Red Alert (G1)/toys

Why does Red Alert have so many toys? They must be conspiring to do something!

Toys

The Transformers

I have die-cast metal? This must be a Decepticon plot!

• Red Alert (Autobot Car, 1985)

• Takara ID number: 05
• Accessories: "High-Energy Particle Beam Rifle", Shoulder-Mounted Rocket Launcher, 3 rockets

Released in the second year of the US Transformers toyline (first year in non-US markets), Red Alert is a redeco of the Diaclone "New Countach LP500S Police Car", which was itself a retool of the original Diaclone "New Countach LP500S" that added roof lights to the figure's Lamborghini alternate mode. Rather than a police car like the original figure, Red Alert's new paint job recasts him as a fire chief's car—a rather dubious disguise, all told, Lamborghinis not exactly being affordable vehicles for fire departments to use. He comes with a hand-held particle beam rifle, and a rocket launcher that clips onto his shoulder. The Hasbro release severely weakened the launcher's spring-loaded missile-firing mechanism, but the Takara release retains the full spring strength.

Red Alert's toy has been reissued several times; each reissue is listed separately below. Red Alert was also redecoed to make Clampdown (who was an homage to the mold's original police deco), while the original version of the mold was used to make Sideswipe, Deep Cover, Tigertrack, and Generation 2 Sideswipe.

• Patent info, price guide, and further reading on Red Alert at Transformerland.com
• More information on Red Alert on TFU.info

Collector's Edition

• Alert (Cybertron, 2001)

• ID number: 05
• Accessories: "High-Energy Particle Beam Rifle", "Shoulder-Mounted Rocket Launcher", 3 rockets

Red Alert saw the first of many reissues in early 2001. As part of Takara's Collector's Edition series of reissues that saw several pairs of "mold-mates" released together in limited numbers, "Alert" and "Lambor" (as he and Sideswipe were known in Japan) were available as "Set A" at World Character Convention 12^[1]

• Alert (Cybertron, 2002)

• ID number: 05
• Accessories: "High-Energy Particle Beam Rifle", "Shoulder-Mounted Rocket Launcher", 3 rockets

Alert and Lambor were again re-issued in a pair in January 2002, this time as "New Year Special" editions available through Takara's e-HOBBY online shop. This version featured gold-tinted chrome on his wheels, and alternate stickers that changed the blue decals on his shins and feet to yellow.

• More information on "New Year Special" Alert on TFU.info

Commemorative Series

• Red Alert (2003/2006)

In 2003, Hasbro released a reissue of the original Red Alert toy as part their Toys"R"Us exclusive Commemorative Series IV that was available in the United States, Canada and Australia.

In 2006, three years after the US release and long after the Commemorative Series had been discontinued by Toys"R"Us in America, Red Alert and several other figures were released as Toys"R"Us exclusives in the United Kingdom. Unlike previous UK releases of Commemorative Series figures, the packaging for this batch was no longer multilingual, but in English only. Despite this, the packaging was not identical to the previous U.S. version; it lacked the "Commemorative Series", "classic re-issue" and "choking hazard" safety warning labels and all trademark ™ and ® markings.

Universe (2003)

He comes with tiny justice.

• Optimus Prime with Prowl (Basic multi-pack, 2003)
  • Accessories: Rifle

Spy Changer Prowl is a redeco of Robots in Disguise Prowl, painted to match Generation 1 Red Alert, transforming into a Chevrolet Caprice. His vehicle mode has through-axle construction so it zips along quickly on smooth surfaces. His robot-mode rifle stores beneath his rear axle in vehicle mode. He is also semi-compatible with race tracks and playsets from Hot Wheels or Matchbox sets.

He was only available in a Wal-Mart exclusive multi-pack with Optimus Prime.

This mold was also used to make the Universe Spy Changer incarnation of Generation 1 Prowl.

• More information on Prowl at TFU.info

Smallest Transforming Transformers

Someone shrunk me in my sleep! The Autobots have turned against me!

