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The History of Matchbox Cars

A British company manufactured Matchbox cars for 29 years. The company made a number of small die-cast models based on popular British cars before moving into the American market in the 1970s. Following the company's purchase by an American firm, Matchbox and Hot Wheels became subsidiaries of the same corporation.

Early Years
- British toy company Lesney Products started Matchbox in 1953. The first successful toy was a model of Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation Coach, which sold over a million units.
Standardization
- By 1968, the company had standardized its Matchbox car models. Each car was approximately 3 inches long and featured plastic windows, interiors and tires. The body of the car was made from metal and occasionally featured opening parts, such as the car hood.
Competition
- In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a number of rival companies joined the model car market. This included Hot Wheels, a line of vehicles designed by American company Mattel. Since Matchbox focused heavily on British car styles, the American competition damaged the company's U.S. sales.
New Lines
- To answer its competition, Matchbox introduced a number of new lines during the 1970s and 1980s. Among these are the aircraft models known as Sky Busters, the military models of Battle Kings and the science fiction designs of Adventure 2000.
Buyout
- Matchbox went bankrupt in 1982 and was bought by Universal Toys. The company went public in 1986 as Matchbox International, Ltd. Mattel purchased the company in 1997, which reorganized it with its Hot Wheels division.

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