Final Speed Champions car revealed
Posted by Huw,
The fifth and final Speed Champions set that'll be released in January has been revealed.
LEGO CEO Niels B. Christiansen and Asako Hoshino, executive vice president at Nissan unvelied 76896 Nissan GT-R Nismo at a press event in Japan earlier today.
You can read the press release after the break.
YOKOHAMA, Japan – Since the introduction of the LEGO wheel in 1962, cars have played a central role in thousands of LEGO sets and in the hearts, minds and play of millions of children across the world. Today, the LEGO Group and Nissan have revealed a model that pays tribute to one of the most iconic Japanese supercars, the Nissan GT-R NISMO. This is the first-ever partnership between LEGO and a Japanese automaker.
The LEGO model was revealed by LEGO Group CEO Niels B. Christiansen and Asako Hoshino, executive vice president at Nissan, at the automaker’s global headquarters in Yokohama today.
Niels B. Christiansen said: “In addition to offering a wonderful and fun building and play experience, we hope the model will also inspire children to learn more about engineering and how to create things in real life. Just as engineers across decades have improved the design and performance of this car, children build, unbuild and rebuild during play – stimulating and developing crucial skills, such as creativity, resilience, problem-solving and critical thinking. Inspiring them to become the builders of tomorrow is our mission.”
Asako Hoshino said: “The Nissan GT-R and the LEGO brand are both renowned and loved by fans of all ages throughout the world, and we are honored to be the first-ever Japanese car manufacturer to partner with the LEGO Group. Many of our Nissan customers can trace their automotive passion back to when they built LEGO cars as children. With this partnership, everyone can be a `takumi’ – the specialized craftsmen that build the GT-R. And, it’s the GT-R’s 50th anniversary this year, so what better way to celebrate than to share the GT-R with Nissan and LEGO fans around the world!”
The LEGO Speed Champions Nissan GT-R NISMO will be available globally in January 2020. It’s one of the first in the 2020 Speed Champions themed sets, which will be 25% bigger than in previous years. The GT-R NISMO model, made from 298 LEGO elements, captures the authentic and intricate details of the life-size race car in a relatively small LEGO model. This posed an interesting challenge for LEGO design lead Chris Stamp.
“In LEGO Speed Champions, we always aim to include new types of racing vehicles. And when we focused on drifting and racing, the record-breaking Nissan GT-R, and especially the new GT-R NISMO, was at the top of our wish list. Authenticity is always our main concern, and we spent a lot of time exploring different building techniques to correctly recreate the taillights, as they are one of the most recognizable details on the car. I am really happy with the end result!”
Hiroshi Tamura, Nissan’s chief product specialist for the GT-R – known informally as “Mr. GT-R” – gave the scaled-down LEGO version his stamp of approval: “The GT-R has been part of my life since I was 10 years old. Working with the LEGO Group was like awakening my inner 10-year-old self to rediscover what makes the GT-R so special to me. It’s amazing how much the LEGO Group’s attention to detail reminds me of our own craftsmen.”
Appearing alongside the LEGO Speed Champions Nissan GT-R NISMO at today’s event was the 2020 GT-R NISMO. Available now, the most extreme, most capable GT-R in history features carbon-fiber front and rear bumpers, roof, trunk and rear spoiler; carbon-fiber front fenders with special scalloped vents; new lightweight wheels and new tires; tuned suspension and transmission; Brembo carbon brakes; and new turbochargers.
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48 comments on this article
600 million stickers as usual... I think it looks alright; I guess this has lowest priority among all those released next year
finally a japanese car!
but the wheels are too small... the headlights could've been better too
And stickers on more than half of the visible exterior parts of course
looking forward to see if they decide to go with more JDM cars in the future, an old NSX would've been nice, or a Datsun 240z. Maybe even supra.
Would be easy to build without the stickers so not fussed there but I think if they had replaced the part the headlight sticker is on, with the same part but in trans black it would look much better!
Yeah, the wheels were my first thought as well.
In general, this is like last year's blue camaro- clearly the also-ran of the singles, and because it's the most blocky, albeit due to the source material. Having major features of the front end like lights never bodes well for these sets.
I agree. Japanese cars are one of the best. Miss my Nissan 240SX ;)
A rendition is imperative.
Stickers will have to be retooled to build other Nissan models. (maybe a Nissan 240SX! :)
Is this the first time a Speed Champions car has been depicted drifting on the box art? This being a drifting car and all.
Meh
The cars are indeed so nice with 8 studs, but if only there… less stickers and I absolutely hate those front lights made out of stickers on most of them :(( Think the looks could have been sacrificed a bit and transparent bricks would look much better any day.
Metroliner. 8 wide. Just saying...
Looks like the steering wheel is offset from the driver on most of these... Guess it was hard to do it any other way.
Finally a Japanese car. I hope to see many more.
I still like it but man. That's a lot of stickers.
Ah, one of my favourite present day cars, will be buying this. I also don't mind all the stickers as they really do make the sets pop. Had to do it back in the day when the Speed Racer sets came out and those were the best cars Lego ever created.
Fun fact - Polyphony Digital (Developers of Gran Turisimo games) designed the multifunction display within the car.
FINALLY A JAPANESE CAR!!!
Looks incredible, but bigger wheels would be good, alongside with better headlights. Anyway, it is definitely a must buy for me.
Not bad. Reminds me of the first Gran Turismo video game (on PS one, which feels like so long ago!) when my cousin and I were having fun with such cars. He liked a lot Nissan Nismo. Good range and much anticipated releases for the Speed Champions line this time, at least three of them to buy or order on day 1. Good choices and job of the designers IMO. And on this one I can stand to not apply all the stickers provided, some of them are not necessary, the result shall be pleasant nonetheless.
