Nissan Skyline designer insights from Chris Stamp, Speed Champions Design Manager
Posted by CapnRex101,
76917 Nissan Skyline GT-R has been announced and we had the opportunity to ask Chris Stamp, Speed Champions' Design Manager, about this set a couple of months ago.
What can you tell us about the new Nissan Skyline?
Our third movie car is the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, from 2 Fast 2 Furious. Unlike in 2022, this set will be released on the 1st of January and it was designed as a collaboration between Søren Dyrhøj and myself. Søren worked mainly on the bodywork, before I came in and finalised some of the details.
What I find most fascinating about this car is how it is constructed using so many wacky techniques, even though it looks fairly simple from the outside. We have brick-built the stripes down the centre and they seem pretty basic, but that has meant using plates and NEXO Knights shields sideways and creating an entire seam through the middle. We could have built the stripes with a two-module-wide grey stripe between the blue stripes very easily, but that would not be correct.
Also, we are introducing a new wheel because it is iconic to the Nissan Skyline. We considered using an existing piece, but their shape was just not good enough, so we created the new ones. The brick-built tail lights were very important too. When building 76896 Nissan GTR NISMO, I was never fully satisfied with the tail lights because the middle light should be slightly smaller on each side. On this occasion, we have designed it specifically to recreate that feature and the construction is unlike any other Speed Champions vehicle.
The interior is another area we wanted to focus on, as we have with the Aston Martin DB5 and the Dodge Charger. We have included the three NOS canisters, which is accurate to the film, alongside the decorated seat and several screens. Nissan was very keen we capture those details. Also, there are some trans-blue pieces around the base. We could not include a light brick, but these trans-blue parts are a nod to the Skyline’s neon lights from the movie.
Lastly and perhaps most important of all, we are finally able to decorate the wheel arches. We have wanted to do this previously because there have been many racing cars where it would have been useful, but it was simply not optional here! In the brief, I was insistent that we needed to work out how to continue the stripes across the wheel arches. There are stickers on each side, of course, but we have reduced those to four stickers and the decorated wheel arch, which is far fewer than there were on the NISMO back in 2020.
Yes, the pattern there was recognisable from a distance, but had some gaps when viewed from closely.
I suspect that is never going to be completely avoidable because the stickers cannot cover the whole element, but we have managed to improve with the Nissan Skyline. When we spoke in March, I was uncertain how it would work printing across such an uneven surface, but I am happy with the result and how close the decoration comes to the edges.
The set also contains a Brian O’Conner / Paul Walker minifigure, which I hope will be appreciated. He is also our first Speed Champions minifigure with dual-moulded arms, so that was a nice opportunity and Brian is obviously an ideal companion for Dom in 76912 Fast & Furious 1970 Dodge Charger R/T.
I also want to stress that the movie and television Speed Champions series is not becoming the Fast & Furious series! We want to choose the most iconic subjects and there probably could be three or four from Fast and Furious, but it was just incidental that two of our first three movie cars are from the same franchise. Universal was brilliant to work with and it is also the twentieth anniversary of 2 Fast 2 Furious in 2023, so the Nissan Skyline was the perfect choice.
Chris also wished to acknowledge the whole Speed Champions team, including some whose work is not discussed as often as that of model designers.
Pictured here are, from left to right:
- Martin Nedergaard - Packaging Designer
- Claus Madsen - Graphic Designer
- Jeffrey Davies - Element Designer
- Søren Dyrhøj - Model Designer
- Christopher Stamp - Design Lead and Product Designer
Thank you to the team for developing such fantastic models, including 76917 Nissan Skyline GT-R!
92 likes
29 comments on this article
It's a pretty sick car from a pretty swell movie, I'm excited to pick it up and I'm always a fan of how talkative the Speed Champions team is. Hearing the inner working of set design is such an incredibly cool treat and I'm very into those printed wheel wheel arches
The Speed Champions team really seems like a great bunch of people. I'm sure all Lego design teams are as well and put care into their models, but the people at Speed Champions really seem to go the extra mile!
Speed Champions is hands-down the best product line Lego has going on right now. Each model is a masterclass in NPU and out-of-the-box thinking around shaping and technique, resulting in interesting subject matter at a fair price point. That Chris Stamp and the design team is so open about the process (I love all his interviews with Racing Brick) and so enthusiastic about fan feedback is just icing on the cake!
I lived through the '80s where EVERY show and movie had obligatory car chases. Then, I worked in an industry that put me face first into the bloody aftermath of human remains from the reckless use of speeding cars. Thus, I avoided all the 2F2F and its related ilk.
Love the well-shaped super cars. This new one is bad (studs n stickies).
Don't mean to rain on the parade of those who love it. ;)
@StyleCounselor said:
"I lived through the '80s where EVERY show and movie had obligatory car chases. Then, I worked in an industry that put me face first into the bloody aftermath of human remains from the reckless use of speeding cars. Thus, I avoided all the 2F2F and its related ilk.
Love the well-shaped super cars. This new one is bad (studs n stickies).
Don't mean to rain on the parade of those who love it. ;)"
You gave an honest opinion, so I have to respect that. I disagree on certain points, but thanks for that opinion.
I do, personally, like the new car. I will probably get it because I like the iconic shape, even if the studs bother me a bit.
I love how these SC designers always seem so keen to talk about their models. They seem quite passionate and it shows in these awesome models! (ok it kinda sounds like I was paid to say that lol but I really mean it) Im very happy with the eight wide cars and they only seem to be getting better. Keep up the great models, SC is imo one of the top five themes right now.
it's a little disconcerting that the designer's name is Chris S.T.A.M.P....
that Nissan does look pretty cool!