• Alert (2004)
  • ID number: GTF 10

Once again a retool of a Sideswipe, Smallest Transforming Transformers Alert was part of the second wave of the line. Like all of Smallest Transforming Transformers, Alert was a tiny, simplified version of his original appearance, with limited articulation and non-rolling wheels.

• More information on Smallest Transforming Alert on TFU.info

Binaltech Asterisk

Now I'm suddenly a police car? This must be the work of a conspiracy!

• Alert Meets Ai (2005)
  • ID number: BTA-01
  • Accessories: Intercooler/blaster

The first release in the Asterisk sub-line of Binaltech, Alert is a retool of the Binaltech Streak mold as a Subaru WRX STi Japanese Police vehicle, a scheme that many fans expected for a Binaltech/Alternators Prowl (see Notes below). Although not a Fire Department vehicle this time, the toy's robot mode did feature many red highlights, including a red head, but as the headsculpt was unchanged, he still looked like Streak. BTA Alert was packaged with the PVC human figurine Ai Kuruma, a policewoman based on the 2001 Robots in Disguise cartoon T-AI.

Alert's release had problems with parts-fitting in vehicle mode, possibly a sign that the Subaru WRX tooling was showing its age. The later release of this mold as Ricochet in the Alternators line, though, does not have these problems.

• Archive of Binaltech Asterisk Alert's bio and tech specs
• More information on Binaltech Asterisk Alert Meets Ai on TFU.info

Universe (2008)

Do I look a little like Hot Shot to you? Oh god oh god oh god oh god oh god

• Red Alert (Legends, 2008)
  • Series: Classic Series

Part of the first wave of Universe Legends Class toys, Red Alert is a redeco of Cybertron Hot Shot, transforming into a modified Chrysler ME Four Twelve concept car in fire chief colours. In either mode he has flip-out "wings".

This mold is also shared by the red Legends of Cybertron Hot Shot and Classics Bumblebee.

• More information on Universe (2008) Red Alert on TFU.info

Henkei! Henkei!

I'm a Japanese exclusive? This is a plot for revenge, I swear!

• Alert (April 25, 2009)
  • ID number: C-20
  • Accessories: Gun/tailpipe

Henkei! Henkei! Alert is a retool of Universe Sideswipe, itself a retool of Universe Sunstreaker, transforming into a modified Lamborghini Gallardo. Though the car is mostly based upon the Gallardo, to avoid legal problems, it also features modified headlights and elements taken from other cars—most of them are taken from other Lamborghini models, such as a rear end that is basically a cross between a Murciélago and a Diablo; however, the split side windows and the ridges on the door vents are based on a McLaren F1.

Alert's vehicle mode features the same Japanese-style lightbar as Henkei! Henkei! Ratchet, attached to the additional indents on the roof that were not used to attach Sunstreaker and Sideswipe's supercharger intake accessories in either mode. Like all Henkei! Henkei! toys, he features vacuum metallized plastic, including his shoulder rocket launcher and his spoiler. Like Henkei! Henkei! Lambor, he doesn't come with the supercharger accessory (which Universe Sideswipe still had).

Generations

My head looks like Sideswipe's? I have been betrayed!

• Red Alert (Deluxe Class, 2010)
  • Accessories: Pulse pistol/tailpipe, engine supercharger intakes

• Known designers: Joe Kyde (Hasbro)

Generations Red Alert is a retool of Universe Sideswipe. To differentiate him from the Henkei! Henkei! Alert release of this character, he features a significantly different deco (including a black head like the Generation 1 toy, as opposed to the Henkei version's show-accurate red head), the American-style lightbar previously used for Universe Prowl and Ratchet, and, as with all Hasbro releases of this sculpt, the engine supercharger intakes accessory that originally came with Sunstreaker.

