Whenever a model manufacturer creates a model, they have to both make it appealing and make it sell at a marketable price. For the appeal, I‘ve noticed that many models, for example, get more chrome decoration than the factory original, real one ever had. VW’s are effected by this too, especially the Microbus. The prototype (the real one) was never sold to the public with chrome bumpers, but most models, including the ones by Maisto and Johnny Lightning have chromed bumpers. I think they figure that, say, a wife shopping for a gift for her husband is more likely to go for the shiny, eye candy, model than a plain, although more original, one.

 Another aspect of creating marketability is the company “bean counters” deciding what level of detail can be included for a reasonable price. First they have to decide whether they want to sell a lot for a little or a little for a lot. Personally, as I said in a previous article, I am a proponent of the former. I believe that more money is made by the company in the long run! To this end the company may not opt to, say, blacken in the grill, paint in the chrome side trim, or pick out the turn signal or tail light lens colors.