Set Review ➟ 42083 Bugatti Chiron (Part 1)
It has been 2 years since LEGO released the Porsche released a special ediction of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS (set number 42056), the first “Expert Model” set of its kind.
Today, LEGO adds a second model to that series with the 42083 Bugatti Chiron; another massive, detailed model for Car lovers and LEGO Technic fans alike.
LEGO has tried to build up suspense by unveiling only a few detail and showing pictures only of the rims and tires and of the model cvered with a cloth, but unfortunately the model has started to appear in shops before the intended date. However, today is the official uveiling of the model and HispaBrick Magazine is happy to be among the few that were selcted to pre-review the set. We hope you enjoy reading our review.
GIFT WRAPPED
As with the Porsche before it, the “Bugatti experience” starts with the packaging. The set comes in a beautiful box showing the LEGO model at practically 1:1 scale. But the interior of the box has a few extra surprises in store:
Five of the boxes that contain the parts to this set have been printed to display an image of the actual car, and a sixth box contains the beautifull detailed rims.
Actually, the central image is not only printed on the box, but also on the manuals (yes, you read that right, there are two thick instruction manuals), so even after you take out the manual the box maintains its carfully crafted look.
The rear of the box reveals a few of the detail of the models and provides a glips of the 16 -valve engine, the breaks and the detailed interior design of the car. The box is heavy! 6.5Kg of building pleasure, and the set contains 3599 pieces.
ACT 1 - SCENE 1
The building process starts out with the rear axle.
As you will immediately observe, there is a new element in the set: a blue 20-tooth clutch gear. In this instance it is used to stabilise the differential, but it will be put to other uses later on in the build.
Another suprising detail is the use of blue friction pins in the suspension instead of the frictionless tan pins. This gives us another hint of the weight of the car!
Another interesting element are the new “disk brakes” with pin holes. These add authenticity to the model.
Next up is the base for the both the gearbox and the engine of the car, completing the rear section in two stages.
ACT 1 - SCENE 2
The gearbox is without a doubt the star of this model. In order to ensure it works flawlessly LEGO has designed a new selector switch element that woks like a worm gear.
So before we have a look at thr complete gearbox, let’s see what those new elements are:
We had already seen the blue 20-tooth clutch gear (in the back) and now there are two additional elements of interest. The orange pieces will be used to switch gears and we will have a look at those in a moment. The yellow element is an important update to an existing piece:
This new driving ring has 8 ridges instead of the 4 that were present on its predecessor. The same is true in the back of the element. This means that it will catch on the clutch gear with half as much backlash as the previous version, reducing the overall backlash this eement caused by half.
This image shows the rear of the yellow element and gives you a good view of the new blue clutch gear as used in the gearbox.. It also shows another crious detail: beveled and straight gears meshing at an angle that immediately reminded me of master builder Yoshihito Isogawa…
On to the orange elements:
The use of these rotor-like elements will become clear in a moment.
This top and bottom view of the gearbox shows how each new orange element pushes two driving rings placed at a 90º angle. This way, each quarter rotation of the shaft they are attached to engaged one of those rings while diengaging the other. The gearbox is set up ingeniously with a stepper mechanism. This way the first shaft drives the second. Each time the first shaft completes a full turn (and so engages each one of the four gear combinations attached to it) the second shaft tirns one quarter. In theory this would produce a gearbox with 4x4 gear combinations. In this case however, the 1st and 3rd gear on the second shaft use the same gear combination and the 2nd and 4th also share theirs the result is a gearbox with 4x2 gears, 8 if you want to skip the math.
The gearbox is then installed and attached to the rear axle.
ACT 1 - SCENE 3
Now it is time to install the engine. The Bugatti Chiron has a powerful W16 engine that is faithfully represented in the LEGO model.
There are no instructions for syncronising the engine blocks, but you can easily do so yourself, setting the angle of the dark 24-tooth gears before locking them into place:
The engine is then placed on top of the gearbox, hiding the latter from view…
Essentially this is the end of Scene 1 - a few more structural elements and braces are attached, but the mechanical part is done.
