“Forgive Me, Lego: I Really Want To Build This Mattel Audi RS2 Brick Set,” was Brian’s headline for his look at the aforementioned Mattel Brick Shop model, and while I’m not as fired up as Brian is for that particular set, I too am intrigued by Mattel’s answer to Lego’s Speed Champions line and have ogled the offerings each time I wander over to the toy sections at Target and Walmart. And by “wander” I mean “make a beeline,” because I always look at the toys.
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It’s Swag Swendsday! Each week, we kick down some sweet, sweet swag to Autopian Members, the cool-kids club for car people that you really should have joined by now. What’s the holdup? You can get in on the fun with a Cloth Tier membership for a mere seven bucks a month (or break off $50 to cover the year, and it works out to way less than five dollars a month – it’s like 14 cents a day!).
Ready to become a Member? Click here, or on the graphic above.
I was in Walmart’s toy section last Friday as my phone’s weather app showed storm icons for the weekend, and I thought it might be fun to do use the time trapped indoors to do a little shootout (or comparo, if you prefer) with Mattel and Lego’s 1/32 scale-ish cars. I plunked the Brick Shop Maserati MC20 and Speed Champions Ferrari F40 into my cart amongst my other essentials (Count Chocula, Coke Zero) and checked out with a plan in place. The rains never came, so I spent the weekend working on and riding my bicycles instead of snapping bricks together, but I have started assembling the cars and you’ll (fingers crossed) see my findings this weekend.
Since I bought the cars strictly for the content, I’m happily donating them to the Autopian swag pile for distribution to a Member – maybe you! Be sure to let me know if you’d like the models to arrive assembled, or returned to pile-of-pieces form so you can enjoy building them yourself. Thanks, Members!
… and now I gotta finish this comparo.
Top graphic images: Lego
I collect the Lego modular buildings and various vehicles; Ford Mustang, 89 Batmobile, 89 Batwing, Classic Batmobile (aka Adam West and Burt Ward), Ecto-1. Also a UCS Millenium Falcon built buy order bricks from Bricklink after the set was retired, a new UCS Millenium Falcon, and the Titanic.
I was building the MOC for Docking Bay 327 to display the Falcon. I gathered all the pieces but only got halfway done and the pieces stopped going together. I was building the cheaper 7,000 piece version and the backside left bricks out since they wouldn’t be visible from the front. I planned to go back at some point and fill in the gaps to see if it resolved my assembly issue but that was 8 years ago. This is my someday car project that sits unfinished, mocking me daily with it’s incompleteness.
I have the Audi Quattro Rally Lego car, which is supposed to be 1/24th scale displayed next to my Papercraft model of the same car, and they are the same size
I keep looking at Lego cars and trying to decide which one I need most. It turns out a free one would make that decision for me. If I don’t win, I guess I’ll have to finally just buy one…the hot wheels series looks really good.
“You guys like Legos?”
No. Because there is no such thing. It’s always ‘Lego’. The pieces are ‘Lego bricks’.
1000x this
technically correct.
I hear that is the best kind of correct.
Technically, spiritually and canonically.
It’s almost like saying “I’m going to go see The Metallicas perform tonight.”
I mean, I only just built a Game Boy a couple days ago. I do like my clicky bricks.
Other things off the top of my head: McLaren and Mercedes F1 cars – pre F1 deal ones – a 911, the Charger/Challenger set, a CADA AE86, the Holy Trinity of Hybrid Hypercars, Benny’s “SPACESHIP!” and a Fox. A Red Fox. Cute thing.
I really like the bigger 911 and Bond DB5 models. They look even better with their smaller Lego version and Hot Wheels version next to them.
That Game Boy set looks sweet. I feel like they missed a great opportunity to make it fully functional.
Game Boy modders are already on it, believe it or not.
I still have multiple large storage bins of LEGO at my parents’ home two continents away, that I still need to find a way to get shipped over here. I have the F40 here, but I’m rather curious about Mattel’s effort and how far it’ll go. Disassembled, please.
