Review: 42154 Ford GT
Posted by Huw,
Alongside the flagship 1:8 scale Technic supercars, LEGO has been producing a range of slightly smaller and more affordable ones recently.
This year's model is 42154 2022 Ford GT, the third to be produced, following on from 42096 Porsche 911 RSR released during 2019, and 2021's 42125 Ferrari 488 GTE 'AF Corse #51'.
It's not to the same scale as those, but it's perfectly formed.
Summary
42154 2022 Ford GT, 1,466 pieces.
£104.99 / $119.99 / €119.99 | 7.2p/8.2c/8.2c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
A spectacular model of the iconic American supercar
- Rare colour
- Rigid chassis
- All the functions you'd expect
- Perfect size
- None worth mentioning, even the price is reasonable for once
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
The prototype
The 2022 Ford GT costs around $500,000. It has a fossil-fuel burning twin-turbocharged 3.5 litre V-6 engine which generates around 650bhp to propel the vehicle from 0 to 60mph in 3 seconds. That compares poorly with my 544bhp electric BMW i4 M50 which achieves that same acceleration in 3.3 seconds, but costs less than a sixth of the American supercar and I suspect is far more technologically advanced and comfortable to drive.
There's no doubting that the GT looks stunning, though, in its metallic dark blue livery with white stripes, which is the colour scheme LEGO has chosen to model.
Photo: Top Gear
Stickers
Extensive sticker sheets are par for the course for licenced Technic cars although what with this one being primarily a road car that isn't covered with racing team sponsor's logos, there aren't as many of them as on the Porsche and Ferrari.
Notable new parts
The most visible new parts in the set are these left- and right-hand curved panels whose side profiles match existing 2x3 and 2x5 curved Technic pieces and panels. Unlike most transparent parts it has a frosted finish, and in this case is printed with headlight details.
I am not familiar with this piece, although it has an element ID that was issued a few years ago (6408171, new parts for 2023 are in the 643xxxx range). It connects to a 92906 CARDAN CUP WITH CROSS AXLE 2M at both ends and is used to provide a flexible, rotatable, coupling between the real wheels and the transmission.
'Flip-flop beams' are one of the more useful Technic innovations in recent years and alongside 15- and 11-long ones, the 7-long one has been introduced this year. I don't suppose it'll be long before 5, 9 and 13 join them.
The completed model
The car is about 38cm long by 16cm wide and 9cm tall. The real car is 4.7m x 1.9m x 1.1m which makes the scale of the model approximately 1:12, so it's smaller than the Porsche and Ferrari which are around 1:10.
It's still a substantial model, though, and the perfect size for displaying on a shelf or desk
Dark blue is not commonly used in Technic sets so the majority of pieces in that colour have been produced specifically for this set
Whichever way you look at it, it's spectacular. It's also very rigid, with little flex in the chassis when the bodywork is twisted.
There's as much functionality as you could reasonably expect in a model of this size: 4-wheel suspension, steering via the gear on the roof, and rear-wheel drive, connected to a V6 engine at the back.
Additionally, the bonnet and boot open, and the driver and passenger scissor doors open smoothly, and when shut they align perfectly with the bodywork.
Transparent cylinder blocks were prevalent in Technic sets of the early 2000s and it's good to see them make a return recently.
There's not a lot of detail inside, and it's unfortunate that the seats are largely black because it's hard to differentiate them from their surroundings. The steering wheel is not connected to the steering mechanism.
The red lever between the seats is linked to the rear spoiler and pushing it back will raise it.
Down...
Up...
The stripes are created using a combination of white parts and stickers, so care is needed to align them correctly.
System pieces have been used sparingly, thankfully, mainly at the back.
The red axle links the spoiler to the control lever in the cockpit.
Construction
The set's 1,466 pieces are split across five numbered bags and construction begins with the rear suspension and engine assembly.
After exhausting the parts in bags numbered two the chassis and mechanisms are complete
The stickers are largely straightforward to apply. The only one that has to be placed exactly in the right position is the one on the roof which continues the white stripes across the width of a dark blue beam. Mine is about 0.5mm out!
I never time how long it takes to build sets, but I suspect it took around 3 hours to complete this one.
Verdict
I think it's a beauty: the curves of the sleek supercar have been competently reproduced using the full repertoire of modern Technic panels, and it has all the functionality you'd expect in a model of this size, which is perfect for play and display.
The dark blue looks wonderful, more so because it's a rare colour that is a welcome change from the red, white and black that are too often used for models of this nature. Dark blue System parts can suffer from colour mismatch, but I'm glad to say that that's not the case here, they all look spot-on.
I also appreciate that it's not covered in stickers, although it does rely on them for the white stripes, and it would look odd if they were not applied.
