The Box and Unboxing
Sets this March. Ill, be reviewing them all in details. Dont worry the first one were introducing here is something very special: its the LEGO, Icons, 10330 McLaren, MP44 amp Ayrton Senna set. This is a legendary car with a legendary driver. Lets see if LEGO has managed to do them. Justice in this Icons set. We see the race car on the front of the box with the minifigure. The black design fits this time.. A stand is revealed on the back of the box with some details of the build and also the dimensions. Lets open it. The set has 693 pieces, the price is 80 EUR or USD. All local prices and preorder options can be found via the link at the top right corner or in the description.
Contents
We get 6 numbered bags, the sticker sheet 4 wheels and the manual. Oh boy. Those wheels well have to talk about them, a lot later. In the manual. We first get some information about the model that was one of the most successful Formula: 1 car designs of all time.. On the following pages. We see photos and some information about Senna, who really was one of the most iconic drivers in history.. Then we get a comparison photo with a few words from the LEGO design, team. Heres the parts list. If youre interested now lets start building.
Building the Set
First, we need to assemble the minifigure.. Hes got a nice printed racing suit, a trophy in one hand and a tricky accessory to hold his helmet in the other.
Building the McLaren MP4/4
We also build a nice podium with a quote from Senna on it. The car starts with this big piece, which is new for 2024. This assembly below is a nice nod to the national flag of Brazil, Senna’s home country. We extend the base with some larger elements and then start building a representation of the legendary Honda V6 turbo engine.
Challenges in Building
Bag 2 starts with some challenging Technic pieces, and then we see some very exciting brand new parts designed specifically for this set. The look of the axles becomes much more accurate with these parts, but if we dig a little deeper, they may be a bit too specific for general use.
The cross axles at the ends appear to have been designed to be fixed with no functional suspension parts and no movement, and the width of 4 modules isn’t going to be easy to accommodate in the world of LEGO Technic, as it is mostly based on odd numbers. We have simulated driveshafts that aren’t connected to anything, but it’s an Icons set, so I think that’s perfectly fine.
Assembly Challenges
Here comes the assembly with the upper wishbones; it’s a bit tricky as a lot of pins and ball joints have to be connected at the same time, but eventually it’s in place. The suspension is fixed, with some flex in the plastic, but that’s all.
Creating Detail
Building the side pods with Brazilian colors again, but they are covered by that big slope that gets the Shell sticker.
Body Shaping Continues
This assembly goes here and the body shaping continues towards the rear. We add a few more details to the engine and finish this stage with another pair of Shell logos. I’m still surprised to see this part in light, bluish gray, even though it’s not new.
Tricky Assembly for Working Steering
We’re building a Technic base for the front axle, and here comes this tricky assembly that will give us working steering in this small space. It’s not connected to anything yet, but I think we’ll see it soon. Pretty soon, actually – here’s the steering axle.
Innovative Part Usage
This nose piece is brand new, and this is also our first printed element that helps to lock the front section. A bit more engine detail and even more chrome parts. The minifigure sextant is an ingenious part usage for the instruments to control the front anti-roll bar stiffness. It looks very similar.
Functional Steering Wheel
Now it’s time to slot in the steering wheel. Yes, we have functional steering. We add pieces for the seat, and then the area around the cockpit is covered.
Precise Details to the Rear
The next stage is to add some fairly precise details to the rear. Then comes another printed piece. The windshield has several smaller, transparent pieces on the sides, and here’s the center one that’s also printed, which I didn’t notice in the press photos before. We also put some gauges behind the steering wheel.
Complex Front Wing
The front wing is more complex than you might think because it consists of many small parts and layers. I often don’t understand how the decision is made between stickers and prints.
The Shell and McLaren Logos
The Shell and McLaren logos seem almost the same on very similar white tiles. I really don’t know what the difference is in this case. Another nice printed element that comes to the front here.
The Rear Wing
This was a heavily criticized section at the reveal. We’ll come back to it later. The rear wing is pretty cool for a couple of reasons. First of all, we have this printed tile here, but another layer with half the print comes on top, and then we attach the 2 sections with tow balls to get the required angle – very nice.
The Side Panels
I also like how the side panels are attached – a clip down here, a stud connection up there and it’s done. In bag 5, we extend the rear axle. Then we build a quite clever assembly here to give the engine even more detail. This actually turned out pretty authentic for the scale. Tricky little 1×1 plates printed on the edge. This will be the engine cover.
The Engine Cover
At this stage, it’s still a bit fragile, so it might be better to build it on the table. I’m sure people will ask: why are we adding printed 1×1 plates here? If the printing is hidden, aren’t they more expensive? Well, sometimes, it’s better, from a logistical point of view, to use more of the printed tiles that are already included in the set rather than adding unprinted pieces because that’s another new type to use here. The engine cover has a nice shape and fits perfectly.