I’d take one. In any condition, they’re fun either way
I love Lego! Looking at my Lego Porsche 911 across the room from me now
My Miata has a custom Lego head shift knob. I chose the classic yellow with the original smile. A guy in England made it and shipped it over just before customs went crazy. I am toying with the idea of building a diorama for the double din area out of legos since there is no stereo in that space at the moment. With the turbo and 2.5 swap, you wouldn’t hear the music anyway. I thought the Star Wars trash compactor kit would fit but am too cheap to spend the money.
Who would want an assembled set? Maybe the same kind of people who pays someone else to get acheievements/trophies in video games, or have a big constraint of time that can’t really dodge.
Don’t think it will be the case here for most of us, who even without time, would ask for the blocks, who would sit gathering dust unfinished for a while.
Like most of project cars.
My unbuilt Lego pile is out of control and I still want the Speed Champions F40 and the F&F Honda S2000.
Unbuilt Lego pile? You really are sick. Or actually have self-control. Both?
I literally have no more shelf space. I’ve had Concorde unbuilt for over a year because I have nowhere to put it.
Lego is what got me into engineering and manages to be the most expensive hobby I have, even over my car. I tend to build minifigure scale versions of my mechs from Armored Core or WWII-era tanks, like my A34 Comet. Sadly you can only do bestsellers from pick a brick in the US and Canada right now (thanks tariffs!) so it’s a lot less fun to try and do MOCs. One of my larger ones has been sitting for a couple months because I can’t get the parts to finish it short of wandering into the secondhand market, which I’d rather avoid.
Really looking forward to putting together the Enterprise with my better half. She loves Star Trek.
Check out Bricklink. That’s where I gathered my pieces for Docking Bay 327 MOC and a UCS Millenium Falcon with a few substitutions for the unique pieces (Plain grey dish for 50 cents vs printed dish for $150) and black pirate rigging vs the medium stone grey rigging in the Falcon set.
I love building LEGO I mostly go for the knight/castle ones and the LOTR sets. I want to get back into star wars sets since those are the ones I had as a kid but haven’t gotten into them yet.
Getting going with Star Wars sets will escalate quickly. I stick with original trilogy sets, but I’ve included a few Andor/Rogue One sets.
The new Death Star set…yikes
Yeah the star wars tax is just ridiculous at this point. That death star set is so stupidly priced and doesn’t even look at that good it isn’t even a sphere and it is 1k? Yeah no thanks. Also sucks Lego has gone hardcore with the fomo nowadays. For “retired” sets I normally just get knock off Fego (fake lego hah) because I am not paying some one on eBay/bricklink 700+ for a set that cost 100 bucks when new not that long ago.
Oddly enough, based on piececount and minifigs, that set is one of the better values among all LEGO products. It’s definitely a more functional display piece than the spheres, so it’s not all bad. The pricetag, they clearly didn’t want to have a 4-figure price, at least there was a ceiling there.
I do appreciate the their different take on Death Star from the previous 3 others…I’m 3/4 through building the new set and, I have to say (as a lifelong fan of Lego), there are LOTS of interesting build techniques with the new DS – and (despite feedback on the minifigs being “cheapened”) the diorama path they took is actually a bit refreshing – to I_drive’s point – not only does it make a more functional display piece…my 9/12 year old nephews can’t wait to “play” with the set – so it does have a good balance between display and play (IMHO). And I agree…the price is a little steep on the surface…but it’s all about use case and value for money…no fomo here…Just love building Lego and appreciate the art behind the business.
Unassembled please. But I already have the F40, so send the Maserati.
Yes, I do like Lego!
In fact, one of my top two hobbies is designing custom Lego Technic model cars, with all the gearbox, suspension, and motor goodness I can pack into them!
It’s pretty cool what you can do with the system, and an awful lot cheaper than maintaining a fleet of real project cars
They look like crap. Go down to Hobby Lobby and get yourself an AMT or Monogram kit. It will be as much fun to build and the finished result will look like an actual car. You even get to choose your own colors!
But can you reassemble them into a spaceship?
