In the old days, Ironhide could transform into a little red mini-van. Unassuming and meek, it was an uncharacteristic alternate mode for such a grizzled war veteran, looking more like a delivery van than the Autobots’ muscle-for-hire. Now, in 2007, Ironhide assumes the form of an unashamedly environmentally unfriendly 4×4, and it looks to me like the only things he’s delivering are arse-kickings by the truck load.

As the Decepticon with the least amount of screen time in the Transformers film, and yet another Transformer manufactured in the wrong size category, I had little to no interest in Bonecrusher. But, Bonecrusher comes as a surprise. In a minefield of hit-and-miss Decepticon designs, Bonecrusher is refreshing and exudes a charm all his own.

After over twenty years and over thirty Optimus Prime toys, all variations of the same theme, it’s time for a bit of an update, a bit of something that’s sur le feu. Optimus Prime, as seen in the “Transformers (2007) movie, is now a long-nosed “Peterbilt” truck decorated with flames.

In all the twenty odd years of the many Transformers ranges, Ratchet has never had a decent toy. But now, with the Transformers (2007) range it could be that, at long last, his new form has come to the rescue.

Overload, the second of the two Autobot Micromaster Transports, takes the term Transport quite literally. In blue cab/grey trailer car carrier vehicle mode, he is able to transport other Micromaster vehicles. In that respect, Overload is a lot like Ultra Magnus from 1986. Except in this case, the trailer unfolds into a jet/chariot instead of robot armour.

Consisting of Highjump, Mudslinger, Powertrain, and Tote, the Autobot Off Road Patrol was released concurrently with both the Race Car Patrol and the Air Strike Patrol. With the Micromasters sub-range initially returning to aircraft equal Decepticons and cars and trucks equal Autobots, it meant, for the moment that the Autobots outnumbered the Decepticons two to one.