Ironhide was quite different from what was pictured in the cartoon and comic: the toy had no head. It is not clear whether the sticker on the seat was intended or not to represent a face.

Ironhide and Ratchet are based off an older black Diakron/Diaclone figure that included a tiny human driver, which is the reason for the driver seat.

In Europe in 1990 and 1991, the Transformers Classics line was launched. These were the first re-issues, consisting of Autobot Cars, Throttlebots, Scramble City combiners, four Triple-Changers, the Dinobots (Swoop was never released in Europe), and Optimus Prime. The toys themselves were identical except that there were no rub signs, and the indents were filled in on the combiners, Triple-Changers, and Throttlebots. The classics molds were again modified for G2, (and RID, and Armada, and Universe for Bruticus). The Throttlebots' rub signs were replaced with regular sigils like Bumblebee and Cliffjumper had in 1984. The Throttlebots were rereleased in 1991.