Is there any chance that Lego will resurrect iconic old sets like 8880, 8448, 8479, 8421 etc.?

May of the modern Technic sets are worse than older classics.

I always wondered why Lego went few step backwards after introducing those complex sets.

Now there is an increasing trend of motorizing all trivial functions. Motors don't last after few years where as mechanical parts last over 20 years.

i think this "iconic" sets will never come back, but hopefully iam thinking wrong

Is there any chance that Lego will resurrect iconic old sets like 8880, 8448, 8479, 8421 etc.?

They have.

May of the modern Technic sets are worse than older classics.

You're wrong.

Now there is an increasing trend of motorizing all trivial functions. Motors don't last after few years where as mechanical parts last over 20 years.

Oh really.

May of the modern Technic sets are worse than older classics.

I always wondered why Lego went few step backwards after introducing those complex sets.

I hope you are joking. Lego has advanced far beyond where they were 20 years ago as far as Technic goes.

I was going to use the pneumatic crane truck as an example for them re-introducing sets. I think they were trying to get more mileage out of it at a time when they needed it. I could see them doing another flagship crane in the future with RC/PF - I would be all over that!

Lego has advanced far beyond where they were 20 years ago as far as Technic goes[/Quote]

Agreed but why we are not seeing a set like 8880 anymore?

Of course they can bring out a similar set but they are not doing it.

They have.

I think they reintroduced old sets in 2002 because they were switching from studful to studless in the years 2001-2002.

It took probably much time to design all the new parts and to understand and master this new system. I guess this change also had an impact on the production process (many new ref etc).

So, IMO, TLG reused old sets to put all its effort in the change itself.

I doubt TLG will ever release old studful sets : way to expensive to produce compared to studless.

You're wrong.

What a weird comparison.

I hope you are joking. Lego has advanced far beyond where they were 20 years ago as far as Technic goes.

I think that the parts selection has deffinately improved since the "golden age" of technic (1988-1996) but, excluding some notable exceptions like 8110, the sets have not. The space shuttle was probably the best space shuttle that could be built using the parts available at the time and piece count, but modern sets often don't reach the potential of the parts they can be built from today. This is not a fault of the designers, I believe they used to have more time to design and perfect each set. Now TLG seems to pride itself on reducing the time from initial concept to actual release. This is not good for sets. In my mind 8880 is the best technic car ever made, but it's 18 years old now, has there been a car released since with 18 years worth of improvements on 8880? When I consider the difference between the very first auto chassis and 8880 (a 17 year gap at most) I think certainly not.

Agreed but why we are not seeing a set like 8880 anymore?

Of course they can bring out a similar set but they are not doing it.

Because most kids don't give a flying rat's ass about gearboxes. All the rest of 8880's functionality has been replicated elswhere. It didn't even have doors, for 's sake.

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by mahjqa

Well, gearbox is the crown jewel of Technic sets!

May be it is a business decision. They think if they put all functions in single set, people won't buy other sets.

It is hard to look at the 8880 and think of it as a Car as it looks more like a tank. It was a fun build and had many interesting features, but I prefer something that is more pleasant on the eyes with less features. I like to think of a nice clean build as a feature.

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by Meatman

Really? Have you asked most kids (there are about half a billion of them) wheather they prefer a working gearbox to a working door? I know which one i'de choose and which one I was more interested in as a kid and it wasn't the frackin door!

It is hard to look at the 8880 and think of it as a Car as it looks more like a tank. It was a fun build and had many interesting features, but I prefer something that is more pleasant on the eyes with less features. I like to think of a nice clean build as a feature.

Then I think you want a Ferrari racer set, not a technic set. Besides whilst many would agree with you about the look of 8880, many would disagree, and at the time it was released i'm pretty sure everyone would have disagreed with you.

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by allanp

But almost all large technic sets have a type of "gearbox" even the 8070 did, it just didn't actually change the gear ratios. Some of these gearboxes like in the excavator are far more advanced than anything that ever existed, including the 8880.

Then I think you want a Ferrari racer set, not a technic set. Besides whilst many would agree with you about the look of 8880, many would disagree, and at the time it was released i'm pretty sure everyone would have disagreed with you.

You mean a Ferrari Racer set that is comprised 100% of Technic Parts?

You're wrong.

What a weird comparison.

A technic truck based on the real-life Unimog, both of them released at a similar price point. How hard is the comparision?

Cites:

Catalog picture showing it priced at f78,50

Dutch inflation figures over the years.

I think the 8880 was a cool set for it's time, but by the standards in this day and age in Technic, it doesn't seem so advanced. And to say that Lego isn't building sets like that anymore is absurd.