Pedants will make a fuss about the visible red axles and bright blue pins but to me, they are inherent in the system and don't bother me at all.
Price-wise, it's $119.99, £104.99, €119.99, which doesn't seem unreasonable at all given that the Porsche and Ferrari have a similar number of pieces but cost £169.99 / $179.99 / €199.99 and £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99 respectively.
It's the best Technic set that we've reviewed so far this year, and it'll be available at LEGO.com from 1st March.
156 likes
60 comments on this article
Ticks all the boxes! Just wish we got some technic sets in regular blue, although I’ll admit this car looks striking, and for a reasonable price!
I’m probably in the minority here but I do actually like system parts on technic sets, makes them feel special and also, considering the amount of technic present in system sets, I think it’s only fair there’s some system in technic sets…
The problem I have with this set is that it doesn't look like the source material to me. At first glance, without context, I struggle to figure out what car it's supposed to represent, other than in the area of the side windows or directly from behind. The box art and your last shot, for example, show a c-pillar shoulder that looks much too boxy & vertical, a suggestion of a windscreen that's too short, and a nose that droops too far with none of the signature sharpness. I recognize this is LEGO, and Technic no less, thus perfect reproduction is a fool's errand. However, as someone with a car-loving bias, I need to see the most key visual features to mentally accept it as a good attempt. To me this looks more like the previous gen car from most angles, with notes of Zenvo ST1, maybe Bugatti EB110 in the greenhouse.
The build looks phenomenal as a reasonably-sized, advanced Technic supercar though, possibly one of the best ever. Such a shame it doesn't match the scale of existing cars! When are they going to stop introducing new just-barely-incompatible sizes? These models often end up in the hands of collectors (of all ages) who want to display their collections together. The same issue occurred with the big Creator cars; this time it just happened faster with only 2 cars being produced at the previous scale.
PS: That flex & burn at the beginning! The "OHHHHH" meme immediately played in my head XD
That sure is a fast and expensive car you're driving. Don't know when we'll see BMW in Lego though ...
@theJANG said:
"The problem I have with this set is that it doesn't look like the source material to me. At first glance, without context, I struggle to figure out what car it's supposed to represent, other than in the area of the side windows or directly from behind. The box art and your last shot, for example, show a c-pillar shoulder that looks much too boxy & vertical, a suggestion of a windscreen that's too short, and a nose that droops too far with none of the signature sharpness. I recognize this is LEGO, and Technic no less, thus perfect reproduction is a fool's errand. However, as someone with a car-loving bias, I need to see the most key visual features to mentally accept it as a good attempt. To me this looks more like the previous gen car from most angles, with notes of Zenvo ST1, maybe Bugatti EB110 in the greenhouse.
The build looks phenomenal as a reasonably-sized, advanced Technic supercar though, possibly one of the best ever. Such a shame it doesn't match the scale of existing cars! When are they going to stop introducing new just-barely-incompatible sizes? These models often end up in the hands of collectors (of all ages) who want to display their collections together. The same issue occurred with the big Creator cars; this time it just happened faster with only 2 cars being produced at the previous scale.
PS: That flex & burn at the beginning! The "OHHHHH" meme immediately played in my head XD"
I agree! The car looks cool, but it just doesn't look like the source (which is WAY cooler). I would love to see this as a SC set.
@Huw : cool to read that you're an EV driver too, and of a great one no less. I drive a Tesla Model 3 myself, which is quite comparable to the i4 M50. Both great cars imho.
As for the set, I love the dark blue colour, the functions and the price. Finally a larger Technic set again that feels like proper Technic.
But I agree with Jang that this doesn't really look like the source material to me. But hey, it's Technic, doesn't need to have perfect shaping anyway. I am quite sure they I will buy it some day.
@theJANG said:
"The problem I have with this set is that it doesn't look like the source material to me. At first glance, without context, I struggle to figure out what car it's supposed to represent, other than in the area of the side windows or directly from behind. The box art and your last shot, for example, show a c-pillar shoulder that looks much too boxy & vertical, a suggestion of a windscreen that's too short, and a nose that droops too far with none of the signature sharpness. I recognize this is LEGO, and Technic no less, thus perfect reproduction is a fool's errand. However, as someone with a car-loving bias, I need to see the most key visual features to mentally accept it as a good attempt. To me this looks more like the previous gen car from most angles, with notes of Zenvo ST1, maybe Bugatti EB110 in the greenhouse.
The build looks phenomenal as a reasonably-sized, advanced Technic supercar though, possibly one of the best ever. Such a shame it doesn't match the scale of existing cars! When are they going to stop introducing new just-barely-incompatible sizes? These models often end up in the hands of collectors (of all ages) who want to display their collections together. The same issue occurred with the big Creator cars; this time it just happened faster with only 2 cars being produced at the previous scale.
