It's a cool vehicle and a cool casting.

Next: Battle Damage!

 

[Kooshmeister]

The Battle Damage series was sort of the 2018 series' "last gasp" at retail last year. With one exception, it was all preexisting vehicle colors just with added mud and scratch mark tampos. Not terribly impressive. But eh.

1/10 - Deep-Dive Submarine

If only the guys in this thing in the movie were so lucky...

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2/10 - '10 Textron Tiger

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3/10 - '14 Mercedes-Benz G 550

Still Mercedes 05. I feel like they could've at least made this Mercedes 07, the other G 550 used in the film.

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4/10 - Armored Action Truck

Only one that is a different color, although it weirdly has the same vehicle number as the regular version (05).

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5/10 - Gyrosphere

Can be useful to represent the Gyrosphere post-Indominus attack.

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6/10 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #9

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7/10 - '10 Textron Tiger

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8/10 - '15 Kawasaki Teryx4 LE

Useful for depicting the vehicle as Zach and Gray find it, I guess.

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9/10 - Armored Action Transporter

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10/10 - Off-Road Rescue Rig

Next: Dino Transporters!

 

[Kooshmeister]

The Dino Transporters were a line of premium vehicles similar to Matchbox's Real Working Rigs line, and a throwback to the Rage Rigs from their 1997 The Lost World toyline. Except this time, the included dinosaurs weren't permanently attached, and the vehicles are not intended to suffer any "Dino Damage." Each vehicle includes a mini figure of a dinosaur. All of these are more or less in scale with the regular release vehicles and supposedly based around the vehicles used by the mercenaries to round up the dinosaurs in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Keep this in mind.

T. Rex Trailer

First thing's first. The name. And I don't mean "T. Rex" instead of "T-rex." It isn't a semi truck pulling a trailer. It's just a six-wheeled flatbed with a wooden (?) cage erected on the back. This is probably the closest we get to a vehicle that actually appears in the film, the Volvo NH 12 used to transport a Stegosaurus. However, it comes with a figurine of Rexy the Tyrannosaurus. Presumably this is intended to be the (as yet) unidentified truck she's kept in aboard the Arcadia after being airlifted out to the ship.

That, as you'll notice, is in fact a semi with a trailer. The actual Matchbox truck, as well, also resembles something a little more like a Peterbilt than a Volvo to me. Eh.

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Raptor Copter

Bearing more than a passing resemblance to the Agusta A-109s used in the first and second films, this otherwise generic helicopter comes with a figure of Blue. While helicopters were used by the mercenaries to airlift captures dinos to the Arcadia, none of them looked like this (the two we saw carrying Rexy and a Baryonyx were tandem-rotor Boeing-Vertol 234LRs, way bigger choppers than this thing).

Another issue is that Blue was taken to the ship by truck after being tranquilized and shot, not flown.

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Tricera-Tracker

Based on a heavily modified Toyota Mega Cruiser, nothing even remotely like this appears in the movie. And although something like it might've been used by the mercenaries offscreen, not visible here is the fact it says "InGen" on the roof. They had no presence in Fallen Kingdom. Not even at the auction, AFAIK. The mercenaries rounding up the dinosaurs were financed directly by Benjamin Lockwood and secretly taking orders from Eli Mills, neither of whom were involved with InGen, which seems to have gone defunct between films. The only explanation for this thing having the InGen logo would be if Wheatley and his men for whatever reason were using old InGen vehicles for their roundup, which is possible, but unlikely, as they seem to have provided all of their own vehicles without needing to rely on castoffs. Anyway, as its name implies, it comes with a Triceratops figure.

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Tyranno-Hauler

Another modified Toyota Mega Cruiser (a four door version under all that junk) featuring the InGen logo for some reason (this time visible in the pic on the hood). It comes with another figure of Rexy. This can't be a Fallen Kingdom vehicle for the same reason as the Tricera-Tracker. That said, Mega Cruisers existed back in 1997, so there's no reason you couldn't use these as InGen hunter vehicles in an Isla Sorna roundup display for The Lost World, the fact neither of them are Legacy releases be damned. Heck, the big padded pincher things even bring the Hummer with the same thing in The Lost World to mind.

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Mosasaurus Sea Sub

Okay, now this definitely didn't happen, and I mean that in more ways than one. Firstly, while a sub was sent into the park lagoon, and kinda looked like this just with different arm attachments, it was only to retrieve a bone from the I-rex's skeleton. Lockwood and Mills were apparently of the mind that trying to capture the Mosasaurus was way more trouble than it was worth, and so she was never part of the rescue roundup. Heck, even the mercenaries crewing the sub thought she was dead after nearly four years and didn't expect to encounter her at all.

The other way this toy didn't happen is that it just didn't. It was never made. I have no idea why. It's a shame, because, inaccurate to the movie or not (and a case could be made that there were attempts to capture her after she escaped into the open sea, either by Lockwood's people or by the Costa Rican authorities or whoever), this was definitely the Dino Transporter I was looking forward to the most. As of this writing, I haven't seen anything about it being planned as a release as part of the 2019 line like the first four.

As shown, it would've come with a pretty cool figure of everyone's favorite shark-eating Mosasaurus.

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Tricera-Copter

Now back to the ones that did get released. This is another kinda-sorta-was-in-the-movie-but-wasn't vehicle. Again, choppers were used to airlift dinosaurs to the mercenaries' ship, the Arcadia, but they were much larger than this. Still, at least this represents something that actually did more or less occur in the movie.

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Dilopho-Loader

Featuring a jointed mechanical claw to grab onto the included Spitter, this truck (I'm sure it's based on something; probably a modified fire engine) is another wasn't-in-the-movie vehicle. But unlike the two modified Mega Cruisers listed above, because it lacks the InGen logo, there's no reason Lockwood's mercenaries couldn't have had such a vehicle on hand somewhere offscreen. I wish it had appeared, with the dinosaur it's supposedly specifically designed for capturing, because then a Spitter would've actually appeared outside of a mannequin in Lockwood's museum and an offscreen hoot at the beginning as a fakeout scare.

