This Racing Drone's vehicle is designed to eat cars and dispose of the unwanted parts. Driven by a normal-sized, yet specially designed Racing Drone, it is also capable of deploying several smaller drones (RD-W1s) that luge under opposing vehicles, take control of them and then steer them into the maul of the Sweeper. The lumbering nature of the Sweeper makes it easy to deal with as it cannot stop or turn very quickly. Sweepers have been destroyed in the Metro, Cliffside, Neon Pipeline, Junk, Ruins and Cosmic Realms after enjoying very limited success.
In Breaking Point and later, the Sweepers were also used as a deployment vehicle for the RD-07 motorcycles and their riders, MD-01s.
The Teku and Metal Maniacs capture a Sweeper in the Cosmic Realm in order to get to the Racing Drones' Headquarters and save Markie. Another Sweeper was also captured by the heroes at the end of the Ultimate Race. The use this one to escape the Drones and flee the Acceledrome.
The Sweeper features a front-mounted entrance for vehicles, a control cabin for the operator, an auto-pilot, three holding pens for prisoners and an inside bay for dismantling victim cars. RD-W1s are mounted on the underbody until deployed. RD-07 motorcycles are transported inside and are deployed through the front mouth of the Sweeper.
I am wondering, however, how the Racing Drones are able to get the Sweeper up to 300mph to get it through the portals...
Mentioned in a 2005 Mattel press release, this ''hyperpod'' toy was available for purchase in the summer of 2005.
Some interesting notes about the toy: ▪ Requires four C batteries ▪ Works best on a hard floor with mixed results on carpet. ▪ I like how you can connect it to a track (good move on Mattel's part with all the Deluxe Hyperpods) ▪ Holds about 10 cars ▪ Requires some management as the cars sometimes flip inside when they are sucked in. ▪ Little kids (and some parents) have difficulty running the in/out switch - cars either come in or out (not both). ▪ The box has a misprint on the back - the Teku and Silencerz team logos are reversed over the cars. ▪ Don't be looking up the mouth of it when you decide to shoot a car out.
Despite the minor drawbacks mentioned above and the $30 price tag, it?s a pretty cool toy. My boys fought over it for two days before moving on to other things - pretty long for them. Of course my oldest son pointed out that we needed three of them to accurately portray the events of the Junk Realm. I told him to save his money...
The Sweeper can also be found as a part of a Bonus Gift set that also includes the ''Dragster Hyperpod'' and six AcceleRacers vehicles.