The Assembly Instructions Will Come in 250 Volumes
August 30, 2018 8:11 AM Subscribe
LEGO builds a drivable Bugatti out of 1,000,000+ Technic elements The LEGO Group unveils their latest creation - a drivable full-scale model of the Chiron supercar. The model took 13,438 man-hours to build, includes a 5.3 horsepower motor made from 2,304 Power Function motors and has a top speed of just over 20 km/h. (Top speed of the Chiron is 420 km/h)
(Top speed of the Chiron is 420 km/h)
That is... *ahem* blazingly fast.
I'll show myself out.
posted by Dysk at 8:18 AM on August 30, 2018 [17 favorites]
That is... *ahem* blazingly fast.
I'll show myself out.
posted by Dysk at 8:18 AM on August 30, 2018 [17 favorites]
Yeah, my bad, should have included imperial units there. That's 260 MPH. The LEGO car does 12.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:20 AM on August 30, 2018
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:20 AM on August 30, 2018
"No glue" is made possible by a "minimal steel framework" and some drivetrain parts. But still I wouldn't want to be the one who crashed it.
posted by fedward at 8:29 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by fedward at 8:29 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
So, let's see how it handles on the Nürburgring.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:30 AM on August 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:30 AM on August 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
I recognize the car they're modeling the LEGO version from because I've seen it recently at work in two different instances of someone asking for graphic design work using colours from a picture they sent me of that car. I have to say the LEGO version looks much better, plus, I spend much more of my driving time going a little over 20 than I do approaching 240. Then again, the LEGO car looked like a pretty rough ride from the way the rearview mirror was dancing.
I wish we had some more insight into the build process and how it's actually working. Actually, looks like therei s more to see here: https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/technic/bugatti-chiron/media
I'm at work with no sound so the 1.8 gig how we did it file will have to wait a bit. I'm hoping that size means it's a long and in-depth video, whole movies are smaller than that haha.
The spec page mentions it has a "functioning spoiler." I thought a spoiler was the bit of car stuck on the end of a trunk in some vehicles, to like decrease drag or aerodynamics or weight distribution or something -- but essentially a static fin on the car. I'm guessing the advanced version of that is a spoiler that like raises or lowers itself depending on conditions?
Well this link answers my spoiler questions, learning a lot from LEGO today. https://gizmodo.com/you-can-wait-a-few-years-for-a-tesla-or-build-this-magn-1826452155#_ga=2.130747020.28494331.1535390102-2135808592.1525885870
posted by GoblinHoney at 8:34 AM on August 30, 2018
I wish we had some more insight into the build process and how it's actually working. Actually, looks like therei s more to see here: https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/technic/bugatti-chiron/media
I'm at work with no sound so the 1.8 gig how we did it file will have to wait a bit. I'm hoping that size means it's a long and in-depth video, whole movies are smaller than that haha.
The spec page mentions it has a "functioning spoiler." I thought a spoiler was the bit of car stuck on the end of a trunk in some vehicles, to like decrease drag or aerodynamics or weight distribution or something -- but essentially a static fin on the car. I'm guessing the advanced version of that is a spoiler that like raises or lowers itself depending on conditions?
Well this link answers my spoiler questions, learning a lot from LEGO today. https://gizmodo.com/you-can-wait-a-few-years-for-a-tesla-or-build-this-magn-1826452155#_ga=2.130747020.28494331.1535390102-2135808592.1525885870
posted by GoblinHoney at 8:34 AM on August 30, 2018
Advantages of crashing a Lego car: you can always just put it back together.
Disadvantages: hope you have some personal leave time to burn.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:34 AM on August 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Disadvantages: hope you have some personal leave time to burn.
posted by Halloween Jack at 8:34 AM on August 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Last year's 7,500 piece UCS Millennium Falcon would have benefited from a minimal steel frame. Also a working Hyperdrive...
posted by Molesome at 8:37 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Molesome at 8:37 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
2018 could finally be the year of Linux Lego on the desktop road.
posted by acb at 8:37 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by acb at 8:37 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
A wee step up from the stock LEGO® Technic™ 42083 Bugatti Chiron set, then?
