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Now that the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro playing the role of heroic robot Bumblebee in the next Transformersfilm has been revealed, the evil ‘bot known as Barricade was sure to be close behind. You may not know the name, but if you’ve seen even a single one of the Michael Bay-directed movies you’ll understand why: Barricade is the evil Decepticon who rolls around disguised as a Ford Mustang.
Not just any Ford Mustang, mind you. Barricade hides in plain sight as a police cruiser Mustang, clad in reassuring Oreo livery and boasting a proud light bar on top. The only hint of the Deception’s true, malicious intent lies in the creed scrawled on its side: in lieu of a friendly mission statement like “to protect and serve,” this Mustang is adorned with the words “to punish and enslave.” Which ranks barely one step below “arbeit macht frei” in terms of brutal axioms.
The first clear picture of Barricade popped online a few days ago, when actor and Black Eyed Pea-in-law Josh Duhamel tweeted a picture of the Decepticon ‘Stang in all its glory.
As with the Camaro playing Bumblebee, the Mustang taking the role of Barricade has been extensively modified for Michael Bay duty. The hood has sprouted not one but two air scoops growing out of boxy power bulges; the wheels are surrounded by protruding arches; a hefty wing sits out back to keep the Mustang stuck to the ground at speeds well above where those oddly knobby tires would be comfortable. A full docket of police accessories completes the package, with more flashing LED lighting than a Vegas nightclub and a bull bar capable of ramming Optimus Prime off the road. Compared to the surprisingly tasteful Bumblebee Camaro, the Barricade Mustang looks like a big ol’ bucket of overcompensation.
Like their automotive alter egos, the rivalry between Bumblebee and Barricade dates back quite a ways. Their initial tussle in the first Michael Bay Transformers film was the first time in the franchise viewers actually saw Autobots and Decepticons rock’em-sock’em one another, and the fight remains one of the few moments in the series we still find entertaining.
