General Information:
Release Date: August 2022
Price Point: $24.99 (depending on retailer)
Retailer: Walmart Exclusive (with limited numbers sold on Hasbro Pulse)
Accessories: Lightbar, Blaster, Rocket Launcher (non working), Rocket
Official images and text below in italics are from Hasbro Pulse:
Universes collide! Transformers: Legacy brings together fan-favorite characters from across the Transformers multiverse. Figures feature deco inspired by their universe with an updated Generations design. In honor of the almost 40-year legacy of Transformers entertainment, the fandoms come together from across the Transformers multiverse, all in one toy line. The race is on! Bots from across the multiverse have gathered on Velocitron to participate in the Speedia 500, a planet-wide race to determine its next leader.
Clampdown knows the Speedia 500 is happening, but that doesn’t mean bots can get away with speeding. He sits on the roadside, waiting to pull over bots racing above safe speed limits. Includes: Figure, 3 accessories, and instructions.
- UNIVERSES COLLIDE: Universes collide with Transformers: Legacy! This epic line of Transformers toys brings together fan-favorite characters from across the Transformers multiverse
- VELOCITRON SPEEDIA 500 COLLECTION: The race is on! Bots from across the multiverse have gathered on Velocitron to participate in the Speedia 500, a planet-wide race to determine its next leader
- DIACLONE-INSPIRED DESIGN: This Transformers 5.5-inch Diaclone Universe Clampdown robot toy is inspired by the original Diaclone appearance, updated with a Generations-style design
- 2 EPIC MODES: Action figure converts from robot to police car mode in 16 steps
- AWESOME ACCESSORIES: Comes with shoulder blaster and Energon light bar accessories that combine to become an axe accessory. Accessories attach to figure in both modes
- Figure scale: 5.5 inches
- Ages 8 and up
- Warning: Choking Hazard - Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Background:
In March 2003 e-Hobby released an exclusive redeco of the G1 Red Alert reissue as a new Autobot character: Clampdown. This is one of many characters who were retroactively fit into G1 continuity based on the deco of Diaclone variants (Crosscut is another example of this. This character popped up gain in 2015 as a Masterpiece figure and then in 2022 Clampdown appeared again as part of the Walmart exclusive Legacy Velocitron collection.
The foundational sculpt for this figure was the Siege Sideswipe figure. That figure would later be used as the base tooling for Siege Red Alert, Tiger Track, Deep Cover and War for Cybertron Deep Cover. In time, the Siege Sideswipe sculpt would be retooled as the "Earth Mode" Kingdom Sideswipe. Eventually that figure would be released as the Walgreens exclusive "Earth Mode" Red Alert (which at this time I have not yet reviewed). It is that figure this new Clampdown is based on.
Packaging:
When the original Generation One figures were released, they were packaged in a rectangular box with a large flap on the back. They sat inside the box in their alt-modes relying on the package artwork to show off the robot mode. However, for quite some time now, Transformers have been mostly packaged in robot mode instead, a move partly intended to show off the value of the figure you are purchasing. This has led to more vertical packaging that discarded the old "rectangle box with flap" design. Aside from some Vintage reissues and the Vintage Headmaster line, this style of packaging has been very rare in modern day releases.
Enter: the Speedia 500 collection! This entire line features its characters packaged in G1 shaped boxes complete with a rectangular shape, a window in the front and a flap on top. The only exceptions are Scourge and Galaxy Shuttle, who are packaged in a big, closed boxes with an illustration in front. The background features a wonderful black to blue gradient and each box features the text "Velocitron Speedia 500 Collection". A lot of graphics on the boxes are references to the race including arrows and even the symbol of Velocitron itself boldly shown off on the front of the boxes. Each character does feature new box art including Clampdown. Interestingly, the box art for Clampdown features the character in both modes. The flap on top has him in vehicle mode while the left side of the rectangular section shows him in robot mode. Burn Out is part of the multi-versal Legacy line so he is referred to as being from the"Diaclone " Universe. The back of the box shows him in both modes, calling out a 16 step transformation.
To say I love this packaging design would be an understatement. It manages to blend some nostalgia with a modern day line and the graphics are all consistent with the world of Velocitron itself.
Accessories:
This figure comes with four accessories, all the same ones that came with the Walgreens exlcusive Red Alert figure. They include:
- Rocket Launcher: This non-working shoulder mounted launcher piece is the same as the one included with Siege Sideswipe. This piece is black plastic with no paint applications.
