Hubcap (G1)

The name or term "Hubcap" refers to more than one character or idea. For a list of other meanings, see Hubcap (disambiguation).

Hubcap is an Autobot from the Generation 1 continuity family.

Orange face and experimental dog energies not included.

Everybody likes Hubcap. He's friendly, always has a clever joke or compliment ready, and is generally a nice, fun, affable bot to be around. On the other hand nobody actually trusts Hubcap. It's not his devotion to the Autobot cause that's the concern (mostly), but his ulterior motives for his friendship and jokes and the like. He is at his core a con artist, and everyone's a bit on their guard around him. Some think he's this way to cover for deficiencies or to stay in a position well above his actual aptitude level... or maybe he just likes tricking people. He doesn't seem to have made many enemies with his tricks and scams, though; quite the opposite. So perhaps it is all mostly harmless.

No-one doubts that he's got very good audio receptors, though, capable of picking up incredibly weak signals, which is why he's part of the Autobot communications hub. One can only guess as to what he might do with all he hears in that position, though.

Fiction

Japanese Generation 1 cartoon continuity

Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers manga

So which one of them is Tinky Winky?

Hubcap was part of a group who arrived to back up Powerglide, who was defending a dog that had been cruelly experimented on by the Decepticons from being hunted and captured by the Combaticons. He and the other Minibots combined with Powerglide in their vehicle modes thanks to the experimental energies within the dog, and, spinning furiously, smashed through Bruticus's chest and out the other side in a flying drill attack.

No, seriously. Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers #8

Dreamwave Generation One continuity

Hubcap and his buddies weren't 1984 enough to beat the training drones.

Hubcap was among the group of new recruits seen failing to take on the auto-combatant training drones on Cybertron after Shockwave's rule was toppled. Black Sunshine

IDW Generation 1 continuity

Actually doing his job!

Hubcap was among the mourners at Bumper and Fastback's funeral at Security Services Headquarters in Kaon, appropriately standing next to Bumblebee and Cliffjumper. Megatron Origin #3 He later served at an Autobot communications post, trying to radio through to Iacon for reinforcements during Megatron's "everything burns" offensive. In the end, the area was so devastated that Hubcap and the Autobots only requested evacuation from the area instead of new troops, leaving Kaon under Decepticon control. Megatron Origin #4 After the fall of Sentinel Prime, Hubcap was on the list of soldiers being trained by the newly risen Optimus Prime. Old Ways

Later on, he was listed as a potential candidate for a mission that was ultimately given to Wheelie. Spotlight: Wheelie

Hubcap was a good friend of Pipes, and the two would often write to each other during the war. Under Cold Blue Stars

TransTech

200

After a routine space bridge accident, Hubcap and his best mech Jackpot ended up in the trans-dimensional processing hub of Nexus 208.0 Epsilon Cybertron. They were released into Axiom Nexus proper after being properly cataloged and tagged to wait until their exit visas came through. Their tour guide Scattorshot, an Autobot from the Aurex universal cluster, explained the deal with the TransTechs, but Hubcap didn't get much further than "I hate quantum." The whole TransTech v. Offworlder system put Hubcap on edge, but Jackpot convinced him to live a little and mix it up with the locals.

While looking for someone to float them a line of credit, the two Autobots visited a local bank, only to be quickly escorted to the curb after Hubcap began loudly explaining all the ways the basic contract was designed to screw over the lendee long-term. Mixing their needs for adventure and profit, Hubcap and Jackpot journeyed to the relatively unpoliced Zone 6, and hit the scene at The Blue Deployer. Hubcap was initially annoyed at the low-level jamming field in the tavern that threw a blanket over his special senses, but soon perked right up when he saw the gambling tables. Hubcap got on a winning streak in his game, squaring off against a local Decepticon named Gutcruncher, and bet it all on what he thought was an unbeatable hand in Fullstasis. Unfortunately for their coin-purse, Jackpot wandered over at that moment and his luck-warping field (combined with the natural observer's bias when dealing with quantum mechanics) sent Gutcruncher's hand into superposition, costing Hubcap everything or, as he put it, "fifty-slagging-three-slagging-thousand slagging credits!"

