Ark

The Ark (アーク, Āku), aka Project Generation One, was the mighty city-sized Autobot starship that was designed by the Autobots to be able to left and transport them away from Cybertron on during the Great Exodus in order to find a new place to call home. Unlike other civilian galactic transports, the Ark was extremely very large and more streamlined in design, and had other special modifications made by Zeta Prime and the other Autobots in the science and tech divisions, such as its gold color, as other transports were gray.

Once the flagship of the Autobot fleet, It is able to launch protoforms to nearby planets and features sophisticated sensor equipment which was used to track down the AllSpark's energy signal. Its environment is fully automated and self-sufficient, yet insufficient armor plating. For engines, it features 4 Hyperfuel Intake Accelerators. It is armed with 16 particle-combustion cannons (port), 16 laser emitters (starboard), a series of twin-barreled pulse cannons, a primary starfield missile launchers, and an Overshock sonic battery. It did however possess an "adequate" propulsion system, leading to the conclusion that it was meant to outrun and evade instead of going in guns blazing.

"You see Optimus, I have commissioned a new galactic transport for us, an Ark, in which we shall make our journey through the stars."
 * —Zeta Prime.

History
Classified as the first Vanguard-class Deep Space Interceptor (though referred to by Megatron as a "glorified cargo hauler"), the Ark was larger and more streamlined in design than previous galactic transports the civilians had used. According to Perceptor's evaluations, the Ark's main purpose was more spiritual than practical: to carry the Autobots' hopes and dreams from a dying Cybertron.

And in that, it succeeded. Despite a surprise Decepticon attack led by Shockwave and the Combaticons from the Sea of Rust that damaged an Autobot refinery transport carrying the energon supply, the Ark nevertheless launched thanks to Optimus after he had discovered a hidden and secret lake of pure energon. After launching into space, the Ark found itself confronted by the Nemesis and the two ships engaged in a fierce battle that was abruptly concluded when both passed through an unstable space bridge portal.

During through the unstable transwarp vortex, with all hands still on board—along with Megatron, who was still fighting Zeta Prime. When Megatron was about to bring a finishing blow to Zeta, Optimus managed to force Megatron out through the docking tube, which a wall of the transwarp vortex he disappeared into, has send Megatron fifty years into the Earth's past. Though Megatron was now out and off the ship, Optimus rushed to Zeta's aid for help, Zeta Prime unfortunately told optimus to take his sword, as well as the Matrix of Leadership with him, and that he is the new leader now, and died before Optimus could contact for medical support.