Classics (Europe)

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

Classics is a Transformers toyline from the later days of Generation 1.

Europe is a strange place.

In 1990 and 1991, the toy market in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe saw many re-releases of earlier Transformers toys. The new packaging was gold-coloured and bore the subtitle 'Classics' for the UK, Scandinavian, Dutch, and French markets (Spain and Italy omitted the title "Classic" from the packaging). The toys released in 1990 even still bore rubsigns, even though the 'standard' lines had ceased this practice by 1988. Most of the 1991 toys featured rubsign indents, but no longer sported rubsigns. They were also retooled to block out details stating the original year of manufacture and the original country of manufacture.

It has been suggested that the toys produced for this line originate from the same production run and facilities as the Chinese Generation 1 line.

Releases

1990

Autobots

Classic Heroes

Sunstreaker

Wheeljack

Ironhide

Inferno

Jazz

Prowl

Oddly enough, "Classic" Prowl was available with stickers sporting the name "Diaclone", unlike all previous or subsequent versions of the toy available as part of a Transformers line. His crest is also painted and not stickered like the G1 release.

Classic Aerialbots

Silverbolt

Skydive

Air Raid

Fireflight

Slingshot

Decepticons

Classic Stunticons

Motormaster

Drag Strip

Breakdown

Wild Rider[sic]

Dead End

1991

Autobots

Original Autobot Leader

Optimus Prime Classic style

Optimus Prime

Optimus Prime actually isn't called a "Classic" anywhere on the packaging. Instead, he's called "Original Autobot Leader". However, since it's the same packaging style and same year of release, he is listed as part of the "Classics" series.

Classic Blaster

Blaster was released in 1991 as an Australian exclusive.

Classic Heroes

Sideswipe

Tracks

Tracks' shins are painted black instead of just having a silver diecast appearance.

Classic Protectobots

Hot Spot

Streetwise

Streetwise was retooled to make the light bar an extension of the roof painted red, instead of being separately cast in red plastic as with the original.

Groove

First Aid

Blades

Classic Dinobots

Grimlock

Sludge

Snarl

Classic Snarl's dinosaur head is quite dark; almost an opaque black instead of the clear plastic of the original.

Classic Triple Changers

Springer

Sandstorm

Unlike the initial 1986 release with metal toes painted orange, and the running change version with solid orange plastic toes, the Classic reissue sported black plastic toes painted orange.

Classic Throttlebots

Goldbug

Rollbar

Wideload

Chase

Freeway

Searchlight

Most of the Throttlebots were retooled to have their rubsign indents removed. Wideload managed to retain his rubsign indent.

Decepticons

Classic Combaticons

Onslaught

For reasons unknown, the Spanish Classics release of Onslaught was renamed "Oslat" - the only Spanish Classics reissue to sport a different name than its UK or French/Dutch counterparts.

Blast Off

Vortex

Brawl

Swindle

Classic Triple Changers

Astrotrain

Octane

Australian exclusives

Additionally, in 1990, Australia saw the limited release of several toys in their original G1 packaging, but they were also retooled to block out the original year of manufacture and the original country of manufacture. Due to the timing of these releases, and the re-use of the original G1 packaging rather than the gold Classics livery, it is very likely that the origin of these releases was the late 1980s/early 1990s Chinese G1 reissue toyline. It's also possible that this re-release of Beachcomber, Bumblebee, Hubcap and Seaspray, was a factor in all 4 figures being rereleased in vacuum metalised decos in the 1993 Transformers: Generation 2 toyline. The Australian 1990 releases in G1 packaging were:

Autobots

Beachcomber

Bumblebee

Hubcap

Seaspray

Decepticons

Cyclonus

Ramjet

Scourge

Soundwave (with Buzzsaw)

Starscream

Some Starscreams were incorrectly packaged with 2 left fists.

Fiction

• While not officially branded or recognised as 'Classics' fiction, the Earthforce stories in the Marvel UK comic were inspired by, and responding to, the reissues.

External links

• Information about Australian and European G1 releases at Cliffbee.com
• TFSource article on Euro Classics