We had already known for a few months that LEGO had planned to market new "busts" in the spirit of sets 77901 Sith Trooper Bust et 75227 Darth Vader Bust, but the rumor was only partially accurate: Official visuals for LEGO Star Wars sets 75276 Stormtrooper (647 pieces - 18 cm high) and 75277 Boba Fett (625 pieces - 21 cm high) allow us to observe that it is more about helmets placed on a display than actual busts.

We also discover that these boxes are stamped 18+ and therefore, according to LEGO, are aimed at an audience of adult fans who want to exhibit these creations on the corner of a desk or on a shelf. The packaging of these products is moreover well in the spirit of what is done by other manufacturers for similar "luxury" products intended for the most demanding collectors.

On the price side, the rumor indicates that these two sets should be marketed from April 19, 2020 at the public price of € 59.99, a price that seems almost (too) reasonable for creations that are still very successful and delivered in boxes at rewarding design embossed with a logo celebrating the 40th anniversary of Episode V (The Empire Strikes Back).

(Visuals via the brand ToySanta who offers these two products for pre-order)

I hadn't forgotten the LEGO Creator Expert set 10271 Fiat 500, but this box of 960 pieces sold for 84.99 € arrived at my place after the launch of the product and it is therefore only today that I give you some impressions of this set of which you already know almost everything.

To be honest, I am one of those who find that this Fiat 500 in a LEGO version only looks very similar to the model from which it was inspired. Once again, LEGO is venturing in my opinion on slippery ground with this set which tries as best it can to reproduce a car with very pronounced curves, as was already the case in 2018 for the Aston Martin of the set. 10262 James Bond Aston Martin DB5. I still welcome the risk-taking even if the end result seems to me far from being up to what we can expect from the world leader in toys in 2020.

Paradoxically, I also think that the designer is doing honorably on many points given the almost impossible challenge to meet while respecting the technical and financial constraints imposed by the manufacturer. A few MOCeurs have also engaged in the exercise, with a result that seems more convincing to me, but little is known about the strength of their creations and their ability to eventually be marketed as is.

On this official model, everything is fine until we start to assemble the different body parts. We quickly realize that the Fiat 500 in the LEGO version will unfortunately not have the curves of the reference model and the front gradually takes the form of a Polish Fiat 126 while the rear evolves into the design of 'a Diane (Citroën), in particular because of windows that were too flat and straight to really pay homage to the Fiat 500. The designer still managed to fit two examples of the glass already seen on the canopy of the stadium from the LEGO set. Creator Expert 10272 Old Trafford - Manchester United, but these elements which could have been useful for a reproduction of the Fiat Multipla do not ultimately add much to this model.

The small engine placed at the rear is among the most successful elements of the set, with a very satisfactory level of detail. The upholstery is also very correct with a rear bench and front seats which bring a welcome touch of color to this model whose body in "Cool yellow"may seem a little bland. We note that the folding front seats are fixed to the floor via nougat-colored arms already seen in particular on the ice cream cone in the set The LEGO Movie 2 70822 Unikitty's Sweetest Friends EVER!.

The driving position benefits from an exemplary finish and nothing has been forgotten: gear lever, mobile handbrake, speedometer, adjustable steering wheel with pad-printed Fiat logo, everything is there. The interior of the doors is also very well done with a trim that incorporates the color Dark Red seats and handles. The trunk placed at the front accommodates a spare wheel (without hubcap) which slips in front of the tank. There is nothing to say about the interior of the vehicle, it is faithful to the reference model and is detailed enough for a model in the LEGO Creator Expert range.

Things go wrong when it comes to returning to the body parts and installing the rear window, windshield and roof equipped with a movable tarpaulin. It's angular and really too flat with a very unsightly staircase effect at the back. The side beads which try to reproduce the hooking of the bodywork at this point help to reinforce the impression that the vehicle is "pointing" upwards. To me, the real Fiat 500 is a pretty "little ball" and I don't get that feeling here.