Unlike Henkei! Henkei! Alert, whose lightbar is attached to the additional indents on the roof not used for attaching Sunstreaker or Sideswipe's supercharger intake accessory in either mode, Generations Red Alert's lightbar is instead attached to the indents used to attach the supercharger to Sideswipe's roof/back in robot mode (possibly so Red Alert could still have his supercharger in vehicle mode), with the roof retooled so the lightbar is fixed with screws, thereby rendering the additional indents entirely pointless as far as Hasbro's uses of the sculpt are concerned. Because this makes attaching the supercharger to the back in robot mode impossible, the instructions show how to attach the supercharger to the gun to create a larger gun by wrapping the intakes around it, which neither Sunstreaker nor Sideswipe's instructions had shown. And while his instructions finally depict the correct transformation with the upper body rotation and the correct head sculpt (the lineart for Universe Sideswipe's instructions was simply recycled from Sunstreaker's), they do not depict the lightbar.

His license plate features the number "05" (Generation 1 Red Alert's Japanese ID number) and the character's Japanese name, "Alert".

• More information on Generations Red Alert at TFU.info

Kre-O

I am tiny but can't even transform? OH PRIMUS HAVE MERCY!

• Bumblebee (2011)
  • Set number: 36421
  • Pieces: 336
  • Kreons: Bumblebee, Red Alert, Bumblebee's driver
  • Accessories: Large rifle

The larger Kre-O Bumblebee construction set comes with a Red Alert Kreon, though why is anyone's guess. It has Sideswipe's helmet and a blaster.

• More information on Red Alert at TFU.info

• Kreon Figure Pack (2013)

A boxed set of five Kreons, with Bumblebee, Red Alert, Mirage, Jazz, and a fifth "mystery" Kreon; a randomly-packed robot Kreon from the first year of the line.

• Kreon Class of '85 (Kreon figure set, 2015)
  • Set number B5152
  • Voted: The Basket Case
  • Accessories: Large rifle

Kreon Class of '85 Red Alert is much more extensively deco'd, with loads of toy-based detailing. He uses the 2015-style construction with raised hands and the sturdier "peg-in-peg" torso/waist connection.

He was only available as part of the San Diego Comic-Con-exclusive "Kreon Class of '85" 30-Kreon set. This set was also sold online through Hasbro Toy Shop after the show.

• More information on Class of '85 Red Alert at TFU.info

Masterpiece

Now I'm a high-end collector's item? Someone's had their sights on me since day one, I knew it! And somebody's been using my face?! It's him! He's the one who's out to get me! Him and Santa!

• Alert (December 15, 2012)
  • ID number: MP-14
  • Accessories: Rocket Launcher, Particle Beam Rifle, "Circuit Trouble" headband

• Known designers: Shogo Hasui (TakaraTomy)

Masterpiece Alert is a redeco and retool of MP-12 Lambor, and transforms into a licensed Lamborghini Countach LP500S with a light-bar. In robot mode, Alert features new shoulders, face, forehead, and extra circular collar details to match his character model, which used these toy based details. He also features a color scheme that is a combination of his original toy, cartoon model, and the real-life Lamborghini model he is based on.

His non-firing rocket launcher is jointed at the peg to allow it to pivot up and down, and can fit on either shoulder (it should be mounted on his right), while his rifle can be held in either hand. Both weapons can also be combined and mounted onto his light-bar. Alert also comes with a spiky, translucent-blue headband that fits over the "horns" and around the back of his head, not unlike earmuffs. This additional accessory is to mimic the electric spark damage he had in the episode, "Auto Berserk".

If purchased in Asian markets outside of Japan, a collector coin is included. The back of the coin's packaging identifies him as Red Alert.

The original version of this mold, with Alert's face, was redecoed into MP-12T Tigertrack.

• More information on Masterpiece Alert at TFU.info

I have ANOTHER Masterpiece?! I'm going to be assassinated!

