Today we move quickly with the LEGO Technic set 42098 Car Transporter (2493 pieces - 169.99 €), a big box that allows us to assemble a vehicle transport truck with its trailer and something to transport in the form of a blue car that will bring back memories to all those who have added the set 42093 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 to their collection.

The truck to be built here can accommodate five vehicles distributed over the two decks of the tractor and the trailer. Unfortunately, LEGO only provides one vehicle in this box, so four are missing to fill this transport truck. By adding the Corvette ZR1 from set 42093, which is on the same scale, all you have to do is build three more cars, taking inspiration from the two models you already have and which have similar chassis.

As with the Corvette ZR1, the eight cylinders of the engine are set in motion here when traveling and remain visible through the opening of the front cover. It's obviously not very realistic, but it's still one more feature. The steering is managed via a set of axles that cross the chassis and controlled using a thumbwheel placed in the middle of the rear bumper. Hopefully, LEGO has other vehicles on the same scale in its boxes that can either complete a collection or come and sit on this transport truck.

In this box, LEGO has divided the bags into three distinct groups: Those used to assemble the blue car, those used to build the tractor and finally those needed to assemble the trailer. No sub-assemblies, it is necessary to unpack and sort all the bags in each group before assembling the module concerned. This somewhat crude distribution of parts may annoy those used to the usual conditioning, but once the many pins have been isolated, there aren't many parts left to sort out before you start building.

The tractor is then assembled with its directional direction via two knobs and its cabin which tilts forward to reveal the truck's six-cylinder engine. The designer had the good idea to integrate two knobs to orient the wheels of the truck: the one placed above the cabin is no longer accessible when a vehicle occupies the front of the upper deck, so you have to use the one. placed on the side of the truck.

Like the set 42097 Compact Crawler Crane, this box is aimed at the youngest enthusiasts who are gradually learning the intricacies of the LEGO Technic range. The sub-assemblies that will be used to lower the upper deck ramp and tilt the driver's cabin while lifting the ramp placed just above it are relatively simple to build and the worm mechanism that runs on a rack remains visible even when the set is fully assembled.

The trailer is built on a model similar to the tractor with a worm and rack mechanism to lower the loading ramp and a thumbwheel that deploys the rear rails. It is also not possible to load a car without using the trailer, the tractor is not equipped with extendable rails. Here also the assembly is accessible to the youngest without really complex mechanical substructure. As with the tractor, the various functions are documented by explicit stickers.

On the upper deck of the trailer, there are yellow brackets whose mission is to keep the loaded vehicles in place during transport. It suffices to move forward by rolling over them and they are set up under the chassis of the vehicle concerned. A lever placed on the side of the white railing allows the two brackets to be lowered to release the vehicle. Rustic but functional.

When the trailer is attached to the tractor, vehicles can travel from the lower trailer deck to the truck decks via two extendable rails that provide the connection between the trailer and the tractor. It is obviously necessary to rework a little to take advantage of all these features, but each of the mechanisms fulfills its role perfectly and the gameplay is assured.

When loading, the truck tends to move forward a little. Too bad a wheel locking system has not been implemented, we sometimes get annoyed having to hold the cabin to prevent the fact of sliding the car into the trailer to move the whole.

The tractor cabin tilts forwards via a side lever and the mechanism lifts the front of the upper deck. It's very well done and it's an opportunity to take advantage of the six-cylinder engine hidden under the cabin. The doors open, two seats are installed inside and there are even mirrors with blind spot mirrors.

The set uses many panels essential to provide an acceptable level of finish to the tractor cab. There is therefore also a large sheet of stickers to stick on the different elements while trying to respect the alignment between the patterns that circulate on the body. Some stickers are also used to document the functions of the set, including the levers that allow the vehicle locking devices to be disengaged.

In short, I am really won over by this set. It offers an approach to the LEGO Technic concept accessible to the youngest with visible and understandable mechanisms, maximum playability with simple but effective features that allow vehicles to be loaded and unloaded in different configurations and a nice finish of the cabin a bit in the spirit of what the set proposed 42078 Mack Anthem. Once the set is assembled, there is still room on this truck that only asks to transport your creations.

THE SET 42098 CAR TRANSPORTER ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the August 28, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory. 

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

As promised, we'll talk about the LEGO set soon 71044 Disney Train and Station (2925 pieces - 329.99 €) that LEGO has just unveiled and which will be available from August 21 for members of the VIP program.

