Car Of The Day: August 3, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from juantoo3's collection and is Hot Wheels' 1957 Volkswagen Beetle.

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially called the Volkswagen Type 1 (or informally the Volkswagen Bug), is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until 2003. With over 21 million manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design platform and one of most-manufacturing of a single model commonly anywhere in the world.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen Beetle

A flamed Beetle.  Not sure what's under the hood but odds are pretty good that a ten year old minivan could still beat it in a drag race.

1953-1957

During this period, the rear window of the VW Beetle evolved from a divided or "split" oval, to a singular oval. Steel used for the bodywork was at its best quality, and the Wolfsburg emblem at the tip of the front of the bonnet was a complex fabrication (subsequent models deleted the emblem). The rear 'W' decklid was hand-fabricated. The front wing had a particular 'flare out'.

Car Of The Day: July 20, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from Dean-O-mite's collection and is Supreme's 1994 Volkswagen Golf.

The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations. The front-wheel drive Golf was Volkswagen's first successful replacement for the air-cooled Volkswagen Beetle. Historically, the Golf is Volkswagen's best-selling model and the world's third best-selling model, with more than 25 million built by 2007.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen Golf

Supreme deals exclusively in plastic, offering some decent plastic small-scale models, building facades, and little accessory pieces. The only metal in this model, are the axles, and the screws holding everything together. However, with the nice metallic-paint, it really does not appear overly "plastic-y."

The third-generation Volkswagen Golf Mk3 was launched in Europe in November 1991 (though not in the United Kingdom until March 1992), and in North America in the spring of 1993. The delay in North America was due to Volkswagen's decision to supply U.S. and Canadian dealerships with Mk3 Golfs (and A3 Jettas) from the VW plant in Puebla, Mexico. Quality control problems led Volkswagen of America to reject Golfs and Jettas from Mexico; shortly thereafter labor unrest at the plant delayed production there even further. The third-generation Golf and Jetta first appeared in North America as 1993 models in the San Diego, California area and in Canada, then in the autumn in the rest of North America as 1994 models.

New engines included the first Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine in a Golf, and a narrow-angle 2.8 L VR6 engine. The VR6-engined version accelerated from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds, posting a record 15.5 1/4-mile time at 90.5 mph. EPA estimate 26 mpg (city) or 32 mpg (highway), with 261 mi per tank (city) and 363 mi per tank (highway).

Car Of The Day: June 28, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from juantoo3's collection and is Tomica Volkswagon 1200 LSE.

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially called the Volkswagen Type 1 (or informally the Volkswagen Bug), is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until 2003. With over 21 million manufactured in an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single design platform anywhere in the world.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen 1200

Name a diecast manufacturer that hasn't done a Beetle.  It's possible (M2 comes to mind immediately), but challenging.  Here's Tomica's version.

The Beetle underwent significant changes for the 1967 model. While the car appeared similar to earlier models, much of the drivetrain was noticeably upgraded. Some of the changes included a larger-displacement engine for the second year in a row. Horsepower had been increased to 37 kW (50 hp) the previous year, and for 1967 it was increased even more, to 40 kW (54 hp).
On U.S. models, the output of the electrical generator was increased from 180 to 360 watts, and upgraded from a 6-volt to a 12-volt system. The clutch disc also increased in size, and changes were made to the flywheel, braking system, and rear axle. New standard equipment included two-speed windscreen wipers, reversing lights, a driver's armrest on the door, locking buttons on the doors, and a passenger's side exterior mirror.

The 1967 model weighed 840 kg (1,900 lb), which was a typical weight for a European car at this time.
That same year, in accord with the newly enacted U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108, the clear glass headlamp covers were deleted; the headlamps were brought forward to the leading edge of the front fenders, and the sealed-beam units were exposed and surrounded by chrome bezels. For the 1968 model year, Beetles sold outside North America received the same more upright and forward headlamp placement, but with replaceable-bulb headlamps compliant with ECE regulations rather than the U.S. sealed beams.

Car Of The Day: June 7, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from Firehawk73's collection and is Hot Wheels' 1969 Volkswagen Type 3 (Squareback).

The Volkswagen Type 3 (sold as the Volkswagen 1500 and later the Volkswagen 1600) was a compact car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen (VW), introduced at the 1961 Frankfurt Motor Show, Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA) and ultimately available in two-door notchback, fastback and station wagon variants.

