Hasbro has been taking its time getting out vehicles for the G.I. Joe Classified Series. They have to make sure that they can make something that the fans will like but at a reasonable price point. While larger and more complex items like the H.I.S.S and the Dragonfly went the Haslab route, smaller vehicles like the R.A.M. Cycle and the C.O.I.L. went the retail route. Hasbro has decided to release a new vehicle on Hasbro Pulse with the V.A.M.P. (Vehicle, Assault, Multi-Purpose) with driver Clutch in the Classified series.
Both Clutch and the VAMP first appeared in the first wave of the 1:18 scale G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line in 1982. Clutch, real name Lance Steinberg, used to be a mechanic before enlisting. A real grease monkey, he is portrayed as a ladies’ man in the comics. The VAMP was the main vehicle for G.I Joe, getting four updates in the original line, then seven more in the updated series in the 2000s. Clutch had three versions in the original series and several more between 2003 and 2014.
Clutch is a white male, with black hair, a mustache and a beard. He is wearing a green t-shirt underneath a green and brown tac vest with a black holster strapped to it. He has a brown bell on green combat pants. he has a tool belt strapped to his right thigh, brown kneepads and brown boots. On both of his forearms, he has tattoos.
Clutch’s head is on a dumbbell joint through the neck, with unhindered movement up, down, and all around. He has butterfly joints at the shoulders, with the arms on ball joints with an upper arm cut, double elbows, rotation at the hands, and a hinge at the wrists. Any torso articulation is hindered by the vest overlay, but he has a waist swivel. The legs are on the drop-down pins with an upper thigh swivel, double knees, a boot swivel, and rocker ankles.
For accessories, Clutch has a shotgun and a pistol. Both have effect ports in the barrel. He has a standard combat helmet, which is all green with the chin straps hanging down. He also has a Steel Corps helmet, which, unlike Grunt’s, is an actual helmet that can fit on the figure’s head. Finally, he has a red and black wrench.
The VAMP is loosely based on the Lamborghini Cheetah, a vehicle prototyped for the US Army, but not chosen (they went with the Humvee.) It has a green and black body with a working suspension and a fold-down windshield in the front. In the vehicle, the seats are light brown, and the dash has details like gauges and readouts. It even has a winch that can be pulled out and manually rolled back in.
Accessory-wise, the VAMP has flood lights that can fit on the front and the roll bar above the windshield. There is a tool kit, a shovel and a green doohickey that no one seems to know what it is. I’m guessing an air intake? These are stored on the hood, which can open to reveal the engine. On the back, there is a place to store the two fuel jerry cans and the fire axe. There is a fire extinguisher that goes in the c-clip in the back window. There is a turret on the back with two machine guns mounted on it. There are two belts of ammo and two ammo cans that can be stored underneath the guns.
The VAMP is a well-made vehicle. It is a decent size and feels sturdy and durable. The only thing I would change is having the nub that the turret mounts to be larger so that it doesn’t fall off easily. Grunt is great, too. The Steel Corps helmet being a helmet and not a swapable head lets you give it to another of your figures. Having Clutch come with the vehicle is a nod to the original release but may throw off those who want to army build. The Steel Corp helmet helps a bit with that. At $100 (US), not many would be willing to buy multiple, though. Still, if you take out the figure’s price, $75 is not a bad deal for the VAMP and I’m sure Hasbro will use this mold in future vehicles.
The G.I. Joe Classified Series Clutch and VAMP is out now on Hasbro Pulse.
This Review is for entertainment purposes only. I have not received anything from Hasbro or anyone else for this review. The items were purchased myself with my own money. All opinions are mine and any pictures were taken by me and are for review purposes only.
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