I’ll avoid Hobby Lobby at all costs. They are the opposite of a reputable company.
Assembly is such fun, not sure about disassembly but you could write an article about it before you send it out!
Damn. Now I need to look and see what other kits LEGO has.
…and this is how it begins.
Truth!
I’m in so much trouble.
Love them! I have both large-scale Land Rovers, the G-Wagen, Concorde, Saturn V, and sundry other kits. I’d have more if they weren’t so damned expen$ive. I haven’t built the Saturn V yet, nowhere to put it currently.
And speaking of swag – one of our vendors was giving out custom LEGO kits to build a couple of datacenter computer racks at an event last summer. I grabbed enough to have a nice little datacenter on a shelf in my office, complete with geeky minifigs. 🙂
The Saturn V kit is one of my favorite builds of all time. Great set, you have a lot to look forward to!
Something to point out is that it is displayable in multiple stages, so you can break it up to find the room to display.
I plan to get the horizontal stand for it. But even then, currently no place to put it, it’s just too big. When the new house is done, that will be fixed. Planning on a LEGO display cabinet with room for all sorts of things.
Why yes, I am a giant, single, dork!
I’m a giant married dork, unfortunately with inadequate completed Lego storage areas.
That does mean I get to rebuild kits, though.
Hopefully your partner is understanding and supportive of your dorkiness. 🙂
I kind of want to get some LEGO just to have to play with, but taking apart the sets I have when they were SO much work to put together isn’t that appealing.
Oh, she is. The Lego room is shared with her watercolor stuff and our board games and jigsaw puzzles. Some of the Lego sets were for her…flowers, A-frame cabin, Winnie the Pooh tree, etc. She’s not a fan of the big Technic sets but likes my other sets, including the cars. I’m building her a little non-Lego brick loon right now.
Have you looked into the construction Technic sets? Many have motors and pneumatics and the like. You can really geek out on that stuff.
Wishing that you’ll find a partner who will put up with, or even partake in, your own dorkiness!
You found a keeper!
Oh yes, I have mostly Technic sets. Both Land Rovers, the G-wagen, and a bunch of construction equipment. As a kid I had the first and second generation giant auto chassis. Those were really good Christmases.
Someday, LOL.
It includes a simple stand set up. Horizontal display is the factory look
I want the fancier aftermarket one. I don’t have room for it laying down either currently. So in it’s box it sits. Same for Concorde.
Oooh, those would make nice gifts for my two grandsons. Unassembled, puhleese.
No, we like Lego
It’s Lego, not Legos.
Like sheep or moose, you don’t put “s” on the end. It Lego, singular. I’m shocked that this passed editorial.
But yes I still want the Lego prize.
Ak-chually… it’s LEGO.
Not only is it Lego, it’s LEGO … if you care about following a corporation’s rules, which I do NOT [drops mic made of Legos]
legos?
It’s not about following a corporation’s rules. It’s about getting the name of their product right.
By your logic, we can call Fords Frods, because who cares about their rules?
Everybody loves LEGO except those that step on one in the middle of the night.
I don’t get it – why is Mercedes wearing a Ferrari shirt now?
Yeah, I thought she was Smart.
My COTD vote!
That F40 was my father’s day gift this year. My son likes to pull the parts for me to assemble. It looks great, but it’s fragile. I have it on display.
I can’t attest to their fragility, but I’d bet that 99% of the world’s F40s are on display.
I know that Nick Mason still gets his F40 MoT’d every year so it’s still road legal. Apparently part of the MoT test procedure for an F40 involves a quick hoon around the back roads. Or so my MoT-inspector family member tells me anyway.
(He’s based in an area with a lot of rich people, so does quite a few MoTs on very expensive cars)
Oh man… I don’t have either of those yet. Would definitely want them to come unassembled — LEGO building is one of the last healthy dopamine sources at my disposal these days.
Seconded. We started building Legos as a family during Covid. The Vespa scooter was particularly fun, and the Routemaster double decker bus has gum under the seat!
LEGO has been great at adding Easter eggs to the builds, especially larger ones.