Convoy

I have a confession to make. This is my first Binaltech. Indeed, I had some Alternators, but never an original JP version. What a fool I was.

Was there always this much metal in the Binaltech? This toy makes me want to sell all my alternators and go out and replace them with the Binaltech version.

BT-22 Convoy feat. Dodge Ram SRT-10 is the latest Binaltech figure from TakaraTomy. It’s basically the same as Alternators Optimus Prime, but this time its all METAL.

Let’s start off with Vehicle mode.

Convoy is a Dodge Ram SRT-10 Pickup truck. It’s a heavy duty machine with a dodge viper engine in it. To say this thing hauls ass would be an understatement. So it is a fitting truck form for Convoy.

Most of the outer covering is metal. The only exceptions are the roof and part of the hood. The wheels are rubber and the front wheels turn in tandem.

The doors open as well as the hood and tailgate. It is here where I experience my first displeasure with the toy. The door falls off. Nothing is broken, it just does not stay. It is best to leave it off for transformation.

The door being off provides a good look into the detail inside the vehicle. Each gauge is meticulously detailed.

Transformation is an enjoyable experience. The metal provides a satisfactory tactile experience. Things go clank and clang. Things go click and clack.

Watch the video. Then return.

In vehicle mode, Convoy looks impressive. His legs are largely metal, and articulation is sufficient. The hip joints are rather loose. It is unfortunate. A blight on an otherwise stellar design.

Well, that and the door.

The engine of the Dodge can transform into a small weapon. Hardly a fitting weapon for an Autobot commander. The peg on the handle fits into the hole in the palm of the hand.

The head rotates, the arms move. The doors get in the way a bit. Convoy looks great from the front, but from the back, it is a jumbled mess. Best not to look at it from that angle.

They say that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The whole of Convoy is metal, heavy, clanking, rubber tires, intricate yet detailed. The door kind of sucks, but when taken into consideration against the rest of convoy, it is a minor annoyance.

This kind of toy belongs on your shelf. I keep mine in vehicle mode. The children lust after it, and I hit them away with sticks and I shout “away children, this is not for you!”

It’s that cool.