I just realized today that Dawn of the Future's Past or Pre-BW Dinobot shares the same vehicle mode as RID Grimlock. Of all the Transformers in that line I always thought that mold was an odd choice for Dinobot but after realizing that it actually makes sense.

I actually knew about this one already but I also think it's kinda funny that BWII Dirge turned into a retool of Waspinator and then years later Waspinator's pre-Earth mode turns out to be the same as Dirge.

 

That mold was actually chosen because the original Armada Hoist head was a dead-ringer for Dinobot. The fact the alt. mode is similar to RID Gimlock being an intentional homage is questionable at best, because that's like saying PCC Hardhead is an homage to G1 Brawl because their robot modes end up looking the exact same and both turn into generic looking single-barrel tanks.

 

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck.

 

While I agree with your point about Dinobot, as you said about Hardhead (... is that his name? I thought it was something else), he looks exactly like Brawl. Who is the most famous tank combiner. And even has a mineplow, like his movie version... they definitely knew what they were doing when they designed the figure.

 

I've long believed that Energon Divebomb was a homage to Banzai-tron. They have similar faces, legs with kneespikes and both are portrayed as martial artists.



Clocker/Swerve really reminds me of Hot Rod, especially Swerve whose colouring and face reminds me of Hot Rod in the G2 comics.

 

energon omega has notable traces of fortressmaxmimuss

dule cannons down by the crotch and a head master

what else is there

amarda blurr is a dead ringer for one of the target masters

 

I think we need to differentiate between waht is an homage and what is not. There is a thread in the movie section which deals with the similarities of optimus prime/abraham lincoln that clearly shows how people want to see homages that just aren't there.