The Type 3 diversified Volkswagen's product range beyond the existing models — the Type 1 (Beetle), Type 14 Karmann Ghia, Type 2 (Bus) — while retaining their engineering principles, notably the air-cooled engine and the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen Type 3

The Type 3 followed the Type 1, utilizing a low-profile version of Volkswagen's rear-engined, 4-cylinder air-cooled engine as well as body on chassis construction while featuring ponton in contrast to the Type 1's articulated fender and running board styling. VW finalized the design by 1959 with prototypes ready for testing by 1960. Secrecy was such at even at the 1960 Geneva Auto Show, VW denied they were readying a new design. In 1961, VW announced the new line as the "VW1500".
The range launched in August 1961 with two models: the Notchback, three-box styling in a notchback saloon body, and the Karmann Ghia 1500 (also known as the Type 34 Karmann Ghia) with a coupé body. The first Variant (known as the Squareback in the USA) with an estate body followed in 1962. The Chevrolet Corvair had been previously introduced in the United States in 1960 which incorporated a 6-cylinder rear-mounted air-cooled engine in notchback, station wagon, and compact-van body styles.
The Fastback, or TL version, a fastback coupé, arrived in August 1965, at the same time the 1600 engine was introduced. Two convertibles were announced with the original models, but did not enter production. Volkswagen of America began importing the Type 3 beginning for model year 1966 in the "Squareback" ('Variant' badges were not used in the US market) and "Fastback" but not the Notchback configurations.

At the end of 1967, the Type 3 'E' (Einspritzung) became the first German automobile in series production with electronic fuel injection (Bosch D-Jetronic) as standard equipment. The larger Volkswagen Type 4 was introduced in 1968 which had a similar mechanical layout with further engineering refinements.
For the 1968 model year, 1969 in the USA, a three speed fully automatic transaxle became available, noted for extremely low internal friction. With the automatic came completely independent rear suspension, replacing the swing axle set up. For 1969, the irs rear axle was standard with manual and automatic transmissions.

The model received a facelift in 1970, when a 115 mm (4.5 in) nose-lengthening added 1.5 cu ft (42 L) to the luggage capacity.

Volkswagen offered the Type 3 in a lower trim level in Europe, marketed as the 1600A trim level. In the US, and for 1973 only, Volkswagen offered two trim levels of the Type 3 Fastback in the USA, marketed as the Type 3 Sedan and Type 3 Basic Compact. The Basic Compact featured reduced content, including limited color and upholstery availability and without belt line chrome, clock, electric rear window defogger — and with painted frames around the vent windows, a black cardboard front trunk liner over the gas tank without a liner on the sides of the trunk or over the firewall, plain vinyl door panels without door pockets and rubber mats in lieu of interior carpet.

While the Type 3 was a more modern design, it never reached the same level of popularity as the Beetle. As Volkswagen started to produce front-wheel-drive water-cooled designs, production ended in 1973 at the Wolfsburg plant, with production moving to VW's new Emden plant, which was later retooled in 1973 to build the first generation Passat (marketed variously, also as the "Dasher"). The Wolfsburg plant was retooled to build the Golf, which eventually replaced the Type 1 as Volkswagen's best selling sedan.

Car Of The Day: May 31, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from Firehawk73's collection and is Revell's 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle.

The Volkswagen New Beetle is a compact car, introduced by Volkswagen in 1998, drawing heavy inspiration from the exterior design of the original Beetle. Unlike the original Beetle, the New Beetle has its engine in the front driving the front wheels, with luggage storage in the rear. Many special editions have been released, such as the Malibu Barbie New Beetle. In May 2010, Volkswagen announced that production of the current body of the New Beetle will cease in 2011.

In 2012, a new model replaced the New Beetle, called simply the Volkswagen Beetle.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen New Beetle

Strong public reaction to the Concept 1 convinced the company that it should develop a production version which was launched as the New Beetle in 1998, based on the Golf IV's larger PQ34 platform. The New Beetle is related to the original only in name and appearance (including the absence of a car emblem script with the exception of the VW logo). In June 1999, the first turbocharged version of the Beetle was launched, known as the 1.8T, and Volkswagen created a web site dedicated specifically to that vehicle. A convertible was added in mid year 2003 to replace the Volkswagen Cabrio.

The New Beetle carries many design similarities with the original VW Beetle: separate wings, vestigial running boards, sloping headlamps and large round tail lights, as well as a high rounded roofline. It is assembled currently in VW Puebla factory in Mexico.

The Volkswagen New Beetle was the car that started the retro-futurist design craze. It was a modernized version of the legendary VW Beetle and struck a chord with consumers who had grown tired of standard conservative car designs and had fond memories of the "Bugs" from popular culture.