• Alert Anime Color Edition (September 24, 2016)
  • ID number: MP-14+
  • Accessories: Rocket Launcher, Particle Beam Rifle, "Circuit Trouble" headband

A TakaraTomy Mall exclusive re-release of Masterpiece Red Alert in a color scheme much closer to the character’s on screen appearance, including off-white paint replacing the pure white seen on the original release, the silver on the rims, weapon, and robot mode feet. The accessory part used for emulating “Circuit Trouble” is molded in a clear orange instead of clear blue.

Like the original version, the "plus" redeco came with a collector coin in non-Takara Tomy markets, albeit of a completely new design. The coin is mounted on a card resembling Red Alert's chest/vehicle mode hood.

Bot Shots

• Red Alert / Ultra Magnus / Mirage (Multi-pack, 2013)
  • Series: 2
  • Number: BP009
    • Fist strength: 342
    • Blaster strength: 720
    • Sword strength: 548

Part of the third wave of Bot Shots Series 2 three-packs, Red Alert transforms into a police car. As a Jump Shot toy, an impact to his front bumper will cause him to spring up and autotransform into robot mode. He also has a "spinner" in his chest that shows his three attack types and power levels. He comes with Jump Shot Ultra Magnus and Super Bot Mirage.

He was later redecoed into Jump Shot Prowl.

Q-Transformers

Help! Someone super-deformed me! It's a plot!

• Alert (February 21, 2015)
  • ID number: QT-13

Q-Transformers Alert is a redeco and retool of QT-05 Lambor with a lightbar, transforming into a super deformed Lamborghini Countach. He comes with a code for unlocking Red Alert as a playable character in the Q-Transformers: Mystery of Convoy Returns game.

War for Cybertron: Siege

My color scheme isn't consistent with the stock photos and renders? This can't be happening!

• Red Alert (Deluxe Class, 2019)
  • Hasbro ID number: WFC-S35
  • TakaraTomy ID number: SG-31
  • TakaraTomy release date: September 30, 2019
  • Hidden message code: RUNG
  • Accessories: Lightbar, blaster (combine to form "RT-10 Particle Beam Circuit Welder")

• Known designers: AJ Piejko-Brown (packaging)

Siege Red Alert is a redeco and slight retool of Sideswipe. He features "F D" written on his vehicle hood/robot chest in Autobot letters, in homage to markings on his original toy. In accordance with the strong Sunbow theme of the War for Cybertron Trilogy, Siege Red Alert's head is cartoon-accurate red and sculpted to resemble the cartoon model. Red Alert does not come with Sideswipe's original weapons, instead including a lightbar (differently molded from Prowl's, despite the fact it could fit on Sideswipe's roof) and a blaster, which are compatible with the C.O.M.B.A.T. System and can combine to form the "RT-10 Particle Beam Circuit Welder." Red Alert also features "battle damage" paint applications on his shins, as well as multiple hardpoints all over himself and his weapons to accommodate "Fire Blasts" from the Battle Masters assortment, which can be used to simulate blaster fire or explosions.

Bizarrely, Red Alert's figure was revealed not on his own, but from Brunt's stock photography—he was the 'model' using Brunt's parts as his arsenal, with no previous indication that he would be in the toyline except for small appearances in promotional posters.

Compared to the deco seen in CG renders and painted prototypes shown at fairs, the model shown in Red Alert's own stock photography (both by Takara and Hasbro) has some color differences. While the former has red biceps, the lightbar in translucent red plastic, red paint applications on the side of the lower legs, a white Fire Blast hardpoint on the chest, and "FIRE CHIEF" written in Autobot letters on the hood, the latter has white biceps, translucent black light-bar, no red applications on the lower legs, a red hardpoint, and no writing on the chest. The final model has the render's translucent red light-bar and the red applications on the lower legs, while everything else matches the stock photos.

War for Cybertron Trilogy

Where did all this battle damage come from?! They're out to get me!

