aisles – roborods™. These plastic robots transmography into some of the hottest cars around, loaded with custom wheels, unreal paint schemes and plenty of attitude.

“The roborods™ have all the fun of other changing robots, but they are armed with a lot more style,” states Ralph Benitez, creator of the category and Art Director of the Maisto Custom Shop. “We package the r-rods with accessories they are going to need in the streets, things like a jewel-topped cane, a guitar, or a blinged out chain. It’s the cool stuff a robot from another planet needs to go unnoticed on today’s streets.”

Two different assortments are planned for 2006. The basic assortment will have 6 different vehicles including the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8 and the 2006 Ford Mustang GT. They will be shipped in spring of 2006. The roborods™ superdeluxeextreme assortment, which will feature 4 different styles including a Jeep Commander and the 2006 Ford GT, will be available later in the year.

A comic book available for download is in the works. Roborods™ mark the first product to be marketed under the G Toys™ brand name. Maisto will utilize this brand on more of their non-traditional die-cast offerings.

The Maisto brand name was registered in 1990 by May Cheong, a vertically integrated manufacturer based in Hong Kong. The company has been manufacturing die cast for over 30 years, have over 11,000 employees worldwide and manufacturing facilities covering over 2,000,000 square feet.