Catalog
Matchbox > 2009 > Basic
The 2009 basic model year continues the strong performance set in the previous two years—and may even surpass it. The U.S. lineup includes 100 models, divided into three main groups and ten subcategories. Each group features distinct card artwork, helping to differentiate the themes. Notably, 25 models are exclusive to the U.S. market.
Group 1: Passenger Vehicles
This group is identified by a sports car image on the blister card. It consists of 40 models, organized into several themed subcategories:
- Heritage Classics (brown label): 11 models, sequentially numbered #1–11.
- Sports Cars (red label): 13 models, but numbered within their own sequence (e.g., #12 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is 11/13; #15 Shelby GT500 Ford Cobra is 1/13).
- Metro Rides (green label): 9 models, following the main numbering.
- VIP Rides (black label): 7 models, also aligned with the main sequence.
In addition to these, there are 11 official “Recolor” variants—alternate color versions of base models.
Group 2: City Segment
Models #41–74 represent the city/utility segment and feature a fire truck on the card artwork. This group includes 34 base models and 10 recolors, divided as follows:
- City Action (gray label): 13 models with various urban utility vehicles.
- Emergency Response (red label): 8 models, including police, fire, and rescue vehicles.
- Construction (yellow label): 7 construction-themed models.
- Highway Maintenance (orange label): 6 maintenance and service vehicles.
Group 3: Off-Road Vehicles
The final group features off-road themes, with blister cards displaying a rugged 4x4-style vehicle reminiscent of the MBX 4x4. It includes:
- Desert Adventure (yellow label): 14 models designed for desert terrain.
- Outdoor Sportsman (brown label): 12 models geared toward outdoor recreation.
In total, this group includes 26 models, along with 7 recolors.
Packaging and Global Markets
The long U.S. blister cards vary slightly, showing either a sports car, fire truck, or off-roader, with differences in artwork size (some images appear larger or smaller). A few models from this series were also repackaged for the 2010 lineup.
For the ROW (Rest of World) market, 75 models were released using the short-style blister cards common from 2007 to 2009. These include the same models and recolors as the U.S. lineup. Some also appeared on updated 2010 cards.
As with the 2008 range, the LAAM (Latin America) market received its own selection, composed of models from the U.S. and CORE assortments.
