Review: 42127 Batmobile
Posted by Huw,
42127 Batmobile is based on the caped crusader's vehicle in the forthcoming DC film The Batman which stars Robert Pattinson as the eponymous superhero. The film was originally scheduled for release in June this year but production delays caused by you-know-what have shifted it to March 2022.
Although it's a 2022 set, as confirmed by the copyright on the box, it's being released early in North America, on 1st November, which is why we are reviewing it so soon.
The prototype
Decent pictures of the car are scarce at the moment, the best I could find is of this Hot Wheels radio-controlled version. Its post-apocalyptic vibe makes it look like something out of Mad Max.
Parts
The first sets of a new year often introduce new parts, but disappointingly that's not the case here and a cursory glance through the inventory suggests that there just a few recoloured pieces, for example the wheel arches. Exactly what's unique to the set will, as always, be revealed once the inventory has been published which will hopefully be once its released.
Technic sets can be a nightmare for sufferers of pittakionophobia, but there's not much to be concerned about here: just three stickers for the internal instrument panels that can be omitted without affecting the overall aesthetic should you wish.
Construction
Form rather than function is the focus of the model, so there's no complicated gearbox or other mechanisms to grapple with during construction. The chassis is therefore fairly simple, featuring just a rear differential and steering.
Lights are seldom seen in Technic sets, but this one contains two of the regular System 2x3 light bricks. An orange one, seen clearly below, at the front illuminates under the bonnet and through the front grille and a red one lights up the engine at the back.
The former is operated by pushing the silver pin joiner in the cockpit forwards while the latter is very cleverly turned on by pressing down on the hand-of-God steering gear on the top of the roof (yet to be attached) which allows for one-handed operation of the light and steering.
The V8 engine is superbly detailed, with exhaust manifolds, trans light blue flames emanating from the cylinders, and other details that will be added later.
Transparent 2x2 cylinder blocks make a welcome return, having last been seen in 2006, in 8282 Quad Bike.
Construction is divided into seven steps with parts correspondingly bagged. It doesn't take long to build, probably 15 minutes maximum per bag.
There is some repetition of left- and right-hand sides, as you'd expect, but none of the repeated sections are particularly large, so it's not really an issue.
Overall it takes about 1.5 - 2 hours to build.
The completed model
The vehicle is about 40cm in length and 17cm wide. The limitations of the available Technic parts palette has resulted in some very unsightly areas of bodywork, particularly above the wheels where the wheel arch piece meets the curved panel above it leaving a weird gap between them.
Side-on it looks rather strange, particularly at the rear. The back wheels are a larger diameter than those at the front which, as far as I can tell from the limited pictures of the real vehicle available, is not accurate. The gap behind them looks awkward, and the bodywork is not tapered at the rear like it is on the Hot Wheels version.
From other angles, though, it looks better. The 'working' V8 engine in particular is very detailed and looks superb. The wheel hub with flames at the back is connected to the drive shaft so rotates when the vehicle is pushed along.
The bonnet opens to reveal nothing inside other than the light brick which shines through the front grille.
The interior of the car is nicely detailed, with instrument panels, dummy steering wheel and even an accelerator pedal. The control to operate the orange light at the front is in the middle between the seats and is most easily operated by poking a finger through the windscreen.
Pressing down on the steering gear turns the red light under the engine on, which shines through the transparent cylinder blocks. I have to say, it looks pretty cool!
The orange one at the front is less effective, but it can be seen through the gaps in the top of the bonnet and the front grille.
The steering gear on the roof is designed to be removed easily to improve aesthetics.
Verdict
Last year's 42111 Dom's Dodge Charger was the first Technic car to be based on a fictional IP and, like that one, this model is not entirely successful.
Cars have subtle curves and distinctive identifying features that are often difficult or impossible to replicate with the Technic parts palette, particularly on smaller-scale models such as this. The designers have had a good go at doing so but unfortunately the medium has let them down.
From some angles it does not look too bad...
But I cannot look past the particularly unsightly gap above the wheel arches where two pieces that are not designed to be used together have been pressed into service in the absence of anything more suitable.