Wheel Design Flaw
Here are the rear view mirrors, then the front axles and it’s time to take a closer look at the wheels. Brand new design. One piece you can’t take them apart: they have a rubbery surface, but they are hard as a rock – just listen. They’re similar to the new generation of Speed Champions wheels, which are also one piece, but there. The reasoning was that the rubber layer was too thin to remove and handle well – I’m sure that’s not the case here. I mean it looks pretty cool, but I’m sure everyone has already realized the biggest mistake. We have 4 identical wheels in the box. And if we put them on it, it doesn’t really get any better.
New Wheels Feature
According to the manual, they’ve developed new wheels that are super fast to remove or reattach. If you know what they mean, please let me know in the comments. I don’t see much difference. The front wheels come off with the axle, and since we have to put those half bushes on, I’m not sure what the speed difference is supposed to be.
Building the Stand
We build the stand in the last bag, it is fairly quick and looks quite good. Here we still have to apply the giant sticker and the last thing we have is this assembly with Technic connectors and we can mount the car. The build is finished. So here’s the car in all its glory. I think it looks great at first glance.
Suspension Pieces
The new suspension pieces definitely improve the look, but, as always, the devil is in the details.
The Skinny Rear Tires
I really cannot unsee those skinny rear tires to me. They completely ruin that section. I mean look at this photo in the back of the manual and now lets see photos of the real car. Again, the difference between the front and rear tires is massive. The rims at the rear were more than 40 wider. Honestly dont understand how this design was approved by the license partners and what was the reason for ignoring the size difference, especially after going to the trouble of designing a brand new wheel for the set.
The Biggest Flaw
Sorry for the rant folks. But to me this is the biggest flaw of the set that was so close to being great. I know there are other complaints, such as the flat nose but Im, not sure how the curvature of the original could have been better represented at this scale, especially with prints. Yes, the color of the white print on red bricks is still very different compared to the white bricks. This is a flaw of the system not specific to the set. And then theres the other elephant in the room, which is the lack of Marlboro branding.
The Lack of Marlboro Branding
I read a lot of comments at the reveal, including some very extreme ones. My personal opinion is this. Im, sorry, but Im not going to complain about a change if it means a tobacco brand isnt represented on a toy. Yes, LEGO is still a toy brand, regardless of the age recommendation on this particular box.
The Iconic McLaren MP4/4 Set
As far as I know, you can’t even advertise these brands by law in many countries. These days, if you look at the official super expensive replica in the F1 Merch Store or the historical section on the McLaren website, the branding is not on the car.
Scale and Pricing Comparison
Now let’s see the MP44 along with some other Icons and Creator Expert cars. The scale this time is 1:13, which is pretty close to the other sets. Although LEGO isn’t sticking to a fixed scale for this theme. Let’s talk a bit about the price. It’s 80 EUR/USD some say, that’s expensive for the piece count. We don’t have any similar vehicles in the portfolio. At the moment the closest was the Fiat 500, I think. That still had more parts for 80 EUR or 90 USD, but honestly it didn’t feel much bigger and in terms of build experience and complexity, I definitely prefer the Formula 1 set. With the custom minifigure and stand, I think the pricing is in line with the other Icons vehicle sets. You will of course be able to buy it cheaper. There are already pre-orders for only 62 EUR. You always ask me where I can find these. This one is at Proshop. You can find the link in the description.
Design and Build Attraction
So let’s sum it up. I think this set is a great tribute to this iconic car and its driver. I like the overall look and there are many great design solutions. There are a few technical details.
The Flaw in the Design
The 10330 McLaren MP4/4 set is certainly a LEGO icon, capturing the essence of Ayrton Senna’s famous car in stunning detail. However, even the most iconic sets can have their flaws. In this case, the biggest flaw of the set lies in the rear tire design. It seems as though the designers may have missed the mark when it came to this particular aspect of the build.
A Work in Progress
Despite the flaw in the design, the builder remains optimistic about the set. They express their intention to fix the issue soon, promising to update viewers on their progress. This dedication to improvement is a testament to the builder’s commitment to creating the best possible version of the McLaren MP4/4.
A Standout Amongst the Rest
Despite its flaw, the 10330 McLaren MP4/4 set still has the potential to stand out amongst similar LEGO cars on the builder’s shelf. Its attention to detail and overall design make it a worthy addition to any collection. The builder expresses confidence in the set’s appeal, anticipating that it will do well alongside other iconic builds.
Share Your Thoughts
In the spirit of community and collaboration, the builder invites viewers to share their thoughts on the set. By encouraging feedback and discussion in the comment section, the builder seeks to create a space for enthusiasts to connect and engage with each other. This open dialogue promotes a sense of camaraderie among LEGO fans, fostering a sense of shared enthusiasm for the hobby.
Looking Towards the Future
As the builder looks ahead to future projects, they tease the possibility of more exciting LEGO videos to come. By encouraging viewers to subscribe and turn on notifications, the builder builds anticipation for what lies ahead. This forward-thinking approach keeps viewers engaged and eager to see what new creations the builder will unveil next.
