Tag Archives: Tesla

The Year of the Tesla

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What’s the most annoying element of current car culture? Nope. It’s Tesla. More specifically, the fanatical members within it who worship at the Cult of Elon.

Don’t get us wrong, we love what Tesla have achieved. They’ve brought the widespread adoption of EVs forward by about a decade, created easily the most fun car features ever seen in the industry (whoopie cushion seats everyone!), and created the fastest accelerating road-legal vehicle on the planet. Which can seat five. And take their luggage.

But for every wondrous innovation Tesla have made, there’s a huge mound of dog crap countering it at the other end of the scales. Abysmal quality, the continuing ‘Autopilot’ lie, a wildly inflated unsustainable stock market value, and – most depressingly – the awful pay and conditions in which men, women and children work in Africa to mine the battery materials, so that a rich westerner can feel environmentally smug driving one mile to the store to buy organic kale, without a hint of irony.

The world’s richest man has had the issue of child labour, death and injury raised at Tesla board meetings (by Congolese nuns no less), where any changes proposed to better safeguard supply chain workers were rejected. Because he’s an absolute assclown.

As you can tell, we’re not members of Elon’s cult, but we do still appreciate his cars. When they’re not broken.

Cue 3D supercarBricks, who has recreated Europe’s best selling car in 2021, the Tesla Model 3. 3D’s model includes opening doors, tailgate and front trunk, beautifully accurate bodywork, and a life-like interior, with the realism further enhanced by custom replica wheels and LED tail light guides.

And the panel gaps are more consistent than the real thing too.

It’s a great build that’s definitely worth a closer look, and you can do just that at 3D’s photostream via the link in the text above, where an array of other excellent Lego cars can also be found.

Finally, if you’re a member of the Teslarati (or would like to raise awareness of the abuses occurring in their supply chain with those that are), take a look here and talk about it every time someone evangelises on Tesla’s behalf.

Alternative Lifestyle

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No, we’re not talking about your cousin James.

Much of the world, including here at The Lego Car Blog, is in lockdown. The COVID-19 epidemic is claiming thousands of lives now, with the potential for millions if it reaches poorer nations. As such many of us have been instructed – by law – to remain inside. If you’re reading this post in the future; yeah this was that thing old people always talk about. And if your world is some kind of nearly-empty post-apocalyptic society; yeah this was that thing where everyone died.

On a less pessimistic note, if we all stay inside we’re probably going to be fine, the world will get back to normal, and we’ll look back and wonder what all the fuss was about. So to help us to do just that, here’s TLCB ‘Alternative Lifestyle’ suggestion, or to give it its working title; ‘Something to do during Coronavirus’.

LEGO’s brilliant 10265 Creator Ford Mustang set is one of our very favourite additions to their officially licensed line-up, and – being packed with great parts – it has spawned an entire car dealership of alternate builds. This is the latest, the work of a past LEGO set designer no less, Nathanael Kuipers. Built using only parts found within the 10265 set, this Ford GT40-esque classic supercar features working steering, opening doors and engine cover, and removable V8 engine.

Nathanael has made instructions available too, so if you own a 10265 Ford Mustang set and you’re stuck at home bored you can convert your set into your very own GT40. Find out how via the link above, and if you fancy building a few more vehicles from your 10265 set, take a look below!

Dodge Charger R/T (Firas Abu-Jaber): This 10265 B-Model featured here last month, built by Flickr’s Firas Abu-Jaber this superb Dodge Charger R/T looks so perfect you’d never know it was a set alternate. It’s even modifiable with a huge supercharger like the original set, so if you’re of an Elven persuasion you can build it to your tastes too. Check out the original post here where you can find a link to all the images.

Tesla Cybertruck (Gerald Cacas): Tesla’s yet-to-be released and decidedly odd Cybertruck is not a vehicle we expected to be built from the 10265 Ford Mustang set, yet Gerald Cacas has done just that with this excellent alternate. Gerald promises instructions are on the way so you can build one yourself – take a look at its original appearance here to find the links.

DeTomaso Pantera GTS (Serge S): Powered by a Ford V8 like the Mustang from which it’s built, the DeTomaso Pantera was a genuine alternative to the Ferraris and Lamborghinis of its day. If you own the 10265 set you can build one for yourself, as Serge S has constructed this superb Pantera GTS using parts only found within it. Instructions are available and you can find a link to them and the full gallery of images via this link to Serge’s original appearance here in January, long before someone ate an illegal bat soup and started a worldwide pandemic.