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Armored Raptor Hauler

Now this is pretty cool. Although we already have the truck Blue was transported in on the island (the Rescue Rig/BAE FMTV), we don't have the one she was loaded onto once they were aboard the ship. That was a Volvo N 10. This is a... something. Still, it's a pretty neat vehicle, and truer to how Blue was actually caught and transported by the mercenaries than the Raptor Copter. Kudos, even if I still want the Volvo truck.

Next: The 2018 five-pack exclusives!

 

[Kooshmeister]

2018 saw the following exclusive vehicles to the five-packs:

Island Transport Team

This one came in two different versions, with the vehicles arranged differently, but other than that they were identical and both came with an exclusive version of the Armored Action Truck that was dark gray with bright blue hubcaps and numbered 12 instead of 05.

I suppose this could pass as the second Caiman in the film, even though from what I can tell both armored cars were the same color.

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Island Transport Team (Battle Damage)

This is the only five-pack without an exclusive vehicle in it, as the green Armored Action Truck was also released separately carded.

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Island Explorers

Noteworthy in that if only it'd been a six-pack, they could've included all six of the Legacy series vehicle castings, as the canopied Jeep #12 is the only one absent. Anyway, the exclusive car in this set is a brownish gray camo version of the Mercedes-Benz ML 320 (A.A.V. "Montana").

It matches the miscolored Fleetwood mobile command center, and that's really about all it's good for.

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All-Terrain Fleet

Comes with a dark gray Unimog U 5020 wiith a green canopy.

Unlike a lot of the other exclusive colorings, this one actually works, because, as noted, U 5020s were the truck the Fallen Kingdom mercenaries had the most of, in a variety of colors. I'm unsure if they had this specific shade of gray combined with this specific shade of canopy, but this will not be out of place in a Fallen Kingdom mercenary convoy display.

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Land Rescue Convoy

And lastly, we have an exclusive version of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550 that is black with a light gray stripe instead of silver with a blue stripe (still numbered 05, though).

This is definitely the coolest exclusive, even if it is completely movie inaccurate. I'd buy it as an offscreen park vehicle, something like maybe a VIP conveyance or maybe Commander Hamada's personal car, if only it had a different number than 05. As it is, it's still very cool to have.

Next: The 2019 series!

 

[SaberSonic83]

Crazy amount of work and comparison shots, awesome job Koosh!

 

[Hell_Hawk_33]

Agree with what Saber said. Nice work, Koosh. Thanks for putting this together.

 

[Kooshmeister]

Google gets all the credit for almost all the pics, heh.

As for when I'll get to the 2019 series, I'm just waiting on confirmation of what numbers Jeep 10, the crushed Explorer 04 and the black Unimog are.

 

[Kooshmeister]

Until then, enjoy some of John Bell's concept art of the vehicles from the first film, courtesy of Amblin Road's interview with Mr. Bell, starting with the Explorer(s):

Bell's artwork indicates that the Explorers were originally supposed to have a Brachiosaurus emblem on the hood, and the sunroof was originally intended to be retractable, and it also appears that John Hammond's name was originally going to be on the front windows, likely in frosted glass. Also note the conspicuous video camera mounted on the rear passenger side. I don't remember that being on the movie... but:

Now you know why Kenner's version had one! Albeit on the driver's side for some reason.

And here's concept art for a basic canopied Wangler that we never got in the final film, JP05:

Other than there never being a Jeep 05 in the movie, it appears that the Wranglers changed very little from concept to finished vehicles in the movie. This configuration (light bar with lights plus canopy) appears to have been the basis for JP12, Nedry's Jeep.

And lastly, the Agusta A-109A which transports everyone to the island and rescues them at the end:

Odd proportions aside (it sure is small for an A-109), it has different registration and slightly different livery. In the movie, the helicopter's registration is N293G, not N-2254, and if you look closely it actually says InGen Construction, not InGen Corporation as it does here. In the movie, the more specific "InGen Construction" livery is a nod to the novel where it is in fact a VIP chopper (of unidentified make) from InGen's construction subsidiary still building the park that flies the guests to Isla Nublar).

Trivia: The specific Agustua A-109A Hirundo used in the movie was in reality reg. N233G (N293G was a false registration added for the movie) and it crashed IRL in 2001 in Hawaii.

This is similar to the loss of another memorable movie helicopter, N230CA Bell 206B JetRanger III, used in such 80s and 90s action films as Lethal Weapon, Darkman, Commando, Blue Thunder and Uncommon Valor, which crashed in 2005 shortly after Hurricane Katrina.

Chasing Rianne Murtaugh in the limo in Lethal Weapon:

In Strack Industries livery, used by the evil construction tycoon's henchmen to try and kill Liam Neeson as the title character in Darkman:

OT, I know, but it's sad when screen-used vehicles come to such bad ends IRL... and get back on topic, I'm sorry to report most of the vehicles from the Jurassic Park series pre-2000s haven't come to good ends, either.

 

[Kooshmeister]

While I would've preferred going into this knowing what number(s) out of 24 the black Unimog, the reissued Deep-Dive Submarine, Jeep 10 and the crushed Explorer are, I'm gonna soldier ahead regardless. This guide will be completed eventually, come hell or high water.

So:

2019 Dino Rivals
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Interestingly, it's only called Dino Rivals on the box art for the five-packs and the Dino Transporters, but not these single-carded releases. Whatever.

1/24 - ?

Currently unknown.

