COUNTDOWN: 10 new dream G1 projects now that Retro Hot Rod exists! (part 1)

Perhaps you’ve yet to hear, but an exciting new toy has just dropped. Pink Hot Rod!

Oh, I mentioned it already? Silly me. Although I’m sure you can forgive me when it looks as eye-searingly stunning as this!

Yes, the new Retro reissue of G1 Hot Rod is a bit of a beauty, it’s fair to say. What’s even better is that it fulfils a lifelong dream of seeing this classic toy design realised in such a movie-accurate colour scheme at very long last, after the original prototype from the 1986 catalogues was changed to red prior to release.

For some of us, this is just absolute wish-fulfilment of the highest order. So you may think we’re about to sit back and take it easy now, box ticked and all satisfied? Well, forget it; here are 10 more dream G1 projects that I’d still love to happen one day! Hey, I can hope, can’t I?

#10: Astrotrain

Alongside Hot Rod, Astrotrain was undoubtedly one of the most perplexing parts of many of the vintage Transformers catalogues from the 1980s. Of course, many of the toys featured were prototypes, but few looked as different from their eventual retail examples as this! Both Takara and Hasbro put the Astrotrain design out in wildly different colour schemes. Still, neither of them seemed quite as eye-catching as this sultry grey and purple number, which just so happened to veer much closer to the corresponding cartoon portrayal! It’s one that many lifelong fans haven’t forgotten about over the years, which explains why the 2004 Takara Collector’s Edition reissue has become so desirable since its release.

Now, you might think that particular example has scratched the itch for a prototype-styled Astrotrain, and for many of us, that would be true! However, plenty of collectors out there would still love to see something much more akin to that original prototype made real, especially with a deeper, darker purple than is found on the CE version. If anything, a cartoon-styled Astrotrain seems possible as part of the Retro line, if only because Astrotrain has recently been reissued in his classic toy colours, so we know the mould is available for the treatment. How close will that potentially stick to what we saw in those catalogues all those years ago? Watch this space.

You can read more about the original prototype by @TFSquareOne here.

#9: Bluestreak

Photo credit: @TFSquareOne

There are few Transformers legends quite as grand as blue Bluestreak. After the Diaclone Fairlady Z design was released in the colour (alongside a scheme more in line with Bluestreak’s eventual animation portrayal), it was never actually used in Transformers. That’s despite the character’s name and the overwhelming evidence that it was at least the original plan for a good while during development. Still, that didn’t stop persistent rumours of such a release throughout the 1980s and beyond. In fact, chatter about it still pops its head up every so often, even now! Of course, many subsequent toy designs have cast the character in blue since, but how amazing would it be to finally see the original vintage mould brought back in the colour at long last? Yes, the Diaclone exists, but this could be something different yet entirely respectful to its heritage. Perhaps the only thing holding this one back is the notion that the mould may not be usable anymore, but that’s speculation at this point. We’ve made pink Hot Rod happen; I’m ready to talk about blue Bluestreak next.

#8: Generation 2 Dinobots

The Dinobots remain fan-favourite characters and toys throughout the Transformers fandom, and for good reason. They’re giant robot dinosaurs! What’s not to love? Though three of the moulds were brought back for makeovers during Generation 2, Sludge and Swoop remained entirely absent from the era, although concept artwork was indeed made at the time. Similarly, there were further plans for at least one more release of Grimlock, this time in the now-fabled ‘tiger stripe’ colour scheme, all of which would have been tremendously exciting to see!

Photo credit: Spurt Reynolds

Though there are some outstanding customs out there, as shown, I still can’t help but feel it would be incredible to see these colour schemes finally done justice and brought back in official form, no matter how unlikely that seems! Unfortunately, over the years, there has been plenty of speculation that the Dinobot moulds have been either lost or damaged or that they may simply no longer be usable because they need to be compatible with modern equipment. This might explain why they haven’t been used since the 1990s.

Photo credit: @pripyatbeast

Whatever the case, you won’t stop me from dreaming about such things finally happening, with the yellow Grimlock remaining firmly and perpetually near the top of my fantasy wishlist!

#7: Minibots

Photo credit: The Spacebridge

Here’s another pair of vintage prototypes that were drastically overhauled prior to their eventual release! Yes, you’re looking at a blue and red Seaspray and Beachcomber, which look very different from what we eventually saw at retail. However, the Seaspray was glimpsed at least once during the ’80s, as it was featured in a prototype-laden Takara catalogue image that has raised all kinds of questions in the years since!

Photo credit: TFWiki

Also of note in this picture are toys such as white Powerglide, green Warpath and blue Cosmos, all of which went on to find new life in the e-HOBBY exclusive 2004 Collector’s Edition GoBots set. Sadly though, there’s never been any love for the Seaspray, nor indeed the red Beachcomber seen here, too (although such a thing does at least exist in KO form!), so perhaps now could finally be the time for it to happen! After all, they’re fantastic little toys…

#6: Generation 2 cars

OK, ok, I promise this list won’t be another dump of awesome Generation 2 goodness! However, alongside the Dinobots, these particular examples remain some of the most desirable unreleased toys from the ’90s. They still crop up regularly in my brain whenever this topic rears its head. Alongside the gold Jazz artwork, there’s something unimaginably over the top about them that makes them hard to forget, after all!

Photo credit: @TFSquareOne

Sadly, it feels like the chances are slim, not least because we haven’t had an official Mirage reissue of any kind since the ’80s, so odds are it’s just not available for some reason. The Sideswipe mould was released as recently as 2012, although there’s some evidence to suggest this was perhaps older stock from around the 2005 era, so we’ll have to wait and see on that one! Either way, I’d love for these to become a reality one day.

Be sure to check out part 2!

TTFN