[REVIEW] 42056 - Porsche 911 GT3 RS

[TheItalianBrick]

I built it carefull. Certainely more carefully than all kids will do.

The set has huge problems.

Note that, as predicted, the set is postponed. You can not buy it on s@h (at least in my country).

You've always been very negative on every model....I'm sorry but I won't consider your words/opinions/review about this model.

Let's face it...it's a toy, a great toy, looks impressive regardless if the gearbox doesn't work perfectly all the time......

Congratulation Jim for such an amazing review, it has been a pleasure to read it and the level of your photos it's simply outstanding!

[Jim]

Wow, that review kicked megablocks. Not only were the writing and pictures awesome, but don't think I didn't notice the custom banner graphics for each section and even the Porsche emblems for the rating at the end. You really pulled out all the stops. Ultimate indeed.

Thanks Eric! I reckoned a review for The Ultimate could use little extra flavor

[valenciaeric]

1 question for the reviewers.

Do the new front hubs have slots to connect driveshafts? None of the photos so far make it clear. Would be a pityif they didn´t.

[WhiteFang]

This is the most excellent LEGO Technic set that have ever released! I am actually very tempted (for once), getting myself immense into this particular awesome set. Could this be my first LEGO Technic set?

Jim, outstanding work! You are indeed our EB Resident Technic Expert Reviewer!

I enjoyed the read and video (in particular was helpful to understand the physical mechanics).

[hisamk]

Great review and photos, thanks! I can't wait to have my own one even through that will be my first technic set.

[BrickWild]

Thanks for a lot of pics! I'm getting this one very soon!

[Vectormatic]

Excellent review Jim! Thank you so so much for the effort. One small question, could you post a size comparison pic with 42000, as you did with 42039? I have both of those, and 42000 is a good bit longer, might even be longer then the porsche.

As for the set itself, ill be giving it a miss i think. There are just too many technical inaccuracies compared with the real model (the bizare 4F4R gearbox with overflow 4-1 shifts, not to mention the issues with its operation), the lack of rear wheel steering, and while i entirely understand the use of the same size tires, it kind of bugs me on a display model, given the width difference in the real thing. The colour vomit when it comes to the pins etc.. doesnt help there either. And to round off my list of complaints.... stickers.. They take the pain of printing some of the wheel arches, but the brake calipers are simple poxy stickers....

Ill admit that im not a porsche fan, the 911 just feels wrong to me (ancient styling, engine in the wrong place), so the whole coffee table book nonsense doesnt really hold value for me, nor does the fact that it is a 911, i respect porsche for their technology, and that happens to be the weakest part of this model.

[bj51]

Excellent review, Jim, as usual. But It needs to be said again. Such incredible work you've made.

It's a shame such an impressive looking set has as huge flaws as these. Hope TLG can correct this, but I doubt It.

[efferman]

bad news for germans

quote from a store employee

The Porsche will maybe available in two weeks, a month or later, because there are a design issue

[Vectormatic]

bad news for germans

quote from a store employee

Someone already noted that earlier in the thread, on S@H the set went from "coming soon" straight to "out of stock, will ship in 30 days".

Honestly, im not entirely impressed by how this launch is going, the model seems sub-par for something labelled "ultimate", and now they are dealing with big enough technical problems (for a set that has been in development for three years) to halt production/shipping

[schraubedrin]

I wanted to buy it from a Porsche selection Shop and this morning i got a call that they may get it next week

Has any reviewer tested whether the gearbox works better with the old new white driving ring connectors?

with their defined positions they might better lock the gears in place.

[agrof]

I read again the review, there is one thing missing. The details about one so-called feature - as it was even pointed out in the designer video: the luggage bag.

Stickered calipers, but buildable suitcase. Really? Are the priorities correct in Technic?

But seriously, after having all the impressions from different reviewers, I feel more disappointed. Not in the car, as it doesn't move anything in me, but in TLG.

The whole thing feels rushed technically and in some looks details, despite the 3 years (??!!) effort made by professionals. I mean by people, who do this in 8 hours a day.

I would be happy to hear the opinions from the other side, but I am afraid even if we get some... it will be rather political than straight.

Edited June 1, 2016 by agrof

[1974]

Hilarious if that coffeetable book now comes with three extra pages tucked in to "fix" the gearbox. I'd call that an ultimate fvck-up and render that very expensive tree killer thing even more pointless

I told ya guys you'd be dissapointed about this model. It does not offer anything new 'cept that silly rubberband gearbox and should really have been a great looking great non-functional CREATOR set (think F40 etc but much larger) Since one can't see the technic functions working anyway, they do seem a little pointless

Just think what TLG could have done with a stick type gearbox, new suspension parts, wheels, many other cool functions/parts and a NORMAL cheap instruction book/box for 250EUR if they didn't have to suck up to Porsche?

