As BZ Power succinctly points out, at the rate projects are getting the 10k thumbs up votes over at LEGO Ideas, the community based LEGO site may likewise amend its voting guidelines to increase the number of. As we mentioned during our report on the LEGO Ideas Star Wars X34 Landspeeder, not too far behind the deadline of this year’s Second LEGO Review Stage (which will commence this September) are two projects who are vying to reach the coveted 10K mark. Now that they have reached the finish line of the voting stage, the LEGO Ideas Lamborghini Veneno Roadster and Lovelace and Babbage are the 10th and 11th projects to be ushered into the winning circle of fan-supported proposals respectively.
The LEGO Ideas Lamborghini Veneno Roadster by Jordan-based AFOL, Firas Abu-Jaber (Firas_supercar) is based on the exclusive, multi-million dollars racing prototype of Automobil Lamborghini released in 2014 to commemorate the Lambo’s 50th anniversary. There were only nine known units ever made during this time, which makes it one of the rarest and costliest vehicle around. With the recent inclusion of the Caterham Super Seven as a LEGO Ideas Approved Project, the Lamborghini Veneno Roadster may hopefully be the second automobile set that will hit store shelves in 2017. Here’s how Firas describes his proposed set.
As a further highlight of its 50th anniversary year, Automobili Lamborghini is presenting one of the most exceptional super sports cars of all time. The Lamborghini Veneno Roadster is an open racing prototype with an extreme design and breathtaking performance. And it is one of the world’s most exclusive automobiles – not more than nine units have been built during the course of 2014 and sold at a price of 3.3 million Euros…
Ever since I saw this great car back in 2014, I wanted to build my own LEGO® version, but when I first saw it, I thought it was nearly impossible to replicate into LEGO® form, but I’m glad I could prove myself wrong, and learned a good lesson: never say never, nothing is impossible with LEGO®!
This model features a large amount of details and functional elements, including the opening Lambo style doors, detailed engine bay, detailed exterior and interior down to the three Italian flag bottoms inside the cockpit.
The LEGO Ideas Review Team has this to say for Firas’ recent accomplishment.
Dear Firas_supercar,
You’ve zoomed across the finish line way ahead of time in this raging bull of a supercar! Congrats for hitting this milestone with the support of so many automotive enthusiasts! The Veneno is a notoriously angular car but you’ve done very well to pull of the overall design of this red rocket! The roadster edition is also the perfect super car for the heat of the summer.
You can take your foot off the throttle now, as we officially advance this project to the Review phase.
Finally, we have another 10K project finalist with the LEGO Ideas Lovelace and Babbage set by Stewart Cromar from the UK. Similar to the Women of NASA that celebrates the invaluable contribution to science by some of NASA’s women scientists and maverick explorers, the Lovelace and Babbage project commemorates the lives of two individuals who are chiefly responsible for the computers that we are using today. True, their Analytical Engine (1837) may not be as powerful even to the smallest byte as compared to our modern day PCs, but their invention paved the way for the first algorithm to be used and carried out by a machine and the conceptual foundation of our computers.
Here’s Cromar’s description of his LEGO Ideas Lovelace and Babbage.
Unique Design
- The monochromatic brick palette helps to evoke a Victorian atmosphere and the engine itself is decorated with cogs, chains and pistons for a steampunk aesthetic.
- There is also capacity for the model to house a mini-computer such as the Raspberry Pi single-board computer (optional and not included).
- Just in case the Lovelace and Babbage minifigures get a little tired from all their hard work, there is an afternoon tea party for them to enjoy (Victoria sponge included).
- Help Ada Junior with her maths homework in the miniature classroom, but just make sure the creepy bat doesn’t steal her beloved teddy bear.
- Using LEGO we can finally complete their marvelous vision for the Analytical Engine and build the world’s first mechanical general-purpose computer!
Main Set
- Analytical Engine (inc. store, mill, barrels)
- Removable glass roof
- Two easy access ‘service hatches’
- Gas lamps
- Punched cards
- Charles and Ada minifigures (inc. spanners)
- Pet owl
Bonus Sets
- ‘Ada Junior Classroom’ (wooden desk, inkwell, blackboard, duster, clock, creepy bat, parquet flooring, Ada Junior minifigure, rucksack and teddy bear).
- ‘Babbage Tea Party’ (Victoria sponge, cake stand, tea cups, saucers, candlestick, table and chairs).
I have to say that the Second LEGO Ideas Review Stage will be a bit crowded, given that we now have a total of 11 hopefuls vying for the approval of The LEGO Ideas Review Team to be an official set destined to hit shelves in 2017. Not too far behind is SeigneurFett’s Plum Creek – The Little House on the Prairie. As of this writing, it already garnered a total of 9,815 supporters and is now very close in capping off the winners’ circle to qualify for this year’s 2nd Review Stage.
The LEGO Ideas Lamborghini Veneno Roadster and Lovelace and Babbage will be joined by the Star Wars UCS X34 Landspeeder, the Women of NASA, Voltron – Defender of the Universe, Spaceballs – Eagle 5, The Addams Family Mansion, the Merchant’s House, the Large Hadron Collider, LEGO Observatory – Mountain View, and Modular Construction Site. The LEGO Ideas Second Review will commence starting early in September this year.