Once again it proves that Technic is not always the best tool for the job and that a far superior model could have been produced using System parts.
That said, it does have its merits. The engine in particular looks great: it's probably the best and most detailed to have appeared in a Technic car and, while the lights are a bit of a gimmick that is played up on the product packaging, they do add something a bit different to it.
If you're a Batman fan who enjoys the Technic building experience this set may well be for you, but I suspect most would rather have a more realistic Creator Expert System model than one full of aesthetic compromises, particularly given that the technical features of it are minimal.
It will be available at LEGO.com priced at £89.99 / $99.99. It's released on 1st November in North America but won't be available elsewhere until 1st January.
Thanks to LEGO for providing the model for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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54 comments on this article
Frankly, that's one of the most boring Technic cars I've seen,.
With 283 pieces more than the Dodge Charger this set has a way better price per piece ratio. I think it's a decent set for its target audience of 10+ and/or Technic beginners. And of course a must have for all Batman fans.
Let's hope there is a system version in the pipeline of what looks like quite a cool car.
Thank you for the frank review. I agree that Technic isn't really suited for these kinds of sets, and I have no idea why TLG keeps doing it that way.
The set has no proper Technic functions, so why make do with the limitations of Technic in terms of looks? Why not make this a Creator Expert vehicle with Technic pieces for the engine and steering?
I love the return of the transparent cylinder pieces though.
And the lighting, while gimmicky, at least produces a nice effect.
As for the source material, after all the outlandish Batmobiles we have come to associate with the caped crusader in the past, this thing to me is quite a let-down tbh.
@ShinyBidoof said:
"Let's hope there is a system version in the pipeline of what looks like quite a cool car."
There is one. 76181
Honestly I really dislike the new batmobile. I understand what they were going for but it’s just too bland
I would love to see some Pursuit Special mods to this design.
“ The first sets of a new year often introduce new parts, but disappointingly that's not the case here and a cursory glance through the inventory suggests that there just a few recoloured pieces.”
I mean, it’s a big black box, and I imagine that’s one of the more common colours there is, not sure there’s much need for recolours. Downside of that is that, well, the set is a big black box which isn’t the most visually appealing…
It’s certainly not Legos fault that this is a rather boring and uninteresting vehicle, but as the review mentions, that does mean it isn’t very suitable for a technic set. The regular system set isn’t all that interesting either, but at least then you aren’t spending a lot of money on it.
The 'hot-rod' flaring tells everyone that this is a 'classic' style Batmobile, whereas I just see 'Mad Max' here or a model B of Dom's charger, which is 39cm x 16cm so about the same size, although this Batmobile looks smaller to me?
How have I managed all these many decades of my life without knowing the word ‘pittakionophobia’? :~P
@Zander said:
"How have I managed all these many decades of my life without knowing the word ‘pittakionophobia’? :~P"
I like to dig it out from time to time :-)
That's a no from me.
I don’t get why people keep saying the source Batmobile looks boring and boxy. It looks like a modded muscle car to me, with hints of bat-styling, and perhaps too powerful of an engine shoe-horned in the back (not that that’s a bad thing, where Batman’s concerned). Yeah, it’s not as flamboyant as the Burton version, or as hyper-aggressive as the Nolan Tumbler, but compare it to some of the official comic designs over the years and there’s a lot more going on here than there was for the Knightfall-era design.
Personally, I think that the source material for this set is lacking. Batmobiles have usually been easily identifiable in film/television; the batmobile in this movie, not so much. The LEGO designers did what they could with the source material.
@PurpleDave : if one is deeply into the background lore, maybe, but to the casual eye this looks more or less like a stock muscle car with a little bit of tuning here and there.
Set up a line of the following:
60s TV show version
1989 Burton Version
Tumbler
This new one
and show it to a casual observer - who at least has heard of Batman.
Then ask said person which of the four is the odd one out. I think I know what most will say.
;-)
@Zander said:
"How have I managed all these many decades of my life without knowing the word ‘pittakionophobia’? :~P"
"pittakionophobia" - It's the highlight of the review, for me!
