To the Shops!

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Lego Technic Wheel Dozer RC

It’s only one sleep until very probably our least favourite day of the year. Yes Black Friday is on the horizon once again, when the customers of Walmart will likely knife one another over a half-price toastie maker. TLCB’s home nation, copying everything that America does, seems to have gone equally nuts this year, and if you think the British are more civilised and will queue quietly for a discounted television, you are very much mistaken.

As has become customary, we won’t be partaking in the madness, but if you do choose to join the mindless zombie hoards you could do worse than pick a vehicle like this to assist you. It’s called a ‘wheel dozer’, being half wheel-loader, half bull-dozer, and it would be perfect for getting to the front of the Black Friday riots.

This excellent remote controlled Technic version comes from Superkoala and features 4×4 drive, articulated steering, pendular suspension, an inline-6 piston engine, and a hefty raising/lowering front blade. It also includes third-party BuWizz brick providing bluetooth control and – more handily – up to eight times the power of LEGO’s own Power Functions set-up. This means it should have no problem pushing rival shoppers out of the way or, in our case, TLCB Elves on whom we’ve been ‘testing’ it.

Whilst we avoid the ridiculous greed, fights, and soul-destroying consumerism of Black Friday by seeing how many Elves we can push simultaneously into the cleaning cupboard, you can see more of Superkoala’s superb Technic wheel dozer at both Flickr and the Eurobricks forum, plus you can watch the model in action via the video below.

YouTube Video

Super Duper Supra

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Lego Toyota Supra

Toyota’s new Supra is nearly (finally) here, but it’s got a lot to live up. Launched in 1993, the fourth generation A80 Supra was almost wildly futuristic back in the mid-’90s, and came with a naturally aspirated straight-six or a Porsche-beating twin-turbo. The 2JZ engine as it was known, became a tuner’s dream, being easily modifiable to make up to (and over) 1,000bhp.

Unfortunately for Toyota it’s these highly modified Supras that people remember, not the excellent – but slightly fat – cruisers that left the factory, giving the new one an impossible task. Still, to our eyes the new Supra does look rather good, and even if it’s not there are plenty of A80’s around.

Oddly considering its status, the fourth generation Supra is a car that’s rarely recreated in LEGO form. Previous bloggee Simon Przepiorka has rectified this with a superb Speed Champions scale replica of the famous ’90s GT car, which – like so many A80 Supras – is a little different from the ones that left the factory. A giant exhaust, bodykit, and a ridiculous rear wing all make appearances, and – whilst we would definitely prefer an original one (Simon?) – there’s much more to see on Flickr. Jump back to the ’90s and make ‘Bwarrrp bwarrrrp!’ noises via the link above.

Lego Toyota Supra

M-POD

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Lego M-Tron Mech Pod

Ever wondered how LEGO’s early space explorers transported their equipment to new worlds? Flickr’s Tim Goddard has, building this awesome M-Tron hanger-pod to deploy a mech to the surface of an uncolonised planet. Tim’s mech is now ready to do whatever it is an M-Tron mech does, and there’s more to see of his ingenious design via the link above.

*Tenuous link to today’s related track.

42096 Technic Porsche 911 RSR | Set Preview

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42096 LEGO Technic Porsche 911 RSR

It’s that time of year again! No, not the fast approaching scourge of Black Friday, but the time when a crack team of TLCB Elves are dispatched on a dangerous mission to The LEGO Company’s HQ, tasked with uncovering the brand new Technic sets.

Those that make it back (there are guard dogs…) are hailed as heroes – at least for a couple of days until everyone forgets about them again – and we get to bring you LEGO’s new releases in detail. Today we’re delighted to reveal the first new Technic set for 2019, and it’s an absolute cracker!

Continuing LEGO’s brilliant line of officially licensed sets is 42096, Porsche’s mad 911 RSR racer. Noticeably smaller than LEGO’s previous Technic 911 effort, 42096 brings the previous Speed Champions 911 RSR from set 75888 into the Technic range. Aimed at ages 10+ 42096 contains 1,580 pieces (a few of which are new) and features a flat-6 engine, working steering, a detailed cockpit, and a wealth of authentic decals.

42096 is perhaps a bit short on technical functions when compared to past sets of a similar size, and instead continues Technic’s push towards increased visual realism. It’s largely successful too, with the 911 RSR’s difficult shape and unique racing aerodynamic additions pretty well replicated in LEGO form, although the headlights do look a little odd to this writer.

On looks alone 42096 seems to be winner, and with a few working features too it could do rather well. LEGO’s new Technic Porsche 911 RSR set will reach stores early next year and is expected to cost around £120/$140/$170 depending on the market. Until then we’ll continue to bring you LEGO’s new 2019 releases as our Elves return to TLCB Towers with them, and remember that you can read our reviews of the current Technic and past line-ups via the Review Library.

