Obviously there's been some simplification. And because Op & Magnus are large toys to start with their smaller versions are larger taking up the same shelf package space as 2 spychangers - approximately one basic although there's only five actual basic sized toy in RID - all recolours
Optimus Prime is a scaled down version of the fire engine. Mainly red in colour with a grey ladder. Front and back wheels turn, but the more front of the rear wheels is molded in. The Turntable move 90 degrees off the centre and the ladder elevates at the turntable. Missiles, extending ladder and electronics have all gone.
TF: Face the toy towards you. Turn the ladder 90 degrees to your left. Look at the underside of the toy with the front facing down. Pull on the front to form the robot legs - a reversal of Spychanger tradition where the back is pulled down. Fold the back down 90 degrees and push the ladder up so the base slides up where it connects to the turntable and the tip is on the ground level with the base of the robot feet. Pull the arms out to the sides and up.
No smaller Optimus robot mode here, we cut straight to the Super mode and this is a superb mini version. The likeness is dead on. The only meaningful articulation is bending shoulders and rotating head but for some reason he can also do the splits (Why ??? - not needed in the tf and it's a pretty useless pair of joint by themselves)
Well worth a look !
In 2002 I wrote: "I'll go along with what Karl says about the balance on this one. It's important to note that all of all the spychangers Prime is the only one that stands on the front of his vehicle. The correct positioning of the ladder in this mode is down the toy's left hand side, but with a small ammount of twiddling you can get the ladder sticking out as a cannon under the arms... "
I'd forgotton about the cannon ! Does need to be under his left arm though !