However, this modern version, being much more complicated than the simple design of the original "people's car" envisioned by Porsche, was prone to several mechanical and electronic defects. The automatic transmission, for example, is a well-documented issue, often failing after only a relatively short period of use (see:hard-shifting issue on VW Bug) and requiring expensive repair. Other issues associated with the retro design are poor access to even simple maintenance areas, making changing a front bulb for example, an expensive service operation. The convertible was also prone to failing window mechanism, which requires the window to "shuffle" when opening and closing the door in order for the window to seal with the roof due to the pillarless door design.

The power roof mechanism also suffered from a very complex mechanism of pulleys and plastic flaps in order to simply cover and uncover the folding structure. This was "rectified" by VW in the 2006 model onwards by removing one plastic cover panel from the mechanism, reducing failure likelihood, but at the expense of esthetics. The New Beetle also had an overly sensitive and complex Computer control system, often requiring a full system reset at the VW Dealer whenever the battery was disconnected or discharged to enable it to be driven properly.

Car Of The Day: April 16, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from Firehawk73's collection and is Maisto's 2000 Volkswagen Jetta.

The Volkswagen Jetta is a compact car, produced by German automaker Volkswagen Group for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars marque since 1979. Positioned to fill a saloon/sedan niche above the firm's Golf hatchback offering, it has been marketed over six generations variously as the Atlantic, Fox, Vento, Bora, City Jetta, Jetta City, GLI, Jetta, and Sagitar The Jetta was originally adapted by adding a conventional trunk to the Golf hatchback, and some distinctive styling (usually the front end, and sometimes slight interior changes). It has been offered in two- and four-door saloon (sedan), and five-door estate (station wagon) versions - all as five-seaters. As of 2005, over 6.6 million cars have been sold worldwide, over one-third in the United States alone. Since the original version in 1980, the car has grown in size and power with each successive generation.  By mid 2011, almost 10 million Jettas have been produced and sold all over the world.

The Jetta nameplate is a reference to the Atlantic 'jet stream', reflecting the period in Volkswagen's history when it named its vehicles after prominent winds. These also included the Volkswagen Passat (after the German word for trade wind), Volkswagen Bora (after bora), and Volkswagen Scirocco (after sirocco).

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen Jetta

Production of the fourth generation car began in July 1999. Carrying on the wind nomenclature, the car was known as the Volkswagen Bora in much of the world. Bora is a winter wind which blows intermittently over the coast of the Adriatic Sea, as well as in parts of Greece, Russia, Turkey, and in the Sliven region of Bulgaria. In North America and South Africa, the Jetta moniker was again kept on due to the continued popularity of the car in those markets.

The Mk4 debuted shortly after its larger sibling, the Passat, with which it shared many styling cues. The rounded shape and arched roofline served as the new Volkswagen styling trademark, abandoning traditional sharp creases for more curved corners. A distinguishing feature of the Mk4 is its Whiptenna, a trademark for the antenna on the rear end of the roof, which claims to incur less drag than traditional antennas due to its short length and leeward position. For the first time, the rear passenger doors differed from those of a 5-door Golf. The car was also offered as an estate/wagon (whose rear doors are also non-interchangeable with the others). New on this generation were some advanced options such as rain sensor controlled windshield wipers and automatic climate control. However, being a Volkswagen, these were expensive extras and many buyers did not specify them on their cars; as a result the used market is full of sparsely equipped models.

Although slightly shorter overall than the Mark 3, the fourth generation saw the wheelbase extended slightly. Some powertrain options were carried over. Nevertheless, two new internal combustion engines were offered, the 1.8-litre turbo 4-cylinder (often referred to as the 1.8 20vT), and the VR5 (a 5-cylinder derivative of the VR6 engine). The suspension setup remained much as before. However, it was softened considerably in most models to give a comfortable ride, which was met with some criticism as it was still quite hard in comparison with rivals such from French makers.

Car Of The Day: February 12, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from Firehawk73's son Jacob's collection and is Hot Wheels' 1972 Volkswagen SP2.

The SP2 was a sports car developed by Volkswagen do Brasil for that market, from 1972 to 1976; the name is an abbreviation of "São Paulo".

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen SP2

In the 70s, the Brazilian market was closed for imports. The only sports car officially made there was the aging (and by then retired) Karmann Ghia, and its failed successor, the Karmann Ghia TC. Only independent car makers were able to fill the gap, notably Puma, Santa Matilde and Miura.

