Group 5 VW photos!

[DaveKennedy]

Ok so normally we don't publish photos of prototypes but I've been given permission to show these. Here's the resin prototype of the Group 5 VW Beetle we're doing. The car is coming in both D132 and analog this year in 2 different decorations. I'm sure that if sales are strong of this car we will be treated to years of releases of this car with many different decorations. Since this car is a bit of a "canvas open to decoration interpretation" I think we'll have some fun with the paint jobs in these cars. Maybe even an homage car with the General's Salsa needs to be a sponsor?
I don't have an exact arrival time yet I'm sorry.
The question will come up about whether this car is real or not, and I'd say that yes they are based on cars that existed.
I've found photos online and used them here...




I think that this is a remarkable little "oddity" that we're doing and I'm sure that it will be popular. The design director loves his little oddities and BTW VW loves this too from what I've been told. ;)

[HRWJim]

I'll be honest Dave when I first read you guys were doing a Group 5 VW I was thinking "What the Heck?" Then after seeing these pictures of the 1:1 beast. I'm liking them a lot. The Smirnoff one definitely screams Group 5. I'll get a couple. Jim

[TsgtRet]

I'll be honest, I like your version better than the "real world" 1:1s! This would be killer to sneak into our group on Group 5 night....everyone else lining up their Capris, Lancias, Greenwood Vettes and then you line up with a Bug! :laughing-rolling: Gotta love it!

[Cincyslots]

This may be a shock but I can see me painting a few of those. It just screams Jager!

Bruce

[RazorJon]

yeah Dave these will never sell, I need a vodka drink now :music-rockout:

[DaveKennedy]

A bit of background. I asked the product manager for the larger scales to think about doing VW's. At first from what I gather the thought process was that we'd do a street version of the Beetle and for a variety of reasons i would have been happy enough with that (understand i have a lot of considerations that go into decisions about slots and of course my opinion is one of many that get thrown into the mix of what we do) but I followed up with the design director about the idea of us doing a VW and a few months ago he mentioned this idea and frankly.. my socks were shot completely across the room!!! I was thrilled because these "tick a few boxes" that are important:
1. is the car recognizable AND popular=YES!!!!
2. can we do racing decorations=YES!!!!
3. ... and this is an important one that maybe people don't consider as strongly as i do but... does a car fit into an existing line=YES!!!!
The importance of this third one will hugely help a car since it's always fun to have something to run with it besides only another decoration of that same car. This would fit on the track nicely with the Capri, and Opel, and BMW 2002 and a number of the other fat fendered cars we've done.

I think this car is cute, and will be popular with kids and will be a good slot car (it's nice and wide) and it will be popular with hobbyists because everyone is always looking for something different to race at the club. And let's face it the Fun Cup Beetles that were released a few years ago and never made it here are STILL seen as something of an "unobtainium" by collectors.

And I also have to admit I'm a little sad that DaVols isn't still with us because I'm sure he'd be groovin' on these cars. We miss ya Bruce....

[DaveKennedy]

[DaveKennedy]

http://www.petrolicious.com/a-snapshot- ... embly-line
Not really related to the topic of the VW slot car but cool nonetheless...

[waaytoomuchintothis]

I will have one of each plus some to paint.

I have all but one of the Fun Cup VWs, and no matter how many times I plan to run them, that delicate wing scares me off of anything but parade laps. These look almost indestructible.

[DaveKennedy]

[studioRS]

I was curious what powered these Käfer rennwagen beasts, did a little digging around…

[joe lister]

I love the cars, but I think it would benefit from having a running board connecting the front and rear fender flares like the blue beetle in the second picture.

I dinked up a quick "kinda' like this" in Paint. Just my opinion, but it makes the front half and the back half look like a whole car.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Just great stuff guys. Glad Carrera is sharing this.

"Nope still 9/27"

If you have speakers, you should have heard the rim shot. He will be here all week folks, try the veal!

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Studio, could that be the engine and transaxle from a Porsche 908? A Boxer 8, 3.0L?

[JESIV]