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2/24 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #18

This is just a reissue of the Legacy JP18. No changes, as far as I'm aware. Which as noted previously is the Jeep used by Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler and Ian Malcolm in the first movie when they arrive on the island. The first of quite a few reissues and repaints, now that I think about it. I won't argue about whether this is a wasted slot or not, especially considering the Legacy series was a Target exclusive, and, theoretically, releasing vehicles like Jeep 18 in the main line makes them easier for people to get... but that's based on the seemingly logical but ultimately foolhardy assumption that the Matchbox Dino Rivals line is as widely-available at retail as the 2018 series was, which, in my personal experience at three different Walmarts and two different Targets, it is in fact not. Seriously, Mattel, what the heck? Where are these?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3/24 - '10 Textron Tiger

Reissue of last year's Textron Tiger. Now this is a wasted slot. I'm sorry. I like the Tiger armored car as much as anyone, but we saw it a lot already last year. It was available in two colors in the main line and in the Battle Damage line, and in three different five-packs. What's especially annoying is that it was in the main line's first wave... and now here it is again in Dino Rivals' first wave. Or at least it would be annoying if these were anywhere to be seen and this thing was clogging the pegs. Which it isn't, because the Matchbox Dino Rivals line is a no-show at retail everywhere I go. Grrr. Anyway, as noted previously, it's Matchbox's take on the InGen soldiers' 2019 Textron Marine & Land Systems Tiger armored car from Jurassic World.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4/24 - Humvee

Finally, something new-ish! This is another reuse of Matchbox's old Humvee mold (previously used to represent the Jurassic World InGen AM General HMMWV M1025), but not only is it done in green instead of gray with some mud splash deco, it also has added bull bars around the grill and headlights, a first for this casting, I believe. Given the green coloring, I'm going to assume it's meant to represent a hunter vehicle from The Lost World. But, at the risk of repeating myself, they didn't use AM General HMMWVs, but tricked out civilian Hummers. The closest this thing comes to representing is the hunters' 1992 Hummer HMC4.

Weirdly, on the card art, it shows the InGen logo on the front doors, whereas it's in the same spot as last year's InGen Humvee, behind the back doors on the sides.

For what it's worth, the screen-used vehicle doesn't appear to have the logo on it anywhere.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5/24 - Fleetwood Southwind RV

A recolor, but one that isn't a wasted slot. As mentioned before, Matchbox's Legacy take on the gatherer's 1996 Fleetwood Southwind Storm mobile command center was done in the wrong shade of camo, a weird kind of brownish gray vs. the Mercedes A.A.V.s' more green coloring. This re-release fixes the error. Admittedly, one I wish hadn't been made in the first place, but, eh, what're you gonna do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6/24 - ?

Also currently unknown.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

7/24 - '97 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 1300

A very welcome new vehicle! Unimogs have been a staple of the Jurassic Park franchise ever since The Lost World, and that's specifically what this beast is from! It's a pretty decent representation of of the more noticeable InGen hunter background vehicles, the 1997 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 1300, glimpsed briefly during the roundup sequence.

Matchbox did make an attempt to do this vehicle back in 1997, but just reused an old basic Unimog casting that may or may not have even been a U 1300. And it had a snowplow on the front for some reason (because most of Matchbox's Unimogs back in the day were released as plow vehicles and they didn't bother removing the plot for the Lost World version of the toy). This, thankfully, is an all-new casting of a 1997 U 1300 with all the trimmings the one(s) in the movie had. Mostly. It's missing the lights mounted on the top corners of the windshield, and also the snorkel is on the wrong side (!).

A better look at one of the screen-used trucks on set.

There seem to have been two. One with the "Gen" part of "InGen" in black over a white "In," seen just above, and another with both parts of the logo in white as seen in the film. Matchbox replicates the former.

Interestingly, according to the concept art for the truck(s), the rear observation platform was apparently supposed to be raisable via a scissor lift.

I can't tell if the lift on the trucks in the actual film are functionable, though. On the toy, though, the observation platform is removable. For what purpose, I don't know. The Armored Action Transporter's removable cage could go onto the back of the Off-Road Rescue Rig. Maybe a future vehicle can use the Unimog's observation platform in a similar manner, or perhaps the Unimog itself can have something attached to it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8/24 - '15 Triumph Scrambler

Back to reissues. It's Owen's motorcycle from the fourth movie again. Unchanged. I'm torn as to how much of a wasted slot this is. The Triumph was released relatively late in 2018 and so some people might not have seen it at retail, but, then again, it seems pretty common and dirt cheap on the secondary market, so people aren't exactly clamoring for it. Also, like its previous release, it's nearly impossible to stand up under its own power, a common problem with Matchbox motorcycles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9/24 - Off-Road Rescue Rig

A recolor. One that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Obviously, it's the BAE Systems Land & Armaments FMTV Cargo 6x6 from Fallen Kingdom, but in a weird mixture of colors we never saw onscreen and splattered with mud (which is a theme with Dino Rivals vehicles, it seems) and some different numbers (SVRT-315 instead of 21, and no Pteranodon symbol this time). I'm not saying the mercenaries couldn't have had other FMTVs in different colors like they did with the many Unimogs, but, eh, was anyone really clamoring for this thing again? And, yes, the Armored Action Transporter's cage still fits on it.

EDIT: I also realized that all these rescue rigs differ from the FMTV used in the movie in that the movie vehicle was a single cab version, whereas Matchbox's is a crew cab.

 

[Kooshmeister]

Onward!

10/24 - Armored Action Truck

A reissue. And a first, as far as I'm are. This is the specific coloring of the Action Truck released in the Island Transport Team five-pack, so far the only exclusive also made available single-carded. No changes. Same dark gray coloring and bright blue hubcaps. It's even still vehicle number 12.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

11/24 - ?

Another currently unknown one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12/24 - '93 Ford Explorer #4

Reissue with no changes. This would've been the perfect chance for them to release Gennaro and the kids' Explorer in non-muddied form, but despite the upcoming release of a properly crushed version, they're still giving Explorer 04 a muddy deco and leaving No. 05 clean.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

13/24 - Gyrosphere

Reissue with no changes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

14/24 - ?

