Heller is bringing some storytelling to the workbench this week. Its October lineup adds a cheerful Renault boutique and a decidedly less cheerful urban barn find that offers builders somewhere more interesting to park a finished model.
Tamiya has also expanded its information about the new Clic Loc series, explaining how its glue-free Volkswagen buses are intended to go together.
Heller Opens a Tiny Renault Boutique
Announced for October: Heller’s 1/24 Renault 4CV Boutique Edition combines the familiar French economy car with figures and a small display theme.
The standard kit is item 82762. Heller is also offering Starter Kit 58762, which packages the project as a more complete introduction to modeling. The standard edition is listed at $31 in Heller’s home market, while the Starter Kit is $39.
Heller has not presented the Renault itself as new tooling. The important development is the way the subject is packaged. Rather than ending with another car floating in the middle of a shelf, builders can create a simple scene with people and a reason for the vehicle to be there.
82762 Heller Renault 4CV – Boutique Edition
Where to Buy: www.Heller.fr
The Urban Barn Find Arrives Pre-Neglected
Announced for October: Heller’s Citroën HY + 15CV Urban Barn Find takes the opposite approach.
Instead of a clean boutique scene, this 1/24 set provides the foundation for a weathered urban discovery built around two classic Citroëns. It will be offered as standard item 50335 and as Starter Kit 52335.
The package is a particularly good intermediate project because the two vehicles can receive different levels of aging. One could retain faded paint and surface corrosion, while the other receives heavier rust, grime and signs of long-term abandonment.
52335 Heller Citroen HY + 15CV Urban Barn Find
Where to Buy: www.Heller.fr
Tamiya Explains How Clic Loc Works
Tamiya’s 1/24 Clic Loc Volkswagen Type 2 kits were announced earlier, but the company published a useful “What Is Clic Loc?” guide and promotional video.
The new page confirms the deliberately simple tool requirements. Tamiya recommends side cutters, tweezers and a modeling knife. Paint and cement are not required because the kits use pre-colored parts and press-fit construction.
This clarification makes Clic Loc more interesting as a true first-kit option. Beginners can concentrate on removing parts cleanly, following the instructions and understanding how assemblies fit together before dealing with cement seams and painted bodywork.
Experienced builders still have room to experiment. Panel lining, detail painting, polished bodywork and subtle interior shading could improve the finished Volkswagen without defeating the purpose of the simplified kit.
The dangerous part will be telling an experienced modeler that it is supposed to be a quick build.
Watch the video here: Tamiya Clic Loc Promotional Video
Upcoming U.S. Model Shows
The ACME Southern Nationals takes place October 24 at the Clarence Brown Conference Center in Cartersville, Georgia. This automotive-specific show is expected to bring together hundreds of model cars and a large vendor area, making it one of the season’s best opportunities for contest photographs and product hunting.
More info: ACME Southern Nationals 2026
On November 14, ModelZona 2026 comes to Phoenix, Arizona. It is a general scale-model show, but its large contest and vendor area should still make it worthwhile for automotive builders.
More info: ModelZona 2026
