Top 5 Best Volkswagen Beetle Bumblebee Transformers Toys
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2021 4:38PM CDT
Categories: Site Articles, Editorials, Top ListsPosted by: william-james88 Views: 118,350
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Top 5 Best Volkswagen Beetle Bumblebee Transformers Toys
With the Volkswagen company being rather coy with their license on Transformers toys, it took a while to have enough toys to make such a list. With the floodgates opening (and then seemingly closing) for the 2018 Bumblebee movie, we now have more Volswagen Beetle Bees than ever before so let's look at the best of the bunch.
5. Transformers G1 1984 Bumblebee (Bumble)
A real classic if there ever was one and probably the second most iconic G1 toy (the first being Broadside, obviously). The transformation is quaint but fun and the car mode is perfect for what it is. I especially like that there is barely no hint that it transforms, with a really nice chassis underneath and that good old diecast. The sticker for the penny racer motor is a nice touch too. This being the toy that started it all for Bumblebee, I am glad it was reissued so that everyone can enjoy this fun toy.
4. Transformers: Bumblebee Energon Igniters Speed Series Bumblebee
Most legion/legends sized movie Bumblebee figures are not great. They either have fake chests for a simplified design to help the proportions or use the front of the car as the chest and end up looking bad. But this one works. We have a nice little Beetle for a car mode and a good looking bot mode with a real chest. And this toy even look more accurate than the more complex versions of this character model since he doesn't have the car doors as wings in bot mode.
3. Transformers Movie Masterpiece 7 Bumblebee
This is a very solid figure, with tight joints, and a tight fitting transformation that holds together well. After the massive disappointment that the Studio Series VW Bee proved to be, the solidness of this guy is a breath of fresh air. Transformation wise, this Bee does a great job at rotating and moving parts around to get them to properly compact and fit together in car mode. One thing I really like is how the the shoulders roll down, then swivel to the back so they can line up along the back of his legs. Over all, I really love this figure. While it doesn't have a ton of die cast, it is there, and give this smaller figure some nice heft. He does a good job of giving Bumblebee that "young bot" feel that this character has traditionally had. - Ironhidensh
2. Transformers WFC-09 Bumblebee Netflix Edition
Here is a toy that we all wanted for so long, a classics Bumblebee toy that turned into a VW Beetle. And the fact that it is a good toy is just icing on the cake. It feels a lot like a more affordable masterpiece toy (it even has the removeable backpack like MP 21) and scales perfectly with the ton of G1 characters we got in the two recent toy trilogies. The mold itself is top notch with a nice level of complexity, but still being intuitive. And it's really fun how this feels a lot like the G1 era where Bumblebee and Cliffjumper have different car modes and bot modes and yet share the same transformation. It's too bad this was hard to get for many because this really feels like the only Bumblbebee toy you'd need on your classics shelf.
1. Transformers MP-21 Masterpiece Bumblebee
My dear Masterpiece Bumblebee, after seven years, you're still the one. While the Bumblebee movie may have given us more VW themed toys than ever before, we can't forget that for a long time, the G1 toy was all we had for a Bumblebee turning into a Beetle. So when this Masterpiece came out, it was truly a time to celebrate. Not only did we finally get an actual Bumblebee that turned into a Volkswagen Beetle but it turned into an accurate Beetle rather than a super deformed version like in G1. And yet the amazing designers still found a way to give us the same look in bot mode as if it did turn into that same alt mode, with the recreation of the full car roof on his torso.
I really love that Transformation. The legs, for instance, do give homage to the G1 transformation but with added complexity to integrate kibble better and give him a nicer shape. And Takara provides all the articulation you would need. I love this toy and the fact that the more recent MP Bumblebee doesn't come close to this toy tells me that going for that extra toon accuracy and making a design more complex than it should be isn't always a recipe for success. This toy found a beautiful equilibrium of all these aspects of a Transformers toy.
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Posted by jtanimator on August 3rd, 2021 @ 4:48pm CDT
Posted by william-james88 on August 3rd, 2021 @ 5:08pm CDT
jtanimator wrote:Great list! Although I've got to say, especially now looking at side-to-side pics of the MP BB vs the Netflix BB, its absolutely amazing how the WFC Netflix BB looks SO much freaking better than even the MP. I'd argue by far the best G1 Bumblebee ever made, hands down, without competition. But that's just me. The proportions, the face sculpt, the colors, everything. I genuinely love that Netflix BB.
