After nearly thirty years of collecting, I've only just got a set of mini-spies. These things are tough as nails to crack down in the UK, did they even get a release? Also, repro labels show a red mini-spy as part of their upgrade kits, do these exist? I've only seen them in yellow, blue and white.
from tfwiki: Mini-spy (1985) Mini-spy toys came packaged with Mini Vehicles in early 1985. Mini-spies were the first toys to debut with rubsigns, and the only way to determine whether a given Mini-spy toy was an Autobot or Decepticon was by rubbing the rubsign. They also use a pull-back motor to zip along smooth surfaces. They're just packed with gimmicky goodness. There were four different Mini-spy molds, known by the unofficial names 4WD Type (or Jeep Type), Buggy Type, FX-1 Type (based on the Toyota FX-1 concept car), and Porsche Type (based on the Porsche 928). Each was available in blue, white or yellow plastic, and as either an Autobot or Decepticon, making for a total of 24 different combinations. Not only that, but each mold has a variation in its pull-back assembly: the seemingly more common version has an angled motor casing with 8-spoke rear hubcaps, while the other has a rounded casing with a much more complicated hubcap pattern (see comparison here). That's a whopping 48 Mini-spy variations!
THAT ..is killer. I had a few but my fav as a kid was the blue buggy. That lil pull back motor was awesome. that thing flew.
After 30 years as a fan, I just found out these even existed recently, haha. Very cool for a free pack-in (also cool that they were the first to have rubsigns!).
I bought my first mini spy today! I saw the yellow jeep deception one at a local toy show and grabbed him for five bucks. I love it!
Hasbro should retcon these as micromasters or minicons...or as their predecessors...and give them names...
