It’s time for another one of your Set Reviews here at TLCB! We’ve been ’employing’ readers to bolster the official LEGO set count in the wonderful Set Review Library so that – just like your Mom – it’s an ever expanding curiosity.

Today’s guest reviewer has decided to take on one of LEGO’s more unusual sets, but one that has provided a key part to many of the most impressive creations to appear here over the years. If ever you’ve wondered where the infamous LEGO ‘Buggy Motor’ comes from, this is that set. Over to Marco QM…

This LEGO Racers 8376 Hot Flame RC from 2003 is what was missing from TLCB’s Review Library. With twin Race Buggy Motors allowing the set to reach improbably high speeds (and perform wheelies), it’s a set that’s very simple to build, yet very fun to play with.

When building 8376 you’ll notice that the main structure of the car is the battery box – which also receives the signal from the Remote Control – and leads to the steering system. This makes the car very rigid, and also makes the building process easier, although the building instructions might not be as intuitive as those found in LEGO’s newer sets.

The 8376 set also comes with two drift wheels to transform the vehicle to a very fast drift car, so that you can have even more fun when driving it around the kitchen floor (or the Executive Washroom and Sauna here at TLCB Towers; Ed.).

If you’re the type of builder who buys a set because of the bricks it has so that you can make your own creation, 8376 is a very good option. With the RC system you can utilise the chassis to make almost any car you want, and because of the power of its Buggy Motors you won’t have to worry about the weight of your creation as much as you would with a Power Functions set-up.

But nothing is perfect, and when you first see 8376 you might expect it have a suspension system. Sadly it doesn’t have one, and that will disappoint some builders. Also, as mentioned before, the structure is very simple – if you’re looking for a challenging build, Hot Flame probably isn’t the set for you (but if you’re looking for something to run over TLCB Elves, it’s superb! Ed.)

If you’ve managed to get hold of the remote control unit and the Buggy Motors you can give 8376 a go by downloading the building instructions here, and if you’d like to buy the complete set you can find it on Amazon here.

A big thank you to Marco for joining us here at TLCB with a his Review. If you’d like to write a Set Review for TLCB as Marco has, either for a set you love or for one you hate, then get in touch! At the time of writing there are even prizes available for the best reviewer too!