Lego creates full-size, driveable Bugatti Chiron replica

Lego replicas of rare, exotic cars are nothing new – but this full-size Bugatti Chiron facsimile boasts something no other does.

Built using more than a million Lego Technic elements, this electric replica can actually be driven.

Power comes from 2,304 motors and 4,032 Technic gears, producing 5.2bhp and 92Nm of torque. Weighing around 1.5 tonnes, the car is capable of ‘over’ 12mph – quite a bit shy of the real Chiron’s 261mph top speed from its quad-turbocharged W16 engine.

Perhaps most impressive about it, though, is the fact that it’s made entirely out of Lego – save for the wheels and badges – with no glue holding the pieces together.

There aren’t any plans for this Bugatti to go into production, but in theory you could walk into one of the Danish firm’s stores and buy the pieces to build one for yourself. Be prepared to lose a lot of time if you decide to do so, though. The experts at Lego spent 13,438 hours developing and constructing the model, which features working lights, a retractable rear wing, functional speedometer and removable steering wheel.

Lena Dixen, senior vice-president of product and marketing for the Lego Group, said: “This life-size model is a first of its kind in so many ways, and with it we wanted to push the boundaries of our own imagination.

“For over 40 years, Lego Technic has allowed fans of all ages to test their creativity with a building system that challenges them to go beyond just creating new designs – to also engineer new functions. It’s a fascinating example of the Lego Technic building system in action and its potential for creative reinvention.”

If the project seems a little daunting to build at home, Lego does offer a smaller Chiron model in its regular Technic range. Priced at £329.99, the 1:8 scale kit consists of 3,599 pieces and features moveable pistons, a functioning paddle-shift gearbox plus an adjustable spoiler – and is somewhat cheaper than the £2.5m real thing.