Optimus Prime and Bumblebee up for auction

Paramount Pictures is clearing out its garage and will auction off the two stars of its Transformers movie franchise directed by Michael Bay, Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.

Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobot 'good guys', will be sold to the highest bidder at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale, Arizona auction during the last week of January.

There is no estimate on the price range, but the saviour of the free world is being offered 'as is' with no reserve, and should bring a few bills.

If you're a movie fan with a big shed and want to be a hit with kids in the neighbourhood, realise that the Optimus Prime is a fully functioning 1992 Peterbilt truck with a real VIN and a title in Paramount Pictures' name.

Joining Optimus Prime under the hammer in Scottsdale is good mate Bumblebee – in reality a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS from Michael Bay's personal collection and loaded with late-model firepower.

The Camaro featured in Transformers 4: Age of Extinction doing a burnout inside GM's design centre in Warren, Michigan, proving the Bumble can rumble.

Painted in satin black and wearing a carbon-fibre chin spoiler and fender flares, the resto-mod Camaro is powered by a 6.2-litre Corvette LS3 V8 and manual transmission.

It comes with working air-conditioning, leather interior, Wilwood disc brakes at all corners, and yellow LED headlights. In terms of hero cars, they don't come much cooler than Bumblebee.