Review: 42096 Porsche 911 RSR
Posted by Huw,42096 Porsche 911 RSR is the largest of nine Technic sets due for release just after Christmas. Typically, those released at this time of year are not usually as technically advanced as the summer sets and that is certainly the case here.
However, it looks stunning and it will be interesting to compare it with 2016's 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which is still widely available. So, let do just that...
The real vehicle is a 500bhp car designed for motorsports that will set you back about $1.1 million, so somewhat more expensive than the roadgoing GT3. Here's the version LEGO has modelled:
Box and contents
The design of Technic sets boxes hasn't changed for 2019 and as you'd expect the front shows the main model image. The back shows the rear of the vehicle. There is no alternative build shown.
Its 1580 parts are packaged in unnumbered bags so you'll need to empty them all at the start and you'll probably want to do as I did and perform a bit of sorting before commencing the build to avoid excessive rummaging -- panels in one pile, beams in another and so on.
Disappointingly, there are no new parts in the set and only a few recolours, mostly to white.
Edit: Turns out the wheel arches are two holes shorter than the ones used in 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, so they are new.
There are two sticker sheet containing a total of 52 stickers.
Construction
Construction begins with the chassis: the rear suspension and transmission, then the front wheels and steering mechanism.
Once that's done virtually all of the functionality has been completed already.
The remainder of the build concerns the bodywork which is quite quickly built upon this internal frame.
The steering wheel is connected to the steering mechanism, as one would hope. A single driver's seat occupies the interior. This is a racing car, don't forget. I'm sure making it black is accurate but it's a shame that it's not some other colour to provide a bit of contrast.
The 6-cylinder engine sits right behind the driver's seat, which, given this is a mid-engined vehicle, is where it should be. It's connected to the rear axle through a differential.
The side bodywork is added next, complete with stickers on most of the panels. The wheel arches are printed, which they have to be given that stickers would be impractical for their curved surfaces.
Next, the front and bonnet are constructed, accompanied by more stickers. For some reason the 911 graphic on the bonnet and silver fuel inlet are on opposite sides of the car compared to the image of the real above. All I can think is that perhaps the fuel inlet is on one side or the other depending on the configuration of the pit lane in races.
Right at the bottom, two 1/4 circle gear rack 11X11 in black are utilised to form the characteristic curved skirt at the front. I wouldn't be surprised if it was this part, and its size, that was the inspiration for choosing this car to model and setting its scale.
Once the engine covering and rear end has been added and covered with more stickers, the vehicle is complete.
Overall it's a straightforward model to build, and quite quickly completed, thanks in part to the lack of gearbox and other complex internal mechanisms. In fact, taking time to apply the stickers correctly occupies much of the building time.
The competed model
I think it looks fantastic from every angle.
Functionality
As I said at the start, there's not much functionality: this model is all about looks. However it does have the basics: steering via the steering wheel, 4 wheel suspension and 'working' engine connected to the rear wheels.
The doors open to reveal the interior, which includes a lot of gubbins on the right, as found in the racing vehicle.
The rear cover can be raised to access the engine inside:
Compared to 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
It seems a little odd that LEGO should release another 911 so soon after the last one. Although they look similar as you'd expect, they are built to different scales. 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS is about 1:8 while this one is about 1:9.3. They are 55cm and 48cm long, respectively.
Verdict
Style over substance is a complaint many Technic fans level at models such as this and to some extent they are justified. However this one oozes so much style that is easily makes up for the lack of substance, or functionality. Quite simply, it looks fantastic whichever way you look at it. However it only does so thanks to the stickers. Not applying them is not really an option because the printed wheel arches would look odd without the surrounding stickers.
It's not quite perfect, though. The only thing that doesn't look quite right to me is the front headlights, which are a bit too bulbous, although they are an improvement on those on 42056 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which are too small.
If you're looking for an awesome display model and don't mind stickers then I can highly recommend this set. In many ways it's more impressive than the GT3 RS, which looks a bit plain in comparison despite its larger size and complex internals.
It'll be available from 26th December at shop.LEGO.com, priced at £139.99 / $149.99 and 149.99€.