For 330 €, we get a station, a motorized train that can be controlled via the Powered Up application or using a remote control (not supplied), a set of rails allowing to assemble a complete circuit and five exclusive minifigs. .

If you are a die-hard fan of anything that bears the Disney logo, you don't need me to convince you that this set deserves to join your collection even if the station delivered here is not the one at Disneyland Paris.

Those who are on a mission with the ultimate objective of reconstituting a Disneyland park can add the contents of this box around the castle of the set 71040 The Disney Castle (2016). The designer also made sure to wink at the fans by inserting a micro version of the castle under the roof of the station. The model is here accompanied by a pad printed reproduction of the visual of the LEGO box, to be sure that no one misses the reference.

Collectors of Disney minifigs, accustomed to series in sachets, will perhaps find it a little difficult to consider spending € 330 for five minifigs including four variants of characters already available.

There is not much to reproach the reproduction of the station in a LEGO version, the result is very honest and the facade is sufficiently detailed to allow the integration of the building at the bottom of a diorama based on Modulars.

As is often the case with LEGO, it is only a half-construction with a pretty facade and several easily accessible interior spaces to stage the characters provided. The designer has tried here to give the model a little more depth than usual and we can therefore expose the station in profile without revealing the deception. In turn, the interior spaces are less cluttered than the models that usually use this technique and this is appreciable. In my opinion, a piece of roof is missing to at least partially cover the corridor of the upper floor and form a real half-station.

If we avoid using the excuse of saying that it is mostly an amusement park setting, we can also regret that the ground floor and the first floor do not communicate with each other. , but that's a detail. The layout of the station is really in the Disney spirit with its curtains, its rugs, its armchair with a round back, its models and posters representing trains, its ticket office and a large handful of black handcuffs which are used to reproduce the borders of roof. It's visually very compelling without giving the impression that everything is crammed together.

The station platform is covered with Tiles but the designer thought of inserting a few pieces with a tenon on the gray square in order to be able to expose travelers there without risking seeing the minifigs fall because of the possible vibrations of the train which passes in front. It is well seen.

The set also proposes to assemble the train which circulates around the park with its iconic locomotive, an open wagon and a second more opulent wagon whose interior is accessible by removing one of the two side panels. The locomotive is superb, the "lambda" wagon is easily accessible via movable roof elements and the "luxury" wagon benefits from an interior which is also really in the Disney spirit. This cute train will certainly make the heyday of many upcoming LEGO exhibitions.

The detail that may annoy fans of LEGO trains: the wheels on the bogies are now free of the usual metal axle used until now and each wheel now has a plastic extension that clips into the expected support. This was already the case in the LEGO Hidden Side set 70424 Ghost Train Express, but since the train in this box was not motorized, there was still hope that LEGO would not change the system on trains considered "functional".

To put it simply, several tests show that the friction is more important with this new system. This modification could therefore have an impact on the longevity of the batteries used, on the ability of a train to pull as many wagons as a version equipped with the old axles with metal axles and, in the long term, it could also have a significant impact on the life of the engines that will be used more.

In the meantime, this toy performs quite well and the train does not derail in curves even at full speed. Even for a fan whose threshold of wonder is difficult to reach, this train has its small effect and it is difficult to remain indifferent to its look, at the same time a little cartoonish and faithful to that of the life-size version which circulates in the Disney parks.

It is the coal wagon that carries the elements necessary for the motorization of this train: the Smart Hub Powered Up (88009) and Train Engine (88011). If you already have one of the new LEGO trains in your possession, you know the principle: The train motor is connected to the Smart Hub which is itself controlled via Bluetooth via the dedicated application available on iOS and Android or using the Powered Up remote control.

LEGO only provides here what to move the train forward (and backward) via the smartphone app. No lighting integrated into the locomotive or remote control allowing the youngest to play with the train without risking breaking their parents' smartphone. LEGO could have provided a kit 88005 LED Lights (9.99 €) to plug into the second available connector of the Smart Hub, just to add a little light to the train.

As with other trains based on the elements of the Powered Up ecosystem, the sound effects are emitted by the smartphone, there is no built-in speaker. Smart Hub or to the train itself. Playing with the remote control therefore requires ignoring the few noises offered in the application, but this is a detail that will not really harm the fun experience offered by the set.

There are a lot of stickers in this box and some of them are problematic. Those that must be carefully applied to the sides of the train to reconstitute the terms DISNEY and RAILROAD are not always spaced correctly and the result is a little rough visually, as on the panel bearing the word PARK in the set 75936 Jurassic Park: T. rex Rampage.

