Wiking announced their April releases at the 2004 Nuremberg Toy Fair. Even more Volkswagen models will find their way to hobby shops.
New Tooling
061 01 28 – 2003 VW Golf Mk5 Trendline, metallic Papillion silver. Germany’s eternal bestseller was introduced in its fifth iteration last year, and Wiking followed suit. There are already thirteen colors available as promotional models, so Wiking does not only offer a different paint job, but will print the plastic side-protection and bumper inserts in black to make this one the more basic Trendline version. Estimated U.S. retail price $14.00. 104 23 30 – 2003 VW T5 Transporter, Brandenburg Police (metallic silver/blue). Both the Brandenburg highway police and the city and state of Hamburg currently operate a fleet of silver-and-blue vehicles. All other German states went for green markings to go with the traditional green uniforms. After a VW Passat Variant and an Audi A6 Avant, this is Wiking’s third new-style police vehicle. It is the first time Wiking offers the Transporter’s passenger-van version. Estimated U.S. retail price $16.00. 388 03 22 – Joskin hay trailer w/stake-bed, green. A variation on February’s fertilizer-spreader’s theme, this is the second heavy tandem-axle agricultural trailer Wiking offers. A third one, again by Belgian manufacturer Joskin, is to follow later this year. Estimated U.S. retail price $8.50. 669 01 28 – 2004 Neuson Track Dumper 15, red. Just over nine feet long, the small tracked dumper from Austrian Neuson Group can carry up to a metric ton of sand and gravel. It will usually be operated on badly accessible construction sites. Its ability to climb grades as steep as 58% certainly helps, although the tiny engine makes less than 20hp. Wiking once again demonstrates what can be done in this scale with a moving dump bed. The tracks do not move, however, but there are hidden wheels to play with the TD15 on your desk nonetheless. Estimated U.S. retail price $14.00. 844 01 27 – 1950s Hanomag K55 tracked tractor, dove blue. Known as a Wiking piece in 1/25th scale so far, the 1/87th-scale vintage Hanomag initially comes without a dozer-blade. In Nuremberg, the model with a blade was already on display and should follow later in 2004. Wiking judged the model to be the perfect addition to their range of historic farm equipment. Estimated U.S. retail price $13.00. 862 40 39 – 1950s/60s Magirus round-nose aerial ladder DL 25 h, fire brigade. One of Germany’s most common aerial ladders of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Magirus only bought the engine at Deutz, but the truck and fire engine specialists made all the rest in-house at Ulm in Southern Germany. Wiking designed the complete model from scratch without taking resort to existing bits and pieces. Estimated U.S. retail price $27.00. 898 01 28 – 1958 Ruthemeyer road-roller, green. The prototype, built in 1958 and now on display at the manufacturer’s plant in Söst, was at home on construction sites from the 1950s to the 1980s. Reason enough for Wiking to model this classic “steam roller” (with a diesel engine, to be honest). Estimated U.S. retail price $14.00. New Decorations and colors 035 11 24 – 1998 VW New Beetle, metallic techno blue. Wiking’s New Beetle gets its eighth regular-release color scheme, which collectors will recall as one of the first promotional versions. Estimated U.S. retail price $10.50. 071 09 31 – 2002 VW Touareg, Emergency Doctor. Not the perfect choice for doctors on a budget, and so far only seen as a Volkswagen demonstration vehicle, this emergency vehicle comes in white with red markings. If money were no object, the 5.0-liter V10 TDI would be nice, too. Estimated U.S. retail price $17.00. 219 02 27 – 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211), metallic emerald black. Wiking offers the mid-size Merc with the Elegance line’s wheels. It is the second color scheme for this car for non-promotional purposes. Estimated U.S. retail price $13.00. 263 04 20 – 1991 Mitsubishi Montero (Pajero), metallic wheat beige. Japanese vehicles are few and far between in 1/87th scale. Apart from the original Mazda Miata, the Montero is Wiking’s only venture into Asian hardware. Estimated U.S. retail price $7.50. 389 02 46 – Claas Lexion 480 combine harvester, metallic silver. The Lexion 480 combine, which is sold and serviced by Caterpillar in the U.S., has been quite a success. In order to make the 400,000th one something special, Claas painted it metallic silver instead of the usual green and white. The prototype now works on French soil - literally. Estimated U.S. retail price $42.00. 601 06 29 – 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211), command car. With police cars being painted in silver and fitted with adhesive graphics to increase resale value, communities would soon copy the idea for their fire trucks. This command car comes in white with red markings. Estimated U.S. retail price $14.50. 779 03 xx – 2001 MAN TGA M-cab tandem-axle heating-oil delivery truck, Fulda Tires, black. Fulda Tire Company is known for black-and-beautiful show trucks. Herpa produced all of these. Additionally, there exists an actual fleet of all-black coaches, vans, and trucks to advertise the products from Fulda, Hesse. Wiking now adds the Esterer oil-truck to its range. For the first time, it comes on an MAN TGA chassis instead of the Mercedes Atego. The suggested retail price for Germany was not available as of Toy fair time, hence the ‘xx’ price group. Estimated U.S. retail price $36.00. 827 05 23 – 1971 Opel Manta A, bright green. Very bright green; very, very 70s. Estimated U.S. retail price $9.50. 855 05 36 – 1950s Magirus S 7500 truck-trailer, Fulda Tires, ivory. A companion for the MAN oil-truck this truck-trailer displays Fulda Tire’s color scheme of 50 years ago. Estimated U.S. retail price $24.00. 862 01 22 –1940s/50s Opel Blitz aerial ladder. A small aerial ladder truck that would be used by volunteer fire departments in small villages without high-rise structures from the late 1940s to the 1960s. Estimated U.S. retail price $8.50.
