Today we are interested in the content of the LEGO Technic set 42140 App-Controlled Transformation Vehicle, a box of 772 parts which will be available at the public price of €129.99 from March 1, 2022. The promise is once again enticing with this new foray from the manufacturer into the world of vehicles equipped with engines and controllable via the application. Control+. The buggy of the set 42124 Off-Road Buggy marketed in 2020 had a very attractive look but it was unfortunately not up to the task in terms of driving experience. Will this new attempt be more convincing?

As usual, do not let yourself be carried away by the illustrations on the product box, this is an indoor toy that it is better to avoid moving around in the mud or in the snow. But LEGO is changing its tune this year and is no longer content to promise us from the product packaging a tracked vehicle with an aggressive look which in the end will roam limply on the floor of the show: the machine is designed to support a reversal and it offers two different skins with a resolutely sporty all-terrain on one side and an exploration vehicle on the other.

Those who already bought this type of product at LEGO in 2017 probably remember the LEGO Technic set 42065 RC Tracked Racer (89.99 €) with a sports machine with a look similar to one of the two skins delivered here but which then benefited from a motorization then based on the defunct ecosystem Power Functions. So we put the cover back, but better.

Under the hood of this new machine, a Smart Hub Powered Up (88012) delivered here in a new version with a battery box cover freed from the usual clips and now equipped with four screws and two L motors (88013). The change of fixing system for the cover of the Smart Hub is welcome, this element no longer risks being unhooked by accident when the hub is used on a product subjected to slightly more violent stresses than those undergone, for example, by a static construction machine. The piloting goes as usual through the dedicated Control+ application.

The assembly of the model is dispatched in a few minutes and it is within the reach of the youngest who will be impatient to see the machine evolve and to check if the promises are kept. The two casings are integrated on the chassis based on Technic beams and colored elements to easily guide the integration of cables.

The two motors are grouped at the rear of the vehicle to facilitate the rocking, we add the tracks, we stick the very large handful of stickers and it's ready. The button of Smart Hub no longer directly accessible, it can be activated via a lever that moves the control to the rear of the vehicle. synchronization with the application only takes a few seconds and it will be necessary to pass an essential firmware update before starting to play.

Two shock absorbers are responsible for deploying the corresponding covering following the overturning of the vehicle, the two cabins are surmounted by small wheels which will protect them from shocks during tipping and the material used for the tracks of the machine has evolved, it was incidentally already the case with the construction machine of the set 42131 App-Controlled Cat D11 Bulldozer : the plastic is less smooth and rigid, it seems to me more suitable for use on slippery ground and the grip here is further reinforced by the presence of small rubber inserts which further improve grip.

In practice, the function of reversal with change of vehicle functions with all the blows as long as your batteries are powerful enough so that the machine raises frankly and begins to hang on the wall. It is this possibility that makes the product so interesting and that compensates for the usual weaknesses of this type of machine piloted via the Control+ application. You will also have to take the time to get used to piloting via the dedicated application which acts as a remote control in which the few challenges offered are of little interest.

This interactivity with a digital remote control with an attractive design and the resulting possibilities will necessarily appeal to the youngest. Those who are insensitive to these digital refinements will therefore simply have fun sending the machine crashing against a wall to see it turn around or make 360° rotations on the living room floor.

I tested two types of rechargeable batteries: classic Panasonic Eneloop Ni-Mh 1.2V 1900 mAh batteries and Ansmann NiZn 1.6V 1600 mAh batteries and the result is clear: the Ansmann batteries offer more power and the machine runs smoothly. moves noticeably faster. If you plan to really play with this type of product, do not hesitate to buy this type of battery and the essential charger compatible with the NiZn standard. The set represents a certain investment but it will save you the usual disappointment of noticing that your vehicle does not move forward and that in this specific case it has a little trouble climbing up the wall to turn around.

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It will be necessary from time to time to check the connections of the various bodywork elements or the presence of all the small rubber inserts placed on the tracks so as not to lose anything, but overall the model is strong enough to withstand intensive indoor use. Smartphone or tablet under iOS or Android essential as for the other sets which use the dedicated Control+ application.

I have often taken a very critical look at LEGO's various attempts to offer drivable motorized vehicles, whether they are based on the old ecosystem Power Functions or on the new Control+ interface. I must admit that the efforts on the part of LEGO to offer a new toy that is more attractive than the previous ones make me a little more indulgent with this new version: the flip function is well integrated, it works every time and it offers playful possibilities certainly limited but really new.

At €130 a box, however, I remain cautious, it's far too expensive for a use that will undoubtedly remain anecdotal beyond the first five minutes of use. I will therefore wisely wait for Amazon to offer this product for less than €100 to pay for it at its fair price.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at March 12, 2022 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

It's not the offer of the century but it's still better than nothing when it comes to having fun buying a set that is only sold, temporarily or permanently, on the official LEGO online store. : There are a few hours left to take advantage of double VIP points on the official online store and the offer will end tonight, just before the launch of a very large handful of new products. It's petty but that's how it is, let's not dream, LEGO is not going to reward us for our loyalty either because we buy a few new boxes as soon as they are launched at a high price...

