Hot Wheels Volkswagen Type 2 Pickup and M2 Machines 1960 Volkswagen Delivery Van

The air-cooled VW's are all the rage nowadays and has been a long-serving one dating back to the 1990's and still continues today.  Here's a few new twists on the Volkswagen Microbus from Hot Wheels and M2 Machines

Hot Wheels VW Type 2 pickup

Hot Wheels already has quite a few VW buses: the Drag Bus, the Kool Kombi, Panel truck, even a Drag Pickup.  Now it has finally entered the second-generation of the Microbus with this Type 2 pickup.  The second-generation Bus was introduced in 1968 and had a more upright front-end with one-piece windshield and a smaller VW logo.  This allowed for a front-mounted spare tire on some models.  The rear suspension was revised to allow a raised ride height without affecting tire alignment.  The camper version was more advance with a integrated pop-up tent that would be a staple for the Bus and other VW vans.  The pickup was the same as before where the bed was actually flat since it had to ride above the engine and rear wheels at the rear.  This did allow for additional storage areas ahead of the rear wheels and relocation of the battery as well.  Optional was side bed walls that collapsed flat with the body when not in use.  The engine was the same air-cooled flat-4 motor, a 1.6L that makes 47 horsepower through a 3-speed manual transmission.

This Hot Wheels version is a wild custom as it's lowered to the ground, looking like a reversed shoe design with it's tall cab and flat bed that lacks the drop-down bed walls.  That flatbed pickup area can haul some smaller vehicles like a mini tow truck, but so far that is limited to the Go Kart, Tooned VW Beetle, and Kool Kombi castings.  The side storage areas and vents for the rear engine are visible under that wacky Art Cars deco.  The front has deep round headlights with VW logo in the center and four recessed holes just above.  The front bumper has a nice twin-scoop design to it.  At the rear are oval taillights and the engine cover is removed to show off the detailed air-cooled motor with dual exhausts that poke out just above the rear bumper.  The interior has incredible detailing with the ribbed bench seat, flat dashboard with two-spoke steering wheel, center radio controls, glove box, and floor shifter.  It's so fantastic that I only wish for a more stock-looking design without the graphics.  Hopefully soon one will show up.

M2 Machines 1960 VW Panel Truck

On the other hand is M2 Machines where a few years ago they ventered off from the American classic cars and started into German VW's (and now Japan Datsun's).  The Busses and Beetles have lots of detailing and variations to make each model unique.  Nice, but as a person who has enough VW examples I really don't need any more.  Then this interesting panel van appeared one day and I decided to get it.  The Wild Cards series offers two different takes on a specific model, and for the VW panel van you have two VW Service vans: perfectly stock and new, or this rough and weathered example.  The latter looks rather interesting on this panel van that has Transporter along the sides, the VW logo in four different languages spelling out "service", and the tip-of-the-hat person.  The front doors have the Volkswagen address as well.  The rust pattern is neat and increases more on the roof along the flat paint job of blue.  Even the front spotlight on the roof has quite a bit of rust on it, even on the lens!

The front has round headlights, signal lights, and V-shaped center with large VW logo, while the lower bumper has white bars.  The sides are typical panel truck flat with right-side panel doors, rear engine vent, and gas cap door.  The rear has round taillights, white bumpers, and 1960 plate.  The rear engine cover does open, yet it requires a bit of force to get it open so have a flathead screwdriver on standby.  Detailing is very typical of an air-cooled VW despite the narrow opening.  The base shows off the chassis stamping and rear engine detailing, while the smooth chrome wheels look nice despite a crack on the front wheel of my tester.  The interior has a bench seat, two-spoke steering wheel, and dashboard though the shifter sits rather low to the floor.  The rear cargo area is blank and hard to see from any angle.  Now the panel truck is not the best way to gauge M2's details on these VW castings, but so far they look pretty good despite the overload of air-cooled Busses and Bugs out there today.

Update 1/2/2018:  Ahh, that's more like it!  I am referring to the new 2018 deco for the Hot Wheels VW Type 2 pickup that sports a weathered light blue with rusty panels, blacked-out steel wheels that debut last year, and Hot Wheels Hardware on the sides.  Simple and nicely done!