Recommended Posts

15624317003_e8eb01e330.jpg

REVIEW - 42083 - BUGATTI CHIRON

42132776864_04bc70dae8_b.jpg

INTRODUCTION

First of all, my apologies for bringing you this review so late. There were some logistical and communication issues, which caused a delay in the delivery of the set. The set was due to arrive before the LEGO Fan Media Days, but mine arrived after the event. Throw some personal obligations in the mix and you have a belated review. Also, this review won't be as elaborate as the one I did for the Porsche GT3 RS. Sorry about that too. Nevertheless, I hope will enjoy the pics and some of my insights.

I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to join the unveiling of the Bugatti Chiron on the 1st of June (2018), which totally rocked. 

27618532827_c6f41c89ac.jpg 27618533437_d299ff62b5.jpg

For those of you who are interested, here's a link to the Bugatti page on the LEGO website and a link to the LEGO page on the Bugatti website.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

If you see this icon, you can click the image on the left or right side of the image, to cycle through alternative images.

PICTURES
Pictures can be clicked to view hi-res versions. More pictures can be found in my Flickr album.

DISCLAIMER
This set has been provided by the CEE Team of TLG. It's not my goal to promote this set. It's my goal to give you an honest opinion about it. Therefor, the opinion in this review is my own and is in no way linked to TLG.

SET INFORMATION

Number: 42083
Title: Bugatti Chiron
Theme: Technic
Released: 2018
Part Count: 3.599
Box Weight: 5,9 kg (approx)
Box Dimensions: 57 cm x 37,5 cm x 15 cm
Set Price (MSRP): £ 329.99 / $ 349.99 / € 369,99
Price per Part: £ 0.092 / $ 0.097 / € 0,103
Links: Brickset, Bricklink

THE BOX

As you have come to expect, the box is more luxurious than the regular LEGO Technic sets. The blue on blue effect of the vehicle and background is working for me.  And I like the reflection underneath the car. The upper right corner of the box shows that this set is also built in a 1:8 scale, like the Porsche.

Some people state that the box is a waste of money and they prefer a regular box. Since this will probably only slice a couple of euros of the price, I prefer having a luxurious box for the "UCS" models. Since you are paying top dollar already, you might as well get a nice box with your model. I throw away every other Technic box, but I wouldn't think of throwing this one away.

42595867061_f2ba233e35_b.jpg

The back of the box shows some key elements of the car. And it shows the sexy behind of the car. More praise for that later.

28721706498_34fe171cc6_b.jpg

Nope, these are not my left-over parts from the build. This the content of a bag I received at the unveiling event. The USB sticks contain media kit for both Bugatti and LEGO (click here to download the LEGO Media Kit and Bugatti Media Kit). And when I run a flat, I can at least change it :wink:

40788990940_752b13a500_b.jpg

CONTENTS OF THE BOX

The side of the box shows the profile view of the car. Click on the images to show the inside of the box. There are six boxes, one for each step of the build.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

The box contains two books, instead of one. And since the Bugatti is built in two parts (before the marriage) this allows you to start the build together with someone else.

28721705788_9b8dc831a8_b.jpg

The second book.

40788992590_681bae4cfc_b.jpg

And the sticker sheet. I would be nice to get a second sticker sheet with a set like this.

40788992930_dab3e892a4_b.jpg

My Flickr album has pictures of the numbered bags, used in the different stages.

HIGHLIGHTED PARTS

I skipped this section in my Porsche review, but I agree it's worth having the Highlighted Parts section. 

RIMS
Let's start with the most unique and prominent part of them all...the rims. Specially designed for the Chiron. And man, this design is magnificent. Absolutely spot on. Since they are dark blue it might be difficult to use them in MOCs, but given the number of dark blue panels in this set, we will most likely see more dark blue MOCs in the future.

42132779054_3796a66011_b.jpg

A thing worth noting is that the pins are attached to the rims. Unlike other rims, which have holes (female), these rims have pins (male). This makes them harder to use with some of the previously used setups. On the other hand, this set comes with very cool brake discs and calipers, which can be used in MOCs as well.

