| A Station Wagon (also called a Wagon in the US) or an Estate Car (or short for Estate, a term used in the UK) is mostly known as a family vehicle even before the crossovers or the SUVs became the ‘modern’ ride. It is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with a roof extended rearward over shared passenger/cargo.
The origin goes back to the 1910s, but the modern station wagon became known by the mid-1940s to the 1970s. It became a part of pop culture often depicted in film and television. But the 1990s saw its appearance in “That 70’s Show” with the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser that also appeared in the recent spinoff of that series in 2023. |
Matchbox first introduced the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser in 2009 as part of the Heritage Classic range. This was inspired by the old Lesney-produced Mercury Commuter that featured two dogs in the rear. The Vista Cruiser followed with that same concept having two canine friendlies seated in the rear.
The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is a classic car as this is the 1971 model not to be mistaken for the same car that appeared prominently on the comedy sitcom “That 70’s Show,” which is an earlier model from 1969. But there’s only a minor difference in its two-year gap. But the same classic car became known for its appearance on the syndicated TV show.
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Metalflake Pink Hotness
Of course, this is not the exact colour of the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser that appeared in that TV sitcom. This however is the 2018 release as part of the MBX Road Trip segment for the mainline release following a retool that changed for easy assembly.
The minor change on this casting is that Matchbox added a post behind the car, where the two dogs are located. They used to be close together, but after the retooling, they are slightly apart to accommodate the metal post that divided the dogs apart.
The artwork for 2018 features the Vista Cruiser driving through the countryside as compared to the previous design card backs that only featured artwork of the car without any surroundings.
Key Features of the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser below:
- Year Release: 2018 | MBX Road Trip Subtheme
- Base Color: Gray | Plastic
- Window: Clear Tint
- Tampo: Silver Chrome stripe downside, Vista Cruiser on lower front quarter panel | Unpainted Front/Rear details
- Interior: Tan | Two Dogs in the rear
Classic 70s Estate Car
The American station wagon is considered an icon not only due to the Vista Cruiser appearing on a TV sitcom set in the 1970s, but other models and makes also appeared in film and television. But when you look at the brown version of this Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser it tells you that Red Forman owned one of these.
But this Metalflake Pink version won’t have a recall despite not having any association with any film o TV show. It still holds an identity for being an American icon for its prominent association with some who owned a car similar to this model.
It may not come in this colour, but it sure does have its appeal in die-cast form as most collectors have a “pink theme” of cars in their collection regardless of shade or model as long as it is aligned with this type of colour.
Sometimes retooling a model is good or bad due to the changes in the market, and the materials used are getting expensive Matchbox is trying to improve in making great die-cast vehicles within its cost parameters. But for a minor tweak in assembly won’t hurt to have the two dogs in the back seat a little farther from each other.
Of course, the previous casting becomes valuable due to that minor change in how this car is assembled. Despite that change, it is the same car and the dogs are still there in great detail which is the main attraction of this casting that has become a favourite for some who don’t know the story behind it that only cared to acquire due to its design appeal.
"Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser" is part of the MBX Road Trip segment series and overall 033/035 released for the 2018 year, which was acquired at Toys R’ Us in Glorietta Mall in Makati City for ₱ 149.75 Pesos ($ 3.98 AUD | $ 2.69 USD**). Matchbox is distributed in the Philippines by Richprime Global Inc.
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** - Currency Converter via Google.com
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