Old School Comparo: BMW 3.0 CSI, Matchbox vs. Majorette... Who did it better?

This is an old school comparison test, from models designed in the mid ‘70s by two of the foremost diecast companies out there, of one of the most iconic cars of the decade...  BMW’s gorgeous 3.0 coupe...  Who modeled it better, Matchbox or Majorette?

The Matchbox model was a very popular model of the era. Although I didn’t personally have one in my collection, I was well acquainted with it from friends’ collections, and especially from my cousin Joey and Shawn’s collection.  Typically painted in bright orange (as well as a few much, much rarer colors), with opening doors, exquisite metal bumper/grill/headlight detail in front and bumper/rear light/exhaust detail in back, a nicely detailed interior, Matchbox’s soft ‘superfast’ suspension, and a BMW roundel sticker displayed prominently on the hood, it has all the elements of a nice model.  Couple all that with the fact that the model being tested here is in absolutely mint condition, and it’s hard to find a fault...  ...or is it?

Unfortunately, the fault in this very common mid-‘70’s Lesney model was a recurring theme in other similar castings (notably the abysmal Ford Capri, but also the racing Fiat Abarth and other models), which is that it is HUGE...   ‘Uge as the POTUS would say...

In real life the 3.0 was a graceful, delicate car, while the Lesney model is wide and squat, built like an NFL linebacker rather than a ballerina.  It dwarfs supposedly larger cars like the Lincoln Mark V, and even dwarfs the correctly scaled German 450SEL...  The extra wide Matchbox tires of the era don’t do it any favors, reinforcing its size.  Both the width and height of the model are out of proportion, ensuring that, regardless of how amazing the detail may be, the model simply fails to adequately look like a real 3.0... Harsh words for a mainstay of the mid ‘70’s Matchbox line!

Enter the contender, made in France rather than England, the Majorette model.  Unlike the Matchbox, I DIDN’T have a childhood experience with the model, and in fact, at 44 years of age, just YESTERDAY saw the model for the first time in real life...  (which should provide ample evidence for why today’s blog subject was picked!).

Also unlike the Matchbox, the model in question is at best in fair condition, with heavy paint loss of the once lustrous wine colored paint.  So, how does it compare?  Well, it compares very well...

The Majorette also has opening doors, with headlight/bumper detail that is EVEN better and deeper than that of the Matchbox model.  In addition, body detail is more precise....  evidence for the difference in detail is shown in the gas cap - which for the Matchbox is a square detail that could be a rear indicator light, while for the Majorette is CLEARLY a gas cap.  The suspension is just as soft as the Matchbox, the wheels are nicer, etc.  But the MOST crucial element is just the overall proportions, the accurate and correct proportioned modeling...  this car is the ballerina 3.0, the one that ACTUALLY resembles the real thing...  Winner - Majorette!