Yatming 1:24 and Matchbox 1:64 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT

I mentioned in a previous post the large Yatming 1:18 scale 2003 Toyota Matrix and along with the Matrix the platform sharing relative the Pontiac Vibe was also made by Yatming, but the Pontiac was more of a custom GT-R based on the 2003 SEMA show car.  So far the only stock Pontiac Vibe that you can find in diecast would be this Matchbox version of a 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT and even the Matchbox version did not get as much use; what I didn’t know is that Yatming did make a stock Pontiac Vibe, except this one is 1:24 scale and a scale range that is not too common with the Yatming brand.

My example came from a second hand place so it was without a box and came with a few chips and scratches, but overall the casting was in great shape.  The stock look of this red Vibe looks good with the exception of a ride height that seems a bit too tall and tires that are narrow (though it has the correct 5-spoke design) and uses pin axles so there is no steerable front wheels.  The front has the black honeycomb grille with lower scoops, foglights, and front bumper that is plastic instead of metal.  The headlights have the proper projector lens design though I would like to see the background of the unit blacked out instead of being part of the read paint.  The side profile shows off the sleek fastback profile with solid mirrors and thick roll bars, while the rear has detailed taillights, Vibe badges and rear plate, and lower plastic bumper with reverse foglights and oddly a trailer hitch in which I have no idea what this casting would tow from the Yatming line and getting rid of the bulky unit is not easy since the trailer hitch is part of the chrome exhaust muffler.  The base shows off the front-wheel drive unit (as opposed to the Matrix’s AWD system) and adding some silver completes the details of the exhaust system, engine/transmission up front, and torsion beam axle at the rear.

The interior is all gray with front seats that can tilt forward or backward, detailed rear seats and door panels, low center console with parking brake as the shifter is on the dashboard just below the Navigation/Radio and HVAC controls, and detailed gauge pods.  Like the Matrix the shifter is not well-defined to be a manual or automatic transmission (it is the former) and it lacks the clutch pedal on the driver’s floorboard.  Also my example had a missing steering wheel so the easiest solution was to add a 3-spoke steering wheel from a Dodge Viper RT/10 scrap model kit and it works though the mounting point inside the dashboard for some reason tilts the steering wheel down.  Might not be realistic, but it is as close to the real 3-spoke steering wheel as possible.

Yatming did contribute a 1:64 scale Pontiac Vibe, but it is part of their cheap-looking generic line that you wouldn’t know it was a Vibe until you can identify its iconic shape and slight details from the metal body.  A better version is this Matchbox version that arrived in 2003 and just like today it was hard-to-find even when it was introduced.  The Hero City line continued its grasp of bringing the Matchbox brand down into existence, but there were a few decent models in the line and this plain silver Vibe was one of them.  Later in 2004 a Premier edition showed up, also in silver, with detailed front and rear lighting, trim details, and 5-spoke wheels on rubber tires, and in the Superfast line a black version with the line-specific 5-spoke wheels.  That was it for clean versions, though the Vibe did continue with a few licensed 5-packs and this lime Scooby-Doo is one example.  The color is pretty close to the actual lime color used on the 2003 Pontiac Vibe so I decided to get this one when I found it loose.  The front has impressive details of the grille, lower bumper, flared fenders, and even the lamp design in the headlights, while on the sides you can see the unique roof design, roof rails, and (hard to see here with the graphics) Vibe GT badges on the front doors.  At the rear are detailed taillights, lower bumper with reverse lamps and exhaust system, and the Vibe GT on the rear hatch.  Despite a slightly squared-off profile it has all of the right details and the ones that impress me the most is the amount of tooling details on the exterior.  The interior has the same dashboard design, shifter, and five-passenger seating as the real vehicle and also adds a sunroof to the mix, while on the track the casting handles quite well, though it is short of being swift like a Mini Cooper.  It’s a great casting that sadly never got much clean deco use after a few runs in 2004.

  

Pontiac Vibe GT Specifications:

· Engine: 1.8L I-4, 180 hp.

· Transmission: 6 speed manual

· 0-60 mph: 8.5 sec.

· Real vehicle price: $20,000

Rating:  3.9 out of 5 stars (Yatming), 5 out of 5 stars (Matchbox)