42132778994_ce55ef6326_n.jpg

As you can see in the image below, all of the common rims come with holes, instead of pins.

26771987423_4675308336_c.jpg

BLUE PANELS
At first, I wasn't happy with the idea of this set being blue on blue, but then I found out TLG used my two favorite shades of blue. It's a public secret I am a big fan of dark azure and that's no different for dark blue, used in the 41999 - 4x4 Crawler Exclusive Edition and later in the 42064 - Ocean Explorer.

42132779854_cdd36a2625_n.jpg 42132779414_8cfc22398c_n.jpg

I have compiled a list of modern panels in dark azure and dark blue. I think this list is complete, but feel free to check for accuracy :wink:

DARK AZURE

2 x Panel Car Mudguard Arched 15 x 2 x 5
2 x Panel Curved 11 x 3 with 2 Pin Holes through Panel Surface (new in Bugatti)
0 x Panel Curved 11 x 3 with 10 Pin Holes through Panel Surface
0 x Panel Curved 3 x 6 x 3 (non-existent)
0 x Panel Curved 3 x 13
2 x Panel Fairing # 1 Small Smooth Short, Side A
2 x Panel Fairing # 2 Small Smooth Short, Side B
0 x Panel Fairing # 3 Small Smooth Long, Side A
0 x Panel Fairing # 4 Small Smooth Long, Side B
2 x Panel Fairing # 5 Long Smooth, Side A
2 x Panel Fairing # 6 Long Smooth, Side B
2 x Panel Fairing #13 Large Short Smooth, Side A
2 x Panel Fairing #14 Large Short Smooth, Side B
1 x Panel Fairing #17 Large Smooth, Side A (new in Bugatti)
1 x Panel Fairing #18 Large Smooth, Side B (new in Bugatti)
1 x Panel Fairing #21 Very Small Smooth, Side B (new in Bugatti)
1 x Panel Fairing #22 Very Small Smooth, Side A (new in Bugatti)
0 x Panel Plate 3 x 11 x 1
0 x Panel Plate 5 x 11 x 1

DARK BLUE

2 x Panel Car Mudguard Arched 15 x 2 x 5 (new in Bugatti)
0 x Panel Curved 11 x 3 with 2 Pin Holes through Panel Surface (non-existent)
0 x Panel Curved 11 x 3 with 10 Pin Holes through Panel Surface
2 x Panel Curved 3 x 6 x 3
6 x Panel Curved 3 x 13
1 x Panel Fairing # 1 Small Smooth Short, Side A
1 x Panel Fairing # 2 Small Smooth Short, Side B
0 x Panel Fairing # 3 Small Smooth Long, Side A (non-existent)
0 x Panel Fairing # 4 Small Smooth Long, Side B (non-existent)
2 x Panel Fairing # 5 Long Smooth, Side A
2 x Panel Fairing # 6 Long Smooth, Side B
2 x Panel Fairing #13 Large Short Smooth, Side A (new in Bugatti)
2 x Panel Fairing #14 Large Short Smooth, Side B (new in Bugatti)
1 x Panel Fairing #17 Large Smooth, Side A (new in Bugatti)
1 x Panel Fairing #18 Large Smooth, Side B (new in Bugatti)
6 x Panel Fairing #21 Very Small Smooth, Side B
6 x Panel Fairing #22 Very Small Smooth, Side A
4 x Panel Plate 3 x 11 x 1
0 x Panel Plate 5 x 11 x 1 (still unique to 41999)

There are lots of new dark azure and dark blue parts in this sets, like liftarms and soft hoses. For a full list, I recommend checking the Bricklink Inventory or looking at the inventory pics in the next section.

DISC BRAKES
On Bricklink these are called Steering Wheel Hubs 3 Pin Holes Round, but I will simply call them disc brakes. I love how these turned out. 

28721704428_6d589f3b7b_n.jpg 28721705308_a3cfa6ca83_n.jpg

1L PIN CONNECTOR
Both were already available in these colors in 2017, but it's worth noting that this part is getting more and more common in different colors. I do like this part a lot. 

