LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) Review

Speed Racer fanatics (be it from the 1960's version, the 1990's version or those who have just recently discovered it in its recent film adaptation) unite! Because of my son's recent fixation with Speed Racer and mine (revived and renewed), I decided to purchase the LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161). My son, daughter and I got started on it right away.

The LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) set features the cast of the Speed Racer movie immortalized in Lego plastic. Among them are of course, the three race cars:Speed Racer's white Mach 6, Gray Ghost's black and yellow race car and Cannonball Taylor's black and grey race car. The race cars measure around six by three inches. The cars are as intricately detailed as six by three inch cars can be, and just as complicated to put together! This requires patience for adults, and is good for developing motor skills for children. The designs are true to what I remember, although the little details I am not so sure about.

The LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) would not be complete without the figurines of Speed Racer, Gray Ghost, Cannonball Taylor, Pops, Trixie, the Commentator, Spritle and Chim-Chim. The LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) also comes with a checkered finish line; a commentator box; Racer Motor's car workshop; "Widescreen Television" which of course we had to assemble.

It was quite hard to remember at times what exactly we were trying to build. The commentator's box that comes with the LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) is really cool, as my son commented, because it has its own TV's to watch the race close-up on and a mega phone to "comment" on. Now my son wants to be a commentator. As I mentioned earlier, the LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) also comes with the widescreen TV that replicates that in live races is a really cool touch as it makes it more current and modern. Of course, there is also the Racer Motors repair shop, where the race cars get repaired.

What to expect with the LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161):

expect to get impatient and irate working with such a tiny set, but kidding aside, expect a lot of wholesome fun and hours of bonding time. Just do not expect the race cars that you built on the LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) to run fast, or the LEGO Speed Racer: Grand Prix Race (8161) figurines to be as slim and wide-eyed as the real speed racer characters--they still look like the Lego Figurines of yore.