Our friend Eric, who owns a ’67 Beetle we’ve featured before, sent us a link to this unbelievable die-cast from Sun Star.
This 1:12 scale ’49 split-window features over 400 parts, opening windows via crank, removing wheels via lugs and a ton more. The detail on this Beetle is impeccable. One of our all time favorite features on Beetles, were the semaphore’s. These work as well.
Whether you’re a diehard air-cooled enthusiast or just a collector, the Sun Star 1949 Volkswagen Beetle Standard Saloon die-cast isn’t cheap at $136.95 but it’s an outstanding addition. (Buy it here*)
Gallery after the jump.
In 1933, Ferdinand Porsche was asked by the new Nazi government to design a car for the working man, a project which later to be known as the “people’s car”, or Volkswagen. In May 1937, a company was created to develop and make the car, and one year later, work started on the building of a new factory in the town later to be known as Wolfsburg. However, the war interrupted production almost at once and production was turned over to military vehicles.
In 1945, the factory which was now located in the British occupation zone, was placed under the control of a British Army officer, Major Ivan Hirst. There was no longer a need for military vehicles, so Hirst resuscitated the Volkswagen project and started production following an order from the British Army for 20,000 cars. The factory was then offered to the major US car manufacturers but when no interest was shown, Heinrich Nordhoff, a former senior manager with Opel, was recruited in 1948 and he finally took over from Major Hirst the following year.
This was the beginning of one of the most important German companies, which was based on a car which would sell over 20 million units over the following 40 years or so.
Over the next few years, Sun Star will trace the history of this world-wide icon, starting with the 1949 saloon with its split rear-window (Bretzel).
Features:
• Super-detailed 1:12 scale • Over 400 parts • Functioning trafficators (manual) • Opening glove box • Tilting front seats • Opening front side windows operated by crank handle • Removable spare wheel • Rear seat backs fold forwards • Removable tool kit • Independent suspension • Functioning door handles • Detailed engine with separate HT leads, fan belt, alternator, starter motor etc • Removable hub cabs • All four wheels can be changed by unscrewing the 5 nuts • Posable windscreen wipers • movable gear lever • movable sun visors
*oneighturbo.com is not associated with Legacy Motors nor have we been provided any compensation for this review.
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