Another problem that I encountered with the stickers provided: Those which take place on the two white flags placed on the roof of the station have a strange tendency to peel off quickly, even having taken care to apply them carefully on a clean surface.

LEGO has obviously planned a section dedicated to this train within the Powered Up application. It is more of a cosmetic update than a technical one and apart from the few sound effects offered, we find the usual piloting interface packed in a somewhat kitsch thematic skin. You can also drive the train from the sections dedicated to the two LEGO CITY sets already on the market, the orders sent to the Smart Hub are the same.

As for the five minifigs provided, collectors who will spend the 329.99 € requested by LEGO for this large box should not be disappointed. The pad prints are very correct and Minnie is even entitled to a few patterns on the upper arms. I'm not particularly a fan of the colored rectangles applied only to two sides of Mickey, Minnie and Goofy feet, but it's still better than neutral legs.

No plastic skirt for Minnie, the accessory is here in fabric. The rendering is less regular than on the versions of the character with a rigid skirt, but why not. The continuity of Mickey's overalls is not completely guaranteed between the torso and the legs, but it is a recurring problem at LEGO which has a bit of difficulty in pad printing very close to the edges of the part concerned.

Tic and Tac are dressed here to stick to the set's railway theme and their outfits are sober but convincing, except for the somewhat drab shade of Tac's shirt collar which does not match those of the white sleeves.

Goofy comes with a molded head incorporating the hat which I find really successful and which gives the character a very convincing transition to minifig format. The character comes here in her iconic outfit and everything is there, even the touch up on the pants.

In summary, LEGO offers in my opinion here a nice very complete product that should not disappoint die-hard fans of the Disney universe who have the necessary budget with a beautiful replica of the station seen in some of the parks, a detailed and motorized train , a basic circuit but just waiting to be extended and a handful of pretty exclusive minifigs.

Those who like trains and LEGO buildings will always be able to rid the station of its "Disney" attributes, so it will easily find its place in a classic railway diorama with its pretty facade. At 330 € the box, an additional remote control and a few LEDs could have been part of the game. Otherwise, for minifig collectors, it's 330 € for Goofy right away, and with a little patience a lot less on Bricklink in a few weeks.

THE SET 71044 DISNEY TRAIN AND STATION ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is used as usual (batteries not included). To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the August 20, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory. PS: I know, the coal wagon derailed in the first photo.

A clarification for those who win but who still complain by email (there are some lately): I dismantle the sets, I repack the parts in bulk in the bags that I seal with a machine BUT I do not sort and I do not not repackage the parts with the same inventory per bag as when the product is new. If this annoys you, don't participate.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

As promised, we quickly go around the set LEGO Ideas 21319 Central Perk (1070 pieces - 59.99 €), a box that joins the LEGO Ideas set 21302 The Big Bang Theory in the department of derivative products which feature a popular cast in one of the emblematic sets of the TV series concerned.

Regarding the TV series Friends, there were two possibilities to pay tribute to him and please the fans: Monica's apartment or the Central Perk, the fictitious bar in which the gang of friends squat on the central sofa throughout an episode. The lego ideas project which serves as the basis for this new box being based on the bar, the official set therefore allows us to obtain the Central Perk, with in passing a nice work by the designer on the walls and furniture of the filming studio.

We could quickly conclude on the observation that this box sold for 60 € is a product only intended for nostalgic fans of this series which still regularly makes the heyday of several TNT channels which do not take any risks in terms of programming (C ' is Friends or The Simpsons ...). In my opinion, that would be a mistake, because on closer inspection this set has much more to offer than a handful of more or less successful minifigs staged in a cardboard setting filled with various and varied pieces of furniture.

The presence of the two side uprights adorned with projectors is in my opinion the detail that also gives character to the set by bringing it back to what it really is: the reproduction of a filming studio with a minimalist exterior, almost neglected. and an interior filled with the many accessories and furniture seen on screen.

By assembling the contents of the set, we quickly see that the official designer has engaged here in a real exercise in style on the various furniture and other accessories that fill the Central Perk. Carpets, curtains, sofas, counter, piano with pad-printed keys, coffee machine, crockery or even shelves hung on the walls, those who are used to Modulars Indeed, you will find here the many accessories and elaborate construction techniques that are the heyday of the range of buildings emblematic of the LEGO universe. The initial project posted on the LEGO Ideas platform had found its audience in substance but the form left many LEGO fans a little bit hungry. The official set, largely revised and improved, should therefore reassure them on this point.

