Derrick Wyatt has posted yet another comment over on his message board regarding Transformers Animated series 3 as well as what influences the Transformers Animated staff.  You can find a quote below.

"My influences are some of the things mentioned above, mixed with a heavy dose of 80's cartoons (Mighty Orbots and others), Hanna Barbera, 2000AD comics, anything Gainax does, Robert Valley and Jamie Hewlett, the list goes on and on. For the design of the new TFA series, I wanted to get back to basics with the Transformers, while splicing in some of that Orbots and ABC Warriors look and feel. It's also been my scheme all along to get new toys made of my old favorite Transformers.

TriBlurr, I think your Beachcomber is pretty close to what we did. I kept his face Smurfy-blue, and colored him all blue from the waste down, so he looks like he's wearing pants and no shoes. Get a job, Beachcomber, you worthless slacker!

The twins jet modes might have a little old school sci-fi tv inspiration in them, yes.

Wow, the Sailor Moon fans are out in force! Sailor Moon probably influenced at least every female crew member that works on Transformers Animated. I'm not sure how much of that ends up in the show. Do you have a specific example of what you think it was influential in?

Blackout is the ANIMATED Blackout. Spittor does have a bot mode. Into space. No hints on Sari."