diode: It is an excellent figure in every aspect: design, engineering, cartoon accuracy, quality of construction, quality of materials, articulation, precision, finish and look in all three modes. Without any doubt, the best Astrotrain out there so far.
It is so heavy and robust and you can't actually spot any visible flaws. A true masterpiece.
All three modes are fantastic thanks for the exceptional design, the details, the sculpturing, the combination of colors and the quality of paint. There are no parts or areas that seem neglected compared to others.
The included rails further boost the displaying possibilities since they enrich the look of the train mode and they serve as a stand that makes the shuttle look even more impressive.
The transformation is a bit tricky and the manual does not help much. I had to seek for transformation videos to overcome certain issues and to be sure I'm doing everything right. While transforming it to space shuttle, I had a hard time clipping the upper part of the rear end correctly: it required both pressure and technique. While transforming it to train, I found it hard to align the front end with the rear end and bring them to an appropriate distance in order to clip with each other safely. The hard ratchet joints in the legs made calibration difficult and there was no hint on which was the appropriate position of the legs in order to permit the two parts clip. In addition, you have to be a bit cautious throughout the transformation in order to avoid scratches in the paint.
Being the most expensive figure I had ever bought, I was worrying whether it deserves the money. Well, yes and no. It's worth some extra money compared to a simple masterpiece but maybe not so much. However, in every product of high quality there are elements you cannot see like the efficiency of the quality control, the R&D effort, the cost of precision in the production process and the need for the company to be profitable by selling fewer products than others. But again, I think a price at around 200 euros would be more reasonable.