Release Date: April 2026
RRP: $34.99/£34.99
It's strange to think that back when the Studio Series first started tackling characters from Transformers: The Movie the film was celebrating its 35th anniversary, and now here we are five years later celebrating its 40th. In that time the line has gone from strength to strength, but some of those first releases still remain its best. And since you can't really celebrate its anniversary without its lead character, this was the perfect time for Hasbro to roll out Studio Series MTMTE Collection Hot Rod. Released as a Target exclusive in North America as per the rest of the MTMTE Collection capsule, this new version of the turbo-revving young punk features a new movie-accurate colour scheme as well as brand new accessories to separate him from the previous release.
Hot Rod comes in the new style Studio Series packaging brought in last year, making it a slightly smaller box than the one the original Studio Series 86 Hot Rod figure came in. The box sports brand new character artwork that feels slightly more "animated" than its predecessor, not to mention showing off the new magenta colour scheme in all its glory. Alongside that artwork on the front of the box are the the generic Transformers logo, Studio Series branding and character name, as well as a nice big window to look at the figure itself. One side of the box continues the character artwork from the front alongside the Transformers 40th anniversary logo, whilst the other features a close up shot of the artwork. On the back of the box are images of the figure in both modes, accompanied by a step counter, a small character bio and still image from Transformers: The Movie. Inside Hot Rod is tied down to a cardboard tray, with his accessories fitted to both sides.
MTMTE Collection Hot Rod is a straight redeco of the previous Studio Series 86 Hot Rod released at the end of 2020, now sporting new magenta (or pink if you'd prefer) colour scheme that more closely matches his onscreen appearance in Transformers: The Movie. Word has it Hasbro originally released it (as well as many other Hot Rod figures) in red for fear that it wouldn't sell as well, but following the a reissue of the G1 toy in this colours back in 2023 they clearly have more faith in it now. On top of that, the new version also has several other additional paint apps to better match the film. It's a fantastic looking toy that looks every bit as impressive now as it did back during the movie's 35th anniversary - a mini-masterpiece that's easily among some of the very best the 1986 side of Studio Series has to offer. Being a straight re-release other than colouring, this Hot Rod also retains all of the features built into the previous version - namely the translucent blue flip-out visor stored in the top of his head, and the fold out welding torch inside the right arm.
Comparison with the original Studio Series 86 figure is very much a matter of taste, depending on whether you prefer the toy or animation colours. The original release still looks great with its red colouring, but there's no doubt that the MTMTE Collection version hits the brief when it comes to looking like Hot Rod as he appeared in Transformers: The Movie. The orange is also a touch more vibrant on the newer figure, but not so much that it's significantly different. Two new aspects to the MTMTE Collection figure however are the painted yellow wrist cuffs and magenta collar, as well as the exhaust pipes now being an unpainted grey plastic as opposed to painted silver. This isn't really a case of the MTMTE Collection figure being an "upgrade" unless you're specifically in the market for an animation accurate Hot Rod - it's very much a matter of preference and it's great that Hasbro have finally given collectors the option.
But despite the deco changes this is still the same Studio Series Hot Rod figure under the hood, and this is by no means a bad thing. Despite being a deluxe class sized figure, the engineering, articulation and overall poseability of the figure go a long way in justifying that voyager class pricing. Altogether Hot Rod features;
- Ball jointed head
- Swivel hinge shoulders, elbows and hips
- Butterfly joint shoulders
- Waist, wrist and thigh swivels
- Double hinge knees and ankles (forward/backward and side rocker)
- Hinged finger sections
It's a spread fairly commonplace to modern Transformers figures, but it's the fact Hot Rod pulls it all off so well that makes the figure stand out. The arms on his mould are particularly good, with the butterfly style shoulders combined with the swivel hinge elbows allowing for plenty of movement in the upper torso - perfect for recreating key scenes like Hot Rod fishing or opening the Matrix. The legs are great too, the crotch being solid panels rather than a skirt section much better for hip articulation. It's as much a joy to pose now as it was five years ago.
