I don't think so

Pretty nice rendition but I'll probably pass. I just don't have room to display it. I would be interested in a smaller scale model, in the Probe Droid overall size, but it would obviously sacrifice a lot of detail and is probably not worth it. On to the next...

I didn't think I'd want this, but it looks great. Looks like the only sticker is for the info panel, too.

@fulcrumbop said:
"Nice upgrade from 10225, at only $20 more."

Be interesting to see how similar in terms of build and parts if you already have the older one...… It brings back painful memories of pushing a Technic Axle in one side only to find it was the wrong length went all the way in and It took about an hour to get it back to how it was...…..

@The_Brickster_ said:
"The real question, is the minifigure back printed?"

Unfortunately not - you can see it in the animation on LEGO.com.

I wasn't sure I really needed to upgrade my 10255 but then I saw that hidden micro lightsaber and now my wallet's run away...

How big is this?

If 40451 doesn't go out of stock right away, I'll try to get this right away.

I didn't get 10225 so I'm grateful that this is being released so I can add it to my collection, but I can understand some of the frustration too when some ships (Jedi Interceptor from Episode III, Landspeeder) and other droids (C-3PO) haven't been given the UCS treatment.

10225 was one of the first big sets I ever saved up for. I almost got the Arkham Asylum Breakout set instead, and if that was the case I would absolutely be getting this new model, but since I already have 10225 I’ll pass. I do really appreciate the improvements to make him more round and the new features though!

Okay, I like this upgrade more than I was expecting to based on the initial image we saw of it. Not 'going to get it'-type like, since I'm really not a buyer of expensive sets, but it definitely has more appeal than I was expecting.

When the set is reviewed, is there any chance of a comparison with 10225? I'd be curious to see how they look side-by-side ^^

On a different note... you know, I can't help but idly wonder just how many more pieces it would take to adapt him into one of the many different-colour Astro droids seen throughout the saga... xD

This looks utterly stunning! I've racked up enough VIP points over the year that I can get practically get this for free too!

Beautiful. Hopefully they'll make a more better BB-8 to pair with this in the future.

Looks like a modest, but real, upgrade from 10225.

Lego must be making bank from all these large $200+ sets as they keep coming out with them.

@fulcrumbop said:
"Nice upgrade from 10225, at only $20 more."
Lucky! At AU$329.99 it’s $80 more than the old model which was AU$250

Is that black round part a new larger slide shoe aka "boat stud"?

At first I didn’t think the dome looked that good, but after looking more closely and seeing better pictures, I think it’s great.

At first glance, I thought it looked pretty cool. But then discovering through the comments that it's been done before is such a bummer. They really need to stop redoing the same models again and again for Star Wars. At least this one looks a bit better, although it's just details...

Agree with others that this is way too similar to the previous model to warrant purchase. Slap some cheese slopes on the old one and it would look even more similar.

I was lucky enough to find R2 in a bulk purchase last year (sadly missing 2 brown hoses), but good enough for me. :-)

The force is strong with this one!
Really like it.. and £180 is about right too.

Ok I'll admit it. I didn't want this set but it does look pretty good. Maybe I'll be getting it after all.

Looks nice enough, but as someone who happily owns the 2012 model, it’s an easy pass.

Would it be possible to compare both models in the Brickset review (when it’s released)?

The 10225 is one of my favourite sets, and R2D2 is the iconic Star Wars Droid. This is a fantastic model, a great opportunity for those who missed out on 10225. and for people like me, well an opportunity to add another to my collection, for no other reason than it's awesome.

Love it.

So is this a Lego Shop exclusive for the time being or will other retailers also sell it right away like with the other droids?

I have 10225, but this one looks a lot better in my opinion. Also, many of the white bricks have yellowed and it’s full of dust...so believe I have an excuse to buy it ;)

Looks amazing, I’m jealous of those who will be getting it. I’ll stick with 10225. Now if only they’d do C-3PO in the same scale, been waiting for nearly 10 years on that one.

Curse you hidden lightsaber. I had almost convinced myself not to get the new one and stick with 10225, but the hidden lightsaber (and a couple other upgrades) won me over.

