Powered Convoy | Mekki “Chrome” Variant | 1984

Pre-Transformers Ultra Magnus

Like many of the other robots we have explored, Powered Convoy came in several variants. This particular version was a later release and had some significant differences from the earlier version.

Mekki is the Japanese word for plating, and in this case, that means chrome plating! Transformers fans may recognize Powered Convoy as what would later become Ultra Magnus, although you’ll find more parts, more bling and more scares with this version!

We’ll get to all of that.

This stunning Powered Convoy Mekki earned an astounding AFA 85!

AFA’s custom museum-quality acrylic case provides an excellent way to preserve, protect and display a piece of this caliber.

List of Contents:

• Sticker Sheet
• Instruction Manual
• Diaclone Adventure World Booklet
• Styrofoam Insert Tray
• Clear Plastic Protective Sheet
• Truck Cab
• Trailer with Blue and Chrome Variant Finish
• Blue Chest Piece
• 2 Black Launchers
• Yellow Driver Figure
• Power Buggy Inner Box
• Power Buggy Red Body with 2 Black Parts Bundled by Rubber Band
• Power Buggy Robot Arms and Legs on Sprue
• 2 Front Tires, 2 Rear Tires and 2 Large Fists on Sprue in Baggie
• 8 Small Black Discs on Sprue
• 2 Small Fists on Sprue
• 4 White Missiles on Sprue
• Robot Head in Baggie
• Large Black Rifle

Why is an AFA 85 so astounding?

You may have thought calling an AFA 85 “astounding” was a bit strong, but there are several reasons why finding a Powered Convoy Mekki in this condition is incredibly rare.

1. Most of these toys were deservedly played with, making unused examples very difficult to find today.
2. The Mekki version used a sparkly blue plastic that is noticeably different from the blue plastic found on the regular version. For whatever reason, this variation in the plastic formula has proven to be extremely fragile over time.
3. Even examples that appear mostly unused can have broken tabs. Collectors who were unaware of the fragility often handled them just as they would a regular Powered Convoy, sometimes with unfortunate results.

Since we want to be careful with the mint set we just viewed, here is a closer look at another lightly used, loose Powered Convoy Mekki. Notice the chrome-plated floor of the trailer and the sparkly blue plastic used on the trailer exterior.

Here is a closer look at the sparkly blue plastic

Toys are meant to be played with!

Hmm... we think we’ve heard that one before.

Hopefully we’ve illustrated the importance of preserving those rare, unused, factory-fresh survivors. But when it comes to used toys? Absolutely! Let’s play!

Here is how kids in the ’80s would have played with it! After all, it is a car carrier, and we have a whole lotta robot cars to choose from!

On top you can see the Power Buggy. Remember all those parts in the earlier photo? A good number of them are used to assemble it. And down below we have our old friend, Car Robot No. 18: Lancia Stratos Turbo!

Diaclone TV Commercial from the 1980s!

The Earlier Powered Convoy

Here is a look at the regular, earlier release of Powered Convoy. Unlike the Mekki version, there is no chrome, the gray is darker and the blue plastic has no sparkles.

Also of note, the plastic used on this version is not nearly as fragile as the Mekki, making unbroken examples much more common. Finding one completely unused, however, is still quite rare!

And since it’s a car carrier, we had to load this one up too! Here we see Powered Convoy carrying all three color variants of Car Robot No. 5: 4WD Hilux!

Ready to face off! Powered Convoy Mekki on the left and the earlier release on the right. Now you can really see the difference!

From Powered Convoy to Ultra Magnus

And of course, we can’t talk about Powered Convoy without showing what came next!

Transformers fans would come to know this design as Ultra Magnus, now sporting the familiar white, blue and red color scheme.

Here is a jaw-dropping factory-sealed Ultra Magnus graded an incredible AFA 95!

And here is a loose Ultra Magnus, giving us a closer look at just how dramatically the colors changed from the Diaclone versions!

Now that we’ve covered the single-pack Mekki, it’s time to move on...

Wait. Single-pack?

Did we just say single-pack?

What could possibly be next?

There are grails in collecting, and then there are the pieces that make even seasoned collectors’ palms sweat, knees shake and hair stand on end... you get the idea. This is one of those pieces!

Powered Convoy Deluxe Giftset (PCDX) | 1985

This set is the ultimate centerpiece for Diaclone collectors and many Transformers collectors to boot!

By 1985, the Diaclone line was winding down as Transformers exploded in the United States and Takara prepared to bring the Transformers brand to Japan. This made the PCDX one of the final Diaclone releases.

