Autoblog

We happen to know a thing or two about impersonating an officer, having reviewed a 2008 Dodge Charger Cop Car and been detained by Dearborn police for our troubles. Our tester looked a bit too much the like the real deal, with a white-on-black paint job, working light bar and even a set of bumper bars. Thus, we can sympathize with Jessie Vigil, a Las Vegas resident and disabled Iraq war veteran who transformed his 2007 Mustang into Barricade, the evil Decepticon from the Transformers movie. What would possess a man to turn his Mustang into a movie prop? Well, his 7-year-old son really liked the movie, so now he's got a full-scale Transformers toy.

Vigil created his cop car the right way by first contacting the local authorities and asking if his project were legal. While the Chief Deputy District Attorney discouraged him from doing it, there was nothing on the books that expressly forbade it. The only thing the law prohibits is impersonating an officer, and it was decided Vigil didn't fit that description for two reasons. One, the car is a Mustang and apparently Las Vegas police have no Mustangs in their fleet. Two, the police themselves sell their old cruisers without repainting them, so there's already lots of vehicles running around with white-on-black paint jobs. There are other signs this Decepticon is a dud as well, like the many movie-related vinyl graphics and the totally fake light bar.

While most locals know the car by now, authorities are still concerned that drivers on the interstate might get confused and ask Vigil for help. If we learned anything from Michael Bay's opus last summer, it's don't ask a Mustang cop car for help. They're the evil ones. Thanks for the tip, SwissFreek!

[Source: Fox News, Photo: AP/Las Vegas Optic]

OK, we admit it. We went a little bit overboard in the six months (maybe a year) leading up the Transformers movie. It's hard for us not to love a movie that includes a Mustang vs. Camaro battle scene and a seriously bad-ass Optimus Prime. If you were with (the few of -Ed.) us panging in anticipation of the first Transformers movie, you'll appreciate the fact that Michael Bay already has a countdown to the second installment of what will likely be a long-running movie franchise.

According to Mr. Bay's countdown to Transformers 2, the date to remember is June 26, 2009. That's about 470 days from now, which will give us plenty of time to start stalking begging Bay to throw in a Camaro vs. Mustang vs. Challenger battle to the death. It does scare us that the movie arrives closer to the (supposed) launch of the Chevy Volt. We're really excited about the car, but if one of the Autobots has to plug in the middle of a fight scene, we'll be pissed.

[Source: Michael Bay via Winding Road]

Here's what you're doing tonight. You're going to your local big box retailer and walking out with a copy of Michael Bay's CG-extravaganza that was one of last summer's coolest ways to waste a couple hours: Transformers. We've all been inundated by the ad blitz, and now the DVD and HD-DVD are in stores now, still warm and offgassing from the pressing plant. You should do your homework to make sure you get the exclusive edition you want, though. Target's got the coolest, a DVD case that actually transforms into Optimus Prime, but Wal-Mart's got the prequel bundled with the film. If you're really hardcore and you need to have both, you'll end up with two copies of the feature. Or you could just go to Best Buy and get the two action figures and be done with it.

If you're in the Hollywood area, you can actually hang out with Bumblebee as he stands guard over the West Hollywood Gateway shopping center. It's an actual prop from the movie, and we think it's a brilliant idea to send Autobots out to promote their own DVD. After all, the life of unemployed Transformer can be tough (see video after the jump). The Hollywood Bumblebee is huge, you'd need Ironhide to tow it around, but you can also enter to win a Bumblebee Camaro when the model goes live in 2009.

[Source: Cinematical, Slashfilm, FilmSchoolRejects]

In what amounts to little more than a throwaway line in an interesting article detailing the between between the principals of DreamWorks and its current parent company, Paramount, we're given confirmation on when we should expect to see the sequel to this summer's Transformers. With the film grossing over $700 million worldwide (and a big DVD release on the way that will shovel more money into the coffers), a Transformers 2 was a foregone conclusion. And now, thanks to LA Times scribe Claudia Eller, we know that Summer 2009 is when it's set to hit screens. Both Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay are signed on, according to the article.

Those of you who loved/hated the wall-to-wall making-of coverage while the first film was in production should prepare for more of the same in 2008. After all, the TF sequel should include new robots and new cars for us to gab about. Maybe the second time around, GM will even have some on-screen company from other carmakers, too.

