Robo Wheels

Robo Wheels (ロボウィール) was a short-lived series of transforming cars similar to toys like Transformers and GoBots. Designed as 1/64 scaled cars released under the Hot Wheels branding, they can easily be transformed into little skate-boarding robots, capitalizing on the late-'90s X-Sports craze. The bottom deck of the car is cast in diecast metal, while the articulated robots and car parts are plastic. The body of the robots make up the engine, and the body parts of the cars attach to the arms or legs. With multiple cars, one can easily customize their Robo Wheels to create the perfect fighter. 
Developed for Bandai by PLEX, (the same people that designed several Machine Robo, Super Sentai, and Power Rangers toys) Robo Wheels were intended for a now-defunct Machine Robo revival. Intended for a release between CG Robo and Machine Robo GP, the plans never came to fruition. 
In 1999, Bandai and Mattel entered into an agreement consolidating their management resources, products, and marketing in an attempt to maximize their global reach and revenues. In Japan, Bandai would market and sell Mattel products under the Bandai brand, and in Latin American markets, Mattel would market and sell Bandai products under both Mattel and Bandai brand names. 
The plans for the Machine Robo version of Robo Wheels launch were scraped, and Bandai licensed the designs and material to Mattel for a US launch, echoing back to the 1983 Bandai/Tonka licensing agreement that birthed GoBots.
Developed by industry veteran PLEX, who worked with both Bandai and Mattel in the past, Robo Wheels often homaged older super robots and sentai series, many of which PLEX had a hand in designing, such as Machine Robo, RoGun, and most noticeably, Bismark.
The story of Robo Wheels is tried and true. The good Positrons lived on the peaceful, atom-like planet of Positron, skateboarding across the world down some very Hot-Wheels-esk tracks. One fateful day, the Negabotz attacked, infecting some of the Positrons and turning them evil. Their war raged on until it made its way to Earth. 
Released in North American markets in 2001-2002, the story was told through commercials, fiction blurbs on cardback, and a short CGI film entitled Robo Wheels Battle Arena: Earth distributed as a VHS pack-in. (Although it has a stated runtime of 23 minutes, only 7 minutes and 11 seconds is the actual pilot. The rest of the runtime is dedicated to worldbuilding and character files.)
Wave 1 consisted of 14 figures: 7 Positrons, and 7 Negabotz. The first release also included Tranz-Blaster, a Robo Wheel-carrying spaceship that transforms into a giant robot. It was released in both red and blue, as a Negabotz and a Positrons respectively. Both sets included the same, un-named Robo Wheels figure. The 2001 launch concluded with the Battle Arena playset.
Wave 2 had a very limited release in 2002. The Color Changers were a mish-mash of themes. 15 figures were designed for Wave 2, subdivided into the previously established Positrons and Negabotz, while introducing a third faction of Neutroids, playing on the atom motif. Wave 2 was subdivided again into Extreme, Ninja, and Camo designations. All of them had heat-sensitive chromatic paint, changing colors in hot and cold. 
The Crash Coaster playset was released with the only non-articulated, non-transforming Robo Wheels in the line. A static, orange plastic figure permanently attached to his wheelbase, the figure also featured the Wave 2 color-changing features.
Only the Crash Coaster and Ninja Positrons from Wave 2 saw anything close to a normal release. They still sport their Wave 1 cardbacks. The line was summarily canceled partway through 2002. 
Wave 2.5 ran from 2003-2005. Released exclusively in Latin American markets, it consisted of the full release of Wave 2 Robo Wheels, plus the Extreme Half Pipe playset. In an ironic twist, Japan finally saw their domestic release of Wave 1, unchanged from their American release, with the addition of stickers containing Japanese text. 
