I don't think there's been a comprehensive talk about Titans Returns vs. Studio Series 86. I have both. They're in separate locations now (86 is at work, TR is at home), but I can post pictures later if people want.

I'd say the big differences are as follows:

• SS86 is the more screen accurate Robot mode. Hands down. In Car mode, he beats any other Hot Rod from 3 of the 4 angles.
• Titans Returns is the more complete Car Mode. The back is fully formed, and the wheels are pinned (not a small thing for me!).
• The Spoiler: Titan's Returns has a more appropriate sized spoiler in Car mode, is that it doesn't seem to be overly large compared to the car. SS86 has a better spoiler in Robot mode. TR's spoiler kinda disappears in robot mode.
• Plastic Quality: Not even comparable. TR feels glossy and slick, while SS86 feels more solid and well formed. The feel is fundamentally different in hand.
• Joints: TR suffers from the linewide loose joint issue. Mine has about the loosest hips I've every seen. SS86 is very very tight, almost too tight until you work with the figure a bit.
• Accessories: Titan's Returns has the headmaster and a pretty awful gun. SS86 wins this easily.
• Firedrive?: TR can actually utilize Siege Firedrive in car and Robot Mode via the Titan master pegs. SS86 can only use Firedrive in robot mode. That makes TR a really good representation of Targetmaster Hot Rod.

We ought to call out the TR headmaster separately. I am NOT a fan of figures that were not originally headmasters becoming headmasters. That alone makes me like SS86 more. That isn't an issue for some people, and TR Hot Rod can be easily modified to stop being a headmaster if you wish.

I hope that helps. If there's desire, I can specifically take pictures of the two side by side. I think SS86 is superior in just about everyway, but I'd acknowledge there are a few things TR does better (more complete robot mode, targetmaster interaction).

 

I have the TR Hot Rod, LG Targetmaster Hot Rod and SS86 Hot Rod. The TR/LG Hot Rods can be transformed faster and feel more sturdy due to less hinges/moving parts. Poseability is good, but SS86 Hot Rod poses a lot better.

If you already like TR/LG Hot Rod and G1 accuracy isn’t your thing, the SS86 Hot Rod might not appeal to you. SS86 Hot Rod seems best for fans who always wanted a fully articulated mainline G1 Hot Rod but never got one since 1986. What it offers over TR Hot Rod as a toy, is better articulation, weapons not being compromised by hollowness due to combining to form seats for Titanmasters, more weapons/accessories and more integrated gimmicks(retractable visor, tool on right forearm, saw can attach to left forearm when the left hand rotates inwards for a 5mm attachment peg). So accuracy aside, SS86 offers more playability to me than TR Hot Rod. Both of mine suffer from loose joints(legs on my SS86). I like headmasters and piloted mecha so I have reason to own both.

Ultimately I still think SS86 is the better Hot Rod due to being a long time coming and for all that it does. I do wish the car mode cleaned up as well as it does on the TR and I wish it felt as sturdy as the TR one does.

 

I appreciate the assessments. It's nice to know that SS86 does have something to offer someone who doesn't care about show accuracy. I do plan on getting him, but I don't see him taking the place of POTP Rodimus in my photo comic. (For one thing, he doesn't have the battle mode.) I just wish a little more of the love shown the robot mode had been lavished on the car mode.

 

I think it turned out that way due to being constrained by relative scaling. For a deluxe, it has a substantially more involved transformation compared to most other WFC deluxes. They crammed a lot into it and luckily it’s intuitive without being frustrating. There are some deluxes that are overcomplicated due to the robot mode needing to be in relative scale to other figures(some live action studio series deluxes) and as a result, are very fiddly. Thankfully, this figure isn’t like those figures. More secure connections like the underside forearm panels could be tighter but that’s about it connection-wise. I don’t even think the transformation is complex, just has more steps than most other recent deluxes.

