Another Transformer is getting the Hot Wheels treatment as a 1:64 die-cast collectible. But the Hot Wheels Transformers Bumblebee is not part of the Hot Wheels Collectors range like the Optimus Prime and its redeco counterpart, Nemesis Prime, we saw.
But that does not give it an excuse to have such an ugly bot mode. There! I said it. And yes, it does convert between a G1-version Bumblebee with a generous 13 points of articulation and a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, but man, will you look at his torso!
It is so elongated that it feels like this skilled scout and spy from the Autobot faction has reached bot middle age, with a pot belly that extends to his chest. So, I guess this Bumblebee somehow has gotten himself a dad bod. This is the result of putting the entire roof of the automobile on the front. It looks really, really, really weird. I think weirdness stems from the fact that it lacks the groin area. 😂
OK. Maybe it is not bad looking. It does kind of grow on me after a while. Though this body shape does remind me of the fat Getter. Except Bee’s torso-and-no-groin setup is a little bit extreme.
Anyhoo, this oddly proportioned Bumblebee is presented in a matte yellow finish with another strange touch: weathering. If this is G1, there is no weathering to talk about. Period.
Anyhoo, the vehicle itself has a ZAMAC die-cast body and features tinted blue windows and a molded black interior, and it rolls on custom Real Riders wheels. It comes packaged in a premium window box that lets you showcase both vehicle and robot modes for display or storage. Very thoughtful, but the bot mode is… absolutely weird, to say the least.
The Hot Wheels Transformers Bumblebee launches on September 17, 2026, at 9 AM PT for US$65, with purchases limited to three per customer. That makes him the same price as Nemesis Prime and US$15 cheaper than Optimus.
Images: Mattel.