I'm already trying to build the lightsaber! I'm somewhat stumped as to what Pearl Gold part is used near the top where the blade comes out. Anyone else figure it out? Seems too wide to be a common Bar element.

No interest whatsoever in Star Wars but this is pretty iconic, so I might just have to add it to my collection!

I've found the dimensions;

31 cm high, 19 cm wide and 15 cm deep.

So not a silly size; I might find a spot for it on my desk after all.

@Brickbuilder0937 :
Sure. They just need to figure out how to make C-3P0 not top-heavy.

@Ayliffe :
I was more about the MSE droids, until R0-GR fame along...

@Bags:
That’s the flange on the 6L umbrella stand. It’s about the width of a stud, but the rest is standard bar.

Nice model, just like the rest of the UCS Star Wars sets. Luckily I don't collect Star Wars stuff, but if I were that was an easy day 1.

I thought it would be a rerelease of set 10225 but this one is basically like Yoda, The Child, the Porg and BB-8: a boxy Technic frame with plates stuck to it on 6 sides. Not the most charming way to build. 10225 Really was brick built.

@fulcrumbop said:
"Nice upgrade from 10225, at only $20 more."

With inflation $180 in 2012 in now $207.

Wow thank you @PurpleDave! Much appreciated!

Looks nice enough, and I am happy for all those who (like myself by the way) missed out on the last one. But I have so many renditions of R2 already I simply don't need any more. Would have preferred a matching Threepio.

It looks like it's not TOO different. Pretty much same size but the new one has the slopes so it's 'rounder', smoother, I like the gold tubes too, some details more refined, accented better, BUT, the main thing I think people will get it for is that Lucasfilm brick.
I have the 2012, still on display, my son built most of it at that time, and I'll stick with the old one.
Other models I'd like to put some money on this year, since I have the old one and it's not too much a difference maker for me.

But if you missed out on that '12 R2, this is a wonderful way to get it for your collection. It does look great on display.

Also of note, I REALLY wanted this (when I first saw the leaked photos), to be HUGE!
Like a 5,000 plus piece. I thought it'd be significantly bigger than the previous UCS R2.

@Phoenixio said:
"At first glance, I thought it looked pretty cool. But then discovering through the comments that it's been done before is such a bummer. They really need to stop redoing the same models again and again for Star Wars. At least this one looks a bit better, although it's just details..."

It’s been a while though since the last R2 came out, almost 10 years. Which means there are kids and even adults into lego and Star Wars that have never had a chance to own an R2. With them having made BB-8, Yoda, etc, now is the perfect time to redo one.

With themes like Star Wars and City, you eventually have to go back and remake past ideas. It’s why X-wing fighters are released every few years. If not, Star Wars would have ended several years ago.

First impressions are that I prefer this to 10225, as it is smoother and slightly less 'blocky' in places, but I'll pass on it because I already have 10225 and there's too much other stuff I'd rather get (and can't afford) than another R2.

If I didn't already have 10225 it would probably be a different story though.

@aukevin said:
"I didn't know there was going to be a hidden lightsaber in the set! "

Ok now I want it.

Another repeated Star Wars set. They should have remade the Pit droid instead(8000). That things way cooler, with how you hit the nose!

@person_that_uses_brickset said:
"Is it to scale with bb8? Because if it is I am getting it."

No its not to scale with BB-8. This R2 is only slightly taller than the BB-8.

Edit: I checked my BB-8, the R2 is about 3.5 inches taller than BB-8.

@MrClassic said:
"Is that black round part a new larger slide shoe aka "boat stud"? "

I think it's the minifig shield piece, the same one that they used for the Dejarik hologame table in the Millennium Falcon

I'm actually a little bummed. I was hoping for a new UCS ship. Maybe something we had not gotten before? While this is a really nice model of R2, and looks to improve over 10225, it's not filling a hole in my collection or wish list.

@monkyby87:
More than any other character, he is kind of the Lucasfilm mascot. They even produced a short film called “R2-D2: Beneath the Dome,” which details all the life challenges the poor guy went through after RotJ wrapped and he was unable to find another acting gig (as happened with many a SW cast member).

@CapnRex101 said:
"The photoreceptor is formed using a black shield: https://brickset.com/parts/design-75902 "
Of course, thanks!

