technic

42158 NASA Mars Rover Perserverance Revealed

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June is just a week away, and we are still seeing new releases being announced. Today, its 42158 – Perserverance, the Mars Rover still wandering around up there on the surface of the red planet, gathering information about the planet, analysing soil and rock samples, while looking for signs that the planet might be able to support life.

When I was a kid, the Viking Probes hit the surface of Mars. Somewhat remarkably, it would turn out, given the technology available at the time. We got some black and white pictures, which were colourised for the cover of National Geographic. the first images ever, taken from the surface of an alien world.

And now NASA are back. At first, there was Curiosity, but now we have Perserverance – roaming the surface for a couple of years, going at its own pace. Today, the LEGO Group have unveiled a Technic set, full of functions, for release on the 1st of June. With 1132 pieces, it will have a retail price of £84.99 / €94.99 / $USD99.99 / 899.0 CNY /1999.9 TRY / 39990.0 HUF / 129.99 CAD/159.99 AUD.

Measuring 32cm long, 23 cm wide, and another 23 cm high, the set is full of functions, allowing kids to come to terms with some of the engineering principles in play with suspension, gear boxes, steering and more.

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It’s Time for a New Technic Supercar: 42143 LEGO® Technic™ Ferrari Daytona SP3 Revealed

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If it’s late May in an even year, it must be time to reveal a new Technic Supercar, and this year the Prancing Horse has its turn as the LEGO Technic team unveils the Ferrari Daytona SP3. The ‘Real Life’ Daytona SP3 is a limited edition vehicle unveiled in 2021: Only 599 will be built, retailing for $2.29 million apiece.

The set will be released on 1st June and has 3778 pieces. It will retail for €/$ 399.99, £349.99, 659.99 AUD, 499.99 CAD

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It’s Time To Get Things Moving With These New Releases From No Starch Press

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Now that the world is opening up, and live fan events are starting to sporadically appear around the world, we are starting to turn our attention to building models for exhibition. There is no doubt that a little bit of movement can help add life to a model – whether it’s an automatic door, a radar dish, or a slowly rotating turntable. These are not so challenging if you have grown up with a bit of basic mechanical knowledge. However, sometimes the right way to achieve such mechanisms using LEGO Bricks can be just a little bit obscure.

But help is readily available, if you know where to look.

I was recently sent pre release samples from the latest books from Yoshihito Isogawa, and I realise that they are now available from the No Starch Press website. Isogawa has been producing simple to read Ideas books for LEGO Technic for a number of years, and these books build on the previous ones, with emphasis in new areas. His latests Books, LEGO Technic Non-Electric Models: Simple Machines and LEGO Technic Non-Electric Models: Clever Contraptions build on his previous books, looking at Technic Ideas, as well as Power function and Boost Ideas (all available from No Starch).

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What if they introduced a new Technic pin, and nobody noticed?

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While putting together the Colosseum, reader JdV noticed that the black Technic pins joining together parts of the base were not the same as the Black Technic friction pins that he had come to know and love over the past 30 or so years. He then asked me what I knew about it?

Nothing. so I took a closer look at the element, and saw that it had some definite differences in design.

But is it significantly different? Is it functionally different? And can we fathom why it has been introduced? I dove headfirst into the Brickset database, pulled out my trusty Macro Lens and Digital Micrometer, and set about my investigations…

I went back to where the initial query began building the Colosseum:

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LEGO Officially Announces Technic Lamborghini Sián

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Earlier this year, the LEGO Group announced a forthcoming partnership between LEGO® Technic and Italian super sports cars car manufacturer, Automobili Lamborghini. Today, we see the official unveiling of the of the LEGO Technic set 42115 Lamborghini Sián FKP 37. With 3696 elements, the set will be available on June the 1st 2020 from LEGO Branded Retail channels: online LEGO Store, Bricks and Mortar LEGO store/LEGO Certified stores, where open; LEGOLAND Parks and discovery centre shops. $569.99AUD – €/$ 379.99, £349.99

Following on in the tradition of the Porsche GT3 and the Bugatti Chiron, This 1:8 scaled model set is aimed at adult LEGO Builders, coming in the Black Box labelled 18+ that we have seen with some recent sets aimed at AFOLS (Haunted House, Star Wars UCS A-Wing and Helmets; Architecture White House).

The Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor show in 2019. The suffix FKP 37 refers to the late chairman of the Volkswagen Group,  Ferdinand Piëch – who was born in 1937. The vehicle is a V12 Hybrid, and production will be limited to only 63. All have been sold.

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LEGO® Technic Ducati Panigale V4 R Unveiled, for June Release

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Since Technical sets debuted in 1977, motorcycles have been a feature of the range. The level of detail comes and goes, as does the playability. The most recent ‘serious’ motorcycle set was 2017’s BMW R1200 GS Adventure, an off road bike. Since then we have seen a couple of play feature/stunt cycles. We haven’t seen a street or track bike since 2015.

The release of the Ducati is the first track bike released for some years, and represents the new Ducati Panigale V4 R

  • $59,99/59.99 Euro  $USD69,99/59.99€/$AUD 89.99
  • Aged 10+
  • 646 pieces
  • Measures over 12” (32cm) long, 6” (16cm) high and 3” (8cm) wide
  • Release Date: June 1 2020
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LEGO® TECHNIC™ GOES FULL THROTTLE WITH DOM’S DODGE CHARGER SET FROM THE FAST & FURIOUS FRANCHISE [Announcment 42111]

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It was recently announced that the latest film in the Fast and the Furious Saga – F9 – has been pushed back 12 months, to April 2021. It had been previously scheduled to open in May 2020, but with cinemas around the world currently closed due to the COVID19 Pandemic, this fan favourite series was unlikely to attract the same audience as the previous instalment, which broke box-office records.

While we might have to deal with this setback, in our own ways, the LEGO Group and Universal Studios have announced imminent release of a 1077 piece, LEGO Technic 1970 Dodge Charger R/T. Priced at USD 99.99/€99.99, it will be released in late April.

Given my failure to fully understand cars, I shall let the Press release and the photos speak for themselves.

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LEGO® Announce 42109: App-Controlled Top Gear Rally Car

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A new LEGO® Technic set, based on a Top Gear Branded Rally Car was unveiled today at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

With 463 elements, including the Technic Smart Hub, as well as both L and XL Technic motors, this set is currently the cheapest way to obtain these elements from LEGO. It is priced at $USD129.99/£124.99 compared with the 4×4 X-treme Off Roader 42099 at $USD249.99/£199.99, although 42099 comes with an additional XL motor. While we don’t have other pricing currently available, I expect that an Australian price might be in the region of $AUD200-250.

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Technic Land Rover Defender Officially Announced.

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After a couple of months fighting off leaking images, the new Technic Land Rover Defender is being officially launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2019.

It has 2573 elements and will be priced at $AUD329.99 $USD199.99 GBP159.99. Available 1st October. Read the press release, and see the launch video after the break.

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A Man’s Got to Know His Limitations: Control+ and Powered Up Apps [August 2019]

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The New Technic Smart hub became available this week, as part of 42099 X-treme 4×4 Off Roader. This article discusses what we can expect the long awaited Control+ App to do and what it won’t. I also take a look at the ever expanding range of connected apps produced by LEGO A/S today.

The first of August has past and there have been a number of new, released. If you are a Technic Fan, you are possibly curious about the new 4×4 X-treme Off Roader 42099. Certainly, it’s one I have been looking forward to seeing.

I had an opportunity to see this new model, as well as the new Control+ App demonstrated by members of the design team while in Billund, at the Recognised Fan Media days in May this year. Amongst other things, the set features the new Technic Smart Hub, 2 new Technic XL linear motors, and one Technic L linear motor. I am excited to get my hands on this set as soon as possible, to build the set and experience the new Control+ App. I might have to wait until the Australian online store gets more stock.

I also hope to incorporate the new Control+ Hub in a MOC later in the year.

But Not today.

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