#660 MAJORETTE vs. MATCHBOX – RENAULT 11 (1984 and 1985)

The Reanult 11 was one of the most popular cars in its range during the 80s. It was Car of the Year in 1982 and was available during many years. As a matter of fact, the 11 and the Renault 9 are often seen as the same model. For the 11 there were several “facelifts” and this particular Matchbox and Majorette models are the 1st one, the 1st phase from 1984.

Considering both the 9 and the 11 are the same car, it was available in Europe from 1981 to 1989, and during a few years also in the USA as Renault Alliance, where it was chosen as one of the 10 best cars in 1983. After that, and during the 90s it was also built for the South American market, as well as in Turkey and Taiwan.

Both Majorette and Matchbox models are really accurate, and very similar to each other. The most significant differences are in the front headlights, metallic in case of the the Majorette model an plastic for Matchbox. Another interesting difference is that Majorette made the lower half of the body in plastic, as the real car had, and also added a practicable sunroof, which is really nice.

Majorette made this model in 1984 for the first time in (dark) red, one year later in bright red. In 1987 it got a new decoration in white with black and yellow rally stripes, that was also available in 1988, and in 1989 it was not available anymore.

Matchbox premiered this model in their 1986’s catalogue in black, an it was available until 1989. In 1990 the model was replaced by the Mercury Sable Wagon, so there are no other versions than this one. When a model is so many years in catalogue without new decorations, it probably means that the model didn’t sell very well. There are of course some international variants, and a very interesting blue version with a taxi light on the roof from James Bond’s film “A View to Kill”.

Majorette  RENAULT 11 TXE (Nr. 275)

Matchbox RENAULT 11 (Nr. 33)

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: RENAULT 11 TXE (Nr. 275) and Matchbox RENAULT 11 (Nr. 33)
• Scale: Around 1:64
• Year: 1984 and 1985
• Company: Majorette(France) and Matchbox (Great Britain)
• Size: Around 8 cm