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Toy matchbox Plymouth Gran Fury police car made by Lesney

Object No. 85/1110-23

This Matchbox toy Plymouth Gran Fury police car with Superfast wheels was made in England by Lesney in 1980 and is No.10f in Matchbox's 1-75 series with production between 1979 and 1983. A range of police liveries were made for the car and later Macau-made versions lacked door outlines and handles. The toy car represents a full-size 1977 Plymouth 'Gran Fury' sedan. The Plymouth name dates back to 1928 and was within the American Chrysler company. For part of its early life, Plymouth was one of the 'low-priced three' with Chevrolet and Ford. Gran Furies were manufactured from 1975 to 1989 and during the 1980s mainly as fleet cars. Chrysler had anticipated the downsizing of the big American car a few years too soon, but in the 1980s front-wheel-drive 4-cylinder cars began to outsell the big V8s from the past. Dinah Hales, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences volunteer, under the supervision of Margaret Simpson, Curator, June 2016.