Today we are interested in the set 76112 App-Controlled Batmobile (321 pieces - 99.99 €) which will be available from August 1st and which promises to be able to take control of the supplied motorized Batmobile.

As much to evacuate immediately the annoying question: This Batmobile does not look like anything existing in the DC Comics universe. If the minifigure (exclusive to this set) is well inspired by the Arkham Knight video game, the vehicle is clearly not. It looks more like an armored military device. Moders can also easily appropriate the chassis of the thing and do what they want, maybe a real Batmobile ...

LEGO apparently decided to offer a motorized contraption and then tried to dress up the chassis, the four big wheels and the hub. Powered Up integrated to turn the thing into a Batmobile. The result is in my opinion very disappointing from a purely aesthetic point of view. I looked around a bit but couldn't find a Batmobile that even vaguely resembles this contraption. It is also not a reproduction in the format Chibi of something existing in the universe of the vigilante of Gotham City.

If you look on the bright side, the compactness of the vehicle makes it relatively solid and therefore more suitable for its end use. I obviously would have preferred to get a Batmobile like the one seen in the Arkham Knight video game, bigger, more detailed, more slender, etc ...

To move, this Batmobile uses two motors Powered Up. Each motor controls two wheels placed on the same side, as is already the case with the tracked vehicle from the LEGO Technic set 42065 RC Tracked Racer. Nothing very complicated, the assembly of the 300 parts is also completed in a few minutes.

The Powered Up hub is slipped into the belly of the vehicle, it can be removed in seconds to change the batteries and it is topped with a pad-printed on / off button. Note that there is no sticker in this set.

The two motors are connected to the Bluetooth hub by their respective cables which must be concealed in the body of the vehicle by folding them and sliding them into the spaces provided. The integration of the cables is a little rough and it will be necessary to ensure that nothing protrudes at the risk of catching something during the phases of displacement. The valve which protects the cables at the rear of the vehicle is not clipped to the bodywork, be careful to fold it down before playing with your Batmobile.

To pilot the machine, you need a smartphone under iOS or Android and the application Powered Up already used for new LEGO CITY trains 60197 Passenger Train et 60198 Freight Train which has been updated recently to take control of this Batmobile.

LEGO has planned two different piloting interfaces for this Batmobile. The first (on a red background) allows you to precisely manage the speed of movement, to perform a full U-turn and to make a 270 ° turn accompanied by a wheelie. Some sound effects broadcast via the smartphone speaker accompany these different functions.

The diffusion of these sound elements via the speaker of the smartphone spoils the experience a little. It is the one who drives the Batmobile who benefits the most and it will be difficult to surprise someone sitting a few meters away with this machine ...

The interface on a blue background allows its side to perform a rotation on the spot, a wheeling and a reverse gear accompanied by some sound effects.

The Bluetooth connection is carried out quickly, I did not notice any particular problem on this subject except that the smartphone and the vehicle must be synchronized again between each change of control interface.

You can also control the Batmobile using the remote control supplied with the two LEGO CITY trains but you will lose the possibility to use the few effects specific to this set and to gradually reduce or increase the speed of rotation of the two motors . These will then only operate at full power.

We quickly get into the game, it's easy to handle and really fun, even for a slightly jaded adult like me ... I suppose that the youngest will really enjoy it and the Batmobile, which weighs 520 grams including batteries, is moves rather quickly. We do not feel here the frustration of seeing the vehicle moving too slowly which would spoil the experience. Well done for that.

A small reminder to the attention of all those who would consider offering this box, LEGO does not provide the six AAA batteries necessary for the operation of the hub which manages the two motors. You can obviously use rechargeable batteries.

As I said above, the minifig delivered is (for the moment) exclusive to this box. The Batman costume is the one seen in the Arkham Knight video game with a black torso and legs in Pearl Dark Gray. The mask is also in Pearl Dark Gray ( Titanium Metallic) as in the set 76044 Clash of the Heroes marketed in 2016. The transparent support below is not provided.

This minifigure can of course be placed in the cockpit of the vehicle, but I'm not sure many of us will take the risk of losing an exclusive minifigure in the garden, especially since the canopy only holds a few studs and has no no hinges that would keep it in place more securely ...

Sold € 99.99 without batteries or controller, this 300-piece "Batmobile" is a bit expensive for my taste. For those who are wondering, the application Powered Up is obviously downloadable for free on the App Store or the Google Play Store. But it is imperative to have a smartphone to have fun right out of the box and LEGO could have provided the basic controller delivered in the LEGO CITY sets 60197 and 60198 to allow immediate use, even limited.