28721704868_0d6d82e8d6_n.jpg 42850583951_8ec77906f7_n.jpg

CONNECTORS
New in the regular blue color. Makes you wonder why TLG introduced the connector with hole in blue, since neither of the three sets which have them in blue are depending on this color. TLG tends to use new colors in multiple sets, but we might see the real reason for producing it in one of the future sets. The same goes for the perpendicular split connector btw.

40788991140_ff50b75799_n.jpg 28721704188_5cb5ffe370_n.jpg

ROTARY CHANGEOVER CATCH
This cool new part is specifically designed for the gearbox on the Chiron. It can engage gears by using a rotary movement, instead of sideways/lateral motion. I'm sure we will see cool new applications for this part in future sets. I heard something about it being used in one of the 2H sets already.

42132778164_d80bc6876c_n.jpg 42850590381_023160d02a_n.jpg

DRIVING RING EXTENSION
This new driving ring extension has 8 teeth inside, which results in less slack.

42132781044_b9620f5902_n.jpg 42850585041_3624c0614e_n.jpg

20T DOUBLE BEVEL GEAR WITH CLUTCH
This gear is basicallyh the same as the regular 20T bevel gear, but it has a pin hole, instead of axle hole. And it has clutches on both sides.

40788991500_81e8c1751c_n.jpg

3L AXLE PIN
Most likely, following the "we need more colors" pattern we have seen lately, this part is introduced in red this year. We used to have dark bluish grey for this part, but now we have red too. I wonder if dark bluish grey will be phased out.

 42850590421_6a8fee73d4_n.jpg

5 x 7 FRAME
If you need 5 x 7 frames in black, this is the set for you. Besides buying them separately, this is your best choice to get lots (16) of 'em.

28721705158_6027c20fa9_n.jpg

PART LIST

42513229734_c4dd363076.jpg 42327398335_e80e554c2c.jpg

28362564967_0d01e273ae.jpg 28362565847_e788e3c40a.jpg

THE BUILD

42513229404_2d3b937238_b.jpg

It looks like the build starts with a Monocoque, but that's not the case. This simply is the rear of the chassis.

42850590261_100c465428_b.jpg

Lots has been written and said about the suspension in the Chiron. In the following video you can see that even without the springs attached, the liftarms don't move easily. However, with the springs attached, the suspension looks strong enough for the weight of the car. Later we will verify if that is indeed the case.

 

The wheel hubs are connected to the new Steering Wheel Hub (a.k.a. disc brakes). I'm sure we will see these discs in future sets, as brakes or maybe as something totally different.

42132780934_2283e3bbbf_b.jpg

Here's the front view of the rear suspension.

42132780874_51ab293717_b.jpg

The bottom view shows the new 20T bevel gear with clutch connected to the differential. 

42132778094_0c7e67172b_b.jpg

No, this is not the marriage. And I don't think you can call it an engagement either. The first kiss, maybe. Part of the chassis is connected to the rear suspension.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

The gearbox uses a new type of axle connector, already used in some earlier sets. Where the white connector has lots of friction, the driving ring can move freely over the grey connector. 

42850589911_78d5405fb3_b.jpg

The video below demonstrates the two axle connectors.

 

And after the first kiss comes....okay, I won't go any further with this analogy. Anyway, the gearbox is connected to the rear of the chassis.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

Again from a different angle.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

W16 ENGINE
Here's the top and bottom view of the W16 engine. The engine doesn't use a single crankshaft, but a construction with three axles and three 24T gears. Admittedly, I would have loved to see a custom built engine with other parts than the standard pistons and cylinders, like the MACK truck. However, I don't think this is a bad solution. The engine operates smoothly and it's fun the see all the pistons moving. It does feel like a beast of an engine.

42132780364_5a3c40e201.jpg 42850589341_45c934b836.jpg

Let's mount the engine by attaching it to the chassis.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

Again from a different angle.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

FRONT CHASSIS

28362565747_0ecbb129a9_b.jpg

The rear of the chassis is finished, gearbox is in place and the motor has been built. It's time to move on to the front of the car.

42132780234_8061a24b6a_b.jpg

The front suspension also uses two springs on each side.

