In July, British supercar manufacturer McLaren Automotive unveiled the fruits of an audacious collaboration with the LEGO Group. The LEGO Technic McLaren P1 was a 1:8 scale, 3,893-piece LEGO set that paid homage to "the best driver's car in the world on both road and track."
But like many a toy, the small replica left many fans curious as to whether this box of bricks, once fully assembled, could manage a lap on the track, much less match the performance of its elite engineering inspiration.
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Yesterday, the LEGO Group and McLaren debuted a one-of-a-kind, fully drivable McLaren P1 made from 342,817 LEGO Technic elements and an electric motor. The car also includes LEGO Technic Function batteries as well as an EV battery, enabling it to travel further than any other LEGO model before it, according to the company. The supercar marks the first big build for the LEGO Group that will navigate an entire lap of a racetrack. It's actually kind of hard to believe that LEGO, until now, never had a scale build that could drive around corners.
The LEGO Technic engine consists of 8 motor packs, each with 96 LEGO Power function motors, which means the car features a total of 768 LEGO motors. The 8 motor packs mimic the V8 in the original McLaren P1.
To make it happen, the partners tapped McLaren Formula 1 driver Lando Norris to put the car to the test at the Silverstone Circuit, an iconic racetrack in the UK that spans some 5.891 km (3.66 miles).
The car weighs 1,220kg (about 2,689 pounds) and has fully functional steering, which was a great benefit for Norris, who drove the concept vehicle around the tricky track corners.
The vehicle required 23 specialists from LEGO and McLaren's design, engineering and building groups, who spent more than 8,344 hours of development and construction. To make it happen, the team had to use 393 different types of LEGO Technic elements, including 11 molded specifically for this project. The vehicle uses zero carbon fiber and the Technic-made flexible skin helped replicate the original car's curvature.
The LEGO measures up to its real-life counterpart, measuring 4,980 mm long, 2,101 mm wide and 1,133 mm high.
During the test drive, Norris seemed surprised. "It actually drives pretty good," he said. And hey, for just a shade under $450, you can build your own. The 1:8-scale model, anyways. No word on the cost of the track-ready concept car.
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In July, British supercar manufacturer mclaren
Automotive unveiled the fruits of an audacious
00:05.019 --> 00:10.550
collaboration with the Lego group.
The Lego Technic mclaren P one was a 1 to 8
00:10.560 --> 00:17.549
scale 3893 piece Lego set that paid homage to
the best driver's car in
00:17.559 --> 00:20.469
the world on both road and track.
But like many a toy,
00:20.479 --> 00:26.722
the small replica left many fans curious as to
whether this box of bricks once fully assembled
00:26.833 --> 00:31.413
could manage a lap on the track, much less
match the performance of its elite engineering
00:31.423 --> 00:35.033
inspiration.
Yesterday, the Lego Group and mclaren debuted a
00:35.042 --> 00:41.752
one of a kind fully drivable mclaren P one made
from 342,817 Lego
00:41.772 --> 00:46.673
technic elements and an electric motor.
The car also includes Lego technic function
00:46.682 --> 00:52.316
batteries as well as an EV battery enabling it
to travel further than any other Lego model
00:52.326 --> 00:55.076
before it.
According to the company, the supercar marks
00:55.085 --> 01:00.055
the first big build for the Lego group that
will navigate an entire lap of a racetrack.
01:00.066 --> 01:04.926
It's actually kind of hard to believe that Lego
until now never built anything that could drive
01:04.935 --> 01:10.295
around corners The Lego technic engine consists
of eight motor packs each with 96 Lego power
01:10.305 --> 01:15.356
function motors, which means the car features a
total of 768 Lego Motors.
01:15.860 --> 01:20.019
The eight motor packs mimic the V eight in the
original mclaren P to make it happen.
01:20.029 --> 01:24.910
The partners tapped mclaren formula.
One driver Lando Norris to put the car to the
01:24.919 --> 01:29.669
test at the Silverstone Circuit.
An iconic racetrack in the UK that spans some
01:29.680 --> 01:36.480
3.66 miles.
The car weighs 1220 kg or about 2689
01:36.489 --> 01:41.040
pounds and has fully functional steering which
was a great benefit for Norris who drove the
01:41.050 --> 01:46.430
concept vehicle around the tricky track corners.
The vehicle required 23 specialists from lego
01:46.440 --> 01:52.000
and mclaren's design engineering and building
groups who spent more than 8344 hours of
01:52.010 --> 01:57.139
development and construction to make it happen.
The team had to use 393 different types of lego
01:57.150 --> 02:00.830
technic elements including 11 molded
specifically for this project.
02:00.839 --> 02:05.459
The vehicle uses zero carbon fiber and the
technic made flexible skin helped replicate the
02:05.470 --> 02:08.949
original car's curvature.
The LEGO measures up to its real life
02:08.960 --> 02:15.600
counterpart measuring 4980 millimeters long,
2100 and one millimeters wide and
02:15.610 --> 02:19.929
1133 millimeters high.
During the test drive,
02:19.940 --> 02:22.630
Nora seemed surprised it actually drives pretty
good.
02:22.639 --> 02:27.649
He said, and hey, for just a shade under $450
you can build your own,
02:28.160 --> 02:32.529
the 1 to 8 scale model.
Anyways, no word on the cost of the track ready
02:32.539 --> 02:36.169
concept car.
I had a wells and this is manufacturing now.