Yet another unknown one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15/24 - '98 Cagiva Canyon 500

Cagiva Canyons are the (mildly) modified motorcycles used by the hunters to herd dinosaurs in The Lost World.

This is an interesting release for a few reasons, not the least of which is the MY Matchbox attributes to it. Not 1997, but 1998. The Lost World would've presumably filmed in '96, meaning the '97 Mercedes-Benz ML 320s and Unimog U 1300s and U 2450s they were using were pre-production models slated for release the next year (all specially provided to Universal for the movie by Mercedes). Presumably Cagiva did the same thing, but if it really is a '98 MY, this makes the motorcycles used in the film pre-pre-production, i.e. concept bikes. The other interesting thing is one specific detail Matchbox added that definitely isn't on the screen-used bikes: the movie logo. This was apparently (?) done in a nod to the fact Matchbox's 1997 vehicles released to tie in to the movie had the film's logo plastered all over them (on the hoods for the A.A.V.s and Humvees, for instance). I can think of no other reason for doing this than as a cheeky little nod to that.

Oh, and just like Owen's Triumph, getting it to stand up is difficult AF.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

16/24 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #12

Nedry's Jeep again, only this time it has mud splash deco. I'll let this one slight because Nedry was driving at night and did get JP12 pretty muddy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

17/24 - '97 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 A.A.V.

Aha! Now we're talkin'! It's Eddie's Mercedes, identified in concept art as "Santana."

Matchbox just differentiates it from the previously released ML 320 ("Montana") by designating it the A.A.V. (All-Activity Vehicle) version. I wonder, then, if they're unaware of the individual vehicles' names from behind-the-scenes material, what they'll call the third one, "Fontana," if and when they release it. Anyway, as seen here in this better photo of the car in what looks like a museum somewhere and the concept art, Santana differs significantly from Montana and Fontana by its completely open, pseudo-pickup truck like rear end.

It is, however, missing the toolboxes on the rear sides present in the concept art and even in some scenes in the film. Oh well. But at least this time they painted the bull bars, which were left unpainted on the previous ML 320.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

18/24 - InGen 4x4

Roland Tembo's vehicle used in The Lost World, which he and Ludlow ride in during the roundup scene. A second, identical one is also used by Robert Burke and another guy.

Exactly what these things are called is a minor mystery. The concept art for them simply identifies them as "Jeeps," and supposedly they are stripped down and heavily customized Wranglers the production used, but whether this also applies in-universe is unknown. Supposedly, one site identifies them as "InGen Standard Safari Vehicles," but Matchbox has chosen to just go with "InGen 4x4" which is fine. Unfortunately it also suggests that this is the only version (there's three) that they intend to do. Specifically, as noted, it's the kind used by Roland and Burke, identified as "Jeep #2" in the concept art and given the name "Scout" in the Lego game.

That said, if they do one of the other versions, like, say, Dieter's, they might just extend the name like they did for the ML 320. "InGen 4x4 Harasser," assuming they use the Lego designation.

It's missing the top-mounted searchlight, the extra lights mounted on the bull bar, and whatever it is that's strapped to the hood (a detail Matchbox saw fit to include in their 2018 release of ML 320 "Montana"). But aside from this, it's a pretty decent representation of this specific version of the vehicles.

 

[Kooshmeister]

Gonna go ahead and finish this up. So, anyway, onward!

19/24 - Armored Action Transporter

Another straight reissue. Nothing different.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

20/24 - ?

Yet another one that's currently unknown. Hopefully this'll change soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

21/24 - Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6

Not a straight issue. Like Jeep 12, this a muddied up re-release. Specifically, of Commander Hamada's ACU G 63 from Jurassic World. Which makes sense as they did drive down a muddy side road and spray up a ton of muddy water. So, acceptable, if not exactly needed. What is it with Dino Rivals' obsession with mud splatters?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

22/24 - '97 Mercedes-Benz ML 320

Reissue of the 2018 Legacy release. It is, again, A.A.V. Montana, the third of the ML 320s that got left behind at Eddie's garage in The Lost World. This is a welcome reissue, since, as noted, the Legacy series was a Target exclusive and the ML 320 may have been difficult for some people to get, and reissuing it here in Dino Rivals' main line also means you can get both Montana and Santana at the same time. Or it would if any stores would stock the series. Ugh. Anyway, it's a straight reissue; you'll notice that despite correcting last year's oversight by painting the bull bars on Santana, they didn't do it for the re-release of Montana. So when the two are side by side it kinda sticks out. Oh well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

23/24 - '93 Ford Explorer #5

Another straight reissue. Surprised they didn't muddy this one up, too! But the Explorers are popular and eye-catching, so I don't mind.

I do mind these being no-shows at retail, though.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

24/24 -?

Just like with the first one, we have no idea currently what the last vehicle will be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are, however, getting the following vehicles, I just don't know what order out of 24 they are:

?/24 -'93 Ford Explorer #4

Yes, judging by the name on the card, Matchbox is not differentiating this from the other release of Explorer 04 by designated it as damaged or crushed. It's Gennaro and the kids' Explorer after Rexy has giving it a good chomping and squishing. It can be used for both Jurassic Park or Fallen Kingdom displays, depending. Get two and do both!

It's slightly inaccurate, as the sunroof wasn't broken like that, it was made of Plexiglass and so it simply popped out of the frame when the T-rex rammed her head into it. Also, I hate to be nitpicky, but it just doesn't look smushed enough. And judging by the one picture we have of it in-package, it'll have all four tires. Interestingly, the tires on the version in this person's hand are brown, but they appear to be black on the carded version.

