Turbofire

Turbofire is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Oh sweet genius someone please find a good scan of his US art so we can get this scary thing down in the Notes section where it belongs!

Turbofire hasn't exactly got the fastest processor on the block, but he's not about to let that get in the way. Sure, it might take him longer to work out a solution than... well, than a lot of other Autobots, but he's dogged and logical in his own fashion. When he finally makes his decision, it's usually the right one.

Still, in a fast-moving team like the Axelerators, he's better suited to the role of backup, bringing fresh supplies and providing cover fire for the bots on the front line. He does it without complaint; after all, he (eventually) reasons it's a vitally important job that's got to be done, and he's the one to do it!

Fiction

Dreamwave comics continuity

Turbofire was among a group of Autobots on Cybertron who were rioting at the idea of having to listen to Prowl. Skyfire

IDW comics continuity

"Shoot the sky! Maybe it'll fall on them!"

Turbofire was one of several Autobots under the command of Fortress Maximus on the Garrus-9 penal colony. He and the other soldiers failed to stop a Decepticon attack force from liberating the facility's newest inmates. Spotlight: Arcee

Later, Garrus-9 came under attack again and Turbofire again defended it. And then Overlord came to town... Last Stand of the Wreckers issue 1

Wings Universe

As a "second generation" of Transformers arose on Earth in the Cyberfactory, Turbofire was one of many Transformers "born" as an official citizen of Earth. While they were created with no faction in mind, he and many other Earth-born Cybertronians became Autobots to oppose their brethren, who had formed the Decepticon Syndicate. At some point during their battles, Turbofire fought Eagle Eye.

Stationed in Autobot City, Turbofire was among the reinforcements called in during the Decepticon attack on the Large Hadron Collider, and he heroically towed Manta Ray to the front lines. He then helped rout the evildoers by blasting some Sharkticons, and he may even have developed forestonite superpowers if he was lucky. Generation 2: Redux

Toys

Generation 1

Don't worry; you'll see him coming.

• Hotrider (Axelerator, 1993)
  • Accessories: Engine block/gun

Sold as part of the Axelerator assortment, "Hotrider" transforms into a large pickup truck of undetermined model. His exposed chrome-silver engine block becomes a hand-held weapon in robot mode. The toy is gang-molded with Rapido.

He was initially released in the European market in 1993, during the "transitional" time when the Transformers toys took on the new Generation 2 sigils, but the packaging lacked the "Generation 2" line-name.

• More information on Turbofire at TFU.info

Generation 2

• Turbofire/Hotrider (Small Car/Axelerator, 1993/1994)
  • Accessories: Engine-block rifle

Released concurrently with the "Generation 1" Hotrider, Turbofire is almost identical to the European toy, save the pink clear-plastic being replaced with smoky-black. Hotrider was re-released in the European Generation 2 line the following year, retaining his clear-pink plastics.

Block Town

I like traffic lights. I like traffic lights. I like traffic lights. I like traffic lights. That is what I said. I like traffic lights. I like traffic lights. I like traffic lights. I like traffic lights. I like traffic lights. But not when they are red.

• Signal/Traffic Lights Set (Block Town, 1996)
  • Accessories: Engine block/gun, signal light brick set

Turbofire's mold was one of several intended to be used in the post-Generation 2 Takara Block Town line. To be redecoed in blue with black robot parts, he was to come with the "Signal/Traffic Lights Set", a building-block traffic signal that could be rebuilt into a battle station of some form. This set ultimately never came to release. In 2005, a supposed Takara "release" schedule listed the Block Town sets among several other future items coming out. Only the Galaxy Force items on that list saw release, however (and some only as store exclusives to boot).

Given that Turbofire's Japanese name was revealed on a BotCon Japan-exclusive poster to be "Hotrider" - a poster that also showed Windbreaker's Japanese name as being "Carzap", which was what the Block Town Windbreaker redeco showed up as in Transformers Generations - it's likely that the Block Town Turbofire was going to be named "Hotrider" as well.

Your bargaining posture is highly dubious. Proceed on your way to oblivion. This item has been canceled, with no current plans for release.

Notes

• Like all of the toys carried over from the European line for Generation 2, Turbofire got entirely new artwork for his US release . His original artwork, seen at the top of the article, has a scary freakin' vent-thing in place of his mouth. Whyyyyy?

Foreign names

• UK: Hotrider
• Italian: Astro