Ultra Magnus has been reintroduced in the Transformers Combiner Wars toy line and was included in the Leader Class by himself in the third wave. Adding more to Ultra Magnus’ appeal is the inclusion of a Minimus Ambus figure.
Truck Mode
The truck’s design is definitely inspired by IDW’s version. However, Ultra Magnus’ color range pays more tribute to G1 than IDW comics. Regardless, the truck is really cool! The detailing is neat, and the truck is able to swivel to turn left or right while dragging the trailer around. Most of the paint applications are on the cab truck itself. All of the other colors are simply molded plastic of different colors. All of Ultra Magnus’ accessories can be pegged into the trailer. The missile pods and guns truly complete the look.
Some CW Deluxe Class vehicles are able to fit inside the trailer, but they look a bit out of scale. On the other hand, CW Legends Class vehicles look sort of better in scale, but they are still a tad tiny. The ramps of the trailer can lower, but they do not touch the ground perfectly. There is a huge gap below, so a vehicle cannot roll on the ramp so easily, without some help from human hands. The same applies to the top section as well.
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Minimus Ambus
Minimus Ambus’ sole purpose is to be the operator of the Ultra Magnus suit. Minimus Ambus is also able to transform between vehicle mode and robot mode.
In vehicle mode, Minimus Ambus looks pretty good. The Cybertronian hover car contains some molded details that reminisce of a muscle car, especially the hood and roof. Because of Minimus Ambus’ primary purpose, the car is too small to fit in Ultra Magnus’ trailer, nor sit in the cab of the truck, when in robot mode.
In robot mode, Minimus Ambus boasts some great detailing. There aren’t that many paint apps, just some shades of green, red eyes and black feet. However, the paint job does cover enough areas to save the figure from looking too bland. Minimus Ambus stands a little over 2 inches tall. His articulation are very basic, as he only has ball-jointed shoulders, ball-jointed hips, and hinged knees.
Robot Mode
In person, Ultra Magnus is absolutely stunning in robot mode. The colors, details, and frame seem just about right. Much like Megatron, Ultra Magnus was rigged with enough ratchet joints that could hold a pose for probably over a long period of time. Some parts of the robot are hollow, but the design did its absolute best to conceal the biggest eyesore, which could be the legs. Despite the hollowness, the overall impression of this toy certainly wasn’t ruined.
Ultra Magnus’ body is comprised of white, blue, and red molded plastic. The mold was enhanced by silver, yellow, red, light metallic blue, and black paint. The red painted parts, like the shoulder missiles, chest, and patterns on Ultra Magnus’ shins match the molded red pieces quite well.
Popping up Ultra Magnus’ head will reveal Minimus Ambus. Collectors may even leave the chest panels open to show the small control room. All details were molded in white plastic, and include a seat, two joysticks, and much more.
Accessories
Ultra Magnus comes with two 5mm guns. Both guns are meant to be held by the hinged fingers in each hand. Unfortunately, the grip isn’t quite secure and the guns can fall out of Magnus’ hands on some occasions, mostly when bending Magnus’ ratchet elbows with both weapons in his hand.
The coolest feature though is combining both guns and missile pods into one large hammer. The look of the weapon is great but Ultra Magnus’ limited range of movement prevents him from performing a wide range of poses. At least there is one cool pose to show off using both of his hands.
Ultra Magnus' Height
Ultra Magnus' Articulation
Size Comparison
Conclusion
Combiner Wars Leader Class Ultra Magnus ended up being more impressive than expected. The truck mode and robot mode delivers a lot of great detail and ratio of colors, molded and painted. Ultra Magnus’ accessories are a neat addition and definitely boost the enjoyability of this set. The figure is also rigged with great joints that don’t seem to be wearing down any time soon. There are a few issues to put up with though, as the hands can’t properly hold on to both guns when being slightly nudged, and the limbs may appear to be a little too hollow to some tastes. Mileage may vary, but the figure probably satisfies many.
Extra Photos
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