Volkswagen’s display at the Chicago Auto Show included something we’re not used to seeing at auto shows: Lego sets. This one was custom-built from more than 20,000 Lego bricks, and it comes with the VW Atlas SUV and the original Microbus. It also features the Detroit skyline (note the unmistakable Renaissance Center, along with several other landmark buildings), which is neither VW’s headquarters in the U.S. nor Chicago, where the diorama was revealed. So, there’s that.
Dubbed “The Volkswagen Journey,” this set is meant to highlight the relationship between VW vehicles and American families through the years, as well as the evolution of VW design. We have to admit that the classic Microbus is a little more recognizable than the Atlas — the Lego Atlas looks like a lot of SUVs — but we wouldn’t mind buying either model. If VW offered them, that is.
A Microbus similar to this one is available directly from Lego.
Unfortunately, this set is not for retail sale, though the Microbus itself is offered by Lego separately. The design of the commercially available Microbus is a little different — it’s the camper version — but other than that, it’s pretty well-executed. It’s also a bit pricey, like the restored versions of the original Microbus, which have been hovering near the $100,000 mark at auctions.