42850588981_91f373ba13_b.jpg

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

Again from a different angle.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

This is what the front chassis looks like when the front suspension has been attached.

42132780094_55b293d330_b.jpg

There is a single clutch gear in this model. It's in the center of the vehicle, near the mechanism for the gear shifter (Forward/Reverse). Since the Chiron doesn't have a center diff, this model doesn't have one either. In the real car, there's full control over the power sent to the front and rear axle. This is done electronically. Obviously, the LEGO model doesn't have this kind of advanced mechanisms. Therefore, a clutch gear is used to avoid straing on the drivetrain. One thing I noticed is that the clutch gear is not attached with a 5L axle with stop, but with a regular 5L axle. I wonder why?!

42850584481_503033da3f_b.jpg

Next is the mechanism for the flappy paddles. It's a rather odd but ingenious system.

42850588851_9b50199301_b.jpg

This pictures clearly shows the white 1L connectors, which makes this mechanism possible.

42132779984_5d60fcc077_b.jpg

The video below demonstrates the gear shifter. It's not so stable yet, because it's not enforced by the chassis.

 

The paddles in the Porsche were attached to the steering wheel. However, the elastic bands were placed in a position where they limited the operability of the paddles. The Chiron uses a different mechanism, where the paddles are positioned in front of the driver's seat, under the steering wheel.

42132777724_71791e8ca5_b.jpg

The front of the chassis right before the marriage. You can already see some of the tan interior and the dark blue exterior.

42850588701_5cfd5b21c7_b.jpg

Here's a video demonstrating the gear shifter and steering.

 

THE MARRIAGE

It's time for the marriage of the rear and front of the chassis.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

This is the result of the marriage. It's actually starting to look like a proper supercar. At this point I tested the gear shifting sequence. Rumor has it that there once was a supercar with incorrect gear shifting sequence, so I was pleased that I could clearly see (and feel) that the sequence was correct :wink:

This car has a proper 8 + R gearbox, which means that it has 8 forward gears and just a single reverse. Some of us expected the have 8 reverse gears as well, but TLG did a proper job getting the gearbox right. One minor gripe is that the real Chiron only has 7 forward gears, but that's something I can live with.

42850588621_2320750909_b.jpg

42513229224_e459cbbb90_b.jpg

From this point it's mostly exterior work on the body.

42132779684_c0a1080a1a_b.jpg

The spoiler neatly aligns with the rest of the bodywork. 

42132779574_ed23fddd73_b.jpg

The rear of the car is so f.... sexy. I absolutely love how this is designed. And actually, I really like the bright red, instead of a trans-clear variant. This color makes it really stand out. Allegedly, the reason for not doing it in trans-clear, is that the material of the flex axles (and panels) is not suitable for trans-clear colors. 

42132777474_64cb13c915_b.jpg

28362565597_02e30aefbf_b.jpg

The tan upholstery is partially made up of system bricks. I like the way the chairs worked out, but I probably would have added some more system bricks to avoid the gap in the seats.

41039582670_bf0ed891e7_b.jpg

Here you can clearly see the gap I am referring to.

42132779354_c6b01b2aa8_b.jpg

After the interior we continue with the duo-tone exterior. When I first heard that the car would be blue-on-blue I was a bit disappointed. I was actually hoping for black-and-blue. I figured TLG would use regular blue, but I didn't think of dark blue. Admittedly, I was immediately convinced when I saw the dark azure and dark blue combination. And let's face it, duo tone blue is a trademark of Bugatti, so it makes a lot of sense to use these colors.

42132779244_e1066a61f0_b.jpg

The doors are added to the vehicle. They do feel a bit flimsy and there's no door lock. They look nice, but using the stickers on the tiles instead of flex axles and the flimsyness leaves room for improvement. Bit of a cop out if you ask me.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

42513228914_cb1c3b2005_b.jpg

When the first picture was leaked, it only showed the front of the car. It immediately generated lots of negative comments. Since I had already seen the back (and the rest) of the car, I was convinced that it wasn't so bad as many claimed. And when I look at the picture below, I still think the front worked out nicely. What I especially like are the angles in the bodywork. We have seen some Chiron MOCs, but they are mostly square cars with flex axles. This car has lots of exotic angles, replicating its real world counterpart. I'm not saying it's perfect, but I absolutely like how it worked out. And I don't mind the gaps in the bodywork. After all, it's not a Creator Expert car, but Technic.

