Look twice—those aren’t sideways cars, they’re COSMO Pods, the kit-built racers of the future. Designed by Volker Brodkorb, each of the vertically oriented pods is souped up to match its driver’s style and outfitted with a unique engine, and then splashed with a classic paint job hearkening back to the old petrol-powered four-wheeled racers of yore.
Of course, I’m rooting for the Ford GT40-inspired pod, because who doesn’t love that iconic blue and orange Gulf livery?
I’ve forgotten the number of hours I spent playing Skyrim, so when I saw Proudspire Manor by soccersnyderi it was like I was back in Solitude with a sword in my hand and a pack full of loot. This LEGO model of the game location was built as a commissioned model for one of the actual game designers, since Isaac had already built Sigurd’s Store and the Holt Windmill. Besides being very recognizable, it also features fantastic roof work, textured stone walls, and a brilliant slanted roof.
Anyone who has seen LEGO’s beautiful set 10253 Big Ben was no doubt impressed but might have wondered how many sets you would have to get to build the entire Palace of Westminster. Well, Jamie Douglas not only wondered that himself, but actually discovered the answer to be eleven. Yes, eleven!
That’s one Big Ben set used for Elizabeth Tower and the other 10 used to build the Victoria Tower, the House of Lords, St Stephens Hall, and all the various libraries and committee rooms in between. Plus a lot of Bricklink orders for all the extra pieces, including the roof of the beautifully angled Westminster Hall and the wonderfully decorated Parliament Square – and he did all that in just five months!
Jamie’s giant and detailed model was built exclusively for the UK event Bricktastic, taking center stage for the July 2017 show. With a footprint of 5.5 x 3 feet (1.7 x 1 metres) not a single detail of this 19th-century architectural masterpiece has been left out (I checked for myself on Google Earth). Constructed from over 50,000 bricks, Jamie confesses to having spent 30 hours planning it before even starting the epic 234-hour build. You can see more pictures on Jamie’s Flickr stream.
Dutch builder Michel Van den Heuvel is very much a Ferarri fan, which led him to build a rustic and charming little vintage-looking garage. His inspiration for the design came from various images found on the web, and led to a very unique build that stands out with simple yet delightful details, from a cobblestone street courtyard to brick-built lettering that spell out the full name of the company, Scuderia Ferrari. The trio of vintage Ferrari race cars lends an authentic touch to the scene.
See more of this lovely LEGO Ferrari workshop
Master animal builder (and possibly pirate?) Felix Jaensch strikes again with this incredibly accurate Alexandrine parakeet. Exposed studs add a feather-like texture and the parrot’s shape is pretty much perfect. The best part has to be its characteristic beak with a rubber band used as the border. Now we need to see this bird on the builder’s shoulder!
Today LEGO announced its latest Creator Expert set, 10257 Carousel. The 2,670 piece set is the latest entry to the popular carnival theme of sets that includes 10247 Ferris Wheel, 10244 Fairground Mixer, and of course, 10196 Grand Carousel from 2009. The new Carousel has five brick-built animals galloping around its platform, which spins with a hand crank and comes ready for Power Functions integration. The set includes seven minifigures, and will retail for $199.99 USD. It will be available June 1, 2017.
The original carousel from 8 years ago is greatly loved, but the fact that LEGO is circling back to the same carnival ride after only two intervening sets is sure to raise some eyebrows. However, the old 10196 Carousel is so highly desired by fans that it’s currently selling for around $1,700 for an unopened copy, and over $1,100 for a used version, a rare figure outside the Star Wars and Modular themes. Certainly, many fans who can’t afford to spend over $1k on a single set will be glad to see this version. Although slightly smaller than the original, the new set carries a $50 lower MSRP, likely due to the Power Functions being an optional extra this time. Although we spy plenty of elements in new colors, however, we haven’t spotted any completely new elements apart from the cloth roof panels. Let us know in the comments if you see anything we’ve missed, though!
We’ve got the full press release, designer video, and all the images below.
This stormtrooper probably needs to step closer to his target. Or maybe he should take a step back? One thing’s for sure, Jme Wheeler‘s tiny Star Wars blaster pistol practice scene in LEGO points out an obvious truth from the films: Contrary to what Obi-Wan Kenobi may tell you, stormtroopers are not gunslinging sharp shooters. So keep practicing, little buddy. Keep practicing.
Whether he’s hurling barrels at Jumpman, riding a rhino through the jungle, or power-sliding around a tight corner in his go-kart, Donkey Kong is one impressive ape. And vincentkiew‘s LEGO Kong has all the charm and style of the iconic gorilla. Just look at those opposable digits! There’s also some tremendous Nice Parts Usage (NPU) in the necktie, mouth, and banana peels.
What I love most about this gallant old tall ship by Sebeus I is that it’s still distinctly in the style of the classic LEGO Pirate ships I remember from the early 90s. Of course, this one is both much larger and much better detailed, but it still incorporates the large hull elements and distinctive flags along the sides for cannon ports. The custom paper sails add a great look, too.
Where this ship really shines, though, is in the stern, which is low and sleek and expertly sculpted. The ship manages to capture the deck’s curvature in a way the old sets never could. It looks just perfect to fetch some breadfruit plantings from the tropics.
Feast your eyes on this crustacean-themed restaurant and hostel called the Osaka Crab, built by Ian Hoy. This modular building can be split to reveal the restaurant within the ground and first floors [that’s first and second floors for you Americans – Ed] and then a couple of bedrooms on the next floor up for those who have eaten too much crab and can’t make it home. A lot of character has been packed into the building both inside and out – as you can see from the fantastic red, brick-built crab.
See more of this crabby creation
Volker Brodkorb uses some of the finest techniques for a proper presentation of a new LEGO creation. Not only did he publish some eye-catching pictures of the spacecraft, but also called it a prototype and furnished illustrations with a pretty captivating background story about the COSMO Engineering Corporation and their latest spacecraft. Now I’m simply irritated I can’t read more about COSMO and see more of their vessels! But at least we have this beautiful HyperStar runner featuring some fairly simple, yet so smooth curves.
Marius Herrmann has built several excellent LEGO Titans from Titanfall 2, including Ion and Northstar, along with Ronin. Now, he shows some love for the campaign’s protagonist, the lovable Marauder Corps death machine that is BT-7274. BT’s lightweight frame was captured accurately using orange, white, and custom spraypainted military green bricks. His model is detailed down to an array of individual rockets ready to fire from the shoulder-mounted missile pods.
