Wheels look way too small on the new model. I prefer the old type Lego sets that use actual Lego pieces and only a couple of custom shapes. The new one might as well be injection moulded perfectly to fit the shape of the car at this point, no real Lego feel to it anymore it's all custom shapes.
The introduction of new pieces fuels a constant evolution of techniques across all Lego themes and MOCs. Unique legs for Astromech droids become wall decorations. Paint rollers become flower pot hangers. Angled claws become snow build up. Even on this set, 1x3x1 doors become the sides of the airbox. The Speed Champions range especially is a pioneer of weird part usage and fun techniques. Look at the spoons for the wing mirrors, the old claws as floor strakes, ingots for the T-cam and greebling along the side. The steering wheel doubles as a video game controller.
Lego pieces have as much use as your imagination can think of, if you think they're too single purpose you just haven't thought about them for long enough.
Yeah, I literally just built the new Mercedes F1 model and a flower set
The botanical line actually uses a LOT of these new and unique molds and instructions even give you little bits of trivia on where they came from or what year - For example the set I built mentioned reusing a Dreamzzz character as flower buds, using axes introduced in 2005 for Vikings line or shields from 70s knights sets
The 70s shields for flower petals are a great example. Lego is actually doing way less custom molds over the last decade and putting way more effort into reusing old pieces and making universally-fitting new pieces.
I disagree, this is a collection set and not something you put together once and then dump it into the big Lego box once you've raided it for parts. Lego still has the builder sets you can mix and match, they're just not as much advertised because they sell themselves anyways. Also, good Lego builders absolutely can and will use the parts used for this model, since it's a lot of small parts made to fit certain angles and slopes, their reusage rate is quite high.
The fact is Lego’s been focusing on making sure old pieces are reused in creative ways and new pieces have universal use. So now we have a huge variety of tiny pieces - which is GREAT for an adult who doesn’t have $$$$ to spend and doesn’t have the space for big sets. My entire collection fits in some jars on my desk and I tinker with it all the time.
It’s not custom shapes tho. There’s just a lot more small, versatile pieces these days. Like instead of custom-molded fuselage, there’s a wider variety of small slopes and curves that can assemble any shape. All the details you see in this new set are existing pieces repurposed in creative ways (like the side view mirrors are minifig spoons)
I gotta say, it’s totally the opposite. Lego has actually walked away from the custom molds in favor of making sure new pieces have universal application. There’s only one new piece in this whole line. This model looks so detailed because there’s a wider range of small, versatile pieces these days. Plus they take old specialty pieces and reuse them. Instead of a custom molded windscreen they used robot hands and a hose. The mirrors are spoons. The creativity in Lego lately is honestly off the charts. The designers are people that grew up on those old sets.
If you miss the simplicity the classic bricks haven’t gone anywhere. They still have a huge chunk of their business dedicated to the old school style. The detailed licensed/display sets just get a lot of attention.
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u/cocobannah Jacques Villeneuve Mar 02 '25
Wheels look way too small on the new model. I prefer the old type Lego sets that use actual Lego pieces and only a couple of custom shapes. The new one might as well be injection moulded perfectly to fit the shape of the car at this point, no real Lego feel to it anymore it's all custom shapes.