Tag Archives: Autobots

LEGO Icons 10338 Transformers Bumblebee | Set Preview

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TLCB Elves have lost their tiny little minds today, because everyone’s favourite Transformer will soon be available as an official LEGO set; this is the brand new LEGO Icons 10338 Transformers Bumblebee!

Constructed from 950 pieces and matching the scale of the previously revealed Creator 10302 Optimus Prime set, 10338 adopts the new ‘Icons’ marketing, meaning a black box and an 18+ target age, which has nothing to do with build complexity and everything to do with the acceptability for dads to purchase one.

That said, the model is reasonably complicated, being able to – according to the box – ‘convert’ (if only there was another word for when something changes into something else…) from car to robot via some clever hinges, section rotations, and limb extensions.

Said car is not the Chevrolet Camaro from the Michael Bay-era Bumblebee however, and nor is it a Volkswagen Beetle as per the G1 cartoon, although it does have a loose passing resemblance. Instead it’s a slightly sad-looking caricature of something trying to be vaguely ’50s (a Nissan Figaro sprung to our minds), presumably for licensing reasons, although of course LEGO do have a license with both Chevrolet and Volkswagen, which feels like a missed opportunity.

Still, a giant transforming car-robot is always welcome, and you can get your hands on the new 10338 Transformers Bumblebee set from July 1st for around $90 / £90. And, thanks to the black box, even if you’re a 40-something dad.

Optimally Posting

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It’s been a while since we last posted a Lego creation. This may have been because we’ve been at the pub, but as there’s a longstanding narrative running through this website to do with mythical Elves finding blog-worthy Lego creations, let’s go with them not finding anything. Yeh, that.

We do genuinely only publicise creations that we believe warrant it though, and today we have the first of many now we’re back from the pub TLCB Elves have found some.

This one comes from TLCB debutant Levente Lévai, whose own interpretation of Transformers’ Optimus Prime transforms from truck to robot and back again with such incredible complexity it makes our heads hurt. Although that could be the lingering aftermath of the pub.

There’s loads more to see of Levente’s spectacular transforming Autobot on Flickr, where there are dozens of images depicting the extraordinary metamorphosis. Click the link above to roll out.

More Robots in Disguise

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Alex Jones (aka Orion Pax)’s Transformers just keep coming! This has made the Elves very happy of course, as they now get to watch Transformers cartoons.

Following his previous appearances here at The Lego Car Blog in December and October of last year, Alex has constructed another swathe of transforming Autobot and Deception vehicles, from cranes and dump trucks to fighter jets and pick-ups. Each looks brilliant in both robot and vehicle modes, and can switch between the two by engineering so clever it makes our heads hurt.

We’re also re-featuring Alex’s amazing Optimus Prime build, as he’s now uploaded an image of the model in ‘roller base’ form, with more vehicles hidden inside!

You can see more of the awesome Optimus Prime build at Alex’s photostream, where you can also find the rest of his incredible Transformers back-catalogue. Click the link above to see more than meets the eye.

More More than Meets the Eye

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The Elves are in a very buoyant mood today! Flickr’s Alex Jones (aka Orion Pax) has been uploading Transformers builds and such a prodigious rate that we’ve been handing out meal tokens like Smarties. And we’ve also been handing out Smarties.

These are a sample of some of his latest Autobot and Decepticon creations, following the first tranche we published here a month or so ago. Each is beautifully built and presented, transforms through some sort of magic, and can be seen – alongside a raft of other equally awesome Transformers builds not shown here – at Alex’s photostream.

More Than Meets the Eye

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It’s a happy day for the Elves here at TLCB Towers as a number of them found these brilliant Transformers Autobots by Flickr’s Alex Jones (aka Orion Pax). Normally this would have led to an Elf fight, but in a rare moment of Elven cooperation they approached us with their finds collectively, in the hope that Transformers cartoons would be played. Their peaceful approach has been rewarded, with the discovering Elves duly awarded a meal token each and all Elves here at the Towers now contentedly watching Transformers cartoons. You can thank Alex for the harmony via the link above, where you can find his excellent transforming Ironhide, Cosmos, Powerglide, Mirage, Hoist, Jazz, Blaster, and Bumblebee Autobots.

Hiding in Plain Sight

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The words spoken by our favourite alien truck/robot protector at the end of the first Transformers movie, explaining not only his ongoing mission but also setting up the premise for an unending series of increasingly terrible sequels.

Even the Elves have lost a degree of interest in the Transformers franchise now that Megan Fox isn’t involved anymore, however Optimus Prime’s famous quote does allow us to neatly link to today’s creation, built as it is by someone who wishes to remain anonymous. Well, as anonymous as seeing your work blogged here allows. They’re ‘Hiding in plain sight’ at any rate.

This spectacular recreation of the 1973 Marmon HDT-AC 86 ‘cab-over’ semi truck that was the first Optimus Prime comes from a secretive unnamed builder who has captured the real vehicle brilliantly. Whilst not quite transforming, the builder’s truck can also be reconstructed into Optimus’s robot mode, and looks just as good on two legs as ten wheels.

Unlike all our other posts there’s no link to see more, however you can click on the images here to view them in full size and you can use the search bar at the bottom of the page to take a look through the countless Autobot and Decepticon builds that have featured here over the years.

Bumblebug

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Lego Transformers Bumblebee VW Beetle

Before Michael Bay, Megan Fox and General Motors sponsorship, Bumblebee wasn’t a Camaro. He was in fact a humble Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle, a car that regular bloggee Ralph Savelsberg aka Mad Physicist recreated beautifully some years ago. Using – we assume – magic, Ralph has now turned his original (and perfect) Beetle design into a fully transforming Bumblebee autobot. Take a look at the scarcely-believable image below and then join us in amazement at Ralph’s photostream by clicking here.

Lego Transformers Bumblebee VW Beetle

Chib-Chibiny, Chib-Chibiny, Chib-Chib, Cheree*

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Lego Chibi Transformers

Chibiformers. Another weird internet-based trend of which we know absolutely nothing. Still, despite our ineptitude when it comes to any nerdy fad, we do rather like these two neat ‘Chibi’ Transformers from TLCB debutant Hoyin Lau. Each model cleverly transforms between truck and robot mode, and there’s more to see of each build in both modes at Hoyin’s photostream via the link in the text above.

Lego Chibi Transformers

*Yes, we’re still at the musical puns for blog post titles. This one was a bit of a stretch…

Autobots, Roll Out!

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Lego Transformers Autobots

It’s been a while since we let the Elves watch a Transformers movie. This is partly because they’ve not found much in the way of Transformers-related builds, but mostly because after the abomination of ‘Transformers 4 – Age of Extinction’ we just couldn’t stomach any more Michael Bay directed nonsense.

Today though, we’ve relented, because one of their number returned with this cache of superb fully Transformable Autobots courtesy of Alex Jones aka Orion Pax.

Each creation is an ingenious work of art, and you can now build them for yourself, as Alex has released a new book containing step-by-step building instructions! There’s more to see via the link above, where you can also find a link to Amazon where Alex’s book is available to buy.