PS: That flex & burn at the beginning! The "OHHHHH" meme immediately played in my head XD"
Yeah, I see what you mean about the recognizability. From the front shot, I see Lotus Evora 400 more than anything else.
Not normally a fan of the Technic style for sports cars,
much preferring the more industrial 4x4s and earth movers, but this looks really good, probably helped by the fantastic colour. Could be the 1st mid-price Technic sports car I buy.
Now if we could just have the original Ford GT40 in the Icons theme....
"I never time how long it takes to build sets, but I suspect it took around 3 hours to complete this one.. "
Only three hours?! Are you lightning fast or am I just too relaxed while building my technic sets? It took me ~4 hours just for the bugatti, which is smaller :p
I'm looking forward to buying this set, it looks great!
@theJANG said:
"The problem I have with this set is that it doesn't look like the source material to me."
It looks OK to me but perhaps that's because i've not seen a GT IRL. When scaled down and constructed with a limited palette of Technic pieces I guess it's inevitable that one car looks much like the next.
The 'even the price is reasonable for once' really got me.
Thanks for this review! I pick my purchases more carefully these days (and with kids, it’s all system sets) but going to make sure this one comes home with me.
@honbushu said:
"That sure is a fast and expensive car you're driving. Don't know when we'll see BMW in Lego though ..."
May I point you towards 42130, the BMW M 1000 RR which is, I believe, the second BMW bike that Lego have produced. :o)
There was also a polybag, 40200 in the Racers line back in 2013, but it doesn't look like any BMW I've ever seen.
I think this is one of the better technic sets: good size, nice colors, proper transparent V6 engine, suspension, steering, doors... stickers aside, this is awesome!
@Huw said... "That compares poorly with my 544bhp electric BMW i4 M50 which achieves that same acceleration in 3.3 seconds, but costs less than a sixth of the American supercar and I suspect is far more technologically advanced and comfortable to drive."
At last, the reason why Huw can't afford to keep the forum running is finally revealed! He's blowing all his cash on fancy cars! ;o)
For the modern era of technic, this is a superb model. When compared to vintage sets, it is clear Technic has gone downhill. This negative trajectory began in the mid 2000s with licensed Ferrari technic. Today, with multiple licensed technic every year, the focus has shifted away from technic’s core: engineering.
Compare this Ford GT to 8448 Super Street Sensation (1999). It had the same amount of parts but more functions despite a limited parts palette. It came out more than 20 years ago! 8448 even had a manually shifted 6 speed transmission (5 forward, 1 reverse). The comparison becomes worse when you look at older Technic like 8880 Super Car (1994) which added all wheel steering and a manually transmission shifter which pivoted on one axis like a real shifter.
Licensing ruined technic.
[EDIT] 8880 has 4-wheel-steering, not 4-wheel-drive
@Goujon said:
"Ticks all the boxes! Just wish we got some technic sets in regular blue, although I’ll admit this car looks striking, and for a reasonable price!
I’m probably in the minority here but I do actually like system parts on technic sets, makes them feel special and also, considering the amount of technic present in system sets, I think it’s only fair there’s some system in technic sets…"
I'm with you on that. I have a big chunk of the 850 series (the original Technic sets) and they have plenty of system parts. I understand the point of view of Huw but I'm OK with system parts when it is not excessive (decoration, reinforcement, filling) (i.e. I'd rather not have a mechanism built around system parts).
Often, System parts allow for something more solid in less parts. With the 'new' studless system, you have to brace and reinforce in 3 dimensions which can get bulky very quickly.
So sweet!!
I’ll definitely be adding it to my giant pile of unbuilt technic sets!
@AHYL88 said:
"Technic is far less popular than other themes."
I’m not sure if this is just your opinion (which is totally fair) but according to Lego’s annual reports, Technic has been a. Top 5 theme for them for more than a few years now. Your comment chain does bring up an interesting point of why they get discounted so heavily. If it is such a popular theme, but it is quick to being reduced quickly, are the margins just too good? Food for thought!
@Jesse_S_T said:
"For the modern era of technic, this is a superb model. When compared to vintage sets, it is clear Technic has gone downhill. This negative trajectory began in the mid 2000s with licensed Ferrari technic. Today, with multiple licensed technic every year, the focus has shifted away from technic’s core: engineering.
Compare this Ford GT to 8448 Super Street Sensation (1999). It had the same amount of parts but more functions despite a limited parts palette. It came out more than 20 years ago! 8448 even had a manually shifted 6 speed transmission (5 forward, 1 reverse). The comparison becomes worse when you look at older Technic like 8880 Super Car (1994) which added all wheel steering and a manually transmission shifter which pivoted on one axis like a real shifter.
Licensing ruined technic.