@Bags said:
"I'm somewhat stumped as to what Pearl Gold part is used near the top where the blade comes out. Anyone else figure it out? Seems too wide to be a common Bar element."
Looks like a Stick 6M W/Flange: https://brickset.com/parts/design-28921

I'm still laughing at the clumsy accidental spoiler.

@Brickbuilder0937 said:
"How many more R2-D2 are we going to get before we get a C-3PO to go with it? I mean, I understand that R2 is way more popular but it would still be nice to have both."

If it was to scale it'd have to be massive. And if they release one that isn't in scale, people will likely complain about it.

@abri123 said:
"First impressions are that I prefer this to 10225, as it is smoother and slightly less 'blocky' in places, but I'll pass on it because I already have 10225 and there's too much other stuff I'd rather get (and can't afford) than another R2.

If I didn't already have 10225 it would probably be a different story though."

My situation and thoughts exactly.

Any reason why its listed in the Miscellaneous sub theme and not Ultimate Collectors?

The head could be better I guess, but this is great nonetheless. I especially love the lightsaber!

Will this be in scale with the BB-8 from a few years back?

Are there pix of the backside of the model? Ooops, 360, found it. Almost as disappointing as the minifig.

@TheBrickGuru24:
And if they do release one that's to scale, people will complain when it falls over and crushes their pet and/or small child.

@Virgilnz:
The previous R2-D2 was officially a UCS set. The large character builds starting with Yoda have not been, probably as a result of the same reorganization that spun off the Master Builder Series for location playsets. At this point, I believe UCS is restricted for use on large-scale Star Wars vehicles.

@PurpleDave said:
"The previous R2-D2 was officially a UCS set. The large character builds starting with Yoda have not been, probably as a result of the same reorganization that spun off the Master Builder Series for location playsets.

Didn't BB - 8 start the character builds?"

@fulcrumbop said:
"Nice upgrade from 10225, at only $20 more."

I would say nice homage to 10225 as there are many identical design decisions. There's new parts so they can improve upon them. IMO I enjoyed building the head of 10225 where you learn the Lego technique of building a round object.

It's very good for people who couldn't/didn't get 10225.

@Lego34s said:
" @fulcrumbop said:
"Nice upgrade from 10225, at only $20 more."

Be interesting to see how similar in terms of build and parts if you already have the older one...… It brings back painful memories of pushing a Technic Axle in one side only to find it was the wrong length went all the way in and It took about an hour to get it back to how it was...….."

That inside was one hell of a construction masterpiece. Back the, I couldn't believe that a person was able to fit all that support and functionality inside and still make it buildable by the public.

PS: Sadly 75308 is missing one additions I was hoping for, the slot for the "hologram card" and something resembling the card.

To those of you saying it’s nowhere near to scale with BB-8, sorry but you’re almost wrong. Look at a photo of the two characters together, and then 10225 with the BB-8 model. BB-8 is only a centimetre or two taller than he should be. I display 10225 with BB-8 and they look great together, and nobody’s ever commented on them being out of scale.

So happy there aren’t exploded unicorns in its guts.

Based on the poll, I am in the minority, but I don't like it. Not enough to spend € 200 on at least. The body looks great, but the head just doesn't look right to me.

I'll be picking this up as I missed the previous release.

What are the odds of a matching scale C-3PO release in the near future?

Impressive model. Though I have to agree with some of the comments around the head. IMO the current range of curved slopes don’t make for good 3D curved surfaces. I think tiles and jumpers often give a better overall impression.
Also it would be nice to have a matching threepeo now that we’ve had 2 artoos at this scale. I know a man who could help ;-)

Now there are two of them.

@ThatBionicleGuy said:
"Okay, I like this upgrade more than I was expecting to based on the initial image we saw of it. Not 'going to get it'-type like, since I'm really not a buyer of expensive sets, but it definitely has more appeal than I was expecting.

When the set is reviewed, is there any chance of a comparison with 10225? I'd be curious to see how they look side-by-side ^^

On a different note... you know, I can't help but idly wonder just how many more pieces it would take to adapt him into one of the many different-colour Astro droids seen throughout the saga... xD"

A member of my LUG has built several other droids in that style. They were intense.

I wonder how difficult it would be to add the power-up functions to this.