• Red Alert (Deluxe Class, 2020)
  • TakaraTomy ID number: WFC-13
  • TakaraTomy release date: February 20, 2021
  • Accessories: Lightbar, blaster (combine to form "RT-10 Particle Beam Circuit Welder")

Promoting the Earthrise season of the Netflix War for Cybertron Trilogy cartoon, this version of Red Alert is a slathered redeco of the figure above with screen-accurate paint applications meant to make him resemble his appearance on the show. Much like the figure above, his stock renders feature red biceps, red paint applications on his lower legs, and a red version of Sideswipe's helmet.

This contained a portion of a cardstock background of Teletraan I. Red Alert's part has tabs F and O.

Red Alert was released as a part of the Walmart-exclusive War for Cybertron Trilogy subline.

War for Cybertron: Kingdom

...What has happened to my spoiler.

• Red Alert (Deluxe Class, 2021)
  • Hasbro ID number: WFC-K38
  • TakaraTomy ID number: KD-18
  • TakaraTomy release date: February 26, 2022
  • Accessories: Lightbar, blaster (combine to form "RT-10 Particle Beam Circuit Welder"), shoulder cannon, missile

Kingdom Red Alert is a redeco of Kingdom "Battle Across Time Collection" Sideswipe, with the head and lightbar from Siege Red Alert, transforming into an unlicensed approximation of an emergency Lamborghini Countach LP500S. His parts cast in white (primarily his vehicle mode parts) and roof/windshield are molded to closely resemble the earlier release of Earthrise Sunstreaker. The parts that are not cast in white (the wheels, blaster, shoulder cannon, and robot mode parts) remain the same.

His color scheme is quite different from his Siege and War for Cybertron Trilogy toys above, owing to unpaintable plastic being cast as red instead, amalgamating his Sunbow Productions-cartoon model, original toy, and 2005 IDW appearances' color schemes.

As a reuse of Kingdom Sideswipe, Red Alert includes the C.O.M.B.A.T. System-compatible shoulder cannon first included with Siege Sideswipe. The shoulder cannon has a 5 mm port on the front and rear, a 5 mm post, and tab that can attach into either slot next to his head, or any 5 mm port. The missile (cast in white like the other new parts) is also a new sculpt, lacking the 5 mm post. The "RT-10 Particle Beam Circuit Welder" can still be formed as the removable lightbar and blaster are unchanged,

He was released in Asian brick-and-mortar stores, and subsequently at EB Games in Canada, prior to any official announcement from Hasbro or TakaraTomy. Officially a Walgreens exlusive in the United States, the figure was effectively only available via the official Walgreens website for the better part of a year, with limited quantities also being offered via the Hasbro Pulse website. Eventually, the figure started appearing at brick and mortar Walgreens stores in late 2022, by which time Kingdom had long been replaced as a general retail line by Legacy.

Due to the exclusivity of the figure, no Golden Disk destiny cards are included.

Merchandise

Transformers Gum

• Alert (1985)
  • Accessories: "High-Energy Particle Beam Rifle", Shoulder-Mounted Rocket Launcher, rocket

Essentially a downsized version of the original Red Alert toy, the Transformers Gum Alert kit is sculpted from black, red and white plastic, features stickers rather than paint applications for details, and came with a stick of gum. Unusually, it is an entirely different mold from the Transformers Gum Sideswipe kit, both featuring different construction and being larger by about 25%.

Decoy

• Cybertron Hero Collection 22 (multi-pack, 1986)
• Red Alert (1987)
  • Decoy number: 16

The figurine was later brought over to Hasbro markets as part of the Decoy promotion, largely identical to the Japanese release except for the fact that the number on his back was replaced with a simple "checklist" number. Like all Autobot Decoys, he was a randomly-chosen pack-in available with the carded Throttlebots, Aerialbots, Protectobots, and Technobots.