[EDIT] 8880 has 4-wheel-steering, not 4-wheel-drive"
8880 has both 4-wheel-steering and 4-wheel-drive
It's a shame it's a different scale to the 42096 Porsche and 42125 Ferrari.
May I assume that this picture (https://images.brickset.com/news/92030_P1077004.JPG) shows the maximum steering angle?
@chefkaspa said:
"May I assume that this picture (https://images.brickset.com/news/92030_P1077004.JPG) shows the maximum steering angle?"
Yes, just about.
the problem with the 'look' of the model vs the original has to do with the wheel arches. The Lego wheel arches should be made of two parts (front and back). The front arch is curved on top - this part should be cut in two: front and back part. The back arch is straight on top - this should be cut in two: front and back part.
Looking at the real car from the wind-shield and going forward we can see that is it going level and then down. On the Lego model, it goes up and then down - and that is because the front wheel arch is built that way. The Lego back wheel arch is straight. By making both the front and the back wheel arch as two pieces, you could combine a straight half and a declining one for the front and the look would immediately be more accurate. This is something they should seriously consider considering that they are producing quite a few of these types of car.
@2GodBDGlory said:
" @Jesse_S_T said:
" [EDIT] 8880 has 4-wheel-steering, not 4-wheel-drive"
8880 has both 4-wheel-steering and 4-wheel-drive"
Thank you for the correction, that was my bad. Just another reason why modern technic isn’t anything notable! The Technic Ultimate Car series doesn’t have as many functions as 8880 and 8448 relative to their part count. I don’t think we should give the designers as much credit for being able to sculpt around technics weird shapes and panels to make vague representation of licensed cars when a hybrid of System and Technic parts were historically used with 8448
@BooTheMightyHamster said:
" @honbushu said:
"That sure is a fast and expensive car you're driving. Don't know when we'll see BMW in Lego though ..."
May I point you towards 42130, the BMW M 1000 RR which is, I believe, the second BMW bike that Lego have produced. :o)
There was also a polybag, 40200 in the Racers line back in 2013, but it doesn't look like any BMW I've ever seen."
There was also 42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure.
Actually, I think this Ford matches in scale with the 42127 Batmobile and Dom's Charger, but a bit more detailed, so I'm very positive about it, and hope (at least) once Milan designs a 1:8 Technic supercar :)
@ricecake said:
" @BooTheMightyHamster said:
" @honbushu said:
"That sure is a fast and expensive car you're driving. Don't know when we'll see BMW in Lego though ..."
May I point you towards 42130, the BMW M 1000 RR which is, I believe, the second BMW bike that Lego have produced. :o)
There was also a polybag, 40200 in the Racers line back in 2013, but it doesn't look like any BMW I've ever seen."
There was also 42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure."
And don't forget 8461, imho the coolest LEGO rendition of a BMW so far. Granted, it's not a normal BMW, but it's got the logo on the nose, so there you go.
Ah yes, the ‘my electric car accelerates faster in a straight line than a more expensive ICB sports car’. Problem is, most electric cars are so dull to drive and rarely drive like a petrol car in anything other than a straight line. Most are ugly too. But, cheaper and more comfortable :-D
I’ve always been one to make fun of Technic but must admit this looks great. Instantly recognisable as a Ford GT. Nice colour too.
@AHYL88 said:
" @Jesse_S_T said:
" @AHYL88 said:
"Technic is far less popular than other themes."
I’m not sure if this is just your opinion (which is totally fair) but according to Lego’s annual reports, Technic has been a. Top 5 theme for them for more than a few years now. Your comment chain does bring up an interesting point of why they get discounted so heavily. If it is such a popular theme, but it is quick to being reduced quickly, are the margins just too good? Food for thought!"
It's more an observation than anything; I'm not sure what it's like in the US but Technic sets in the UK don't tend to do great unless they're discounted heavily, and they get brutally discounted a lot of the time. The Lamborghini Sian from 2020, it took a massive tumble after just 5 months on sale and I snapped one up for less than half the retail price (after the price increase). The same thing happened a year or two prior with the Rough Terrain Crane, which went from £230 to just £108 after only four months. The new sets, like the Bugatti Bolide already has seen a 20% discount, and the Monster Mutt Dalmatian is already part of a 2 for £20 deal, despite costing £18 to begin with!
Most of us are so aware of this with Technic over the years that we tend to wait for the inevitable heavy discount which hits these sets, which we know will happen to this Ford GT. I do accept there's caveats with this model but from looking at the pictures and videos that went up on this, it looks like it'll be awesome to build."
Generalising, I think that people who buy Technic are a bit more down to earth than people buying Castle, Disney or even Star Wars. Making them less prone to emotions, spending more than they actually want to. This is most visible imho through the prices for out-of-production sets. Technic sets rarely get really expensive. Around 300-350 euros is about the highest they go, even for very popular ones.
