Just something that came out of my brain.  
Flash Magnus, Rockhoof and Starswirl(a different design by Faith-Wolff ) stay the same specie.
 
Somnambula, Mistmane and Meadowbrook are a Sphinx, Kirin(which the designs are by LionPatriot ) and a llama because them being ponies just doesn’t seemed right given what parts of different culture they are from. I mean we have Buffaloes as Natives, Horses as Arabians, and yaks(but nobody cares about them). I don’t know, I’ll just put it under Hasbro only wanted pony designs and DHX just rolled with it.
 
 
All the characters (c) Hasbro and DHX