Diaclone (Pre Transformers)

Back in the 80s when Hasbro imported Diaclone toyline to become the first wave of Transformers in 1984 when Takara made diaclone and micro change bots between 1980-1983 they were called Car Robots this was when we get to see the known transformers toys like Sunstreaker Prowl Optimus Prime Sideswipe Jazz among the toys. The toys themselves were made to be alt modes and realistic present-day vehicles that many transformers are known for today and the vehicles themselves were to be like a hybrid you say like half car and half robot that started back in 1978 However, in March 1982 toys with alt modes based on realistic, present-day vehicles that many Transformers are known for today began to appear as part of the "Car Robots" sub-line. The first one was the Diaclone predecessor of Sunstreaker, whom Hasbro now considers the first fully-fledged transforming car-to-robot toy ever designed.[1] Its vehicle form was based on an older Takara toy, the "Cosmo Countach" from the Microman "Micro Command" sub-line released in 1978, which transformed into a half-robot, half-car hybrid.

Micro Change was a subline of Takara's successful New Microman line of the early '80s, which consisted of 3.75" action figures that were super-posable and vehicles and robots for use by them. The most notable. Many of the Micro Change figures came in multiple color schemes, many of which were eventually used for the Transformers line. Which had cassette types most notables are Frezny Rumblr Laserbeak Ravage before being recolored and retool of buzzsaw and ratbat. The small cars were release in yellow red and blue they were once part of a different company that were penny racers in the style of Takara's Choro-Q Line and that was mysterians a little to known toyline before left unproduced and part of the Takara's Micro change toyline. 

By the time the Micro Change theme was introduced in 1983, the Microman story was told exclusively through text and manga pages in the toys' pack-in catalogs, with no tie-in fiction. This was no doubt part of the reason why Takara were willing to cancel the Microman line in favor of Transformers when Hasbro financed an animated series to promote their versions of the toys. This is pretty interesting of hearing search and watching the videos themselves of Diaclone and Micro Change Transformers toys that would get Hasbro representatives to attend tokyo toy show in 1983 and stuck a deal and would need to get a story for the transformers and made a cartoon in 1984 which Marvel attend to get Jim Shooter to make his take on it but Bob Budiansky would create the character's names profiles and story of the Transformers. 

So here's the list of toys that would be recognized and got the info from Tfwiki. 

Diaclone 

No. 1 Countach LP500S — The Diaclone red deco was changed to yellow for release as Sunstreaker. The red deco was used as inspiration for Spin-Out and the red Sunstreaker clones. Sunstreaker before was color in red and Sideswipe was color in yellow before being switch to new color schemes. The Diaclone police deco was changed to a fire chief deco for release as Red Alert. The original deco was later released as Clampdown. The Diaclone red deco was virtually unchanged for release as Sideswipe. The Diaclone version was also available in a yellow deco, which later became the basis for the Transformers figure Tigertrack, and a super-rare black variant, which in turn was later modified for the Powered Convoy DX set. New Countach LP500S Police Car Type/"New Countach Police Car LP500S"[A 3] — The Diaclone police deco was changed to a fire chief deco for release as Red Alert. The original deco was later released as Clampdown.

No. 2 Onebox Cherry Vanette — The Diaclone black deco was changed to red for release as Ironhide. The original deco was later released as "Ironhide Protect Black" and was used as inspiration for Shattered Glass Ironhide and the DK-2 Guard. This would be a Onebox Ambulance Type — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Ratchet. Although they would have their heads missing which was also uncommon for. 

No. 3 Countach Patrol Car Type — Not released as a Transformer but later used as inspiration for Cordon and the white Sunstreaker clones.

No. 5 4WD Hilux — The Diaclone black deco was virtually unchanged for release as Trailbreaker. The Diaclone version was also available in blue and yellow decoes, the former of which was used as inspiration for DK-3 Breaker and Shattered Glass Trailbreaker. This would be later retool and recolor for Hoist aka The Diaclone red deco The red deco was used as inspiration for Lift-Ticket and Shattered Glass Hoist. The Diaclone version was also available in blue as part of the "Double Set". 

No. 5 Honda City R — The Diaclone silver deco was virtually unchanged for release as Crosscut. The Diaclone version was also available in red, which was used as inspiration for Reboost.

No. 5 Fairlady Z — The Diaclone blue deco was changed to silver for release as Bluestreak. The Diaclone version was also available in a silver deco with a black hood that inspired Bluestreak's character model, and the blue deco was used as inspiration for multiple Bluestreak/"Silverstreak" toys and Shattered Glass Bluestreak

No. 6 Honda City Turbo — The Diaclone blue deco was virtually unchanged for release as Skids. The Diaclone version was also available in black and red decos, the former of which was used as inspiration for Burn Out and Shattered Glass Skids.

No.7 Fire Engine Ladder Car for High-Rise Buildings/"Fire Truck Long Ladder Type"[A 1] — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Inferno.

No.8 Fairlady Z Racing/"Fairlady Z Racing Type 280 ZX Turbo"[A 2] — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Smokescreen.

No.9 J59 Jeep — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Hound.