Something like Ninjago City goes up much higher.
Everything isn't as black and white of course, but I think there's some truth in there.
On topic, I think the car looks great. And as a lover of car design, I find most of the typical design elements are there.
I'm not a Ford fan, but I may consider picking this up.
It just looks like a really well done set.
@mr_skinny said:
"Ah yes, the ‘my electric car accelerates faster in a straight line than a more expensive ICB sports car’. Problem is, most electric cars are so dull to drive and rarely drive like a petrol car in anything other than a straight line. Most are ugly too. But, cheaper and more comfortable :-D"
You're right, but not the i4 M50... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdsJq85WRhk
@AustinPowers said:
" @Huw : cool to read that you're an EV driver too, and of a great one no less. I drive a Tesla Model 3 myself, which is quite comparable to the i4 M50. Both great cars imho.
As for the set, I love the dark blue colour, the functions and the price. Finally a larger Technic set again that feels like proper Technic.
But I agree with Jang that this doesn't really look like the source material to me. But hey, it's Technic, doesn't need to have perfect shaping anyway. I am quite sure they I will buy it some day. "
Yeah, the problem is Huw's car supports the fascist company from WWII and Tesla is the company of a rascist, fascist who's likely to start WWIII.
Edit: Of course, Ford has its own problems with Nazi associations. Ugh. I just can't buy a Tesla. Too much! Musk, pee-ew.
@mr_skinny said:
"Ah yes, the ‘my electric car accelerates faster in a straight line than a more expensive ICB sports car’. Problem is, most electric cars are so dull to drive and rarely drive like a petrol car in anything other than a straight line. Most are ugly too. But, cheaper and more comfortable :-D"
You clearly have no idea what you're talking about. But not to worry, there's far too many of that kind who haven't got a clue how far better BEVs* are compared to ICE* powered vehicles.
I have been driving ICE cars for most of my life, but four years ago have switched to BEVs. All I can say is I would never dream of going back, the driving in the electric vehicles (at least the ones we have) is so far superior and more enjoyable. Plus I never have to put up with the noise of a normal car anymore, nor with stinking petrol stations.
Bliss.
And the driving is absolutely amazing, not dull at all. On the track you can even go drifting if you like, plus go running rings around anything but a million euro hypercar.
*battery electric vehicles / internal combustion engine
@AustinPowers for once we are in total agreement!
Great review, great set! This is nog just a step up from the flex-Ferrari, but I giant leap forward! And true, it doesn't match match the functions of some of the classics, but this isn't a flagship set (neither priced as one), and I feel is a pretty darn good compromise between form and function.
The one issue I have with it is especially looking from the front, it looks more like a classic GT40 that the last GT, those headlight pieces are just wrong. Not accurate but still good looking (the Ferrari was neither...). Apart from that the usual stuff like rather many stickers, and why on earth did that one piece have to be green? But in the grand scheme of things, the good easily outweighs the bad. And even very decently priced, especially compared to so many overpriced Technic sets....Lego, what happened?
While it may not be a dead-ringer for the source material, IMO, the GT does a much better job than the 42138 Shelby GT500 .
As a proud owner of the 8448 Super Street Sensation, I had been begging Lego to make a Technic GT since Ford started building them back in 2006 (and subsequently getting the joy of riding in one). Unfortunately for Lego, Fix Or Repair Daily has soured me to their brand over the last few years and have been liquidating most all scale models of their products since then. Five years ago, this would have been a day-one purchase, especially with the return of the use of the pistons and cylinder block pieces.
@Wrecknbuild said:
" @AHYL88 said:
" @Jesse_S_T said:
" @AHYL88 said:
"Technic is far less popular than other themes."
I’m not sure if this is just your opinion (which is totally fair) but according to Lego’s annual reports, Technic has been a. Top 5 theme for them for more than a few years now. Your comment chain does bring up an interesting point of why they get discounted so heavily. If it is such a popular theme, but it is quick to being reduced quickly, are the margins just too good? Food for thought!"
It's more an observation than anything; I'm not sure what it's like in the US but Technic sets in the UK don't tend to do great unless they're discounted heavily, and they get brutally discounted a lot of the time. The Lamborghini Sian from 2020, it took a massive tumble after just 5 months on sale and I snapped one up for less than half the retail price (after the price increase). The same thing happened a year or two prior with the Rough Terrain Crane, which went from £230 to just £108 after only four months. The new sets, like the Bugatti Bolide already has seen a 20% discount, and the Monster Mutt Dalmatian is already part of a 2 for £20 deal, despite costing £18 to begin with!
Most of us are so aware of this with Technic over the years that we tend to wait for the inevitable heavy discount which hits these sets, which we know will happen to this Ford GT. I do accept there's caveats with this model but from looking at the pictures and videos that went up on this, it looks like it'll be awesome to build."