Seen from the side, this Fiat 500 reveals the stacking of parts characteristic of vehicles from the LEGO Creator Expert range. We like it or not, but we can't blame the designer for having respected the codes of the range. We will note some differences in color between the different yellow pieces, with for example some tiles which are slightly darker than conventional bricks.

Regarding the front side windows, the designer has not complicated the task: there are none. More annoying, the absence of mirrors and the single wiper present on the reference model. The addition of two mirrors would however have made it possible to give a little volume to the front and to satisfy the purists. On the roof, the tarpaulin consists of a very fine fabric element which does its job when handling the mechanism. I'm not a fan of these fabric-based shortcuts but here it was hard to do otherwise to stay true to the real Fiat 500.

To remind us that this is an Italian vehicle and incidentally a Fiat 500, LEGO is adding in the box an easel with a painting on the background of the Colosseum and some accessories. We are in the absolute cliché and the presence of the reference vehicle on the table in my opinion only reinforces the impression that what we have just built is not really a Fiat 500 ... The suitcase to be fixed on the rear luggage rack is welcome, it is covered with stickers but it brings a nice finishing touch to the model. LEGO also provides three sets of interchangeable license plates with Italian, German and Danish versions.

In summary, I think that the vehicle to be built here is largely of the level of what one would expect from a model of the LEGO Creator Expert range in terms of the pleasure of assembly, the complexity of the techniques used and the level interior detail. Unfortunately, the experience is marred a bit by an exterior appearance which is far from paying homage to the benchmark vehicle.

The LEGO fan is often very indulgent with the manufacturer, I know that many of you will be content with this little yellow car even if it only vaguely resembles a Fiat 500. For my part, I expect a little more serious when it comes to offering a model in a "LEGO Creator Expert" version and I think that there are challenges that you have to know to leave aside if you do not intend to invest to produce the parts necessary to obtain an acceptable result.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at March 17, 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and 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. Shipment of the batch as soon as the sanitary situation permits.

Today we are quickly interested in the LEGO Creator set 31104 Monster Burger Truck, a 3 in 1 box of 499 pieces sold at the public price of 54.99 € since the beginning of the year 2020. As soon as the first visuals of the product were available, fans had shown a certain enthusiasm for this food truck placed on a fitted chassis. big wheels and after assembling the machine I think the first impressions are confirmed.

The product does not disappoint and everything is there: the pleasure of construction, the many details that make this food truck a product with a devastating look, the modularity of the vehicle which makes it really playable and the small number of stickers (3) to stick .

The vehicle is a classic food truck placed on an oversized chassis. The base truck therefore retains its classic wheel arches which help to highlight the incongruous combination of the two elements and in my opinion it is visually very successful. The chassis benefits from basic but effective suspensions, simply based on movable axles connected by a flexible white bar which does its job very well.
The vehicle is designed to offer maximum playability with a removable roof that allows you to really take advantage of the interior space with its very complete layout. The two rear doors allow storage of the table with its parasol and the two chairs when traveling, a logical choice for a food truck.

The somewhat annoying detail: to facilitate the passage and withdrawal of orders by customers, the designer has provided a retractable ladder whose steps are unfortunately not completely horizontal once the element is deployed and it is therefore difficult to place a minifigure there.

Since this is a food truck that serves burgers, it was imperative to integrate a sign on the roof of the vehicle. Here too, it is nicely done with a large burger to be fixed on the tilting stand. From certain angles, we can still make out a little the Technic beam which serves as a support, but it is ultimately plausible. The interior layout of the kitchen is enough to have a little fun: bottles, microwave, mustard, ketchup, slice of bread, cash register and even a fire extinguisher, it's enough to get in the mood .