My main issue with the Netflix BB is the backpack when pegged in. It doesn't look good and makes bee look like he's a hunch back, so the idea of him being a partsformer is more prevalent in this version than the MP. Also, the MP comes with the right accessories while Netflix Bee just gets the the cliff cannons. We had to buy the centurion pack to get the right gun, really lame of them to do that.
Gauntlet101010 wrote:Was the Studio Series one really a disappointment? I have the Retro Garage one and remember thinking it was alright. It's been a while since I handled it.
SS VW Bee is one of the worst toys in the line, it's just unpleasant to transform. Very fiddly and the vehicle mode just does not stay together.
Posted by Kyleor on August 3rd, 2021 @ 5:57pm CDT
Posted by TulioDude on August 3rd, 2021 @ 6:02pm CDT
All the choices are solid toys.
Posted by william-james88 on August 3rd, 2021 @ 6:31pm CDT
Kyleor wrote:No love for R/C 'Monster Truck' Bumblebee?
Your right, it is a VW Beetle too
Posted by Evil Eye on August 3rd, 2021 @ 8:31pm CDT
I still have no idea what Takara were thinking with the V2 and its...foot backpacks.
It's not easy to suggest runners-up because there's actually very few VW Beetle Bumblebee toys, annoyingly enough. I seem to recall "Classic Pretender" Bumblebee was pretty good for the time, with a nice chunky Beetle mode and a decent looking robot.
Finally, on a complete tangent, one very cool custom I've seen was a 3D printed upgrade kit for Netflix Bumblebee that turns him into a "pickup bug"! Which makes a lot of sense as the Beetle, being so widely produced, has been the base for a lot of custom cars, including pickups.
Posted by EvasionModeBumblebee on August 3rd, 2021 @ 9:04pm CDT
G1 Bee is my only G1 figure, and it's pretty fun. MP-21 is very nice, although I haven't taken mine out of the box in a long time. The red paint on the Autobot logo started to chip off, which scared me since it was my first MP. It'd be really easy to repaint though, I should probably get to that at some point. Energon igniters Bee is alright as well, although the legs are crazy long.
I do kind of regret skipping on Netflix Bee when I had the chance, I actually saw it at retail pretty frequently. I don't have any other WFC to go with it, but it would've worked just as a part of the Bumblebee collection.
I do disagree on this point though:
william-james88 wrote:Most legion/legends sized movie Bumblebee figures are not great.
The DOTM legion Bumblebee is pretty great, I think it's as good as you can get for that scale. Pretty well detailed, good articulation, molded-in plasma cannon, it pretty much has it all. The ROTF one is alright, but DOTM improves on it in every way. Energon Igniters 76 Bee is very well detailed and the proportions work better on him, but I'm a little bummed it doesn't have door wings. Never owned the original 76 legends Bee, I'd like to though!
Posted by Emerje on August 3rd, 2021 @ 10:04pm CDT
Evil Eye wrote:It's not easy to suggest runners-up because there's actually very few VW Beetle Bumblebee toys, annoyingly enough. I seem to recall "Classic Pretender" Bumblebee was pretty good for the time, with a nice chunky Beetle mode and a decent looking robot.
I agree with almost the entire list, but this would have been my #4. Pretender Bee felt like the proper upgrade that Goldbug wasn't thanks to that 4x4 Beetle alt mode and bigger bot mode. I have both the Pretender version, the Legends version (same thing without the shell) and a KO red one which fits his Cliffjumper head well (the only negative of the figure for me).
Emerje
Posted by BIGGUY007 on August 3rd, 2021 @ 11:36pm CDT
Posted by Seibertron on August 4th, 2021 @ 12:55am CDT
Emerje wrote:Evil Eye wrote:It's not easy to suggest runners-up because there's actually very few VW Beetle Bumblebee toys, annoyingly enough. I seem to recall "Classic Pretender" Bumblebee was pretty good for the time, with a nice chunky Beetle mode and a decent looking robot.
I agree with almost the entire list, but this would have been my #4. Pretender Bee felt like the proper upgrade that Goldbug wasn't thanks to that 4x4 Beetle alt mode and bigger bot mode. I have both the Pretender version, the Legends version (same thing without the shell) and a KO red one which fits his Cliffjumper head well (the only negative of the figure for me).
Emerje
Can you share pics of the KO "Legends" Bumblebee? I'd love to see it since Pretender Bumblebee's inner robot had Cliffjumper's head.
