Random set of the day: Nitro Muscle
Posted by Huwbot,
Today's random set is 8146 Nitro Muscle, released in 2007. It's one of 21 Racers sets produced that year. It contains 598 pieces, and its retail price was US$49.99/£39.99.
It's owned by 496 Brickset members. If you want to add it to your collection you might find it for sale at BrickLink or eBay.
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17 comments on this article
Nitro Ketchup and Mustard more like it.
Yeah, I couldn't come up with anything good today. Sorry.
It looks like a technic set
No A pillars, huh? This looks like the sort of car that inspires drivers to show off how not even close to adequate they are at handling a high-performance vehicle, so you better hope that dinky roll cage is really strong. Also, did they mount flamethrowers on the side to melt off the rear tires while you're driving?
@MCLegoboy said: "Nitro Ketchup and Mustard more like it. Yeah, I couldn't come up with anything good today. Sorry."
It's okay, man. We all have off days.
*hugs*
No seatbelts and no windshield? Get in a crash and you go flying
@BulbaNerd4000 said:
"No seatbelts and no windshield? Get in a crash and you go flying"
The first lesson is: TECHNIC DOESN'T GIVE YOU SEATBELTS!!!
So, Technic fans and gearheads, how does this compare to the 2021 Ferrari labeled 18+?
@KoolKreeper489 said:
"It looks like a technic set"
For several years Technic cars like this were released with Racers branding instead of Technic branding. It was during the years when Lego was trying to get back on its feet after nearly going bankrupt.
Looks like it has a spacious interior, would love to see how different constraction characters scale with it
For the longest time, I had very little interest in LEGO Technic, but sets like this one, 8649 and 8682 really got me to appreciate it more. Those cars just look plain cool in my opinion, which is something Technic rarely does, focusing more on realistic functions instead.
Those Technic Racers sets are some real underrated gems. With such cool designs, I am shocked at how little interest people around here have in them.
This may be a controversial opinion, but I kind of wish the modern Technic sets were more like this instead of trying to be as "realistic" as possible.
@LegoDavid:
I think I have 8682. The speaker system rings a bell. Whatever set it was, I got on a massive clearance discount (probably sub-$20 on a $50 set), just in case there were parts I might be able to use in Bionicle MOCs, but I never opened it.
There are probably multiple reasons they're not more popular. One is that they're not based on actual vehicles, so you don't get "fan of the vehicle" sales. There's not much by way of functions, so the hard-core Technic fans just see it as something for kids to push around. 8682 does have a function built in, but it's just a deployable, non-functional, entertainment system that's really only there to enhance the display value. They were also a little over-the-top ridiculous, as evidenced by the fact that they were all "Nitro Something". And they were largely ignored by the largest non-traditional Technic fan group of the time, who were focused on building constraction figures and collecting masks. Basically, they spoke to a fan base that barely existed.
I mean, it really is just a box with wheels isn’t it? Not much concern for aerodynamics here
@TomKazutara said:
"And this is the reason why "Technic" Cars are unnecessary.
Bring Back Racers, put all the Cars in there, and give us room for REAL Technic sets,
construction machines, tractors, truck or something technical that isn't related to vehicles,
like some factory machines or something. Be creative Lego.
By the way, I like the look of this car. Shame I didn't bought it back than :/"
This set is currently still pretty affordable on Bricklink, you can still buy it today if you want it.
I remember visiting Legoland in Billund back in 2005. At the reception there was a display with the newest sets. I was in my dark ages back then (since +/- 2000) but I was curious what the latest flagship Technic set was. There I saw 8649 Nitro Menace and I was quite surprised to see the direction Lego had gone into with their sets. There was no other big Technic set in the display rack so I thought that was the latest big Technic set. I didn’t know that this was a new Racers theme so I didn’t get it and remained in my dark ages for another 6 years until I saw the VW Camper van
Matching with this set, I have the 8682 from the year before, but I missed the 8649 from 2005.
The two first are sharing rectangular air inlet common with the RC car 8376: https://brickset.com/parts/4203309/rectangular-air-inlet
The last have round air inlet common with the 8651 (also 2005): https://brickset.com/parts/4203308/round-air-inlet
The box art is awesome! Very detailed! I loved LEGO Racers, it offered way more than Speed Champions. But thais types of Technic car builds are now part of the LEGO Technic so we still get them. We also see other Car builds that once were from Racers now on Creator and Creator Expert.
And I found it interesting that this Racers Tiny Turbos set from 2010 has the same name: https://brickset.com/sets/8194-1/Nitro-Muscle
@Brickalili:
That's kind of the difference between muscle cars and sports cars, though, right? I mean, just look at the current gen Dodge Charger. It's slightly more aerodynamic than a brick.