Samba bus, Kübel and Schwimmwagen "the aircooled VeeDub section"

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We've all seen them, we were all surprised ( pleasantly or unpleasantly ) but there's no denying they will be in GT5.
They are without a doubt the most unusual ( or unlikely ;)) announcement and additions to GT5 until now and it seems some are gleeing with joy whilst others are baffled and ask what they're doing in a GT-game.
Personally I love the fact these iconic aircooled Boxer-engined contraptions are included and applaud this quite daring and cheeky move by PD and can't wait to have a go driving ( or racing? ) them or do whatever it is you can do with these machines in the game.

The T1 Samba is compared to the other two relatively straightforward as just another classic icon perfectly replicated for GT5, athough it's the first van-based people carrier in a GT-game ever ( other people carriers were designed as MPV's or like the Espace F1 based on MPV's ) apart maybe from the much smaller Honda Life Step Van.

The Kübelwagen and Schwimmwagen are the real oddities in my opinion, one being essentially a smaller yet heavier amphibious version of the other and both are the closest we get to having a Porsche-designed ( not forgetting the original Beetle and Auto-Union which will probably also reappear ) car in GT5 as both were designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche to be used by the Wehrmacht.
Yes, they're essentialy Nazi-buggy's ( there's no denying they were used by the German army during WW2 ), and I've read some are already put off by these machines simply for that reason, and although everyone is ofcourse entitled to their opinion, I regard them simply as interesting historic pieces of engineering to be used as every other replicated machine/car/vehicle in GT5 to experience them for what they basically are, another car in the game.

Now why this thread? I'm not a big Volkswagen fan ( although I've always liked the sound of that aircooled Boxer-4 ) or a particular WW2-history obsessive but with the wait now finally almost over and these 3 cars apparantly splitting opinion somewhat maybe it's fun to hear from those who posses a far greater knowledge than I do on these cars, those who are enthusiastic and may wish to infectuate others or those who find these cars are just a waste of space.
Maybe some look out for customizing/tuning a T1 Samba as there's a whole VW sub-culture out there some might have never heard of or paid attention to before, others will maybe treat them as precious classics best left stock.
What's your take on them, looking forward to it or avoid them like the plague?

Here's a charming T1 Samba commercial I found to start off with.

 
I hope the old Super beetle is in the game. And I hope you can modify it a lot. They can be made to go quite fast and were popular at the drags.
 
I am absolutely ECSTATIC about these cars!

I love anything with the engine behind the rear axle, unlike most people, it seems.

Me being the history fan that I am, the (admittedly morbid) Nazi factor simply gives them a certain . . . allure, I suppose.

I just hope the 1100 and Karmann Ghia return as premiums!
 
waste of bluray disc space imo...diablo better be premium and better have premium sound...........only car i need in gt5!!!!!!

although it would be cool if you could fill the van with digital passangers and take them on a hell ride around the ring!
 
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The Bus was advertised as a "station wagon." The world's biggest station wagon. lol.

Serisouly, though, it's cool to have the Bus and the other old VW's in. I wonder if we'll have anphibious car races across lakes. Then again, the Schwimmwagen didn't stay afloat for long. The Beetle floated better than the Schwimmwagen. (although, it, too, sank after a while.) But it's still cool. Just don't expect to be blazing. It may have had a lot of HP for it's time, but it weighed about as much as a tank.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XvjVvFdMIY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK0v--XPNxU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZGGtmNzC_w&feature=fvw

Pleeeease! Before I wasn't all that fussed on engine swaps, but this is just too tempting!

Also, I'd love to create my own little slammed Kubelwagen!

vw_kubelwagen.jpg


(Okay, so it's not a Kubelwagen, but the inspiration is there!)
 
Then again, the Schwimmwagen didn't stay afloat for long. The Beetle floated better than the Schwimmwagen. (although, it, too, sank after a while.)

Longer than you suggest there ( at least I can't see a Beetle doing this ), although a bit of a shame this unique ( and core ) aspect of the Schwimmwagen will be useless in GT5.

 
Longer than you suggest there ( at least I can't see a Beetle doing this ), although a bit of a shame this unique ( and core ) aspect of the Schwimmwagen will be useless in GT5.

Who said?

And the VW bus has my mom, 58, kind of siked :lol:
 
As I said in another thread, if there's the option for custom paint jobs (and I don't just mean selecting a colour scheme) then the bus is the perfect inclusion and makes total sense considering it's history. Very much speculation on my part but I wouldn't count out controlling an onscreen brush/spray with the 'move'.
 
