Transforms from race car to robot and back!
FUNCTION: CAVALIER
"My actions speak louder than words."
Hot Rod is an all-American-boy Autobot. He's a typical adolescent who dreams of being heroic and important. He tends to follow rules too closely. Although he means well, Hot Rod's impulsive actions often get him into trouble. He carries two photon lasers that temporarily electromagnetize an enemy robot's microcircuts. Speed: 120 mph. Range: 4 miles. He can be hotheaded, but he's always a well meaning, admirable lad and a brave and honorable fighter.
- Strength: 10
- Intelligence: 10
- Speed: 9
- Endurance: 10
- Rank: 10
- Courage: 8
- Firepower: 10
- Skill: 10
Transformers Tech Specs
What a cheesy writeup for the guy, huh? Not to mention those stats, right up there with Optimus Prime's numbers -- I think the tech spec writers got a little carried away with themselves here. Note there's no mention on his card his eventual morph into Rodimus Prime, or vice versa.
It's interesting to note that Hot Rod always goes for many times more money than Rodimus Prime on eBay, despite the fact that Hot Rod only appeared in the movie and two separate multipart stories in the TV cartoon. Everyone who starred in the movie is over-demanded, and Hot Rod was technically the starring lead.
In 1987, Hot Rod was re-released as a Targetmaster with an updated tech spec:
He dreams of great heroics, but he acts like an immature adolescent. Impulsive, friendly, not to good at following orders. Often goes off on his own adventure with Firebolt, his electrostatic discharger rifle, who led a quiet scholarly life as Nebulan's top atomic physics scientist until he became the thrill-seeking Hot Rod's partner. Firebolt is excited, but nervous, about the prospect. In vehicle mode, maximum speed: 330 mph, range: 150 miles.
- Strength: 6
- Intelligence: 5
- Speed: 6
- Endurance: 8
- Rank: 5
- Courage: 10
- Firepower: 7
- Skill: 6
Transformers Tech Specs
In the cartoon, Rodimus Prime was reverted to Hot Rod in "The Return of Optimus Prime" after losing the Autobot Matrix of Leadership to the resurrected Optimus. His old personality was back, just in time for Targetmasterification in "Rebirth."