The promise of this range of LEGO Creator 3 in 1 sets is also and above all to offer, as indicated on the box, the possibility of assembling three different models using the inventory provided. It was therefore essential not to be satisfied with mounting the main model to get an informed opinion on this product and to go to the end of the concept by discovering the other two models offered.

The result is clear: as too often, this set does not really take advantage of the possibilities offered by the assortment of parts delivered in the box. At a time when many MOCeurs are able to offer creations using almost the entire set serving as a starting point, I find that what LEGO offers us here lacks a little ambition.

The all-terrain vehicle to assemble is interesting, but it leaves a large batch of unused parts on the table, including the main model's suspensions and exhaust system. A little paradoxical for a large all-terrain vehicle. The parts decorated with stickers, the food truck menu, the sign placed on the front and the license plate, are logically put aside. The third model, a competition tractor with a trailer without wheels, is a bit disappointing and it also skips a very significant portion of the inventory.

The assembly of the two alternative models prolongs the pleasure a little, but we quickly realize that the designer did not really try to meet the challenge until the end. It's a bit sloppy, especially with the tractor and its trailer, and that's a shame. The theme of the burger could also have been common to the three models by reusing the parts of the big food truck sign that all remain on the floor with the two alternative vehicles.

The two supplied minifigs are always good to take even if the young boy's torso is a classic from the LEGO CITY range. That of the mustached driver and rarer, it was only delivered in 2019 in The LEGO Movie 2 sets 70836 Battle-Ready Batman and MetalBeard et 70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg. The (big) buildable dog does not survive the assembly of the two alternative models of the set because some of its parts are used for the offroad and the tractor.

In summary, I think the title Creator 3 in 1 is once again a little too pretentious for a set with limited possibilities. Disassembling the food truck to assemble one of the other two models and then find that a large part of the inventory remains unused is a little disappointing, especially at 55 € the concept. Instead of botching the thing by really breaking its promises, LEGO could have sold us this Monster Burger Truck € 30 or € 40 without alternate instructions, that was just as good.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at March 15, 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and 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. Shipment of the batch as soon as the sanitary situation permits.

It's time to take stock for LEGO, which today publishes its financial results for 2019.

For the first half of 2019, we remember that the manufacturer announced a 4% increase in turnover (including a 5% increase in sales) but an operating result down 16% compared to the same period in 2018. Net profit was down 12% and LEGO justified this decline by the many investments made during the first half of 2019.

The 2019 annual report confirms this trend with a 6% increase in the group's turnover (including 5.6% increase in sales). On the other hand, operating income returned to green in the second half of the year and recorded an increase of 1% compared to 2018. Net profit is also picking up with an increase of 3% without reaching the level of 2016.

LEGO is therefore doing rather well in 2019 and growth is present in all markets: less than 10% in Western Europe and the United States but continued double-digit growth in China.

For the rest, LEGO announces that 60% of the products launched in 2019 were new, that the visit to the official online store has increased by 27% and that the brand has opened 150 new official stores for a total of 570 LEGO Stores spread across the planet. 150 new locations are planned for 2020, including 80 in China where 140 official stores are already open. The group will formalize its presence on the Indian market with the opening of an office in 2020.

Finally, on the side of the successful ranges, we find the usual "home" universes: CITY, Creator, Technicet Friends and of course the Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel and Disney licensed products.

The press release published today is available at this address and you can download the annual financial report at this address in PDF format.

LEGO having already published the instructions of the set 40371 Easter Eggs (GWP), we therefore know by comparison the content of the next set offered under the condition of purchase on the official online store and in the LEGO Stores.

This is a 237-piece, limited-edition Easter Egg, decorated in DOTS sauce using a slew of colorful little pieces and with a chick's head to place inside. No minifig in this box.

The offer will be valid from March 23 until April 13, 2020 and you will have to spend at least € 55 to get this egg with visible studs, but if you don't need the box you can download the instructions. in PDF format at this address.

We will talk about this little set soon on the occasion of a "Review".