The presence of an exclusive minifigure in the box will convince the parents of collectors to invest a hundred euros in this set. The Batmobile for the youngest, the minifigure for mom or dad. It is well seen.

The chassis provided will be a good starting point for those who wish to transform this somewhat shapeless machine and achieve something more stylish. With a little imagination, the possibilities are endless.

The LEGO DC Comics set 76112 App-Controlled Batmobile (321 pieces - € 99.99) will be available from August 1st on the LEGO Shop and in the LEGO Stores.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included in the game. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before August 7 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.

LEGO and cars is quite a story. And it is a sometimes turbulent story.

Reproducing an exceptional vehicle while retaining what precisely allows it to be exceptional is always a risky bet. And a pretty box is not enough to pass the pill, the LEGO Technic set 42083 Bugatti Chiron in my opinion has already demonstrated this brilliantly.

The Aston Martin DB5 is best known for being James Bond's car. And it is therefore the version used by the British spy, with its on-board gadgets, that LEGO is marketing this summer under the very explicit reference LEGO Creator Expert. 10262 James Bond Aston Martin DB5. This is what saves this set of 1295 pieces sold today for the modest sum of € 149.99 on the LEGO Shop, we will see later.

Fortunately, LEGO clearly indicates on the packaging what it is. This adaptation does not really pay homage to the original vehicle even if we find on the LEGO version some of the characteristic attributes of the DB5. However, the essential is missing: The curves of the machine which make it a vehicle of a crazy class and which precisely differentiate this elegant sports car from a lambda car coming out of a factory in Eastern Europe.

Again, I cannot be indulgent with LEGO. Getting into such a project requires being able to offer an aesthetically convincing interpretation, at a minimum. This is far from being the case here.

However, the box indicates that this is a product from the LEGO Creator EXPERT range intended for adult and teenage fans and which prides itself on being officially licensed by a brand whose logo proudly sits on it. 'packaging. Apart from collecting some royalties, what is the motivation of the Aston Martin brand for having authorized this derivative product?

I want to hear that it is not really a model, that it is only LEGO, that everyone has only to make their own DB5, that the MOCeurs will find something to improve the thing , blah blah ... Yes, but no. It's ugly. If you find me a little harsh, don't worry, you will find many "reviews" that will try to convince you that it was anyway difficult to do better and that from the right angle and with the right lighting this DB5 in LEGO version almost looks like the model it was inspired by.

This last statement is not, moreover, totally false. In profile, the vehicle is almost an illusion. This is the only angle from which we can find some real similarities between the LEGO model and the vehicle from which it is inspired. Otherwise, it is far too approximate to be convincing.

The only part that's really true to me is ... the engine. The designers are doing well, we find the characteristic elements of the six-cylinder 4.0 L that equips this vehicle. Fortunately, the front cover opens and we can at least admire this very successful sub-assembly.

The front of this Aston Martin in the LEGO version is particularly missed. The shape of the grille has absolutely nothing to do with that of the original model and if the present grilles are relatively faithful, there are two really unsightly holes on each side. The windshield is the final element to disqualify the LEGO version from an aesthetic point of view. The part is far from resembling the curvaceous windshield of the original vehicle.

I talk about it even if this detail is ultimately only a minor problem: The door hinges that protrude from the bodywork only help to move the LEGO model a little further from its objective. It is unsightly and not respectful of the reference model. Even the deuchinella of the set 10252 Volkswagen Beetle did not have this flaw.

In the radius of the other annoying details: The movable insert on the roof of the vehicle and which opens to allow the ejection seat to pass is indeed the same color as the other parts, but it is matt and decked out with a point of injection in its center. It's unsightly. The rest of the body is made from shiny parts which offer some welcome reflections and this matte part spoils the finish.

We also regret the many color differences between the different parts that make up the body. Sometimes it's subtle, but that's enough to spoil the overall appearance of the vehicle from some angles. We go from dark gray to light gray, with some pieces tending towards yellow as if they had aged prematurely.

As usual, the various logos of the brand are provided on stickers. We will eventually get used to it. The curve of the rear side windows and the windshield pillars are also stickers. Even with these stickers, we are still very far from achieving an acceptable level of aesthetic finish.

If the resemblance to the model seen in the cinema is more than doubtful, what is left of this set? As this is James Bond's car, it is marked on the box, LEGO has integrated some gadgets that the spy in the service of His Majesty is fond of. And these elements are quite successful.

There are indeed some good ideas in this box and the choice to reproduce the James Bond vehicle is a pretext which allows to offer some anecdotal but fun functions.

