What Will the 2H2011 8081 "Extreme Cruiser" Set Be?

[Splat]

It looks like a sticker to me. If you look closely in the corners of the top panel (near the pin holes), you can see the edge of the sticker there.

[prateek]

I like this a lot! It looks like a Land Rover or something. Lego's really going off on these road vehicles this year

[Enilder]

8297-like set but "dumbed-down" with less Technic features? Can't say that I am a fan of this. At least change the overall design :/ 8466->8297->8081

[Final Exit]

I love the looks of this, might get a couple :)

[cbt]

I like this a lot! It looks like a Land Rover or something. Lego's really going off on these road vehicles this year

I like this model a lot too, as it would match my scaled-down 8466, and because the scale match the scale of my Technic tractors perfectly

And LEGO, those #44 Connectors in the windscreen frame need to be Black - please!!!

Guess the 8081 will have a fake engine!

Looks like a piston engine to me.

Perhaps a V4 engine ?

[AndroTech]

On his BS folder, blink59, posted pictures of new 8081 Extreme cruiser.

And the picture of the B-model.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Povratnik

[hga09]

So it does have a differential and a real engine!

[grohl]

I did not expect that many B-model HOT RODS this year.

What I expected was the suspension from 8048.

Edited April 13, 2011 by grohl

[Enilder]

I did not expect that many B-model HOT RODS this year.

What I expected was the suspension from 8048.

Clearly, that's the easiest B-model that they can come up with. :( boo

[flyz]

So they make a new mold for the wheels but they wouldn't make black 44s....

They really stick out like a sore thumb, much like the ugly 8070 butt.

I am disappoint.

[garson]

On his BS folder, blink59, posted pictures of new 8081 Extreme cruiser.

And the picture of the B-model.

ah so my prediction was correct short suspension arms with that awesome 2.4 length rack very useful item, so independent and trailing rear arm suspension not bad i suppose but a v4 engine? pretty skimpy to me to bad it didnt use the new cv joints

[underredsky]

i only concern how many pieces in 8081~more or less than 8070~

[Lasse D]

8297-like set but "dumbed-down" with less Technic features? Can't say that I am a fan of this. At least change the overall design :/ 8466->8297->8081

My thoughts exactly. They didn't even bother giving it a distinctive color! This set has laziness and cost cutting written all over.

[Blakbird]

My thoughts exactly. They didn't even bother giving it a distinctive color! This set has laziness and cost cutting written all over.

This seems to be a trend with the "Limited Edition" sets. They seem to have somewhat less design rigor than the regular sets, perhaps due to their restricted market. I'm not sure I would call it laziness, rather I would say that the designer was likely given an aggressive cost target and no latitude to use parts which were not already in stock.

[yoraish]

It doesn't even have a fake motor I think

And what are those wheels? New?

Right! the wheel do look new!

[Meatman]

i only concern how many pieces in 8081~more or less than 8070~

lol. Are you joking? The 8070 has 1,281 and this new set doesn't look like it has even half of that many.

Edited April 14, 2011 by Meatman

[DLuders]

Blink59 has posted 11 BIG pictures of the 8081 Extreme Cruiser on his Brickshelf gallery. In regards to the Light Bluish Gray connectors at the top of the windshield, I would use a Sharpie pen (permanent marker) to make it BLACK....

[Brickend]

Looks more like a MOC than an official lego set, it seems to lack elegance and imagination, reminding me a bit in terms of function of the Technic Quad Bike 8262.

[davidmull]

I agree it does look like a moc,and mocs never look authentic

[Splat]

Looks more like a MOC than an official lego set, it seems to lack elegance and imagination, reminding me a bit in terms of function of the Technic Quad Bike 8262.

I don't think this is a MOC. From BrickLink, those Technic, Panel Fairing #17 Large Smooth, Side A haven't previously been available in black. Unless Blink59 painted some pieces...? Also, those wheels look new too.

[Brickend]

I don't think this is a MOC. From BrickLink, those Technic, Panel Fairing #17 Large Smooth, Side A haven't previously been available in black. Unless Blink59 painted some pieces...? Also, those wheels look new too.

We know this is not a MOC, what I am saying is that it doesn't look that official, I don't think it is one of Lego's greatest designs.

[Mortymore]

I agree that the care put in this set is not great.

More obvious to me is the fact that they didn't bother with the colour of the Axle and Pin Connector (ref. 44)

In the Supercar 8070, that uses the same parts in the same place, they made it in red. They should have made them in black for the 8081, specially because this part in black is pricey in BL, and this was a great opportunity to make them affordable.

At least this 8081 as differential 62821, and lot of more interesting panels when compared to the Quad Bike 8262, or the Buggy 8048, but the price is expected to be considerably higher (~5:3) than either of them.

I guess that being so hollow inside, makes it ideal to be filled with PF to motorize and remote control.

Cumps

[Splat]

From the photos that Blink59 provided on BrickShelf, I decided to try and reverse engineer the 8081.

I know that it isn't 100% correct, but I did the best with the photos that I had to work from and the spare parts that I had. Okay, a few things to note:

• Obviously I didn't use the same colour scheme as the official model (the black panels aren't available yet)
  
• I didn't have any spare Red Technic, Liftarms 1 x 13 Thick, so I had to use Light Bluish Grey and Black instead
  
• I think that there is supposed to be a number-plate at the back, but I couldn't see exactly where this was meant to be, so I left it out
  
• There were some parts that I couldn't see too well in Blink59's photos, so I made them up a bit. I know that there are a few errors, particularly at the front and the back
  

Please let me know if you see something that doesn't look right, or you want to see any other photos.

(Click images for larger pics)

And a photo with pimped out rims (wheels/tires from 8070 Supercar, and hub-caps from 8068 Rescue Helicopter)

More photos on BrickShelf (once moderated)

About the model itself... The back is very empty, and the chassis has a bit of flex in it, but maybe that is just the way I made it. By allowing the bonnet/hood to open, it removes a fair bit of rigidity in the frame (the 8070 Supercar felt this way too). There is quite a bit of ground clearance, but not too much travel in the suspension; about 1.5 studs in the front, and 1 stud in the back. I guess that this is probably to scale for a vehicle like this. The front suspension is quite a bit softer than the back suspension. I actually don't mind this model too much, but I'll reserve my final opinion for when I get the official model.

Mortymore, I think this set could be motorised fairly easily. A Battery Box will fit either laying down or standing up in the back, especially once you remove the hand-of-god steering. Two M-Motors would fit nicely in the space under the seats, or you could probably fit an XL-Motor in there instead of one of the M-Motors, and there is still plenty of room to squeeze in a IR Receiver somewhere. It might end up a bit back-heavy though.

Edit: I've also uploaded a short

Edited October 13, 2012 by Splat

[DLuders]

I think the TLG's TECHNIC Design Team is trying to strike a balance between COST and COMPLEXITY of their Official Sets. For those parents (and teenagers) without a lot of money to spend, the 8081 makes a nice birthday gift. For those who want to spend additional money to MOTORIZE the set, the design allows for an easy conversion. As Splat has done, the 8081 is just BEGGING to be customized or "pimped" , with fancy wheels, offroad lights on the top, different color schemes/striping, better seats, etc.

AFOLs have "pimped" the "ugly butt" of the 8070 Supercar, and they'll likely do it to the 8081 Extreme Cruiser too.

Edited April 17, 2011 by DLuders

[efferman]

the extreme cruiser is now available at the german tlg shop at home