The familiar yellow and black Chevrolet Camaro from the “Transformers” series is one of the most iconic and recognizable cars ever to feature in a film. Although there are usually a lot of public outcries when actors change in movie series, Bumblebee is the exception (although it is probably arguable that he isn’t actually an actor). Despite doing a little transforming itself throughout the movie series, the Camaro remained a beloved part of the franchise.
The original Bumblebee from the 1980s was a Volkswagen Beetle. However, in the newest iterations of the Transformers, he was reborn as a Chevrolet Camaro. That wasn’t the only dramatic change that the Camaro went through throughout the course of the movies, though. Although he began as a 1977 classic, he was later updated into a Concept model and even shifts color from yellow to something more akin to amber in various movies. No matter which form Bumblebee took or what color, though, he remained a fan favorite and continued to evoke a sense of nostalgia all around.
Let’s take a closer look at the story behind The Transformer’s “Bumblebee” Camaro!
History Of Transformer’s Bumblebee
Bumblebee made one of his first on-screen appearances as a member of the protagonist Autobots group in an animated series, Transformers, back in the mid-80s. In this and the later (1986) animated film, Bumblebee appeared as a Volkswagen Beetle.
When Michael Bay decided to use his directorial skill to bring Transformers to the big screen, though, he had the iconic Autobot take on a new form as the Chevrolet Camaro SS, although he kept the muteness of the original that allowed the bot to communicate only through select radio signals. In the special features segment of the movie, Bay noted that the original form reminded him of an existing iconic car: Herbie from Love Bug. Hoping to avoid comparisons and allow new fans to focus on the Transformers franchise, he made the executive decision to update Bumblebee to help him stand out a bit better.
Throughout the movies, Bay did see fit to sneak in several Easter eggs referencing Bumblebee’s origin, though. When Bumblebee first takes the stage in the first movie, the now 1977 Chevrolet Camaro was in good company on the used car lot as he sits next to a yellow Volkswagen Beetle (which Bumblebee promptly damages to ensure his own desirability over the other car).
Another cameo of the Beetle comes in the 2018 movie Bumblebee, after the bot emerges in critical condition following a battle with rival Decepticon, Blitzwing, Bumblebee looks for a new disguise after crawling from a lake. He ultimately decides to transform into a classic VW Beetle after scanning it.
The Camaro form of Bumblebee became recognizable and iconic in its own right and stayed throughout the movie series, changing years but staying a Camaro. The original 1977 went on to sell on eBay for $40,100.01 and many of the other Camaros used in the film eventually sold at Barrett-Jackson in Arizona. They include 2010, 2013, and 2016 models offered as a set. Proceeds from the sale (around $500,000) went to support Operation Homefront, a non-profit that supports military families.
Appearances And Development Of The “Bumblebee” Camaro
Despite using the 1977 Camaro at the introduction of the inaugural movie in the series, the real star was the 2006-2008 model that the classic changed into after a quick scan during the movie. The smooth lines of the updated Camaro Concept shared by GM were ideal for use as the new Bumblebee. Since the curvature gave very “retro” vibes, but the guts updated for performance, the beautiful new rendition found its way into the hearts of many almost immediately as its fifth—generation edition, in the well-known sunrise yellow, became Bumblebee’s new form.
From there, Bumblebee set the precedent for being able to transform into different model years at will as well as a desire to do so. His appearances continued to develop as in Revenge of the Fallen in 2009, he appears with new alloys and a designer front bumper and in Dark of the Moon in 2011, he became a Camaro SS of a different color-changing from the classic yellow and black combination to a more amber tone with larger stripes.
In the same movie, the car upgrades to darker side mirrors and rims as well as a rear spoiler addition. He also gained a “battle mode” that allowed him to utilize weaponry that had previously only been available for use when in a transformed mode in his car form without transforming. 2014’s Age of Extinction saw Bumblebee take a more aggressive and bulked-up look courtesy of a one-off Camaro created for the movie. He updated his look to become a 2016 Chevrolet Camaro for The Last Knight (2016) and, later, a 2018 Camaro (as well as a 1977 classic Camaro) in Bumblebee (2018).
For the upcoming continuation of the series, Rise of the Beasts, Bumblebee will find himself back in classic form as a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro according to the teaser trailer. Going a step further, he features the optional off-road package complete with a light bar and is on-screen for a brief moment powering along beside a cheetah. Although his looks have changed throughout the years, there is no doubt that Bumblebee remains one of the world’s favorite Transformers and continues to hold our attention in his ever-changing Camaro form.