The Volkswagen subsidiary in Brazil always had some degree of independence from Wolfsburg, so in 1969 they decided to start a new project of their own. A team led by Senor Schiemann and supported by Rudolf Leiding (the CEO of the subsidiary and later of the entire company) started work on a so called "Project X", and presented a prototype in a 1971 fair. But it would take another year before the car reached the streets.
The SP, the final name of the car, was built on the frame of a Variant, with the same Volkswagen air cooled engine, but upgraded to 1700 cc, it developed 75 hp (56 kW), 160 km/h (100 mph) and made 10 L/100 km (28 mpg-imp; 24 mpg-US).

When the car was presented, it quickly drew media attention, with its many improvements over the local "air cooled" VW line, an impressive interior, its many extra features and its superb finishing.

A car named SP1 was also built, but due to its very poor performance (only 65 hp (48 kW) with a 1600 cc engine), it was soon discontinued. The same problem plagued the SP2. In fact, a malicious joke at that time was to relate the "SP2" name with "Sem Potência" ("Without Power", in Portuguese).

Despite its revolutionary look, the car failed to beat the Puma in performance. Although they used similar engines, the fiberglass Puma was much lighter. This resulted in low sales, and the SP was discontinued in February 1976.

With a total of 10,205 units made (670 of them exported, the majority 155 went to Nigeria with only one going to Europe, Portugal), the car is now sought-after as a valuable collector's item. One of them, in white, is in the VW museum on public display. While prices during the production time frame were roughly the same as the Beetle, the price of a well-preserved example today is considerably higher than contemporary VW models.

Today's car of the day is Tomica's 1978 Volkswagen Golf.

The Volkswagen Golf is a small family car manufactured by Volkswagen since 1974 and marketed worldwide across six generations, in various body configurations and under various nameplates – as the Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada (Mk1 and Mk5), and as the Volkswagen Caribe in Mexico (Mk1).

The front-wheel drive Golf was Volkswagen's first successful replacement for the air-cooled Volkswagen Beetle. Historically, the Golf is Volkswagen's best-selling model and the world's third best-selling model, with more than 25 million built by 2007.

Most production of the Golf was initially in the 3-door hatchback style. Other variants include a 5-door hatchback, estate/wagon (Variant, from 1993), convertible (Cabriolet and Cabrio, 1979–2002), and a Golf-derived notchback saloon/sedan, variously called Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Vento or Volkswagen Bora (from 1979). The cars have filled many market segments, from basic personal cars, to high-performance hot hatches.

Every generation of Golf has been a runner-up in the European Car of the Year awards, but only one has been a winner, the Golf Mk3 in 1992.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen Golf

This is one of my childhood survivors.  I had a few Tomicas as a kid, and I actually ran across the bulk of them tonight.  The wheels and axles took the brunt of the abuse, though the left side A-pillar is showing slight bending.

Like its predecessor the Volkswagen Beetle, the Volkswagen Golf Mk1 has proven to be influential. In continuous production since 1974, the Golf was one of the first widely successful front-wheel drive hatchbacks. In the USA, the Morris Mini, Honda N360 and Fiat 128 saw only limited success, but it was the Rabbit, along with the Honda Civic that sparked another generation of European-derived front-wheel drive American compacts, such as the Dodge Omni, Escort and Cavalier in the 1980s, just as the Beetle inspired Falcon and Corvair in 1960s and subcompact Vega and Pinto in the 1970s.
Replacing the Beetle was a vital goal for Volkswagen's continued survival. By the early 1970s, the company had fallen into financial difficulties and Beetle sales began to decline sharply. Water-cooled, front-engine, rear-wheel drive small cars began enjoying customer loyalty.

The solution arrived with Auto Union. They had attracted a small following with their technologically advanced Audi front wheel drive medium sedans. Volkswagen had acquired the Ingolstadt-based company in 1964 from Daimler-Benz. Audi's expertise in water-cooled engines and front-wheel drive would be essential in developing a new generation of Volkswagens. FWD offered more performance with lighter weight and more room in a smaller package. The Audi technology in the Golf would regain for Volkswagen the engineering lead over rear drive cars that Ferdinand Porsche had bestowed on the original Beetle over its large conventional peers. The small Golf had to succeed in replacing the high volume Volkswagen sedan. The upmarket Dasher/Passat would be VW's first front wheel drive car, and it was relatively well received for its lower volume market. The Golf would adopt an efficient "two-box" layout with a steep hatch rather than a formal trunk, which would be later added in the Jetta. The water-cooled engine would be mounted transversely in the front. Work on the Golf began in 1969, shortly after Kurt Lotz became head of Volkswagen.

