Overdrive

Overdrive is an Autobot from Generation 1 continuity family.

Overdrive (left) politely kneels so no one realizes he's twice as tall as he should be.

Overdrive along with Downshift and Camshaft were the Omnibots, a trio of mailaway exclusives with the ability to cross dimensions and sense disturbances in the forces of space and time.

Fiction

2010 Manga

A flying car? How droll.

Toys

Generation 1

• Overdrive (Omnibot, 1985)

Overdrive transforms into a Ferrari BB Diablo with flip-out wings and a bumper-mounted flip-out blaster. He was available as a mail-order exclusive starting in the second series of Transformers toys in 1985 (or the first year in Japan, where he was also mail-order-only). These Transformers did not come with shipped with tech specs.

In the US, Overdrive cost $5 and 4 robot points. In Japan, he cost 980 yen and only 2 robot points.

Binaltech

• Overdrive (Binaltech, 2004)

Japanese ID number: BT-12

The toy that was released as Windcharger in the US (due to inability to secure the trademark on the character name) got released as the dude he was designed to be in Japan. He transforms into a 1:24-scale licensed Honda S2000 sports car with a removable "ragtop" roof.

Aside from the addition of painted die-cast metal, the major difference between Overdrive and Windcharger is that Overdrive retains the long drive-shaft/barrel for his engine/rifle accessory. The removal of it from the US version was at the request of Honda's USA branch, who didn't like the idea of "their" toy toting a gun around.

This mold was retooled into Decepticharge, which was planned to be released in Japan as Blackarachnia, but ultimately scrapped.

Trivia

• The trio of Omnibots were originally Diaclone "Doublechangers", named for their ability to transform into both standard car and combat car modes.

External links

• Overdrive at TFU.info

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