Much as I love LEGO® — even if they did just poach one of my Toronto friends to a senior role in Denmark — I wish they did just a box of Technic™ bits: gears, shafts, holed bricks and left you to do the creative bits. I had one of the ~1977 Technical Sets, and used to build crash-shift gearboxes of extreme awesomeness.
(NB: viewed through 8-year-old me filter. Reality may be different. Wear eye protection. Not a flying toy.)
posted by scruss at 8:47 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
Much as I love LEGO® — even if they did just poach one of my Toronto friends to a senior role in Denmark — I wish they did just a box of Technic™ bits: gears, shafts, holed bricks and left you to do the creative bits. I had one of the ~1977 Technical Sets, and used to build crash-shift gearboxes of extreme awesomeness.
(NB: viewed through 8-year-old me filter. Reality may be different. Wear eye protection. Not a flying toy.)
posted by scruss at 8:47 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
I'm guessing the advanced version of that is a spoiler that like raises or lowers itself depending on conditions?
Yep. Quite useful on cars that go over 200 mph. Calling it "functional" might be a bit of a stretch on a car that does 20 km/h. It's about as useful as a video player with no volume control.
posted by sfenders at 8:49 AM on August 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
Yep. Quite useful on cars that go over 200 mph. Calling it "functional" might be a bit of a stretch on a car that does 20 km/h. It's about as useful as a video player with no volume control.
posted by sfenders at 8:49 AM on August 30, 2018 [4 favorites]
I'd like to see the Stig take it for a test drive.
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:56 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:56 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
It's never too early to start thinking about my birthday present, people. Just sayin'.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:04 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:04 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Does this mean that Bugatti wheels are available as Technic spares now?
posted by flabdablet at 9:07 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 9:07 AM on August 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
Calling it "functional" might be a bit of a stretch on a car that does 20 km/h.
I think it's functional in the sense that it raises and lowers on the Lego model, same as it does on the real car, not that it actually provides aerodynamic benefit.
posted by Dysk at 9:08 AM on August 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
I think it's functional in the sense that it raises and lowers on the Lego model, same as it does on the real car, not that it actually provides aerodynamic benefit.
posted by Dysk at 9:08 AM on August 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
Don't step on the gas pedal in bare feet.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:34 AM on August 30, 2018 [23 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 9:34 AM on August 30, 2018 [23 favorites]
I'm at work with no sound so the 1.8 gig how we did it file will have to wait a bit. I'm hoping that size means it's a long and in-depth video
8 minutes 10 seconds. Have not watched it yet (work etc.).
posted by carter at 9:44 AM on August 30, 2018
8 minutes 10 seconds. Have not watched it yet (work etc.).
posted by carter at 9:44 AM on August 30, 2018
It's never too early to start thinking about my birthday present, people. Just sayin'.
If someone gave you a present that took 6 1/2 years of 8 hour days to assemble, are they really your friend?
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:17 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
If someone gave you a present that took 6 1/2 years of 8 hour days to assemble, are they really your friend?
posted by JoeZydeco at 10:17 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
I wonder if James May has called in yet, asking for a test drive.
posted by ZeusHumms at 10:28 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by ZeusHumms at 10:28 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Maybe if they can provide a version without all that unnecessary horsepower.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 10:29 AM on August 30, 2018
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 10:29 AM on August 30, 2018
I'm guessing the advanced version of that is a spoiler that like raises or lowers itself depending on conditions?
Yep. Quite useful on cars that go over 200 mph. Calling it "functional" might be a bit of a stretch on a car that does 20 km/h. It's about as useful as a video player with no volume control.
If I'm not mistaken, the spoiler on the Chiron deploys automatically when the car reaches a certain speed (that's how it worked on the Veyron). My guess is that the Lego version has the same functionality. If that's the case, that's definitely something worth bragging about.
posted by UltraMorgnus at 10:30 AM on August 30, 2018
Yep. Quite useful on cars that go over 200 mph. Calling it "functional" might be a bit of a stretch on a car that does 20 km/h. It's about as useful as a video player with no volume control.