What’s very impressive is how this Hot Rod is able to maintain a sleek car mode, full articulation and enough clearance for the wheels to roll, without the backpack and proportions of MP-28. While I don’t think SS86 Hot Rod completely surpasses MP-28 in all categories, the fact that it manages to be better in some aspects is very surprising.

 

I’m thinking there’s room in a collection for most of the Hot Rod’s we’ve received. Animated is its own thing (and amazing). TR is a really good target master option and has a good car. Classics is the best Target Master, but is a very old toy and lacks articulation. Classics also has the FanProjects Protector upgrade. SS86 is crazy screen accurate. PotP has the Hot Rod and Rodimus modes. And the G1 is the original flavor.

For the record, I also have the Flame Tiys Furai model on preorder because I love the Lost Light Rodimus and want a representation of him in my collection.

I really like SS86, but I can get the idea others may like the other options we have.

 

The shoulder vertical rotation on mine is super tight, which makes those gray veritcal posts flex a LOT, which is not goot because the offset mushroom peg those are on is not very big.

 

Everyone puts the blast effect on the front of the matrix.. i kinda like putting it on the backside so you can actually see the matrix

 

Yeah that actually looks awesome

 

Ss86 Hotrod is my first mainline tf since wave 1 of potp. I'm blown away by how much I love this figure. The sculpt, the articulation, I'm just floored.

Being that I've been so removed from tf, what figures are on this level of awesome? I grabbed a Cliffjumper last night and was told the lambo mold is good too. Any recommendations?

 

If you are looking for articulation, siege spinister is a great mold. Siege hound is nice too, he's my personal favorite.

 

Siege Sideswipe
Siege Hound
Earthrise Bumblebee
SS86 Scourge
Kingdom Cyclonus

that’s just off the top of my head

 

Second this. Spinister is amazing. I bought two of him plus rotorstorm (spinister repaint with a new head). Also recommend the netflix Soundwave if you can find one and any of the siege seekers which have really good articulation too. The earthrise seekers are great too, specially for their alt modes, but they don't have the articulation of the siege version.

And if you like the Bumblebee movie, I recommend getting studio series blitzwing and jeep Bumblebee as they are both awesome and you can recreate the great scene with them from the movie.

 

Thanks for the tips! I ended up finding a Tigertrack at Gamestop that I grabbed for $8.47, then the walmart Ultra Magnus for 5, I'm loving both of these. I'll keep my eyes peeled for Hound.

To say the least these are a lot of fun. And to stay on topic, here are more Hotrod photos.

 

Everybody's comparing SS86 to the Titans Return when complaining about his incomplete car rear, but I happened to dig the Classics and Animated molds out of storage today and, well.





I think old 86 is doing okay.

 

I gotta hand it to the Classics figure, its gun did do a great job of filling the underlying gap by plugging in and becoming an exhaust. At least it had that!

 

I was going to mention that too. Classics can really fill in the back with the gun.

Animated does have an incomplete back end of the car. But it is still one of the best Rodimus figures I’ve owned.

 

Since I haven't really been keeping up with this stuff, do his effects pieces ruin his plastic the same way the Siege/ER ones did?

 

The gap is actually an intentional design of his alt mode to create a suction at high speeds so he can kick up the maximum amount of his dust for you to eat.

 

That was and still is way overblown.

If anything, it *might* take paint off. Ours have been fine. Just don't leave them on for extended periods of time.

No one's plastic is going to melt into mush.

 

Just picked mine up today and my thoughts pretty much echo the majority; it's fun, poseable, and show-accurate, definitely a fantastic version of the character that'll be a great addition to anyone's shelf. Is it perfect? No, but nothing is and I can easily live with the subjective flaws (finicky panel tolerances, arms a smidge too close to the body). Does it replace the Masterpiece (which some in the original thread thought it might) for me? No, because I weigh both the robot mode and vehicle mode equally and the MP-28 car doesn't look like it's going to be surpassed anytime soon. Am I satisfied with my purchase? You bet I am, now bring on the rumored Commander Rodimus that keeps getting talked about!