Tag Archives: Preview

New 2013 Technic Elements Preview

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Technic Cog

New for 2013; Revised 8-tooth Gear

Possibly our most boring post to date, but if you’re a studless builder, perhaps one of our most important ones too. The Technic 8-Tooth Gear has been reworked so that it no longer slips inside studless beams. Hurrah! Each tooth has an additional step added to each side, forming a new ring that effectively widens the gear.

Also available in 2013 will be LEGO’s new Pull-Back Motor, first previewed in sets 82010 and 82011. Pictures courtesy of slfroden.

New Technic pull-back Motor 2013

New for 2013; Technic Pull-Back Motor

Technic 42000 F1 Racer Preview… er, again

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Lego Technic 42000 F1 Racer

New for 2013; LEGO 42000 F1 Racer

Finally… The last Elf thrown over The LEGO Group’s perimeter fence returned today. We were beginning to think it’d been eaten by the guard dogs. Anyhow, now that it’s found its way back to The Lego Car Blog Towers we can complete our preview of the 2013 LEGO Technic lineup, with this, the 42000 F1 Racer.

We’ve actually previewed this set already, because someone (probably now an ex-LEGO employee) put one up for sale on eBay a few months ago. However, we thought it was still worth bringing you some high quality pictures.

LEGO’s 42000 marks a return to F1 style cars, although due to licensing regulations it may not actually be called an ‘F1’ car. In comparison to their previous officially licensed efforts from Ferrari and Williams, we’re actually a little disappointed by this set, but that’s probably a little unjust as 42000 will almost certainly be cheaper than its predecessors.

42000 will sit at the top of the early-2013 LEGO Technic range, and whilst it has no Power Functions or Pneumatics, it does feature some good old-fashioned mechanics, including; a working V8 engine, suspension and steering, and one of those slightly annoying ‘gearbox-that’s-not-actually-a-gearbox’ things to control a variety of functions. We predict these will be an opening engine cover (why not just have it on a hinge and give us a real gearbox LEGO?), and possibly a Drag Reduction System (DRS) on the rear wing, as employed by the 2012 Formula 1 cars.

Expect 42000 to be near the top of the tree price-wise when it’s released in early 2013. However, we think it’s not so far up LEGO’s pricing structure that it’s eliminated the need for a new flagship… You heard it here first!

Lego 42000 B-Model

Bonus picture; LEGO 42000 ‘A’ and ‘B’ models

Technic 42004 Excavator Preview

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Lego Technic New 2013, 42004

New for 2013; LEGO Technic 42004

The penultimate set* in our search for LEGO’s 2013 Technic releases arrived today, scooped from deep within The LEGO Group’s fortified labs. And at first glance 42004 might not look particularly impressive. However, we think this may be one of the best sets of 2013.

Firstly, 42004 has two lovely one-piece buckets. People will buy this set for these parts alone. The design, like most modern Technic, is almost all studless beams, but unlike a lot of modern Technic (see our review of 42010 and 42011) this set has no Power Functions / Pull-Back Motor / Linear Actuator gimmickry.

Instead, it features lots of proper mechanical functions. It steers via articulation in the middle, the front bucket can be raised / lowered and tipped, whilst the rear bucket can swing, extend and tip. All of this is accomplished by simple levers and mechanics, making it one of the most functional, and yet cheapest, LEGO Technic sets in ages.

LEGO Technic 42004 will go on sale in early 2013.

*Actually we previewed LEGO’s 42000 F1 Racer some months ago, because we’re awesome, but we’ll be posting an updated Preview (as soon as the slovenly Elf looking for new pictures returns) in order to complete the 2013 set. Plus it gets loads of hits…

Technic 42010 & 42011 Pull-Back Racers Preview

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Lego 42010, New 2013

New for 2013; 42010

Lego 42011, New 2013 Technic

New for 2013; 42011

Two Elves returned together today, each holding one the new Technic sets for 2013 stolen from The LEGO Group’s dungeons. These two are the ‘starter’ sets, and major on robust fun rather than technical functions. As such they feature a new pull-back motor and, er… nothing else. But they do have some new parts and cool stickers, and will no doubt be a great introduction into the world of Technic for younger builders. 42010 and 42011 will join the LEGO Technic line-up in 2013, sitting at the bottom of the range. For details of the other 2013 Technic releases, search our ‘News’ category.

Technic 42006 Excavator Preview

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Lego Technic 42006 Claw, New 2013

New for 2013, the LEGO Technic Excavator Claw

Welcome to No.3 in our 2013 Technic Previews series, and this is the Big One. LEGO’s recent line in construction equipment has been excellent, and it looks set to continue with the 2013 release of 42006, the Tracked Claw Excavator.

Like many of LEGO’s previous offerings, the functions of the new model are enabled by LEGO’s linear actuators. This time there is no motor to power them (so expect lots of handle winding!), and as such this set should be cheaper than the preceding motorized models. It will be easily modified to take Power Functions parts though, so don’t worry if you’re winding hand is weak!

Sought-after parts include a new design for the four fingers for the grab, grey tracks and the return of the large Technic turn-table. Expect 42006 to be released towards the start of 2013, sitting mid to top of the pricing structure. Stay tuned for the final 2013 Technic set previews here on The Lego Car Blog, and to view the other 2013 sets posted so far, use the search function at the bottom of this page, or click ‘News’.

Technic 42002 Hovercraft Preview

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Lego Technic 42002 Hovercraft 2013

New for 2013; Lego Technic Hovercraft

Today another Elf returned from the secret mission set deep within the basements of The LEGO Group’s labs in Billund, Denmark. Tasked with uncovering the as-yet-unreleased 2013 Technic sets, our Elves have been snooping for pictures of the sets you’ll be able to buy next year. The second Elf to return (hot on the heels of the first scoop posted earlier in the week) entered the office grasping this; the new Technic Hovercraft 42002.

LEGO have dabbled in Technic Hovercraft sets before, with mixed results, and this one to our eyes sits firmly mid-table amongst its forebears. Like all the 2013 releases it’s a 2-in-1 set, which is basically a fancy way of saying there’s a ‘B’ model too. 42002’s alternative build is a small propellor plane, and both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ models feature a V2 piston engine powered by forward movement, and… not much else. But the new Hovercraft is pleasing to look at, robust and it looks quite zoom-able.

Stayed tuned for the remaining 2013 new releases!

Lego Trains 10233 Horizon Express Preview

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Lego 10233 Train

Horizon Express new for 2013

LEGO Trains just get better! After a few years of pretty poor efforts, LEGO’s recent Train offering have been a proper return to form, and 2013 looks to continue the winning streak. This is the new Horizon Express, LEGO’s latest high-speed passenger train to fit the Town/City theme, and it’s a real step-up from the all-in-one moulding of the last one.

With 1341 pieces the TGV-orange Horizon Express pushes the target age up to over 14, and includes some lovely SNOT detailing. It also features a complete interior with 6 mini-figures and some new printed pieces to boot. However, all this extra brickery comes at a cost: No motors are included. That said, this set is probably aimed at the sort of builder who already has a few motors lying around, or wouldn’t think too much of buying some extras in order to animate it.

The 80cm long Horizon Express will reach stores in 2013, costing around £80 / $120. Now will LEGO launch a new station to go with it?…

Lego 10233 Box