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How fast did the full-size LEGO car go?
Contemporary coverage gives two slightly different figures. WIRED reported 18 mph, while Reuters reporting republished by Al Jazeera put the speed at 30 km/h, or about 20 mph. These are reported top speeds; the available accounts do not establish a formal, independently verified speed test or record attempt.
How did its compressed-air engine work?
The car’s propulsion system used four orbital engines containing 256 LEGO pistons altogether. Compressed air drove the pistons, turning the engine assembly and moving the vehicle. The figure is a piston count across the four engines, not 256 cylinders. ABC News described the four-engine, 256-piston setup.
Builder Raul Oaida designed and constructed the technical parts of the project, while Australian entrepreneur Steve Sammartino proposed and promoted it. Sammartino described the effort to ABC as “a technical experiment to show what’s possible in a connected world.”
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#1 Best Overall
- Car building toy for boys and girls – Young vehicle lovers can build and customize their own vehicles with the LEGO Classic Creative Vehicles car toy for kids ages 5 and up
- Truck and car LEGO sets – Kids use building bricks to create a police car toy, ice-cream truck, ATV, front loader, truck, station wagon, off-roader and a limo
- Inspire young builders – Special pieces, including 52 wheels, and simple step-by-step instructions encourage kids to customize their vehicles
- Endless creativity – Includes 10 ideas to kick-start free-building fun, so kids can take their creative construction to the next level
- LEGO car gift – Kids who like police cars, construction trucks, limo car toys and other vehicles will love to receive this building-bricks toy as a birthday, holiday or any-day gift
Was the car made entirely of LEGO?
No. Reports describe a build made almost entirely from LEGO elements, not a vehicle in which every component was a brick. ABC News reported roughly half a million LEGO pieces and noted non-LEGO load-bearing struts and wheels. Reuters’ account also mentioned ordinary vehicle and structural components, including tires and gauges. Those parts matter: the LEGO construction made the project distinctive, but it still relied on components needed for a road-going vehicle and to support its structure.
Who built it, and how long did the project take?
Oaida and Sammartino worked on the Super Awesome Micro Project with support from 40 funders. Reuters’ 2013 account, republished by Al Jazeera, reported that funders contributed between A$500 and A$1,000 each, that the project cost about $18,000 as stated in that report, and that completion took 20 months. The account does not provide an audited budget or specify a currency for that approximate total, so it should not be treated as a precise cost figure.
Rank #2
- BUILD A RACING LEGEND – Boys and girls ages 9 years old and up can construct the LEGO Speed Champions Porsche 911 GT3 RS Super Car (77239) building set and collect this iconic sports car model
- AUTHENTIC PORSCHE DETAILS – Young builders can recreate the real-life vehicle's signature elements including the famous rear wing, air intake features on the hood, distinctive headlights, and novelty rims
- 1 PORSCHE DRIVER MINIFIGURE – Kids can place the driver minifigure with helmet and red Porsche Track Day Experience outfit behind the wheel to stage their own track-day racing action
- BUILD, RACE & DISPLAY – Young builders can stage epic track showdowns with their Porsche toy car, then showcase it as premium decor on a shelf or bedside table
- GIFT IDEA FOR MODEL CAR FANS – Makes an awesome birthday present for boys and girls who love sports cars, building toys, and model car kits, or for adult car-model collectors
Was it officially the world’s first LEGO car?
Contemporary stories used “world’s first” to describe the full-size LEGO-powered car, but the available reporting does not establish formal independent verification of a world record. The project is best understood as a full-size engineering experiment that was widely reported under that description—not as a certified record.
Its builders set out to demonstrate what a collaborative project could make possible. The result combined a large LEGO assembly, compressed-air propulsion, and conventional structural and vehicle parts in a working two-seat car, while its reported speed remained modest and varied slightly between contemporary accounts.
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Best Value
- CAR TOY FOR KIDS – Young car fans build a legendary ride with the LEGO Speed Champions Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo Hyper Sports Car (77253) building toy for boys and girls ages 9 years old and up – the first-ever LEGO model of this iconic Bugatti
- ICONIC BUGATTI DETAILS – The completed build is packed with authentic details from the car created by Bugatti for the Gran Turismo video game in 2015, including the horseshoe front grille, rear wing, distinctive 8-eye headlights, roof fin and wide tires imprinted with 'Michelin'
- DRIVER MINIFIGURE & ACCESSORIES – Includes a driver minifigure wearing a Bugatti outfit and helmet with a wig and wrench accessory that can be placed in the cockpit for pretend play racing action
- PLAY & DISPLAY – When building is complete, the collectible car doubles as room decor that's sure to look great on a shelf, desk or bedside table
- GIFT FOR BOYS & GIRLS – Makes a fun birthday gift or anytime present for kids who love car toys, racing games and collectible vehicles
Rank #4
- BUILD A HYPERCAR ICON – Car fans ages 9 years old and up can experience the thrill of race day with the LEGO Speed Champions Bugatti Centodieci Hyper Sports Car (77240) building set
- AUTHENTIC BUGATTI DETAILS – Young builders can recreate signature Centodieci elements, including the 5 round air intakes, horseshoe radiator grille, overhanging rear wing, and quad tailpipes
- BUILD, RACE & DISPLAY – Kids can stage epic hyper car showdowns with their Bugatti toy car—complete with a driver minifigure in racing gear—then showcase it as eye-catching room decor
- GIFT IDEA FOR MODEL CAR FANS – Makes an awesome birthday gift for boys and girls who love sports cars, building toys, and model car kits
- LEGO SPEED CHAMPIONS – Kids and car fans can use LEGO bricks to build scale replicas of some of the world's most iconic vehicles
Rank #3
- Build and customize 10 cars
- Learn the science behind race cars
- Includes 64-page book of instructions and inspiration
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