Fans of the series will also have something to have fun with some references reserved for them such as the small panel "Reserved"placed on the table which partly explains why the characters can regularly occupy the place at any time of the day without having to wait patiently for another group of friends to release the sofa or the poster placed near the door. wink at the men's lipstick ad Ichiban of which Joey was the star.

Contrary to what the official visuals of the set might suggest, the glass with the Central Perk sign visible both from inside the premises and from the street is here provided pad printed on one side only. In the instruction booklet, LEGO recommends flipping this clear part according to your needs. Although most fans will display the set with the sign facing inward, I find the process a bit petty. However, it was enough to apply an intermediate layer of white behind the logo and to pad the other side in the right direction to obtain a double-sided sign without even touching the cups. The world's leading toy manufacturer must be able to do this while freeing itself from any technical constraints ...

Even if many elements including the drinks list are pad printed, there are still some stickers in this box. It's hard to know why these graphic elements are printed on stickers instead of pad printing.

On the minifig side, the designer and graphic designer who worked on the set are doing honorably: the context helping, fans will recognize each of the characters delivered here with outfits seen on screen, such as the green shirt and Gunther's colorful tie Rachel's waitress outfit made from different jackets in jean seen throughout the episodes or Monica's suspender pants.

Regarding the latter, the intention was laudable but the achievement is far from convincing with a flagrant difference in color (and retouched on the official visuals) between the legs and the top of the pants pad-printed on the chest. As usual, the official retouched visuals are also a bit too optimistic about the flesh color pad-printed on Rachel and Chandler's torso.

Although they may seem totally new at first glance, these minifigs are actually an assemblage of parts with a lot of novelty and a bit of recycling: Gunther uses Luke Skywalker's features, Rachel takes on the neutral female face used recently for Black Widow, Jyn Erso, Padme or even Mera and Monica displays the smile of Sally Ride and Tina Goldstein.

Phoebe's guitar is not a new item, the instrument was already that of the Mariachi from the 16 series of collectible minifigs released in 2016, then it was seen in the Friends range and in the Structure 10255 Assembly Square. Rachel's hairstyle is also that of the veterinarian from the 17th set of collectible minifigs (LEGO ref. 71018)

In short, at 60 € a box, there is nothing to ask many questions about the relevance of this set which can be used to wedge a series of Blu-ray or DVD boxes on a shelf. It's both a beautiful, somewhat belated homage to a cult series for an entire generation, a product that offers a compelling building experience and an interesting inventory box with plenty of accessories that are always useful. Nostalgic fans of the series will be in heaven, apprentice builders will find some original techniques and MOCeurs will fill their drawers with pieces that are always very popular. Everyone will be happy and inexpensively. For 60 €, I say yes, especially for Gunther in fact.

THE LEGO IDEAS 21319 CENTRAL PERK SET ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the August 18, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

The sets of the range Lego hidden side are now available, so it's time to take a look at one of these eight new boxes that promise to combine the pleasure of construction with a certain dose of interactivity thanks to augmented reality.

The and 70419 Wrecked Shrimp Boat (310 pieces - 29.99 €) features a small fishing boat, some reefs, Captain Jonas and his son Jonas Jr, Jack Davids, Parker L. Jackson, Spencer the dog (ghost) of our two heroes and an albino alligator .

As it stands and without calling on the dedicated application, the set already offers a minimum of playability on condition of showing imagination: the boat is aground, the alligator is about to eat the two sailors - fishermen, the two heroes arrive in kayaks to lend them a hand, etc ... forward the stories.

Much has been said about the possibility of pairing the fishing boat provided here with the store from the LEGO Ideas set. 21310 Old Fishing Store to which it is matched, but it will first be necessary to tinker a little to remove the colored wheel located at the rear next to the engine, this somewhat unsightly outgrowth then becoming unnecessary.

As you can imagine, the set is assembled very quickly. A few stickers to stick, some on a transparent background, and you're done. The fishing boat is in two parts, assembled together via two pine Technic that you can remove when the shell is split to improve the staging.

The reefs provided serve as support for the two parts of the stranded boat and the monster hiding under the rocks only appears if you lift them. Ridding this set of its attributes connoted Hidden Side is therefore not very complicated, and it remains a very successful boat with its many details and enough room to stage two minifigs.