Don't get carried away by rotating license plates, you have to turn them by hand. Too bad, it is in my opinion the gadget that deserves the most attention in this set. A selector placed in the driving position to activate an integrated mechanism would have been welcome.

I would like to point out in passing that the instruction booklet is supplemented with a few illustrations showing the different functionalities that are integrated during the different assembly phases. It's fun and helps to break up the monotony of the blend. I also note that the accompanying texts are in both English and French. Well done for that.

Among the slightly more elaborate functions, we find the rear bulletproof screen which is raised by rotating one of the two exhaust pipes, the machine guns hidden behind the front headlights which are set up by operating the lever. gear and the ejection passenger seat activated by pulling the rear bumper.

You only have to pull very hard to open the roof and release the bumper to eject the passenger seat. The latter is obviously on the left in the passenger compartment, the Aston Martin being a right-hand drive vehicle.

More anecdotal, but they are all the same amusing references to the world of James Bond: the telephone hidden in the right door, the dial which allows to reveal the radar in the cockpit and the blades which come out of the wheels that it will be necessary to place manually.

Be careful, the LEGO model does not include a steering, the wheels are fixed and turning the steering wheel is useless. Too bad not being able to orient the front wheels at least with an angle of a few degrees, it looks better on a shelf.

This Aston Martin has some good ideas, but I expect from a set from the LEGO Creator Expert range that offers a reproduction of an existing vehicle a minimum of fidelity to the reference model. This is far from the case here, which disqualifies this box in my eyes, references to James Bond or not.

Too bad the designers have spent so much energy to integrate various rather interesting features into an aesthetically failed model. We have known for a long time that reproducing curves with bricks is complicated. There are challenges that must be met with a little more application than usual. It seems to me that this Aston Martin has not been given all the care necessary in its design. In short, it's sloppy.

If you unconditionally collect vehicles from the LEGO Creator Expert range, this box is likely to join your shelves. If you were hoping to get a gorgeous LEGO brick Aston Martin, in my opinion you can go your way. I say no.

The LEGO Creator Expert set 10262 James Bond Aston Martin DB5 is available today on the LEGO Shop and in the LEGO Stores at the retail price of 149.99 €.

Note: The set shown here is put into play as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before August 1 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.

LEGO having had the good idea to send me a copy of the set 21311 LEGO Ideas Voltron Defender of the Universe, I therefore suggest that you set off on a discovery of this giant robot of 2321 pieces sold for € 199.99 which will certainly find its audience across the Atlantic but which may leave a number of French LEGO fans a little indifferent.

As far as I'm concerned, my younger years were filled with episodes of Grendizer, G-Force, Spectreman, Bioman, Albator, Cobra, Cosmocats or even Masters of the Universe, but I didn't I have absolutely no memory of the Voltron series which was however broadcast on Antenne 2 in 1988 in the program Hot ice cubes!... I also haven't watched the new version of the series online on Netflix.

That being said, even if the subject doesn't bother me, I have to admit that this set is not without interest. A giant LEGO robot based on lion-robots that assemble? I say why not. The promised modular aspect caught my attention and I was not disappointed on this point.

LEGO had the good idea to include six instruction booklets in the box. A booklet for each lion and separate instructions for assembling the five lions together to get the massive robot. In addition to the symbolic aspect of this distribution of the assembly phases, this set of booklets allows you to share the assembly of the set with others. Everyone assembles a lion, and we put it all together for Voltron to take shape.

Over the assembly sequences of the different lions, we quickly understand that the main objective of the designers is indeed the final robot and that everything is motivated by the constraints of the weight of the robot and the connection of the different elements between them. The different lions are quickly put together with basic points of articulation that will ultimately only serve to place the limbs in the correct position for the final reunion.

I looked for some visuals of the other toys replicating the robot from the animated series and have to say the lions are quite successful and don't have to blush at the ones sold by Bandai, Toynami or the copy called LionBot that made the heyday of many kids in the 80s.

These different lions are in any case not intended to be exhibited as is, the whole point of the set lies in their assembly to obtain an imposing robot nearly 50 centimeters high.

If the 16 Tiles rounds on the joints of the lions' legs are pad printed, there are still some stickers in this set, exactly five. They are used to identify the different lions by their respective numbers.

In the official video presentation of the set by the designers, they claim that these stickers are present to allow fans who want to get a faithful version of the robot from the original Japanese series (Beast King Go Lion) not to apply them. It's up to you to see if you are convinced or not by this explanation.