- Rocket: Unlike the rocket included with the Siege Sideswipe figure, this one does not have a handle. It still has a cone shape and attaches to the launcher. On top of that the end has a peg you can use to attach Blast Effects. This piece is made of white plastic with red paint on it.
- Blaster: The blaster included with the figure is not the same as Siege Sideswipe's. Instead, this is the weapon sculpt originally used by Siege Red Alert and later used with Tiger Track and Deep Cover. This piece is black plastic with no paint applications.
- Lightbar: This piece is used in both the vehicle mode and robot mode as an axe blade when you attach it to the blaster (which serves as the "axe" handle). The lightbar is translucent red plastic with silver in the middle.
Vehicle Mode:
Clampdown's vehicle mode really evokes a real life Lamborgini well without going into licensed territory, and that's really impressive. The vehicle mode is beautiful, sleek and looks like it would be able to chase down any Decepticon! I really love how the new parts make it look like an Earth vehicle versus a Cybertronian one.
The deco really looks great in this mode. The front end has a black, pointed design that many older fans will recognize from the front end of G1 Prowl. This is a design seen on some police cars used in Japan. The shield tampograph carries over from the robot mode to the front of the car and the sides have smaller versions with star designs. The lower edge of the vehicle's doors has a black bar with the word "Police" in white, a direct homage to the original Clampdown figure. The sides of the wheels are painted silver, a touch I really appreciate after years of seeing unpainted wheels on figures in the Generations line.
All the attachment points for accessories on Clampdown are still nice and tight, so no worries there.
Robot Mode:
Here's a quick recap of how this version of the "Lambo" sculpt has changed from the original Siege Sideswipe release:
- Chest: The panel that makes up the torso and the front of the vehicle mode. This piece is much smoother than the Siege version. It is designed to resemble the front end of a Lamborghini Countach LP500S and definitely evokes the G1 animation model.
- Back: The back piece is entirely new, featuring some mechanical detailing behind the windshield piece similar to the details on Earthrise Sunstreaker's windshield.
- Back of the Legs: The pieces that form the back of the lower legs are new, resembling the rear portion of a Lamborghini Countach including layered panels in the middle.
In addition to all that, this sculpt uses the head sculpt that was used for Kingdom Red Alert. While he and Sideswipe used the same base sculpt in G1, their animated counterparts had different (but similar) head designs. This head design features a helmet section with shorter "ear" pieces that stick out to the sides and the shape is slightly more rounded off than Sideswipe's. Overall it's a really nice retool that gives a nice G1 cartoon-esque look to the figure in both forms.
This time out, this sculpt is made up of white, black, light grey and translucent black plastic. Paint colors include black, red, metallic blue and silver. On his chest is a shield tampograph with an Autobot symbol inside. This is inspired directly by a sticker on the e-Hobby Clampdown figure. For the most part the colors on this figure work well in paying homage to the original Clapmdown except the light grey used on the elbows, forearms and thighs. I believe the color was meant to emulate the vacuum metallized silver parts on Clampdown, but even then it really doesn't work. The color is rather dull looking, and set against the white on the figure it winds up looking rather plain. I would have much preferred they use red somehow - at least on the thighs so it would match the e-Hobby Clampdown. It's not a bad deco mind you, it just could have been much better.
After using this base sculpt so many times it is no surprise that the tooling isn't quite where it once was so it did not surprise me much to find that the hip and knee joints are a bit loose on my copy of this figure. Mind you, the figure can stand and pose just fine, but the joints are definitely not as tight as those on other figures that I have based on this sculpt.
Final Thoughts:
I am a big fan of Diaclone homages. I think they are a fun way to expand the G1 cast while paying homage to the era before Transformers. Clampdown adds to the many homages we have had in the line the past few years. That said, I do with the robot mode deco was a bit stronger and unfortunately the wear and tear of this tooling is beginning to show. If you can find this at retail I'd say it's not a bad purchase, but don't go out of your way (or pay scalper prices) for it. Recommended if you are a completist or wish to bolster your Diaclone homage army.
Pros:
- I love Diaclone homages!
- Includes all thwe accessories that go with this sculpt.
- Very nice retool of the Siege Sideswipe figure.
- Very nice deco in vehicle mode.
Cons:
- Deco in robot mode could have been stronger.
- The hip and knee joints are a bit more loose on my copy of this figure than any of my other "Lambo" Autobot figures.