• More information on Decoy Red Alert at TFU.info

MyClone

• Red Alert (2003)
  • Accessories: stand

• Known designers: Kazutami Yasuhiko (TakaraTomy)

MyClone Red Alert is a "chibi" figurine built with a body design meant to give it the ability to swap limbs and parts with other figures in the series. It is a repaint of MyClone Sideswipe - even still wearing Sideswipe's rocket pack - but Red Alert and Sideswipe have their rocket launchers mounted on opposite shoulders. Red Alert was a chase figure in the third and final wave of this series, and was particularly hard to collectors to find.

The Loyal Subjects

• Red Alert (2014)

Collect them all! This character article is a stub and is missing information on their toys & merchandise. You can help Transformers Wiki by expanding it.

Transformers Trading Card Game

• Red Alert, Security Chief (2018)
  • Wave 1S: Starter Set
  • Rarity: RT
  • Card Number: T04/T04
  • Stars: 6

Red Alert, Security Chief is one of four double-sided character cards available in the Transformers Trading Card Game Starter Set.

The artwork on the card is reused from the Transformers Legends mobile card game, and is based on the Generations Red Alert toy.

• Private Red Alert, Medical-Medic (2019)
  • Wave 3: War for Cybertron: Siege I
  • Rarity: CT
  • Card Number: T18/T48
  • Stars: 7

Private Red Alert, Medical-Medic is one of forty-eight double-sided character cards available in Wave 3 of the Transformers Trading Card Game, War for Cybertron: Siege I.

The card's artwork is based on the Siege Red Alert toy, with the Bot Mode artwork being reused from the toy's packaging art.

• Private Red Alert, Medical-Medic (2019)
  • Wave 3P
  • Rarity: CT
  • Card Number: P6/2019
  • Stars: 7

A reprint of Private Red Alert, Medical-Medic was made available as an in-store play promo card for the release of Wave 3: War for Cybertron: Siege I. The card is identical to the original release, printed with gold-foil on the Robot Mode side.

Transformers Character Card

• Alert & Inferno Set (October 17, 2023)
  • ID number: 65 & 66

Released as part of the ninth wave of the e-HOBBY exclusive Transformers Character Card series, this pair of holographic trading cards depict super-deformed art of "Alert" and Inferno along with character profiles and tech specs.

• Translation of Red Alert's Transformers Character Card

Blokees

• Red Alert (2024)

• Series: Galaxy Version 03 - The Autobot Run

If you build it, they will play. This toys & merchandise-related article is a stub. You can help Transformers Wiki by expanding it.

Notes

• The color schemes for the 2003 Universe versions of Inferno (at right) and Robots in Disguise Spy Changer Prowl are clearly based on Red Alert's Generation 1 look. Inferno in particular caused a great deal of fan confusion when first released; here was a toy named Inferno, decorated like Red Alert, released alongside a toy named Ratchet, decorated like Inferno. Hasbro design director Aaron Archer (in his online "Orson" persona) disclosed that this was the result of a mistake in the naming process.
• The Acura RSX Alternators Prowl toy was originally supposed to be Red Alert, with a different head sculpt. Eventually, however, it was decided to release the toy as Prowl instead, even though the Subaru Impreza model had more resemblance to Prowl and the Acura RSX model had more resemblance to Red Alert. Control drawings of the figure with the originally intended Red Alert head sculpt can be found in the Japanese Transformers Collection 2007 book, among other places. Reprolabels later made sticker sheets that, together with a head swap (which can be done with ease) allow you to convert the Subaru into Prowl and the Acura into Red Alert, making them resemble their original forms much more closely. At one point, Hasbro's website briefly listed a second Prowl (because he shipped in two different assortments, the two versions counted as two different products distribution-wise) as "Red Alert". Coupled with the lack of photos, this led fans to (incorrectly) assume an upcoming redeco. The listing was soon corrected to "Prowl", coupled with appropriate product photos.
• Kre-O Red Alert erroneously appears on Hasbro's stock photography of Kre-O Sideswipe set in place of the Sideswipe Kreon it actually comes with.

References