The most interesting is the sequence of connecting lions to each other. Each lion reveals all its modularity over the pages of the final instruction booklet and it is a real pleasure to set up the arms and legs of Voltron which will come to connect to the torso, embodied by the lion N ° 1. Lions 2 and 3 form the robot's arms, and Lions 4 and 5 represent Voltron's lower legs and feet.

At first glance, both feet appear to lack stability when brought into their final position but not yet connected to the torso. The problem will be quickly resolved by the fixed angle of the two legs of Voltron ...

If, while younger, you have had in your hands licensed Transformers or Power Rangers toys, here you will find the pleasure of modifying the original shape of a vehicle, a ship or a robot animal so that 'it takes its place in a more global context.

We pick up, we turn, we rock, we clip, everything is there. It is truly a pleasure to bring Voltron into being using the various items provided. Everything fits together perfectly, the end result is solid and easy to handle and the different modules do not come off unexpectedly. Well done to the designers for that.

We also assemble the sword and shield of Voltron. Nothing complicated here, we get some new pieces in passing. Silver Ink which will make MOCeurs happy. It's worse than chrome, but it shines almost as well. Too bad Voltron's sword isn't double-sided. It will be necessary to choose its orientation according to the angle of exposure of the robot to hide the somewhat unsightly back of this accessory.

The handle of the sword must be modified to put the latter in the hands of the robots via two Technic pins. Voltron's hands are fixed and do not feature real fingers.

When Voltron is finally assembled, this is where the going gets tough. The head and arms can be oriented in different positions, but the robot's wrists, waist and legs remain disconcertingly rigid. Impossible to modify the angle of the thighs or the knees to present for example Voltron with a knee on the ground or to put it in phase of displacement. Even the size is fixed, impossible to orient the bust of the robot in a position other than that envisaged by the designers.

The rear of the robot is logically less attractive, but it's LEGO and we'll do with it. No one will display Voltron from behind on their shelf ...

This lack of joints makes this toy a pure derivative product intended exclusively for exhibition. Contrary to what LEGO claims in the official product description, it will be difficult to "... reenact compelling stories from the original 1980s animated TV series Voltron and the modern DreamWorks series Voltron: The Legendary Defender ...."with this robot a little too rigid for my taste. So it's up to everyone to see if this very static Voltron deserves a place on a shelf.

A support with a nice sticker presenting the series would have been welcome, as much to push the concept of the exhibition product to the end. LEGO probably wanted to maintain the ambiguity about this toy which is not really one but which could still appeal to young fans of the new animated series airing on Netflix.

Finally, I must admit that I let myself be taken on by the final assembly phase of the robot which took me back many years, even if Voltron does not mean anything to me and I would have preferred a Grendizer. So I want to be indulgent with the few flaws of this set which are largely offset by the pleasure of the construction and the vintage side of the whole. I say yes, for the half hour of nostalgia offered by the clicks of the modular lions.

Since it's unlikely that LEGO will ever release a version of Grendizer, Voltron will do, but I'll wait until I find this box a little cheaper. I would have spent 200 € without hesitation on Grendizer, I will not do it for Voltron.

The LEGO Ideas set 21311 Voltron Defender of the Universe will be available as a VIP preview from July 23 on the LEGO Shop and in the LEGO Stores.

Note: The set shown here is put into play as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before July 31 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.

This will be the only box marketed by LEGO to accompany the release of the film Ant-Man & The Wasp: the small set 76109 Quantum Realm Explorers (200 pieces - 26.99 €) that I tested for you and which does not contain only good surprises.

At first glance, this box has it all with the two heroes of the film, the villain on duty and an original vehicle. If I usually criticize the machines delivered in the LEGO Super Heroes boxes for serving as an alibi to sell us some pretty minifigs, it's the opposite in this set.

Le Quantum Sub delivered in this small box of 200 pieces saves the furniture. It is compact, solid and original with its cockpit bubble around which the two transparent domes are closed. It also seems rather faithful to the model of the film, which does not spoil anything.

The machine makes several appearances in the various trailers of the film published so far and it is therefore possible to try to compare the LEGO version with the vehicle of the film. The 76109 set model therefore seems really up to the task, with a sufficient level of detail and an overall look that makes it believable.

The youngest will have at their disposal two Stud Shooters discreetly integrated into the skids of the machine. The side thrusters are mobile and can be oriented to suit your mood.

I am less a fan of the use of barrels for reactors, I feel like I have already seen this designer tip too much even if these parts do the trick here.

There are half a dozen stickers in this box, but the two side windows are pad printed. Thanks for that. The machine will also be doing well without the stickers provided.

The problem with the 76109 Quantum Realm Explorers set lies elsewhere. You guessed it, these are the minifigs I'm talking about and it's all in the details.

