Autoblog

Perhaps this is Ferrari's answer to the FIA's threat to move to standardized engines: standardized building blocks! What could be more fair than to have every team start out with their own huge package of LEGOs? The drivetrain could remain unique or might even be a LEGO V8, but each team would get a color-specific mega-pack of blocks to build their own bodywork. All parts must be used, but how you place them is up to you. The resulting cars would have the aerodynamics of a brick so maybe safety would improve as speeds were reduced. Drivers would also have to slow considerably into turns, as lateral g's generated by modern F1 cars can easily exceed block lock integrity at will. None of this is true or has anything to do with the car in the photos, but this is far more interesting than reading the true story about some uber-geek who built a LEGO F1 car in Amsterdam to celebrate the "LEGO World" event. While we love the LEGO Mustang, Camaro, Batmobile, "Death Proof" Nova et al that we've shown you before, we have to admit that a full-size LEGO car is a step above. 80,000 bricks and about $20,000 later, this guy has a Ferrari F1 car of his own. And he doesn't have to cut open his basement wall to remove it.


[Source: 0-60mag]

There's likely to be no shortage of VW Beetle owners who can relate to this new kit from Lego. It's a box with 1,626 parts in it that one day, after hours of work, will resemble a classic Bug. Three differences: This box of bits will only cost you $120 and a successful build is probably not above your skill level. Oh, and your spouse probably won't mind you building this one on the kitchen table.

When completed, the VW measures 16 inches long by 6.5 inches tall. Its tiny stick shift moves, the glove compartment opens and the seats fold forward. The engine is in back where Beetle engines belong and up front is the spare tire. When you're done, finish off the car with the included VW logo decal.

It's too bad the Beetle's curvaceous roofline and nose are made jagged by the blocky Logos, but on the other hand, it's kinda cool, too. Thanks for the tip, Andy!


[Source: Auto Trader Blog]

Click above for photo gallery

Lino M is one of our favorite custom Lego builders. We've shared some of his work with you in the past, and if you frequent his flickr photo stream, you'll find that he's usually up to something new. One of his recent creations is this rather spectacular, unbelievably detailed (dig the Bat Phone in the cockpit) '66 Batmobile he made for a builder challenge. He even created scale-sized Batman and Robin figures that fit inside. Lego would do well to license this design and sell it, as we'd be at Toys 'R Us with money in hand. Lino was kind enough to give us permission to republish the photos you see here, and you can view even higher-res versions in his flickr stream. While you're there, check out the ridiculously awesome new '60 Impala Wagon he just built, too. Now, excuse us while we head to our parents' to liberate our old Legos from the attic.


[Source: Lino M. via Flickr]

Click on the image for more shots of the LEGO V8 engine

Is there anything that a set of LEGO bricks can't create? In the last few months, we've seen a Camaro and a Mustang both built with nothing that wasn't manufactured by the LEGO corporation, and each of those creations featured a V8 engine and working transmission. While the entire process must be insanely difficult and time-consuming, it's the engine that truly separates these from mere toys. If an engine is really nothing more than an air pump, as some like to say, then here is a working V8 engine made entirely from LEGO parts. Following the build, it's easy to see how many transformations that this engine has gone through before the current pushrod version, which operates pretty well at an indicated 1,780 revolutions per minute. This is a fitting engine design, considering that it's slated to get dropped into a Dodge Challenger replica. Click past the break for a video of the engine in action. Thanks for the tip, Kyle!


[Source: nicjasno.com]

Click above to view more of the Lego Mustang in our gallery

A fair share of us Autobloggers were ambitious Lego builders as kids, but we never cooked anything up like this. From Crowkillers, the same hands that brought us the new Camaro made from the plastic Danish bricks, comes this replica 1967 FordMustang fastback, complete with model V8 engine, shaker hood, working suspension with live rear axle, 4-speed transmission, rear spoiler and automatic opening doors. No kidding. With creations like this – and the dozen or so more he's got up on his site – we wonder if this guy didn't have too much time on his hands, but hey, we're bloggers. Who are we to judge? We'll let you judge for yourself with the images in the gallery below.

[Source: Brickshelf via CarScoop]

"Death Proof" Nova by Lino M.

Most of us played with Legos as kids. Half the fun of getting a big new set was mining it for parts we'd then use to perfect our own creations. Time passes, we grow up, and the vast majority of us stop building. The bricks get handed off to a younger generation of relatives or just get put into storage. But for some, the hobby never goes away, and creativity benefits from the patience and skill that comes with age. Case in point, the Lego creations of Lino M. Lino is obviously a car guy, and his custom creations are good enough to grace the box art of Lego kits on retail shelves.

Take the "Death Proof" Nova shown above. It's incredibly detailed, right down to the hood skull, custom ornament, roll cage, and passenger-side crash box. Compare it to this press pic of the real car. It doesn't end there, either. In the attached gallery, we've included sample shots of a '65 Econoline drag racer, a '64 Impala lowrider, a '68 Chevy C10, and an incredible '68 GTO drag racer that he created. Note the flame detail on the GTO -- that's good stuff. We'd happily pay money for these if we saw them in Toys 'R Us. Short of that, we'll simply enjoy watching Lino do his work. You can see detail shots of the aforementioned builds (and others) at his Flickr set of Lego cars. He's also got a massive gallery of builds at Brickshelf.com, all of which are worth checking out. Time to pull that bag of Legos out of our parents' attic.

[Source: Flickr, Brickshelf via Super Punch]

After watching the hilarious video from the guys at Automobile trying to use the self-parking feature on the new Lexus LS460, this video is truly amazing. For a measly $249, the crew at Mindstorms NXT will sell you a complete kit to build an SPC (self-parking car) of your own.

The SPC will detect a space large enough to park, perform all steps necessary to successfully complete the often difficult task of parallel parking, and then with a verbal "GO!" pull out of the spot on to the road, only slightly tapping the "car" in front on the way out.

What a great way to entertain friends and family at the Christmas party this year; just be sure there aren't any LS460 drivers in the audience!

Thanks to David Yu for the tip!

[Source: Engadget via TechEBlog]

Online auto mag Winding Road has always been an interesting read, but one area in which the digital rag's been lacking is graphic design, particularly when it comes to covers. The most recent issue eclipses all others by foregoing the expense of more talented graphic designers and putting the mag's face in the hands of Todd Osborn, an Ypsilanti, Michigan resident and apparent Lego god.

The cover features a dead-on shot of Audi's R10 diesel Le Mans racer composed entirely of Legos. Osborn used a little less than 20,000 blocks to create the work of art, and requested Winding Road return them all when the photo shoot was finished. At the end of this "Making Of" video we see the Winding Road staff unceremoniously dismantling the work brick by handful of bricks.

[Source: Winding Road via Nestcape]