For $100, that's not a terrible deal. But this version still lags well behind the Tumbler and 1989 versions, not to mention the Classic Batmobile IMO.
Would still LOVE to have the Dark Night Returns version produced.
Since it is technically a 2022 set does it still have plastic bags for the pieces or have they started the paper bags yet. (I thought they were starting in 2022 although I may be wrong).
Thanks for the review! I’m on the fence with this one. As you noted, the styling loses some luster with the technic/hybrid attempt. But I do like the lighting effects and style that comes with those. If it goes on discount for like $80, I would definitely pick it up.
A good parts pack?
@PurpleDave said:
"I don’t get why people keep saying the source Batmobile looks boring and boxy. It looks like a modded muscle car to me, with hints of bat-styling, and perhaps too powerful of an engine shoe-horned in the back (not that that’s a bad thing, where Batman’s concerned). Yeah, it’s not as flamboyant as the Burton version, or as hyper-aggressive as the Nolan Tumbler, but compare it to some of the official comic designs over the years and there’s a lot more going on here than there was for the Knightfall-era design."
Because it does, lol. In all honesty, batmobiles have come to represent high tech vehicles with lots of gadgets and cool aesthetics. This one just doesn’t look like what most would consider a bat mobile, and looks more like a salvaged car of some kind. I’m guessing in the movie the idea is that he takes a car and fixes it up to serve as a bat mobile, but it doesn’t make for a very interesting vehicle.
@TomKazutara said:
"This time I not much annoyed by another Technic car, because it brings at least a good amount of black parts, and even brought back the trans clear engine blocks.
My only complain is yet again the ugly colorful pins and axles.
But how comes that this 1360 piece set cost 99$ and also 99€ ?
Unlike the Raptor, with 1380 pieces for 99$ and 140€ ?
Shouldn't be WB more expensive ?
(I don't want it more expensive, I am still critiquing the Raptor, but I where is the logic behind those prices)"
The logic behind the prices is that every LEGO set is priced based on how much LEGO thinks people in each territory will pay for it. That's it. LEGO does not look at "price per piece" or any other metric. That metric is made up by a small subset of hardcore fans but has no official importance and in fact the vast majority of people who buy LEGO sets are oblivious to it.
If LEGO thought it could charge $120 or $150 for this set and still sell however many units it wants to sell, it would do that. Apparently though the company thinks it needs to price it at $99 so that is the price.
There have definitely been cases where LEGO obviously mispriced sets. The one I recall is the Brick Sketch line which I believe actually received a rare official price reduction. But again, prices are based entirely in perceived demand and crunching of whatever charts and numbers they have access to. Not on number of parts.
@TomKazutara said:
"This time I not much annoyed by another Technic car, because it brings at least a good amount of black parts, and even brought back the trans clear engine blocks.
My only complain is yet again the ugly colorful pins and axles.
But how comes that this 1360 piece set cost 99$ and also 99€ ?
Unlike the Raptor, with 1380 pieces for 99$ and 140€ ?
Shouldn't be WB more expensive ?
(I don't want it more expensive, I am still critiquing the Raptor, but I where is the logic behind those prices)"
Maybe Ford has higher license fees overseas than WB does? *shrug*
I have no interest in technic (I'd be terrible at building things big and strong since I have no experience with it).
This looks like a car for sure, so they nailed that down. The Batmobile aspect is still up in the air, but only because it isn't your typical Batmobile like we are used to.
I think they did a good job based on the source material, but I don't plan on getting it.
Nah, this just doesnt do it for me. Saw it last night at Walmart and really couldnt care less about getting it. The minifig scale one, however, is a much more accurate version, although being much smaller. Obviously, Technic doesnt suit vehicles of this style. I think it works a lot better for trucks and cranes and such.
@AustinPowers:
Without even pausing, I’d say 60’s because the show was a joke that almost killed the Batman franchise. But, you know, I’m aware that it took about 20 years for even the print side of things to recover, with the introduction of The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, and Batman: Year One. And from what so understand, this movie is intended to feel much like the latter story, where it really would make perfect sense that he’s driving around a modded version of a car that anyone could buy, rather than having a completely original design with tons of custom bodywork.
