Hasbro G1 Reissue Smokescreen - Devolution

In 2003, Hasbro released a reissue of the Generation 1 Autobot car Smokescreen as part of their Commemorative Series line of G1 sold exclusively in Toys 'R' Us. This was after Takara themselves had reissued Smokescreen in 2002 as part of the TF Collection book-style series. It was a wonderful time. The toy you see above is the Hasbro Commemorative reissue of Smokescreen, but with a slightly historical - and custom - twist applied by myself. So what's the story?

Is Hot Rod the best G1 Transformer?

No, that's Jetfire, but why is Hot Rod (or Hot Rodimus) a contender? Maybe it's the significance his character has in the Transformers cartoon and comic mythos, especially the animated 1986 feature. Maybe it's because it's one of the first properly 'new' moulds that Hasbro put out as a Transformers toy of any importance, having never been used for Takara's Diaclone or MC lines, or any of the other pre-TF lines where some toys hail from. Or is it because as far as G1 toys go, it's one of the best? More likely I'm writing this because of today's More Than Meets The Eye #29. Yeah, you know why.