The Renegade Stinger was exclusive to the American and European markets in 1985. Though the figure (stamped MRT-44) was still designed by Bandai, but never intended for release in Machine Robo.

Instead it was created for release in America by Bandai's partners, Tonka, in their Gobots line. Possibly at Tonka's behest, Bandai designed the figures based around common, contemporary American cars - in Stinger's case a Corvette Stingray - hence Stinger, Geddit?

Bandai would add the figure to its' European Robo Machine line. Stinger had a fistful of small parts in the TV series as a rather generic Renegade heavy, often partnering fellow Bandai ringer Stallion.

Stinger's sports car mode is quite cute. It's about 2" long, and rendered in a fetching gold colour. That said, the car is a little generic and nondescript.

The Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 just isn't an especially attractive car, sadly. The roof/windscreen segment is diecast, which adds a feeling of quality. However, it's largely pointless beyond this, and tends to scuff. The other main problem is that the car mode just doesn't hang together very well. I'm not sure if it's just that my example is a bit loose, but the rear sections (the robot mode arms) tend to slide out. There's nothing there to stop this when maybe a small catch was called for.

The front suffers from the same problem, with the two halves that form the legs not actually clipping together - they tend to split apart, especially if you push Stinger forward. Maybe this is just looseness on my example?

The robot mode is quite impressive. Again, it's compact, at about 2" tall. The configuration is interesting.

While the head is a little nondescript as Gobot heads are wont to be (though, that said, it's probably quite easy to subconsciously 'see' character in a generic Transformers face when you know the character from a comic or episode), the rest of the robot is pretty cool. The arms once again have some decent articulation through the metal ball-ended pins holding them on - it would take Transformers years to get poseability like that onto such small figures. The legs are a little awkward - while the layout is fun, it does make Stinger look a little knock-kneed.

The leg layout creates further problems, too - if done as in the instructions (and as shown to the left) he tends to look a little lanky, but pushing them up so the silver thighs run directly into the torso makes them look stumpy. Argh.