Ford F100 Pick-Up (Nathanael Kuipers): The Ford GT40 at the top of this page isn’t the only 10265 B-Model to come from Nathanael, as back in October last year he published this Ford F100 inspired classic pick-up. There are opening doors, an opening hood, and a dropping tailgate, and most importantly he’s produced building instructions so that you can build it for yourself. Find out more via the original post by clicking here.

Ford Mustang GT500 (Firas Abu-Jaber): Our sixth and final 10265 Ford Mustang alternate is… a Ford Mustang. But it jumps forward about 55 years, bringing Ford’s latest 2020 GT500 into brick form. Best of all, like every other model on this page this incredible GT500 can be built using only the parts found within the 10265 set, giving you two Mustangs for the price of one! Building instructions are available and you can find a link to them and the complete image gallery by clicking here.

Finally, if you don’t wish to dismantle your 10265 Ford Mustang set but you do want something to do with it, try Game Of Brick’s spectacular lighting kit that was reviewed here by a reader at the start of the year.

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And so ends our ‘Something to do during Coronavirus’ post, with six brilliant alternative models that can be constructed from just the pieces found within the 10265 Creator Ford Mustang set. You can find links to all six in the text above, almost all of which include building instructions. Stay safe, stay indoors, and give alternate building a go! If the current lockdown continues we may even award some loot for your best B-Model builds.

Mad Musk

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Much as we like Mad Max style V8-engined hot rods, we think that pretty much every post-apoc movie has got it wrong. What you really want in a future populated by not much other than zombies is something that uses as little fuel as possible. Preferably none. And something quiet.

There’ll be no gasoline or diesel almost instantly (plus whatever is left sitting in tanks has a shelf life, so using it will almost certainly kill your engine eventually), yet when the power goes out there’ll still be wind turbines turning and solar panels, er… solaring, providing free energy for survivors to tap into.

Eurobricks’ paave has got the right idea, modifying the yet-to-be-released Tesla Cybertruck into a Cybermonstertruck, ‘Mad Musk’ style. We think Elon would approve, brilliant and idiotic as he is in equal measure.

Like the real Tesla, Paave’s creation is electrically driven with all-wheel drive, thanks to two large motors, two IR receivers and a LiPo battery. It also features leaf spring suspension, opening and lockable doors, hood and tailgate, and a removable body for when it inevitably goes wrong (it is a Tesla after all…).

It’s been built as part of the Eurobricks Mad Max competition (which has provided the Elves with some of their favourite creations to date) and there’s more to see of paave’s entry via the link above.

My Other Car’s a Mustang

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LEGO’s brilliant 10265 Ford Mustang set has already spawned several alternate builds, including an F-150 pick-up, a DeTomaso Pantera, and an, er.. Ford Mustang, but this is the first 10265 B-Model to drop the Ford connection entirely. And the engine too.

The Tesla Cybertruck, revealed last year by having its windows smashed on stage (oops), might look like something from the future from a movie forty years ago, but that hasn’t stopped it generating the usual billion orders that Tesla somehow manages to take before anyone has driven it.

You can beat the queue however, and get your hands on one today if you own the 10265 Ford Mustang set, because Flickr’s Gerald Cacas has repurposed the pieces found within it to recreate Tesla’s decidedly odd EV pick-up.

With opening doors, rear hatch thingy, and tailgate, Gerald’s model is at least as functional as the set from which it came and there’s more to see of his 10265 B-Model at his Tesla Cybertruck album by clicking here.

The Trouble with Tesla

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Tesla. If there’s one car company you cannot criticise on the internet due to frankly fanatical supporters it’s Elon Musk’s electric automotive brand. Here goes…

Tesla were not actually founded by the creator of Paypal back in 2003, but Musk has pretty much led the company ever since, from it’s first car (the Lotus Elise based Roadster) to its position today as the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer. This is a simply astonishing achievement, particularly as it’s Tesla that have brought EVs to the mainstream, forcing the established car manufacturers to take EVs seriously. The raft of new EVs about to reach the market are in large part due to Tesla proving the business case.

They’ve also brought a sense of fun to the often staid motor industry, with models that literally spell ‘S3XY’, a drive mode named ‘Ludicrous’, whoopie cushion seats, and host of other mischievous features. Plus the Tesla Model 3 is the safest model ever tested by the Euro NCAP. And yet, would this TLCB writer buy one?…

Nope.

