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I was browsing youtube in my boredom and decided to watch a G1 toy review for Ultra Magnus and obviously the Optimus Prime torso left me a little perplexed. Is this the result of a Japanese continuity piece or was it a cost saving measure to just mold optimus prime bodies and paint them white?

I'm very curious about the history surrounding the toy.

Welcome to the boards

First of, the first two to three years of Transformers toys (or before the movie) came from pre-existing lines, mostly Diaclone (which has a reboot line running right now) and Microman.

Ultra Magnus came from the Diaclone line where he was a piloted mech called Powered Convoy. He was meant as "upgrade" of some sort of Battle Convoy, the Diaclone release of Optimus Prime. The truck was kept (mostly) the same, and a new trailer was designed to make a bigger robot. Cost cutting? I wouldn't think so, just reusing whatever works.

YouTube should have plenty of commercials for the Diaclone and Microman lines, well worth looking for just for sheer historical value.

The Powered Convoy commercial is a thing of beauty

I really hope we get a new Powered Convoy in the modern Diaclone line based on Battle Convoy V-MAX. Or maybe I should say that once I have mine in hand in two weeks, but I have no reason to think it wont be as good as I think it'll be.

Emerje