Name: Sideswipe
Series: World's Smallest Transformers
Allegiance: Autobot
Alternate Mode: Lamborghini Countache
LAMBORGHINI MODE
Height: 1.5cm Length: 5cm Width: 2.5cm
A very small red Lamborghini with black windows and tyres, silver headlights and hubcaps and a stamped Autobot symbol on the hood (well, boot), Sideswipe has no moving parts, but quite a lot of detail considering there's no black plastic on him at all. The front bumper is also painted black, with tiny orange indicators, and the taillights are painted orange. The engine cover, spoiler, air intakes and windows are all true to the Countache that Sideswipe was originally based on.
There's not really much to this car mode, which is understandable at this scale. But it's clearly a Lamborghini, and clearly Sideswipe. I can deal with the lack of any sort of play value, since the level of detail is fantastic. Small and simple, yes, but great for what it is.
TRANSFORMATION TO ROBOT MODE
Pretty faithful to the original, although somewhat simplified. Extend the rear to form the legs, flip out the feet. Pull the sides out to become the arms, fold over the front to become the chest, which will also reveal the head.
As I said, it's really the same scheme simplified. You might notice he has no screws - everything clips together. His spoiler, roof and head can pop off, and while they're not going to jump off and land in your pool, you do have to be a little careful when transforming him.
ROBOT MODE
Height: 5cm Width: 3cm
Towering below every other Sideswipe figure ever made, but still pretty faithful to the original. His chest and arm panels are red, his thighs white, shins, fists and head black and forearms and feet silver. The Autobot symbol is now on his chest. The white is actually white plastic, whilst the silver and black details are all painted. Oh, his face is painted silver, complete with tiny moulded eyes and mouth.
The proportions are slightly off in this mode - his chest and head protrude further forward than they should. It's not a major thing, but his head does look a little weird, since it's now attached to the chest rather than rotating around the same axis that the chest does (as was the case on the original). His head is also a little lower than it was on the original, giving him a slight hunchback.
The poseability is limited to his arms rotating at the shoulders - which is what the original can do, so that's pretty good for the size, and is about all the transformations scheme allows anyway.
The proportion issues mean this is the worst of his two modes, but Tiny Swiper's robot mode is a pretty good attempt at a two inch transforming Lamborghini.
VARIATIONS
None that I'm aware of, although Smallest Red Alert is a recolour.
OVERALL
A good shrunken Sideswipe, with a great car mode and solid robot mode, which is very faithful to the original. Whether or not you get it depends on how much you like the concept and how much you like Sideswipe. I only grabbed him so I'd have a Smallest TF, and it's nice to have one, but the novelty is fairly limited. If you're interested and can get him for a fair price (less than $AU10), I'd recommend this toy - 7/10
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