While Ant-Man's outfit is true to the character's costume in the movie, the helmet is far from doing the job. This is the same one seen in 2015 in the set 76039 Marvel's Ant-Man Final Battle and this is not a reproduction of the helmet worn by Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) in the upcoming film of which set 76109 claims to be a derivative.

Regarding Hope Van Dyne aka The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), it's worse: The helmet worn by the minifigure is the piece already on Iron Man's head (76077 Iron Man: Detroit Steel Strikes), Vulture (76083 Beware the Vulture) or Rinzler in the LEGO Ideas set 21314 TRON Legacy.

It's rude, oversized and pad printing is no illusion. Funny detail: The provided head displays two different expressions which will never be exposed anyway, the visor being fictitious ... Regarding the character's outfit, I do not find in the trailers the golden color present on the costume of the minifig and you will have noticed that I am not even talking about the wings ...

The results are eloquent: Two of the three characters provided in this box are in a configuration that does not really meet my expectations as a demanding fan. Too bad.

The third minifigure delivered in this box is quite successful. The Ava / Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) costume is correctly reproduced even though the hood would have deserved a new piece. If you feel like it, the included head can be placed to reveal the character's face.

This is the whole problem with this set, the designer seems to have limited the costs by reusing a maximum of existing pieces to the detriment of the fidelity of the different elements. Some approximations are always forgivable, but now it starts to show ...

We must already be content with a single set around this film whose pitch still offers many possibilities by playing on the different scales (The Pez Hello Kitty distributor!) As the set did very well. 76039 Marvel's Ant-Man Final Battle in due course, if the result is a little too lazy to convince, how not to be disappointed?

You'll have to live with it, this set is the only derivative product based on the Ant-Man & The Wasp movie and it's relatively affordable even if Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne deserved better.

Note: The set shown here, supplied by LEGO, is included in the game. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before July 2 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 interested in the set 40305 Microscale LEGO Brand Store (362 pieces - 24.99 €) which promises to be able to assemble a LEGO Store "supplied with modular building sections that you can modify to create your own store".

When the first visuals of this set were available, many people logically thought of a promotional product that would be offered by LEGO in the months to come. This is not the case, you have to go to the cashier to afford this box.

Everyone who has been to an official store of the brand at least once will be on familiar ground here. Most of the characteristic attributes of these LEGO Stores are indeed reproduced with shelves lined with sets, a wall Pick & Build, the islands placed in the center of the store, some models displayed in the window, a counter with a cash register, etc ...

The only notable problem is that this LEGO Store is delivered without a seller. LEGO does provide two customers, a father and son (or an AFOL and a young fan), but there isn't a shadow of an employee to help them with their shopping and ask them to pay before they leave. places.

On the other hand, LEGO did not forget to place an ATM on the outside wall of the shop. Thanks for the reminder. In order to push realism to the limit, LEGO could have provided one or two banknotes ...

This 15 cm high shop will easily find its place in a mini-city based on Creator 3in1 models but it will have a little trouble fitting into a street based on Modulars whose two-story buildings are about thirty centimeters high.

Small detail very successful: The roof covering with the reproduction of the tenons of a 4x2 yellow brick.

Another detail, less successful: The sign is a simple sticker. LEGO pad prints its own logo all year round on all kinds of media and doesn't even bother to do it for the sign of one of its shops in a € 25 box. Sorry.

Half a dozen stickers dress the different micro-sets placed on the shelves of the store, they are rather simplistic but we still find the logos of the CITY, Creator, Friends and Juniors ranges. It's minimalist, but sufficient.
Regarding the wall Pick & Build, no sticker to dress this space as was the case in the poly bag VIP 40178 offered in 2017.

It is impossible to rationally explain the absence of at least one LEGO employee with a logo on his chest or back. A theory: This is a simple store under the LEGO license as there are in some countries. The sellers are therefore probably not always dressed in the usual outfit and the adult provided can act as a seller responsible for advising the young fan who has come to buy a set. As I often say, your imagination will do the rest.

If you want to add a seller and you have in your possession the poly bag VIP 40178 or the set 5005358 Minifigure Factory offered this year, the supplied minifig will do the trick.
If you collect the various existing LEGO Stores, this set will join the references 3300003 (2012) and 40145 (2014) offered so far on the occasion of the opening of the various official stores.

There is nothing to discuss for long hours on this box which, if it had been offered on condition of purchase, would have been worthy of interest. At € 24.99, it's expensive to pay for a self-promotion product.

Note: The set shown here is put into play as usual. To participate in the raffle, simply post a comment on this article before June 24 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.