Lego Speed Racer
 | |
| Parent theme | Lego Racers |
|---|---|
| Subject | Speed Racer |
| Licensed from | Warner Bros. |
| Availability | 2008– |
| Total sets | 4 |
Lego Speed Racer is a 2008 Lego theme based on the 2008 film Speed Racer (which is based on the cartoon of the same name). It consists of four sets which were first released in April 2008.
Overview
In January 2008 it was announced that The Lego Group had acquired the rights from Warner Bros. to produce four sets based on the upcoming Speed Racer film.[1] Lego has previously partnered with Warner Bros., creating Batman and Harry Potter themes. The Speed Racer theme was released under the Lego Racers brand.[1]
The four sets were first released in the United States on April 3, 2008.[2] In the United Kingdom the sets Speed Racer & Snake Oiler, Racer X & Taejo Togokhan, and Grand Prix Race were released on April 6, 2008, while Cruncher Block & Racer X was released later at the start of May.[2]
Sets
Speed Racer & Snake Oiler is a 242-piece set. It features the Mach 5 supercar and Oiler's orange race car, both around 17 cm (6.5") long, and two minifigures: Speed Racer, wearing a blue pullover, and Snake Oiler.[3] 'Racer X & Taejo Togokhan' is a 237-piece set. It features a red and black racecar, a yellow and black race car, both around 16 cm (6") long, and two minifigures: Racer X and Taejo Togokahn, wearing a white suit.[4] Cruncher Block & Racer X is a 367-piece set. It features the same yellow and black race car from the 'Racer X & Taejo Togokhan' set, a 33 cm (13") semi truck and four minifigures – Racer X, Cruncher Block, Cruncher's driver, and Taejo Togokahn. Grand Prix Race is a 595-piece set.[5] It features the Mach 6 racecar, a black and yellow racecar, a black and grey race car, a commentators box, a car workshop, and seven minifigures: Speed Racer wearing white racing coveralls, Gray Ghost, Cannonball Taylor, Pops Racer, Spritle, Trixie, and a commentator.[6]
| Set No. | Set | Release | Pieces | Minifigures | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8158 | Speed Racer & Snake Oiler | April 3, 2008 | 242 | 2 | [3] |
| 8159 | Racer X & Taejo Togokhan | April 3, 2008 | 237 | 2 | [4] |
| 8160 | Cruncher Block & Racer X | April 3, 2008 | 367 | 4 | [5] |
| 8161 | Grand Prix Race | April 3, 2008 | 595 | 7 | [6] |
Reception
Animetion.co.uk rated the set 'Speed Racer & Snake Oiler' (8158) four out of five, stating the set is "great fun to build and are good enough to display or play".[7] They however criticized the use of stickers due to the large margin of error when applying them to the bricks and that one sticker covers three bricks, which could lead to problems when deconstructing the set.[7]
This series was referenced in The Lego Movie, when Wildstyle mentions the "lesser" worlds of Lego and a picture of the set is briefly shown.
References
- 1 2 Wert, Ray (2008-01-30). "Speed Racer Lego Sets Hit Store Shelves In April, We Like The Real Mach 5 Better". Jalopnik. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
- 1 2 "Speed Racer". Brickset. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
- 1 2 "8158-1: Speed Racer & Snake Oiler". Brickset. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
- 1 2 "8159-1: Racer X & Taejo Togokhan". Brickset. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
- 1 2 "8160-1: Cruncher Block & Racer X". Brickset. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
- 1 2 "8161-1: Grand Prix Race". Brickset. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
- 1 2 "Lego Speed Racer Merchandise Review". Animetion. Archived from the original on 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
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