42132779094_3a0a93a612_b.jpg

28362565397_80e66ee073_b.jpg

And last but definitely not least....the rims! If the car isn't good looking already, these rims take the cake. Absolutely stunning!

42132779054_3796a66011_b.jpg

Of course we need some rubber to transfer the power to the road!

42132777084_06c9a302f0_b.jpg

All in all I really enjoyed the build. I liked it better than the Porsche. Partially due to non-rushed building, but also because the gearbox, engine and other key elements are more fun to build.

COMPLETED MODEL

Low and behold, a LEGO Technic Bugatti Chiron!

42132776864_04bc70dae8_b.jpg

Looking at the real car, you can see that the lighter blue resembles regular Technic blue more than dark azure. However, I am very happy that TLG still chose to go with dark azure. It results in a higher contrast between the two colors, it's better for dark azure part availability and it's just a better color blue :laugh:

42437565022_a6ce0ddb0d_b.jpg

The spoiler isn't fully extended in this picture. It's halfway between neutral (folded) and extended.

42132778824_aacc04e2de_b.jpg

On the left you can see the lead designer of the Bugatti. Oh wait, that's not entirely correct :wink: For those of you not familiar with the history of Eurobricks; this is Kim Thomsen (@KimT), former (technically he is still a member) Eurobricks member and he is member of the Community Engagement team at TLG. He is our contact for most of the activities. 

The right picture shows the actual designers, from left to right:

  • Jachin Schwalbe - Bugatti Head of Chassis and Tire Development
  • Achim Anscheidt - Bugatti Design Director
  • Aurelien Rouffiange - TLG Designer
  • Andrew Woodman - TLG Senior Design Manager

27621350207_0e80713645.jpg 42438983642_33bf186111.jpg

Here you can clearly see the different angles, which definitely must have been challenging for Aurelien. 

42850586481_eb974216a7_b.jpg

Almost as good looking as the LEGO version hehe.

41767928934_81eddc73bb_b.jpg

As I said before, the rear of the car looks absolutely stunning.

42132778634_dba3607d6d_b.jpg

I can't get enough of this view.

42850586311_f9e1fbd965_b.jpg

Usually the front of the car gives it its distinct look, and the rear...is just the rear. This car has a very distinct rear as well.

41586339805_ff3e5375ee_b.jpg

I like how the W16 worked out. The engine has been partially covered with system bricks to give it the "big engine look", but you can still see most of the cylinders, in contrast to the Porsche.

42850586101_9dfac83a4b_b.jpg

In this image you can see that the door isn't entire closed. This could have easily been avoided by adding door locks. Other than that, the car looks magnificent. 

42132778554_295490a2b4_b.jpg

Another great view of the back. Looking at this image, I start to wonder how this car will look like when the bodywork is entirely made in dark blue, and possibly losing the grey rigid hoses.

42850582841_1fa895460a_b.jpg

The profile view is also very beautiful, but two odd thing stand out. First is the flex axle and rigid hose combo comprising the front grill. I somehow feel this could have looked better using a single axle or hose. The other thing is that the flex axles continue as stickers. This just doesn't feel entirely right. Especially since we have seen some simple, but very good looking, MODs, using rigid hoses.

42850585901_43b759af29_b.jpg

Some of the negative or odd things aside, I absolutely love the looks of this car. The duo-tone blue is stunning and the rims are out of this world. If you look closely at the rims, you will notice that the tires are not mounted "correctly". The rims slightly protrude the tires. Apparently Bugatti designers found the rims to be too small when mounted correctly. This was a very simple solution to make them look a bit bigger. At first I wasn't convinced by this solution, but upon seeing the solution in real life, I was convinced that it indeed looked better. 

And look at those disc brakes ... fantastic!

