Licensing would require Cliff's alt mode to be realistically proportioned, which would make it look less G1 accurate. Although TakaraTOMY could try to engineer it so that the alt mode could transform between being realistically and G1 proportioned. We saw them do this at a much simpler level with Sunstreaker. But that was just the exposed engine and tail lights -- Cliff's gonna require more engineering magic. Couple this with the combined complications of making a cartoon like robot mode, and we can see that the cost of this toy is gonna be much higher than say MP Bumblebee.

My Binaltechs and Alternities (and CHUGs if need be) continue to substitute for yet to be done MPs until they're actually done.