Six Transformers That Could Use Upgrades

Those giant robots storming the silver screen in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" don't look much like the Transformers of yesteryear. Optimus Prime may still be trucking along, but the Autobot Bumblebee has ditched his old Volkswagon Beetle shell to take on the form of a fifth-generation Chevy Camaro. Other Autobots and their evil Decepticon foes now form a veritable fleet of the latest motorcycles, cars, trucks and U.S. military hardware. Never say obsolete to robots that can shape-shift, right?

Well, not quite. A few Transformers seem literally stuck in the 1980s when it comes to their faded exteriors. And not to nitpick on the choice of vehicle chassis for extraterrestrial robots, but it's not just about choosing the latest car or airplane - even the snazziest hardware can have a short shelf life or just represent an outmoded concept in today's modern world.

So here are Newsarama's modest nominations for Transformers that could use an upgrade or two. Because the times, they are a-changin'...

--Jeremy Hsu, Staff Writer