Nissan has partnered with LEGO to introduce the LEGO Speed Champions Nissan GT-R NISMO. Set for arrival on store shelves in early 2020, the model is the first in the 2020 Speed Champions themed sets, which will be 25 percent bigger than they were in previous years.
"The Nissan GT-R and the LEGO brand are both renowned and loved by fans of all ages throughout the world, and we are honored to be the first-ever Japanese car manufacturer to partner with the LEGO Group," said Asako Hoshino, executive vice president at Nissan. "Many of our Nissan customers can trace their automotive passion back to when they built LEGO cars as children. With this partnership, everyone can be a `takumi' – the specialized craftsmen that build the GT-R. And, it's the GT-R's 50th anniversary this year, so what better way to celebrate than to share the GT-R with Nissan and LEGO fans around the world!"
LEGO is bringing this model to store shelves in early 2020.Photo courtesy of The Lego Group
The LEGO model was revealed by LEGO Group CEO Niels B. Christiansen and Hoshino at the automaker's global headquarters in Yokohama today. It is made from 298 LEGO elements and posed an interesting challenge for LEGO design lead Chris Stamp.
"In LEGO Speed Champions, we always aim to include new types of racing vehicles," said Stamp. "And when we focused on drifting and racing, the record-breaking Nissan GT-R, and especially the new GT-R NISMO, was at the top of our wish list. Authenticity is always our main concern, and we spent a lot of time exploring different building techniques to correctly recreate the taillights, as they are one of the most recognizable details on the car. I am really happy with the end result!"
LEGO designers used 298 elements to craft the model.Photo courtesy of The Lego Group
Hiroshi Tamura, Nissan's chief product specialist for the GT-R – known informally as "Mr. GT-R" – gave the scaled-down LEGO version his stamp of approval: "The GT-R has been part of my life since I was 10 years old. Working with the LEGO Group was like awakening my inner 10-year-old self to rediscover what makes the GT-R so special to me. It's amazing how much the LEGO Group's attention to detail reminds me of our own craftsmen."
Fun facts: The real 2020 Nissan GT-R NISMO vs. the LEGO Nissan GT-R NISMO
| Nissan GT-R NISMO | LEGO Nissan GT-R NISMO | |
|---|---|---|
| Development time | 10-plus years | Approximately 12 months |
| Parts | More than 90,000 | 298 |
| Assembly time | Approximately 8 hours for the vehicle, plus additional hours for the takumi-built engine | Expert LEGO® builder: 20 minutes Normal LEGO® builder: 1 hour |
| Top speed | 315+ kph | Hand-driven |
| Gears | 6-speed dual-clutch | 1 forward, 1 backward |
| Weight | 1720 kg | 193 g |
| Building instructions | Not included | Included |
| Fuel | Premium gasoline | Creativity |
| Range | 550+ km | Unlimited |
| Hours of fun | Endless | Endless |
Pricing on the new model has yet to be announced but is expected to be well below the traditional GT-R NISMO's starting price of $210,740.
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