Mattel Disney Pixar CARS Diecast: Lubewig is is-not a Trunkov
John H. asks if Lubewig is a Trunkov in terms of the same auto family line. Well, there are a couple answers because nothing is too detailed to ponder at T5. 🙂
A) Presumably the Pixar designer of one or both of these CAR characters decided to follow the same template – probably to save some time. While the Trunkov family vaguely looks like a Chevy Corvair from the front, the boxy shape looks like every inexpensive European sedan from 50-60 years ago (other than Germany) … that’s a generality but many of them were either inspired, licensed or stole the design from Fiat. It was functional and perfunctory in any case … and of this design – by mixing a Corvair with a Fiat, Pixar could save on licensing … and in making Lubewig a larger station wagon version, by following the template not only did it save on time but also in licensing fees (aka: why reinvent the wheel) … so yes, on that level, I would think that Lubewig is part of the Trunkov family since that front line wrap design element is so much the same.
B) However, while I don’t claim to be a EU auto design expert, it seems in most cases from the 1950’s to the 2000’s – European auto manufacturers that sold a station wagon of their regular car seem to mostly extend the sedan version of that car … in that the roofline and width is exactly the same as the 4-door version, you simply get more sheetmetal in the back … I’m thinking of Volvo’s, BMW’s and MB’s. So, you could argue this is not 100% realistic and that it might be more likely that Lubewig is a knockoff of the “brand” Trunkov – from another manufacturer … you may present your own arguments here. 🙂
So, to extend the argument, I would say two brothers went their separate way when the Hapsburg empire split or in CARS World, Hubbcapsburg … so they look a lot alike but are split by axis.
All these puns are funnier in Hungarian.
Or C) And of course, they are different diecast molds. While they can drill or glue a plastic accessory to the roof such as the luggage rack on Lubewig, it’s not worth the hassle to try and weld more metal on a mold, it’s easier and cheaper just to make a new mold.
Guess it’s time to launch a Trunkov Wiki.
Thanks for the nice photos, “John H.”
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13 August 2014
7 Comments
As for Lubewig the front resembles the 968M but from that point onwards it’s… a made up car? ZAZ 968M wasn’t available in that body shape unless it’s based on a prototype or simply taken from another car.
The 968M doesn’t even have two side mirrors.
Been long time reader but never registered.
Registered now to clarify Trunkov’s origins.
It’s a former USSR car called Zaporozhets not Saporosz. In cyrylic (cyrylic, not Russian) that’s Запорожец if we want to be more specific.
Trunkov looks like a mix of two models – 966/968 and 968M. The front is definitely 966/968 but the rest seems to be more 968M. Especially the lack of the air intakes on the rear fenders.
One may argue that Trunkov is in fact based on the NSU Prinz 4 not Zaporozhets but the name Trunkov suggests he comes from Eastern Europe not Germany. To cement this statement nearly every former owner will tell you it was indeed a “lemon” car. All you needed to fix it was a curb (it had unusual high ground clearance) and few spanners. Nonetheless it wasn’t famous for its reliability.
Hi Again,
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here are 2 links to pics oft he cars:
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https://www.google.com/search?q=saporoshez+968&tbm=isch&oq=&gs_l=
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http://nsu-prinz-ig-rosenheim.blogspot.de/2013_03_01_archive.html
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Kindest Regards
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Nico
(MET: Nice pics, definitely Trunkov’s!)
Hi folks,
the Trunkovs are Russian cars named Saporosz.
I think Lubewig (similar to the German name Ludwig) is a German car from the 70s called NSU.
Kindest Regards
Nico
Chevy “Corvair”. 🙂
Lubewig shares the Trunkov’s taillights too. Lubewig and Geartrude could also be American agents in disguise.
(MET: Fixed. I was too lazy to look it up to verify).
Just because someone has Sicilian ancestry doesn’t mean they are in the Mafia, therefore, just because Lubewig looks vaguely Trunkov-ish, doesn’t mean he’s an evil Lemon cartel member. Maybe he’s actually a good guy spy in disguise doing undercover work?
Have we really reached a point of being accused of toy car manufacturing profiling. Now we have to be politically correct even when speaking of toys? I want to go back to the good old days of freedom of speech and if someone got offended oh well, sticks and stones philosophy. Things were so much better than.
I do like Lubewig though. Very cool casting. Cool is still ok isn’t it? Or am I going to be accused of lumping lubewig into a Fonzie type car? LOL