If I'm not mistaken, the spoiler on the Chiron deploys automatically when the car reaches a certain speed (that's how it worked on the Veyron). My guess is that the Lego version has the same functionality. If that's the case, that's definitely something worth bragging about.
posted by UltraMorgnus at 10:30 AM on August 30, 2018
great, now this is stuck in my head
posted by Thomas Tallis is my Homeboy at 10:30 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Thomas Tallis is my Homeboy at 10:30 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Who cares if the spoiler is needed for the aerodynamics -- the video cuts the shot of the spoiler raising immediately before the shot of the car rolling slowly down the road. The absurdity, the contrast -- I laughed out loud. Kudos to them for the attention to detail, I suppose.
Now what if you designed a Lego vehicle qua Lego vehicle? Instead of the flashy branding and the playacting meant to mimic something it isn't, why couldn't they have just engineered a Lego vehicle from the ground up? I would honestly have found that quite a bit more interesting.
posted by dbx at 10:42 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Now what if you designed a Lego vehicle qua Lego vehicle? Instead of the flashy branding and the playacting meant to mimic something it isn't, why couldn't they have just engineered a Lego vehicle from the ground up? I would honestly have found that quite a bit more interesting.
posted by dbx at 10:42 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
Videos are on YouTube too for a saner viewing experience. 2:16 overview video, 8:09 detail video.
posted by Nelson at 11:08 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Nelson at 11:08 AM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
I was curious about the tires. It looks like those are regular tires, but the brakes (and discs) are Lego parts. Maybe it's a good thing it only does 20 km/h.
posted by MtDewd at 11:39 AM on August 30, 2018
posted by MtDewd at 11:39 AM on August 30, 2018
That is amazing. It's so good that when it gets far away from the camera, it seems less impressive because it starts looking like a regular car.
posted by lucidium at 11:42 AM on August 30, 2018
posted by lucidium at 11:42 AM on August 30, 2018
In related LEGO car news, another driveable lego car from 2013. This one with standard LEGO, not Technics. Well the engine might be Technics.
posted by Nelson at 12:10 PM on August 30, 2018
posted by Nelson at 12:10 PM on August 30, 2018
I can forgive the cheating with a steel frame and drivetrain (plastic gears wear out in hours if you do crazy things like this, and there's a reason there are so many steel/aluminum Lego add-ons), mainly because they did not cheat on the engine. 2,304 M-size (I think) motors? That's crazy.
posted by rokusan at 12:48 PM on August 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by rokusan at 12:48 PM on August 30, 2018 [2 favorites]
I really want to see what the metal frame looks like without the lego attached - it's so hard to tell how cheaty this is as it stands.
posted by xiw at 3:00 PM on August 30, 2018
posted by xiw at 3:00 PM on August 30, 2018
That DIY drivetrain... just... how!?!
I really wanna see how this thing would do at a higher speed with a real powertrain. Although it'd have to be electric, since an ICE would probably melt the engine compartment.
posted by -1 at 3:40 PM on August 30, 2018
I really wanna see how this thing would do at a higher speed with a real powertrain. Although it'd have to be electric, since an ICE would probably melt the engine compartment.
posted by -1 at 3:40 PM on August 30, 2018
The real question is, when can we buy this and how much will it cost?
posted by Quackles at 4:13 PM on August 30, 2018
posted by Quackles at 4:13 PM on August 30, 2018
That's what I was wondering -- if you bought all that technic at retail, would it cost more or less than a Bugatti?
posted by jacquilynne at 4:59 PM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by jacquilynne at 4:59 PM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
It has been reported that Bugatti is working on an electric car. It looks like Lego has beaten them to it. The upcoming Tesla Roadster has three electric motors. The Lego Bugatti Chiron has 2304!
posted by eye of newt at 10:18 PM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by eye of newt at 10:18 PM on August 30, 2018 [1 favorite]
My heart is full of joy. I cna't afford either, but the idea that someone might get both tickles me no end.
posted by Ignorantsavage at 9:25 PM on August 31, 2018
posted by Ignorantsavage at 9:25 PM on August 31, 2018
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FULL-SIZE LEGO DESTRUCTION DERBY!!!!!
posted by grumpybear69 at 8:15 AM on August 30, 2018 [10 favorites]