To be continued.…
The official press release:
REVEALED: THE NEW LEGO® TECHNIC BUGATTI CHIRON
Where art, engineering and bricks combine
Billund, 1st of June 2018. LEGO Group and Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. have today revealed the new LEGO® Technic Bugatti Chiron. The 1:8 scale super car will be available from June 1.
The LEGO® Technic Bugatti Chiron model brings together the iconic design heritage of the French ultra-luxury car brand and LEGO Technic elements, with a reimagined version of the latest cutting-edge super car from Molsheim.
The new model was unveiled at LEGO House at the company’s headquarters in Billund by Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group, and Bugatti President Stephan Winkelmann. The 1:8 scale LEGO® Technic Bugatti Chiron will be available from June 1, only at all LEGO® stores and shop.LEGO.com, then all retailers globally from August 1, 2018.
The model encapsulates the magic, power and elegance of the Chiron, unveiled to the world two years ago and now brought to life in LEGO Technic form, offering a unique, authentic building experience for car enthusiasts and LEGO fans of all ages.
Niels B. Christiansen, CEO of the LEGO Group said:
“I am very excited about this new model. Our LEGO designers have done an amazing job capturing the details of this iconic Bugatti design. It truly stands as testament that with LEGO bricks you can build anything you can imagine, and an example that with LEGO Technic, you can build for real. It’s a huge model that I can’t wait to start building myself. I’ve always been passionate about engineering and this model’s details and design are truly fascinating.”
Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.:
“Thanks to their proven design and technology expertise, the LEGO Group and Bugatti are the epitomes of their brand segments. The LEGO Technic model of the Bugatti Chiron is an expression of this perfect relationship. I am impressed at the precision and refinement with which our super sports car has been translated into the LEGO world and I am sure that fans of both LEGO bricks and Bugatti will love this product.”
The 1:8 scale LEGO® Technic Bugatti Chiron replica model – measuring over 5” (14cm) high, 22” (56cm) long and 9” (25cm) wide and featuring 3,599 pieces – is packed full of intricate details and immersive touches. These include aerodynamic bodywork with an active rear wing, spoked rims with low-profile tires, detailed cockpit with movable paddle gearshift, and detailed W16 engine with moving pistons.
Open the doors and you’ll discover that there’s more to the cockpit than first meets the eye, featuring a LEGO Technic 8-speed gearbox with paddle gearshift and a steering wheel bearing the iconic Bugatti emblem.
Each individual model comes personalised with its own unique serial number, carefully stored under the hood to unlock special content on LEGO.com/technic. The set also features a speed key which enables you to switch the active rear wing from handling to top speed position.
Hidden discreetly under the hood, you will also discover an additional authentic Bugatti Chiron detail – the stylish Bugatti overnight bag.
Staying true to Bugatti’s heritage, the model features the classic duo-tone blue color scheme reflecting the brand’s signature colour, and a set of identifiable stickers for additional detailing and authenticity of the build.
Delivering a final ’artistic’ touch, the set comes enclosed in an exclusive box and includes a ’coffee table’ style collectors booklet with comprehensive building instructions. Fans can also dive deep into the inspiration behind the design with series of nine exclusive podcasts featuring Bugatti and LEGO experts.
Available from LEGO® stores and shop.LEGO.com from June 1
About Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. is the manufacturer of the ultimate production super sports car. Since it was established in 1909, the French luxury brand has had its headquarters at Molsheim, Alsace, where 450 Veyrons were produced from 2005 to 2015 and where the new Chiron, which is limited to 500 cars, is being hand-crafted today. The Chiron is not only designed for maximum speed but also meets the highest possible demands in terms of luxury, comfort, everyday drivability and durability. The Chiron combines the best in all these areas which makes it the world’s most complete super sports car and a unique concept.
The brand, which has been part of the Volkswagen Group since 1998, has 34 dealers and service partners in 17 countries in Europe, North America, the Arabian Peninsula and Asia/Pacific. www.bugatti.com
For further information and imagery, please contact the Bugatti communications department: Manuela Höhne, Head of Communications, Phone: +49 5361 9 15508, Mobile: +49 1525 888 9167, E-Mail: manuela.hoehne@bugatti.com.
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