061 01 28 – 2003 VW Golf Mk5 Trendline, metallic Papillion silver. Germany’s eternal bestseller was introduced in its fifth iteration last year, and Wiking followed suit. There are already thirteen colors available as promotional models, so Wiking does not only offer a different paint job, but will print the plastic side-protection and bumper inserts in black to make this one the more basic Trendline version. Estimated U.S. retail price $14.00.
104 23 30 – 2003 VW T5 Transporter, Brandenburg Police (metallic silver/blue). Both the Brandenburg highway police and the city and state of Hamburg currently operate a fleet of silver-and-blue vehicles. All other German states went for green markings to go with the traditional green uniforms. After a VW Passat Variant and an Audi A6 Avant, this is Wiking’s third new-style police vehicle. It is the first time Wiking offers the Transporter’s passenger-van version. Estimated U.S. retail price $16.00.
388 03 22 – Joskin hay trailer w/stake-bed, green. A variation on February’s fertilizer-spreader’s theme, this is the second heavy tandem-axle agricultural trailer Wiking offers. A third one, again by Belgian manufacturer Joskin, is to follow later this year. Estimated U.S. retail price $8.50.
669 01 28 – 2004 Neuson Track Dumper 15, red. Just over nine feet long, the small tracked dumper from Austrian Neuson Group can carry up to a metric ton of sand and gravel. It will usually be operated on badly accessible construction sites. Its ability to climb grades as steep as 58% certainly helps, although the tiny engine makes less than 20hp. Wiking once again demonstrates what can be done in this scale with a moving dump bed. The tracks do not move, however, but there are hidden wheels to play with the TD15 on your desk nonetheless. Estimated U.S. retail price $14.00.
844 01 27 – 1950s Hanomag K55 tracked tractor, dove blue. Known as a Wiking piece in 1/25th scale so far, the 1/87th-scale vintage Hanomag initially comes without a dozer-blade. In Nuremberg, the model with a blade was already on display and should follow later in 2004. Wiking judged the model to be the perfect addition to their range of historic farm equipment. Estimated U.S. retail price $13.00.
862 40 39 – 1950s/60s Magirus round-nose aerial ladder DL 25 h, fire brigade. One of Germany’s most common aerial ladders of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Magirus only bought the engine at Deutz, but the truck and fire engine specialists made all the rest in-house at Ulm in Southern Germany. Wiking designed the complete model from scratch without taking resort to existing bits and pieces. Estimated U.S. retail price $27.00.
898 01 28 – 1958 Ruthemeyer road-roller, green. The prototype, built in 1958 and now on display at the manufacturer’s plant in Söst, was at home on construction sites from the 1950s to the 1980s. Reason enough for Wiking to model this classic “steam roller” (with a diesel engine, to be honest). Estimated U.S. retail price $14.00.
New Decorations and colors
035 11 24 – 1998 VW New Beetle, metallic techno blue. Wiking’s New Beetle gets its eighth regular-release color scheme, which collectors will recall as one of the first promotional versions. Estimated U.S. retail price $10.50.
071 09 31 – 2002 VW Touareg, Emergency Doctor. Not the perfect choice for doctors on a budget, and so far only seen as a Volkswagen demonstration vehicle, this emergency vehicle comes in white with red markings. If money were no object, the 5.0-liter V10 TDI would be nice, too. Estimated U.S. retail price $17.00.
219 02 27 – 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211), metallic emerald black. Wiking offers the mid-size Merc with the Elegance line’s wheels. It is the second color scheme for this car for non-promotional purposes. Estimated U.S. retail price $13.00.
263 04 20 – 1991 Mitsubishi Montero (Pajero), metallic wheat beige. Japanese vehicles are few and far between in 1/87th scale. Apart from the original Mazda Miata, the Montero is Wiking’s only venture into Asian hardware. Estimated U.S. retail price $7.50.
389 02 46 – Claas Lexion 480 combine harvester, metallic silver. The Lexion 480 combine, which is sold and serviced by Caterpillar in the U.S., has been quite a success. In order to make the 400,000th one something special, Claas painted it metallic silver instead of the usual green and white. The prototype now works on French soil - literally. Estimated U.S. retail price $42.00.
601 06 29 – 2001 Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W211), command car. With police cars being painted in silver and fitted with adhesive graphics to increase resale value, communities would soon copy the idea for their fire trucks. This command car comes in white with red markings. Estimated U.S. retail price $14.50.
779 03 xx – 2001 MAN TGA M-cab tandem-axle heating-oil delivery truck, Fulda Tires, black. Fulda Tire Company is known for black-and-beautiful show trucks. Herpa produced all of these. Additionally, there exists an actual fleet of all-black coaches, vans, and trucks to advertise the products from Fulda, Hesse. Wiking now adds the Esterer oil-truck to its range. For the first time, it comes on an MAN TGA chassis instead of the Mercedes Atego. The suggested retail price for Germany was not available as of Toy fair time, hence the ‘xx’ price group. Estimated U.S. retail price $36.00.
827 05 23 – 1971 Opel Manta A, bright green. Very bright green; very, very 70s. Estimated U.S. retail price $9.50.
855 05 36 – 1950s Magirus S 7500 truck-trailer, Fulda Tires, ivory. A companion for the MAN oil-truck this truck-trailer displays Fulda Tire’s color scheme of 50 years ago. Estimated U.S. retail price $24.00.
862 01 22 –1940s/50s Opel Blitz aerial ladder. A small aerial ladder truck that would be used by volunteer fire departments in small villages without high-rise structures from the late 1940s to the 1960s. Estimated U.S. retail price $8.50.
Reported by Marc Schmidt. U.S. pricing supplied by Flint Imports and is subject to change without notice.
