10252 - Volkswagen Beetle

Recce

Since the plate numbers are stickers, you can just paste it in whatever colour tiles you like. Problem solved. :)

sklamb

There are some places where the bodywork seems flatter than it should be, but overall I think this is a great Beetle--much better than the Mini model is a Mini, certainly. I love the real Mini Cooper but never wanted the Lego model; this model I do want, though not as much as a few other things on my "list."

Sadly, I suspect it's not to the same scale as my Creator Ferraris!

NickF22

^^ The number plates look printed to me.

Briking

Agree with 2CV. But I'll still end up getting it, I expect.

TechnicNick

All this 2CV talk is bewildering - there is a slight similarity at the back (the Beetle's curves here are not reproduced). Maybe it's because I'm very familiar with 2CVs... (see avatar for details)

AdeelZubair

The Volkswagen Beetle (10252) designer video has been uploaded to LEGO's Youtube channel; interestingly it has additional content:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p90029X-aU8

MattsWhat

NickF22 said:

^^ The number plates look printed to me.

They're on the sticker sheet so not printed sadly. 

LeonC

TechnicNick said:

All this 2CV talk is bewildering - there is a slight similarity at the back (the Beetle's curves here are not reproduced). Maybe it's because I'm very familiar with 2CVs... (see avatar for details)

For me it's the windscreen - too vertical. As I commented on the news post I'm surprised they've not made a better part by now, or figured out a 'legal' way to angle this one more. That said, I still like it a lot.

TigerMoth

LeonC said:

For me it's the windscreen - too vertical.

I think you'll find that a 2CV screen slopes more, not less than a Beetle's.

Molican

The first thing a friend (non-AFOL) said after she saw pictures: "Looks nearly like a 2CV..." I just cannot unsee this anymore.

cheshirecat

^^ True, its not that its too vertical, but that its too flat, unsuprising. its LEGO after all. I have to say I wasn't overly impressed when I first saw it, but now every time I see the set I like it even less. For a Creator Expert its really pretty poor imo, especially the stickers on the windscreen.

chrisalddin

i am only going to say this 1 time.

to get all the right angles for this car in lego, you would have to size up the model to x3 the size it is now. this would move it out of the Creator model car theme lego have, and make a new theme. with a model cars with +3000 parts.
this is a good try and even if it not as close a match to years gone buy model's, for the 1000-1300 lego parts range they have to work with it is a dam good try. and you can not mistake what car it is a model of.

could it have been better?
Yes,
did they have a Time limit to build the model in?
Yes,
did VW have to "OK" the model?
YES,
did they have a part and price limit to work to?
Yes,
was there a limit on the number of new parts that could be requested?
Yes,
would i be happy with this model?
Yes,
will i be buying this model,
Yes,
is it to me better then the last model that was made of this car?
Yes, (the last one look like it was made in mindcraft)

why the overwhelming hate this model is getting for not matching the car down to its coffee stain on the passenger seat is beyond me.

i think this is as about as good as we was going to get for this model, hell it a little better then i was hoping for, when i 1st read about the remake of this car for the new car Creator theme lego have be running for the last 3-4 years.

cheshirecat

I would argue, if you can't do it better than stick a couple of crappy stickers on the windscreen, side windows and rear windows for example then don't release it now, put it off until you can do a proper job with new parts, techniques whatever. If you do go ahead and release it, and fair enough a lot of people will probably want it, then don't be surprised if it gets slated. I mean really, those stickers look horrendous.

#10220 isn't a perfect replica - we get that it never will be at that scale using LEGO but its a lot better than this, it retains the charm of the camper van where as I think this model sadly has none of the charm of a beetle.

AllBrick

Beetles before a certain year have a flat screen, a curved screen was introduced to later versions.

Flat screen beetles are curved at the top edge where as the 2cv has an almost rectangular screen, like the model.

cheshirecat

You're right, I didn't realise that. 

TigerMoth

AllBrick said:

Beetles before a certain year have a flat screen, a curved screen was introduced to later versions.

They actually changed it twice. In about 1965 it gained a slight curve; in 1973 it became a lot more pronounced.

#10252 seems to be dated by its plates and should therefore have a flat screen.

