Here's your chance to meet a Transformer

The aliens have landed. However, unlike the vile creatures of Independence Day, these are the coolest looking aliens you’ll ever meet.

Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron, Grimlock and Sideswipe all turn into the super cars of world famous franchise known as Transformers. They are currently on display in The Exhibition: Transformers Animatronics at Emperors Palace, Joburg until May 28.

It’s a South African first for the unique travelling 3 000m2 exhibition, featuring real-life size sculptures scaled between 2m and 11m in height – all made from reused car parts, metal and other re-purposed materials.

If you’re not an avid fan or excited 10-year-old, you probably know nothing about Autobots and Decepticons.

It all started with the planet Primus which gave birth to the Allspark. The Spark (the soul of the Transformers) then birthed all Transformers. The Transformers lived in peace until Megatron wanted to take over the Prime Council – which also happens to be the leader of the Transformers – and possesses the matrix of leadership and all former Primes’ knowledge.

Megatron then created the Decepticons, leading them into a war with the Autobots which still rages today.

Pictures: Transfomersafrica

Why do Transformers choose to transform into cars when they visit Earth? Blending in is their main aim with the tagline: “Robots in disguise”. Hence, their transformation into cars and trucks.

The concept first started as a toy line then went on to become a TV series. The movie franchise has fetched more than $3-billion (R3.8bn) at the box office alone with five installments under its belt.

Hot on the heels of its Latin American tour, visitors (young and old) can look forward to breath-taking sculptures, made from wrecked cars, on display against the scenery of the legendary planet Cybertron that will be brought to life through performance technology.

The actual exhibition, based on the Transformers Prime TV show, takes up to 20 days to be assembled – enabling the organisers to bring the animatronics to life. The entire exhibition was shipped to South Africa in seven containers after a 90-day transit from port to port. It will be here for 11 months, exhibiting in three cities, Joburg, Centurion and Cape Town.