Posted by Emerje on August 4th, 2021 @ 1:22am CDT
Seibertron wrote:Emerje wrote:Evil Eye wrote:It's not easy to suggest runners-up because there's actually very few VW Beetle Bumblebee toys, annoyingly enough. I seem to recall "Classic Pretender" Bumblebee was pretty good for the time, with a nice chunky Beetle mode and a decent looking robot.
I agree with almost the entire list, but this would have been my #4. Pretender Bee felt like the proper upgrade that Goldbug wasn't thanks to that 4x4 Beetle alt mode and bigger bot mode. I have both the Pretender version, the Legends version (same thing without the shell) and a KO red one which fits his Cliffjumper head well (the only negative of the figure for me).
Emerje
Can you share pics of the KO "Legends" Bumblebee? I'd love to see it since Pretender Bumblebee's inner robot had Cliffjumper's head.
Mine is kinda buried in the closet, but it's exactly like this one.
He was gang molded with this one and if I had the foresight at the time I would have bought him too and swapped parts and added a little black paint to the tires.
They were sold in dollar stores in the '90s and are exactly the same size as the original, I also have a yellow and red Grimlock somewhere. Not sure if Jazz and Starscream were made.
Emerje
Posted by TheForgottenTaxi on August 4th, 2021 @ 10:13am CDT
Glad to see there is no need to riot! What a magnificent toy.
Posted by optimeow on August 4th, 2021 @ 11:37am CDT
One day when there is a much better version, hopefully scalpers will dump it cheap.
Otherwise, hopefully Hasbro knows not to waste a great mold and reissue it under premium colour version or something.
Posted by cruizerdave on August 4th, 2021 @ 11:58am CDT
Good job on this list BTW.
Posted by william-james88 on August 4th, 2021 @ 8:08pm CDT
cruizerdave wrote:The Netflix one really is great.
Good job on this list BTW.
Thanks man!
Posted by Epsilon Delta on August 5th, 2021 @ 6:05am CDT
Unfortunately, I never picked up the Centurion Drone to get Netflix Bee's proper gun, but Cliffjumpers bazooka and sleds have grown on me for Bee. I used them as ammo clips on the cannon (I know I know) and a "drone cannon"/"shoulder cannon." He is just really fun. Too bad my 4 yr old daughter stole him from me and refuses to let me play with him utilize him as a medium to express my imagination dynamically anymore.
Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on November 15th, 2021 @ 6:14pm CST
3) SS Bee: this is such a fiddly and not fun toy. I wish they would give this one a whole new go, it need sit.
2) Energon Ignitors: it's a lot of fun, small, simple, that 5mm port in the knee is distracting, but it's really neat.
1) MPM Bee: this thing is super solid, and I have had so much fun with the robot mode since I got it. It's just a very neat and fun toy that has a lot to offer, even if it's transformation is also fiddly at times.
Posted by TulioDude on November 16th, 2021 @ 9:29pm CST
D-Maximal_Primal wrote:I have 3 VW Bees, all of them from the Bee movie:
3) SS Bee: this is such a fiddly and not fun toy. I wish they would give this one a whole new go, it need sit.
Since ROTB is delayed,if the licenses aren't a problem,it would be a good time update movie VW Bumblebee in 2022.
Posted by william-james88 on November 16th, 2021 @ 10:33pm CST
TulioDude wrote:D-Maximal_Primal wrote:I have 3 VW Bees, all of them from the Bee movie:
3) SS Bee: this is such a fiddly and not fun toy. I wish they would give this one a whole new go, it need sit.
Since ROTB is delayed,if the licenses aren't a problem,it would be a good time update movie VW Bumblebee in 2022.
The SS line for 2022 is already all done, we know what's in it, ROTB was never going to be part of it so there is nothing to move to next year for the SS line.
Posted by Evil Eye on November 19th, 2021 @ 1:34pm CST
Posted by william-james88 on November 19th, 2021 @ 3:01pm CST
Evil Eye wrote:Funny question, but I kinda want to get myself the V1 MP Bumblebee mold. Question is, which version should I go for? All have their charm to me- the standard yellow is a classic of course, and I actually don't have a yellow "G1" Bee in my collection (my CHUG BB rep is the police deco I made from Bugbite), but the G2 would go with my G2 Sideswipe. Meanwhile I actually really like how the red version looks, especially in car mode. Something about a red bug just works, you know?
Get whichever one is cheaper for you.