But there's something else about the screen - it was higher than the other windows (and became even higher later). That gave the impression of it "looking down its nose".

leetshoe

The designer blinks so much in that designer video

chrisalddin

leetshoe said:

The designer blinks so much in that designer video

well that is random!

sonsofsceva

@leetshoe I thought the exact same thing.

bluedragon

I have a feeling it is just a tad too tall for the width.

brickupdate

As someone whose first car was a VW Beetle, and subscribed to VW Beetle magazines for years, my first, second, and third impressions of this model was: AWESOME! 

Esp at the $99 price point. Way better than the previous LEGO version, in my opinion. N

CircleK

So far, this my favorite exclusive released this year and I don't even collect the creator cars. I think it looks great. 

Standard_Grin

Overall, I like it. Some remarks from my side:

- Although its curviness is specifically mentioned in the designer video, the car looks a bit flat in some areas (the front and back lid, the roof).

- I'm missing wipers (although the other cars in this theme also don't have wipers) and the typical 'grilles' next to the head lamps.

- I don't like the rim/hub cap solution (leaving the holes in the rims visible and making the hub caps seem to 'float').

- The tires look too fat and placed too far outward.

- I wonder about the doors: to add to the curviness, they're 'slightly open' (not perpendicular to the driving direction). However, theoretically this does not fit, right? I'm surprised that this is considered a legal solution.

William_Townsley

Available in Europe :)

William_Townsley

Nvm didn't see the main page. Everyone has probably seen this 

chrisalddin

VIP member only i think.
did not show up until i log in to [email protected]

77ncaachamps

Enjoyed the build but I have a question re: extra pieces.

About how many extra pieces did you get?

i have a spare 1x4 black plate from bag 3 that is bugging me...

TechnicNick

77ncaachamps said:

Enjoyed the build but I have a question re: extra pieces.

About how many extra pieces did you get?

i have a spare 1x4 black plate from bag 3 that is bugging me...

Just the usual selection of tiny stuff. Your chassis is probably missing that plate deep within..... sorry!

TigerMoth

77ncaachamps said:

Enjoyed the build but I have a question re: extra pieces.

About how many extra pieces did you get?

i have a spare 1x4 black plate from bag 3 that is bugging me...

There aren't supposed to be ANY 1 x 4 black plates anywhere in the set.

There are 1 x 4 black tiles that are only used if your chosen licence plates need them.

TechnicNick

TigerMoth said:

77ncaachamps said:

Enjoyed the build but I have a question re: extra pieces.

About how many extra pieces did you get?

i have a spare 1x4 black plate from bag 3 that is bugging me...

There aren't supposed to be ANY 1 x 4 black plates anywhere in the set.

There are 1 x 4 black tiles that are only used if your chosen licence plates need them.

Ah, good catch. @77ncaachamps can safely ignore my earlier post....

77ncaachamps

TigerMoth said:

77ncaachamps said:

Enjoyed the build but I have a question re: extra pieces.

About how many extra pieces did you get?

i have a spare 1x4 black plate from bag 3 that is bugging me...

There aren't supposed to be ANY 1 x 4 black plates anywhere in the set.

There are 1 x 4 black tiles that are only used if your chosen licence plates need them.

I figured that but just one?

I had the alternate tiles set aside but only one was a 1x4.

77ncaachamps

NVM.

Saw the difference between the front black 1x4 alternate plate and the other alternate black 1x3 plate.

That's all.

#AgingEyes

dougts

after opening my #10252 yesterday to build it, I decided to sent off this email to LEGO customer service today.  Disappointing to say the least:
------------------------------
I recently bought 10252 directly from shop.lego.com. As I opened it to build it, I found that neither the instruction book nor the sticker sheet were packaged in the usual cardboard-backed plastic wrap, which keeps instructions and stickers flat and undamaged in the higher priced LEGO sets.

Why was this protection left off this set? It is very disappointing to see a premium product like this packaged in the same manner as all the run of the mill standard LEGO sets are. As it is, instead of having a nicely bound, well-kept instruction booklet and a flat sticker sheet, I have a curled sheet of stickers and an instruction book that is creased in half down the middle.

I find this downgrade in interior packaging quality compared to all the many other premium LEGO sets I've purchased over the last several years to be an extreme disappointment.

77ncaachamps

My booklet was nicked (not a big deal to me) and the sticker sheet was pinned against a bag. Luckily no severe creases...