I really do not think a license like this does Technic any good

Oh, and that colour vomit!! Looks like a +6 set. Why do TLG think their buyers are getting more stupid? Way to insult their customers

But that's imo

[mobi]

Thanks Jim for the excellent review (as usual)

How easy is to convert this to Right Hand Drive? Is it a symmetrical design?

If it is "out of stock for 30 days" because of design fix, then I think it is a good thing - right?

Edited June 1, 2016 by mobi

[will]

Thanks for the review Jim. I was on the fence about this given the price, but I'll pick it up only if it's discounted (and hopefully fixed) further down the line. Looks like it's unavailable at the UK s@h anyway.

[Jim]

Apparently it's being sold (someone on Facebook):

[Rygar]

I've juat finished reading the review. Very honest and well written review.

Now I am pretty sure. I won't buy this set for the flaws that Jim mentioned above.

I hope 42054 and 42055 will be more interesting.

[JunkstyleGio]

@ Jethro: That is a brilliant mod

[Zusammengebaut]

Very nice review, Jim. And fine images!

Drivetrain and finally the marriage - that is the fun part of it!

Edited June 1, 2016 by Zusammengebaut

[DanSto]

That's a review ! An ultimate Review Thanks, Jim.

Concerning the price, there are something like 1000 various pins (which cost nearly nothing to TLG) in this set : I found that the 1700 remaining parts are clearly too expensive .

[Kristof]

Thanks for great review Jim. I really like the way it's put together, with some of the preliminary questions answered. The pictures are also great and the videos really make it more attractive.

Regarding the model itself, I'm a bit short to judge. I don't have this money to spend on lego set, no matter how good is it. As it is, I'm not buying it, if it has several more features, I wouldn't be buying it either. Even so, I have this 'could have been better' feeling and it's stronger with each review of information I get about this set.

Why do I feel that TLG got somewhat scared of putting something extra in their sets? It's almost like there is some limited stack of 'coolness' the designer have available for each set and is prohibited from overdrawing it. Could it be that even though LEGO call this an 'ULTIMATE' model, they still hold the handbrake on how many features are implemented? Like 'Hey, hold back man, sure we said the ultimate, but not as ultimate, you know? Save something for the further models!'. Or perhaps they want not to put other coexisting models to shame?

Or are there some other obvious reasons for holding back which I'm missing? Huge pricetag - check, Ultimate - check, Big scale - check, Available technology - check. ...so why are the functions worse than with 8448? It really feels like back then LEGO had ba**s to make trully ultimate models, utilizing all the available techniques. Today, they never hesitate to pull out 'Ultimate' tags and stamps, however, the actual designs seem rather down-to-earth.

[Jetro]

@ Jethro: That is a brilliant mod

Thanks. And the best thing is it only takes a few pins!

[Paperballpark]

How easy is to convert this to Right Hand Drive? Is it a symmetrical design?

I thought about it, but I'm not an experienced Technic builder, and the build process looked far too complicated for me to be messing around with. You'd effectively have to reverse the entire gearbox (and probably the paddle-shifter too), as the shifter connects to the left-hand side of it.

[davebarrett]

Previously a whole bunch of sets were showing up as "shipping in 30 days" on the online store, including another set I bought.

Now the 42056 is showing up in my order as the only backordered set, and it's "Out of stock, expected ship date 6 Jun 2016" on the store. Better than 30 days!

Looks like there was also some borkage on the Shop at Home site along with the 42056 problems.

[Vectormatic]

Or are there some other obvious reasons for holding back which I'm missing? Huge pricetag - check, Ultimate - check, Big scale - check, Available technology - check. ...so why are the functions worse than with 8448? It really feels like back then LEGO had ba**s to make trully ultimate models, utilizing all the available techniques. Today, they never hesitate to pull out 'Ultimate' tags and stamps, however, the actual designs seem rather down-to-earth.

Forget 8448, how about 8880? a 22 year old set, which on the technical front puts the porsche to shame, adjusted for inflation 8880 would cost $210 today (and yes, piece count is waaaaaaaay off, but imho you cant compare studded/studless easily on piece count)

Honestly, i think taking a $120 set like 42000 or 42039 and spending $80 on modding it can provide a much more satisfying result for the petrol head AFOLs among us.