Transformers are alien robots hailing from the planet Cybertron. They are divided into two factions: heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons. Autobots and Decepticons have been locked in an apocalyptic civil war for millennia. The line was launched in the United States in 1984 with an accompanying animated television series, it followed in Europe later that same year. Many of the Hasbro-distributed toys were actually rebranded versions of the existing Japanese ‘Microman’ and ‘Diaclone’ toylines made by Takara. The combination of vehicle and robot, and the often complicated series of movements required to change between the two modes, meant Transformers were extremely popular children’s toys during the mid-1980s.

Sideswipe is an Autobot warrior, he was part of the original 1984 release of Transformers toys. Characterised as brave but hot-headed, he and his twin brother Sunstreaker both transformed into Lamborginhi sports cars. The practicalities of familial relationships between robots were never addressed in the original Transformers comics, or in the animated TV series. The mould for this toy was derived from Takara’s ‘Diaclone’ range, which were originally supposed to be piloted transforming vehicles, rather than sentient robots. The mould was reused several times to create the characters Red Alert, Clampdown, Deep Cover and Tigertrack.