No.10 Police Car Fairlady Z — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Prowl.

No.11 Porsche 935 Turbo — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Jazz.

No.12 New Countach LP500S — The Diaclone red deco was virtually unchanged for release as Sideswipe. The Diaclone version was also available in a yellow deco, which later became the basis for the Transformers figure Tigertrack, and a super-rare black variant, which in turn was later modified for the Powered Convoy DX set.

No.13 F-1 Ligier JS11 — The Diaclone blue deco was virtually unchanged for release as Mirage. A red version of the Diaclone figure was exclusively available with the Powered Convoy DX Set. 

No.14 Battle Convoy — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Optimus Prime.

No.15 Lancia Stratos Turbo — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Wheeljack. The Diaclone version was also available in a different deco and head, which was used as inspiration for Exhaust.

No.16 Crane Car/"Truck Crane"[A 4] — The Diaclone deco was virtually unchanged for release as Grapple.

No.17 Corvette Stingray — The Diaclone red deco was changed to blue for release as Tracks. The Diaclone red deco was released as Tracks in Europe and later as Road Rage, and also inspired Shattered Glass Tracks. The Diaclone version also received a Finnish exclusive black deco, which was used as inspiration for Loudpedal and the Tracks clone.

Powered Convoy — The Diaclone deco was (more or less) reversed for release as Ultra Magnus. The original deco was later released as "Ultra Magnus Yokokuhen Version". The more common Diaclone version was available with flat grey plastic parts for his trailer, but a rarer variant changed those to chromed parts. later version was also available as part of the "Powered Convoy DX Set" (see below). The "Powered Buggy" accessory was excised from all Transformers releases, though it did inspire the fiction-only character Powerdrive. The original Diaclone deco was used as inspiration for Delta Magnus, Magna Convoy, and Shattered Glass Ultra Magnus.

Micro-Change Bots

01 Porsche Turbo 924 ("red body", "blue body" or "yellow body"), Pre-Cliffjumper

02 Familia 1500 XG ("red body", "blue body" or "yellow body"), Pre-Bumper

03 Volkswagen ("red body", "blue body" or "yellow body"), Pre-Bumblebee

04 4WD Offroad, Pre-Gears

05 Jeep, Pre-Brawn

06 Transam, Pre-Windcharger

07 American Truck, Pre-Huffer

Dinosaur Robo

The Dinosaur Robo molds became the Dinobots in Transformers. Duh. All of the TF releases had softer plastic in certain places. There were also several differences in decoes between the Diaclone and Transformers versions, mostly the replacement of blue paint with red.

Tyrannosaurus (Grimlock)

Triceratops (Slag)

Brontosaurus (Sludge)

Stegosaurus (Snarl)

Pteranodon (Swoop, Diaclone deco inspired Swoop's animation model)

Insecter Robo

In Diaclone, these were mechs used by the Waruders, the "bad guys" of that universe. In Transformers they were released as the Insecticons with new purple, black, and yellow decoes. Much later, the Diaclone decos were released as the e-HOBBY exclusive Insecticon Clones.

Individual figures

Kabutron/"Beetle-Type" (Bombshell/Salvo)

Battas/"Grasshopper-Type" (Kickback/Shothole)

Kuwagatrer/"Lammelicorns-Type" (Shrapnel/Zaptrap)

Jet Plane F-15 Robo

The F-15 Robo mold was the source for the Seekers Super-high speed fighter type and Acrobat type would be starscream and thundercracker before being brought by hasbro. The black and purple deco used for Skywarp was created for the Transformers line, and was never available as a Diaclone. The decoes and remolded wings for the Coneheads were also original to The Transformers.

Super-high-speed fighter type (Starscream)

Acrobat type (Thundercracker)

Triplechangers

Only the Jet Fighter Type Triple Changer was ever released in the Transformers line, but the Helicopter Type later inspired three fiction-only characters. Astrotrain and Octane could have been in development when the change to the Transformers brand occurred.

No. 1 Jet Fighter Type — The Diaclone dark green and white deco was changed to purple and beige for release as Blitzwing. The original deco was later released as Overcharge.

No. 2 Helicopter Type — Not released as a Transformer, but used as inspiration for the fiction-only characters Rotorbolt, Skyklik, and Fumes.

Most of these toys would later be brought by Hasbro or Takara would later use either for America toy market or takara using the trainbots aka Train Robo from Japan Market. However,a Diaclone would be not only in Japan but across the world like United States as Diakron or Kronoform But kronoform line was unsuccessful attempt to market them in north american and was not licensed by Hasbro. But in Italy Finland France Germany Belgium and Netherlands they were market there with finland marketing diaclone. Italy's company GIG release the diaclone toys France did too even selling in Netherlands and Germany. 

After reading about the history of Diaclone from the past and looking on the videos themselves most of the toys reassemble the transformers toys and after 1984 when hasbro successfully had their first year of Transformers their partner in japan takara decided to cancelled the diaclone toyline in favor of the transformers toys and went on to creat fight super robot lifeform transformers along with their cartoons and the 2010 show of season and the OVAs too that i cover previous. Most ot the stuff i try to cover or had to remove before ever going back.