Transtech

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Transtech Nightscream concept art.

Transtech Shockwave concept art.

Transtech Starscream prototype.

For the Finnish railway rolling stock manufacturer, see Transtech Oy.

Transtech is an unreleased line of toys under the Transformers umbrella.

1 History
2 Releases and designs
3 Rumors
4 External links - Prototypes and Concept Drawings

[edit] History

After the Beast Machines line ended, Hasbro planned a follow-up series called Transtech. The Transtech concept was a line intended to take Transformers to their most futuristic. Hasbro commissioned sets of designs from Draxhall Jump. The series was supposedly to bring back some of the characters who died in Beast Wars along with some Generation 1 characters, all in new, techno-organic bodies, though with vehicle alternate modes instead of the animals used in Beast Machines. Many concept sketches and even a few toy prototypes were made, but Hasbro scrapped the idea in favor of bringing Car Robots to their markets as Transformers: Robots in Disguise.

[edit] Releases and designs

Although the Transtech line never reached production, prototypes for Starscream (Apparently heavily influenced by his Machine Wars incarnation) and Cheetor were constructed, and eventually found their way into the hands of private collectors. Concept sketches have also been seen for Blackarachnia, Cheetor, Depth Charge, Megatron, Nightscream, Optimus Prime, Scavenger, Shockwave, Silverbolt, Soundwave, Starscream and a new character called Immorticon. Below is a more descriptive guide to the designs:

Blackarachnia: Blackarachnia's final sketch was never produced only several designs, one of which resembled her Beast Machines body. Her vehicle mode is unknown.
Cheetor: Cheetor's body resembled his Beast Machines form, only now he looks much older. He is described as being able to move on rollerskate-like contraptions. His vehicle mode was a F-1 Racer.
Depth Charge: Depth Charge died in the finale of Beast Wars, so it is presumed he would have been revived somehow. He has a body with some features of his original and has a submarine vehicle mode.
Megatron: Megatron (unknown which one it is) has multiple designs, but has one which features him in a tank mode, also his robot mode (Transtech Style Study Board version) resembles the AMX-002_Neue_Ziel#AMA-002_.28AMA-X2.2C_AMX-002.29_Neue_Ziel from Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory or more like a modified version of his appearance in Beast Machines.
Nightscream: Nightscream has several design sketches but no known vehicle mode. His sketches appear to make him look more bat-like.
Optimus Prime: Prime seems to replace Optimus Primal as leader of the Maximals/Autobots, although his truck mode appears to have Primal's face on the front. His body has some resemblance to his original, with the new addition of two large power generators on his back, also his robot mode (Transtech Style Study Board version) resembles a lot like the MS-09 Dom units from Mobile Suit Gundam.
Scavenger: Scavenger has various designs, but he has a vehicle mode of a bulldozer-like vehicle. Its possible that this was to be the new form of Inferno due to the fact that Beast Wars Scavenger was originally designed as Inferno.
Shockwave: Shockwave is a purple, multi-limbed robot assassin who has a six-wheeler low rider, who can emit shockwaves from its engine.
Silverbolt: Silverbolt maintains his new samurai-like look and transforms into a jet, although his final head design was never revealed.
Soundwave: Soundwave is a blue robot who appears to transform into a stereo system judging by his appearance.
Starscream: Starscream has a new form which is blue and seems to bare no resemblance to his original form, but still maintains his jet form.
Immorticon: Immorticon is a new character although his head design was not completed. Some people have come to believe he is a new form of Rampage.

Transtech has also been used in an exclusive 2008 comic produced for the official Transformers Collectors' Club magazine.

[edit] Rumors

It is generally believed that the concept for Transtech Cheetor inspired the design of Transformers: Cybertron Brakedown and the concept for Transtech Megatron inspired Transformers: Armada Megatron. There were also rumors of a Transtech Dinobot. ^[1] The new comic transcenedent be set in the transtech universe.

According to a FAQ on Bob Skir's web site, he planned to have the characters of Obsidian and Strika appear in the next Transformers series after Beast Machines, which would have been Transtech.^{[citation needed]}