Who doesn’t love an old Ferrari? Fast, beautiful and incredibly red, they make for some fantastic models to adorn your bedroom shelves with. While they may be easy on the eye, officially licensed Ferrari models don't come around very often. Now, however, there's a new one - the Lego Speed Champions Ferrari 512M.
Immortalised as the bête noire of Steve McQueen’s Porsche 917 in Lee H. Katzin’s 1970 sports thriller Le Mans, the 512M is an indubitably iconic racing car. By virtue of its wedge-like shape, raucous V12 engine and the most devilishly red paint job to ever hit the big screen, the 512 is still remembered as one of the great automotive villains of cinema, yet often plays second fiddle to the Porsche on account of some poor results in period.
While the 512M is often overlooked in favour of its race-winning rival, it's not without its admirers. To stop this iconic car from fading into obscurity, Lego has decided to immortalise the 512M once again, though this time in red plastic bricks as an officially licensed Speed Champion. It’s a sharp and intricate model that anyone from eight to 80 could sink their teeth into. More importantly though, it bestows an old classic with some of the respect and adulation it deserves, and we’re pretty glad about that.
Verdict: A fun and easy kit with results that any child or adult can be proud of.
Scored: 4.5/5
Pros
- Great value
- Easy to build
Cons
- Stickers are a bit fiddly
What's good?
Like most Lego products, this was a blast to build – technical enough to sufficiently occupy myself with while small enough for me to sit down and complete in a single evening. The instructions were, for the most part, sharp and easy to follow, taking me through each step at a reasonable pace without assumption. Simple yet crisp and clear, I was given the impression each step-by-step illustration had been drawn for universal appeal – a hallmark of any great model kit.
Once the model started coming together, I began to appreciate its likeness to the real article. From the wheel arches festooned with prancing horses to the twin tailpipes and lights at the rear, this model really oozes quality, with attention to detail for the benefit of both racing and Lego model enthusiasts alike.
Finally, the price. For under £25, this Lego model is an absolute bargain. I had anticipated it would be smaller, but instead I found myself pleasantly surprised at how large it turned out to be. While not enormous – 7.2 x 14.1 x 26.2 cm and .32kg – it was still big enough to include most of the real car’s key details and even sit a young Art Merzario inside (Stetson not included).
What’s okay?
While this model was not difficult to build, upon reflection I concluded that some of the illustrations could have been a bit clearer, especially as there were so many pieces that looked alike. On a few occasions I found myself backtracking to replace a specific piece, usually for the same shape just in different colour like black for grey. Backtracking wasn’t disastrous but it was peeving enough for me to let loose a few obscenities while impeding the momentum of my build.
No doubt the mistakes were largely my fault – a bad workman always blames his Lego bricks and so on – but I felt the some of the model depictions could have emphasised the difference between bricks during certain phases of construction.
This model racing car may have a steering wheel within the cockpit, but its presence is purely ornamental. There are two free-wheel axles on the model, restricting it to straight-line rolling only with just a little push. Sufficient for young children to play with, just don’t expect any intricate mechanics in a model of this size.
Any negatives?
The only trouble I faced involved stickers. Calmer, steadier and more patient hands than mine might have applied them perfectly on the first attempt, but I often found myself sticking, unsticking and then re-sticking again to achieve the perfect line.
I just about got it in the end (see below for results) but it was enough to trip a mild case of OCD into a frenzy. I felt it was an unnecessary task and possibly too difficult for young children to perfectly carry out. Applying stickers is an element of model building often relished by many but it would have been helpful if some of the pieces included a sticker guide so that builders like myself could get it right first time.
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How this item was tested
I assembled the Lego Speed Champions Ferrari 512M within two hours at home. The build was carried out under regular lighting along with the application of the stickers. The model still resides in my living room today.