Comparing the box art between Takara's Middle-G1 Brainmasters (1989) and Hasbro's Late-G1 Motorvators (1991)...

  • Hasbro did NOT reuse Takara's box art for the Motorvators. They are all new pieces of artwork, although clearly based on the Takara art.

  • Lightspeed's art appears to have extended the left foot which is cropped on the Takara art, although the Hasbro artist may have had access to an uncropped copy of Braver's box art.

  • Flame's art portrays him as having a shield, but of course, none of the Motorvators came with any of the combining parts to form Road Caesar - so Flame is shown holding a shield that he NEVER had!

  • Gripper's art suggests that the Hasbro artist may have only had access to the Takara box art but not the toys themselves. Notice that there is a rather clean line along Gripper's left shoulder and back kibble - not only that, but the front left wheel and bumper tip which should be visible are clearly cut off. These parts were obscured by Blacker's shield on the Takara version and have not been drawn in by the Hasbro artist.

  • The Motorvators' art also all have inaccuracies. All of their eye colours don't match the toys. Lightspeed is blue instead of teal. Flame has a purple face instead of silver. It lends further credence to the theory that the Hasbro artist never had the actual toys in front of him/her, and perhaps these colours were based off earlier sketches before the final colours were determined for the toys. Flame's shield is a strange one - Lightspeed and Gripper have had their shields "removed," but just not Flame!