Jim

Thanks for all the kind words. I haven't responded to each comment, but I have definitely read every word. This gives me new motivation to keep writing reviews, sponsored by TLG or sponsored by myself Maybe it's not so bad to review a set I bought myself once in a while. I mean, getting a 200/300/400 euro set for free or paying it yourself does make a difference

Yeah, they obviously do limit the number of reviewers/media. And that's a good thing. (I didn't make that quote btw)

The 42082 is a brilliant model. You can check out my review if you are interested.

@aol000xw you just put a huge smile on my face

I would need to take exact measurement, but I would estimate that a single full stud on each side would do the trick!

Yeah, you are right. I am not saying I didn't have enough time. It's just that my motivation to speed things up slipped because sets were already available via retail channels. I totally understand TLG is running a business. I mention that in most of my reviews. And please don't get me wrong; I am not "mad at TLG" and I am not complaining. I am just trying to figure out why we didn't get those sets and more importantly; I am trying to figure out if I want to keep doing reviews the way that I did.

Most definitely! And you can link like this: Make you don't exceed the maximum size of 1024 wide.

Great! I love your work on the "architecture" of the framework, using Dependency Injection etc. I will be testing it shortly.

Since I am Ambassador, I can ask TLG directly. And maybe I will do that. But the thing is; I wasn't really sure if I could motivate myself enough to do elaborate reviews with time limits again. On the other hand; reading all the comments here, already invigorates me To be honest, right now I do feel like cracking open the 4x4 Crawler and start working on a review! Thanks mate! And yes, I really hope we can go back to these days.

This started happening when TLG sent out the sets later. In the "early days" there was a clear deadline and we got the sets 3 weeks beforehand. That made it a lot easier. But @Catalinanmb definitely has a valid point that I have been late with my reviews. Although, I reckon that TLG would prefer quality over quantity. But maybe I have been too slow. Could be one of the reasons. Nowadays, even Sariel doesn't publish all the reviews before the embargo anymore. It's simply not doable if you get the sets that late. This is certainly the case. Last time I got 8 sets which I needed to review in 2 weeks. Well, we all know what happened. I started publishing pictures of vehicles with the cabin reversed, and all sorts of other stupid mistakes. In the end I felt like a reviewing zombie. If I needed to highlight a single comment, it would be THIS ONE. I think this is exactly what happened. It used to be a small-time operation, some sets go here, some sets go there. And now it's a full-blown marketing extension. But let's not forget that TLG's marketing department is probably very satisfied with all the exposure, and I am just a single reviewer in a "niche" community. I can't blame them for sending out the sets to the media with the most views.

I got the Bugatti later than everyone else. I was in Billund at the time and I got the set after my visit, while others got it before the event. I was late with the Claas! You found a valid one

Frontpage promotion was late. Not the review. And I didn’t even write that one. Blakbird did an outstanding job on the review and schematics. LoL Conchas definitely has good points! @Conchas spot on mate!

@Anio I am the Ambassador I have kindly sent Kim a PM on the LAN, saying that we still love to do reviews. I got the Land Rover. Maybe I should ask him why we were excluded from reviewing the Control+ sets. About the embargo date; I did get most of the sets before embargo date, but only a couple of days (like you). I simply cannot produce a decent review in a coupe of days. I do need two weeks, at least.

Care to give me some examples?

This is a very impressive build. Looking forward to the instructions.

I absolutely agree. I have given the reason for this limited review in this topic.

I was wondering; do I need to install a "client" on the brick? Or is it simply a matter of plugging in the Brick via USB and run the Example program? (Visual Studio is updating at the moment, so I haven't tested it)

Hi all, Since you haven't seen many Eurobricks Technic reviews lately, I felt the urge to give some insights into the reason why. The reason you haven't seen reviews for the Control+ sets is very straightforward. We have simply not been offered the opportunity to review these sets. I haven't got a clue as to why we haven't been offered these sets. Maybe it's because I do mostly written reviews and both Control+ sets are better off with videos instead of pictures. Maybe it's because I said that "only the most profitable is good enough" in one of my latest reviews (for the pullback racers). Maybe my latest reviews haven't been satisfying enough. Who knows?! The most likely reason is that our stats have been diminishing lately. While TLG always said that stats are not the most important thing when it comes to reviews, I highly doubt TLG isn't simply choosing fan media with the highest potential view count (and why wouldn't they?!). The diminishing view count is partially caused by TLG sending sets out to more fan media, so people are not waiting for a Eurobricks review anymore. Another more important reason is that when reviewers get their set, most of the time it's already available in retail stores. This isn't helping reviewers at all. I am still not sure why TLG isn't sending the sets earlier to reviewers. I know TLG wants the set to be available when the embargo lifts but sending review sets that late simply doesn't help anyone. Maybe I should add the stats of the generic discussion topic to the review stats, just to show that Eurobricks still generates a lot of interest. When I search for a Technic review on Google, most of the time, Eurobricks is at the top of the list. As much as I love writing reviews, it does feel a bit useless reviewing stuff that has been discussed for pages and pages (and on Facebook for example) already. This takes away a large part of the fun of writing a review. Back in the days, people were staying up till midnight, so they could read a review with lots of new information. If you look at the views of the 42056 - Porsche GT3 RS review, they went through the roof. Unfortunately, time has changed. So, part of me is very disappointed that we are not considered important enough anymore. Another part of me is disappointed that I didn't get the change to review a cool set like the Liebherr. On the other hand; I know how much time it takes to review a set like the Liebherr and you really need to be motivated to deliver a great review. I also like the idea of getting the Liebherr and enjoy the build without the pressure of delivering a review. LEGO is supposed to be fun after all. Therefore, I am contemplating switching to a review format where I focus on the pictures instead of providing lots of information. Or maybe I will let someone else do the official reviews and I will create a picture review when I get my hands on the set. I need to think about it. Hopefully, we will be offered new Technic reviews sets in the future.

