Homage

In fan terminology, an homage is a toy that is intentionally designed to resemble an earlier (usually Generation 1) toy or character, without being the exact same character. Noted examples of homages include Energon Downshift (based on G1 Wheeljack) and Energon Shockblast (based on G1 Shockwave).

Sometimes, homages are given different names from their predecessors if the actual rights to the name are lost via trademark murkiness, or if the name has already been applied to a non-homage toy within the same series.

Conversely, in order to protect trademarked names, Hasbro and Takara continue to use the same names over and over again, often on very different toys or very different characters within the official fiction. Since use of the term "homage" within the fandom is almost exclusively in reference to visual similarities, these name reuses alone are not considered homages.

Amusingly, Takara has given homages a new twist with "Ratchet Emergency Green", a redeco of the original Diaclone-based Ratchet toy in the color scheme of the live-action movie Ratchet, and "Ironhide Protect Black", a dual homage to the color scheme of both the toy's Diaclone incarnation and the character's live-action movie incarnation.

Wheeljack
Downshift (Energon). Presumably there were trademark issues over the name Wheeljack.

Omega Supreme
Omega Supreme (Energon)

Aerialbots

 * Silverbolt

Protectobots

 * Hotspot
 * First Aid
 * Blades

Metroplex
Metroplex (Cybertron)

Technobots

 * Scattershot

Nightbeat


Shattered Glass Nightbeat from Botcon 2008

Contructicons

 * Devastator

Combaticonss

 * Onslaught

Predacons

 * Razorclaw
 * Rampage
 * Divebomb

Terrorcons

 * Hun-Grrr

Seacons

 * Overbite/Jawbreaker

Unicron
Armada Unicron. There was a black repaint in the Energon continuity.

Primus
| Cybertron Primus (Cybertron). This toys is based on Don Figueroa's drawing of Primus in the DK Books Transformers Ultimate Guide.

Links
Popular Earth vehicle alternate modes