This 42081 set ain't your normal technic vehicle stuff, this, the Volvo Autonomous Loader Zeux, is the thing we call the Future.

Alright then put aside of the extravagantly comments lol (It might sound like I am selling hard for this one). Lets talk about the look of this vehicle. Volvo licensed technic construction vehicle is something we love about Technic series the most.

Appearance
From the well known 42030 set and 42053 set, Lego had proved themselves once again that they will never disappointed their fans when it comes to Volvo-tied construction vehicle creation. This set's visually design is amazingly well done, almost to a point I wanted to ignore all of the shortcomings when looking at this stunning piece of work.

ZEUX presents nothing more but ultimately cool and exquisite sense of futuristic, from its former glory (the 42030 bucket) and the CLAAS big sexy tires, the usual black and yellow palette, combined with a spaceship like concept loader machine is simply stunning. I give 10/10 for the looks.

Functions
Simple and easy to access functions provide decent playability, but I bet everyone would have the same thought, the ZEUX could be much better if it is motorized, well you can do it your own but from the lack of experience wise, I myself find it pretty hard to motorized this set.

Values
The price for this set has been adjusted to above average perhaps is because the tires and the 42030 big bucket that comes with it, the rest is just normal, no surprise element, but if you are looking for extra CLAAS tires and the 42070 is beyond your budget, then you can consider this Volvo set, although it comes with no new pieces, but it is still a fantastic set that you would love to have it on your display for many years to come.

Verdict
*Another finest and one of the most stunning looking Lego technic creation in modern days.
*Decent functionality and playability, easy to play with but you will grew bored quickly.
*The B model PEGAX is another good looking alternative built but less playability.
*The price tag is definitely not welcome by most people.

My rating for this babe 7/10

The Volvo ZEUX Technic set is a 'concept car' first and a Technic set second. I am not a big Technic fan and I bought this set because it looked cool and the idea - a futuristic autonomous construction vehicle - was very interesting. Since I am not a Technic expert I don't have strong opinions about the parts and mechanisms, so this will be a brief review.

Pros:

A fascinating concept, which considers agility over uneven terrain, and includes a sensor arm and a remote quadcopter. This is an exceptionally cool model when built, very large and fun to play with. It comes with detailed and clear instructions including notes on the development of potential real world vehicles and the design of the model itself. Certain parts are colour coded which makes the build much smoother for the beginning fan (but may be tiresome for experienced builders who prefer more colour coordination).

Cons:

Much more a toy than a challenging Technic set. The mechanisms are limited to steering (centre of the hinged body), lifting the bucket arm, tilting the bucket, hinging the body up or down for higher ground clearance, and moving the counterweight forwards and backwards (this is where the real vehicle would have huge batteries). There is also an arm for the 'camera' and a small quadrotor for scouting ahead, ground mapping etc. Don't get me wrong - as a beginning builder, these are interesting features and are well executed. But if you are a big fan of complex Technic equipment, you will want to try other sets in this year's range. The major movements are done using linear actuators (part number 61927c01) and it would be a big challenge to motorise the ZEUX including serious redesign of the set.

Other notes:

The quadrotor sits neatly on the top of the 'battery box' but you have to pose the sensor arm carefully so it doesn't interfere when you pretend it is launching. Both of these features are cute, in a mechanical way, and help sell the idea that this is a machine of the future. There are plenty of stickers (and a lot of Volvo logos, in case you forget who is backing this) but they were mostly easy to apply neatly. The stickers on the 'battery covers' just need some care to ensure they match each other when they are on. I did not build the alternative model, a dump truck. Instructions for that are online, not in the printed book.

Conclusion:

This set is great for someone who wants their first, large Technic set, and a play/display model of a futuristic concept.