Still, all that aside, this is a very fun little release to get.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

?/24 - '93 Jeep Wrangler #10

Since last year's Legacy line, I've been hollering every chance I got "Where's JP10?" Well, here's my answer; here it is! And I'm so happy I don't even mind that it's dirtied up in accordance with Dino Rival's weird mud fetish! Anyway, JP10 is the fourth and final Jeep Wrangler from the first film. It's the one Ellie and Muldoon take when they go and rescue Malcolm and get chased by Rexy. The "Must go faster!" Jeep.

I'm just glad the windshield is intact, as too many customs of this particular Jeep do it as it appears after the low tree branch knocks the windshield and toolboxes off, and I was afraid Matchbox was going to do the same thing. I'd prefer a clean Jeep 10, but, like I said, I'm happy to just have the dang thing, unique among the Jurassic Park Jeep Wranglers, and Wranglers in general, in its lack of a roll bar (I can only assume Spielberg wanted it more "open" to the elements to imperil the occupants more easily than they would be in a Jeep with a roll bar that Rexy would have to bite through first).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

?/24 - Deep-Dive Submarine

A straight reissue of last year's mercenary mini sub, which is also available in Dino Rivals' version of the Island Transport Tream five-pack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

?/24 - Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020

A black version of last year's Unimog U 5020. As I noted previously, this particular truck was the one the mercenaries had the most of in Fallen Kingdom, in many different colors, so this black version with a light gray canopy isn't entirely implausible. If nothing else, it'll go great visually with the black G 550 from the Land Rescue Convoy five-pack.

 

[Kooshmeister]

Next up we have the Dino Transporters. So far, they've on re-released the first four, and there's still no sign of the Mosasaurus Sea Sub. I don't understand why. In fact, these are literally just the same vehicles in different packaging I'm not going to bother showing out-of-package pics.

T. Rex Trailer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raptor Copter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tricera-Tracker

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tyranno-Hauler

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next we have the five-packs, of which, so far, there are two.

Island Transport Team

Straight reissue of the 2018 five-pack, in the second configuration with the Armored Action Truck positioned lower instead of at the very top. And since the Armored Action Truck in this color was released carded in this line and the Deep-Dive Submarine, this means the only vehicle that's exclusive to this pack is the 2014 Mercedes-Benz G 550 (still number 05), as it hasn't seen any other reissue in Dino Rivals this year so far.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Terrain Trekkers

Theoretically, the exclusive in this set is the blue and black Off-Road Rescue Rig (number 21 again, with the Pteranodon symbol making a comeback).

But this is also so far the only way to get the Kawasaki Brute Force 750 and the clean version of the Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6 in the Dino Rivals line. Like the G 550, they haven't been released singly yet and most likely won't be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

?

A third five-pack is due for 2020. It'll include the Armored Action Truck, one of the Jeep Wranglers, the Armored Action Transporter, the Deep-Dive Submarine and the Unimog U 1300. The Unimog might be the exclusive (?). I'm kinda hoping they're all neat recolors, and that, specifically, the Jeep will be JP14, Gerry Harding's Jeep from Jurassic Park: The Game (on that note I'd also like to see the Ford Explorer from that game, Explorer 02). Most likely it'll just be Dino Rivals' reissue of JP29, though.

That just leaves the two 2018 playsets, which I've never owned and know nothing about. So for the time being, I guess the guide is pretty much done.

 

[Kooshmeister]

Two new five-packs revealed. Firstly is the Land Action Squad, featuring the crushed Explorer #4 with brown tires, the InGen 4x4, what appears to be an exclusive deco of the '15 Triumph Scrambler, the muddy Jeep #12 and the Humvee.

And a reissue of the Legacy Collection Island Explorers set, unchanged:

 

[Real_Scooby]

Actually not into collectin HotWheels or Matchbox scale, I was wondering if there are any vehicle in 1/48 scale, mainly the green Explorer maybe

 

[Kooshmeister]

None I'm aware of. I'll search though.

 

[jedisquared]

We’re all waiting for that one...Lol.

Actually not into collectin HotWheels or Matchbox scale, I was wondering if there are any vehicle in 1/48 scale, mainly the green Explorer maybe

 

[Kooshmeister]

There's this model from what looks like the 90s, but it's not any good. It uses the two door Explorer and lacks the sunroof. Very disappointing. It's also 1/20 scale, instead of 1/48.

There's also this, but it appears to be a custom and I can't tell the scale.

 

[Kooshmeister]

It looks like we're getting a clean version of Jeep 10 as part of another Jeep-themed subline.

I wonder if this means the final wave of die cast vehicles (like the black Unimog) are a no-go, or whether we'll still get the muddy Jeep 10.

 

[DutchVander]

Matchbox does a jeep themed specialty series about once a year. It was probably the best way to get the clean Jeep 10 out without doing another wave or 5 pack. The jeep waves are usually Walmart exclusives if I remember correctly, which royally sucks, cuz it will be impossible to find.

 

[Kooshmeister]

My Walmart is usually pretty good at restocking the exclusives. They kept the Jeep, Ford and Chevrolet ones in good supply.

The only one they faltered on was the Mercedes series (they restocked it exactly once), and they've also never had any of the Jeep, Ford, Chevy or Mercedes five-packs, which sucks because that ended up being the only way to get the slightly redone, maroon G 550 without the bull bars; for some reason, Matchbox canceled the single release of that vehicle despite the Mercedes series supposedly being its debut.

I already ordered two of these Jeep 10s off of eBay, anyway, so it isn't a big deal if this Walmart falters on the second Jeep series like they did the Mercedes one.

I do still hope we get the final Jurassic Park wave. I really want that black Unimog and the crushed Explorer.

 

[Kooshmeister]

I'd kind of like Matchbox versions of some of the Kenner vehicles. If Hot Wheels can do the Real Ghostbusters version of Ecto-1, Matchbox can do these, most of them with a minimum of fuss.

