GM rolled out its new Autobots for ‘Transformer: Revenge of the Fallen” this morning at the Chicago Auto Show, including their new yellow Camaro whose redesign will play a key roll in the story for the new film. Following the events of Michael Bay’s first “Transformers” movie, the Camaro-shaped Autobot Bumblee will be rebuilt in the form of GM’s latest design .
“The actual Autobot is from the first one,” GM Vice President of Global Design Ed Welburn told MTV News. “The car that’s on display is the new car for the sequel.”
The design chief, who worked closely with Bay, described how the design updates were worked into the film’s story. “Bumblebee was injured in the first movie,” he said. “When it comes back in the new movie, it’s bulked up; it’s stronger.”
Wellburn oversaw those changes in his role at GM. And his team kept the design close to what “Revenge of the Fallen” demanded for the retooled Autobot.
“The hood is a more powerful hood design,” Welburn explained. “We wanted to make sure that it was clearly linked to the original car—same color, same graphics. We toyed, ‘Well maybe it should be a convertible.’ But no, this is about Bumblebee who has been rebuilt and is back stronger than ever.”
Pointing out the structural adjustments that took place, he explained the cosmetic changes that resulted.
“The front end’s a bit different,” he pointed out. “You can see the aggressive vertical air intakes that are below the headlamps. It’s a different wheel design.”
Asked if GM had Bumblee’s injury in “Transformers” on their minds when the Camaro’s redesign began, Wellburn said no.
“We didn’t,” he said. “But our guys always have great ideas for how to bulk up a Camaro. We had a number of different approaches that we could take.”
As for what Bumblebee will look like on the big screen, Welburn has yet to see extended footage, but GM has a clip of their cars in action ready to premier today.
“You may see it in a few minutes,” Welburn added. In the meantime, he’s still gleaming about a smaller Hasbro-produced version of his Camaro-turned-Autobot, which sits on his desk back in Michigan.