42132778374_8f698bfc51_b.jpg

The real ones don't look too shabby either :wink:

41346435040_da4a720da8_b.jpg

There are a lot of odd angles, which are implemented very well. It's obviously a matter of personal taste, but I do like the looks of this car better than the Porsche's. Maybe it's the sophisticated color scheme. Combine dark azure with the classy dark blue and you have an instant winner. But of course, it's not only about colors, it's about shapes as well.

42132778444_f9a0af9e17_b.jpg

The bottom of the chassis looks really clean.

42850585601_769a2a2cce_b.jpg

The tan interior looks great, especially with the stickers on the dashboard and on the inside of the doors.

42513227534_2782877d6c_b.jpg

The Frunk (front trunk) opens to reveal the Bugatti bag.

42513228114_a7c483bbf3_b.jpg

Like the Frunk, the space in the bag will be limited too. Where we are going, we don't need trunk or bag space :wink:

28362565097_ab9bb221d5_b.jpg

These are the left-over parts after the build and the brick-built key you can use to raise the spoiler.

42513227934_e260d13627.jpg 42327398395_a15059fa2f.jpg

The real car has key which can activate ludicrous speed (Spaceballs anyone?!). Although I like the gimmick of the LEGO key, I would have rather seen a spoiler which was raised with a lever next to the seat, or a similar solution.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

Without the key inserted.

42802598742_34ab81e0c5_o.png

42083

SUMMARY

Being a model of a supecar, there's only so much functionality one can expect. However, with a hefty price tag, one can expect the functions to work properly.

STEERING
Basic functionality is steering, which doesn't work that well. The weight of the car, combined with the lack of HoG (Hand of God) steering, makes this car virtually unsteerable. When you manage to steer at a maximum angle, the turning radius is even bigger than Yo Mama.

SUSPENSION
After the gearbox issues in the Porsche two years ago, the suspension developed to be the flaw of this set. When you push the bodywork down, it doesn't come up again. This goes for the front AND the back. Maybe TLG don't see this as a flaw, but I do think this should work better. I have seen a solution where some of the friction pins were replace with frictionless pins and the suspension worked better. Maybe TLG (and Bugatti) considered the suspension to be too wobbly with frictionless pins, but this being a LEGO model, I feel the model should return to normal state after pushing the suspension down. For me, it's not a deal breaker, but I wonder how much thought went into this.

DOORS
The doors are very wobbly when opening. Besides that, there's no door locking mechanism. We have seen some pretty simple MODs, which would have solved this problem instantly. I don't get why simple details like these are so often omited in Technic models.

GEARBOX
For me, the gearbox lives up to the expectation. TLG went all out and designed some cool new elements to make sure this supercar has a properly working gearbox. Of course, there are always people who can make a better version, but after gearbox-gate two years ago, I'm very pleased with this one.

W16 ENGINE
Also, subject to many debates...the W16 engine. For the connaisseurs, this isn't really a W16 engine. It's more like a stacked V8 or a V8 with two extra 4-cylinder blocks. I would have loved for TLG to design some new engine elements as well, but I reckon they will leave that for future supercars. I can also imagine that the Bugatti is unique with a 16 cylinder engine, so designing special elements might be unneccesarily expensive. And to be honest; I do think the current setup is a proper solution for the W16. The engine works like a charm.

DRIVETRAIN
Something which does slightly bother me is the slack in the entire drivetrain. I have tested the gearbox sequence, which is flawless. But when you look at the pistons in the completed model, they sometimes only start turning after 50cm of driving. So many gears need to be engaged, that slack is building up. So, after the closed engine compartment of the Porsche, we now get a semi-open engine compartment, but the pistons aren't very responsive. 

SPOILER
Raising the spoiler with the key is a nice gimmick, but I'd rather have a lever in the interior. Or maybe, have it linked to a fake brake pedal. Or, as a middle ground, be able to insert the key somewhere else in the chassis/bodywork, instead of fiddling in the wheel arch.

CONCLUSION

Some people claim (or rather, shout on every social media they can find) that this model is overpriced. At a price of € 369,99 for 3.599 parts, I don't think it's overpriced. Is it cheap? Definitely not. But in terms of part count you get what you can expect of a Technic set. It's not that this set is filled with System parts, as was expected before the unveiling.

