Lego models are getting bigger and more complex than you would have ever dared to dream as a child.
The toymaker has teamed up with McLaren to build a life-size P1 supercar out of toy bricks. The vehicle isn’t just for display, either. The two companies worked together to make it drivable.
The 1:1 scale P1 was constructed from 342,817 Lego Technic pieces. That number includes 393 distinct types of pieces, including 11 that were made specifically for the model. The car tips the scales at 2,690 pounds, making it nearly 400 pounds lighter than the vehicle it is based on. In total, 23 designers, engineers, and builders were involved with the project, which took 8,344 hours to complete.
Lando Norris and the life-size and 1:8 scale Lego McLaren P1
Jeff Moore. 07870209766
The Lego P1 may not be as aerodynamic as the actual supercar, but it shares its general shape and dimensions. It also features a motor that consists of Lego Technic Function batteries and an electric car battery, according to the automaker. This element allows the P1 to go further than any of the toymaker’s previous models. McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris was even able to complete a lap around the 3.66-mile Silverstone Circuit in the car.
The model’s “powertrain” may be boundary-pushing by Lego standards, but it is the one area where the Lego P1 cannot match up with the actual car. The real P1 is powered by a hybrid twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8 that churns out a 903 horses and 723 ft lbs of twist. Thanks to all that power, the car can rocket from zero to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, zero to 124 mph in 6.8 seconds, and reach an electronically limited top speed of 217 mph. Neither Lego or McLaren announced how fast the brick-built P1 is, but we imagine it’s a lot slower than that.
Want a Lego P1 of your own and are okay with it being smaller? Well, you’re in luck. This summer, the toy company released a 1:8 scale replica of the supercar as part of the Technic Ultimate Car Concept Series. This version of the model is made from 3,893 Lego pieces and includes a working V-8 piston engine and a seven-speed gearbox with two shifting drums. We wouldn’t try driving the $450 model, though.