@magnumsalyer said:
"it's a little disconcerting that the designer's name is Chris S.T.A.M.P....
that Nissan does look pretty cool!"
Ha! Especially when he talks about "the stickers cannot cover the whole element..."
Can’t wait to build this!!! I’ll pick up 2 copies so I can build one clean R34 without the printed wheel arches and no stickers. I was never a fan of the gaudy graphics on the movie cars.
Awesome insights! And I really have to say I love this model!!
Oh, and! Would love to see the success of these movie models opening doors for more famous cars from other media and franchsies. Such as video games with Need for Speed as an example!
If research shows enough people would be willing to buy that, of course.
Nice fireplace you've got there!
That's a reeeeally nice build, so many neat parts in cool styles...
And though I 'like' the addition of the Walker minifig, and adding another F&F car to 'the line'; is still wish TLG would just spin these vehicles off to their own line...just me?
This is a day one purchase for me. I love how the taillights were done, and that the car is right hand drive. Lots of cool details in this set.
If you need any ideas of what to do next LEGO, the original orange Supra from The Fast and The Furious would be awesome too :)
I'm not a big car guy, so the only Speed Champions set I have is 76908 Lamborghini Countach, but like others have said, I love hearing the insight from the designers of these sets, and all of the details and interesting techniques they put into the models.
I clicked on this article thinking it was about a new Architecture Skyline set for a city that I had never heard of in my life. Ha!
Am I seeing that right a dual pack of the Nissan. I might get Dom and the Charger now because I want this.
Props to the Speed Champions team, the cars are a great size with excellent detail, I look forward to every new release and am looking at getting some of the back catalogue still available.
Wondering aloud what it would take to get KITT from Knight Rider.
@ricecake said:
"I'm not a big car guy, so the only Speed Champions set I have is 76908 Lamborghini Countach, but like others have said, I love hearing the insight from the designers of these sets, and all of the details and interesting techniques they put into the models."
Same here, I got the F40 and 911 from the 6 wides, but then the 6 wides ended, so now more into City cars ( I love the new 60383 : Electric Sports Car), but it's nice to see people love those 8 wide real cars for various reasons.
@magnumsalyer said:
"it's a little disconcerting that the designer's name is Chris S.T.A.M.P....
that Nissan does look pretty cool!"
The exception to nominative determinism that proves the rule?
I'm not planning to get this one, but as others have said, insights into the design process of Speed Champions are always nice.
@magnumsalyer: That is a hilarious point!
I know the A-Team van doesn't really scream "speed champions" but I'd love to see that and KITT. I note A-Team has reached review once already and is curently in review again for Ideas, so there's clearly interest.
That is a cute trick for the taillights. I see some 7-wide cheats used to get the pattern right, though, which makes me wonder what kind of 1/4-plate gaps will be visible when viewed straight on. I see a lot of studs across the rocker panel that could have easily been used to mount trans-medium-blue tiles to represent the pimp lights, if you wanted them to actually be visible.
Now, a member of my LUG mentioned wanting to tweak this to get rid of the studs on the hood, but I told him it doesn’t look possible considering how a bracket is mated to the fender.
@Muncher:
The two best things that can be said about 2F2F is that it’s not Tokyo Drift, and that it led to Riddick being produced.
@KotoElessar:
@ra226:
Michael Knight and BA Baracus both got Dimensions minifigs, so those licenses may actually exist. Personally, I’d prefer to see an official take on the Pizza Planet truck at minifig scale. They also managed to land a Transformers license, so a 2-pack of Bumblebee (VW Beetle) and Bumblebee (Chevy Camaro) from Bumblebee might be fun.
^ I agree--it's my hope A-Team was denied earlier because it's already in the works.
I've just got into the SC series at the start of the summer and really like them all. This is no exception.
If there was one car for the future, I have a pretty wacky desire to have SC make the taxi from the first of the (French) Taxi fim franchise. It's not like it was an amazing car or beautiful to look at - I just loved that movie. I doubt many would share my desire though!
It's nice to see the details from the design team itself. Personally, my first impressions were that the model lookd a little basic, with studs on top and stickered back windows.
Maybe, though, the building process might compensate that, with some unusual techniques and hidden references to the source material. I'll be doing a review in my channel when I'm able to get one.
@Kynareth said:
The exception to nominative determinism that proves the rule?]]
uhhh... I'm not quite sure what that means, so I'm hesitant to answer one way or another...
@ra226:
Dimensions packs did block various IP from consideration for Ideas, so it very well may have just been poor timing. As the sets retire, they eventually fall off the restricted list (except anything that was previously used for an Ideas release), and may get a different response. Timing for Ideas proposals can be a harsh mistress. Take too long, and they may start working on an independent theme that blocks you from being approved. Get to 10k too early, and it could be killed by a license that’s not available, or a theme that’s too recent. One Doctor Who project got rejected because it made the same class as a Doctor Who set that was accepted. Several projects based on The Office have been shown the door, only to see yet-another-The-Office get approved because a bunch of other projects hit 10k first (that’s like being Caller 9 when a radio station offers concert tickets to the tenth caller).
Another good argument for printed parts vs stickers: stickers can't get as close to the edge of the part as printing the part can (plus background color matching is built-in with printed parts).
A large scale R34 GTR would be insane !!
I love the Speed Champions Team!
The Sets look incredible ever since they updated to the 8 wide cars.
I mean the 6 wide ones weren't bad but the detail they are now able to put into these Sets
is astonishing! Also love how much they seem to like sharing the process and how Christopher Stamp seems so engere to tell us everything about it.
I hope this connection between designers and community will remain as close as it is.
Really looking forward to the next Speed Champions Sets and what other Movie/TV Cars we'll see.
Personally I would love to see a "Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86" from the Anime Initial D
with both hood types!