Do I think this set is worth this kind of money?! I find this question difficult to answer. It all depends on your needs, financial situation etc. If you like to buy Technic for the functions and to build other stuff with, then this set is probably not for you. But if you are into cool looking supercars, then this set is definitely worth the money. Like the Porsche, I will probably pick up an extra copy, just to have a collection of MISB supercars.

As with most things in life, it's all about expectations. When the Porsche was released, we didn't really know what to expect. Therefore, some of the AFOLs were disappointed. Admittedly, I was a bit let down too, in some aspects. Now that we know the concept behind the "UCS" Technic models, we know better what to expect. So, does this model live up to my expectations? Yes, it does! The new gearbox surpasses my expectations, while I am somewhat disappointed with some of the other features.

Overall, I do like this model better than the Porsche. The build is slightly more fun, the gearbox works better and I do love the duo-tone color scheme. Oh, and did I mention the gorgeous looking rear of the car?!

All things considered I do love this set. If you are into the Porsche, you will definitely love this set. If you think the Porsche is just an expensive display model, you can easily skip this set as well. On the other hand; this line of supercars is probably the best chance, for most of us, of getting a collection of supercars :wink:

SCORE

From now on I will omit the scoring section. Not all sets have the same criteria and not all people are looking for the same things in a set. What can be a good parts pack for one builder, can be a lousy one for the other etc. A set like this, is not built for playability, so it's useless to rate the playability. Therefore, I think it's better to have a written summary with my feelings and let you decide the score yourself.

I will end with a "which one do I like best"  list, which I will use for future reference, when reviewing supercars. This list reflects my current preference:

  1. Bugatti Chiron
  2. Porsche GT3 RS

FINAL WORDS

Thanks you for reading this review. All pictures can be found here.

Since the poll is still broken, I haven't included it, but I still like to hear what you think of this set?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I forgot to link the media kits. I will do that later.

And the videos aren't properly embedded. I will fix that right away.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow! HOw long we all were waiting for it! Afterwork will look through...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for review. Even I did my own review, I am still enjoying your "paper" reviews.

As for real bugatti blue color in LEGO House - It is was not painted like everyone thought. That real bugatti was covered by foil. Actually it was silver under foil, and since Geneva's blue-dark blue model already sold out, for these event they cheated. That was a secret, and I don't think someone noticed that...

 

p.s. I didn't have LEGO USB flash in my bag, only bugatti (with corrupted media files). :sceptic:

 

Edited by rm8

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, rm8 said:

As for real bugatti blue color in LEGO House - It is was not painted like everyone thought. That real bugatti was covered by foil. Actaully it was silver under foil, and since Geneva's blue-dark blue model already sold out, for these event they cheated. That was a secret, and I don't think someone noticed that...

Thanks for this insight. I had no clue that there were illegal building constructions in the real Bugatti :wink: 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 minutes ago, Jim said:

Thanks for this insight. I had no clue that there were illegal building constructions in the real Bugatti :wink: 

I think that was not only a clear cheat, but also they defended paint from scratching sweaty fingers of lego-freaks:laugh:

Edited by rm8

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How did you find out about this?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice @Jim, a lot of work, but you ended up with a very nice review + the reveal images. How many hours took the build itself approximately?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Jim said:

(click here to download the LEGO Media Kit and Bugatti Media Kit). 

Where? The link doesn't work.

Edited by pagicence

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, pagicence said:

Where? The link doesn't work.

 

34 minutes ago, Jim said:

I forgot to link the media kits. I will do that later.

:wink:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
12 minutes ago, Jim said:

How did you find out about this?

about sweaty scrathing fingers?:tongue:

I have a talk with Bugatti's bodyguard there, he was a Bugatti employee...

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 minutes ago, JopieK said:

Very nice @Jim, a lot of work, but you ended up with a very nice review + the reveal images. How many hours took the build itself approximately?

Thanks. Some parts are not as elaborate as I wanted, but that was to be expected. To be honest; I don't really know how long it took to build it. I'd say around 9 hours or so. Not that long.