42096 LEGO Technic Porsche 911 RSR

The LEGO Movie 2 | Full Trailer

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It’s been 5 years since Bricksburg was invaded by Duplo monsters, and things have turned very… Mad Max. Opening in cinemas on February 8th 2019, ‘The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part’ sees Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett and Alison Brie reprising their roles from the first film, with a number of new names joining them for Part 2. Warner Bros has just dropped the full trailer and we can’t wait!

Teach Old Blocks New Tricks | MBriks Review

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Lego MBricks

The fridge. Famed for its ability to look after cheese and various meats, and for many also a glorious blank-canvas for those little magnetic letters used to spell out messages, display children’s artwork, or – if you’re in a student house – communicate extreme profanity. However, for all the fridge’s merits, it has been a resolutely LEGO-free appliance. Until now…

We were recently sent some prototype products that could change the fridge forever (and a bit more besides, but we’ll come on to that). They’re called Mbriks, and they are – simply – a magnet inside a brick, compatible with LEGO, Megablocks and the other various LEGO imitators available around the world. And they’re brilliant.

MBricks Box

Our four Mbriks arrived in a very professional-looking box, complete with a small instruction booklet and the usual health and safety warnings such as ‘Do not eat’ (sorry Elves). Each ‘Mbrik’ measures two studs by two, but aren’t quite a direct replacement for an equivalent LEGO piece as they are fours plates tall, rather than LEGO’s three.

Inside each brick is (we think) a small bag, which contains a loose and surprisingly powerful magnet. This freedom allows the magnet to orientate itself to face whatever is magnetic, and thus means the ‘Mbrik’ can attach to something whatever direction it is placed. A clever trick, and one that is crucial too, as it allows the complete freedom of design of the model in which it will find itself.

Multiple Mbriks can be used in larger models, and whilst they won’t hold a Technic Bugatti Chiron set (although we assume if you had enough of them they might), they will happily hold a Speed Champions scale car. We think parents (and their kids) will love the ability to attach their creations to the fridge, Mbriks’ magnetic picture frames, the car door, or anything else magnetic! But what about you lot reading this?

Lego MBricks

Well we think Mbriks have two equally useful alternate uses. Firstly, for photographing creations. We always advocate clean neutral backgrounds (in fact we won’t blog a creation, no matter how good it is, without decent presentation), and Mbriks open up a world of possibility for bespoke backgrounds. As shown in the picture above, any background could be printed and then used in-between the magnetic surface and an ‘Mbrick’ equipped creation, instantly giving the creation a perfect custom setting for taking photos.

Secondly, Mbriks may open up building possibilities for creations themselves. We love LEGO’s old magnet system from M-Tron and the LEGO Trains lines. They’re super-powerful, compact, and have been used to great effect by builders such as Mahjqa. They are however, a bit tricky to work with, featuring no studs at all, and requiring a unique part to attach them.

Not so with Mbriks, which can be built into a creation just like any other 2×2 brick, albeit one that’s a slightly annoying extra plate tall. Now an Mbrik’s clutch power and colour aren’t quite a match for genuine LEGO pieces, so their placement would have to be slightly more considered, but nevertheless the inclusion of Mbriks could offer builders a whole new way to build creations – not to mention builders at LEGO shows who want help with things, well… not falling over.

Lego MBricks

Whether you’re a parent whose fridge could do with LEGO-ising, a display-builder who’s fed up with things falling over, or a MOCer who’d like to add magnetism to their models, Mbriks offer an interesting solution.

As with many of the third-party products we see in models here at The Lego Car Blog, Mbriks are beginning as a Kickstarter campaign. If you’d like to get your hands on a set of Mbriks you can pledge your support via the link below, and before long they could be featuring in creations here regularly alongside BuWizz, SBrick and others!

Click here to visit the Mbriks Kickstarter 

Tin TinTin*

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Lego Tin Tin Jeep

Toy cars aren’t made of tin anymore, so they’ll be played with for a few years and then take another 10,000 to degrade. Still, we suppose LEGO’s no different being plastic too. Back from an era when toy cars were made from tin though, Tintin was the Belgian hero of the moment (and perhaps the only one ever if you don’t count Jean-Claude Van Damme).

One of his (Tintin, not Van Damme)’s many vehicles was this neat red Jeep, and being a popular toy at the time it meant children could have a tin Tintin Jeep. Not made from tin (but no less lovely) is this plastic recreation of the classic Willys, which comes from Johnni D of Flickr. Tintin and Snowy are nowhere to be found, but there’s more to see of their ride from ‘The Land of the Black Gold’ at Johnni’s photostream – click the link above to make the jump.