[Source: LA Times via MichaelBay.com]

That there will be a Transformers 2 is a foregone conclusion. The film's $222,000,000 domestic box-office tally in under two weeks makes the sequel a lock to happen. Tack another $100,000,000 on if you want to factor in the foreign b/o, too. Before a sequel happens, however, there will be the DVD, and we expect the TF disc to be loaded with extras. (Bay's films in the past have spawned outstanding, content-laden special-edition home versions.) Our Weblogs, Inc. pals over at Cinematical report that Mark Ryan, who voices everyone's favorite Camaro, told an interviewer, "I recently recorded more material for the DVD release of the film. It has to do with the prequel that will set up the second film."

Speculation continues after the jump.

[Source: Cinematical]

click above image to view all the Chinese Transformers

Chinese automakers are known for making knockoffs off models sold elsewhere in the world, so does it surprise you one has taken to creating knockoffs of our beloved Transformers? To be fair, the Transformers franchise traces its roots back to Japanese culture (check out the current issue of Wired for a great lineage article), but considering the new movie based on the successful toy line was directed by America's biggest blow-em-up director, Michael Bay, one could argue the league of robots in disguise is as American as apple pie.

Great Wall has swiped the marketing campaign currently employed by General Motors and is showing off its "own" vehicles in robot mode, complete with ridiculous profiles that indicate each characters name, with what celebrity it most identifies, favorite movie, singer and motto. Florida (shown above), for instance, stands 3.91 meters tall when transformed from its four-wheel identity, which is a Toyota knock off. It identifies most with Paris Hilton, loves the movie "Mission Impossible", listening to Justin Timberlake and cries out "C'est la vie!" when entering battle. Whatever. Other characters include Perry, i7 and Coolbear, the latter of which is a dead ringer for the new Scion xB.

Considering the track record of Chinese cars when they encounter collisions on public roads, should we expect these Chinese Transformers to crumple under their own weight when erect and collapse into a mangled mess of steel and blown air bags? These Chinabots aren't worthy enough to carry one of Optimus Prime's spare tires.

Check out the crazy profiles by clicking the Read link, and view each character in our gallery below.

[Source: Autoblog Chinese]

Michael Bay is ramping up his marketing machine for his celluloid opus, Transformers, which we all know debuts in theaters on July 4th. In addition to the theatrical trailer already released, Bay just debuted two more trailers for television that have already begun airing betwixt your favorite TV dramas in primetime. The one above is called Declare, and the one after the jump is called Vibration. Each offers a few snippets of footage we haven't seen yet. And let us tell ya, nothing gets us going like ex-model Tyrese Gibson screaming "Bring it!" to a bunch of Decepticons. July 4th can't come soon enough.

[Source: MichaelBay.com]

It's one thing to design a Transformer in CGI and have it magically transform from a car to a 40-foot-tall robot in 24 frames of animation. It's entirely different to produce a toy that actually does transform with moving parts that have to work together in total harmony. HASBRO is in charge of producing the full gamet of Transformers toys this time around and has a website up that shows us exactly how Optimus Prime will go from big rig to big robot. Click here, skip the intro and, unless you have a pair of cardboard 3D glasses handy, click on the 2D link. Here you'll find animations that show how Optimus Prime, Scorponok, Ratchet and Ironhide will actually transform when pulled from their plastic packaging.

The site also has 360 degree views of each Transformer toy, as well as some extra items like a wearable Optimus Prime helmet. Our search for a Halloween costume this year is officially over.

[Source: 3Dtransformers.com via tfw2005]

The final theatrical trailer for Michael Bay's Transformers hit the web today. It's lean on plot, and we don't care, because the action sequences are enough to make your eyes melt. We have Bumblebee dishing it out (and taking it on the chin, it appears). There's Starscream performing trick midair transformation acrobatics. And as you see above, there's Optimus Prime getting ready to go kung-fu all over your candy asses. And that's not even the half of it. After all, there's Megan Fox, too.

Best line: "It's probably Japanese."

47 days, kids...

The trailer's embedded after the jump.

[Sources: Jalopnik, MichaelBay.com, Yahoo!]

click above image to view all eight Transformers character designs

Sigh... our obsession, everyone's obsession even, with the upcoming Transformers film is continuing to build. We know, we're even irritating ourselves a bit, but you can't avert your from these high-resolution character designs for eight of the Transformers appearing in Michael Bay's summer blockbuster. Clearly, Bay took some creative license in designing each Autobot and Decepticon, so we have to ask, which Transformer received the best update?Check out high-res images of each character design in our ongoing Transformers gallery by clicking below.

Which Transformer received the best update from Bay?
	Optimus Prime
	Megatron
	Bumblebee
	Jazz
	Ironhide
	Starscream
	Blackout
	Frenzy