We are seeing something of a trend with the price of Technic sets nowadays: they are way overpriced! This year's sets were discounted at Amazon by 20-30% pretty much on the day of their release, so I predict that it will be just a matter of weeks before this one is available for a more reasonable £100-£110. Then it will definitely be worth picking up!
Thanks to LEGO for providing the set for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
80 likes
35 comments on this article
Thanks for the review.
Other reviews have complained about the backlash or slop in the steering, and the difficulty in getting adult fingers inside to steer. Did you encounter either of these difficulties?
They need to start printing the wheel wells and tires. That would make these mostly display models so cool! I think the tires look a tad small on this model.
V6 engine? V6 engine?!?!?
The Porsche 911 has a FLAT SIX!
Great review and comparison. One thing i wonder if the ride hight can be adjusted as it looks like a SUV compared to the real one.
Being no specialist in Technic models, I cannot say if fonctionalities are good or not on this one. All I know is that I like Porsche cars since I am a kid, and even as a non Technic range fan this rendition is fantastic IMO. Look at this monster on the original picture of it! And the Lego design is very good I think, even better than the Bugatti was. Superb.
Great review, I appreciate the comparison between both Porsche models. But why do you believe it’s overpriced? It has a decent price to part ratio of 9.4 cents per piece and and is almost as large as the other at half the price. I’m pleasantly surprised as I though this set would’ve been at least $200 after seeing it at the unveiling. Definitely a first day purchase for me
Looks the business! Not for me as I’m not really a technic fan anymore.
Iro 2 Porsche in quick succession, maybe it’s a licensing thing?
According to Sariel's review, the wheel arches are a new piece, being 2 studs shorter than the ones from the GT3
Is it possible to not attach the large spoiler? Or is it key to the structure?
@snowymike, yes it is a bit difficult but how many adults are likely to spend much time driving it around the table? There's a bit of slop, but that's probably due to the two universal joints. I didn't think it any worse than on other Technic cars.
@Speed champions fan, my mistake, corrected.
@ Jman007, the US price is certainly more reasonable than the UK price (c.$180)
@wilcosu35, I hadn't noticed that, thanks! The orange Chevrolet has yet another size of them.
@Snakeship, it can be left off easily enough.
To me the front splitter/grille looks hideous. It seems two bricks too tall compared to the real thing.
@Huw: no partslist online yet but can you tell me if it contains this part in white?
https://brickset.com/parts/design-42003
No.
Maybe it's just me, but from the back, it just looks horrible. A maze of odd black pieces.
42077 Rally Car also had basic functions. I was meh on it until I built it. I love it and can sit there and just spin the wheels for days. There's just something about Technic that I love. My biggest complaint about this model is that its scale does not match the other Porsche. I hate inconsistencies like this.
Looks like a very impressive addition to the range of Technic sports cars as well as a potential base for MOCs to include additional functions. I was not impressed by the earlier Porsche model--mainly because of the price--but this is going on my "to-buy" list with a great big star and exclamation mark.
Thanks for the review and in particular the comparison to 42056. When I first saw the pictures of this, I was not impressed and did not feel like I wanted to add it to my collection. Now I know I don't.
This set is a real step back IMO...loosing some functionality???
The GT3 has WORKING paddle shifters and an engine that replicated the actual movements of the boxer engine...I would have preferred a compatible outer shell that could either be a stand alone model only or can replace the panels of the GT3 for a different color way and look (that orange is love it or hate it).
making the RSR a slightly different scale makes zero sense to me because the market for this set is the same as the GT3
or at least make the RSR compatible w/ power functions and remote to add something new to the line instead of insulting it
On the one hand I am happy about another Technic rendition of the 911. On the other hand, this set just has so many flaws for its price, which like Huw said, is definitely too high, at least in Europe, and the UK in particular.
A ppp-ratio of almost ten cents is ridiculous for a Technic set, which contains hundreds of pins that are worth next to nothing.
What else? Way too many stickers, wheels that look so lost in their arches because they are way too small. Remember the look of racing cars? The wheel wells are usually filled to the brim with those massive racing tyres. On this it looks like a racing 911 with 16 inch VW Golf tyres. And those bulbous headlight coverings? Meh. Those might have looked a bit less out of place on the GT3, but still.
