13 February 2026
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Matchbox was not a brand generally associated with character toys; however, their brand has evolved dramatically over the years depending on who owned them. Eventually arriving at creating the fan favourite Batmobile. Here is how Matchbox evolved to include Batman and friends.
History of Matchbox
Matchbox was originally not a brand that generally associated with character toys, particularly not superheroes, which tended to be the domain of Corgi and Ertl.
The Lesney company was very reluctant to pay any form of royalties, and only in its final years did it produce some character toys aimed at the pre-school market, notably the Disney and Popeye ranges.
Later owners of the Matchbox trademark, such as Universal Toys and Tyco, were more receptive to licenced characters, resulting in ranges based on properties such as Thunderbirds, Stingray, Code Red and the James Bond films.
Tyco was acquired by Mattel in 1997. This created internal competition between Matchbox and Mattel’s Hot Wheels brand.
Mattel favoured its own line, and Matchbox was repositioned as a brand of diecast cars aimed at pre-schoolers, with new models being unrealistic and toy-like.
Over the next few years, Mattel aggressively acquired character licences, including DC Comics, Marvel, Star Wars, Cartoon Network, Disney, Star Trek, The Simpsons and many others.
Suggested article: Batman Comics: From Detective Comics to TV Fame
Mattel and Matchbox
Mattel often used its franchise across its whole range of products, and in addition to Hot Wheels, the licences could also be applied to games, preschool toys, and action figures.
However, it was something of a surprise when a new Batmobile casting appeared in the Matchbox range.
Matchbox had made some DC Comics related models before, based on the TV cartoons Justice League and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. However, these were always the weakest type of licenced toys compared to Mattel’s other branded models.
That’s why the release of the Matchbox Batmobile in 2012 was something of a mystery, why wasn’t it released with all the others in the Hot Wheels line?
Matchbox Batmobile
This particular Batmobile was not based on a vehicle used by Batman in movies or comics, nor was it an original design. It was a scaled down version of a large plastic car called the ‘Total Destruction Batmobile’ which was an accessory for Mattel’s ‘Power Attack Batman’ action figure range.
The Power Attack toys were aimed at younger children, and this may be why the smaller diecast car was included in the Matchbox series, which was also being marketed to juveniles.
Unlike the large plastic Batmobile, which was stubby and cartoony in appearance and fitted with oversize wheels, the miniature version has realistic proportions.
In fact, it is actually a very good Batmobile design and is fitted with the typical bat-head ram at the front and large rear fins.
As with many versions of the Batmobile, it has a long, powerful nose with the cockpit mounted above the rear wheels. The forward wheels are semi-open, with the sides of the battering ram shielding the front edges. The profile of the car is tapered between the front wheels and the cockpit, with a series of five slashes on each side, echoing the car from Batman Forever.
The model is painted dark metal-flake blue, with details picked out in red. The interior is the silver-grey plastic and includes the rear panel with a large turbine exhaust. A nice touch is the bat-shaped steering wheel in the single-seat cockpit.
The blue-tinted glazing covers the whole cockpit and incorporates the bonnet vents. The wheels are a five spoked design with a red-chrome finish.
Matchbox Batwing
To tie in with the 2016 film Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice, a second Batman-themed Sky-Buster was issued. This one was based on the new Batwing (sometimes called the Batplane) seen in the film, which took place in a separate continuity to the Dark Knight trilogy.
This was a very different type of vehicle, being an unusual, winged aircraft with VTOL capabilities. The design was unique, with the wings pointing inwards and being connected, with a powerful machine gun in the centre.
The wings were hinged, and capable of folding inwards to pass through narrow gaps between buildings. Unlike The Bat, with its turtle-like appearance, the Batwing did have styling cues based on a real bat.
The Batwing featured prominently in the film, notably when Batman rescued Superman’s mother, but ended up being destroyed by the brutal Doomsday.
On first impression, the Matchbox Sky-Buster version of the Batwing appears to be an impressive model. It is quite large, accurately shaped and well detailed. However, what lets it down is the large amount of plastic used in its manufacture.
While these models are not widely known, and were not greatly publicised, they would make interesting additions to any collection of Batman vehicles.