Fly Bavaria

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Lego Douglas DC-3

It’s a grey January winter’s day here at TLCB Towers, and we’re already pondering sunnier climes. So too is Vaionaut of Flickr it seems, having built this wonderful Douglas DC-3 airliner. Launched in the 1930s the American Douglas DC-3 revolutionised air travel, becoming the default airliner for decades thereafter, and is – incredibly – still in use today. Vaionaut’s beautifully built model is pictured here in German Bavaia livery (complete with a neat 1972 Munich olympics decal) and there’s more to see of his gorgeous creation at his photostream. Click the link above to take to the skies.

Too Cool for School

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Lego Raleigh Chopper Bike

It’s early January, a time when kids everywhere shuffle despondently back into their crumbling educational establishments whilst their parents celebrate the survival of another Christmas.

Back in the 1970s this routine was exactly the same, only – if you were really lucky – you wouldn’t be shuffling to school, you’d be riding this; a brand new Raleigh Chopper bike!

Ludicrously styled, with a gear select lever mounted on the frame, high-rise ape-hanger bars, and oddly-sized wheels, there was nothing cooler in the whole world.

This glorious homage to one of the 1970s’ defining designs comes from Melan-E of Flickr, who has recreated not only the infamous Raleigh but also a few other ’70s icons to go with it, including a cassette tape boom-box and a retro backpack.

There’s much more of this brilliant creation to see at Melan-E’s photostream – click the link above to hang out with her behind the bike sheds.

Lego Raleigh Chopper Bicycle

2018 | Year in Review

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Lego 2019

The Lego Car Blog’s infamous New Year’s Party is fast approaching, so whilst we still have the capacity to write let’s take a look back on the year that was 2018. A cave rescue, a Royal wedding, Facebook douchbaggery, #MeToo, and one Presidential scandal after another, it’s been a busy year!

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Stats; The Lego Car Blog passed the 5 million visitor mark a few weeks ago! However as usual we weren’t paying attention and forgot to blog about it. 2018 saw another 900,000 of you joining us here, a roughly 10% drop on the last two years when the site surpassed 1 million visitors per annum.

We mused as to the reasons why this may be a little while back, looking at the rise of Instagram, the fall of MOCpages, and various other factors, but we’ve since realised we’ve written just over 10% fewer posts this year than last. Oops.

Search engines brought just over a quarter of a million visitors to these pages (who knows what they were searching for!), whilst Pinterest and Facebook another 50,000 combined. The rest of you – we assume – came here on purpose, mostly from the United States, with Germany, the U.K and the Netherlands the next post popular.

The Lego Car Blog

Creations; Hundreds of new cars, trucks, motorcycles, aircraft, and the odd spaceship were blogged here at The Lego Car Blog in 2018, albeit around 10% fewer than last year. Top posts were our reveal of LEGO’s new 42083 Technic Bugatti Chiron set, Leviathan’s own Bugatti Chiron creation, and – as always – our Set Review Library, which expanded this year to include the third-party Bluetooth devices SBrick and BuWizz – take a look at what we thought of them via the links.

Lego Master MOCers

Interviews; The Master MOCers series added another two of the world’s finest builders to the Hall of Fame, with Mahjqa and Nico71 earning a permanent place in the archives. Linus Bohman, the creator of the brilliant LEGO set review aggregator Brick Insights, also joined us here at TLCB Towers – make sure you check out his amazing website via the link above!

Lego Treasure

Advertising; In 2018 we continued to show limited ads via our hosts WordPress, with all profits donated to good causes. This really does mean that your views and clicks here at The Lego Car Blog can make a positive impact – thank you!

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So it seems 2018 has been quite a year for The Lego Car Blog too. We’ve added another 442 posts, written 77,060 words, received 260 comments (including 3 threats from Putin supporters), and raised $thousands for those in need.

