[REVIEW] Dave's Go-Bots Rant: Speed-Bot Racer

Dave's Deluxe Go-Bots Rant

     Speed-Bot Racer

     The second wave of Deluxes hit shelves this week.  Aero-Bot Racer is the
same mold as the first wave Deluxes, but in Aero-Bot colors.  Needless to
say, I didn't bother getting it, so I can't say what its voicechip does.

CAPSULE

     Speed-Bot Racer: Good chunky car mode, okay transformation, robot mode
is pretty poseable for a Go-Bot.  One of the minifigs is a new mold, and the
sounds are identical to those on Speed-Bot II (but sound better due to a
larger speaker).   Recommended.  $11.76 at Wal-Mart.

RANT

     Packaging: Same size and general shape as the first wave Deluxes, but in
the new Gobotropolis colors.  There are three stickers on the front of the
bubble.  One just says "NEW!", one says "GREAT CAR SOUND EFFECTS AND ROBOT
PHRASES!  Batteries included." and a third shows the robot mode with the
claim "QUICK & EASY!  Changes from Race Car to Robot!"  The toy is packaged
in car mode, with no "try me" opening (Aero-Bot Racer retains the "try me"
opening, however).  In the upper right corner of the card it claims "LOTS OF
COOL PHRASES in robot form!"  Co-sells on the bottom show Aero-Bot and
Silver-Bot jets, Cop-Bot, new Reptron and re-symboled Beast-Bot.  It also
shows Speed-Bot Racer, but with the label Aero-Bot Racer.  Oops.

Bio: Speed-Bot Racer

     The fastest GO-BOT in the galaxy, he can spring into race-car form and
take to the street with slick tires and state-of-the-art style.  His will to
win sometimes leads him to act first and think later, but his raw sped,
endless energy and happy nature make him a favorite of the GO-BOTS.

     Car Mode: Its chunky look makes it seems smaller, but it's actually
bigger than the Speed-Bot II Racer (ah, irony, Speed-Bot II is older than
Speed-Bot, gotta love running line-changes).  6" (15cm) long and 3.5" (9cm)
wide, it's a sportscar similar to the original Speed-Bot, but with a moon
roof and smoother lines.  Mianly red with lots of black detailing, metallic
blue windows, silver headlights, the standard taupe tires and yellow Go-Bot
insignia on the hood and doors.  Oversized exhaust pipes are silver.  The
windshield has bars that suggest the design is intended to be a chibi NASCAR
shape.  
     The hood insignia is on a button, but this button does nothing in car
mode.  Instead, you push down on the entire car, which drops down on its rear
shocks (nice touch) to push a button on the underside against the table or
floor.  This triggers an engine sound that is identical to Speed-Bot II's,
but a bit deeper in pitch due to a larger speaker.  In fact, the sound chips
seem to be identical, as becomes obvious in robot mode.
     The front of the driver compartment flips up, and there's a place to put
the driver figure.  The lid does not snap into place, and doesn't quite close
with the driver in place.  The driver controls are just molded, there's no
moving steering wheel like on the old racer mold.

     Transformation: Pull the rear half back to unbend the knees, then turn
it around at the waist (this unpushes a button and switches the sound to
robot mode).  Then pull down the hood, which autotransforms the arms.  This
will also flip the driver out if you had him inside the car.  You probably
want to adjust the legs at this point, either bending the knees a click or
leaning back a click at the hips, so the robot won't fall over.

     Robot Mode: This adds yellow in the form of the pelvis, upper legs and
eyebrows, and the hood button now connects internally to trigger sounds
(which are the same phrases in the same order as with Speed-Bot II).  It
stands 6.5" (16cm) tall and has a slightly beefier version of the standard
Speed-Bot face.  
     The head does not seem to be designed to turn, and I'm not going to
force it any further to see if it's just paintlock.  The arms move at the
shoulders on ratchety joints.  The waist turns thanks to a transformation
joint (and unlike the original Speed-Bot mold, it turns freely without making
the head retract).  And here's where it gets good...the hips are ratcheting
universal joints, the legs can separate, and the knees bend!  Some really
dynamic poses are possible, at least on the scale of Go-Bot poseability.

     Gas-Bot: Identical to the Gas-Bot that came with Speed-Bot II, except
it has the red and yellow paint apps reversed.

     Driver: This is a new mold, although it has several points of similarity
to the original Augie Cannay/Go Akai mold (to use my names for 'em).  The
proportions are the same tiny torso/big extremities type, but all the details
have been altered, and both hands are in fists.  This little guy also has a
jetpack.  The bodysuit is dark gray, the chest and leg armor light gray, the
helmet, fists and feet are violet with dark purple visor and some metallic
green accents here and there.  And where the original driver's face could be
interpreted as kinda human, this one is clearly robotic.  I think I'll call
this one Number 16.

     Overall: Pretty cool for a Go-Bot, although I do wish they'd recorded a
new voice chip for this one.

     Dave Van Domelen, now has more Go-Bots than he can fit on his Go-Bots
shelf, and more mini-figs than will fit in Strong-Bot II's dumper.