Generalising, I think that people who buy Technic are a bit more down to earth than people buying Castle, Disney or even Star Wars. Making them less prone to emotions, spending more than they actually want to. This is most visible imho through the prices for out-of-production sets. Technic sets rarely get really expensive. Around 300-350 euros is about the highest they go, even for very popular ones.
Something like Ninjago City goes up much higher.
Everything isn't as black and white of course, but I think there's some truth in there.
On topic, I think the car looks great. And as a lover of car design, I find most of the typical design elements are there."
I always forget to check the location a commenter is from, that is my bad! The US Lego Technic market might be totally different than the UK or the Netherlands. The only place you can find the largest of Technic sets in-store is at an official Lego store (RIP ToysRUs). Retailers like Target or Walmart rarely have Lego Technic above $100.00USD.
Buying online is a different story. Basically everything that isn’t a Lego store exclusive is available on Target.com, Walmart.com, and Amazon.com. Lego Technic above $100.00USD RARELY sees any discounts. Right now, 42143, 42130, and 42141 are all at MSRP on all websites despite all being almost a year old. Basically the US pays full price for most Lego Technic.
@Jesse_S_T said:
" @Wrecknbuild said:
" @AHYL88 said:
" @Jesse_S_T said:
" @AHYL88 said:
"Technic is far less popular than other themes."
I’m not sure if this is just your opinion (which is totally fair) but according to Lego’s annual reports, Technic has been a. Top 5 theme for them for more than a few years now. Your comment chain does bring up an interesting point of why they get discounted so heavily. If it is such a popular theme, but it is quick to being reduced quickly, are the margins just too good? Food for thought!"
It's more an observation than anything; I'm not sure what it's like in the US but Technic sets in the UK don't tend to do great unless they're discounted heavily, and they get brutally discounted a lot of the time. The Lamborghini Sian from 2020, it took a massive tumble after just 5 months on sale and I snapped one up for less than half the retail price (after the price increase). The same thing happened a year or two prior with the Rough Terrain Crane, which went from £230 to just £108 after only four months. The new sets, like the Bugatti Bolide already has seen a 20% discount, and the Monster Mutt Dalmatian is already part of a 2 for £20 deal, despite costing £18 to begin with!
Most of us are so aware of this with Technic over the years that we tend to wait for the inevitable heavy discount which hits these sets, which we know will happen to this Ford GT. I do accept there's caveats with this model but from looking at the pictures and videos that went up on this, it looks like it'll be awesome to build."
Generalising, I think that people who buy Technic are a bit more down to earth than people buying Castle, Disney or even Star Wars. Making them less prone to emotions, spending more than they actually want to. This is most visible imho through the prices for out-of-production sets. Technic sets rarely get really expensive. Around 300-350 euros is about the highest they go, even for very popular ones.
Something like Ninjago City goes up much higher.
Everything isn't as black and white of course, but I think there's some truth in there.
On topic, I think the car looks great. And as a lover of car design, I find most of the typical design elements are there."
I always forget to check the location a commenter is from, that is my bad! The US Lego Technic market might be totally different than the UK or the Netherlands. The only place you can find the largest of Technic sets in-store is at an official Lego store (RIP ToysRUs). Retailers like Target or Walmart rarely have Lego Technic above $100.00USD.
Buying online is a different story. Basically everything that isn’t a Lego store exclusive is available on Target.com, Walmart.com, and Amazon.com. Lego Technic above $100.00USD RARELY sees any discounts. Right now, 42143, 42130, and 42141 are all at MSRP on all websites despite all being almost a year old. Basically the US pays full price for most Lego Technic."
UK retailers Zavvi routinely discount Technic sets, and will often ship to the US for free. I've heard a lot of complaints about them on this site. Yet, I probably made a dozen purchases from them with better and faster shipping than even Lego.
@AustinPowers said:
" @Huw : cool to read that you're an EV driver "
Of course, this is one of the main reasons I keep my cars humble. Be wary of your mindset boys!
"If you drive an expensive car you’re probably a jerk, scientists say"
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/26/world/expensive-car-drivers-study-scli-scn-intl/index.html
See, also, the Finnish study cited therein.
@Jesse_S_T said:
" @Wrecknbuild said:
" @AHYL88 said:
" @Jesse_S_T said:
" @AHYL88 said:
"Technic is far less popular than other themes."
I’m not sure if this is just your opinion (which is totally fair) but according to Lego’s annual reports, Technic has been a. Top 5 theme for them for more than a few years now. Your comment chain does bring up an interesting point of why they get discounted so heavily. If it is such a popular theme, but it is quick to being reduced quickly, are the margins just too good? Food for thought!"