*If you’re from Yorkshire in the UK, today’s title also means ‘It isn’t in the tin’.

Street Rat

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Lego Rat Rod V8

Built by Flickr’s Manuel Nascimento this gorgeous Model Team Ford Model A rat rod is surely one of the most beautiful Lego creations of 2018. Packed with incredible detailing, Manuel’s Ford features opening doors, brilliant brick-built wheels, and Power Functions remotely controlled drive, steering and adjustable suspension.

Lego Rat Rod V8

The Power Functions don’t stop there though, as a separate motor turns very possibly the finest V8 engine this site has ever featured. With incredible attention to detail Manuel’s V8 not only turns with a timing a chain, it features real oscillating valves. It’s a thing of beauty to watch in action and you can do just that via the video at the end of this post.

Lego Rat Rod V8

There’s much more of this spellbinding Ford Model A rat rod to see on Flickr, where there are fifteen stunning images available to view in Manuel’s album. Click on the link above to head to Flickr for the full gallery.

YouTube Video

F1 of Ages

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Lego McLaren MP4-6

The 2018 Formula 1 season is all but over, so we’re heading back in time to some of the sport’s greatest racing cars. TLCB regular Angka Utama is the builder behind them and he’s done a simply spectacular job of recreating three of F1’s most iconic entries.

First up (above) is the McLaren-Honda MP4/6 in which Ayrton Senna won the 1991 F1 World Championship. Angka’s model captures the real car beautifully, including a neat brick-built miniaturisation of the famous Marlboro livery.

Lego Ferrari 641

Angka’s second historic F1 car comes from the previous year, when Ferrari’s 641 took second in the F1 Constructors Championship driven by Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell. Like the McLaren above Angka’s model perfectly captures the famous racer’s shape and livery, and also includes some wonderful suspension and brake detail too, thanks to the ingenious use of mini-figure hands and Technic cogs.

Lego Williams FW14

Angka’s third and final classic Formula 1 car recreates one of the most advanced cars ever to enter F1. The Williams-Renualt FW14 was launched in 1991 with active suspension, traction control, and a semi-automatic transmission, and by 1992 it was utterly dominant, winning nine out of sixteen races and taking Nigel Mansell to the World Championship.

The model includes the FW14’s famous Canon/Camel livery and the superbly replicated bodywork and suspension of the Ferrari and McLaren too. There’s more to see of each brilliant miniature F1 car at both Angka’a Flickr photostream and via MOCpages – click the links to make the jump and ask Angka to build some more!

Nerdliokart

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Lego Mario Kart

We’re kinda get the feeling that here at The Lego Car Blog we’re a regular annoyance to the proper Lego blogs The Brothers Brick and Bricknerd. That might be because we do regularly try to annoy them though. Nevertheless, Bricknerd do have a neat competition running currently, where their nerdy mascot, er… Nerdly*, is making appearances in LEGO form. Here he is tackling Mario Kart’s fearsome Rainbow Road, and he’s still got two balloons left and a blue shell! Flickr’s [Clever Lego Reference] is hoping for the win and you can see more of his nerdy racer at his photostream via the link above.

*We’ve considered doing something similar with our ‘mascots’, the Elves, but you really wouldn’t want that**.

**Still, at least they’re not that bloody lemur.

Trailcat

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Lego Jeep Wrangler Trailcat

We’ve featured some amazing remote control off-road vehicles here at The Lego Car Blog over the years. However despite their engineering excellence, they’re often massive, heavy, and very expensive to build. Not so today’s creation, which comes from previous bloggee, published author, and all-round Technic legend Sariel.

Sariel has decided to take the Technic off-roader formula and simplify it, using normal parts, light weight, and an affordable price tag to create his very green Jeep Wrangler Trailcat.

Lego Jeep Wrangler Trailcat Remote Control 4x4

Three Power Functions motors, a battery box and a standard IR receiver provide remote control drive, whilst simple oscillating axle suspension and four-wheel-drive (with no differentials) allow Sariel’s Trailcat to off-road like a much larger model. All in it weights under a kilogram, and such simplicity means that we think it would make a very good LEGO set.

Fortunately Sariel thinks so too, as he’s published his Jeep to the LEGO Ideas platform where it could become an official LEGO set. You can find all the details via Sariel’s website, the Eurobricks forum or via the video below, where there are links to LEGO Ideas and you can add your vote.

YouTube Video

LEGO & Mental Health Special

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How to Feel Healthy: Five Mental Health Benefits of LEGO

1 in 4 of us will, at some point in our lives, experience a mental health issue. But LEGO can help! Here are five ways the little Danish bricks can improve your well-being.

