Clutch with VAMP — G.I. Joe Classified Series #112

Overview

Clutch with VAMP is figure #112 in the G.I. Joe Classified Series — Pulse exclusive, 2024. Two original 13 firsts in one set: the first Classified Clutch and the first Classified VAMP (Multi-Purpose Attack Vehicle). The VAMP is one of the GI Joe franchise’s most iconic ground vehicles — the modified high-mobility jeep that appeared in the original 1982 storylines and became the visual anchor of the Joe team’s ground vehicle capability. Clutch is its dedicated driver.

Clutch: File Card

Code Name: Clutch Real Name: Steinberg, Lance J. Primary Specialty: Vehicle Driver Secondary Specialty: Mechanics Birthplace: Asbury Park, New Jersey Grade: E-5, Sergeant

Lance Steinberg’s Asbury Park, New Jersey background and casual, irreverent personality gave the Larry Hama comics a specific character voice for the VAMP driver. He’s competent and reliable behind the wheel; his personality outside the vehicle is what makes him memorable.

The VAMP

The Multi-Purpose Attack Vehicle is essentially a militarised high-mobility vehicle with a mounted weapon system. At 6” scale it’s a substantial vehicle — larger than the RAM Cycle or Trubble Bubble, smaller than the HasLab vehicles. The first Classified VAMP represents a major milestone for original-era collectors who wanted the Joe team’s primary ground vehicle at premium scale.

Original 13 Milestone

The original 13 GI Joe members from 1982 are a specific collection goal for a segment of the Classified collector base. With Clutch in the programme, the 1982 vehicle operators were finally represented at premium scale. His delayed arrival — delivered as a Pulse exclusive in 2024 — reflects both the production complexity of figure-plus-vehicle sets and the Pulse channel’s suitability for premium-priced combination releases.

Secondary Market

Clutch with VAMP #112 commands a significant secondary market premium — original 13 status, first Classified VAMP, and Pulse exclusivity combine to create strong demand. Secondary prices typically run $120-180 for the sealed set.

Verdict

Clutch with VAMP #112 is one of the Classified line’s most significant Pulse exclusives — the first VAMP at 6” scale paired with its original 13 driver. Essential for original era collectors and Joe team vehicle display builders.

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Part of G.I. Joe Classified Series | Hasbro Pulse Exclusive 2024. Related: Breaker with RAM Cycle #29 | Crankcase & A.W.E. Striker #171 | General Hawk #103.

The VAMP at 6 Inches

The VAMP at 6” scale creates a specific display footprint that’s larger than the motorcycle sets but smaller than the HasLab vehicles. For shelf display, the VAMP requires planning — it’s not a figure that sits beside another figure on a standard shelf shelf without taking up significant horizontal space. The display benefit justifies the space requirement: the first Classified VAMP is a display centrepiece that immediately establishes the Joe team’s ground vehicle capability in a way that figures alone cannot.

For collectors who’d been requesting a Classified VAMP since the line launched in 2020, the 2024 Pulse delivery was worth the four-year wait.

Original 13 Vehicle Coverage Summary

By 2024, the Classified line had original 13 vehicle coverage through Clutch/VAMP (#112) and Breaker/RAM Cycle (#29) — two original 13 vehicle operators with their primary vehicles. The remaining original 13 vehicles (Grand Slam’s laser artillery, Steeler’s Mobat tank, Flash’s laser rifle) represent future programme possibilities as the line continues into 2025 and beyond.

Clutch with VAMP

Clutch and the VAMP (Vehicle Attack Multi-Purpose) is one of the Classified line’s most historically significant figure-plus-vehicle sets — delivering one of the original 13 GI Joe team members alongside the franchise’s most iconic ground vehicle. The VAMP is as foundational to GI Joe as any single vehicle in the franchise’s history, and the Classified version at 6” premium scale is the vehicle the line had been building toward since launch.

File Card: Clutch

Code Name: Clutch Real Name: Steinberg, Lance J. Primary Specialty: Vehicle Driver Birthplace: Asbury Park, New Jersey Grade: E-4, Specialist

Lance Steinberg is the original GI Joe driver — the character whose connection to the VAMP is as fundamental as Snake Eyes’ connection to swords. Having Clutch with the VAMP rather than as a standalone figure honours the original pairing that the 1982 launch established.

The VAMP’s Historical Position

The VAMP was released alongside the original 13 GI Joe figures in 1982 and immediately became the team’s primary ground assault vehicle. Its design — open top, four-wheel drive, light armament — established the tactical aesthetic that subsequent Joe vehicles built on. At Classified scale, the VAMP’s proportions and details achieve the premium presentation the design always deserved.

Pulse Vehicle Sets in 2024

The 2024 Pulse vehicle programme delivered the VAMP alongside the Cobra Ferret ATV (#119) and the Night Force Night Pursuit (#127), giving collectors three distinct vehicles through the Pulse channel in a single year.

Secondary Market

Clutch with VAMP #112 commands a significant secondary market premium — the VAMP’s historical importance and first Classified appearance drive strong demand. Secondary prices typically run $150-220.

Display Recommendations

Clutch with the VAMP is the Classified programme’s most historically resonant figure-plus-vehicle display — the original 1982 Joe team driver in his original vehicle at premium scale. At Classified premium scale, the figure rewards the collector investment with detail quality that rewards close inspection as much as shelf presence. Secondary market prices reflect consistent collector demand.

The 2024 Programme in Context

The 2024 Classified programme was the most expansive in the line’s history by figure count, delivering across Wave 11, Target Tiger Force and Python Patrol, Walmart Night Force, Fan Channel, Pulse exclusives, Amazon, and SDCC. Each release, including this one, contributed to a programme year that meaningfully advanced the franchise’s representation at the 6” premium scale. The figures released in 2024 collectively moved the Classified line closer to comprehensive coverage of both the classic ARAH era and the franchise’s subsequent decades.