I also think that the sets of today take much longer to develop that they did some 20 years ago due to the advanced building that is involved as there is no more stacking blocks on top of blocks or adding a plate or 2 to achieve you goal.

Well, gearbox is the crown jewel of Technic sets!

Yes. When used properly.

If you use it to change the speed of the pistons in a fake engine? Yawn. If you use it to drive 4 times more functions than you have motors (like your beloved space shuttle does)? Excellent.

Recent technic sets have no shortage of those gearboxes.

With 8880 came those now very common gear selector rings and that whole method of being able to engauge/disengauge drive to an axle. 8480 took that idea and used it to control 4 functions from one motor. That was 18 and 16 years ago respectively. There has been no improvement on that since, there are more instances where a gearbox is used to change function than it is used to change gear ratios and it is now the former type of gearbox that is getting boring. It is also unlifelike, I have not seen a gearbox used for that in real life (except a power take off). 8880 and 8480 were the innovative designs, 8043 and 8070 is the lazy lack of progress since then. Who really would prefere a motorised door to an actual working gearbox anyway? Not me! Imagine if they kept on improving things at the same rate, the gearboxes today would have been much better and more realistic, using up very little power from the motor yet able to take alot more torque we would be seeing RC cars with working 7 speed sequencial gearboxes by now, that's what i'm looking to, kids would go nuts for it, not motorised fracking DOOOOOOOOOOORS!!

I'd love a reissue of 8880; it'd mean I wouldn't be looking at paying a ridiculous price for one on eBay.

You mean a Ferrari Racer set that is comprised 100% of Technic Parts?

I think so.

There are many Racers sets done 100% of Technic pieces:

- 8653 Enzo Ferrari

- 8145 599 GTB Fiorano

- 8386 F1 Racer 1:10

They all have excellent design, very nice bodywork (mad of panels and flexible hoses), but really minimum technic features: only a fake engine and steering, not even working suspension not speaking of transmission.

The nice part of these sets (at least of the first two of them) is that there is plenty of space inside them to add those features (I own a 599 GTB, and I added font and rear suspensions, a working gearbox and connection between the steering wheel and the HOG steering system, making it mote "techinic"!).

But almost all large technic sets have a type of "gearbox" even the 8070 did, it just didn't actually change the gear ratios. Some of these gearboxes like in the excavator are far more advanced than anything that ever existed, including the 8880.

It's a pity it didn't provide any more torque otherwise it might have been able to actually lift something! Advanced? I think not

You mean a Ferrari Racer set that is comprised 100% of Technic Parts?

yup.

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by allanp

A technic truck based on the real-life Unimog, both of them released at a similar price point. How hard is the comparision?

The goals on a 200€ model and a more or less 50€ model are definitely not the same. ;)

It's like comparing 8275 and 8569. :/

I think gearboxes have their limitations though as far as what they can do performance wise. I think something like a 7 speed sequential gearbox would be highly advanced and really cool, but would you really be able to use it properly in a Lego model? And would it even be practical? Those are 2 issues when it comes to the types of sets that Lego releases. They have to be almost foolproof.

Yeah, the gearbox in the 8070 doesn't actually change gears or anything, but it is vastly superior mechanically to that in the 8880 and offered something new that had never been done before in a Lego Supercar.

...

Imagine if they kept on improving things at the same rate, the gearboxes today would have been much better and more realistic, using up very little power from the motor yet able to take alot more torque we would be seeing RC cars with working 7 speed sequencial gearboxes by now, that's what i'm looking to, kids would go nuts for it, not motorised fracking DOOOOOOOOOOORS!!

You're right, but since TLG isn't providing these kind of models...

...there's a Sheepo for that...

(His RC Porsche is really awesome... it even includes a working and PF controlled braking system... I've a lot more to learn...!)

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by Rikus

allanp, by your definition what does a model need to be in order to be considered "Technic"

You're right, but since TLG isn't providing these kind of models...

...there's a Sheepo for that... ;-)

(His RC Porsche is really awesome... it even includes a working and PF controlled braking system... I've a lot more to learn...!)

Sheepo's stuff is brilliant and thank God for his amazing ideas, but Lego models are not built in his style of building.

Edited March 6, 201213 yr by Meatman

Really? Have you asked most kids (there are about half a billion of them) wheather they prefer a working gearbox to a working door? I know which one i'de choose and which one I was more interested in as a kid and it wasn't the frackin door!

Incidentally, the kids in this test preferred the 'boring' RC bulldozer to a more complex manual pneumatic one.

About gearboxes - kids like speed, and I haven't seen a single RC car with a complex gearbox move at anything other than snail pace.