For all Tesla’s technical innovation and engineering brilliance the company’s primary function is to build cars, and they’re shockingly bad at it. Designs that use four times as many parts as they should (making repairs complicated, eye-wateringly expensive and slow), risible paint quality, panel gaps that  you could drive another car through, and chronic unreliability plague Tesla’s range. As the company tries desperately to meet demand (and to make money) the ‘finished’ cars are far from it, recreating the ownership experience of a 1970s British Leyland.

Whether Tesla can, or even wants to, sort these issues out is debatable. However what isn’t is that Mercedes-Benz, the Volkswagen Group, BMW, and many more besides wouldn’t be scrambling to go electric if it weren’t for Musk and what all started with an electrically-powered Elise. Which means when this writer is driving an EV he’ll be able to give a nod of thanks to Tesla, even though his car probably won’t actually be one.

Oh yeh, this neat digitally rendered Tesla Model 3 comes from Robson M of Flickr and there’s more to see at the link!

Starman

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Lego Tesla Roadster in Space

There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’d like to come and meet us
But he thinks he’d blow our minds

We’ve flirted with the annual Lego bandwagon that is SHIPtember before, but this year we’ve found an entry we can really get behind.

This is a Tesla Roadster. Specifically it’s the actual Tesla Roadster owned by Paypal founder, Tony Stark inspiration, and pot enthusiast Elon Musk.

Earlier this year the Muskinator decided to launch his company’s first car, the Roadster, into space using his other company, SpaceX’s, Falcon Heavy Rocket. The little Elise-based electric sports car reached speeds of over 120,000km/h and is currently orbiting with an aphelion of 248,890,000km piloted by a mannequin named ‘Starman’.

Lego Tesla Roadster in Space

Thanks to the vacuum of space, Starman’s Roadster will continue to orbit indefinitely too, racking up considerably more miles than the 244 the car was capable of on one charge back on earth.

This huge 100-stud long homage to Elon’s ingenuous marketing project comes from TLCB newcomer Adrian Drake aka Brickfrenzy, who has built not only the ’08 Roadster but also Starman at the wheel too.

There much more to see of Adrian’s space-bound Tesla at his photostream via the link above, and you can watch the real Tesla Roadster live in orbit thanks to the wonders of YouTube by clicking here!

Lego Tesla Roadster in Space

Electric Dreams

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Lego Tesla Roadster

Tesla have a come a very long way since their first Roadster. Little more than an electrified Lotus Elise, Tesla’s first product wasn’t very good, but it was very expensive. It did not do well.

How things have changed. Not only are Tesla’s current Model S, Model 3 and Model X cars genuinely good alternatives to the established combustion engine incumbents from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac and the like, they are almost spectacularly revolutionary.

We have high hopes for this then, the new Tesla Roadster 2.0 revealed in concept form last year. With the potential for a sub 2-second 0-60mph time (even a Bugatti can’t match that) and a possible 600 mile range (although probably not at the same time), Tesla’s latest car could be everything their first wasn’t.

There’s some time before the Roadster 2.0 will reach production, so until then we have this top quality Lego version from Avanish Shrestha to keep us interested. Cunning techniques are in abundance and there’s more of the model to see at both Flickr and the Eurobricks forum.

She’s Electric

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Lego Technic Tesla Model S Remote Control

The future of transport is electric, and no manufacturer has done more to advance the technology than electric car start-up Tesla.

Founded from the proceeds of Paypal, Elon Musk’s ludicrously ambitious venture has gone from producing a humble modified Lotus Elise in tiny numbers to become the largest manufacturer of li-ion batteries in the world, completely changing the automotive landscape in the process.

This is the car that made the company, the Model S sedan, which proved that electric cars didn’t have to be slow, ugly econo-boxes, and that they could be produced at a price comparable to an internal-combustion-engined rival.

This huge Technic recreation of one of the most important cars ever built comes from Fosapifi of Eurobricks, and it’s very nearly as technology-packed as the real car.

Opening doors, hood, tailgate, jump-seats, and independent suspension all feature, and the model is controlled by two third-party power-boosting BuWizz bricks, allowing Fosapifi’s Model S to be driven by eight (yes eight!) Large Power Functions motors, plus a Servo for steering. The result is, much like the real car, a vehicle that makes way more power than you’d expect.

How much power? Click the link above to visit the Eurobricks forum for full details, you watch the Tesla in action courtesy of the video below, and you can hear today’s title track by clicking here.

YouTube Video: