Tag Archives: Cars

LEGO Technic 42171 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance – A winning replica? [Review]

Almost exactly two years ago to the day, I wrote a review of the orange and blue LEGO Technic 42141 McLaren Formula 1 Race Car. Recently, I looked back to find that I had been fairly critical of the model, considering it overpriced and underwhelming at the time. However, I had little recollection of that, feeling maybe I was too harsh, and it made me all the more intrigued as to how I’d feel about the new LEGO Technic 42171 Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance. At 1642 pieces and retailing for US $219.99 | CAN $289.99 | UK £189.99, the price per piece is even higher than the McLaren. But how about the rest of it? Does it hit the mark that the McLaren missed? Come along as we take a deep dive into Technic’s latest 1:8 scale supercar, which will be available March 1st.

The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

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LEGO Speed Champions 76921 Audi S1 e-tron Quattro: Are we mad for this mad off-roader? [Review]

What do you get if you cross a Group B rally car with one of the craziest car stunt series on the internet, and throw in some LEGO bricks for good measure? Why, the new Speed Champions set 76921 Audi S1 e-tron Quattro, of course! Featuring 274 pieces for US $26.99 | CAN $34.99 | UK £20.99, this mean machine will hit shelves from March 1st. Are you brave enough to get behind the wheel? Hop in and read our review – let’s find out!

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click here to read our review

Prototype by name, prototype by nature

If you know your motor racing, the 1999 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will probably have you picturing a Mercedes-Benz CLR somersaulting the Mulsanne straight. Spare a thought for BMW, though – they won the race, and almost no one remembers their car! The aptly-named LEGO builder PROTOTYP sure does, though. This model painstakingly recreates the BMW V12 LMR in the brick, with the help of a few custom decals and wheels.

BMW LMR '99

Make no mistake, though – the bricks are doing the heavy lifting here! The detail is evident underneath the bodywork and on top, and this is where my motorsport nerd heart starts fluttering. The engine is there, of course: all 12 cylinders of it. But so are the radiators, the wiring, the cooling hoses, the driveshafts, and – my personal favourite – the shock absorbers, with red 1×1 round studs standing in for springs. This is attention to detail truly worthy of a winner!

BMW LMR '99

Bringing modern WRC to life in LEGO bricks

As much as we’d love to spend all day writing about LEGO, we at TBB Towers do have day jobs to attend to. Without giving too much away, mine involves working very closely with rally cars like the one Instagram user dak_yuki has built. For those not familiar, this is the – deep breath – Toyota Gazoo Racing GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid. Not the most catchy name, perhaps, but it has just ended a dominant season in the World Rally Championship with a victory in dak_yuki’s native Japan. So what better time to enjoy this fantastic scale model?

Follow the link to see more of this rallying beast!

Donuts, donuts, LEGO blocks, and a LEGO Block

There are two types of people in this world when it comes to donuts: those who think of round sugary things, and those who picture squealing tires and a very sideways car. And for the latter, chances are the person performing them in your mind’s eye is Ken Block, who sadly left us earlier this year. Clemens Schneider has paid tribute to a true icon of motorsport in the best way possible: with full steering lock, foot to the floor, and a massive plume of tire smoke!

Donuts - Ken Block drifts around Randy's Donut-Shop

The keen-eyed among you will notice something odd about those tyre tracks. They hide a very different kind of track, but it’s one that gives this diorama an awesome party trick. This isn’t a moment frozen in time – Ken’s LEGO Hoonicorn Mustang actually performs donuts!

Just an old car – no retro-futurism here, no sirree...

It’s been a while since we featured a proper old-fashioned LEGO car from Isaac Wilder. He’s been on a bit of a retro-futurism kick lately – which, don’t get us wrong, we’re all here for. That’s fine if you like that sort of thing. But nothing beats the simplicity of a good ol’ 50s sedan. This one would not look out of place in a film noir movie, or a British 60s police flick.

Anonymous black sedan

It’s always nice to see a builder play their hits, instead of messing around with this new-old-fangled retro-futurism nonsense. No crazy engines, no flyi- er… Oh. I guess old habits die hard.

Anonymous black hovercar

Who are we kidding – we love Isaac’s work, retro-futurist or otherwise! See for yourself why he’s a regular feature in our archives.

Any colour you like, as it long as it’s black... And red

When it comes to LEGO cars, Jonathan Elliott sets one heck of a high bar. Our archives will help to erase any doubts you might have, but so too will this mega hot-rod. It’s at a slightly bigger scale than his usual, minifigure-scale-ish vehicles. All that means though is that it’s even more chock-full of details, particularly in the engine bay. And just like any self-respecting car enthusiast, Jonathan seems to enjoy tinkering with his models; the wheels on this were originally black, but a small tweak to blood-red rims has elevated this build from looking sinister to downright deadly. Which, in a hot-rod, makes it just about the coolest thing on the road.

Traditional Hot Rod

This hot rod really pops

Nothing says retro-future quite like a clear dome canopy. And, in the hands of 1saac W., retro-future has never looked quite so cool. There are plenty of beautiful curves to admire on this car, but the way the bubble top nestles into two sideways placed mudguards takes the cake. And those chrome details are the perfect finishing touch.

Bubble Top Rod

A retro car from the future

Retro-futurism is a theme I don’t see too often with LEGO, but it’s one of my favorite design styles. Take this slick car from 1saac W. as a great example of why I love this style so much. It’s got such a cool, sleek look with fantastic lines and a lot of character. Gaze upon those slopes and curved LEGO bits — rain and wind just pass right over this vehicle as it blazes down empty highway. It reminds me of the Batman: The Animated Series art style with its extra length and curves. This car looks so good, I’d love to see more retro-futurism designs. In the meantime, I’ll just keep admiring this build.

Retro futuristic concept car

LEGO Technic 42154 2022 Ford GT – A budget supercar that doesn’t cut corners [Review]

LEGO Technic fans have eagerly awaited the latest additions to the line, and many will rejoice with the introduction of a new, affordable supercar! LEGO Technic 42154 2022 Ford GT is surely exciting upon first glance, particularly because it won’t destroy your wallet in the same way the Lamborghini Sián or Bugatti Chiron would. But let’s see if it holds any weight against the other guys. Join us in the passenger seat as we take a test drive of this 1466-piece, 1:12 scale model, which will be available March 1st and retail for US $119.99 | CAN $149.99 | UK £104.99.

The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.

Click to read the full review

Some LEGO icons – but not as you know them

As far as motor races go, they don’t come much more iconic than the Monaco Grand Prix, made in LEGO here by alex_bricks. Not content with choosing an iconic circuit, he’s chosen an iconic race as well: the 1988 edition. As a result, one of the most dominant cars in F1 history also makes an appearance in the form of the red-and-white McLaren MP4/4. And driven by the legendary Ayrton Senna, no less. There’s more LEGO icons here than in a LEGO store! While the immersive setting is superb, I’m most impressed by the cars. LEGO F1 cars are sometimes prone to being either oversized relative to minifigures, or looking too bulky. Alex has absolutely nailed the design here though. The sleek noses are expertly crafted with some wedge slopes and angled tiles, which look just perfect at this scale. That the cars are so recognisable without any custom decals is a testament to the quality of this build!

Monaco Grand Prix, 1988

The only British cars that don’t rust are those made from LEGO

If you say ‘family saloon made in 1960s Britain’, chances are the car in question is not a very good one, even by the standards of the time. But if you say ‘LEGO car made by Chris Elliott‘, it’s almost a dead cert that it’s a bona fide classic. While they were by no means perfect, there is a certain charm about cars of this vintage, which Chris has captured wonderfully. The front grille – a custom-chromed Wolverine claw – is immediately recognisable as a hallmark of Wolseley cars, and indeed Chris says the Wolseley 1500 was the main source of inspiration. There’s a hint of Ford Cortina in there too, and maybe even something sporty like a Triumph TR4. The shaping is great, and along with the chrome parts really helps to sell this as a typical late-20th-century British classic. The only inauthentic thing is the build quality. It’s far too high for this to have come out of a Leyland or BMC factory!

1959 British Family Saloon