Bush Devil Tracker (JP27). At most, it'd require a new roll bar plus the snare thing on the right side. One could argue it also needs the doors removed, but, eh, that didn't stop Mattel with the Jurassic World InGen Humvee.

Possibly with an alt. coloring like its unreleased 1994 reissue. It'd be a nice chase version and shout out to 90s kids who never got this thing.

(Possibly) the Jungle Explorer. Easy enough to do a numberless Explorer with black hubcaps.

Like the Bush Devil Tracker, it was going to be reissued in new colors, but this got canceled. This too could be a fun chase vehicle.

Ground Tracker. This one would require a bit more reworking of the existing ML320 casting.

 

[Kooshmeister]

New Sky Busters. A Chinook, what Matchbox calls "Private Jet" and an Agusta A-109. Could it be these will be these?

InGen Boeing-Vertol 234LR

The Kirby family's Beechcraft Super King Air 500

Hammond's Agusta A-109A Hirundo

 

[Kooshmeister]

Well, the dude demanding $50-$99 for the crushed Ford Explorer(s) did at least get back to me about its number. It's 6/24.

2019 Dino Rivals Basic Line:
1.
2. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #18 (straight reissue)
3. 2010 Textron Tiger (straight reissue)
4. Humvee (new green version with bull bars)
5. Fleetwood Southwind RV (new green camouflage version)
6. 1993 Ford Explorer #4 (new crushed version)
7. 1997 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 1300 (new)
8. 2015 Triumph Scrambler (straight reissue)
9. Off-Road Rescue Rig (new blue, brown and muddy version)
10. Armored Action Truck (reissue of the dark gray five-pack version)
11.
12. 1993 Ford Explorer #4 (straight reissue)
13. Gyrosphere (straight reissue)
14.
15. 1998 Cagiva Canyon 500 (new)
16. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #12 (new muddy version)
17. 1997 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 A.A.V. (new)
18. InGen 4x4 (new)
19. Armored Action Transporter (straight reissue)
20.
21. Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG 6x6 (new muddy version)
22. 1997 Mercedes-Benz ML 320 (straight reissue)
23. 1993 Ford Explorer #5 (straight reissue)
24.

One down. Five more to go. What we know is coming:

?. Deep-Dive Submarine (straight reissue)
?. 1993 Jeep Wrangler #10 (new muddy version)
?. Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 5020 (new black version)

That still leaves two vehicles unaccounted for. Any speculation on what they'll be? Reissues? Recolors? New castings/toolings? If so, what? The third ML 320 ("Fontana")?

 

[Kooshmeister]

Out of sheer boredom, here's my little guide to the previous Jurassic Park-themed lines done by Matchbox, beginning with the very first. Released in 1997 to coincide withthe merchandising blitz that haralded the release of The Lost World: Jurassic Park in theaters, Matchbox's Lost World line was park of their Action System series and featured vehicles from or "inspired by" the movie (mostly the latter). It consisted of three distinct sub-lines (Trapper/Trackers, Rage Rigs and playsets) and represents one of only two Matchbox lines dedicated to a single film and not the overall franchise.

Incidentally, this coincided with Mattel's purchase of Tyco that year. Tyco had been the owner of the Matchbox brand since 1992. That probably doesn't mean anything, I just thought it was interesting.

These vehicles were mostly intended to emulate what most kids at the time probably loved the most about the film, the roundup scene. Despite the fact that this was perpetrated by the film's villains, the concept of pursuing and capturing dinosaurs had been a staple of any Jurassic Park toy line since its inception. Even before the second film came out, there was a big emphasis in Kenner's seminal toy line (with characters like the Evil Raiders), video games like SNES' Jurassic Park Part 2: The Chaos Continues (where you play as Grant and return to Isla Nublar to prevent Biosyn from exploiting the dinosaurs) and a few issues of Topps' comic series.

1997 The Lost World: Jurassic Park Series:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tracker/Trappers:
1. Skip Truck
2. Rescue Truck
3. Chopper
4. Humvee
5. 4x4
6. Hook Truck

Rage Rigs:
7. Rage Rig with Wrecking Tyrannosaurus
8. Rage Rig with Raging Stegosaurus

Site B Action System Playsets:
9. Fuel Depot with Humvee pack-in vehicle
10. Garage with 4x4 pack-in vehicle

Tracker/Trappers:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The basic carded line. Each set consisted of a die cast vehicle and two or more metal figurines of dinosaurs and/or humans. Only three represent specific vehicles from the movie, and out of all six vehicles only one was a new casting. Also, at least two had completely different names in promotional material than they did when actually released. Another defining feature is that they all featured the movie logo plastered on them somewhere.

1/10 - Skip Truck

The Ford Cargo debuted in 1997 when Matchbox was still owned by Universal Toys, who'd acquired the brand from Lesney in 1982. It was originally a construction-themed vehicle used for on-site garbage disposal, featuring a tilting dumpster that could be raised and lowered from the truck bed. Released here as simply "Skip Truck" with any connections to Ford omitted (although the oval is still visible on the grill), it kept the tilting arms but substituted the dumpster with a cage that could be raised and lowered of a very small dinosaur that came with it. In addish to the garish green camo and hazard livery, it featured a sticker of the movie logo on top of the cab.

It was re-released in this configuration (i.e. with cage in lieu of the dumpster) two more times; later in 1997 with tan and green camo as part of a safari-themed two-pack, and for a final time in 1999 colored red as a circus truck.

