![]() It's still unclear whether this was supposed to indicate a licensed vehicle, or was merely intended to highlight a domestic vehicle, as the MB toys were also available in Germany.Īlthough the three 2001 Robots in Disguise Autobot Brothers Prowl, Side Burn and X-Brawn were all based on real-world vehicles (Prowl on a Lamborghini Diablo, Side Burn on a Dodge Viper and X-Brawn on a Mercedes-Benz M元20 SUV), Takara released their Car Robots versions without any licensing. In some instances, sponsor decals of racing cars were slightly altered (" Gitanes" becoming "Citanes", " Martini" becoming "Martinii", " Alitalia" becoming "Alitalla" etc.) in order to avoid legal trouble with those companies.Īn odd case is the Autobot Car Jazz (based on a Porsche 935 Turbo), whose original European version, released by Milton Bradley in 1985, sported an additional "Porsche" note after the name "Jazz" on the packaging. 2.7 Star Wars Transformers / CrossoversĮven though the original Generation 1 Autobot Cars released in 19, just like their Diaclone predecessors, were closely based on existing car models, none of them were officially licensed.2 Toys with licensed vehicle alternate modes.As well, the companies granting the licenses often request a level of creative control over the characters created from their licensed property. Molds whose licenses have expired are unable to remain in production, thus lessening the potential for redecos and retools. It can be a risky decision, as licenses need to be maintained and working relationships with the originating companies fostered. The notion of Transformers toys being officially licensed replicas of vehicles is a fairly recent one, and even more recent in Hasbro and TakaraTomy actually embracing it with gusto. These licenses are most often with car manufacturers across the world, but have recently expanded to include aircraft and other military hardware. The exception to this is when Hasbro, TakaraTomy or both acquire a license specifically to make a toy sculpt of a given vehicle. ![]() Though many (and some might even say most) Transformers toys are designed to resemble Earth vehicles, only a significant minority actually represent specific Earth vehicles, the majority having been fudged so as not to have to pay royalties to the actual owners of these vehicle designs. Ultimate Bumblebee as a Chevrolet Camaro.
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