Volkswagen T2 Pickup

Description
The Volkswagen T2 Pickup is one of many Volkswagen Transporter castings released by Hot Wheels, and is a replication of the 1968 Volkswagen Type 2 Transporter truck as can be seen by the lack of the beetle-inspired V-shaped centerpiece on the front. Due to the 1963 imposition of the 'Chicken Tax' by President Lyndon B. Johnson, a 25% tariff that rendered these trucks virtually nonexistent in the US market. This had come about in retaliation to the European tariffs on imported American chicken. Much more common in Europe and Latin America, the T2 pickup served as a hardy motorized workhorse for many, from farmers and Tradesman to even just the common youths who wanted to partake in the VW-craze set off by the counterculture movement of the time.

The Hot Wheels version, unlike many Truck castings has a tonneau cover over the cargo bed, in lieu of a detailed cargo area. This is also seen on the '63 Studebaker Champ casting. The interior piece also features engine parts moulded into it, which can be seen via a square cutaway in the casting to reveal this detail at the rear of the body, showing it's rear-engine.

Versions
The Volkswagen T2 Pickup has been released in the following 1/64 scale versions:

2017 card
From the back of the 2017 card:

Born: 1968

Birthplace: Hanover, Germany

Designer: Hot Wheels®

Specialty: Sought after by collectors worldwide, the iconic 1968 Volkswagen T2 Pickup features large bay windows and plenty of room for an epic road trip—and maybe even an epic trip down memory lane to a time where peace, love and groovy tunes ruled the roads.