<-- Click images to search the store -->
Don't let their sizes fool you! These tiny but tough Autobots are messengers with meaning!
To the left and right are, in alphabetical order, the seventeen Autobot Mini Vehicles (released between 1984 and 1986). The release order is as follows:
1984 There were six mini vehicles released during this year:
- Brawn
- Bumblebee (yellow or red)
- Cliffjumper (yellow or red)
- Gears
- Huffer
- Windcharger
A seventh, known to collectors as
Bumblejumper was also packaged during this year in either Bumblebee or Cliffjumper packaging, and is quite rare. All seven of these mini vehicles are taken straight from Takara's Japanese Microchange line (aka Microman).
1985 There were five mini vehicles released during this year:
- Beachcomber
- Cosmos
- Powerglide
- Seaspray
- Warpath
This was the height of Transformers popularity, and as a consequence, more of these five mini vehicles were sold than any other mini vehicle wave. Yet these rank as some of the highest-demand figures.
1986 There were six mini vehicles released during this year:
- Hubcap (Cliffjumper repaint/remold)
- Outback (Brawn repaint)
- Pipes (Huffer repaint)
- Swerve (Gears repaint)
- Tailgate (Windcharger repaint)
- Wheelie
Wheelie is only one mini vehicle this year that is a fully original mold, although
Hubcap has some subtle differences in the robot head and rear spoiler area, and
Pipes differs slightly from Huffer in the smoke stacks as well as the robot head. From this year on, Hasbro seems to go repaint crazy (an obvious financial decision due to the high cost involved in the design and tooling of brand new molds). In my opinion, this is one of the reason Transformers popularity began to wain in this era.