I’m a sucker for old British iron. So when I had the chance to pick up two different race liveried Morris Mini casts, I was quite excited.
As it turns out, even though these were released just one year apart (Red #77 in 2014, Blue #398 in 2015), there are a number of significant differences between them.
Most notably, #77 rides atop a metal base. It bears the 2000 Mattel inscription, complete with a lock/unlock feature for the chassis. Don’t let the rivets fool you; that body is not actually riveted to the base. That metal base also includes additional cool details such as foglights integrated into the front grille and a real metal cutout in the back. The 2000 cast is also, I believe, what is used for the Hollywood series Italian Job cast.
#77 is also more substantial and weighs about twice as much. As a consequence of the metal chassis, it rides a bit higher (also thanks to larger wheels).
#77 rolls way better too.
I think my preference is #77; the rich cinnamon red paint, Union Jack on the roof, crisp and realistic tampos, and overall weight make for a nicer piece in my opinion.
While there have been many other iterations of the Morris Mini casting over the years, these are both excellent additions to any collection and should be on the pegs near you.