LEGO Sportscars

[David Land]

I see the Lola AMR

[wolfhound]

It seems like we are unlikely to see Lego McLarens in the near future.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns29581.html

[CTD]

Originally Posted by wolfhound

It seems like we are unlikely to see Lego McLarens in the near future.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns29581.html

I think you read it the wrong way if that is what you get from it.
LEGO is very rare to sponsor sports or events unless it is in direct line with child's play.
LEGO won't sponsor Magnussen as this doesn't fit their strategy, but McLaren branded LEGO is possible, there just won't be money going from LEGO to McLaren for making it. (Most likely the other way around)

[J Jay]

There is also the ongoing relationship between Lego (specifically the Technic line) and Mercedes with rumours of a 6x6 either this or next year to compliment the Unimog.

Originally Posted by CTD

LEGO won't sponsor Magnussen as this doesn't fit their strategy, but McLaren branded LEGO is possible, there just won't be money going from LEGO to McLaren for making it. (Most likely the other way around)

IIRC there wasn't any exchange of money for the most recently licensed set (Volvo L350F), it just came about because a Technic designer was good friends with someone at Volvo. I agree with you in not seeing Lego pay McLaren for their branding.

[Mechanic Z]

Originally Posted by David Land

I see the Lola AMR

Now that you mention it, there is a lot of Lola Aston in there. Too bad nobody ever raced that car in green, would have looked cool.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by David Land

I see the Lola AMR

I think that would be what if Homer Simpson designed a LMP.

[rich07]

Can you imagine the homologation issues with a Homer LMP?

[deggis]

In the video from the Autoblog link it looks better, but I think the general shape from the side is still a bit awkward. I wonder how many alternative designs they've done for this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbR_EnYPIqk

[J Jay]

The designers usually go through 4-5 major redesigns for larger sets (we've seen at least one of them from the pre-release images), but I've heard of as many as 10 for flagships.

I like it overall, but the wheels don't seem to match the scale of the car. The Toyota-inspired headlights certainly do it no favours, but those trans-clear dishes needed to be used I guess. The rear reminds me of the Speed 8, especially if I imagine it in the "proper" green used for previous sets (this is light green for reference). But the wheel arch panels are exclusive to this set, so I'd have to use connectors or flex axles to get the shape.

[isynge]

Originally Posted by CTD

I think you read it the wrong way if that is what you get from it.
LEGO is very rare to sponsor sports or events unless it is in direct line with child's play.
LEGO won't sponsor Magnussen as this doesn't fit their strategy, but McLaren branded LEGO is possible, there just won't be money going from LEGO to McLaren for making it. (Most likely the other way around)

Is this a relatively recent move by LEGO? Or was the LEGO Star Wars sponsorship on the Zyteks of 10 or so years ago unconnected with head office?

Unconnected, but do you know if there's a financial consideration in LEGO's Maersk collection or is it more a case of solidarity between big Danish companies?

[bella]

Originally Posted by isynge

Is this a relatively recent move by LEGO? Or was the LEGO Star Wars sponsorship on the Zyteks of 10 or so years ago unconnected with head office?

the chiltons seemed to have that lego star wars sponsorship for a while, certainly max did at the start of his car racing career.

Originally Posted by isynge

Unconnected, but do you know if there's a financial consideration in LEGO's Maersk collection or is it more a case of solidarity between big Danish companies?

i really REALLY badly want that maersk container ship for my desk at work. painfully cool.

/big kid

[isynge]

Originally Posted by bella

the chiltons seemed to have that lego star wars sponsorship for a while, certainly max did at the start of his car racing career.


i really REALLY badly want that maersk container ship for my desk at work. painfully cool.

/big kid

I'm desperately wondering about whether I can legitimately give one of my nephews the Maersk container ship and then be involved in construction.

The origami container ship they did a few years back was also entirely splendid.

Given that Alex Brundle is GAC sponsored surely there's more scope for getting shipping and logistics companies involved (okay, that was a transparently shallow attempt at staying vaguely on topic rather than gushing about LEGO...)

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by isynge

Unconnected, but do you know if there's a financial consideration in LEGO's Maersk collection or is it more a case of solidarity between big Danish companies?

Take CTD's word over mine, but I would say solidarity and appreciation are the major considerations for licences like Maersk/Volvo/Mercedes, as opposed to the more commercially driven media-based licences (Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Potter, etc.). Of course, that doesn't mean the former aren't great money spinners in their own right - as we're seeing in this thread, they hit the adult fan market rather well!

[CTD]

I'm just going to reply these one by one .

Originally Posted by isynge

Is this a relatively recent move by LEGO? Or was the LEGO Star Wars sponsorship on the Zyteks of 10 or so years ago unconnected with head office?

Unconnected, but do you know if there's a financial consideration in LEGO's Maersk collection or is it more a case of solidarity between big Danish companies?

I actually forgot about that Zytek Lego Sponsorship, and really don't know where the money come from.
I know it's rare to find a Lego sponsorship of that kind, but several branches and partnerships could be involved in bringing that sponsorship. Legoland Windsor, owned by Merlin Entertainments do sounds plausible.

