Leadfoot (PCC)

Leadfoot is an Autobot from the movie continuity family (via the Power Core Combiners line).

The robot mode you'll never see.

Leadfoot is one of the Autobots' premier infiltrators. He has no problems staying in his vehicle mode for extended periods of time, just waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike hard, fast, and final. With his incredible speed, he'll be gone before the Decepticons even know he was there - and when he combines with his Mini-Con partner Pinpoint, they can't even see him.

Need an example of how stealthy Leadfoot is? His "disguises" can only be found on certain Earth race tracks, and he still doesn't raise any suspicion.

Toys

Power Core Combiners

• Leadfoot with Pinpoint (Commander Class, 2010)

• Known designers: Eric Siebenaler (Hasbro), Andrew Scribner (deco artist)

Part of the second wave of Power Core Combiners Commander Class figures, Leadfoot transforms into a kinda-sorta-F1-ish race car. His front end features a flip-up Mini-Con Powerlinx plug. In robot mode, his chest-canopy has a flip-down panel that reveals another flip-up Powerlinx plug so he can use a Mini-Con in armor mode. For some perplexing reason, the black plastic armor "skirt" on his backside is on a hinge, allowing it to move in such a way that depending on the mode he's in, it's either obstructed by other parts or the ground. He can also transform into a "power up" mode; a super-robot torso that uses the drone-units from the Power Core Combiners 5-packs as limbs. He came packaged with his Mini-Con partner Pinpoint.

Exercise caution when transforming Leadfoot! Commonly observed breakage points in the figure are the black hinges closest to his chest that allow his arms to swing up into place for robot mode. This seems to be due to the particular tightness of the joint and the action of repeated transformations over time wearing down the plastic. Leadfoot's shoulder pads are also fragile and should be treated with care, as there is a possibility of them snapping if clipped into place against the upper arms for combiner mode per the instructions.

This mold was also used to make Power Core Combiners Over-Run.

During the period between December 26 2010 and January 31 2011, Hasbro ran their "Supercharge Your Holidays" promotion: for every $20 spent on Hasbro-branded product, customers could receive a free, random product from a list provided by Hasbro. Among the items on the list was "Transformers Combiners & Speed Stars Mini Vehicle". According to this discussion thread on Allspark.com, Leadfoot with Pinpoint was one of the figures distributed.

• More information on Leadfoot at TFU.info

• Power Core Combiners Special Value Offer (Value Pack, 2011)

Leadfoot was also made available as part of a Walmart-exclusive Black Friday "Value Pack", combining a 5-pack team with a Commander 2-pack via packaging tape and a couple of stickers, for the whopping price of ten bucks, merely a third of what the two toys would normally cost.

So far, Leadfoot has been found attached to the Grimstone/Dinobots and Steamhammer/Constructicons sets.

Speed Stars

You know, it's a really good thing you don't mind being a car all the time...

• Leadfoot (Stealth Force Basic, 2011)

Leadfoot is a closed-canopy Formula racing car similar to the Classics Mirage toy's vehicle mode, with a deco curiously similar to Fracture's. As part of the "Stealth Force" subline, he lacks a robot mode, but pulling or pushing on his spoiler reveals a freaking huge number of flip-out non-firing weapons and other mechanical greeblies of unknown function. He is also part of the "Reveal the Shield" promotion, which means he has a rubsign.

• More information on Stealth Force Leadfoot at TFU.info

• Classic Leadfoot (Stealth Force Basic, 2011)

Leadfoot was repackaged for the Dark of the Moon toyline, with the only significant change being a tampographed Autobot symbol instead of a rubsign and the addition of the Classic prefix to his name, presumably to distinguish him from the Wrecker of the same name.

• More information on Classic Leadfoot at TFU.info

Notes

• Leadfoot has a sponsor named "Blackrock", presumably a reference to Blackrock Industries and their founder G.B. Blackrock.
• Leadfoot's Speed Stars robot-mode model is a red version of a character design created by Ken Christiansen as concept art for Mirage for Hasbro's gigantic "Binder of Revelation", as revealed at the BotCon 2011 "IP" panel with Rik Alvarez and Aaron Archer. It's possible the toy was originally conceived as a new toy of Mirage in the vein of Speed Stars Hound and Silverstreak (both similarly directly based on their Universe figures).
• Since both Power Core Combiners and Speed Stars are rather vague about continuity, it's possible that the two Leadfoots are actually two different guys who just happen to be really similar. They both already share some similarities with Generation 2 Leadfoot, so it wouldn't be unprecedented.
• Unlike the majority of the Power Core Combiners line, no version of Leadfoot's mold was released in United EX.