Ah, that was the other bit I was wondering about, interesting.

I think the lack of chrome on the spoiler is to placate Lambo and maintain the licenced car mode. AFAIk Lambo's never came with chrome spoilers so Lambo would have forbidden it.
Same reason we have the removable chrome engine block and two versions of the rear end.
Unfortunately you can see the massive backpack we end up with in order to squeeze all those extra's in.

That backpack and the lack of chrome spoiler are my biggest negatives with this guy at the moment. That's a huge whomping big backpack. (probably best not to mention the butt-flap)

 

I'm still impressed with just how much bot they've managed to get out of such a slim car mode. Somehow he seems a much more well-rounded and bulkier figure than either 3P version. Megatron performed the same trick (I definitely sense a common designer there).

I can understand that, and I do feel that whenever TT have made a character that 3P has already done, TT have always done it better. And some 3P figures I've bought knowing that we'll probably get an official one sooner or later (carbots are the prime example), just to have that temp display for a few years. But with stuff like Skyfire, Omega Supreme, other Dinobots, Scramble City combiners, triple changers, Insecticons, Headmasters, Powermasters, Throttlebots, Junkions, Fembots etc all untouched by TT... with the best will in the world I can't foresee official versions of all these figures within my lifetime. Certainly not if the established pace of the line continues. And as franpincho says (and as we in the UK were horribly reminded last night), even if those official MPs did miraculously come to pass over the next few decades, who knows whether any of us will be around to see that collection complete?

 

Those guys who display backwards just aren't being catered for, poor bastards  

 

I love how TT has the Lamborghini Countach license, but probably couldn't get the official Sunstreaker (animated/Adapted) version.
So they released an official Lamborghini car mode, that transforms into the Sunstreaker version and a robot.

Sunstreaker is now officially a twoandahalf-changer  , next step for TT: Triplechangers! Confirmed, you heard it here first  

 

Wait, how does that work with the opening doors? You can see the hinges on the top of the windows on his chest yet that's where the doors open upwards? The doors and the attached side windows end up on the side of the leg

 

FYI that is not the proper animation model; it's a touch-up somebody made to look like Spinout with the wrong chest, wonky head and feet. The real Sunstreaker character model was posted by Sportimus just a few pages back:

 

The side windows definitely go onto the legs.

I'm not sure where the front windscreen goes.

But when you all have left is the roof of the car it definitely looks the same size and shape as Sunstreaker's robot chest to me.

If it could flip around 180 on a pivot just under the black part on the car-roof then the fake windows and windscreen could flip out from that panel.

So essentially in car mode the fake windows and windscreen are folded away underneath the roof of the car, to be revealed and unfolded when it flips around for robot mode.

 

Wow, just saw that backpack.


Ouch... 

 

Okay so please don't chastise me on any errors but I've provided a rough translation from the new Hi-Res scans pertaining to the interview.

Designer team Translation:

-How did you master the essence of Sunstreaker into a Masterpiece?

"In regards to development, I also have a desire to arrange all of the initial cast members of the real car series. In taking turns to select which robot gets developed next, Sunstreaker was chosen.
The Diaclone was the first Transformer car robot.
The New Series was started by Lambor which was like a counter revenge.
With the development of this Masterpiece, Lamborghini was very vocal in the lead for alt mode design cues, which is the opposite way to tackle a design such as Sunstreaker, however, we have a relationship where were able to add alt mode styling, gimmicks, and a cartoon likeness.
_
Originally Sunstreakers car details were different to real life.
The popularity of MP 12 Lambor was a success amongst not only Transformers fans but also car enthusiasts. We decided we could not completely ignore the desires and wishes of the car enthusiasts.
I wanted to present Sunstreaker as a product that Countach fans would recognize while taking advantage of his animation styling.
I tried to reproduce both the animation & real car alt mode design in a way were the transformation is incorporated instead of making him partsform.
Its a situation providing the best of both worlds, we even made the doors open.

Basic layout for the transformation is close to the G1 figure, The bonnet was divided further to combat having such a wide toe in robot mode.
I wanted to avoid having the emblem split in the middle.

In the animated cartoon there were unexpected challenges with volumes that arose from the backparts because they differed from the actual toy.
The most difficult part of the design was the robot mode chest, this is the place where the alt mode roof moves however is unable to be correctly proportionate.

There are many people who hate the use of dummy parts so I thought about what would be the best way to convince them otherwise. What we chose to do was to turn the alt mode roof inside out and have the small windows fold out from underneath to form the smaller chest piece.
Because the alt mode windscreen is so large it is hard to create otherwise.
-
For the shoulder we have a drawer joint. It is designed to swing back and forth. We designed this in the consideration of having the entire arm raise so you can create poses for holding the gun head on.
We are changing the direction of Masterpiece to make them better articulated. Until now we had mainly prioritised the forms before and after transformation. From now on articulation is being considered from the beggining.
In addition to this durability and resistance is being considered by using soft materials in areas of rub.
Masterpieces should have a high degree of paint applications now to enhance texture.
-
I can design figures with parts allocation and material arrangment with the paint automatically considered.
There are situations where a part needs to transform 3 times in a certain direction, the parts count as a result is overwealming compared to were we started off with Lambor and the others.
This is amazing as I've been able to articulate Sunstreakers ankles in such a way where he can balance on one foot. This will not be limited to Sunstreaker, I plan to design more Masterpieces to posses this ability.

-
Please tell us as much as you can on the Future of Masterpiece?

This part is hard to translate

Beast Wars & G1 are being released alternately since both parties are in different purchasing demographics seperated by age and so on. The release pattern has been thanks to you. We have managed to capture the age that was playing at the time of the show being broadcast and would like to keep the fever of waiting away by releasing more Beast Wars.
I want to distinguish between the 4x4 designs of Hoist and Trailbreaker in the meantime for the G1 fans, which will be troublesome.
I think Megatron and now Sunstreaker really suprised the fans & designers even!
I hope that Hoist can be realised with a few of these suprises. Alot of the masterpiece cars have come together.
We arranged the successive Masterpieces side by side the other day at a festival and they were very popular.

-
I would like to arrange the car robots in rows like the opening sequence of the animiation.
I want to produce the remaining characters including the minibots.
There are many similar opinons as mine, so I'm speaking on their behalf as we take different directions to clear the obstacles in commercialising these products.
END/


So MP Hoist, Trailbreaker, the intention to complete all the car bots and minibots with an increased level of articulation, paint & durability on each figure. The future is bright!

 

WOW!!!! they really have gone all out in the design for sunstreaker how many features can one bot have packed into it !! only thing its lacking is the missile / hand feature which is a shame

 

Wooooooooooo!

What an interview! Incredible!

Thanks so much for the translation @Emperor Bruticus IV!!

 

I'm so glad I decided not to acquire badcube's sunsurge... Thank You TakTom!!!  

 

Aw, Optimist Maximus! Keep trying! I believe in you! Third time's the charm, OK?

 

ah shit now i have to sell my badcube sunsurge.....

 

should put to rest the sky is falling because of beast wars and the new movie mp's crew , they are fully going to complete the carbots

 

Fuckin' golden age of MPs right here, folks!

 

That comparison is better than mine LOL!
I think Sunsurge is more toon accurate according to this picture  

 

oh i didnt realise we werent supposed to do any comparisons....Does that offend you?

 

Thank you so much for the translation, so many good news in that post =)

 

Inside out.