It was an expensive toy released at a time when interest in Diaclone was fading and Transformers was about to take over in Japan. As a result, the PCDX is extremely rare today. Only around 20 examples are known to exist, and just a small handful of those remain in unused condition.

And now we present the most beautiful unused PCDX we have ever seen!

What you’ll immediately notice is that Powered Convoy is presented in robot mode in this set, and he is not alone! The PCDX also includes two exclusive Car Robot variants: the black Car Robot No. 15 New Countach LP500S and the red Car Robot No. 16 Ligier JS11 F-1!

Car Robot No. 15: New Countach LP500S | Black Color Variant | 1985

Car Robot No. 16: Ligier JS11 F-1 | Red Color Variant | 1985

Well, isn’t this just one happy family of impossible-to-find pieces collectors need to finish their collections!

We’ll take a closer look at these cars in a bit!

This set has awesome box art with vibrant colors! The front features a striking robot illustration, while the back is packed with a plethora of photography showing the various robot modes, configurations and play features.

And no, these robots aren’t coming out! The current owner plans to leave them exactly as they have survived for more than 40 years, preserving their incredible untouched condition.

Although this specimen certainly qualifies for AFA grading, the collector instead opted for one of our custom sliding-bottom cases to protect this beauty.

The Power Buggy box is tucked into the upper right and contains many of the same parts we saw earlier with the single-pack Powered Convoy. And there’s still more! The lower right compartment holds additional parts, multiple sticker sheets, instructions and other paperwork.

Even the paperwork in this set is a showpiece!

You want to see the cars, don’t you?

Don’t despair! Fortunately, the owner of this unused set also has a used PCDX, so we can take a much closer look!

Here is a closer look at Car Robot No. 15: New Countach LP500S | Black Color Variant | 1985

And a closer look at Car Robot No. 16: Ligier JS11 F-1 | Red Color Variant | 1985

Well, there you have it! Today, the PCDX is coveted by collectors around the world. Rare, beautiful and almost mythical in unused condition, this isn’t just a Diaclone grail. It’s one of the ultimate grails in all of toy collecting!

But wait, we promised you a trip around the world!

Let’s take a quick look at some of the incredible Diaclone pieces that found their way outside of Japan!

Admittedly, we could do an entire series on any one of these international lines, but we wanted to at least give you a taste of Diaclone’s presence around the world.

Japan | Diaclone

Of course, this is where Diaclone originated and what we have primarily covered throughout this series. And there is still so much more we simply couldn’t squeeze in! Majestic Large Robots, Jets, Insect Robots, the evil Waruders and so much more!

Here is just a small sampling of the incredible pieces and sub-lines that exist beyond what we’ve covered in this series, along with an awesome vintage Diaclone Fire Truck store display!

United States | Diakron

Stateside, Diaclone was introduced as Diakron, featuring unique packaging and presentation. It was a much smaller offering with only a handful of releases and didn’t have much time to get rolling before it was swiftly overtaken by The Transformers!

Diakron DK-1 | United States

Italy | GiG

Diaclone was released in Italy and spread into other parts of Europe under the GiG brand. GiG releases included several unique variants, such as the red Cherry Vanette and the green 4WD Wrecker Type!

GiG has a big following among collectors today and, of course, would also go on to release Transformers in Europe!

A sampling of Italian GiG Diaclone releases, including several unique color and packaging variants.
Fun Fact: GiG versions had missiles fitted with rubber safety tips, known among collectors as “Bopper Missiles.”

France | Joustra

The Joustra line featured numerous releases and is certainly a fan favorite among collectors around the world.

Joustra had its own unique box art, and most items were packed with a mini comic book. This amazing artwork was illustrated by Paris-based brothers Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi.

Joustra offered an awesome assortment of Diaclone releases, including both boxed and carded figures!

An incredible sampling of Joustra Diaclone releases showcasing the line’s unique packaging, spectacular artwork, boxed and carded formats, and mini comic books.

Finland | Diaclone

We took a look at the special black Corvette release back in Part 2 of our series. Finland had several Diaclone releases, including the Corvette, Fire Truck, Truck Crane, Cherry Vanette and F-1 Ligier.

These were sold through a chain of stores called R-kioski. Today, the Finnish releases are incredibly rare, with only a few boxed examples of each known to exist!

An incredibly rare grouping of Finnish Diaclone releases featuring the Truck Crane, Corvette Stingray and Fire Truck.

Well, that wraps up an intense Part 4 of our Diaclone series!

Part 5 will be the final entry in our journey. You may be wondering how we could possibly follow up everything you just saw, but trust us, we’ve saved something special for the finale!

Stay tuned. You won’t want to miss this one!