Tamiya has revealed its lineup for October’s All Japan Model & Hobby Show, and the company is covering both ends of the experience scale. New builders get a glue-free Volkswagen bus, while veterans can choose between detailed race cars, photo-etched Formula One machinery and a 1/12 project large enough to require its own parking permit.
Elsewhere, Decalcas has fresh 3D-printed hardware for two popular modern GT kits.
Tamiya’s Clic Loc Series Opens With a Volkswagen Bus
The week’s most important announcement for newcomers is Tamiya’s new Clic Loc car series. Its first subject is a 1/24 Volkswagen Type 2 Samba, offered in red and white or blue and white.
The kits use glossy parts molded in their finished colors and assemble without paint or cement. Metal-plated trim, separate lights, synthetic-rubber tires, steerable front wheels and a three-row interior should help the finished bus look like a scale model rather than a simplified toy.
This looks like an excellent first kit, but experienced builders should not dismiss it. Panel lining, careful sticker work and a few selectively painted details could turn it into a very convincing quick project. “Quick,” naturally, remains a dangerous word around anyone who owns weathering supplies.
You can also see our full unboxing and build on our YouTube channel:
Tamiya 28101 VW Type2 (T1) Clic Loc – Unbox and Full Build
28101 Tamiya Volkswagen Type 2 (T1) Red/White
Where to Buy: www.Hobbytown.com
28102 Tamiya Volkswagen Type 2 (T1) Blue/White
Where to Buy: www.Hobbytown.com
The BMW 320i Racing Returns
Tamiya has also announced the limited-edition return of its 1/24 BMW 320i Racing, item 24379.
This is vintage tooling rather than an all-new kit, but it offers something many modern releases do not: a complete inline-four engine beneath the hood. The wide fenders, deep front spoiler and large rear wing capture the gloriously unsubtle appearance of late-1970s touring-car racing.
New Cartograf decals are an important part of the package. Older race-car reissues can live or die by their markings, and a crisp modern sheet makes the kit considerably more attractive as an actual build instead of a nostalgic box to admire from a respectful distance.
24379 Tamiya BMW 320i Racing
Where to Buy: www.Hobbytown.com
Six Wheels, Two Scales and Plenty of Photo-Etch
The Tyrrell P34 is returning – twice.
The 1/20 Japanese Grand Prix version includes Cartograf markings for cars 3 and 4, Japanese team and driver lettering, a cockpit figure and photo-etched brake, wing, intake-mesh and seatbelt components.
The larger 1/12 P34 adds working steering, sprung suspension, removable cowl panels and a highly visible Ford DFV engine. Its etched parts cover brakes, radiators, wing components, pedals and cockpit fittings.
Neither is new tooling, and Tamiya has not yet supplied release dates. Still, this is a useful chance to choose between a manageable 1/20 display model and a 1/12 mechanical showcase that may begin charging rent.
12036 Tamiya Tyrrell P34 Six-Wheeler 1/12 Scale
Where to Buy: www.Hobbytown.com
20058 Tamiya Tyrrell P34 Six-Wheeler 1/20 Scale
Where to Buy: www.Hobbytown.com
The Citroën 2CV Offers a Quieter Kind of Character
Not every interesting car needs a turbo, racing numbers or enough aerodynamic equipment to frighten nearby furniture.
Tamiya’s limited-edition 1/24 Citroën 2CV returns with a detailed flat-twin engine, transmission and distinctive interconnected suspension. Builders can pose the canvas roof open or closed, while the driver’s flap-up window is molded open.
The 2CV is also unusually flexible as a finishing project. It can be built as a polished classic, a sun-faded daily driver or a muddy rural workhorse. A gentle wash and restrained paint fading would add personality without requiring advanced scratch-building.
25415 Tamiya Citroen 2CV
Where to Buy: www.BrookhurstHobbies.com
Decalcas Expands Its Printed GT Hardware
Decalcas has two new 1/24 upgrades scheduled for October in Japan.
For NuNu’s BMW M4 GT3, builders can choose Type A BBS wheels or Type B Rimstock wheels. Both sets provide printed wheels and tires with separate center-lock nuts and air valves.
These are meaningful upgrades, but they will require careful support removal and painting. Dry-fit everything before committing to glue; discovering four beautifully finished wheels do not share the same stance is one of the hobby’s less charming traditions.
DCL-PAR176 / DCL-PAR178 Decalcas BMW M4 GT3 Detail Upgrade Wheel/Tire Sets
Where to Buy: www.Platz-Hobby.com