@fulcrumbop:
I’m not sure how they’d handle the articulated neck on that one. At one point (right before the mud pit fight with the Mutant leader, I think), it’s shown pulled up to a cliff, and the front end of it has stretched out over the edge and pointed straight down.
When I first saw the picture without reading what it was, I thought it was a Knight Rider car.
All the Technic sets I've bought have been trucks, plant or 4x4s. Sporty cars made out of girders just don't look right to me! Plus, with the only decent Batmobile being the 1966 one, it's a lose/lose from me.
@Zander said:
"How have I managed all these many decades of my life without knowing the word ‘pittakionophobia’? :~P"
Indeed, my vocabulary grew after reading this review.
The apparent inaccuracies aside, I actually like the model. I seem to be collecting large scale Batman vehicles now, having recently acquired the superb 1989 Batmobile and Batwing sets, and have the new Tumbler earmarked for purchase (having missed out on the 2014 version). So I will happily add this to my collection. Besides, its been a good few years since I built a Technic set. Though I agree a large-scale System version of this Batmobile would be a very interesting prospect.
@PurpleDave said:
" @AustinPowers:
Without even pausing, I’d say 60’s because the show was a joke that almost killed the Batman franchise. But, you know, I’m aware that it took about 20 years for even the print side of things to recover, with the introduction of The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, and Batman: Year One. And from what so understand, this movie is intended to feel much like the latter story, where it really would make perfect sense that he’s driving around a modded version of a car that anyone could buy, rather than having a completely original design with tons of custom bodywork."
The 60s Batman TV show was probably the most significant piece of Batman media until 1989. Just because it's goofy doesn't mean it's a disgrace. You also clearly don't fit into @AustinPowers definition of the "average person," given that you're obviously a big Batman fan.
@AustinPowers said:
" @PurpleDave : if one is deeply into the background lore, maybe, but to the casual eye this looks more or less like a stock muscle car with a little bit of tuning here and there.
Set up a line of the following:
60s TV show version
1989 Burton Version
Tumbler
This new one
and show it to a casual observer - who at least has heard of Batman.
Then ask said person which of the four is the odd one out. I think I know what most will say.
;-)"
…Surely you’re pointing out the strangeness of the Tumbler here?
I agree with your + @Huw ‘s above thoughts on the choice to use Technic for this, and would’ve greatly preferred a Creator Expert type treatment.
As for this Batmobile design generally though, it’s a sensible direction for the film’s concept. It’s proposed to be an early-career Batman story with a focus on the street-level detective/noir elements of the mythos. The muscle-car design aligns well with this take (a throwback to 70s crime/cop films perhaps as much or more so than Mad Max) — as it does with interpretations from the comics which are of a similar era and/or focus.
The first Batmobiles were often depicted simply as normal cars with modifications. (…The original 30s version wasn’t even black!) The more outlandish versions come in either later in the timeline, or when the more theatrical, sci-fi or horror elements of the mythos are being explored. This range of interpretations to the Batmobile, suit, cave, etc. — and even Batman’s personality — is part of what makes Batman fascinating and enduring. And so the appropriateness or value or “accuracy” of a given design has to take context into account for a relevant discussion.
Minifigure scale set of this Batmobile looks like something out of Mad Max.
"Bat mobile". Or, as it's usually known, the Batphone.
I don't really collect Technic sets, so I'm sure it's a servicable model ... but it's still just a big black car. It's not interesting to look at visually, and nothing about it screams, "Batman", so, it's no from me.
Didn’t Batman at one point drive a black C3 Corvette? So like, sports cars/muscle cars with added armor and engines and weapons is normal for Batman. Even the 66’ batmobile was a modded concept car by a real car company.
Definitely in the minority, but I really like this set.
@deathmoth said:
" @AustinPowers said:
" @PurpleDave : if one is deeply into the background lore, maybe, but to the casual eye this looks more or less like a stock muscle car with a little bit of tuning here and there.
