LEGO built a life-size Technic Bugatti Chiron that actually drives [News]

LEGO has revealed a life-size Bugatti Chiron built from more than a million Technic elements that actually drives. Powered by more than 2,300 Power Functions motors, the car is the first ever fully-functional self-propelled LEGO sports car, reaching top speeds nearing 20 mph (30 kph).

More impressive, LEGO designers didn’t use any glue in the construction which took more than 13,000 hours total. The life-size Technic Bugatti Chiron even includes a working speedometer and rear spoiler while replicating the sleek curves of the iconic sports car.

A bit bigger than the 42083 Technic Bugatti Chiron we reviewed earlier this summer, the life-sized model can fit two passengers inside and weighs a whopping 3,300 pounds (1,500 kg), supported by a steel frame.

Revealed at the the Grand Prix Formula 1 event in Monza, Italy today, the life-size Technic Bugatti Chiron looks nearly identical to the real thing at a short distance, including real Bugatti Chiron wheels and emblem.

“When I first saw the LEGO Chiron, I was immediately impressed by the accuracy of the model and the minute attention to detail,” said Andy Wallace, the lucky test driver from Bugatti. “All those years ago I could never have imagined that one day I would actually drive a LEGO car!”

Though the genuine Bugatti Chiron can go 14 times faster than its life-sized LEGO counterpart at an incredible 260 mph (420 kmh), the Technic version generates 5.3 horsepower and an estimated torque of 92 Nm (without any suspension so you are in for a bit of a bumpy ride).

The car was made from a total of 339 different types of Technic pieces, including 58 new custom elements recolored to match the vibrant blue hues of the skin of the Chiron. The model also features new types of transparent Technic elements to facilitate the functioning front and rear lights as well as the blinkers in the side mirrors.

The engine is made up of 2,304 LEGO Power Functions-L motors, divided into 24 motor packs and using a total of 4,032 gear wheels and 2,016 cross axels to connect the motor block to a steel chain propelling the drive shaft. Two 80-volt batteries power the motors and LED lighting which match the original Bugatti Chiron perfectly.

According to Lena Dixen, Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing at the LEGO Group, the company wanted to push the boundaries of what was technically possible with LEGO elements. “Our Technic designers and the engineers from the Kladno factory in the Czech Republic … have done an amazing job both at recreating the Chiron’s iconic shapes and making it possible to drive this model.”

The entire project took more than a year from beginning to end, but the final result is an incredible achievement showing almost nothing is impossible with LEGO. Take a look at the technical information and expanded photo gallery below for an even closer look at the life-size LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron.


1:1 LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron technical documentation and features booklet:


Behind-the-scenes photos of the creation, test drive and reveal:

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