Reading threads like this makes me feel that I've been in this hobby way too long. "Lost mold" threads are always my favorite, though.
I do know they've experimented with new, more accurate ways to do it through 3D scanners, though it was on the action man line, not Transformers. But I suspect it requires quite an effort, and they're probably better off just creating new stuff.
I hate these sorts of threads because they're practically an open invitation to bend over to speak. Remember, kids, alot of the naysayers said Soundwave was at the bottom of the sea, Hound was lost forever, and Predaking would never sell due to knockoffs. And, yet, here they all sit alongside Star Convoy, 3 reissues of Megatron, Jazz with a fixed face, the impossible SkyLynx, and a perfect reproduction of Mirage.
Why are people stating that the combiner molds are lost? The Bruticus mold still exists, although it has probably been depleted from all of those RID recolorations. The Seacons mold clearly still exists. The Stunticons mold is highly likely to exist based on the club's statements at Botcon. Why would the Aerialbots and Protectobots be lost? None of the fans know a damn thing about which molds are lost other than the ones Hasbro has confirmed as depleted or lost. Anything else is speculation.
I wish the Trailbreaker mold was lost since that's the only way I could stop being pissed off for them not reissuing it the same way they did for so many of the other original figures. Yeah I know it got *a* reissue somewhere back in the day, but it's so rare that it might as well not even count. And yeah I know that they apparently can't call it Trailbreaker or Autobot Trailbreaker anymore. Whatever, that shouldn't stop a reissue from happening. They could rename him Purple Cloud Car From Andromeda for all I care. As long as it looks & feels like TB, I couldn't care less what the box says. Not unlike how Universe Tankor will be Octane the minute he's ripped out of that packaging. Booyah.