Autobot shuttle

The Autobot shuttle is a starship in multiple continuity families.

Ultra Magnus' shuttle detaching from its main section

The Autobot shuttle is a multi-stage transport use by the Autobots around the 2005 era. Though they have a tendency to explode if you look at them wrong, the Autobot shuttles enjoy a good reputation due to their excellent safety rating. You can crash them, shoot them, set them on fire, blow them up, but the passengers will almost always walk away uninjured.

The Autobot shuttle can be launched either vertically or VTOL via thrust vectoring through apetures on the bottom of the ship.

A handful of Autobot Shuttles remain in active service through the Beast Era where they are considered antiques.

The E.D.C. has also been known to use this type of shuttle.

In the Marvel comics, the Ark slowly morphed into something resembling the Autobot shuttle- and the Autobot shuttles looked like the Ark. *sigh*.

Shuttle Sections

The shuttle has a modular design similar to... I'm gonna say Ginrai. Adding modules on to the front section expands the shuttle's range and abilities. The addition of a small lifepod means it's possible to detonate 1/2, 3/4 or 4/4 of the ship and still survive.

Rear section

The rear section of the Autobot shuttle contains the Main Stellar Drive for interstellar travel as well as the main propellant engines.

It also houses a cargo hold.

Middle section

The middle section of the Autobot shuttle houses a set of backup engines partially protected by blast-away armor when connected to the stellar drive. When separated, fold-out ailerons provide a measure of atmospheric maneuverability.

The middle section houses some crew quarters, and a medical repair bay equipped with life support machines to repair simple problems, and a Lifeline Cybernetic Diagnostic Module to work in tandem with a medical technician on more complicated problems. The repair bay is versatile enough to perform anything from a simple tune-up to a complete retrofit procedure.

Forward section

An Autobot Transport Gunship forms the foremost module of the shuttle.

This section's function is to keep the occupants alive in a tight situation, it excels at short-range space combat, but is not designed for traveling interstellar distances.

Out pops a surprise!

The Gunship is armed with three cannons on the lower surface, and the 'wings' on either size can house a variety of armaments, such as pop-out guns or sonic warheads.

Lifepod

The Lifepod module is capable of carrying several transformers a short distance, keeping them alive in time for rescue or putting down on a nearby planet. It lacks a communications system, which is pretty darn weird.

Though airtight, this lifepod has no life support system, leaving humans with just the air trapped inside it to breathe. Presumably this defect has been addressed in the E.D.C. version of the Autobot shuttle.

The Lifepod can hold six normal-sized Transformers... if they're friendly.

Shuttles in Fiction

Despite the large number of shuttles in Transformers fiction, none of them have ever been given a name, and it's likely that all shuttles are nameless.

The Transformers: The Movie

• The shuttle on highjacked its way to Autobot City. Orange with light-gray accents.
• The shuttle commanded by Ultra Magnus whose main section was destroyed by Galvatron's ship. Orange with dark red accents. This is presumably the same shuttle Optimus Prime brought to Autobot city..
• The shuttle with Kup, Hot Rod and the Dinobots that crashed on Quintessa. Orange with dark gray-blue accents.

Season 3

I bet you get sick of those colors real quick in the E.D.C.

• A human shuttle was used to make a kamikaze-run on Cybertron's central power facility in Five Faces of Darkness, Part 4 before a full-scale planetary invasion. This shuttle was painted in the E.D.C.'s signature white-and-blue colors.
• The shuttle Rodimus Prime used in Dark Awakening. Orange with white and light-gray accents.

Others

• An Autobot shuttle aboard the Ark provided the Maximals with the means of their final victory over Megatron as well as a way to finally escape from prehistoric Earth. This shuttle was later destroyed on Cybertron.

References

From Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki, a Wikia wiki.