It's more an observation than anything; I'm not sure what it's like in the US but Technic sets in the UK don't tend to do great unless they're discounted heavily, and they get brutally discounted a lot of the time. The Lamborghini Sian from 2020, it took a massive tumble after just 5 months on sale and I snapped one up for less than half the retail price (after the price increase). The same thing happened a year or two prior with the Rough Terrain Crane, which went from £230 to just £108 after only four months. The new sets, like the Bugatti Bolide already has seen a 20% discount, and the Monster Mutt Dalmatian is already part of a 2 for £20 deal, despite costing £18 to begin with!
Most of us are so aware of this with Technic over the years that we tend to wait for the inevitable heavy discount which hits these sets, which we know will happen to this Ford GT. I do accept there's caveats with this model but from looking at the pictures and videos that went up on this, it looks like it'll be awesome to build."
Generalising, I think that people who buy Technic are a bit more down to earth than people buying Castle, Disney or even Star Wars. Making them less prone to emotions, spending more than they actually want to. This is most visible imho through the prices for out-of-production sets. Technic sets rarely get really expensive. Around 300-350 euros is about the highest they go, even for very popular ones.
Something like Ninjago City goes up much higher.
Everything isn't as black and white of course, but I think there's some truth in there.
On topic, I think the car looks great. And as a lover of car design, I find most of the typical design elements are there."
I always forget to check the location a commenter is from, that is my bad! The US Lego Technic market might be totally different than the UK or the Netherlands. The only place you can find the largest of Technic sets in-store is at an official Lego store (RIP ToysRUs). Retailers like Target or Walmart rarely have Lego Technic above $100.00USD.
Buying online is a different story. Basically everything that isn’t a Lego store exclusive is available on Target.com, Walmart.com, and Amazon.com. Lego Technic above $100.00USD RARELY sees any discounts. Right now, 42143, 42130, and 42141 are all at MSRP on all websites despite all being almost a year old. Basically the US pays full price for most Lego Technic."
I pressed 'like' to signify: 'I agree with this', Technic hardly ever on sale in Canada and if so, not a massive rebate 5%-10%. But in effect I don't like this state of affair at all.
Every times I look at the Savvi site, the deals in Canada for Lego Technic are inexistent (well pretty much for any line really - Savvi is no good for Canadians).
One of the best technic sets in a long time. And yes, even the price is not too bad.
@Huw, fancy car!
Lego did an admirable job with this one. It looks solid and as I understand from the review it is. And it's loaded to the brim with functions. If I had space, it would be a fine addition to my collection.
Man, this thing stands as high as a bus. At least the price is kinda alright.
@Jesse_S_T: thanks for the interesting insight. That's really sad to hear, since on this side of the pond Technic sets are widely available and at massive discounts no less. I have never paid anything close to RRP for a Technic set. I think the worst deal must have been around 25% off.
This just my be my first Technic set since 8842. Lego has come a long way...
Is this piece back?
https://brickset.com/parts/6059015/cross-block-3m
Great to see photos of the partial builds. For half the number of pieces of the supercars Lego have done a great job with the body styling. The lower price also allows a wider audience to include birthday presents for teenagers etc. Only item that you miss from the supercars is the chunky 6 speed sequential gear box, which makes you wonder if they could have squeezed in a simpler updated 3 speed box from say 8860 .
I wouldn't call over £100 affordable, but in terms of the theme, it is cheaper than usual.
@AustinPowers said:
" @Jesse_S_T: thanks for the interesting insight. That's really sad to hear, since on this side of the pond Technic sets are widely available and at massive discounts no less. I have never paid anything close to RRP for a Technic set. I think the worst deal must have been around 25% off. "
Yea the lack of discounts is frustrating, but I am grateful the pricing isn’t as outrageous as it is in say Australia. The lack of discounts is pretty much true of most Lego over $100.00USD. Walmart typical has 20% off at most to compete, but aside from the occasional sales, most folks pay near full price.
Amazon.com does host a lot of deeper discounts but it’s also too easy to buy from the marketplace which is not trustworthy. Too many times I had to explain to friends not to use Amazon for Lego unless you can confirm you’re buying directly from Amazon. Even then it’s a crapshoot because of their lax return policy that ends up filling their inventory with counterfeit or opened Lego being sold new.
(smiles awkwardly in 2009 Toyota Camry)
My first thought seeing this was 'jeez, another one. A supercar AGAIN?'
After reading the review I appreciate it a bit more. But man, these kinds of sets used to be all about pushing the envelope and came out once in many years. Now they're kind of blending together for me, someone who doesn't know all that much about the cars they're based on.
When will we have a new technic T-rex? Or claw rig? Construction equipment? Giant technic animal robots with physics based play functions? Technic competition-esque sets? The theme can do so much more than just your standard cars, trucks and the occasional plane or helicopter.
