The Energon Pub

http://spaces.msn.com/members/rallycat · by **TM Engage** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 8:11 am

OK all you TF fans. I know you want it. But how much?

Alternator BumbleBee can be a reality. All it takes is a little activism on our part, the fans! It's time to do something about it. While I don't advocate demonstrations as they seem to turn violent in these trying times we live in, I would like to suggest something else.

EMAIL. If everyone on this forum leaves a brief message asking VW to grant the license for the New Beetle for Hasbro's use as Alternators Bumblebee we may just have a chance. A couple of friends and I have already got the ball rolling.

Follow the link below and click the "Email Us" button under the "VW Information Center" section. Leave a message, tasteful please, explaining what a great marketing move it would be for them to do this. If they get even 100 messages about this they will have to take notice. Making references to the upcoming movie would also be a plus.

If you felt the same as I when you first saw the concept drawing of Alt Bumblebee ( http://www.cartoonsmarter.com/z_moshe_mizrachi.html ) do yourself and all of TFandom a favor and spend 1 minute to drop VW a line.

Bring Bulmblebee Back!!!!

http://www.vw.com/contactus/contact_us.html
Click the "Email Us" button under the "VW Information Center" section
BTW You don't have to leave them a real email address if you don't want to

by **Tramp** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:01 am

It is an interesting design, and I would like to see an Alt Bumblebee done as a New Beetle; however I would rather have his transformation and robot appearance look more like his original G1 appearance. I would rather have his chest be the roof of the car, and his feet be the front end, with his head popping out the back. Call me old-school if you like, but that is what I would rather see.

by **Greyryder** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:40 am

I'd like to see Bumblebee as a Lotus Elise. It's a nice, small, curvy car. More fitting I think, than the overgrown monster that is the New Beetle.

by **Tramp** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:43 am

Greyryder wrote:I'd like to see Bumblebee as a Lotus Elise. It's a nice, small, curvy car. More fitting I think, than the overgrown monster that is the New Beetle.

No, I would stick with the Beetle. It?s tradition. He has to be a Beetle. It wouldn?t be Bumblebee if he weren?t.

by **Greyryder** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:08 am

I tend to think of Bumblebee more as a small car. I've seen those New Beetles in person. They're massive.

by **Tramp** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:10 am

No they aren?t. Granted, they have a lot of head-room, but they are still small cars.

by **gawd6sic6** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:23 am

they really arent much larger than the lil nazi ones.... i mean common those damn things started off as tiny tanks...

by **soundwave010** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:55 am

OK, here's what I sent them:

Dear Volkswagen,
You have undoubtedly received many Emails from fans of the 'Transformers' toy line requesting that you grant Hasbro/Takara the rights to produce a VW New Beatle as part of their collector-oriented Alternators/Binaltech line; surely you must see that this makes sense - in the 1980's, the character was a cultural icon, emphasising the epitome of what a cute, loveable and, most importantly, non-irritating, cartoon character should be.

It has been reported that the reasoning behind the decision not to grant a licence was the 'war' aspect of the toy - something which the Volkswagen corporation would want to disassociate itself from given its origins - but this is ridiculous: the character a) exists in a fictional continuity, where b) the war is between alien robots and c) he was a 'good guy'.

In conclusion, if nothing else, think of the marketing opportunities - an advert involving a 'transformer' (of sorts) popularised the Citroen C4, a car that otherwise no-one would have cared about - imagine the impact of an advertising capaign involving the Bumblebee character - the consumer response would be unprecedented, especially as the character is more 'human' - 'he' could even talk, as the cartoon voive actor is still, to the best of my knowledge, alive and well.

Yours Sincerely, Luke Giles.