At least I got it published before the other 4 sets arrive next week :tongue:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Jim! Your reviews are always a pleasure to read, and in this case the "not so elaborate" doesn't hurt at all to me. With all that is said already about this model, you've made a nice balance between (beautiful) pics and (not too much) text. Plus I really appreciate the occasional old-school funny comments, probably best understood by boys in their early 40's...

 

On a side note, this one is now a must-have for me. I've been on the fence for two years for the Porsche, finally got it for a nice price, so it would be odd to let this one pass...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 minutes ago, rener said:

Thanks Jim! Your reviews are always a pleasure to read, and in this case the "not so elaborate" doesn't hurt at all to me. With all that is said already about this model, you've made a nice balance between (beautiful) pics and (not too much) text. Plus I really appreciate the occasional old-school funny comments, probably best understood by boys in their early 40's...

On a side note, this one is now a must-have for me. I've been on the fence for two years for the Porsche, finally got it for a nice price, so it would be odd to let this one pass...

Thanks for the kinds words rener. I would love to go back to the old days where the review was the actual first information people got, but unfortunately, these days are over. And of course, we had some issues with the logistics. Anyway, glad you still liked the write-up. And the oldies references. Oldies for the win hehe :wink: 

It would indeed be a shame to pass one this one. Even if the sets are not perfect, and they are expensive, I think they are still very worth collecting.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@Jim, thanks for your in-depth review. I too am a @ss-man with this set. Not sure why, but after finishing the steps that completed the rear end, all I wanted to do was run my hand all over the sexy curves. 

One question for you, do you think the front of the car is wibbly wobbly compared to the rear? I felt like the rear end was built to be man handled, but the front, not so much.

Definitely agree with your pecking order, Bugatti > Porsche. 

Thanks again for all the work you do to support our hobby.

Edited by Bublehead

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
3 minutes ago, Bublehead said:

One question for you, do you think the front of the car is wibbly wobbly compared to the rear? I felt like the rear end was built to be man handled, but the front, not so much.

Well, can't disagree with you on that one. But it's kind of logical, since the front has the opening frunk and some looselyconnected subassemblies, comprising the hood etc. The back is a bunch of properly connected liftarms and panels. I don't think the front is fragile, but I definitely agree the back is solid as rock.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice review, as always, Jim.

Did you see that the translated German text on page 20 is identical to the introduction text of box 2 on page 138?

TLG is very reliable when it comes to flaws in its Technic UCS sets :snicker: 

I can‘t understand that no one at TLG recognized it. I saw it instantly when i finished box 1, yesterday.  

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This set just isn't for me. It's ages of building for a few seconds of play. But there are loads of car nuts out there who'll love it. I'll wait for 42081. :wink:

Great review! Always a pleasure to read. :thumbup:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great review @Jim as always, it's refreshing to read your thoughts in details and go through the gorgeous photos in the age of video reviews ;) I absolutely agree with the conclusion, I had a similar view at the end of the Porsche-Bugatti comparison. I think the packaging and the added extras (not sure if you listened to the podcast series, they are worth to check with a lot of background information) are all there to enrich the building experience, which seems to be the key point of this series instead of the play experience.
Small remark, I think you misspelled Kim's last name :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
7 minutes ago, kbalage said:

Small remark, I think you misspelled Kim's last name :)

Indeed I did, which is very strange, because I even looked it up in my email, to make sure I had it right :cry_sad:
Thanks for pointing it out and thanks for kind words.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great review, as ever @Jim  Would never know its a less thorough review, by your own standards.

One point that may need correction ... price per piece looks to be awry by a factor of 10?  Edit: For the £ and $ figures at least.

Edited by Boulderer

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Awesome review! I will be getting this set soon. I am especially excited for the new transmission pieces!

 

P.S. The link for the 28z Clutch gear goes to the driving ring extension BL page.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Great review, Jim. Lego did a great job on this one. As you said the rear end is epic and the colours work very well, I like the suspension set up and notice they are using the ball cup beam from 42021 instead of the usual ball cup part as used in the porsche and rally car. The gear shift is very clever and everyone seems to be ok with it so far. 

H

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.