Build Your Own 1969 Chevy Camaro Z/28 for Only $170 With LEGO's Brand-New Icons Set

Arguably the coolest toys for kids of all ages, LEGO sets have been captivating the hearts and minds of several generations. It all started in Denmark back in the 1930s with handcrafted wooden toys and a couple of decades later, the iconic plastic bricks helped make the company a household name all across the globe.

As the brand grew, so did the complexity and creativity of its sets. In the late-1970s, the Technic collection was launched encouraging older kids as well as adults to develop their engineering skills using a combination of conventional and new, specifically created bricks. Among the early Technic sets were cars with true-to-life features such as piston engines or steering systems that were an absolute thrill to build.

I remember spending many hours every day building one of those cars with my dad back in the early 1990s. At the time, I was fascinated with the intricacy of the set and couldn’t imagine anything cooler. Today, LEGO Technic bricks have become infinitely more complex, and some of the most epic sets include officially licensed scale models of real four-wheeled masterpieces like the Porsche GT3 RS, Bugatti Chiron, Lamborghini Sian, or the Ferrari Daytona SP3.

Apart from the Technic offerings, car enthusiasts who also happen to be fond of conventional bricks have also been treated to amazing LEGO cars in recent years. Part of the Creator Expert collection (recently rebranded Icons), these adult-oriented sets have included models such as the first-generation Mustang, the 1970s Porsche 911, or, more recently, the DMC DeLorean “Time Machine” from the Back to the Future franchise.

However, the latest addition to this collection might just be the coolest one yet, especially if you’re a muscle car fanatic. Announced earlier this week, the new set allows you to build and customize your very own 1969 Camaro Z/28.

Roughly a 1:10 scale model of the iconic high-performance Chevy, the awesome LEGO version comes with functional steering, opening doors, as well as a functional trunk lid and hood. Under the latter, the Z/28’s epic 302-ci (4.9-liter) small block is faithfully recreated, while the interior comes with an authentic two-tone red finish and details such as a handbrake, a Hurst shifter, or even a couple of dices attached to the rearview mirror.

The black exterior is contrasted by the legendary wide "skunk" stripes that flow down the hood and trunk lid. From the initial pictures posted on the LEGO website, we can see that the bricks used for the wheel arches along with the rims have been specifically designed for this set, so they are completely new, but other than that, everything else is comprised of regular LEGO bricks.

Like previous Creator Expert/Icons car sets, the Camaro includes a host of customization. For starters, the default gray stripes can be swapped with either white or burgundy variants, while the black hardtop can be replaced with a folded-down soft top, turning the pony car into a convertible. Other customization options include static headlights or covers that replicate the closed hideaway headlights of the real thing and either a California or Michigan license plate.

The amazing set contains 1,456 pieces, which means that if you’re not an experienced LEGO fan, it will take at least six hours to build it. According to the toymaker, it will arrive in stores in August with a retail price of $169.99.

While buying or restoring a real 1969 Z/28 is out of the question for many enthusiasts considering the five- to six-figure sums one demands, you can try and quench your muscle car thirst with this absolutely stunning set that’s worth every penny.

You can watch a detailed review of the LEGO Camaro in the YouTube video below by RacingBrick.