Gutcruncher liked the cut of Hubcap's metal, and offered him a business opportunity to meet for later than night. Hubcap and Jackpot were in agreement to Never Trust a Decepticon when The Blue Deployer's patron, Cryotek, interjected his opinion. He convinced the duo to take Gutcruncher up on his offer and see what their options were. A few hours later, Hubcap and Jackpot found themselves with mezzanine-level seats to the start of a war—Gutcruncher was rallying all the offworlder gangs and unions to strike back at the TransTechs and seize their transcendent technology for themselves. And, as the universe attempted to prove any situation could always get worse, a photon charge suddenly went off directly behind the duo, atomizing Gutcruncher's skull and leaving every crooked crankshaft and gear-spitting gang member in Axiom Nexus gunning for their heads.

Hubcap and Jackpot led their pursuers on a merry chase, but could find no help at The Blue Deployer or from their own doppelgangers in the Nexus. Finally, they were caught by agents of the Security Administration and hauled in to the cops. Hubcap tried to explain to Commander Cheetor that his tech-specs just didn't allow this level of violence, but Cheetor was already way ahead of them: obviously they didn't do it, but obviously the gangs weren't going to stop and listen to a reasoned explanation. He was planning to hold them indefinitely, so Hubcap set off his engines to create a smokescreen long enough for them to escape. Still lacking anything that resembled a cunning plan, Hubcap and Jackpot continued running around the back alleys of Axiom Nexus, occasionally out-maneuvering the Malignus gang with sonic decoys and lucky electrocutions.

Can't we talk about this? I'm good at *erkk* talking...

This might have gone on for ages if the REAL killer hadn't tracked them down. Black Shadow, one of Cryotek's employees, had been responsible for the execution of Gutcruncher, and was planning to add two more kills to his record. After all, icing the two Autobots not only prevented them from clearing their names and implicating him, it also gave him a shot at a second payday once he collected the bounty placed on their heads by Gutcruncher's second, Dirge. The Autobots let him keep monologuing until they were ready to make a break for it. Unfortunately, Black Shadow was a Pretender (Crossformer, really), and splitting up did little to improve their odds. Hubcap tried to outrun the flying Decepticon by hitching a ride on a passing jet mode Transformer. He used a high-pitched whine from his audio systems to pretend he was equipped with an exponential generator, forcing his unwilling carrier to participate in the getaway. The next part of his plan was a bit dangerous, deliberately amplifying his voice and identifying himself to draw out the Malignus and Gutcruncher's lackeys. It worked, and just as Black Shadow was going to choke the life out of him and / or hand him over to Dirge and the Malignus for something even worse, Hubcap activated his internal playback and broadcasted Blackie's gloating confession for all to hear. After then tricking Black Shadow into identifying his guns as the murder weapons, the jury was in—the assembled gangs tore the assassin limb from limb.

Although they had successfully cleared their names, Commander Cheetor had deemed the two Autobots "undesirables" and fast tracked their exit visas as soon as possible, sending them on their way to a universe similar to their own. Hubcap and Jackpot ended up crash-materializing atop a Decepticon named Killzone, who was rampaging through a primitive civilization. A short talk with the locals revealed the planet was polluted with a certain kind of squarish rock that glows and explodes when you hit it. As they arranged to contact the Autobot army for pick-up, Hubcap began negotiating with Yurgeth to remove all those nasty rocks...free of charge, of course. Gone Too Far

Wings Universe

Wings Universe is based on the Generation 1 cartoon, but deviates from it in cosmetic ways and continuity points.

Hubcap was among the reinforcements sent to Switzerland from Autobot City via the Geneva space bridge nexus in 2010. He assisted Pyro's Autobots against the Decepticon Syndicate, and was exposed to forestonite gas that gave him unspecified new super-powers. Generation 2: Redux He later accompanied Pyro and several others to follow up on a distress call from Nebulos. Upon arriving, they discovered that scientist Hi-Q had disappeared. Hubcap used his forestonite-enhanced powers of persuasion to convince Hi-Q's lab assistant, Hi-Test to reveal the existence of Hi-Q's extensive security system. A Flash Forward, Part 3 Following clues from the surveillance recordings, Pyro and his team tracked the kidnapped Nebulon to Qre, where they were quickly incapacitated and captured by Jhiaxus. A Flash Forward, Part 4 After Sideswipe freed everyone, they rescued Hi-Q, destroyed the base, and returned to Earth. A Flash Forward, Part 6

During the final stages of the Machine Wars, Hubcap alerted Pyro to Obsidian's signal from Cybertron. A Common Foe

Games

Transformers Legends

Yes, he is doing a backflip in vehicle mode over a train which is ramming a Vehicon.