Set up a line of the following:
60s TV show version
1989 Burton Version
Tumbler
This new one
and show it to a casual observer - who at least has heard of Batman.
Then ask said person which of the four is the odd one out. I think I know what most will say.
;-)"
…Surely you’re pointing out the strangeness of the Tumbler here?"
Yeah, the other three look like cars, the Tumbler looks like a tank. Of course, you might say the TV version is the odd one out, due to having an open cockpit.
It looks like Batman had a accident.
@johnnie_tee:
Knight Rider’s KITT was a Trans-Am. Same color, but pointier at the front end.
@Mr__Thrawn:
That’s a pretty low bar, like how before internal combustion engines were invented, falling was the fastest form of travel. Batman was created in 1939, before WWII. Detective Comics 27 is the only pre-WWII Batman story that a lot of people are even aware of, and then only in a “first Batman story” capacity. Part of that stems from the simple fact that it is a pre-WWII issue. Most of these were recycled to support the war effort, so the few that remain can fetch seven figures at auction.
Besides producing the greatest rogues gallery in all of comics, the first few decades of Batman comics weren’t serialized, so lots of one-off stories that you could often mix up in any order and not notice unless you checked the issue numbers. There was the 1943 Batman serial, and the 1949 Batman & Robin serial, but they’re so obscure at this point that most people actually believe Adam West’s claim to be the first person to play Batman.
When the TV series happened, it quickly rose so high in the ratings that they aired new episodes twice per week, but by the third season those same ratings had tanked so hard the show was cancelled, but not before it had done its damage. The print comics from which the character first appeared were heavily changed to fit the cheesy nature of the show, which I understand nearly resulted in at least one of the Bat-titles being cancelled as sales, like the show’s ratings, fell off a cliff.
It took a concerted effort from some comics legends, as well as some award-winning miniseries and one-shots, to fix the damage and bring the character back to what made him popular all the way back in 1939, and it took the Burton films to help Batman become the most popular comic book character in the world. I mean, back when I watched reruns of Superfriends, even Aquaman was cooler than Batman.
And no, I don’t meet that definition. In my experience, these days, people fall into one of three camps: those who like Batman, those who don’t like Batman, and those who like the Adam West series. Very few Batman fans seem to like that show, and very few fans of that show like _any_ other iteration of the character.
@deathmoth:
Oh, heck, the very first Batmobile in the comics was red, unmodified, and I believe chauffeured by Alfred. Yeah, Batman wasn’t even driving his own car to crime scenes. Then it became black, had a single tail fin, and a giant Batman head on the grille of a pre-WWII car with pontoon fenders. A lot of the comic versions were very plain and streamlined, like a used bar of soap with a few fins and a windshield, because something like the Burton and Nolan versions would be a massive PITA to draw, by hand, several times per month. Most of the unusual comics versions came from one-shots or miniseries where you could go crazy with a clear time limit.
@Cooliocdawg:
In terms of actual physical Batmobiles, the first one was a stock black 1939 Cadillac Series 75 convertible (top down for Bruce Wayne, and up for Batman) used in the 1943 serial, the second was a 1949 Mercury (1949 serial), and I’m sure they were rented for those productions, so modifications were highly unlikely.
The first dedicated Batmobile ever built used an Oldsmobile Rocket 88 chassis and engine, with a custom body, was built between 1960-1963, and leased out to promote Batman-themed desserts of some sort. It looks fantastic, but it kinda faded into obscurity when they started making the TV show three years later and wanted that to be what people thought of as the Batmobile. The earlier car still exists, has been fully restored, and looks much more fun to drive.
Apparently, Bruce Wayne will swap this car for a ‘63 Split-Window C2 Corvette during daytime in the upcoming movie, and the replacement Batwoman from the CW series got a modded C7 Corvette Batmobile last season. There’s a really cheesy custom C3 Corvette that was listed for sale earlier this year. It has no official status beyond having used licensed graphics to decorate it, but they put a giant Silver Age comics Batman on the hood, giant Silver Age comics logos on the doors...and text stating this Batmobile which has absolutely nothing to do with the ‘66 series (unless you count the fact that the base color is glossy black, like pretty much every Batmobile on the road), is in memory of Adam West.