The mechanics of this offer: for each product purchased, you will earn double the points and you will then have to exchange these points for a reduction voucher to be used for a future purchase via the rewards center. 750 VIP points accumulated give the right to a reduction of 5 € valid for a future order on the official online store or during a trip to a LEGO Store.

Do not forget to identify yourself on your VIP account before validating the order to take advantage of the doubling of points.

DIRECT ACCESS TO THE OFFER ON THE LEGO SHOP >>

(The link to the shop redirects to the version of the official shop for your country of connection)

There will be at least a second set based on the film Thor: Love and Thunder to accompany the reference 76208 The Goat Boat already online on the official store: the set 76207 Attack on New Asgard is indeed already available in at least one store in Turkey, the LEGO Store at Istanbul Airport, where an Instagram user (the.brick.wolf) was obviously able to acquire it for 20 €.

This product which brings together the minifigs of Mighty Thor, Thor and Gorr is not currently listed on the Shop, it should in principle be available on the same date as the other box already known and which is announced for the 26th April 2022.

Today we take a quick look at the contents of the LEGO Technic set 42139 All-Terrain Vehicle, a box of 764 pieces which will be available at the retail price of €74.99 from March 1, 2022.

This set in the soft belly of the range which could go a little unnoticed is a toy intended for the youngest fans of the Technic universe, the theme covered is attractive and original enough to interest them and the few on-board functions allow a first initiation to some assembly principles that are recurring in this range.

It is therefore a question here of building a six-wheeled all-terrain vehicle, freely inspired by the vehicles offered by brands such as Polaris or Can-Am. To make sure to seduce its potential customers, LEGO covered the body of the machine with colorful stickers, it's always sexier than an all-green forestry machine.

Under the hood, a two-cylinder engine with moving pistons and a 2-speed gearbox with neutral. This is enough to present the LEGO version of these features without imposing too complex sub-assemblies which could put off the youngest. The yellow pistons remain visible on the sides of the vehicle and will make it possible to understand the impact of changing gear via the dedicated selector on their speed of movement. In neutral position, the pistons no longer move, it's as simple as that.

The three independent axles are equipped with suspensions, it will be necessary to load the dumpster of the vehicle to really see them in action. The machine is indeed a little too light to take advantage of its suspensions without pressing on it when traveling, but once again the youngest can easily understand the principle thanks to this model.

The machine is equipped with a winch at the front and the pawl which blocks the unwinding mechanism of the line is as often maintained by a simple rubber band. Access to the function is deported to the side of the vehicle with a small easily accessible lever, the pawl being placed under the driver's seat. The winch cable, the usual single string, is then raised via a wheel placed on the other side. The bucket of this ATV tilts to empty it, it is also sufficient to activate the lever provided. The steering is functional, it is accessible from the handlebars of the machine.

All these features are identified and illustrated via very explicit stickers placed near the mechanisms concerned, difficult to do more educational. The lower part of the ATV is not streamlined, so all you have to do is turn the vehicle around to see the differentials and the gearbox at work.

The 27 cm long, 13 cm wide and 11 cm high machine comes with a few accessories that allow you to fill the rear tipper: four trunks and a pretty chainsaw that even has the luxury of being "functional" with a chain that rotates freely around its two axes.

The set therefore has everything on arrival to attract the youngest, with an original look, colorful bodywork and a few simple but easy-to-understand features that will later allow you to approach more complex products without apprehension. This ATV is in my opinion a very convincing entry point into the LEGO Technic range and only its relatively high public price for a box of less than 800 pieces including 230 pins could discourage parents. We will therefore wisely wait for Amazon to break the price of the product before cracking.

Note: The set presented here, provided by LEGO, is as usual involved. Deadline fixed at March 10, 2022 next at 23:59 p.m. Just post a comment under the article to participate.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

Those who follow the usual channels know that this is not the first appearance of the LEGO set 40530 Jane Goodall Tribute, but one LEGO Certified Store Singapore posted the "official" visual above and so it gives me the opportunity to talk about it here without being slapped on my fingers by LEGO.

This promotional set will be offered from March 3, it honors the famous scientist, adventurer and activist Jane Goodall, recognized worldwide for her research on the relationship between human beings and animals. The base takes the shape of that of the set 40450 Amelia Earhart Tribute offered at LEGO last year at the same time, a few days before International Women's Day which takes place on March 8 each year.

If the minimum purchase was €100 last year to get the set 40450 Amelia Earhart Tribute, it will be necessary this year to spend in France at least 120 € to be offered this new promotional product.