Majorette Volkswagen K70 sedan and Siku 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit Pickup
These are two Volkswagen models that were sold here briefly and seem to get
lost during the times thanks to a brief run and not to many followers, but they
are vastly unique and from these two brands offer a unique VW other than the
typical Beetle and Bus of the time.
Majorette VW K70 Sedan
In the 1960’s Volkswagen was well-known for their reliable air-cooled
models all based on the same platform, yet you can only go so far on a platform
with an engine that was restricted on power.
At the same time NSU was an automaker that was running out of money
despite the futuristic RO 80 and was planning to introduce a new K70 sedan to
compliment it, but then Volkswagen bought the company and with the need for a
new, common four-door sedan platform the NSU brand had one ready to go. The VW K70 was born in 1970 as a new
front-wheel drive, four-door sedan with the engine mounted longitudinally up
front, yet unlike the Audi design the engine sits on top of the front
differential instead of ahead of it, creating a taller hoodline than
usual. The setup also created a roomier
interior and vast luggage space with a familiar European dashboard layout. The engine is a water-cooled 1.6L I-4 that
produced 89 horsepower through a four-speed manual transmission. Despite the needed sedan the purchase of NSU
created controversy with the relative Audi brand as it was too close to the
Audi 100 model, but by 1973 the NSU platform was abandoned for the Audi-shared
one known as the VW Passat.
Like the real car this Majorette casting came in two versions: one with
square headlights and the other with four round headlights (the former is a
rare variation). The front seems to have
a slimmer hoodline than what the real car would otherwise suggest that flows
into the lower grille with horizontal center bar and VW logo, four round
headlights, and a lower bumper with signal lights and foglights mounted just
below the bumper. The sides show a
slimmer greenhouse with tall roofline that has plenty of windows for better
visibility, large door handles, and three-spoke Majorette wheels that look good
on this casting. The rear has
rectangular taillights, K70 badge to the right of the license plate, and a
trailer hitch for towing, while the metal base has a working suspension to give
some play value to this casting. The
doors open to an interior in crème color with seating for five, front bucket
seats with shifter in the middle, and 3-spoke steering wheel with sparse
dashboard layout. This may seem like a
contemporary sedan of the time period, but once you get to know the car more
you start to appreciate the casting, especially in this metallic blue color.
Siku 1980 Volkswagen Rabbit pickup
On the other side is Volkswagen’s foray into making VW Golf or Rabbit
spin-offs and one that was a brief shot was the pickup truck. Unlike other pickup trucks this one is a
uni-body design that uses the front clip of a Volkswagen Golf, but at the back
there is a pickup bed and a tailgate with VOLKSWAGEN going across it. Problem was this car was not suited for
typical heavy loads that a normal pickup would endure so this was not a sales
success in the U.S., while in other countries the pickup, also called the VW
Caddy, moved to a tall panel van profile that better suited the use of the
model. Engines include a 1.5L SOHC gas
I-4 or a 1.7L SOHC diesel I-4 that produces an estimated range of 65-95
horsepower through a four-speed manual or five-speed on the diesel motor.
For a time Siku was the only brand to make the Rabbit pickup and had great
success and secondary models are not easy to come by on the cheap. Use was limited to a few colors, a Coke
version, and even one with a camper top over the bed. The front has a bold grille with VW logo,
large flush headlights, and lower bumper with center license plate that is part
of the metal base. The sides show a
rather tall greenhouse and a smooth, flush look to the bed and cab while
sitting on multi-spoke Siku wheels, while the rear has tri-taillights,
VOLKSWAGEN stamped in red on the tailgate, and a trailer hitch for towing; or
you can use the spacious cargo bed where the bed floor is part of the interior
piece. The base does not show much
except for the usual Siku vehicle specifications, while the interior has two
bucket seats, a floor shifter, and steering wheel with paper thin dashboard in
white. It’s a basic casting, yet being
the only one of its kind in this scale range for years has the advantage and
even with the Hot Wheels version this Siku keeps the stock look with the
mid-cycle front-end update.
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