Schuco 1/18 VW T2a Porsche Support Minibus

by Schuco

Product Features

• Limited Edition of 2000 pieces worldwide
• Opening front doors and side door slides open
• Full interior details including dashboard guages
• Engine compartment door lifts open to reveal detailed replica of classic VW air-cooled engine
• Diecast metal construction with plastic detail parts Includes clear display case and base

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 6 x 6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B0014QJTS8
• Item model number: 550017000
• Manufacturer recommended age: 14 years and up
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #597,875 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

In 1968, the second generation Volkswagen T2 Minibus was introduced. It was built in Germany until 1979. Models before 1971 are called T2a while models after 1972 are called T2b. This second-generation Minibus was slightly larger and considerably heavier than its predecessor. At 1.6 liter displacement and 48 hp, the engine was also slightly larger. The new model had half-shaft axles fitted with CV joints, which raised ride height.The T2b was introduced by way of gradual change over three years. The first models had unique body features, such as curvaceous bumpers with the front bumper wrapping around to form the step when the door was opened, front doors that opened to 90 degrees from the body and crescent air intakes in the D pillars. They also had unique engine hatches, and up until 1972 front turn signals set low on the nose, giving rise to their German nickname 'Low Lights'. Over its long life, VW made the T2 in a wide variety of configurations including the classic Minibus, delivery van, and the Combi, a useful platform for custom commercial designs. Schuco is a legendary German toy manufacturer, founded in 1912. The company achieved worldwide fame with its toy cars manufactured in the '30s, '40s and '50s, many of which were patented. While Schuco continues to issue a limited number of metal retro-toys for collectors, today the company is better known for its amazing diecast vehicle replicas. Working directly with manufacturers and car collectors, Schuco painstakingly re-creates each vehicle in miniature, often incorporating tiny details only visible with a magnifying glass. Most Schuco models are issued in specified limited quantities, and once gone, will not be made again. That’s why wise collectors know that a Schuco model isn’t just a purchase: It’s an investment with a lifetime return of enjoyment.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars T2: Schuco's 1:18 VW "Porsche" Transporter, May 7, 2010

By 

J. Kelly Jr. "Model Car Fanatic" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Schuco 1/18 VW T2a Porsche Support Minibus (Toy)

Fron the June / July issue of The Car Room Magazine

The Volkswagen van has gotten a lot of ink in our pages as of late, mostly because the hallowed Kombi has been much replicated in scale. Now Schuco is in on the game with this Type 2a work truck, deco'd as a Porsche service van.

It's a nice model all around, with absolutely rock solid build and impressively straight panel fit; I only wish I had a ball bearing small enough to roll around the door seams like they used to do in those luxury car commercials. The paint is a flawless, and the lettering has been done mostly in high grade white tampos - a very tough color to strike over red. No sweat here; Schuco's pulled it off really well. Great lensing and glazing, crisp tamped-on aluminum-look trim around the windows, and photoetched wiper arms with detail painted blades set the little hauler off very nicely.

The cabin's really neat, mostly because of the lenses on the dash gauges and the believable textures cast into the soft-touch seats and vinyl floor; the area under the binnacle has been cast to replicate all the inner air ducts and second-wall stampings worn by the real bus. The steering wheel looks just right, too, as do the pedals, the tall, thin shifter, and the crisply cast, detail painted door panels and headliner.

These things are caves on wheels; slide the side door back and there's a huge, flat-floored cargo area. Open the top rear door for another view, and access to the elevated area at the very rear. If you're feeling goosey, you can pull the spare tire out of its recess to the left. Haul the engine cover open and you'll find a tidy, nicely built and wired up model of the Transporter's horizontally-opposed four cylinder, air-cooled engine.

If you want some insight into Schuco's design ethos, have a look below. Though the model's foundation is mostly done in a black plastic casting (with added-on lower engine pieces), the load bearing front and rear axles have been cast in metal, media tumbled, and painted. It's as if Schuco knows a model's got to last a while; maybe even get played with every now and then. With close to a hundred years of toy making under its belt, that's a lesson this company probably picked up quite a while ago. This is a sweet little truck. - CRM

Copyright 2010, The Car Room Magazine. Used with permission. All rights reserved.