But as an individual set it's pretty swell.
Thanks for the review. I told myself I wasn't going to get another large Technic car unless it genuinely did something new, which this doesn't. However, it does look good both by itself and as a parts pack, and the price is pretty good. Once the inevitable discounts roll around I may find myself buying it after all!
I'd agree with other commenters in that it doesn't look that much like the source material, but given the limitations of the medium I think they've done pretty well. I'm much more interested in functions than aesthetics in Technic sets anyway!
"That compares poorly with my 544bhp electric BMW i4 M50 which achieves that same acceleration in 3.3 seconds, but costs less than a sixth of the American supercar and I suspect is far more technologically advanced and comfortable to drive."
Undoubtedly more comfortable, but nowhere near as much fun!
The LEGO model looks great. While a similarly-sized System version would undoubtedly capture more of the design details, it's pretty impressive for a Technic rendition.
@theJANG said:
"The problem I have with this set is that it doesn't look like the source material to me. At first glance, without context, I struggle to figure out what car it's supposed to represent, other than in the area of the side windows or directly from behind. The box art and your last shot, for example, show a c-pillar shoulder that looks much too boxy & vertical, a suggestion of a windscreen that's too short, and a nose that droops too far with none of the signature sharpness. I recognize this is LEGO, and Technic no less, thus perfect reproduction is a fool's errand. However, as someone with a car-loving bias, I need to see the most key visual features to mentally accept it as a good attempt.
..."
I kind of agree. This model has captured some really nice shapes from the real car, but it also misses a few key ones, so it looks kind of good but also weird. The problems are very noticeable in side view. The main problem is basically the rake of the car. The real one, apart from the rear end, has many teardrop lines that taper DOWN towards the rear, while the entire model is made wedge-shaped and therefor sloping UP towards the rear. The roof line, the side windows, and the rearwards extension of the top of the front fenders should all slope in the opposite direction. Also, notice how much of the headlights that are visible from the side on the model, compared to the more forward-facing ones on the real car. Finally, the wheel arches are too big, leaving to much gap around the tires. This all makes the model look very clumsy and bubbly compared to the sharp and pointy style of the real thing, I think. I want to like it, but I just don't. I mean, it looks good, it just doesn't look enough like the thing it's trying to be.
On the note of your Beamer being faster the GT, although in a straight line the GT would likely loose, take the two to any racetrack in the world and the Beamer is getting creamed. The Ford was hyper engineered for cornering, BMW doesn't even have any road legal car in their history that could beat the GT round a circuit.
I bought this set and I think it is spot on with the lines of the original. I have no issue seeing the beautiful tapering of the central body above the linear base of the frame. I loved every feature including the spoiler. I did have issue with the order of the steps because at times the steps want people to put tiny parts in cramped spaces when it could have been done differently with less big fingers in cramped spaces situations. I can easily tell this is a GT from any other car.
I do love the color and the only thing that would have made the set a tiny bit better was to have alternate parts for the white parts so the car would have a solid color look as well. It wouldn't have added many parts to do so.
It's £95 at CostCo.
“The problem I have with this set is that it doesn’t look like the source material to me.”
I agree, it doesn’t look anything like the new GT.
“The 2022 Ford GT costs around $500,000. It has a fossil-fuel burning twin-turbocharged 3.5 litre V-6 engine which generates around 650bhp to propel the vehicle from 0 to 60mph in 3 seconds. That compares poorly with my 544bhp electric BMW i4 M50 which achieves that same acceleration in 3.3 seconds, but costs less than a sixth of the American supercar and I suspect is far more technologically advanced and comfortable to drive.”
I mean…any car that’s produced as a daily driving city car will be more comfortable than a race car. The Ford GT was built from the ground up as competitor at Les Mans; the production car was an afterthought/requirement for Les Mans in order to enter the “GT class” race.
Cool video for anyone interested: Ford GT – Return to Les Mans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcWT3CcJ6uc
Your comparison to the i4 is unjust! ;) There are various factors you’re not taking into account when you’re simply looking at the price tag:
- Number of vehicles (177,000+ vs. 1,250)
- Development/production costs
- Materials (the Carbon Fiber heavy GT costs 15x what the aluminum/steel in the i4 costs).
- Etc.
I bet the two are technologically comparable, with the GT edging the i4 (I doubt the i4 has the ability to lift/lower itself with the turn of a nob to become more aerodynamic)
Also: when was the last time BMW won Les Mans? Let alone the prestigious GT Class at Les Mans? ;)
Only the lucky few (1,250) are able to get that $400-600k price tag, everything on the aftermarket is $1m+. My 2021 GT500 will probably be the closest thing I get to the GT, but it will beat the Beamer! :)