The first Golf (VW internal designation Typ 17) began production in 1974, although it was marketed in the United States and Canada from 1975 to 1984 as the Volkswagen Rabbit and in Mexico as the Volkswagen Caribe. It was a water-cooled, front wheel drive design in a hatchback body style. It featured firmly sprung and damped, independent Macpherson strut front suspension and semi-independent Twist-beam rear suspension, that gave crisp handling and good roadholding, without being too uncomfortable. The Golf was Australian Wheels magazine's Car of the Year for 1975 and Irish Semperit Irish Car of the Year for 1978 and British What Car? magazine's Car of the Year for 1981. The Golf name is derived from the German word for Gulf Stream — and the period in its history when VW named vehicles after prominent winds, including also the Passat (after the German word for Trade wind), Jetta (after the Jet stream), Bora (after Bora) and Scirocco (after Sirocco). "Golf" is also a sport, a theme that is shared with the Volkswagen Polo. Much was made of the pun in advertising and special editions (Golf Match, Driver, etc.) and the 'golf ball' gearchange knob on the early Golf GTI.

The Golf was designed by Italian automobile architect / designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, of the ItalDesign design studio. Giugiaro had also designed the Alfasud and the Lotus Esprit Mk1.

The car changed little before being replaced (in Europe) by the Mark 2 version in 1984. However, air conditioning became available as an option on the domestic market in August 1975. The possibility to retrofit the installation, together with a larger battery, was offered to existing owners.

Contrary to popular myth, the Mk1 Golf GTI was not the first hot hatch by quite a margin. The Renault 5 Alpine (called Gordini in the UK) comfortably predates the GTI, and is actually slightly faster than the Mk1 Golf GTI, managing 0-60 mph in the same 9.6 seconds or so as the first 1600 GTI, but squeezing out a further 2 mph (3.2 km/h) over the Golf. Nevertheless, the Golf GTI was perhaps the first hot hatch with mass market appeal, and many other manufacturers since have created special sports models of their regular volume-selling small hatchbacks. The idea behind was rather straightforward - take a basic-transportation economy car and give it a high-performance package, making it practical and sporty. It was one of the first small cars to adopt mechanical fuel injection for its sports version, which raised power output of the 1588 cc engine to 110 PS (81 kW; 108 hp). In 2004, Sports Car International declared the Golf Mk1 GTI to be the 3rd best car of the 1980s.

There was a minor facelift in 1980 which saw the adoption of larger rear lamp clusters (more in line with Giugiaro's original concepts), moulded black plastic bumpers, a new dashboard with a more modern-looking instrument display featuring LED warning lights, and for US versions rectangular headlights.

Minivan of The Day: September 16, 2011 (Belated)

Today's car of the day is Siku's 1995 Volkswagen Sharan.

The Volkswagen Sharan is a large MPV produced by the German automaker Volkswagen since 1995.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Volkswagen Sharan

Another recent purchase from pjedsel (thanks John!), this one sports a cool bicycle hanging from a rack on the hatch.

The name Sharan is derived from a Persian word meaning "Carrier of Kings". The Volkswagen Group subsequently rebadged the Sharan in 1996, and sold it as the SEAT Alhambra alongside the Sharan. All variants were produced at the joint venture plant AutoEuropa in Portugal, alongside the closely-related Ford Galaxy. Each of the three MPV models had its own subtle differences in exterior, and, for the Galaxy, in interior design. The first generation's initial design was completed under Greg M Greeson, an American designer employed in Volkswagen's Advanced Design Studio in Duesseldorf, Germany from 1989-1990.

As of 2007, the annual production for the Sharan is in the 50,000 unit range; it is sold in Europe, South Africa and some Asia-Pacific and Latin American countries. In Mexico it was available with the 1.8L Turbo 4 cil 150 hp (112 kW) with 5 speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox in Comfortline trim only, while in Argentina it is available with the 1.8L Turbo and the 1.9L TDI 115 hp 4-cylinder engines, in both 5-speed manual and 5-speed Tiptronic transmissions in Trendline trim only.

In total VW almost sold 670.000 units of its Sharan over 15 years of time. The Sharan is not sold in the United States and Canada. Originally this was due to an agreement between Ford and Volkswagen, leaving the market free from competition for Ford's Aerostar minivan. More recently, Volkswagen decided not to introduce the Sharan in North America, ceased developing the Microbus concept, and instead introduced a badge-engineered variant of the Chrysler minivans as the Routan. This was launched in 2009, and replaced the Sharan in Mexico, the only North American country in which it was sold.

Oddly enough, Volkswagen would rather sell a rebadged Dodge Caravan in the USA than bring the current generation Sharan stateside.