The Maersk collection, most likely a very cheap or free license given to LEGO who is developing these "adult" sets of LEGO, like the VW T1 Camper (which I love) and the Mini Cooper.
LEGO has realised that they have two major segments of costumers, children, and the child's parents. With the parents being the segments which grows the fastest. Nicely proven here in your posts:

Originally Posted by bella

the chiltons seemed to have that lego star wars sponsorship for a while, certainly max did at the start of his car racing career.


i really REALLY badly want that maersk container ship for my desk at work. painfully cool.

/big kid

Originally Posted by isynge

I'm desperately wondering about whether I can legitimately give one of my nephews the Maersk container ship and then be involved in construction.

The origami container ship they did a few years back was also entirely splendid.

Given that Alex Brundle is GAC sponsored surely there's more scope for getting shipping and logistics companies involved (okay, that was a transparently shallow attempt at staying vaguely on topic rather than gushing about LEGO...)

Originally Posted by J Jay

Take CTD's word over mine, but I would say solidarity and appreciation are the major considerations for licences like Maersk/Volvo/Mercedes, as opposed to the more commercially driven media-based licences (Star Wars, Marvel, Disney, Potter, etc.). Of course, that doesn't mean the former aren't great money spinners in their own right - as we're seeing in this thread, they hit the adult fan market rather well!

Star Wars, Disney, Harry Potter and so on is semi expensive license products, but cheap compared to what other companies should have given for that licens.
As mentioned earlier, other products, like VW, Maersk, Ferrari, McLaren, Shell and so on, is on other agreements. I could imagine they are all different, but most likely, cheap, free or LEGO is getting paid to them.
It's important to note, that I cannot prove much of this, other that the segments, but it's a feeling gathered from being a Dane grown up with LEGO and having their values as integrate in me as the values of being a dane.

[J Jay]

Yeah, I am aware that the more AFOL-oriented licences tend to be cheaper - for instance, the Volvo license for the L350F cost nothing. Speaking of Shell, the preliminary image had Shell stickers (or something very close to them) on. Were they placeholders, or did they plan to use them but couldn't for a related reason to the redesign?

Vaguely back on topic, the 42039 can be motorized but not for drive - the upper portion of the doors open (think 908) and the rear cover lifts up to reveal the engine and rear suspension. Making it RC shouldn't be hard though

[CTD]

Originally Posted by J Jay

Yeah, I am aware that the more AFOL-oriented licences tend to be cheaper - for instance, the Volvo license for the L350F cost nothing. Speaking of Shell, the preliminary image had Shell stickers (or something very close to them) on. Were they placeholders, or did they plan to use them but couldn't for a related reason to the redesign?

Vaguely back on topic, the 42039 can be motorized but not for drive - the upper portion of the doors open (think 908) and the rear cover lifts up to reveal the engine and rear suspension. Making it RC shouldn't be hard though

Shell has for long had a partnership with LEGO. If it incorporates money actually going LEGO's way or just a very good price on the oil which LEGO uses in it's supply chain, I don't know. But Shell is certainly paying some way or another for their placement.

I prefer the 42039 with a hand build lego engine with moving pistons and a working transmission

[J Jay]

Originally Posted by CTD

I prefer the 42039 with a hand build lego engine with moving pistons and a working transmission

I'm not planning on gutting the engine, that's going to be integrated into the transmission (driven by the motor). The switch gearbox will probably have to go to make room though. I understand the reasoning as to why Lego only use distribution gearboxes, but I miss the gearboxes of older sets that were part of the transmission.

[TF110]

Check out this one

[deggis]

Originally Posted by CTD

Shell has for long had a partnership with LEGO. If it incorporates money actually going LEGO's way or just a very good price on the oil which LEGO uses in it's supply chain, I don't know. But Shell is certainly paying some way or another for their placement.

Wasn't there a lengthy break with Shell sometime from mid-1990s to 2000s when Shell was replaced with the imaginary Octan? I wonder if this was because of bad publicity of oil companies etc.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by TF110

Check out this one

Oh my stars that is cool!

Is that in the current lineup or a custom build?

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Originally Posted by TF110

Check out this one

Now we need the Audi and the Porsche!

[MitchZ06]

Originally Posted by deggis

My word the nostalgia....

[rdjones]

Originally Posted by deggis

Wasn't there a lengthy break with Shell sometime from mid-1990s to 2000s when Shell was replaced with the imaginary Octan? I wonder if this was because of bad publicity of oil companies etc.

I had that playset !!!

[wolfhound]

I am aware of lego using Shell's logo in the late sixties or early seventies.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by rdjones

I had that playset !!!

I still have that

And complete set only missing the original box. Been planning to do an inventory because AFOL people buy these brick-perfect complete larger ones for surprising sums... http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?S=6395-1, and this one isn't even that big set. Still not sure whether really worth all the hassle of checking every brick is still there, washing and packaging plus postage expenses, but at least there would be an excuse to play with them.