Something you don't know about the LandRover Defender 42110.....

[TheItalianBrick]

I love Lego, who doesn't after all! 

And easy to say each of us has, at least once, dreamt of designing an official Lego set.  I work for JLR, JaguarLandRover and I'm a car designer (the real deal!) but I'm also a huge Lego fan and technic builder since the age of 3.   

 

A while back my design director, knowing I am a Lego fan, asked me if I wanted to support a special project, collaborating with Lego. I wasn't sure of what I would be working on but since it involved Lego I did accept the work without hesitation.  Working on the real Defender is already a privilege, but working on a Lego version of it was a dream coming true! My role was to help Samuel and Milan (Lego Technic designers) with getting the proportions of the car right. They were fantastic while working around it and it was very inspiring for me to meet them in person. They even complimented my Lego Hyster Forklift.  I'm not an official Lego designer by any mean, but I know there is a bit of me in that set indeed....

 

Hope you enjoy them both, real and Lego version of it! 

 

 

[Seasider]

Congrats, I think the model looks great and captures the look and functions of the real thing well

I keep on dropping hints at my work about building an official Lego model of one of our cars I’m still praying one day it happens.

[Mechbuilds]

I just can't get over the coffin on top of the model.. Wish lego would remove it.

[Zerobricks]

Very well done! This set quickly turned into one of my favourite sets, and IMO it might be the best "Lego supercar" to date.

[Vectormatic]

45 minutes ago, Mechbuilds said:

I just can't get over the coffin on top of the model.. Wish lego would remove it. 

Just take it off after you build it? I plan on taking off the weirdo side storage box as well

Just now, Zerobricks said:

Very well done! This set quickly turned into one of my favourite sets, and IMO it might be the best "Lego supercar" to date.

While i dont agree that it is the best, today it really dawned on me that this is right up there with the GT3RS in terms of part count, and it matches the Chiron for driveline complexity. It might not have the UCS treatment in terms of box, but otherwise this car is equal to the GT3RS, we just get it at a much more friendly price.

Which is exactly why i want it, i love how the Chiron looks, but i mostly enjoyed building it, as i am enjoying building the GT3RS, so i know i will enjoy building this set.

[kbalage]

I'm sure this was a great experience, although I'm still not a fan of the colour I think the result is a very well made Technic set! 

One thing that bothers me about the car and could not find an answer so far - what is the purpose of those body-coloured panels in the rear side windows? 

[rm8]

1 minute ago, kbalage said:

I'm sure this was a great experience, although I'm still not a fan of the colour I think the result is a very well made Technic set! 

One thing that bothers me about the car and could not find an answer so far - what is the purpose of those body-coloured panels in the rear side windows? 

in the 110 they cover wide pillars holding roof. And at 90 they was done just to be in one style with 110. that is MHO of course

 

[JGW3000]

Great experience, congratulations TheItalianBrick on your contributions to what will be a future classic Technic set. 

[Thirdwigg]

This is a pretty cool opportunity @TheItalianBrick. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing.

[TheItalianBrick]

Thanks everyone for the nice words!  I do hope this becomes a set everyone remembers and loves. It does look awesome in the flesh I can guarantee you and overall I'm myself a huge fan of the Defender as car so....

After working on the Defender I've taken onboard a new MOC (crane) and hopefully I'll soon be able to share!

[agrof]

This is really the best thing what could happen, finally a true and talented AFOL was involved in the development, and what an exciting coincidence that You have insights to both worlds! I am really happy for You.

Congratulation to this success, I must say, Your story just made my day and pulled the trigger on my buying decision!  

[Teo LEGO Technic]

That's amazing congratulations! It's a beautiful set.

[1gor]

Congratulations on your clearly great work. Proportions look perfect IMHO the only think I do not like is engine but there is always possibility to put proper 4 cylinder engine. Real Defender looks very robust and what I like are clear lines and boxy design.

[Akbalder]

7 hours ago, vectormatic said:

It might not have the UCS treatment in terms of box, but otherwise this car is equal to the GT3RS, we just get it at a much more friendly price.

It also seem to be at a smaller scale than the UCS cars.

[jorgeopesi]

I knew that it had something from an AFOL, I do not know what but I knew it, congratulations.

[Zerobricks]

55 minutes ago, Akbalder said:

It also seem to be at a smaller scale than the UCS cars.

You can find a picture with the size on the following link:https://www.lego.com/nl-nl/product/land-rover-defender-42110

So, Lego version is 43 cm long, the real deal is 170-180" (431-457cm), si ti seems the scale is about 1:10

[Vectormatic]

3 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

You can find a picture with the size on the following link:https://www.lego.com/nl-nl/product/land-rover-defender-42110

So, Lego version is 43 cm long, the real deal is 170-180" (431-457cm), si ti seems the scale is about 1:10

which puts it in the same scale as 42096

Either way, to me scale doesnt have much bearing on how i view it, looking at the part count and featureset i expect a building experience on par with the UCS cars, and entirely different from 42096, which was just an empty shell, a tarted up 42077.

[Zerobricks]

Just now, vectormatic said:

which puts it in the same scale as 42096 

Either way, to me scale doesnt have much bearing on how i view it, looking at the part count and featureset i expect a building experience on par with the UCS cars, and entirely different from 42096, which was just an empty shell, a tarted up 42077.

Defender is TLG at their best. 42096 is TLG at their laziest! There is no comparison.

[Vectormatic]

Just now, Zerobricks said:

Defender is TLG at their best. 42096 is TLG at their laziest! There is no comparison.

Lets not count our chickens just yet ;) 42056 seemed very promising before reviewers got their hands on it, and even if everything works 100%, there are still enough choices to disagree with (which mostly comes down to personal taste, stuff like the mini-fake engine)

That said, im optimistic about it, im not a landrover fan at all, and ill need some things fixed before im perfectly content with it, but after building the chiron and currently working on the porsche, all i can say is that im absolutely hyped for another car build on that scale.

[dr_spock]

Awesome cool.  Did you have to sign a NDA to work on the project with LEGO? 

[DutchChris]

Congratulations on the cars and the model. As soon as Hammond stepped inside and showed what it could do, I was sold on it. Great job, I hope they do well.

[Henkl]

Congratulations. Model is awesome, real and Lego. Lots of moc/mod possibilities. This is why i like Technic.

[WvG_853]

18 hours ago, TheItalianBrick said:

A while back my design director, knowing I am a Lego fan, asked me if I wanted to support a special project, collaborating with Lego. I wasn't sure of what I would be working on but since it involved Lego I did accept the work without hesitation.

??

This is excellent use of the knowledge in the organisation and it shows! Bravo to LR and your design director.

[Jurss]

So, then who really built that lego defender :)

I'm jelous (positively)

[mpj]

Congratulations @TheItalianBrick

You do the job of my dreams: car designer and Lego Technic collaborator!