Takara Tomy Transformers Binaltech BT-06 Autobots TRACKS (2004 Chevy Corvette Z06)

To continue my recent spades of showcasing only yellow themed Transformers robot, Tracks is up next.

From TF Wikia :
If any Autobots think Sunstreaker is self-absorbed, they haven't met Tracks. If there was a bio stat for vanity, Tracks's would be at ten. No doubt this is not in part due to his tripped out sports car alternate mode, which is not only an automotive classic, but capable of flight thanks to its third winged mode.

However Tracks's conceitedness sometimes plays to his advantage, since the slightest threat to his finish will send him into a furious retaliation. Of course, his enemies will find it hard to shoot him, once he blinds them with his black-beam gun. Meanwhile his shoulder launchers fire heat-seeking incendiary missiles, which will give his opponents an exceptionally bad day. That will teach them to threaten Tracks's paint job.

If Tracks has any weakness, it's a difficulty working with the other Autobots, who view him as entirely too egocentric for his own good. 

Binaltech Tracks (the Takara Tomy versions of Hasbro's Alternators) were release on 2004 and I got it the same year during my last "Transformers fever" period. Took it right out of the box and transformed it to robot mode (cos I can't stand a robot hiding inside a car!). 9 years later inside my display cabinet, it stood well the test of time. But if you take a closer look, some of the diecast parts are starting to erode. Goosepimper-like surfaces are forming from mostly underneath side of the cast part. Surface still standing up pretty well though but as the saying goes, the rot starts from within. Lets see how long it'll last.

Articulation wise, Tracks has it pretty good. The big parts are not really impeding any movement that much. And unlike Sunstreaker, which had a fixed groin panel (skirt) that stop a thigh lifting action, Tracks has a movable right & left flap. The added thigh motion enable Tracks to have a stalking stance.
Robot mode design wise, it just seems there are too many things going around. Most of the car robots has the car doors as "wings" but Tracks have them as .... "skirts"? Refreshing nonetheless. And I really dig the broad chunky shoulder that are formed by the back side panel of the car. Twin shoulder cannons (or missiles) pay homage to Tracks' G1 design. Red face with white helmet are almost on it's own neither here nor there but somehow it sits in quite comfortably and sorta gel in the whole design fortunately for the twin white cannons.
Finally the metal parts, which defines Binaltech range, adds heft to robot and it look and feel more as a robot vs Alternators. 

When Tracks was just released, there are some talks about it being yellow and not original to it's G1 color scheme of blue. Turned out there is a story behind :

From Wikipedia :
Tracks' recent revival was as a Binaltech toy in Japan, transforming into a Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06. At the request from General Motors, the figure was colored yellow, which was the official racing color of the Chevrolet Corvette C5-R race car. Like his G1 predecessor, Tracks sports a red face and white missiles.
A G1-accurate blue version of Tracks was released months after the yellow version. This figure featured Tracks' iconic flaming Autobot emblem on his hood.

As with most Binaltech (Alternators) vehicular transformations, the back of the robot basically houses all the big car parts ie hood, bonet, side panels etc. Fortunately for Tracks, it's behind looks pretty ok though the designer is not hiding the fact of out-of-sight-is-out-of-mind design stance LOL!

Tracks looks to be the most heavily armed robot in this range with 2 arm cannons, 2 shoulder blaster and an Engine blaster rifle. Absolutely ready to rumble. Arm cannons looking pretty cool. Imagine you raised your right arm and goes PoW PoW!! Then raise the other and goes PoW PoW!! again. WHAM BAM BOOM!! So cool.

Finally, Track was blessed with tight joints. Despite the weight, it is still able to hold certain dynamic poses.

Tracks is overall a very attractive robot with well thought out designs and it is not available in Yellow for Alternator. At 1/24 scale, it also offer size that all boys prefer to have bigger robots than a puny little one like the Alternity lines.