LEGO Technic 42169 NEOM McLaren Formula E Race Car – A pull-back to hold back on? [Review]
We’re finally wrapping up our reviews of the March 1st wave of Technic sets. Next on the list is the 452-piece LEGO Technic 42169 NEOM McLaren Formula E Team race car. Compared to the other sets in the wave, this guy is pretty little! But retailing for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £46.99 doesn’t seem like a small price tag. Does the set rise to the price-point? You’ll have to read on to find out!
The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick a copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
Unboxing the parts, instructions, and sticker sheet
This model is in a class slightly larger than the small pull-backs. It has nearly twice the piece-count of the Mercedes-AMG that we reviewed a few days ago, as well as a box that’s roughly twice the size. The front and back show a few angles of the vehicle, as well as an image of the real car next to some stats about it.
Inside the box are three paper bags numbered 1-3, a plastic bag for the tires and wheels, and a pair of loose pull-back motors.
The stickers are interesting in that the sheet has that rainbow foil look to it, but very little of that shininess shows up on the visible surface of the stickers once applied. It’s difficult to capture in a picture, but it seems to only show up on the seatbelt buckles and the number 60 against black.
The build
As apposed to typical pull-back that have one motor, this car has two. We begin the build process with those as our starting point as we quickly add the base of the model, including a steering axle that runs the majority of the length.
Next we tack on the spoiler, as well as a few of the panels and the steering rack at the front.
Finally, we wrap everything up with all the exterior paneling, as well as the front fender and the cockpit, with its steering wheel and soft-axle halo.
The completed model
The finished product is a bright little racecar that loosely resembles the real thing. I’ve done a handful of Technic race car reviews, and find that most of the time they do a pretty good job of accuracy, despite a few flaws. True Formula fans tend to be hypercritical and find lots of flaws in those models, which I sometimes think is a little harsh. However, in this case I would have to agree with the critics. The shape is wrong in more than one area. That said, the build process was what you’d expect, and I don’t find fault in that.
The car has acceptable steering capability:
It also has quite a bit of power. One pull-back motor is fast – two is almost dangerous. Well, not really dangerous, but you better have plenty of room and nothing fragile around!
Conclusions and recommendations
While I’m well-versed in LEGO, I cannot say the same for Formula E. The build is a decent one if you’re just in it for a cool-looking pull-back. However, as I said, there are major differences between the look of this vehicle and the real NEOM McLaren FE, even to my untrained eye. Big Formula E fans will possibly be disappointed by this. I’m not sure how much of a turn-off that is to folks, but again, if you’re simply looking for an FE-related car in a small, fun package, then sure, this set is for you. That said, at $50 the price isn’t ideal, and if it were me, I’d hold back on buying the model.
Interested in Technic and the Formula race cars? Check out our other recent reviews.
LEGO Technic 42169 NEOM McLaren Formula E Team is currently available, retailing for US $49.99 | CAN $64.99 | UK £46.99
The LEGO Group sent The Brothers Brick a copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews.
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