The Lego Technic Land Rover Defender Has High And Low-Range Gearboxes

With an expected starting cost of £40,000 before options are added, the new Land Rover Defender 90 has been given what you might call ‘premium pricing’. If you can’t quite stretch to that, here’s a version that’s 250 times cheaper.

The only problem is it’s quite a bit smaller and made from Lego Technic. Ah. But, it isn’t far off as complicated as its full-sized sibling.

Made from 2573 pieces, the 42cm-long model has an inline-six engine complete with moving pistons. The steering is functional, it has fully-independent suspension, and the trio of differentials work.

Impressive, no? And that’s before we get to the gearbox, which Lego says is the “most sophisticated” fitted to a Technic set thus far. Given that the Lego Technic Bugatti Chiron released a little while back had an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, this is no small claim.

The Technic Defender gets a four-speed sequential gearbox, complete with two levers for switching between high and low range ratios. Yes, really.

Completing the set nicely is a range of accessories including a replica of the Defender’s side-mounted ‘gear-carrier’, a roof rack, a ladder, and traction mats. The only things missing are Technic versions of those delicious 18-inch white steel wheels, although we’re sure there’s a suitable set somewhere in the vast Lego back-catalogue.

The Technic Defender is available from 1 October and costs £159.99.