I found the Volkswagen Transporter Cab on the pegs yesterday, a lot sooner than I expected it to show up. After cracking it open, I said, hey, it's only July, but this seems like a no-brainer choice for Matchbox new-model-of-the-year. The Range Rover Evoque is great, very accurate, detailed and clean, but as much as I enjoy it, it's just a little version of an SUV yuppies drive. Then there's the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Another great candidate for model-of-the year. I think it's a worthy choice, but lacks that unique factor. Matchbox has done lots of clean, sporty roadsters. There's the Corvette C7, which looks great, as does the upcoming Chrysler 300C. The Mudstang might get a few votes too. But none of them have that 'it' factor the VW Transporter does.
So here we are in early July and that 'it' factor has given my Matchbox New Model of the Year vote to the Volkswagen Transporter Cab. In fact, it's my favorite new Mattel casting since the Felix Holst-designed VW Caddy was released by Hot Wheels early in 2015. Why is this cab so great? It's unique. We have thousands of 1:64 scale VW's. Just look at the endless stream of air cooled bugs and buses put out by M2, Greenlight and Hot Wheels. We even have 2nd Generation VW vans like the Sunagon from Hot Wheels, but do we have a Transporter Cab? Not until now we didn't.
The great thing about Matchbox releasing this model is that it checks all the boxes of what, in my books, is a perfect Matchbox model. Real, licensed vehicle? Check. Clean, realistic deco? Check. Workhorse/Utility capabilities? Check. While we don't see them much in the US and Canada anymore, these pickups are put to use in many work-related applications around the world. Unique? You bet. Not a VW van, not a Golf, not a Beetle, but a pickup. Sweet. Realistically scaled? yep. It's a little chunky, but so is the real version.
Okay, by now you might think I've gone a little crazy over a boring, heavy VW pickup, but this model is too cool for words. I'll spare you any more superlatives and let you decide for yourself from the photos.
Happy Collecting!!
via : http://thewesterndiecastreview.blogspot.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment