First, Lego and McLaren joined forces in 2015 and since then they have worked together in six Lego Speed Champions McLarens and two Lego Technic McLarens. Now for the McLaren 60th anniversary, Lego will produce a double pack that includes the F1 LM and the Solus GT.
Although it has been 60 years since Bruce McLaren founded the company that bears his name, the Kiwi has been dead for more than 50 years. However, his impact on racing, from his Grand Prix, Can-Am and Le Mans victories to his racing team engineering, was profound. An automotive company was formed in the 1980s that gave birth to the first Formula 1 and has since produced a number of vehicles on par with established giants such as Ferrari.
“As 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of McLaren and our founder’s passion for creating the ultimate supercar, we felt it was the perfect time to come together with LEGO and celebrate the iconic McLaren road cars whose designs stem from this vision were born,” he says. Goran Ozbolt, chief designer of McLaren Automotive.
The McLaren F1 LM (for Le Mans) was the street track version of F1. Six were built and five were sold to the public. Although all were initially painted papaya orange ahead of Bruce McLaren’s race livery, two were painted black as specified by the Sultan of Brunei.
The Solus GT is perhaps less familiar because it is new for 2023. It is a mid-engined, track-only sports car that is McLaren’s sixth vehicle in the Ultimate Series (McLaren also has a Sport and Super Series). Interestingly, the origins of the Solus GT come from a concept car that was a Gran Turismo Sport game for Sony PlayStation 4.
Of course, both models feature authentic details in Lego’s unique analog 4-bit style. The F1 LM comes in the signature Papaya Orange livery with a central driver’s seat and cooling ducts on either side, while the Solus GT features a central driver’s seat and prominent wheel arches and rear wing.
“We aim to inspire LEGO vehicle fans with new and unique building experiences for all ages every time we expand the Speed Champions collection,” adds Christopher Leslie Stamp, Design Manager, Lego Group. “This launch is another great example of this long-standing partnership.”
The new LEGO Speed Champions McLaren F1 LM and Solus GT set will be available worldwide from March 1, 2023, retailing for $34.99.
