LEGO 42110 Land Rover Defender - Technic

This was a special build somehow...It really achieved the feeling of a curated journey by LEGO and designer Milan Reindl. The build experience was delightful and complex and indeed rewarding. For me, this build ticked all the boxes: complex gearbox, super bouncy suspension, all wheel drive, and lots of details that bring this model to life. Of course, the finished product is also fun to play with.It is true that before heading into the third set of bags (conveniently numbered as part of the build experience) it was necessary to pull back and make sure everything was in order. Much has been written already about the "dreaded clicking noise", but with some careful adjustments after taking the necessary time to understand this complex gearbox our model is now ... MoreThis was a special build somehow...It really achieved the feeling of a curated journey by LEGO and designer Milan Reindl. The build experience was delightful and complex and indeed rewarding. For me, this build ticked all the boxes: complex gearbox, super bouncy suspension, all wheel drive, and lots of details that bring this model to life. Of course, the finished product is also fun to play with.It is true that before heading into the third set of bags (conveniently numbered as part of the build experience) it was necessary to pull back and make sure everything was in order. Much has been written already about the "dreaded clicking noise", but with some careful adjustments after taking the necessary time to understand this complex gearbox our model is now working as it should.Was I concerned about achieving the kind of finished product we have come to expect from LEGO? To be honest... at times! The gearbox is confronting and managing an impressive amount of torque and there are a number of key gear meshes that need to be as free as possible. I suspect we are approaching the upward capacity of LEGO technic gears with what designer Mr. Reindl is asking them to accomplish in this complex design! All the more reason to take care that everything is running as smoothly as it should and is positioned perfectly. I hope all who have taken on the challenge of this build are similarly able to hone their building skills to ensure their Range Rover is completed in top notch working order.Indeed, a challenging build to be sure, but I believe the build journey of this particular model will remain among the more memorable as a result. We have been fortunate to enjoy other technic builds over the years; each of which have constantly set the bar very high for the subsequent generation of offerings.I believe this set is no exception.I will say this - I can imagine potential builders running into problems achieving the technical intentions LEGO had for the set in the early assembly. My advice would be not to give up! Put the wheels on a few steps early ;) and make sure you are on the right track. Taking the time to understand how this model works is not only part of the point of a Technic LEGO set, it will help you achieve LEGO's intended standard for your model.Enjoy! Thanks for reading and stay safe everybody.

This was a pretty challenging build. I wouldn't say it was as hard as the Bugatti Chiron that I built previously, but definitely harder than the DB5, Ecto-1, and Back to the Future Delorean builds I've also done recently.It actually feels pretty sturdy. I feel like I could let my 5 year old nephew play around with it and he wouldn't destroy it (unlike the Ferrari 488 set).The top steering makes it a little more useful to play around with. Other vehicles like the Chiron and Ferrari have functional steering wheels, but you can't turn them and move the car at the same time unless you are very talented (I am not).I didn't like the winch. Too hard to use and retract. I'm not a sticker fan, but this set only had a few.Overall, I recommend it.

I don't know where to start with this review, because there's so many great details included in this model. The front end looks quite accurate and faithful to the real car. The bonnet opens to reveal a really detailed engine bay. The winch here works smoothly, as does the I6 engine. The doors open, though they sometimes catch on the sills, the interior is nice with seats, gearbox selectors, steering wheel and dash, and I like being able to lift the rear seats to see the gearbox. All four wheels have independent suspension, and there is a surprising amount of travel. The locking mechanism is smooth for the rear door, and the whole rear end is very accurate and faithful to the original car. I like that the roof rack can be removed, but I think the car looks much ... MoreI don't know where to start with this review, because there's so many great details included in this model. The front end looks quite accurate and faithful to the real car. The bonnet opens to reveal a really detailed engine bay. The winch here works smoothly, as does the I6 engine. The doors open, though they sometimes catch on the sills, the interior is nice with seats, gearbox selectors, steering wheel and dash, and I like being able to lift the rear seats to see the gearbox. All four wheels have independent suspension, and there is a surprising amount of travel. The locking mechanism is smooth for the rear door, and the whole rear end is very accurate and faithful to the original car. I like that the roof rack can be removed, but I think the car looks much better with it on. The HoG steering is smooth, the ladder can be folded down, and the boxes on the side and topcan be opened. (I used the box on the top to store the spare pieces.)My only criticisms of the set: I think sand green might have been more accurate, but I imagine there aren't many technic pieces in that colour so it wouldn't be cost effective; and some of the stickers were getting caught on the edges of the sheet, so they were ripping or peeling in different directions. I managed to salvage most of them, but there are a few areas where the white backing on the stickers peeled from under the print, so they are transparent and inconsistent. I imagine this has been fixed by now, and it's not too bad. Overall, this set looks amazing on display, functions well and was well worth the money.