The kayak delivered here is not new, it is also delivered in this color in the small LEGO CITY set 60240 Kayak Adventures. The boat allows only one character to be properly installed, the one accompanying it will have to be satisfied with the few tenons placed at the back.

As promised by LEGO, this set therefore benefits from a certain interactivity via the Hidden Side application, available on iOS (version 11 mini. With ARKit 2) and Android (version 7.0 min with ARCore). The concept that makes use of augmented reality is technically convincing, it is enough to aim the boat with the camera of the smartphone for the construction to appear in a rather successful digital staging.

Difficult for me to honestly judge the playful potential of the application, I am not the target of the concept. What I take away is that while the visual embedding is very pleasant, the features offered are a bit too basic for my taste. Nothing very original, it is here to scan in turn one of the four colors of the wheels placed at the back of the boat to reveal haunted areas and ghosts to capture by tapping frantically on the screen of the smartphone.

There is even a fictitious "social networks" function within the application which pushes the player to complete as many missions as possible to see his count of virtual "fans" increase. Not sure all parents appreciate this introduction to the basics of digital popularity. For the rest, it is mainly a question of clicking, clicking and clicking again to eliminate the "glow", capture ghosts, unlock some bonuses and other improvements, etc ...

If you want to test the application without buying a set from the range, you can use the photo of the boat earlier in the article. Display it by clicking on the thumbnail, launch the application, and place the smartphone lens in front of the photo. It is not really necessary to turn the wheel to access the different colored areas, just insist by clicking repeatedly on the area concerned and it works ...

I think that the youngest will eventually find their account there, at least for a few hours. On the other hand, I'm not sure that they want to put the table back together with the eight boxes in the range, even if the environments vary depending on the content of the set being staged.

The minifig endowment is very correct here. We obviously get the two recurring heroes: Jack Davids and Parker L. Jackson but the minifigs delivered here are fortunately not exclusive to this box: Jack Davids is also delivered with this outfit in the sets 70420 Graveyard Mystery, 70421 El Fuego's Stunt Truck, Parker L. Jackson is also present in this form in the sets 70420 Graveyard Mystery et 70425 Newbury Haunted High School.

The pad printing is successful and the molded accessories for the cap under the hood and the cap with integrated hair are very convincing. Each of the characters is equipped with their personal smartphone, just to underline that the device is essential for capturing ghosts and the two heroes are accompanied by Spencer, a small molded dog with a transparent part that gives it a very airy side. ..

The two fishermen provided will find their place in any diorama featuring a fishing port. It's a flawless thing for Captain Jonas' minifigure, the slightly dull orange area of ​​his son's torso, however, is not really in line with the rest of the outfit.

As a bonus, LEGO delivers enough to transform the ship's captain into a ghost with a cute head, two swords and a set of tentacles to slide on the neck of the minifig. There is a mini-game in the application that allows you to scan a minifigure to reveal ghosts. You can test the functionality by aiming at Jonas' minifigure in monster version below.

For those who are wondering, the albino alligator delivered in this box is in three parts: the body with the lower jaw, the upper jaw and the mobile tail which is held by a pine Technical.

Below I have put together some screenshots for you of what you will find in the app. You can choose to play as a ghost hunter or a ghost. In the second case, you will have access to mini games which can amuse the youngest.

To activate the augmented reality feature, you must stand on the boat here, and follow the directions provided to then embark on ghost hunting. Once again, the level of finish of the application is exemplary, everything is correctly translated into French and the youngest will have no trouble quickly becoming independent thanks to the help provided. Then it's up to them to judge the interest of spending time chasing virtual ghosts by tapping on the screen of their smartphone if they have one available or by taking advantage of their parents' ...

THE SET 70419 WRECKED SHRIMP BOAT ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the August 14, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

Today we are quickly interested in the LEGO Technic set 42099 4x4 X-treme Off-Roader (958 pieces - 229.99 €), a product that had received a rather enthusiastic reception from the fans during the leaks of the first visuals with a vehicle with an aggressive look, the use of Bluetooth which finally replaces the infrared on this type of remotely controllable product and the promise of benefiting from a management interface developed via the dedicated Control + application.

Make no mistake, this is a construction toy from the LEGO Technic range that benefits from interactive functions and not an RC vehicle intended for intensive outdoor use. We will talk about what this implies a little further down.