There’s an old B/W photo showing GM’s take on West’s car, which was modded from a 1967 C2 Corvette (yeah, he could have been driving a ‘67 Vette in a ‘66 show). It looks even goofier than what they ended up using. But other than more fan-made replicas using Corvette cranes and/or engines, I’m not finding much on a Bat-Vette, C3 or otherwise. I
I'm not hyped about the latest batcar, the whole movie infact, so I'm not gonna hold the set to it.
On its own, nevertheless, the set is bad, and even more so as a Technic one. Technic is about a) functions, the more the merrier, and b) clever building techniques. From a couple of reviews, this has way too few of both.
If TLG needs a reminder (and it seems they do lately) what is a Technic set, they need a gooooood look at 42069 again.
Just watched the last movie trailer today on a big screen (also saw Dune...); still not fully 'convinced' by this car/thing...funny, I'm more onboard w/Ghostbusters: Afterlife (wonder if TLG will make stuff for it, or if the license lapsed) and Matrix Resurrection than this...and I'm a DC fan...
Also: TLG should be talking about new Black Adam/Shazam 2 stuff, as well as Aquaman 2, and that Flash movie (bonus points for TLG: its got MORE THAN ONE BATMAN...)
@brick_r:
Ghostbusters 3 already has a set out. 10274 includes rust stickers so you can display it as it appears in the new movie.
The new Batman film was originally scheduled to be released this past June, then this month (October), and finally got pushed to March, which makes it the first DC movie on the upcoming release schedule. Black Adam was originally scheduled for this December, and got bumped to July. The Flash movie has been tied up in development hell for a few years. Originally scheduled for March 23, 2018, it got pushed up one week to March 16, then removed from the schedule entirely for three years before getting a July 1, 2022 date, being pushed up to June 3, and finally back to next November. Aquaman 2 has only ever been scheduled for next December. So, expect sets that tie in to all three of those films, but the reveals will likely be timed to the premieres. Currently, though, all we’ve seen out of those is a teaser for Black Adam during DC Fandome earlier this month.
@PurpleDave: Actually 'Fandome' had teasers/behind the scenes for Shazam 2 (which I can't remember its subtitle), and 'Flash' got a full teaser(seeing the back of MK's Batman, and all that)...I was aware of its Developmental Hell, some factors being: WB not being sold on how Snyder (and friends) were doing with DC's properties (AT&T on the other hand...), Miller getting other work, and other stuff...
Setwise: Hope Shaz2 gas all 6 "Marvels" (as per their original/TRUE title)...
@brick_r:
I haven’t really been chasing everything down, but I caught part of the kids stream, because they were airing a new episode of TTG. I think I saw a Black Adam clip earlier in the stream, but I’ve definitely seen it pop up in general news articles, where I’ve seen nothing about the later films beyond that they’re happening.
Hmm, has a LEGO set actually made me want to see a movie LESS than before? Now I can say that has maybe happened. If that's what they can come up with, it effectively ends a very creative run of interesting Batmobile models.
West, Keaton, Bale. All very distinct styles, some copied/modified (Kilmer and Affleck come to mind). But this? No thanks!
@weasel_king:
Look up the Batmobile from an animated series called “The Batman” and you’ll get a better idea what they were probably thinking about in terms of general shape. And realize that what you see in still shots doesn’t give you the full picture, since the early teasers didn’t have all the blue flames going.
Batmeh.
Moi, je me demande quelle figurine de Batman mettre là-bas dedans?
@Huw said:
"Although it's a 2022 set, as confirmed by the copyright on the box"
The sticker sheet says ©? 2021. Could this be because it's release has been delayed and they made the box last?
I do appreciate all the live-action batmobile designs doing their own thing, though this one feels a little too bland. Except for that engine, which is fantastic!
MAJOR FAIL. Look Hideous. Just like Pattison as Batman.
Thanks but PASS...