Tork's origins begin in the obscure Bandai toyline Zenmai Kahen Winch Robo. Two smaller vehicles (like several Japanese lines, different sized figures based on the same vehicle were issued for Winch Robo), another 4 x 4 and a helicopter, plus a motorised ATV (which had no winch, and may have been intended for a different line), were reworked slightly and issued as the Dash Robo Landfighter for the Machine Robo - Revenge of Cronos tie-in line. The smaller 4 x 4 had been produced in red when issued in Japan, then recoloured and retooled (with a new head, and the 4x4 mode resculpted to resemble a Ranger instead of the original Datsun) for a 1985 release as one of the Robo Machine Winchers, simply designated 'Truck'.

However, the Machine Robo/Gobots version featured a new black/silver colour scheme and a new sticker set (the only difference between the US and Japanese versions was the former bore the legend 'Tork' and the latter 'Landfighter', reflecting the toy's name in each market). The Secret Rider version was also issued in Europe in small numbers, marketed as part of the 'Power Gobots' sub-line.

Tork managed to appear three times in the Challenge of the Gobots TV show despite his late appearance - once as an experienced Guardian, once as a Renegade, and once as a Guardian cadet... You could probably rationalise that away if it wasn't for the fact the latter happens right at the end of the series. Even more oddly, all three used the blue European colour scheme, which suggests it was, at some stage, planned for the American toy to use this look. Considering how early he shows up in the series, it's possible the toy was intended to appear earlier on too. I currently only have the earlier European scheme, which is what this review applies to, and what (as I hope you already worked out) the pictures show.

Tork's alt mode is modelled on the Ford Ranger 4x4, and it's really not a bad off-roader - it's more of a proper Offroad vehicle than the SUVs or Hickmobiles toylines usually go for. Tork probably isn't far off the scale used for most Super Gobots either, which means he displays nicely with the likes of Zeemon and Baron Von Joy.

The European colour scheme is far superior to the US one, looking nicer and fitting the slightly overdone decals a little. Despite being mainly plastic (only the truck doors are diecast), he's very high quality. There's a lot of detail on the vehicle, including some very nice, beefy rubber tyres. There's a bit of a transformation split about half an inch from the back of the cab, but aside from this and the rather unnecessary rooftop stickers, it's pretty faultless.

The motors both add an element of fun too - the 'engine' is fairly powerful, and the vehicle's sturdy and well-built enough to rumble up over smallish obstacles, rather than stopping at kinks in the carpet, while the winch is also effective.

The transformation isn't quite as straightforward as might look. While there's nothing mind-bogglingly complex, everything in the sequence has to be done in just the right order with very little variation; go careful if you've picked up one without instructions.

The resultant robot mode, at about 6" high, is one of the tallest from the line, discounting the various combining figures, though Tork isn't stupidly big - again, the scale means he doesn't look out of place alongside other Super Gobots. The robot mode looks very impressive on the whole. The legs are perhaps a little too much like a solid block. Proportions are quite good, though - he can reach quite far beyond his chest without the arms looking too gangly, and the head design's not bad at all - though one of the few places the US release scores over the European one is that the head is a different colour from the main body, and thus looks a bit better. And the usual arm poseability is well-used, with the elbows and wrists both moving nicely. I don't have the weapons, but the holes are those nice rectangular ones that you can usually get to hold a lot of weapons.

Best of all he's still motorised in this mode, with little wheels allowing him to scoot along on his feet quite nicely (as near as I can tell from my example, the little base that comes with the figure to support him while doing this is basically superfluous). The winch can still work in this mode too, although it's not good for much other than dragging items into the back of his head.