(Written by William)
With Batman celebrating 20 years as part of the LEGO lineup, several anniversary sets have been released, including several Batmobiles. Three of these models are priced at $29.99 in the U.S., making them quite affordable and comparable to the LEGO Speed Champions vehicles. That got me curious. Despite their different designs, were these essentially built like typical LEGO Speed Champions sets? To find out, I requested review copies of all three models—and what I discovered was quite surprising. Let’s take a closer look.
#76331 LEGO BATMAN V. SUPERMAN BATMOBILE
This is probably the most rugged of the Batmobiles in the collection. Even Batman looks like he’s prepared for war! It is especially striking seeing his shoulder pauldrons, which give the minifigure a much bulkier frame. And the model has a much stronger framework under all the decorative elements.
In truth, this model is built more like a LEGO Icons vehicle. It has a LEGO Technic chassis with fine overlay detail work on top. This was closer to how the Tumbler was built, rather than any other Batmobile I ever put together.
This means that even though the base frame is the sturdiest of these three models, the decorative elements are rather fragile, which makes the model less than ideal to play with. Many elements just hang over other elements and can easily be knocked around. This might be a good choice for those looking to save up for a larger model and want to have an idea as to the type of building experience they can expect.
#76332 LEGO THE BATMAN BATMOBILE
If what you were hoping for was something that felt like a LEGO Speed Champion vehicle, then this is the Batmobile for you. The model starts with a large fabricated element that works as the central chassis. This was my favorite building experience out of the three sets.
The stickers are minimal, and you spend most of the building time shaping the various elements of the car’s body. The only downside is that this is a single-seater vehicle, but it gives the impression that it could be a two-seater.
This Batmobile is also the closest to being a normal car. This means it won’t look like a drag racecar or a cobbled-together tank from a post-apocalyptic world. It’s a rather classy choice for the Bat builder in your home.
#76333 LEGO BATMAN & ROBIN BATMOBILE
Out of the three models, this was from the one movie I’ve actually seen. Unfortunately, it reminded me that I didn’t particularly enjoy the film it came from. This is Batman at his most dramatic. Even the minifigure is shiny with his more chrome armor. And the Batmobile is a dragster.
I’m sure we’ve all built strange vehicles from time to time. Under many of these builds are large gaps that are just covered over. This helps with reducing weight, piece count, and thus price. And this is what you get here. In fact, LEGO designers stretched out the front of the vehicle so much that they had to leave gaps to prevent it from being off balance.
It is odd seeing Batman so far back that it looks as though he is driving from the back seat. But a dragster does offer a lot of stylistic choices for representing Batman. Adding to this are the most stickers out of all three sets. You will be placing tiny stickers on small sloped surfaces and more.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not a bad model by any means. But it’s a product of the movie it is representing, where Batman is on the edge of being flamboyant. It’s as if they wanted to marry the seriousness of some of the films that came before it with the campy style of the 1960’s version of Batman. For some, a Batman with a loud presence is exactly what they want. And if this sounds like you, this might be your model to get.
LEGO BATMOBILES – FINAL THOUGHTS
There is a nice touch with all of these models in that they come with a printed round tile claiming the 20th anniversary. This is something for builders to enjoy, as the tile is often hidden in the set. In the Batman v Superman model, it serves as the cushion for his seat. This small detail also helps link these series of Batmobiles together.
Another big draw for each model is the different actors who played Batman. You get George Clooney, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattenson. Each has a distinct look and brought a different take to the Caped Crusader, which resonated with fans in their own way. I do think some will be picking up these models more for the minifigure than the Batmobile.
And finally, it is very surprising that these models, despite having a similar size and being all based on Batman, can provide very distinct building experiences. Batman & Robin presents a traditional LEGO vehicle experience. The Batman gives a LEGO Speed Champion type feeling, while Batman v. Superman feels like a mini LEGO Icons set. And all three models are reasonably priced at $29.99 MSRP.
I’m sure the extreme Bat fans out there will pick up all three. However, if you are looking for a particular building experience, I hope this review gives you some idea of what you can expect. Or if you are a fan of a particular Bat franchise, I hope this lets you have the confidence that you’ll have the right experience for your building session. In the video above, I discuss the sets in more detail. And if you want to check them out, they are available at the LEGO Batman section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO 20th Anniversary Batmobiles? Feel free to share your thoughts and own reviews in the comment section below!
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