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==Products==
===Vehicles===
ID Number 	Name 	Faction 	Car Type 	Color 	Tampo 	Wheel Type 	Toy Number 	Car Photo 	Robot Photo
2001 Wave 1	2001 Wave 1 	2001 Wave 1	2001 Wave 1 	2001 Wave 1 	2001 Wave 1 	2001 Wave 1	2001 Wave 1	2001 Wave 1 	2001 Wave 1
P1 	Rocketz 	Positrons 	 	 	 	 	55520 	 	
P2 	Gattling Gunn'r 	Positrons 	30s Roadster	Yellow 	Black Stripes Japanese Markings	5SP 	55215 	100px 	
P3 	Mobile Mortar 	Positrons 	 	 	 	 	55217 	 	
P4 	Bazuka Blaster 	Positrons 	 	 	 	 	55219 	 	
P5 	Battle Baton 	Positrons 	 	 	 	 	55218 	 	
P6 	Grenade Launch'r 	Positrons 	 	 	 	 	55521 	 	
P7 	Lazer Beam'r 	Positrons 	 	 	 	 	55216 	 	
N1 	Missile Launch'r 	Negabotz 	 	 	 	 	55213 	 	
N2 	Battle Axe 	Negabotz 	30s Roadster	Purple 	Red Stripes Japanese Markings 	5SP 	55208 	100px|link=Special:FilePath/Battle_Axe_robo_car_2.JPG	100px|link=Special:FilePath/Robto_only_robo.JPG
N3 	Double Barrel Blaster	Negabotz 	 	 	 	 	55210 	 	
N4 	Lethal Lance 	Negabotz 	 	 	 	 	55212 	 	
N5 	Street Beast 	Negabotz 	 	 	 	 	55211 	 	
N6 	Mobile Mace 	Negabotz 	 	 	 	 	55214 	 	
N7 	Formula Fighter 	Negabotz 	 	 	 	 	55209 	 	
- 	Tranz-Blaster 	Positrons 	 	Blue 	 	 	55222 	 	
- 	Tranz-Blaster 	Negabotz 	 	Red 	 	 	55225 	 	
2002 Wave 2	2002 Wave 2 	2002 Wave 2	2002 Wave 2 	2002 Wave 2 	2002 Wave 2 	2002 Wave 2	2002 Wave 2	2002 Wave 2 	2002 Wave 2
- 	Slamurai 	Positrons 	 	Color Changers	Ninja 	 	B0365 	 	
- 	Protun 	Positrons 	 	Color Changers	Camo 	 	B0366 	 	
- 	Motohazard 	Positrons 	 	Color Changers	Ninja 	 	B0368 	 	
- 	Montezooma 	Positrons 	 	Color Changers	Extreme 	 	B0370 	 	
- 	Swingshot 	Positrons 	 	Color Changers	Camo 	 	B0375 	 	
- 	Sy-Klone 	Positrons 	 	Color Changers	Extreme 	 	B0373 	 	
- 	Motoson 	Neutroids 	 	Color Changers	Ninja 	 	B0364 	 	
- 	Thunderstreak 	Neutroids 	 	Color Changers	Extreme 	 	B0372 	 	
- 	Neutroid 	Neutroids 	 	Color Changers	Camo 	 	B0859 	 	
- 	Kamakozzi 	Negabotz 	 	Color Changers	Ninja 	 	B0367 	 	
- 	Sumsumo 	Negabotz 	 	Color Changers	Ninja 	 	B0369 	 	
- 	Rigormotor 	Negabotz 	 	Color Changers	Extreme 	 	B0371 	 	
- 	Trans-Mutant 	Negabotz 	 	Color Changers	Extreme 	 	B0374 	 	
- 	Vakkor 	Negabotz 	 	Color Changers	Camo 	 	B0857 	 	
- 	X-Ploder 	Negabotz 	 	Color Changers	Camo 	 	B0858 	 	
===Playsets===
Name 	Toy Number	Photo
Battle Arena 	54509 	
Extreme Half Pipe	57482 	
Crash Coaster 	57451 	
==Gallery==
Police Robo Wheels prototype.jpg|Police Robo Wheels Prototype/ Casting was used in a different variation within the series
Police Robo Wheels prototype (2).jpg
Police Robo Wheels prototype (3).jpg
Police Robo Wheels prototype (4).jpg
Resin and Metal Robo Wheels prototype.jpg|F1 Racer Robo Wheels Prototype/ Casting was used in a different variation within the series
Police Robo Wheels prototype (2).jpg
Resin and Metal Robo Wheels prototype (2).jpg
Battle Axe robo car.JPG|Robo Wheel Transformed
Base only robo.JPG|Base only
List of robo wheels for all u deniers.jpg|List of Robo Wheels
File:Robo Wheels Wave 2.png|Robo Wheels wave 2.5
File:Yellow Robo Wheels unknown 1.jpg|Unknown car
File:Yellow Robo Wheels unknown 2.jpg
File:Yellow Robo Wheels unknown 3.jpg
File:Yellow Robo Wheels unknown 4.jpg
54500 s 02 i h.jpeg|8 Robo Wheels
M38245132422 1.jpeg|Collection of Robo wheels in parts
54500 c 03 1 l.jpeg|3 Robo Wheels
==Commercials==
File:Hot Wheels Robo Wheels Battle Arena|Battle Arena
==See also==
*Modifighters
Category:Hot Wheels by Series
Category:Robot Cars
Category:2001 Hot Wheels
Category:2001 First Released
Category:Color Changers
Category:2002 Hot Wheels
Category:2003 Hot Wheels
Category:2004 Hot Wheels
Category:2005 Hot Wheels