It came with two figurines, one of Ian Malcolm (looking more like he did in the first film, sunglasses and all) and a baby Tyrannosaurus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2/10 - Rescue Truck

Ah, the Unimog. A staple of the Jurassic Park series, beginning with this movie (despite being relegated entirely to the background). And despite its completely generic name, it is, obviously, a Unimog, specifically Matchbox's 1983 casting of one with a snow plot. Which they left on it for some reason. I have no idea why. What good is a snow plow on a thickly-forested island? I have hilarious mental images of this thing being halted by the plow blade hitting tree stumps. The only new thing is the open-topped container in the truck bed which featured a hinged tailgate and a winch. Plow aside, the vehicle appears to be an amalgamation of the two Unimogs used by the hunters in the movie: the body length and cab recall the U 1300, while the container is reminiscent of the U 2450 L/38. It's colored in green and designated as vehicle no. 10.

Despite the Unimogs being hunter vehicles in the movie, as its name implies, the Rescue Truck is a heroic vehicle here, and consequently it comes with a figure of Nick Van Owen, along with a baby Stegosaurus.

Now, the name. Although released as just "Rescue Truck," early indications were that it was actually going to be released under its actual make and model names, unlike the Ford Cargo. Cardbacks exist showing it referred to as "Mercedes Unimog." I have no idea why Matchbox did this. Mercedes-Benz didn't shy away from the Lost World merchandising blitz, and AFAIK, Tyco still had the Mercedes license, as they continued producing Mercedes vehicles until they got bought out by Mattel.

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3/10 - Chopper

The Mission Helicopter (released here as simply "Chopper") is one of Matchbox's oldest and most faithful workhorses. Featuring a retractable tail and folding rotor blades (the better to cram it into smaller card bubbles), the most interesting thing about this casting is what it's clearly based on.

Braddock: What do they call that thing? An ear buster?
Icelan: The Special. But somebody hung a nickname on it.
Murphy: What?
Icelan: Somebody hung a nickname on it! Blue Thunder!

Yes, it's obviously based on the modified Aérospatiale Gazelle used in the movie Blue Thunder, just with one less rotor blade (Gazelles have three). As far as I'm aware, this was unlicensed. Although it was produced in 1985 when Universal Toys had the brand, and not only am I uncertain if they are (were?) connected with Universal Studios in any way, Blue Thunder was a Columbia release, not a Universal release, and despite obviously being "The Special" from Blue Thunder, it was never, ever marketed by Matchbox as that. Shenanigans!

For its Lost World release, the Mission Helicopter was colored black with a yellow-tinted ****pit bubble (complete with the movie logo sticker) and had added missile launchers (probably firing "blood sample missiles" like Kenner's Jungle Explorer) and a big, frankly cartoonish-looking grabby claw. Despite this very aggressive appearance, it's apparently another good guy vehicle since the human it comes with is Eddie Carr (!). The included dino is a somewhat undersized Parasaurolophus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

4/10 - Humvee

Back to vehicles actualy intended to represent ones from the film, here we have yet another old Matchbox workhorse, the Humvee. It's the only brand name vehicle in this line identified by its actual model, and represents Matchbox's original sin of using a military-spec AM General HMMWV to represent a civilian Hummer. As I've ranted about before, the hunters did not use Humvees, they used then brand new Hummers. Like the Rescue Truck, this appears to be an amalgamation of two different vehicles used by the hunters in the film. It has four doors like the one with the cage on the rear that makes the introductory jump, but has the padded scissor mechanism (called the "Dino Pursuit Claw" on Kenner's Humvee toy - yes, they made the same mistake as Tyco). However, it's missing what Kenner identifies as "Stampede Seats," the Hatari!-style chairs that swing out on jointed arms. It's designated as vehicle no. 17.

Unlike the Rescue Truck, this vehicle is actually intended to be a hunter vehicle, and not just because it features the InGen logo on it (along with that persistent movie logo on the trunk lid), but also because its included human figure is Roland Tembo. The included dino is a Velociraptor, a dinosaur that never encountered Roland or was present in the roundup sequence featuring the vehicle this thing is emulating.

It's a serviceable enough depiction of the "Snagger" from the film, and worth getting because unless Mattel does one as a Real Working Rig and adds the seats as well, I think this is the only attempt at the "Snagger" we're ever going to get.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5/10 - 4x4

The only new casting done for the Tracker/Trappers, this is obviously one of the Mercedes ML320s used by the good guys. It roughly represents "Fontana," given the fully enclosoed rear and side-mounted toolboxes, but the rear viewing bubble has been replaced with a turret that the human figures can bbe stuck into. It also features pivoting claw-like grabby whatsits which Fontana didn't have. It comes with Eddie again (what? No Sarah? Why?) and a Pachycephalosaurus.

Like the Unimog, it had its name on the card changed between promotions and the actual release; some cardbacks call it "Mercedes A.A.V.," while the final release just calls it "4x4," and although it features some kind of logo on the grill, it's completely generic and all connections to Mercedes-Benz have been severed. And as with the Unimog/Rescue Truck, I have no idea why Tyco did this. They reused Universal and Lesney's previous Mercedes-Benz castings with no problems, and made plenty of their own during their stewardship of the Matchbox brand, so why did they avoid all mentions of Mercedes for this particular toy line, including reducing the ML320 to a generic casting? All I can figure is that since they did The Lost World toys the same year they acquired Matchbox, there were some behind the scenes difficulties with some licenses as a result of the change in ownership, and while it last only briefly, the Lost World line unfortunately came out during that brief period where Tyco's use of the Mercedes license was in doubt, so they played it safe, releasing the Unimog and ML320 as generics.

Aside from a modified version in one of the playsets (more on this later), it was a one and done; Matchbox never reused it, either under Tyco's ownership or Mattel's later on. I have mixed feelings about this. At the time, it was the only representation of this vehicle in die cast in this scale, but it looks and feels kinda cheap in execution. It's just a solid hunk of metal with no interior (the windows are all painted black), the wheels are too large for my liking, and overall it just feels too... toyetic. A strange thing to say about a toy, yes, but other Matchbox vehicles, including the ones in this very line, don't feel as cheap and clunky as the "4x4". It looks less like something Matchbox would release to the mass market on a card and more like something that'd come in a clear plastic bag as a kid's meal toy. Still, it is what it is, and at the time I would've been glad to have it if I'd ever gotten it (for some reason, the only one of these I ever owned was the Skip Truck), but it's since been surpassed, not only by other Matchbox attempts at M-Klasse vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz ML430 released in 2000, but also the two ML320s Mattel has given us which are far better representations of the movie vehicles than this thing.

