Matchbox & Majorette 1:64 2005 & Welly 1:43 2016 Volvo XC90

Volvo is well-known for their quest to make cars safer on the road for driver and passenger's and for their boxy shapes of sedan's and wagon's.  However, there's been times that Volvo has jumped out of the box and created some shaplier vehicles like the P1800 and starting in 1999 with the S80 sedan that featured rounded corners which eventually migrated to other Volvo models.  Still the boxy look is king at Volvo and that was emphasized more when the XC90 SUV was introduced in 2003 and proved to be Volvo's most popular model in the line.  After over a decade of little change, the long-awaited second-generation arrives and unlike the first-generation's countless diecast versions the new 2016 has so far been only produced by Welly at 1:43 and 1:64 scales.

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Matchbox 2005 Volvo XC90

The first Volvo SUV started life as the ACC concept car in 2001 that previewed the first Volvo XC90 sharing styling and platform with the new S80 sedan.  When introduced in 2003 it was a sales success and award-winner.  However, the XC90 had distinct styling from the rest of the Volvo line from the large headlights to the tall roofline that ends with taillights that span the length of the D-pillars.  Powertrains ranged from the 208 hp. 2.5L DOHC turbocharged I-5, the 268 hp. 2.8L DOHC twin-turbocharged I-6, or the 311 hp. 4.4L DOHC Yamaha V8.  Transmissions range from 4 to 6 speed automatics and choice of front or all-wheel drive that is full-time.  The interior was versatile with seating for seven, dual sunroof's, and a familiar Volvo dashboard layout.  Oh, and it passed all safety standards and test like a typical Volvo.  Production was mostly at the Sweden factory until Volvo was purchased by Chinese Geely automaker and production moved to China in 2015.

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Matchbox released this casting at the start of the great Matchbox revival in 2005.  This red example looks nicer than the bland silver of 2005, though the off-road tires and front and rear bumpers that are part of the base give it a rugged look (the Superfast version with 5-spoke wheels give the XC90 a sportier look).  The front has detailed large quad headlights with the typical silver Volvo grille outline and rugged lower bumper.  You can see how Volvo aimed to be less square with the smooth hood curves that line to the rear where they cause the tall tailights to get narrower at the top.  Also joining the detailed taillights is the Volvo badges, rear spoiler over rear window, and the plate area is also the interior tab and not the base tab.  The roof has two sunroofs, but the rear one is mostly situated over the third-row for some reason.  The interior is very Volvo familiar with the nicely-done dashboard with center controls and 3-spoke steering wheel.  There is three rows of seating with plenty of room and one neat trick you'll likely not see on today's Matchbox new castings: The rear base rivet attaches to the interior piece, which in turn attaches the interior to the rear plate area.  This leaves the rear section clear of any obstructive rivet posts.  The base shows off the large exhaust system, fuel tank, and exhaust system.

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Welly 2016 Volvo XC90

While the Matchbox version was very neat when it first came out, it became rather ordinary as time progressed.  The new 2016 XC90 hopes to change that with a more sportier look with cleaner lines than the XC90 and up-to-date features.  A long time coming the new XC90 has a cleaner look that was the face of the next Volvo line.  The lighting is smaller and crisp with LED's and hammer-head running lights up front, painted front and rear bumpers, sporty wheel choices, and a large panoramic sunroof that spans the first two rows.  The new XC is lower, wider, and longer than the previous-generation, and uses new powertrains: a 2.0L DOHC turbocharged I-4 or the new Drive-E 2.0L turbocharged and supercharged DOHC I-4 that produces 320 horsepower through a 8-speed automatic and through the full-time all-wheel drive system.  Also available for the first time in the XC is the hybrid version that uses electric motors to power the rear wheels.  The suspension now offers front double wishbone while the rear has integral rear link with transverse leaf springs and an air suspension.  The interior is more premium with a large touch screen for the center infortainment controls, three rows of seats, and a subwoofer that is built into the body to give full bass to the entire interior cabin.  Of course it has loads of safety features and intelligent radar detection functions to protect occupants in the event of a crash.

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Welly did a fine job with the new XC90 enlisting with the Bursting Blue metallic on the sporty R-Design trim.  The front has swept-back LED headlights with T-shaped running lights, lower scoops with an up-chin spoiler with LED foglights close by.  The front grille is a bit larger with the traditional Volvo badging.  With the lower cladding now body-colored the XC90 looks much better and cleaner than before, especially with the 5-spoke wheels and chrome window trim surrounds.  The rear has thinner taillights with a C-shape kink at the lower end and Volvo badges.  I added reverse lamps, bumper reflectors in red, and the silver exhaust tips in addition to the lower front bumper details.  As for the roof the panoramic sunroof makes more sense and lets in lots of light, but my tester suffered from a few paint chips and a few of them were visible on the roof rails and center antenna; I cured that by adding silver to to add emphasis on the roof while covering the chip spots.

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As with today's cars the underside is not much to see with the front engine compartment covered off, leaving only the exhaust system visible and for me to detail.  The doors open to an interior that might not look has exquisite as the two-tone lighter colors offered, but at least it has that modern and clean look.  The center controls are replaced with a large touchscreen that is just a few inches shy of the largest Tesla Model S's screen.  This screen covers the radio, HVAC, and other vehicle functions.  The center console is cleaner as well, save for the shifter mounted closer to the driver.  The seats are supportive and look rather sporty (they also function to protect occupants in a crash).  The 3-spoke steering wheel sits ahead of a gauge pod that also has a digital instrumentation common with new luxury European cars that is also the hub for active radar controls to alert drivers of an impending crash.  As you can see I spruced up the interior with silver trim accents on the dashboard, console, and door panels.  The rear seats are nicely done, but as usual for a pull-back vehicle the motor tends to eat up seat space: A little bit for the second row, a whole lot for the third row.

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No word yet if Welly plans on making a larger 1:18 or 1:24 scale version in the future (they have produced the previous XC90 V8 in 1:18 before), but either way the new XC90 looks very sharp and this 1:43 model is the largest and finest that you can get.  As long as you like blue.

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The Majorette Volvo XC90

I also recently acquired the Majorette version of the Volvo XC90 first-generation.  Compared to the Matchbox version the Majorette version looks more refined and polished with crisper details highlighted in the burgundy color and sitting on six spoke wheels (larger 5-spokes were offered on later versions).  The front has detailed headlights that are stamped on headlights that are part of the windows, while under the hood the turb0 I-5 engine is nicely detailed if a bit hard-to-see as its part of the windows as well.  I added details to the grille with the Volvo badge, the side trim, the chrome window trim, and the roof rails.  The rear taillights are nicely detailed and for an added bit of function there's a trailer hitch for towing, too.

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Compared to the congested base layout of the Matchbox the Majorette has more room to add details, but then again there's not much to see in today's higher-end cars with all of the undercarriage coverings.  The interior gets light from the front sunroof, while the rear sunroof is not see-through.  The dashboard is nicely laid out with all of the correct central controls, steering wheel, shifter, and three-row seating.  Unlike the Matchbox version you can see the interior details clearly here, and plus it has a working suspension.  I must say a very nice model from Majorette.

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