As you probably already know, this all-terrain vehicle is equipped with three engines (two XL engines and one L engine) and a Smart Hub Bluetooth which communicates with a dedicated application to be installed on a compatible smartphone or tablet (Android 6.0 or iOS 10.0 minimum). One could argue about the lifespan of this toy which requires a recent smartphone and a dedicated app, but I think it'll be stowed away in the back of a toy box long before your smartphone becomes obsolete or your smartphone anyway. 'application is permanently withdrawn from the various Stores...

The 950 parts of the machine are quickly assembled, what takes the most time remains the installation of thirty stickers on the body. The structure of the vehicle is made up of two modules assembled in turn, with independent suspensions and front unit mounted on two axes which allow the body to remain horizontal in all circumstances. The three motors and their respective connection points on the hub are identified by stickers and the three cables coming from the different motors are connected by cable clips which are also easily identifiable.

If you inadvertently use the wrong connector, the application will not be able to synchronize with the vehicle. This technical detail also confirms that the Smart Hub delivered is a priori pre-programmed to synchronize with the application only in the configuration provided, with the three motors plugged into their respective connectors. Do-it-yourselfers will get four copies of the new wheel hub here (ref. 6275902).

Le Smart Hub remains easily accessible even when the vehicle is covered by the bodywork element to start it up and start synchronization with the dedicated application. To change the six AA batteries required for the toy to function properly, it will however be necessary to remove the bodywork element held by three fixing points (one at the front and two on the sides). The autonomy never exceeded the big half an hour during my tests with six standard rechargeable batteries before feeling a glaring lack of power. Too bad that in 2019 and on a high-end toy sold for 230 €, LEGO does not offer a rechargeable battery without having to disassemble the Smart Hub.

As I said above, even at 230 € a box, it is not an RC all-terrain vehicle that we buy here. It is a machine to be built by integrating three engines in order to then benefit from the interactivity offered by the dedicated application, nothing less and nothing more. It's as usual at LEGO, painfully slow, but since it is a machine dedicated to crossing obstacles, we do it with hope we can have fun otherwise.

Unfortunately, the engines struggle to provide enough torque and power to engage in a real incline or attempt to climb over a large set of rocks. As soon as an obstacle impassable by the vehicle's wheels appears, the Smart Hub stops the motors forcing the user to reposition the machine on a less cluttered surface.

I quickly gave up my experiences in difficult terrain to be content to ride on flat and a little sandy surfaces. I should have suspected it, the demonstration videos of the different product possibilities present in the application only show indoor examples where the vehicle is content to pass over a book or a few bricks ...

The ground clearance of the vehicle may seem really very important at first glance, but the problem will not come from the friction of the bodywork with the obstacles encountered: at the front of the vehicle, the lowest point is located 3 centimeters from the ground , the rear being placed at about 3.5 cm. It's too low to consider crossing substantial obstacles and we quickly understand that the machine has no "4x4 X-treme Off-Roader"as the name. It touches, it rubs and you may even leave a part or two in the passage, I think of the four 3M Surveys (4223767) placed at the front, two of which came off during my handling outdoors.

During your adventures, you also risk losing the two headlights placed at the front and the blocks of parts representing the rear optics. These elements are easily detached, they are respectively held by two tenons. These are a priori the only elements that come loose from time to time and that it will be safer to remove before going to have fun in the rubble.

The Control + app is pretty well designed. It offers a pleasant and didactic interface which allows immediate handling of the machine. It is possible to control the vehicle with two hands via the standard interface or to switch to piloting mode with one hand by pointing on the screen in the direction in which the machine must move. LEGO has also incorporated a tutorial disguised as a succession of small, simple challenges to accomplish. It's fun and all the potential of the set is actually based on this application designed to bring all the interactivity promised to the toy.

In short, you will understand, there is no need to do tons of it around this product and despite its look of an extreme backpacker, this vehicle remains a simple indoor toy much too slow to provide real sensations and too little responsive to live up to its aggressive appearance, which nevertheless left one imagining great crossing capacities. Everything therefore relies on the dedicated application which offers some fun challenges and a visually very successful piloting interface.

As usual, we will wait until the price of this box drops well below the 200 euros mark to be tempted and scare the cat by chasing it through the different rooms of the house. For real sensations outdoor, it will be necessary to turn to products really designed for this type of activity.

THE SET 42099 4X4 X-TREME OFF-ROADER ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included as usual. The parts damaged during the various "stunts" of the video will be replaced by new elements. To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the August 11, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.

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