At present, the only real reason to get this is because it (more or less) represents A.A.V. Fontana, which is the one ML320 Matchbox hasn't done yet. But if and when they do, then the 1997 Tracker/Trapper 4x4 can safely be relegated to the dust bin of history. But I'll nevertheless always appreciciate it, because, its various problems aside, it does have a certain quirky, clunky charm to it that I find endearing.

And no, despite having a trailer hitch, no trailers were released in the Lost World line for it to pull.

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6/10 - Hook Truck

And lastly, we have yet another familiar old Matchbox workhorse, the Chevrolet Breakdown Van. Essentially, it's a Chevy Astro converted into a tow truck. One of Universal's odder choices to make. If a tow truck, why an Astro which IRL would need to be chopped and converted to have the towing hook and arm installed? And if an Astro, why a tow truck and not the more common ordinary van version everyone was familiar with back in the 80s? Whatever. This is definitely the weirdest choice for a vehicle to include in this line. Even with the modified hook, different from the regular release(s), I'm not sure that this is really a good way to haul a captured dinosaur, even a small one. And that is what it's intended to be used for, too; "Haul away raptor with hook!" blares the card art. What. Anyway, I have nothing else to say about this vehicle except that it included a figure of Dieter Stark and a raptor, and was released twice more with the modified hook before Matchbox discontinued the casting in (or at least hasn't used it since) 2001.

Next: Rage Rigs! And, yes, I aware that I did #/10 and not #/6 for the Tracker/Trappers. The cardbacks list the six Tracker/Trappers, two Rage Rigs and two playsets as 1-10 uninterrupted.

 

[Kooshmeister]

Rage Rigs:
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Precursors to the Dino Transporters, these were two larger size transport trucks akin to Real Working Rigs that were packaged in a very eye-catching curved, cardboard-framed plastic bubble configuration.

Both appear to be generic, and neither are based on anything used by either the gatherers or the hunters in the film, but they still looked pretty cool. Neither had an individual model name, despite being distinctly different from one another; they're just "Rage Rig with [insert dino name here]." Like the Tracker/Trackers, they both came with die cast figurines and dinosaurs and action features for added play value. However, there's a problem, specifically that the dinosaurs aren't removable. Read on.

7/10 - Rage Rig with Wrecking Tyrannosaurus

The first rig is a big crew cab style transport vehicle that reminds me distinctly of a modified fire engine for some reason. Anyway, it's the larger of the two and features what I assume is the father T-rex based on the green coloring in possibly the worst containment area ever - completely open at the top, front and rear! Yes, according to the warning sides, the sides are electrified, but still. And what's even sillier is that they only come up to Daddy Rex's knees. This reminds me of the pitiful enclosure that Jim Venkman thought would contain Hob Anagarak in The Real Ghostbusters.

Electrified or not, all he's gotta is swing one leg over that short fence and he's outta there (which - spoiler! - is exactly what happens).

The truck's cab is hollow and open and the human figure(s) stick out of the top. According to the box, you pivot it by the tail so that it dips forward, open-mouthed, to bite at the human poking out of the cab. Unfortunately, due to this play feature, the Tyrannosaurus figure is not removable; there's no way to have the truck sans dinosaur or vice versa without intentionally breaking it.

Anyway, aside from the non-removable Papa Rex, the set includes the baby one, Dieter Stark (looking more like Eddie Carr with that hairline) and a Parasaurolophus.

In terms of availability on the secondary market, because of the lack of (intentionally) break-away parts, this is the one that's easiest to find intact loose. However, it's more than not missing the U-shaped frame around the top of the cab and at least one of the rear side walls.

8/10 - Rage Rig with Raging Stegosaurus

At least this one has higher walls that I can buy would contain that Stego! This one features a break-away feature. The mommy Stego actually has one corner of the truck cab in her mouth, and when you pull her tail to the vehicle's right, she snaps 'round and two thinks happen. Because the left side of the cab is attached to her mouth, she rips it away, and, as she turns, she also knocks down the walls which are hinged to do so, simulating her escape. This is a bit more functional and interesting than the Wrecking Tyrannosaurus version, and, in fact, I think their names should've been switched; the most the T-rex does is pivot forward to bite Dieter, so he should've been the Raging Tyrannosaurus, because his action feature doesn't involve him damaging the truck; conversely, the Stegosaurus should've been the Wrecking Stegosaurus because her action feature does involve breaking the truck. Like the T-rex, she isn't removable from the rear due to the action feature.

The figures this set includes are Ian Malcolm again, a baby Stegosaurus and a Ppachycephalosaurus. I'm not sure why Ian comes with this truck. The InGen logo means it's a hunter vehicle. Maybe the idea is that Malcolm is supposed to help Mrs. Stego break free? I dunno.

This one is harder to find on the second market. Although it isn't meant to come apart, the hinges on the collapsible walls break easily, and the break-away portion of the cab is held in the dinosaur's mouth by one teeny corner, so it is also easily snapped free. It's common to find this Rage Rig missing the walls and with the break-away cab piece detached from the Stego's mouth, and in that event it's a 50/50 chance it isn't included, meaning the loose truck often has a permanently damaged cab with a big, gaping chunk missing.

Neither Rage Rig was ever reissued or use for anything else. Like the Tracker/Trapper 4x4, they're one-offs.

Next! Playsets!

 

[Kooshmeister]

Re: The first Rage Rig, apparently it's based on the Tatra T813 trucks used in the Sega game, just with two wheels removed.