To some parents, toys are simply things that children play with in order to keep them quiet. They fail to realize that they’re so much more than that. Toys such as LEGO can teach a child valuable life skills to the point where some may decide to build professionally later on in life.

Lego Stock Image

There is actually a program called LEGO Therapy, were children who struggle to interact with others can learn collaboration and social skills that they can then apply in normal situations.

Here are five major benefits of playing with LEGO, from teaching children life and social skills, to helping them to feel healthy.

1. LEGO Can Develop Children’s Social Skills

Some children lack the social skills to communicate well with others, fining interaction difficult and sometimes even scary. For children such as these, programs like LEGO Therapy mentioned above can really help. With the assistance of a qualified leader, children break into small groups to build LEGO creations together.

This forces children to work with each other, sparking conversations that they wouldn’t otherwise have had and helping them to work on their social skills. It’s both fun and therapeutic.

2. LEGO Tunes Fine Motor Skills

Toys like LEGO offer a great distraction from the world. Think about it. Children will play with them for hours without realizing that they’re actually learning! While working on their creations children are using their hands constantly, sometimes for hours at a time. This means they’re both having fun and working on their fine motor skills too.

3. LEGO Gives Children a Sense of Accomplishment

Children get excited by the things they build. They can’t wait to show their parents or teachers a new idea they have brought to life using bricks. This is not just an outlet for a child’s creativity, it’s really good for instilling self-confidence. It’s the little things that matter to children.

4. LEGO Teaches Persistence

In life, unexpected things happen. You can work really hard on a project or at a job, just for it to potentially crash and burn. This sounds pretty bleak, but for children, playing with toys like LEGO can actually prepare them for it.

Imagine a child builds a creation they really love, only to bump it with their elbow and send it crashing on to the floor. The child may get upset but eventually, they’ll be hard at work again, creating a brand new idea. Whether they realize it or not, they’re learning how to be persistent, a skill that will prepare them for the real world.

5. LEGO Boosts Their Motivation

Anyone can suffer from depression, from a young child to a full grown adult. It’s a debilitating mental illness that can leave you unable to leave your bed for days, unable to work, and unable to socialise.

For some children, toys like LEGO can give them the motivation to get out of bed and do something. It gives them something to shoot towards because there’s always a new goal. Whilst it can be hard to know how to help a child with depression, there is plenty of information available to help; click here for more information on support.

Feel Healthy By Playing with LEGO

It’s easy for a child or even an adult to forget how to feel healthy and happy. For some, playing with bricks may be the only thing that helps them that day. Sometimes social skills just aren’t up to par, but playing with bricks, especially in collaboration with others, can help these develop. As a parent it’s so important for you to encourage your child and to help their creative juices flow – LEGO bricks could be the perfect tools to assist you.

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Pieces and Cream

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Lego Hot Rod

We’ll keep saying it, but you really don’t need a billion pieces to see your work appear here at The Lego Car Blog. Case in point, this simple hot rod by Flickr’s Jonathan Elliott. Entitled ‘Simple Hot Rod’ it’s just, well… a simple hot rod, but one that is been both superbly built and brilliantly photographed. Head to Flickr to see more, and if you’re inspired grab your bricks and a piece of card and you could see your model appear here too!

Lego Hot Rod

To Battle!

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Lego Military 4x4

Contrary to the opinions of that weirdo on the outskirts of your town addicted to Call of Duty and who’s hoarding tins and ammo, war is not cool. However, often the vehicles used to wage it really are. Inspired by the multitude of armoured trucks in use around the world, Flickr’s Andrew Somers has designed his own and it’s just as cool as many of its real-world counterparts. It’s also beautifully built and photographed, and absolutely packed with ingenious building techniques, including four opening doors, working steering, and a few non-LEGO accessories courtesy of third-party mini-figure arms-dealers Brickarms. Head to Andrew’s photostream via the link above to see more. And stop hoarding cans.

Lego Military 4x4

Exploding Chevy

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Lego Chevrolet Bel Air

Ford may be best known for exploding cars (their crown of evil now claimed by Volkswagen), however today’s vehicular-explosion applies not to a ‘70s Ford Pinto but to a classic ’50s Chevrolet Bel Air. Not in the Ford ‘let’s-try-to-cover-up-that-one-of-our-cars-detonates-in-an-accident’ kind of way though, rather the very cool ‘let’s-see-what’s-inside’ kind.

This brilliant exploded Chevy comes from previous bloggee PixelJunkie of Flickr, whose lovely ’55 Bel Air has appeared here before as part of an excellent garage scene. Pixel’s clever explosion not only looks great, it also effectively displays the ingenious techniques used within the build, and there more to see at Pixel’s photostream by clicking here.