Set Review ➟ 42090/42091
Technic sets with a pullback motor are a fixed feature in the first half of the year. I have never been a fan of these sets since they don’t include many functions and their construction tends to be very basic. This year I have decided to change my focus and put these sets in the hands of their intended public: kids between the ages of 7 and 10. The result was exciting and the experien a resounding success.
Before we start, let’s have a look at the contents of each of the sets. 42090 is called Getaway Truck. It contains 128 pieces and has a price of 19,99€ in Spain. 42091 has the same price and only a few pieces less (a total of 120). It goes by the name Police Pursuit. The size of the boxes is nearly identical, although the box for the getaway truck is slightly thicker to allow space for the larger wheels.
Let’s start with the police car. As you can see, the construction is quite simple and there aren’t any mechanisms aside from the pullback motor. The shape of the car reminds me of a Formula 1 car. This sensation is only strengthened by the fact that the steering wheel is placed in the centre, indicating the acr will have a single occupant.
Interesting elements in this set include a number of light blue panels and the flexible axle that shapes the cockpit.
The getaway truck looks a bit larger, but this is mostly an optical illusion due to the larger size of the wheels. The difference is minimal. There is no steering wheel in this vehicle so maybe it has room for two.
An interesting detail is the way the pullback motor is built into the model, giving it more ground clearance.
There is also a selection of panels but in less attractive colours.
The next step evidently is testing the vehicles for speed. Can you guess who will win?
The mechanics are clear: the vehicle with the larger wheels will go further with a single turn of the motor, so the police vehicle is bound to loose.
Almost all Technic sets come with instructions for a second build. In smaller sets these instructions used to be included in the form of a second booklet, but this year you need to go to the LEGO website or use the LEGO Life app to get those instructions. They are only available in traditional digital format (PDF).
On the one hand, using the LEGO Life app has the advantage that you create a list of all the sets you add and you don’t need to go hunting for the set number to find the instructions again.
But there are also inconveniences. If you are an AFOL you are build to end up with a lit that is so long is becomes unwieldy. In addition the app only displays sets in the order you add them and there is as yet no search function. You can not add older sets either as a QR code is required to scan in the sets and those are only printed on the cover of the instructions for sets starting this year (2019).
Personally I prefer paper instructions, since the definition of digital instructions tends to be poor and the colours don’t always match or are hard to make out.
As you can see in the screenshot of the LEGO Life app, in this case there is a secondary build that requires combining both sets into one. The LEGO website informs this vehicle is named the Ultimate 4x4. This vehicle uses all eight wheels and almost all of the other pieces:
Since both pullback motors are used, the vehicle receives a double impulse and travels almost twice the distance the getaway truck does.
The rear looks a bit unfinished and there is an unused panel…
You can easily make a cover that snaps on and off. LEGO doesn’t really like using pins that only go in partway, but it is fine for me :)
The hanging wheels have no real function, unless of course you build some really rough terrain.
Conclusions:
The Technic fan in me is not convinced about these sets. They don’t add much beyond pullback motors and some loose parts. The kids that helped me build the sets have a completely different opinion. To them these are the best LEGO Technic sets they have ever seen. Of course their experience is rather limited. Let’s hope sets like these will help to turn them into die-hard Technic fans in years to come.
We wish to thank LEGO for providing this set for review. The opinions in this review are not supported or endorsed by LEGO.
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