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Lamley Studio: Matchbox C8 Corvette

By

jtl46

I still don’t know what to think about the mid-engine C8 Corvette. I am sure it is one of the best performing Vettes ever, and there is no argument when it comes to the advantages of a mid-engine car. But I’m not an under-the-hood guy (it took me a long time to admit that), but more an aesthetics guy. It is going to take awhile for me to come around to the looks of this new Corvette.

But.

There is no denying the significance of the new Corvette. Whether this dork diecast blogger likes the design or not doesn’t take away the admiration Chevrolet deserves for mixing up an icon the way they did. And it is that significance that means I’m collecting C8 releases within the brands I collect. Good thing, because almost ALL of them are doing one. Mini GT, Auto World, and Hot Wheels have all teased theirs. Matchbox too, and they even sent me one to show. And it is rad.

Is it a scrunched Ferrari? Or a wavy NSX? No, it’s a Corvette, and the Matchbox casting is a darn good replica. It will debut in blue with dark rims, and it is going to be a popular model.

I went with my dark stylized photos, because Lamley, but hopefully you can see how well the flowing lines of the Vette came out. The casting is a nice size, and actually fits really well scale-wise with previous Matchbox Corvettes.

As I am writing, I want to try and focus on the model, but I keep wanting to write about the car itself. I guess that is a compliment to the realism of the Matchbox. The replica is about as close a replica as a $1 car can be, and there isn’t much more to write about it because of that. I don’t “review” models, I write about them and showcase them, and this nice replica makes me think of the real Corvettes.

I loved the C4. Loved it. I was around 10 when it debuted. I had my dad pull over to the side of the road one time and get out and take a photo of me in front of one at a Chevy Dealership in Boise, Idaho. We were fully into ’80’s style, which at the time was defined as “not 70’s”, so the cleaner look of the C4 definitely felt right compared to the bellbottom slacks of previous generations. Since then? I’m back into the bellbottoms. The more flare the better, so the Greenwood is my jam. The C4 looks a bit boring now.

So for that I hold out hope I will come around to the C8. It is bold in execution, but a little boring in style. Maybe I will change that. I will at least have a few in my collection to work on changing my mind.

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jtl46

5 responses to “Lamley Studio: Matchbox C8 Corvette”

  1. Chuck Avatar
    Chuck

    I’m all about the “look” myself. IMO this new Corvette looks like a Lotus. Chevy should have split the name, keeping the “original” (so-to-speak) look as well as this new mid-engine. Ford is doing it with the Mustang, which (again, IMO) is a mistake in that the new 4-door SUV Mustang is an abomination to the name “Mustang”. That new vehicle is a good idea in itself, but the thing looks like a bull. They should have slapped the well known/loved “Taurus” name on it. As for the Matchbox version of the newest Corvette? Pretty darn good match, going by the photo.

    Reply
    1. Chris Avatar
      Chris

      I agree, the Mustang Mach E has virtually nothing to do with a Mustang. They just co-opted the name because it carries so much significance. Like it or not, it’s an excellent marketing strategy.

      If we’re being honest though, the car’s name should’ve been something like “Battery-Crossover-Thing” or “Budget-Model-X.”

      Reply
  2. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    It’s very strange that GM can produce so many garbage products and then come out with a high-tech mid-engine sports car like this. Do they really believe that the Corvette will sell well enough to warrant the vast amount of funding that went into this redesign? I suppose they’ve created a flagship model for the brand with the Corvette, much like Ford did with the GT. All that money could’ve gone towards making vehicles that don’t fall apart though. Just an idea.

    As for the performance of the car, it sounds like it still has a long way to go before it will be a true performance car. I have not driven the car at all myself, but I have watched some video coverage of it, including the street and track tests from SavageGeese on Youtube. They put a C8 up against a C7 Grand Sport that they owned, and the C7 beat the C8 around the track by two seconds, and the guys reported that the C7 handled better and was overall much better to drive. That is surprising to hear given that the Corvette platform up until the C8 was basically a refined muscle car. I’m sure the C8’s performance will only improve as time goes on and more development takes place. As with any car, it’s probably best to wait until future model years to buy one so you can take advantage of the inevitable improvements yet to come.

    Now, in terms of die-cast models, all that matters is aesthetics – unless you play with orange track – and this Matchbox model looks to be very well executed. My only concern is that it sits slightly too high. The C8 in real life is a very low car. The chin looks to be a bit high off the ground, and there’s quite a bit of clearance between the front wheels and the fenders. Other than that, it’s a great model. I’m looking forward to seeing all the C8 castings from the different brands.

    Reply
  3. Speedeeone Avatar
    Speedeeone

    I too would definitely identify myself as an aesthetics guy more so than a mechanics guy. I have had a passion for car styling from a very young age, though I still have an interest in the platform, engine and suspension developments. I was not a fan of the Corvette growing up. I’d say I only started to take an interest towards the end of the C4 run with the introduction of the ZR-1 and Grand Sport. Though I now view the C2 coupe as a beautiful thing to behold, the C7 is definitely my favorite of the modern Vettes.

    While I can certainly appreciate the engineering advancements with the C8, by my own assessment, the styling is overwrought and looks a bit forced. As if the designers weren’t too sure how to apply the outgoing C7 look to this new mid-engine platform. From some angles it does look good (usually from a distance) and can evoke such icons as the Ferrari 458 and McLaren 12C or 570. I’m optimistic that with the next generation, the mid-engine layout being fully entrenched, the designers will find their footing and bless the world with a car who’s appearance matches the car’s stunning ability.

    With that being said, Matchbox did a bang up job on their rendition. I will without a doubt be on the lookout for this model to hit store pegs.

    Reply
  4. Isaiah Avatar
    Isaiah

    Matchbox, great job on the C8. It looks fantastic. I only have one question: since you guys did the base model C8 Stingray, does that mean Hot Wheels will be doing the C8.R?

    Reply

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