*quietly waits for Dodge Challenger V8
a speed champions sigle car set with almost 300 pieces, i hope it's 20 euros
This looks absolutely fantastic - I can't wait to buy it! My only issue is that it is done on a different scale - this is 8 studs wide compared to the usual 6. I don't like that this is going to look very out-of-place in my huge collection of Speed Champions cars that I have amassed over the recent 4 years or so...
@undead_rising It's the new normal it appears. Wasn't to excited about it initially either but not sure I want to give up collecting Speed Champions so may continue despite the size differences.
For me this shows why 8 wide works for Speed Champions.
Must be honest, to me all Japanese sports cars look more or less alike. Can't tell one from the other. Only exception: Honda NSX
Therefor, not interested.
Also, too many stickers, even for a Speed Champions car, plus the wheels look far too small with this new 8-stud-width size.
Alright Godzilla!
The GT-R certainly is an iconic machine. There’s some big Nissan fans that live near me somewhere. I’ve seen an S-15 Silvia and an R-32 Skyline (the 2.5 GT) out in the wild. Very exciting for a guy that’s played a lot of Gran Turismo over the years.
Stickered headlights don't ever appeal to me, no matter if it's 6 or 8 wide.
But maybe there are technical reasons why they haven't made transparent 2x1 curved slopes/wedges.
Well I have to say WELL DONE Lego, I'm a bit biased as I have 95% of the Speed Champion sets so far but this last lot are all good, I will forgive the SUV's that they had to include to make 2 in a set versions. I have yet to see an 8 wide in the flesh but apart from space in a display cabinet and cost it is logically a scale with mode detail than before. Roll on 2020, and I hope my wallet can cope.
Looks like a great rendition of my favorite car of all time (to drive on OG Gran Turismo anyway), and love that two Minifigures can sit side-by-side in this 8-wide format. At the same time though, still not fully sold on the switch to 8-wide as a whole...
I'm still not sure if I like the 8-wide. I'm afraid the wheels are too small. They worked perfectly with the 6-wide, for some reason. The cars here are only 1 stud longer than before, but are also a lot beefier, thicker. I guess one has to see it in person to make the final verdict about it. Call me curious, but I'll be getting the Ferrari in January, I want to see it with my own eyes, how it works.
Fantastic! I love the GT-R so really happy to see this. Hope we get more Japanese cars in future, maybe some of the Super GT ones
My condolences to the city builders out there, but I am loving the new 8-wides!
The more I see the more I like wider speedchamp cars.
Since on so many cars the steering wheel is now offset by a half stud, maybe they should have invested in a new steering wheel piece that has a 1x1 as its base instead of a 1x2.
It doesn't look as bad as I expected, but that's a lot of stickers.
I will never understand the people who complain about stickers on a Speed Champions set. It makes no sense for Lego to print these pieces that would be used literally in one set ever. I'm going to be the crazy one here--I'm going to say I actually enjoy putting stickers on. And so long as they stay on (I'm looking at you, early 2000's sets where they disintegrated...), I have no problem with them in limited-use applications like these. Speed Champions, as always, looks fantastic thanks to awesome design -and- perfectly suited stickers.
@AustinPowers ,
Funny that you say that 'all Japanese sports cars look more or less alike'. I was thinking that the GT-R Nismo has more than a passing resemblance to the Porsche 911 which is, of course, German. The similarity is evident in both real life and their LEGO forms ( https://brickset.com/sets/75895-1/1974-Porsche-911-Turbo-3-0 ). I'm not claiming they are identical, but in their overall shapes, they're not very different.
The GT-R is my favorite car, so I’ll probably pick this up. That said, it doesn’t really scream “GT-R” to me.
Started out a bit sceptical about 8 studs wide, but I think I’m officially converted after this beauty!!!
....and the stickers....? BRING - THEM - ON! I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness, but I love applying stickers, making sure they are perfectly aligned, its like therapy.
A bit sad that this amazing Nissan GT-R is 8-wide but still has a lot of stickers
i love that rear end
*Godzilla theme music intensifies*
Also thinking, one could find a great replica set of stickers or use theirs if they don't plan to keep, then buy a second set of each brick to place them on. So you have both a sticker and non-sticker version of each brick to change it up!
Looks really good! The decals look great, but will be a NIGHTMARE to put on. I'll likely leave mine to having only what's necessary--lights, badging, intakes--but still, even that's a lot more decals than the average City set of similar size.
While not really a JDM enthusiast, I'd really like to see LEGO do some more Japanese cars. The Datsun Zs (predecessor to this Z), Supra, RX-7, and Miata would all fit in great. And maybe a Lancer Evo while they're at it. The Toyota Tacoma is a truck, but I could see it fitting into the line.
Looks good. Our first Japanese car.
Yet of course there are stickers galore.
Why are the wheels so damn small
I want a large size one. GTR is legend.
Impressive, just as ugly and blocky as the real thing
It's sad that they still have to use stickers for headlights for an 8-stud car. Just add a transparent brick there... I don't care that it wouldn't look like a real car, it's Lego! It always looks better when its made of bricks and not paper.
I honestly can't be bothered to care once they switched the width in the middle of the product series. I'd love to have a GT-R in my Speed Champions collection but it's the wrong scale now. Way to screw that up, Lego. And yes, way too many stickers. Sad.
So sad all these vehicles have such perfect brick built rearlights and awful headlights made out of stickers :( Even a yellow or grey brick would look much better if the needed part is not available as transparent. Come on Lego, this is Lego.
@Zander: you're probably right. Then again, most modern versions of the 911 to me look alike as well.
@Huw any info if all the 2020 windshields come with printed details?