For 2019 we aim to continue to showcase the very best Lego vehicles from all around the world, review more LEGO sets and third-party products, and bring you the latest LEGO news and exclusive interviews. Until then we’d like to thank you for joining us here at The Lego Car Blog, and we wish you all a very Happy New Year!

TLCB Team

Monster Mash*

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Lego Technic Monster Truck

It’s the final day of 2018 and most of the Elves – caged over Christmas – are away searching hungrily for the very best Lego vehicles the interweb has to offer. A few Elves returned with finds pretty quickly, and another joined them today at the controls of this, a rather cool looking remote control Monster Truck from previous bloggee and TLCB Master MOCer Nico71.

Unfortunately for the Elves already back in TLCB Towers, the speed of their return meant they became unwilling participants in the latest (and hopefully last – for 2018 at least) smushing.

With all-wheel-drive, torsion bar suspension, and portal drive for mega ground clearance, the Elf at the controls of Nico71’s monster truck had no problem running down several of its unsuspecting colleagues in the halls of the office.

With the truck now in the hands of TLCB staff and the squashed Elves mostly patched back together the perpetrator has wisely absconded back from whence it came, meal token in hand, whilst we clean a variety of Elven bodily fluids out of the office carpet.

You can check out Nico’s remote control monster truck at his website, where an extensive gallery of images is available and – to the joy of those that reply to TLCB inbox – instructions can be found too. Click the link above to make the jump.

Lego Technic Monster Truck

*The final title song of 2018! Enjoy.

Great & Small

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Lego Technic Suzuki Jimny

This is the new Suzuki Jimny, and we absolutely LOVE it. Like the new Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, Suzuki have taken a retro approach to the styling of their new car (to much success), but unlike the new G-Wagon – which will be bought by rappers, wannabe rappers, and hedge-fund managers – the Jimny will be bought by people who will actually take it off-road. A lot.

With a proper four-wheel-drive system, body-on-frame construction, and tiny overhangs the little Jimny will trounce any SUV off-road, despite having just 1500cc and only 100bhp (which is actually a fair bit more than the previous one). The result is a car which, in TLCB’s home nation at least, already has sizeable waiting list. But then it has been twenty years since Suzuki last redesigned it, which is rather a long wait.

Lego Technic Suzuki Jimny

Don’t worry though, if you’d like to get your hands on the new Jimny we have an alternative! A 1:10 scale alternative…

This wonderful little Technic replica of the new Jimny comes from filsawgood, and not only has he recreated the dinky Suzuki 4×4 superbly, he’s made instructions available too!

Underneath the delightful exterior is a remotely controlled all-wheel-drive system complete with solid-axle suspension and powered by a third-party BuWizz bluetooth brick, which enables the model to be controlled via mobile phone and delivers up to eight times the power of LEGO’s own Power Functions battery. Two L motors drive all four wheels whilst a Servo powers the steering, plus there are LED lights, opening doors, hood and tailgate.

Lego Technic Suzuki Jimny

There are loads more images of filsawgood’s remote control Suzuki Jimny available to view on both Flickr and at the Eurobricks forum, where you can also find a video demonstrating the model’s features and a link to building instructions so that you can build your own!

A Flight to Remember

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Lego Skytanic Sinking

Since departing the Maersk Pier some months ago, the mighty skyliner ‘Skytanic‘ has been steaming through the skies towards Belville on its maiden voyage. Approaching the notoriously dangerous floating ice field, the ship’s captain scanned the horizon for ‘Trusty Rusty‘, the great lightship tasked with guiding travellers through the floating icebergs. But the light is no longer shining…

With no light to guide them the floating icebergs are all but invisible to the crew of the Skytanic, but there’s no panic – the huge ship is deemed to be near indestructible.

CRASH.

The moment we’ve been fearing since the Skytanic’s departure back in September has occurred, and storyteller Markus Ronge has captured it in spectacular brilliance. Brick-built flames are now rising from the hull of the stricken skyliner, and the order to evacuate has been given. All we can do now is pray – and tune in for the next episode of course.

There’s more to see of Markus’ incredible scene at his photostream by clicking here, and if you missed earlier episodes you can catch up via the links in the text above.

Lego Skytanic Sinking

Seventies Safari

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Lego Datsun 240Z Safari Rally

We know rally cars today as brutal all-wheel-drive monsters, with enormous wings, enormous turbochargers, and even more enormous balls in the driving seat. The current World Rally Championship makes for quite a show, but back in the 1970s things were a bit… simpler.

This is a 1971 Datsun 240Z. It has raised suspension, off-road tyres, and some extra lights – and it won the ’71 East African Safari Rally. In fact it wasn’t until the late-’80s that an all-wheel-drive car would win the event, which surely proves that you really don’t need a 4×4 to take little Timmy to school.

This glorious 6-wide replica of the 1971 Safari Rally winner comes from previous bloggee and TLCB favourite Jonathan Elliott, and there’s more to see of his delightful Datsun 240Z on Flickr via the link above.

Itsa Me – Mario!

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Lego Mario Kart

First appearing in 1981’s ‘Donkey Kong’, Mario the dumpy Italian plumber has had quite a life; rescuing princesses, collecting gold, featuring in over 200 video games, and in doing so becoming the single most successful video game franchise of all time.

His highpoint (in our opinion) came in 1992 on the SNES, when he took a break from rescuing princesses in castles to start his own racing series. ‘Mario Kart’ is very probably the greatest racing game ever made, pitting a variety of unlikely characters together in a gloriously whimsical race for glory.

This brilliant depiction of Mario’s finest hour comes from polywen of Flickr, who has created a marvellous cuboid ‘Brickheadz’ style Mario, his go-kart, and a green shell in Lego form. Click the link above to join the race for 150cc Cup!

It’s a Classic Space Adventure!

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Lego Classic Space Adventure Game

Christmas Dinner is now just a fleeting memory, the presents are all unwrapped, and it’s cold outside. What you need is a classic video game. Fortunately we have one, thanks to the brilliance of Flickr’s Johan Alexanderson (aka Jalex), who has created a marvellous pixelated Classic Space adventure game that uses many of LEGO’s Classic Space sets and is free to play!

Four-hundred pages of Javascript code renders you the ability to become your favourite Classic Spaceman, embarking on a 2D adventure that includes piloting ships, firing lasers, and exploring unknown worlds, all the while maintaining the trademark Classic Spacemen smile.

Take a look at the trailer for Jalex’s ‘Classic Space Adventure’ via the link above, and then click the link below!

Play ‘Classic Space Adventure’ Here!

Lego Classic Space Adventure Game

School Run Mom

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Lego Lexus RX450H

The Lexus RX450h may sound like it’s named after a photocopier, but it is in fact one of America’s best selling luxury SUVs. Because how else is little Cody supposed to get to school? Still, at least the RX450h is a hybrid, so Cody’s Mom won’t be poisoning the other kids outside the school gates as she wafts up silently in electric mode. Although she might run them over if they don’t hear it coming…

Lego Lexus RX450H

The Lexus RX isn’t really a TLCB sort of car, but nevertheless it looks absolutely stunning in Model Team form thanks to previous bloggee dgustafsson1317 of Flickr. A superbly accurate model, dgustafsson’s creation recreates the big SUV’s rather complex shape beautifully thanks to some ingenious parts usage that is further enhanced by custom badging and wheels.

Lego Lexus RX450H

The model also includes working suspension, drive and steering that are remotely controlled via bluetooth, and LED headlights. There’s a whole lot more to see of dgustafsson’s incredible Lexus RX450h at his Flickr album – click the link above to waft up to school gates. Just don’t run over any kids.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

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Lego Christmas Tree

The Lego Car Blog Elves have been returned to their cages, the office is mostly back in one piece after the Christmas Party (although the same can’t be said for some of TLCB Staff), and we’re ready to turn the lights out for a while.

We’ll be back after the festivities, until then we wish you all the very happiest of Christmases!

TLCB Team

To Battle!

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Lego Carro Armato M14/41

No, the other way…

This is a Carro Armato M14/41 tank, as manufactured by Fiat for the Royal Italian Army. That means we’re not sure which side this magnificently moustachioed mini-figure is on as Italy switched during World War 2. However as this tank is painted in the colours of the North Africa Campaign it suggests he’s fighting for Mussolini, a man known to have been ‘a bit of a dick’.

Luckily for TLCB’s home nation and the other Allies that this tank fought against, the M14/41 was absolutely rubbish, being obsolete when new, unreliable, cramped, and catching fire regularly. Which is most unlike a Fiat.

Fortunately these short-comings led to a less than successful military campaign, and likely hastened Italy’s overthrowing of Mussolini, abandonment of fascism, and switch to the Allied cause.

This brilliant mini-figure scale recreation of the Carro Armato M14/41 comes from Albert of Flickr, making his TLCB debut. Ingenious building techniques abound and there’s more to see at Albert’s photostream – click the link above to make the jump.

Do-It-Yourself Mr. Bean

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Lego Mr. Bean Mini

Mr. Bean, one of Britain’s most beloved TV characters, had quite an adventure in his 9th episode. Taking full advantage of the New Year’s Day sales, Mr. Bean bought himself an armchair, paint, brushes and a new mop. Only one problem; his little 1980s Mini was far too small to contain his copious purchases.

Fortunately Bean is a clever fellow, and thus he managed to construct an elaborate driving mechanism from the very items that caused the problem in the first place! What could go wrong? Find out by clicking here, and you can see more of this superb homage to TV gold courtesy of Flickr’s PixelJunkie by clicking here.

Have a Supra Christmas!

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Lego Toyota Supra

We all know Santa Claus is a pretty cool dude. Magical reindeer, flight, possible time travel, and a philanthropist too, we thought Father Christmas couldn’t get any cooler, but if this image is to be believed, he’s just managed it!

Driving a Mark 4 Toyota Supra is a sure-fire way to earn extra Cool Points, and thanks to Simon Przepiorka of Flickr, Saint Nick’s been pictured behind the wheel of Japan’s most iconic sports car (complete with a red nose, antlers, and a Christmas tree strapped to the roof!).

Head over to Simon’s photostream via the link above to see more of Kris Kringle’s whip, and you can see the Supra’s original posting here at TLCB by clicking here.

Christmas Carnage

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Lego RC Tank

With only two days until Christmas most of the Elves here at The Lego Car Blog have returned to the crumbling ruin that is TLCB Towers ready for their enforced ‘break’ over the holidays. This makes the office a noisier and messier place in the build up to their re-caging, and is something we’ve gotten used to over the years, but nothing prepared us for just how much noisier and messier this year would be.

With the office stereo playing Christmas songs loudly on loop we weren’t paying attention to any sounds emitting from the Elves’ cage room or the corridor outside. Mistake.

When we finally did notice that something was amiss, the Elven casualties were higher than anything that had gone before. There were Elves squashed into the carpet, Elves staggering around in circles, and even Elves unconscious on the top of shelves. One Elf though, was probably the happiest we have ever seen an Elf be, and it was at the controls of This.

‘This’ is shadow_elenter‘s ‘Transforming Tank / Howitzer’, a fully remote controlled, eighteen motor and five SBrick behemoth that can do, well… a lot. Take a look via the video below and you’ll understand how the situation here at TLCB Towers unfolded…

With an amazing Howitzer gun capable of deploying remotely and firing a Technic rubber-ended bullet (complete with re-coil), four remotely firing cannons up front, remotely controlled (but non-firing) gatling and anti-aircraft guns, and huge tracks driven by four Power Functions XL Motors, shadow_elenter’s tank is an incredible (if mad) example of the very best Technic engineering.

There’s much more to see of this gloriously unhinged build at the Eurobricks discussion forum via the link above, whilst we undertake a big Christmas tidy up…

Lego RC Tank