Up next for a review is the fourth Stunticon, Breakdown! Breakdown came back with a revamped version in an attempt, by Hasbro, to bridge old and new features together. Hasbro succeeded, but there were a few issues to deal with.
Vehicle Mode
Like Dead End, Breakdown's vehicle mode is another type of sports car. Some sources state this car models after the Lamborghini Gallardo or Lamborghini Countach. The vehicle is predominantly off-white with painted blue edges running throughout the bottom of the car. Breakdown's hood is painted red and his windows are colored black. Adding more flare to the car is the words "15RACING" painted on top of the windshield in silver.
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Transforming Breakdown into vehicle mode has been quite a pain. The transformation instructions are easy to follow, but tabbing the back end together is quite difficult, because the tabs fit in a little too snug and a lot of force was needed to shape everything together. However, when the car is properly transformed, the aesthetics and ground clearance are quite impressive.
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Breakdown can store weapons on his car mode also. The foot/hand piece pegs on Breakdown's roof like other Stunticons, but this case is unique considering the look is quite similar to the double barrel blaster seen on the original G1 toy. The sword/gun, though, doesn't match. Preferring to see the double barrel blaster mounted on the car only goes without saying.
Robot Mode
Breakdown seems to emulate the exact proportions his previous incarnations had as much as possible. His upper torso is quite large, and his legs are wide enough to match the same width of his shoulders. Considering these proportions and all of the detailed work, this revamped robot mode combined some neat designs from the G1 toy and cartoon.
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One interesting feature of Breakdown is his facial expression. Hasbro did a tremendous job in giving each Stunticon a unique face sculpt that shows some character. In the case of Breakdown, he seems very burdened and uneasy. According Breakdown's description on the packaging, he is the most paranoid member of the Stunticons. He always worries that someone is out to get him. To matters worse, Megatron made him predominantly white, which is very eye catching and a justified reason for Breakdown to freak out even more.
The biggest peeve is the huge gaps in Breakdown' calves that have no covering at all. These implications were made for Breakdown's vehicle transformation process. Unfortunately, the expense comes with an underwhelming robot mode.
The color's of Breakdown also feels like a throwback to old times. The parts that are off-white, blue, red, or silver mostly resemble the classic carton, but with some added touches, such as the way Breakdown's feet are painted, to also reminisce of some details seen on the original toy.
Breakdown's foot/arm piece is distinguished from the purple colored joint located in the opposable thumb. Breakdown can use this accessory as a double-barrel blaster, or store the weapon on his back. His second weapon is the sword/gun. The details are nicely done and the silver painted blade is a perfect touch.
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Leg Transformation
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Breakdown officially transforms into Menasor's right leg. Breakdown must initially be in vehicle mode prior to transformation.
The official instructions state the front end should be flipped all the way down, but some collectors altered the look by angling the car's front end up by 90 degrees then flushing the windshield against the hood. This idea is meant to have Menasor's knee covered similar to Offroad.
Arm Transformation
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If being a leg is a bore, Breakdown can also transform into an arm. Similar to the leg mode, Breakdown must initially be in car mode prior to transformation.
Articulation
Compared to other Stunticons, Breakdown unfortunately, has no bicep swivel. However, his joints still allow for some creative poses that collectors can tinker with.
Height
Size Comparison
Conclusion
Despite a few faults, Breakdown is not a horrible toy at all. The design feels appropriately vintage and the articulation is fun to play with. However, there may be a slight frustration when transforming Breakdown into vehicle for the first time. In the end, Breakdown is definitely above par.
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