Thanks! I will rectify it. Hehe indeed! I'm sorry to inform that this is the review. What extra information would you have liked to read? I just created a topic where I explain the reason behind this.

Thanks guys. Not as elaborate as usual, but I hope readers will enjoy the pictures.

I just posted my (mostly pictorial) review of this wonderful set.

REVIEW - 42110 - LAND ROVER DEFENDER INTRODUCTION It has been a while since I reviewed a set. Since there are already a lot of reviews, I will focus on providing clear pictures as you are used to. Lots of discussions have already been going on in the general topic. I won't be going into lots of the details, but I will give you my opinion at the end of the review. For future reviews, I will probably focus on the pictures since the write-up is always very time-consuming. I am still looking into the right balance of bringing useful information versus the time it takes to compose this information. Anyway, I'm rambling. When you look at the model, you can't help but notice it somehow feels a bit like the 42069 - Extreme Adventure. Part of the reason is that the bodywork has similarities, but another factor is that it also has the signature of Milan all over it. For years, AFOLs have been screaming for a new proper supercar. While this is not a supercar, it does seem to pack all the features requested by said AFOLs. So, let's see if this car can be considered the next 8880 - Super Car. PICTURES Pictures can be clicked to view hi-res versions. More pictures can be found in my Flickr album. DISCLAIMER The CEE Team of TLG has provided this set. It's not my goal to promote this set. It's my goal to give you an honest opinion about it. Therefore, the opinion in this review is my own and is in no way linked to TLG. SET INFORMATION Number: 42110 Title: Land Rover Defender Theme: Technic Released: 2019 Part Count: 2573 Box Weight: 3544 gram Box Dimensions: 57,5 x 47,5 x 8,5 cm Set Price (RRP): £ 159.99 / $ 199.99 / € 179,99 Price per Part: £ 0.062 / $ 0.078 / € 0.070 Links: Brickset, Bricklink THE BOX The front of the box shows the car in its natural habitat, a rugged terrain. The back shows all the features, including a cool view of the gearbox. A gearbox that TLG claims to be the most advanced gearbox to date. CONTENTS OF THE BOX The box contains: 1x Instruction manual 1x Sticker sheet 5x Tire 8x Numbered bag in inner box (1 and 4) 13x Numbered bag in outer box (2 and 3) INSTRUCTION MANUAL STICKER SHEET TIRES INNER BOX NUMBERED BAGS IN INNER BOX NUMBERED BAGS IN OUTER BOX HIGHLIGHTED PARTS This section describes unique parts, new parts and/or existing parts in new colors. RIMS This set includes five new rims, specially designed for the Land Rover. Here's a picture comparing the new rim with the standard rim found on the 42039 - 24 Hour Race Car and a lot of other sets. The new rim has pinholes placed closer to the outside of the rim, resulting in better steering geometry. FENDERS New fender parts, which we would love to see in different colors. I wouldn't mind TLG making round ones like these. SPECIAL PARTS This set contains a proper collection of dark tan parts (some of them are displayed in the picture below). For the entire list, see the Part List section. It also includes one of the 20 tooth double bevel gears found in the Bugatti. Of the new parts below, the middle one seems to be rather ordinary, right? Well, it indeed is quite ordinary, but it is quite rare in dark bluish grey. And you get 52 of them. PART LIST The complete part list. THE BUILD The build starts with the rear suspension. This looks like a front suspension setup, but it's not. Part of the gearbox is placed on top of the rear suspension. The 7L lift arm has an elastic band, pulling back the "lever mechanism". This is used to switch gears sequentially. Bottom view of the rear suspension, using two red springs. The front suspension uses one red and one grey spring, which results in slightly softer suspension. The fake six-cylinder engine sits on top of the front suspension. I have no objection to this kind of engine setup (not using the regular cylinder parts). This part of the gearbox is mounted between the front seats. The gearbox has three different "operators": The round brick operating the sequential gearbox + and - A lever to switch between D-N-R A lever to switch between HI-LO A lot of discussions have been going on about different modes for the gearbox. Possibly the HI and LO modes should be switched on the sticker, as well as the + and -. If you want to know the details, I can recommend going through this discussion topic, which has a lot of interesting takes on the matter. From a different angle. The levers mounted on the gearbox. The gearbox connected to the front suspension. The front suspension connected to the rear suspension, more or less completing the chassis. Viewed from the other side. Bottom view of the chassis. Another bottom view. Side view of the chassis. The chassis completes the technical part of the build. What remains is the interior and bodywork. The front seats are very well designed. They look like proper comfortable seats. I did mount them incorrectly the first time, which is visible in the picture below. Here you can see my mistake. The connection with the black pin underneath the chair should be connected to the bottom hole in the bent lift arm. The seats attached to the chassis. I also mounted the wheels, to test the gearbox. Part of the bodywork attached to the chassis. At this point, I still hadn't noticed misplacing the seats, but you can see