The only saving grace to me is the fact that the overall proportions look much better than on the GT3.
I love it and will definitely be getting it. It'll just be on display, so I'm not too fussed at the relative lack of functions, as they simply won't be used.
In my opinion the wheels are a bit small and plain - is it possible to replace that wheels for more realististic from 42056?
See a representative from real race car there - https://www.motor1.com/photo/1705091/2017-porsche-911-rsr-la-2016/
I had no opinion one way or the other until I saw the picture of the real car. Then I was disappointed by the headlights. On the real car in the pic the lights are yellow and I believe that the part used has only been in trans-yellow in one set before in back in 2011. It would have been nice to have the car be more accurate to the real one and make a bunch of other people happy to get those parts in trans-yellow again.
^ @allthenamesaretaken
The set from 2011 is LEGO City of Atlantis Set 7985.
Brickset's reviews are always so positive up to the point of being useless. Sariel had a more critical (=relevant) viewpoint
@pyry, Sariel is too far the other way being too critical with unfair expectations of what technic Lego is capable of. As an example, when he reviewed 42070 he criticised its poor outdoors performance and compared it to proper RC rock crawlers, we all know Lego is only designed for indoor use.
My biggest complaint about the first one is that it has a great complex 4 speed transmission (plus reverse) but once the model is assembled you can’t see it in operation. So they solved that problem but not even including it!
Yes to stet:
my idea of making the RSR only a stand-alone outside shell model (for those that just want to display) that can be used to swap out the GT3 outer shell would also fix this problem since the option of changing the outer shell gives the builder a chance to enjoy the inner workings again.
It also rewards the investment for those that purchased and built the GT3 as the powertrain essnetially can be re-used...ie much of how the auto companies currently rehash the same powertrain in different cars.
Looks marvelous, but ew, why change the vehicle scale midway through the line?
I don't like the Porsche. I don't like the Bugatti and I don't like this one. They've all got the same thing in common; they don't resemble the original model all that much. I always wonder why the LEGO Ideas sets look so close yet the official LEGO products really don't.
@pyry, I have to agree with @mrdoofa. I do like to watch Sariel's videos and respect his opinions, but ultimately we are reviewing toys for kids, not precision made scale models, so a lot of his criticism is unjustified.
@AustinPowers How else would you realistically achieve so many vent/duct, sponsor, and livery detail without stickers? Yes, in an ideal LEGO world everything would be printed but coming back to reality means that's just not possible.
In regards to the wheel proportions I'm sure the concave look of the spokes makes these look even smaller. It would've been better with a BBS type wheel that has a more flush/higher offset look that's closer to the 1:1 race car.
Does anyone else notice in the side view the 1 or 1/2 stud off-center front wheel compared to the wheel fender arch ? My OCD cannot cope with such a flaw. And the designer could have lowered the suspension by one stud to make it a bit more realistic (at the cost of less suspension travel) and not like a street car.
@MTBrickHouse: as Chinese clone companies have proven, high quality printed parts must cost next to nothing, so TLG's argument of cost being prohibitive is just BS. The Juniors line having no stickers whatsoever and prints on so many parts that are hardly usable on anything else also point in a different direction. Or go further back in time. When I look at my Classic Space collection, I don't see a single sticker other than the flag in set 6970.
Of course they could have printed those pieces. At least those that make up the doors and the hood should have been included. The other stickers are superfluous anyway. They are simply too lazy nowadays to put in the effort, that's it. They only printed the wheel arches because no sticker would fit on those curves.
As long as too few people complain or stop buying those sticker-horrorfests, nothing will change.
Lego an their blue connectors.. what happened to the black ones?!
@darthnorman The black 3L pins have been discontinued since 2007 probably from the fear that people would mix them up with the black 2L ones. Before that LEGO builders were more smart and could use a ruler on the instruction cover telling which axle is how long. Now TLG needs to print the length of axles and beams on every page so we don't make mistakes. :(
I wonder what it would look like if the headlights were swapped on the 2 models.