Today, I'd like you to turn your attention to the Japanese
Choro-Q figure,
Convoy (TV Version). While you may not be familiar with the Choro-Q line of toys, if you were a kid in the 80's (like I was), I'm almost certain that you've heard of their U.S. counterpart, the Penny Racers. Choro-Q/Penny Racers were super-deformed little cars that had a pull-back motor and would do "awesome" (hey, I was probably five...they were awesome to me at the time) stunts when a penny was placed in a slot located at the back of the vehicle . In 2000, Takara dabbled in introducing the Transformers brand to the Choro-Q line, releasing three non-transforming vehicles (based on existing Choro-Q molds) representing Generation 1
Convoy and
Ligier and Generation 2
Megatron as BotCon Japan exclusives. But it was only in 2001, over two decades after the debut of the original Choro-Q cars, that Takara incorporated not only the Transformers brand, but more importantly, the transforming concept into the Choro-Q line, releasing three of the most iconic characters in the Transformers mythos - Convoy, Rodimus Convoy, and Megatron. Each figure was available in two color schemes: TV and
Metallic versions for Convoy and Rodimus Convoy, and
TV and Black/Microman Versions for Megatron.
All three figures feature the pull-back motor functionality, so if you've ever felt the need to have a Walther P38 (capable of transforming into something which could possibly represent the Lollipop Guild) zipping across your linoleum, this is the line for you.