they are positioned way too high. As much as I like the build, this solution bothers me. This mechanism screams for a KISS approach (keep it simple stupid). It feels way too complicated for a simple task. Additionally, the elastic band is way too loose. It can easily slip off. The seats have been lowered (i.e. placed properly) to fit the roof. Another minor gripe I have, are the stickers on the inside of the doors. They are hard to align and they only make the doors look weird when you look at them at an angle. I would have omitted them, or limited them to a single sticker per door, on the panel. Slowly, the model is turning into an actual Land Rover Defender. The front of the car can be considered a work of art The iconic front looks astonishing and it turns the model into an actual Land Rover Defender. I will now stand up and make a bow for Milan! Very well done. To complete the build, you will add a storage box and two plates to get you out of the mud. COMPLETED MODEL The completed model looks great. I love the resemblance to the actual Land Rover. This new shade of green makes the model stand out. The downside is that this shade can hardly be used for other models since there's a limited number of different parts available. On the other hand, the mudguard is the only special green part of this set, so it's not that big of a deal. The passenger side packs another storage box. Both storage boxes can be opened. The magnificent front view of the car. The car also packs a winge, which can be operated after opening the bonnet/hood. The front is more iconic than the back, but it still looks decent enough. There are foldable stairs mounted to the driver's side, to easily access the roof. One final image to show the beauty of this car! B-MODEL Like most licensed models, this set doesn't have a B-model. SUMMARY I love how the design worked out. The front of the car looks amazing. Unmistakeably Land Rover. I also love the chosen color scheme. Of course, it will be hard to use these parts in MOCs, but besides the fenders/mudguards, no unique parts have been used. If TLG releases the fenders in different colors, you can easily build this model in a different color. Using this color adds to the iconic look of the car. Not too happy with the mechanism to open the rear door with the spare wheel. I find it bulky and unnecessarily complicated. I would have loved a "less is more" approach. What I do like, are the extra details that add some playability to the model. Foldable stairs, openable storage boxes and the two plates that can save the day when you are stuck in the mud. Steering and suspension both work properly. Unlike the Bugatti, the suspension is spot on. Not too stiff, not too loose. Steering works fine too. It might a bit hard to steer when the model isn't moving, but that's not uncommon for bigger models. The working steering wheel and detachable HoG are two plusses. One can argue that the gearbox should not be positioned above the rear suspension, or that the Hi-Lo-switch should be reversed, but what's more important, is that the gearbox works like a charm. Besides switching the four gears, it has a mode for high and low gearing and an actual single reverse. The downside of the intricate gearbox is, that it uses a lot of gears. This results in lots of slack in the drivetrain. Which results in not being able to see the effects the different gears have. In some gears, you need to push the car for a meter or so to be able to see the pistons of the fake engine move. I understand the reason for this slack, but it is something that kind of bothers me. At the beginning of the review, I wondered whether this car would "tick all the supercar boxes." Proper gearbox? Check. Proper suspension? Check. Proper steering? Check. Working steering wheel? Check. Some other extra-ordinary functions (like ride height adjustment)? Not really. A winch, but that hardly counts. Does the lack of extra function prevent this car from being called a supercar? I honestly don't think so. This is a very well designed car with very well working functionality. This model is most definitely one of the best Technic cars TLG has designed. Hats off to Milan and the design team. PROS Intricate gearbox Single reverse gear Working steering wheel Awesome design Proper suspension Working winch Cool extra details (openable storage boxes) CONS Lots of slack in the drivetrain Effects of different gears hard to see Multi-part sticker on the inside of the door Lack of extra functions like ride-height adjustment (minor con) SCORE How do I rate this set? 9 DESIGN The design is spot on. 9 BUILDING EXPERIENCE One of the most entertaining builds in a while. 8 FEATURES Features work properly, but it misses the one extra killer function. 8 PLAYABILITY The added extras add playability to the model. 7 PARTS Cool new rims, but the most important new part has a hard to use color. 8 VALUE FOR MONEY This set will probably satisfy everyone who builds it. The price is okay for the number of parts. 8,2 ONE OF THE BEST TECHNIC CARS EVER FINAL WORDS As a bonus, I have included two images where I have mounted the rims to another car. I just noticed one of the headlights fell off by the way.

I was just about to say the same @jsp56 I also recommend making a BrickSafe account. You can make a nice collection of pictures of the LEGO models, which you can be easily embedded here. Linking to an external source is something we don't prefer. I like the work on the car! It would be a nice challenge to make the car steerable. What does the sensor do?

Agreed