(Written by William)
With the 20th anniversary of LEGO Batman, LEGO is paying homage to the various Batmobiles we’ve gotten over the years. In the most recent release in March, we’ve seen a whole slew of Batmobiles from all the movies that hadn’t been covered. We covered three of them already in our previous review (see links at the end of this post), and there is one more that really stands out: the #76304 LEGO Batman Forever Batmobile, priced at $99.99. This wasn’t nearly as expensive as the previously released #76240 LEGO Batman Tumbler or the #76139 LEGO Batman 1987 Batmobile, so I was curious how it compared.
Stylistically, I think my preference for a Batmobile remains with the 1987 version. However, the Batmobile from Batman Forever is not as dramatically different. And the more obvious differences seemed to be cosmetic. So, how does it stack up? And are there any interesting building techniques in the model worth mentioning? Let’s head to the Bat Cave and find out!
LEGO BATMOBILE – ANGLED CLIP MOUNTING
For most of the model, I was lulled into thinking this was more or less a LEGO Icons-type vehicle build. There is a strong LEGO Technic base and some decent shaping of the body. Though based on the size of the seats and steering wheel, this model is scaled a bit smaller than most of the LEGO Icons vehicles. It’s probably closest to scale with the #10258 LEGO Creator London Bus, for reference. As such, LEGO designers skipped on adding working steering, which is not unusual since there is a fair amount of LEGO Creator Expert/LEGO Icons vehicles that don’t have this feature either.
These thoughts were going through my head when I had to set the frame of the car aside and build a whole new frame. This consisted of a large rectangle with a sliding component on one end. Turns out, this is what made up the entire center structure of the vehicle. The sliding component allowed the builder to more easily maneuver the frame and allowed it to clip at a partial distance from its rear bars that also clipped into place. Once seated, this entire center structure presented a slightly forward-tilting body. This also changed the style of the model from a sturdy-built vehicle into an art piece that was carefully sculpted.
No doubt, the technique used to mount a large frame onto another at a random angle is extremely clever. But it is worth noting that once you build something like this, your options for stability become a bit more limited.
The key to this technique is the sliding element in the top frame. This element consists of a tile with bars and rails that are locked into a space that contains some 1×4 bricks with space for the horizontal rail to slide along. This allows the bars just enough range of motion that can accommodate a wide range of distances and angles compared to the other bars that are fixed on the frame. In short, you break LEGO’s rigid system of how parts measure up to one another and present an interesting and organic aesthetic to your build.
LEGO BATMOBILE – A CAR YOU DON’T WANT TO DRIVE
I honestly think the vehicle looks great. The back fins do feel a tad large in my opinion, but that is how they looked in the film. The problem comes in all the detail work.
In order to achieve all the various angles of body work and dramatic angles, you have to give up stability. So many of the connections rely on a single stud to hold so many parts of this model on the frame.
Curved tiles on the hood of the car are all single-stud connections. The slopes are built at an angle on the side of the vehicle, and also only with single studs. The windscreen is held on by two studs. The back fin is a single clip. The side fins are two studs, but those just hold a single clip that the rest of the wing relies on.
What this means is that it is really hard to find a place to touch the car and not be afraid that something will fall off. Most of the time, I like to play around with a vehicle, driving it back and forth across my build table. However, as soon as I finished this model, I kept my hands off of it.
LEGO BATMOBILE – ANGLE-MOUNTED NOSE
This is a small thing, but it is the first time I’ve seen it used in a vehicle this size. The front of the Batmobile has an extremely iconic front nose section. Balancing pieces to create this slick, angled appearance can be very tricky. However, LEGO designers handled this in a simple, easily duplicated manner that is worth mentioning.
First, you build on a 90-degree wedge plate. On the diagonal edge, build in a 1×1 LEGO Technic brick with axle hole. Then, when you are done with all your decorations, turn the wedge so that the 90-degree angle is pointing out and mount it to an axle that you can secure on the main part of your build. The end result is something that looks seamless and is very stable from a build perspective.
LEGO BATMOBILE – FINAL THOUGHTS
This is a great-looking vehicle. Whatever you do, don’t touch it, though. This is the price we have to pay for a model that is much more affordable, but can still have some amazing shaping. Additionally, there are only a couple of stickers in the model, which serve as the interior dashboard of the vehicle. Everything else has printing, from the hub caps to the plaque.
As for the minifigure, it is nice to see the cowl with blue eyes instead of white. And I really like the soft plastic molded cape. It is not as rubbery as some we’ve seen before, but LEGO designers were adamant on having it have a certain look. The flare of how it drapes at the bottom was key to getting it to look movie-accurate. In the video below, I discuss the set in a bit more detail.
So, is it worth it? Honestly, if you are a fan of the LEGO Icon vehicles, you will have a pretty good time with the build. And as an added bonus, it is on the more affordable side for these types of sets. As for Bat-fans, this is another unique Batman to add to your collection, which is nothing to sneeze at. However, just know that it comes with the baggage of not being friendly for handling. The end result is closer to a delicate sculpture and not a large-scale vehicle that you might expect. If that’s okay with you, then you found the next Batmobile for your collection. If not, I’d recommend checking out the $29.99 Batmobiles that we discussed in our previous review. The only major difference will be whether or not this was the quintessential actor who played Batman for you. If you would like to check out all the new anniversary Batmobiles, visit the LEGO Batman section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like this version of the Batmobile? Feel free to share your thoughts and own reviews in the comment section below!
And you might also like to check out the following related posts:
I’m surprised they made this so flimsy. This is a 12+ set not a adult oriented display model.
It looks good, but yeah, the sketchy connections are a turnoff.