Hot Rod's accessories are a mixture of ones carried over from the original Studio Series 86 version and brand new pieces unique to the MTMTE Collection release. Returning from the previous release are his two Photon Laser guns, circular saw hand attachment and Autobot Matrix of Leadership - the latter now being cast entirely in translucent blue plastic rather than fully painted. In some respects it is a shame to lose a fully painted Matrix, but then again there are plenty of other figures in the line that have come with one - this version is meant to represent the moment Hot Rod takes hold of it and becomes Rodimus Prime and in that respect feels much more unique. The guns have also slightly changed from the original release, the side fins no longer painted silver like the rest of it. The circular saw remains unchanged, other than being cast in a slightly lighter grey than the original release. It's also a much tighter fit on the hand peg than the original, although that may not be something present on every copy. Accessories included with the previous version that have been omitted are the two translucent blue fire blast effect parts and the glow effect for the Matrix.
However in their place are a brand new selection of accessories, again directly lifted from scenes in Transformers: The Movie. First up we have the fishing rod from his debut scene, completely cast in light grey plastic. Despite seeming fairly simplistic it's got some nice moulding for the reel section, and comparatively isn't all that different from the Masterpiece version other than the lack of additional paint. Sadly it doesn't have a string attached for proper angling action, but it's a fun accessory that makes a nice change to the myriad of weapons Transformers toys usually come with. Next up are the sword and shield Hot Rod during his training on the Autobot Shuttle before it's shot down on Quintessa, in one of the movie's more obvious Star Wars homages. The sword has a unpainted light grey handle, and a thick yellow blade that perhaps gives off more of a pool noodle vibe than a glowing yellow laser sword. The shield is cast in grey plastic, with some nice yellow detailing on the front and the Autobot insignia stencilled on. All three accessories slot into Hot Rod's hands nicely, giving the figure an even bigger range when it comes to poses. Honestly the loss of the painted Matrix and effect part seems like a fair trade off for these, all of which are fairly substantial accessories and reference key scenes from the film.
As per the instructions, Hot Rod also has the capacity to store some of these accessories on his back. The guns and saw clip on the same way as they did on the previous version of the figure, with the shield then pegging into the shield whilst the sword clips on to the side of that. It doesn't mention anywhere to store the Matrix or fishing rod, but with how messy this makes Hot Rod's back look anyway it's unlikely that many people are going to make use of it. The one advantage to the guns no longer having the side fins painted silver is that they can now clip into the figure's back without any risk of the paint chipping, which is definitely a plus if you do plan to ever store them this way.
Hot Rod converts from robot to car as part of a 29-step transformation - one that may not completely match how he transforms in the movie, but then again he transforms multiple times over its course and it's never the same twice. There's lots of cool little steps to the process, especially the way the legs collapse to form the back of the car. Raising up the bonnet at the end of the process also reveals a pair of flip out headlights to give the front the correct shape. Despite being quite fiddly in places, it's a very intuitive transformation and surprisingly easy to memorise once you've done it a few times. The end result is a great-looking futuristic sports car that's mostly accurate to the animation model (save for maybe the knees sticking out at the back), and the new colour scheme gives fans a chance to be wowed by it all over again.
Other than the obvious change from red to magenta, the most significant difference in alt mode is that Hot Rod now no longer has a bright yellow hinge at the top of the vehicle - a detail which very much broke the flow of the previous version's otherwise flawless look. With the part now being moulded in the correct magenta colouring, Hot Rod's roof section looks exactly as it should. It is a shame however that they couldn't have just fixed this for the original release for those who still prefer the red colour scheme, because if it was doable here then surely it was doable on the original release too? Otherwise this is very much exactly the same vehicle with slightly different colour schemes, as this version doesn't fix any of the other minor inaccuracies (such as the central piece of the spoiler being yellow as opposed to orange) present on the original.
In vehicle mode Hot Rod's only main feature is the four free-rolling wheels that allow the car to roll across smooth surfaces, however if you have the previous release the effect parts can still plug into the exhaust pipes on either side for a more turbo-charged look. It's a shame that those pieces weren't carried over to the MTMTE Collection version, but given all of the other changes made it's not surprising that those things didn't make the cut. Even without them, this is a wonderful representation of Hot Rod's alt mode that looks just as good on display as his robot mode.
Some might argue that Studio Series MTMTE Collection Hot Rod is the version that should have been released to begin with, but given the long history of red Hot Rod releases we've had over the years even getting this now feels like a luxury. The chance to experience this fantastic figure all over again is a great way to celebrate Transformers: The Movie's 40th anniversary, and between the revised deco and new accessories there's more than enough to separate it from the already stellar first release. And like I previously mentioned, it doesn't feel like this is a case of one trouncing the other either - both having their strengths, and both serve to appease a different portion of the Transformers fanbase.
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