Hubcap was assigned to Pipes's team, guarding some researchers at a coastal town when they were attacked by Overbite and Nautilator. The B-Team Part Deux

Transformers: Battle Tactics

Hubcap participated in battles against a variety of opponents, both Autobots and Decepticons. Sometimes there were many of him! Transformers: Battle Tactics

Toys

Generation 1

Not yellow Cliffjumper, dammit.

• Hubcap (Mini-Vehicle, 1986)
  • Japanese ID number: C-57

Released in the third year of the original toy line in the US (second year in Japan), Hubcap is a retooling of the Cliffjumper "penny-racer"-proportioned Porsche 924 Turbo sports car mold, giving him a new robot mode head and "no spoiler". (His seeming lack of a spoiler is actually scale-accurate to the spoiler found on the real Porsche 924 and 944.) He is sometimes mistaken for the variant yellow Cliffjumper, and even occasionally for Bumper, who has a similar transformation, but an entirely different mold for his car parts and robot head.

In 1986, he was made available as a mail-away item (incorrectly labeled as Cliffjumper) in the "Digital Doom on the Highway to Destruction" and "The Autobots Are Under Attack!" fliers packed with most boxed Transformers toys. He cost $3.50 and one Robot Point. The instruction booklet to mail-away Hubcap (sometimes bundled with Warpath and Cosmos) also incorrectly refers to him as "Cliffjumper".

• Patent info, price guide, and further reading on Hubcap at Transformerland.com
• More information on Hubcap at TFU.info

Generation 2

Really not Cliffjumper.

• Hubcap (Mini-Vehicle, 1993)

Hubcap was re-released as part of the first batch of Generation 2 toys in the US, this time in shiny chrome red. There's speculation that this was because Hasbro had intended to release Cliffjumper instead but didn't have the mold, but it seems more likely it was simply to keep him from looking too much like his assortment partner Bumblebee.

• More information on Generation 2 Hubcap at TFU.info

Transformers (2010)

If we don't get a Super Couper-themed redeco, we riot.

• Hubcap (Scout Class, 2010)
  • Japanese ID number: AA-09

Hubcap was repurposed as Hubcap in "The B-Team Part Deux".

Hubcap transforms into a hot rod based on a 1930s-style car of indeterminate make, but most closely related to the Willys 77 (with some elements of its successor, the Americar). His feet appear to be based upon the iconic foot design of the Japanese mecha franchise Gundam. Compared to other toys from the live-action film series, his transformation consists of a mere three or four very easy steps.

Like most toys in the 2010 Transformers toyline, Hubcap features a standard Autobot insignia rather than the live-action movie style Autobot insignia.

This mold would also have been used to make 2010 Transformers Downshift.

• More information on Hubcap at TFU.info

Notes

Hubcap before discovering spray on tan.

• In the pre-Toy Fair 1986 catalog, Hubcap (actually just a redecoed Cliffjumper) is featured with a white car body, a black chest/torso, and a red face. Fellow 1986 Mini Vehicle Tailgate appears in Hubcap's final colors, though. The white "Hub Cap" would eventually become the basis for the non-toy character Rest-Q.
• Also in the pre-Toy Fair 1986 catalog, Hubcap's photo shows him mistransformed: his arms are not extended, making him look like his only limbs are his legs.
• Despite his availability with the rest of the '86 Mini-Vehicle assortment, Hubcap was completely absent from contemporary Western Generation 1 fiction. No character model was drawn up for him, and he was not included in either the Generation 1 cartoon or the Marvel comic. He was even missing from Marvel's The Transformers Universe bio series, despite having a full-length bio written by Bob Budiansky. The reason for this omission is unknown.
• Speaking of that full-length bio, it notes that Hubcap's phosphorescent windscreen acts as a television monitor. This is awesome.
• The fan-commentary track for Sony's 2006 release of The Transformers: The Movie erroneously claims that a generic robot resembling Bumblebee seen on Unicron's conveyor belt late in the film is Hubcap.
• In Fun Publications' stories, his personality and mannerisms are based on comedian-magician Penn Jillette.

Foreign names

• Japanese: Hubcap (ハブキャップ Habukyappu)
• French: Virevolto (Canada)
• Mandarin: Díshì (的士, "Taxi")