(All pics found from the net. My digicam sucks.)
BACKGROUND 
Okay, this is my first original transformers purchase in a veeery long time! My last TF purchase would be a Gen 1 Optimus Prime, MIB from Nova Fontana at the SM North Carpark back in ‘97. (More in this in the future.)
When the Masterpiece Prime and the Alternators line came out, it was just too expensive, and I really can’t afford another hobby (I’m in diecast car collecting), except perhaps if they made a new Bumblebee based on the New Beetle. I am a 100% VW enthusiast, after all.
We do know that the chances of a VW-based Bumblebee coming out in the near future, or rather, coming out ever, would be pretty slim since VW won’t license their products to anything related with war.
Then came this.
The first time I saw it on the net, the first thought that came to me was “nice robot form.” Was not really surprised with the hatchback alt mode, but it really is a bit disappointing.
The Gen 1-esque robot form did make me a fan of the classics line. Beast Wars never appealed to me, and the new Energon-Cybertron lines were just too exaggerated in their alt modes. I’m a fan of the alternator line, but the price were still too prohibitive for me to jump back into TF collecting. I do have some bootlegs, but that’s the problem - they’re just bootlegs.
An officemate started collecting TF classics, buying these items from the nearest hobby shop. He would bring these new toys in the office and he was nice enough to let me have first dibs in transforming these toys. This further made me a fan of the classics line.
Let’s cut to the chase. When i finally got my own classics Bumblebee, I felt like it was the 1980’s again. I opened the blister pack very carefully, took out the yellow hatchback and felt its weight in my hands.
After 10 years, I have a new TF toy…
I showed it to my mom (see? told ya I was a kid again) and her first reaction was disappointment. She was expecting a VW bumblebee.
I then took out the instruction booklet, and true enough, even the motif followed the old gen 1 layouts and design. I love it.
Bumblee rolled on the table smoothly, pulling the small trailer. Part of me could now forgive and accept a non-VW Bumblebee. Then I tried the first steps of transforming…
ALT MODE
Bumblebee’s alt mode is a yellow generic hatchback that looks like a cross between a Suzuki Swift and a Renault Megane.
I’ll be brutally honest here. This toy car looks cheap. The old Gen 1 alt modes had rubber tires and being based on real cars, had realistic details. This hatchback looks like a cheap plastic toy.
Sorry.
It does grow on you, in fairness. Besides, the old gen-1 beetle mode is no better, after all.
ROBOT MODE
Ah! The magic of it all! This is where my 700p went (srp)! In robot mode, Bumblebee is an excellent engineering design! The ball joints lent Bumblebee good articulation in his arms.
Transforming Bumblebee between modes is also a bit complex, which is good. The head sculpt is pretty cartoon-accurate! Yeah!
But first, some quick notes - Bumblebee is a bit oversized in scale as compared with the other classics robots. He is almost as tall as Hot Rod and Mirage, and his head is a bit bigger than theirs. I compared Bumblebee’s alt mode to a yellow beetle i have on my office desktop, and sure enough, they are about the same scale - 1/32.
Hot Rod and Mirage, in their alt modes, were also compared to some toy cars I have on my desk, and they’re around 1/43 scale.
Bumblebee is said to be the same scale (in his robot form) as the alternator robots (comparing size differences in the cartoon), but the discrepancy between the 1/24 and 1/32 scale could be because Gen 1 Bumblebee’s alt mode is a VW Beetle with “tooned” proportions.
THE TRAILER
Kudos to Hasbro for over-engineering this small accessory!
Transforming Bumblebee’s trailer to a jet pack and back is also a mild brain puzzle. My officemates couldn’t get it done in their first few tries. It may look simple, but it’s not that simple. Very good!
ROBOT MODE OR CAR MODE?
Robot mode, definitely!
THE VERDICT
All in all, I’m very very satisfied with this purchase. Classics Bumblebee, for all its flaws, is a very good buy. I’ll be looking forward to Cliffjumper!
The transformation process is a bit complex, which is good, but can be mastered after a few tries, which is very good.
The instruction manual clearly indicated that this toy is for 5 years up. Sure. I won’t even hand this to a ten-year old kid, unless he’s familiar with the TF process.
QUICK SUMMARY
Pros:
Great details in robot form
Good transformation process
Good articulation and poseability
Cool trailer accessory
Very playable
The rubsign is back!!!
Cons:
Not a VW
Alt mode looks like cheap plastic toy
RATING: out of 5