Photo: LEGO
Three new LEGO sets, including a John Deere 948L-II Skidder and a June 1 launch date, have been revealed. This choice fittingly corresponds with International Children's Day, one of the two annual holidays that celebrate children, with the other one being World Children's Day on November 20.
This trio of sets consists of a new Agile Blue Bugatti Bolide, a LEGO Technic Mars Rover Perseverance, and, of course, the John Deere 948L-II Skidder, which we'll take a closer look at, also built using Technic pieces. This complex set based on the heavy-duty piece of logging equipment comes as a natural successor to the retired Forest Machine, set number 42080, and aims to bring the same excitement in a more uncomplicated form factor.
And when I say this set will be slightly less complex when compared to its predecessor, that is because it will not feature an electric motor. On a positive note, it will keep the pneumatic functions, articulated steering, active suspension, and rotating driver's seat. The bad news here is that despite removing the motor, this set will cost $199.99 (€189,99/£169.99), more than the Forest Machine did when it launched.
However, what it loses in utility, this LEGO set gains in pieces. It is almost one and a half times as big as the previous build. The John Deere 948L-II Skidder features a relatively generous number of 1,492 pieces, 489 more than the Forest Machine's 1,003. Still, even with the added pieces, this set will lack one more feature compared to the old one. There will be no buildable tree that can be displayed dragging around. Granted, that is understandable considering the sheer size of the claw, as building a log to fit it would be a chore and would jack up the price even more.
But there are also a few aspects where this new set is fantastic, with the pneumatics at the forefront. There are various functions, with the user able to control the claw's two axes of movement and grabbing feature using the small pneumatic pump on the back and the levers in front of the cabin. The blade can also be raised or lowered using the same pump system and buttons mounted on the side of the skidder.
There are a couple more impressive LEGO Technic features that can be noticed on this set, like the new heavy-duty differentials that first debuted on the Ferrari Daytona SP3 and used both in the front and back of this set. Another relatively new building technique that's used in this set has to do with the engine, as it does not use the standard piston pieces. Instead, this set benefits from a new design that uses three-module-long frictionless elements.
It also features what seems to be a new suspension setup, with exceptional range for travel, probably featuring a new articulation setup. Another articulation is the one that holds together the two parts of the build and lets the front and back rotate opposite to each other, bringing that extra bit of functionality.
The rest of this set is a fairly standard affair. Features like the rotating chair, the Hand of God steering system, and a semi-detailed cabin are all expected from Technic builds at this price point. It's then up to the individual buyer to decide whether the functionality of this set and the new techniques included are worth paying the relatively high cost of this set.
And when I say this set will be slightly less complex when compared to its predecessor, that is because it will not feature an electric motor. On a positive note, it will keep the pneumatic functions, articulated steering, active suspension, and rotating driver's seat. The bad news here is that despite removing the motor, this set will cost $199.99 (€189,99/£169.99), more than the Forest Machine did when it launched.
However, what it loses in utility, this LEGO set gains in pieces. It is almost one and a half times as big as the previous build. The John Deere 948L-II Skidder features a relatively generous number of 1,492 pieces, 489 more than the Forest Machine's 1,003. Still, even with the added pieces, this set will lack one more feature compared to the old one. There will be no buildable tree that can be displayed dragging around. Granted, that is understandable considering the sheer size of the claw, as building a log to fit it would be a chore and would jack up the price even more.
But there are also a few aspects where this new set is fantastic, with the pneumatics at the forefront. There are various functions, with the user able to control the claw's two axes of movement and grabbing feature using the small pneumatic pump on the back and the levers in front of the cabin. The blade can also be raised or lowered using the same pump system and buttons mounted on the side of the skidder.
There are a couple more impressive LEGO Technic features that can be noticed on this set, like the new heavy-duty differentials that first debuted on the Ferrari Daytona SP3 and used both in the front and back of this set. Another relatively new building technique that's used in this set has to do with the engine, as it does not use the standard piston pieces. Instead, this set benefits from a new design that uses three-module-long frictionless elements.
It also features what seems to be a new suspension setup, with exceptional range for travel, probably featuring a new articulation setup. Another articulation is the one that holds together the two parts of the build and lets the front and back rotate opposite to each other, bringing that extra bit of functionality.
The rest of this set is a fairly standard affair. Features like the rotating chair, the Hand of God steering system, and a semi-detailed cabin are all expected from Technic builds at this price point. It's then up to the individual buyer to decide whether the functionality of this set and the new techniques included are worth paying the relatively high cost of this set.
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