I think it's great these 'oddities' are included in this the game.

It seems the philosophy of including such a wide array of vehicle may teach quite a few people the history, lineage, mistakes, and nuances of cars they take for granted each day. At the very least, millions will be exposed to strange & foreign vehicles they would have never otherwise seen or heard about.

At the worst, a couple million people play a video game. At best, a couple million people start to fall in love with cars, driving, and admire foreign market vehicles. That was the 'magic' of the original GT back in '97 ('98?). That's what GT5 needs to have and it seems like it has it.
 
-> I glad that PD is still showing proof that its all about diversity in cars, and I commend them for their efforts. VeeDub fans will be very happy. :)

-> All is good...for now IMO. :trouble:

-> As a wish lister on my own thread, we need more of these air-cooled madness this side of Porsche.

Type 3
73prdn.jpg


Type 4
type4s.gif


Brasillia
brasilia-77-anuncio.jpg


Country Buggy
0404vwt_01z%2B1968_Volkswagen_Country_Buggy%2BRight_Hand_Drive_Driver_Side_View.jpg


Type 1 1300-series
oscarwithnewbumpers3.jpg


Type 1 Sedan 1600 (aka. Mexi-Bug)
841361.jpg


Other Type 2's (T2-onwards)
T2
4246934633_a5d83a2989.jpg


T2c
VW_Bus_T2c_Silberfisch2.jpg


:sly:
 
Great thread. But I think it should be renamed with something more descriptive.

I like old cars very much. There must be a lot of them. I had the opportunity to drive a Beetle many times in real life. If I could do that in the game, that would be very thrilling. As maxpontiac said: "memories".

I'd like also American cars from the 1950s ~ 1960s, not only beasts like Charger and Challenger.
 
Funny. These cars are the business of my dad. No joke. His company, Germansupply, operates in Toronto and sells aircooled VW parts online for busses, beetles, vanagons, you name it. He also has a garage where he restores and rebuilds aircooled VW's, too.
http://www.germansupply.com
 
The Kübelwagen and Schwimmwagen are the real oddities in my opinion, one being essentially a smaller yet heavier amphibious version of the other and both are the closest we get to having a Porsche-designed ( not forgetting the original Beetle and Auto-Union which will probably also reappear ) car in GT5 as both were designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche to be used by the Wehrmacht.
Yes, Gran Turismo now has almost all cars designed by Ferdinand Porsche without actually including the brand "Porsche" itself. :lol:
 
I cannot wait to drive the Bus!! I am a massive fan of them and my dad owns an orange and white one with custom exhaust, wheels, interior...it's a proper cool machine! Can't wait to take it for a spin on the 'ring :D
 
Longer than you suggest there ( at least I can't see a Beetle doing this ), although a bit of a shame this unique ( and core ) aspect of the Schwimmwagen will be useless in GT5.



Nah, 'cause there are two things about that video that I noticed: 1. it doesn't seem that pond is very deep, and 2. No one stayed out for long. And when the guy came in the first time, it seemed like he was starting to sink. The original purpose of the Shwimmwagen was to ford rivers and lakes...which were much bigger and deeper than the pond in the video...and it failed miserably at doing that. Which is why the production was limited to 162 models.
 
Great thread. But I think it should be renamed with something more descriptive.

I think you might be right, question I have ( and this may sound stupid ) how do you actually change the title of a thread?

Edit, figured it out myself.
 
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didn't they ever tell you guys the Kubelwagen made an appearance over here as the "Thing"? i have something ELSE to look foreward to (thanks Volkswagen). there was a bright orange one in the little village where I grew up.
 
didn't they ever tell you guys the Kubelwagen made an appearance over here as the "Thing"? i have something ELSE to look foreward to (thanks Volkswagen). there was a bright orange one in the little village where I grew up.

The Volkswagen "Thing" ( or type 181 ) is a completely different and much later car than the original Kübelwagen ( type 82 ), it resembles the Kübelwagen but they're not the same although both are based on the Beetle.

Type 181 "Thing" ( build from 1968 for the Bundeswehr and later for civilian use ).

1973vwthing090808.jpg


Type 82 Kübelwagen ( build from 1940 for the Wehrmacht ).

2604620390_6cdeed5bac.jpg



...and it failed miserably at doing that. Which is why the production was limited to 162 models.

Er....before stating things as fact you might try to do some research ( I did ) as it turns out more than 15000 were build between 1942 and 1944 making it effectively the most produced amphibious vehicle ever made and if they were as useless as you suggest this probably wouldn't have happened.....
 
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