Review: Lego Technic Fast and Furious Dom’s Dodge Charger

The Fast and the Furious franchise has somehow grown from a small film about street racing in LA to a worldwide phenomenon featuring globe trotting, bank robbing, submarine chasing and more.

Not content with a box-office behemoth film series, a spin-off film, live show and kids’ cartoon, the Fast franchise has now branched out into toys and teamed up with Lego to recreate the most famous car of the series - Dom Toretto’s 1968 Dodge Charger.

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The Lego Dodge Charger kit is the latest in a growing line of Technic models based on real cars - see also the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Bugatti Chiron, Land Rover Defender, plus the new Ducati Paginale. However, it’s a smaller set than any of those, with just over 1,000 pieces, and is aimed at 10-year-olds and above.

In terms of complexity, it’s not as detailed or as challenging as something like the recent Defender, but that’s reflected in the price, which is around half that of the replica 4x4 and a quarter that of the epic Chiron. There are still more than 350 stages, so it’s the work of a solid afternoon to build, but many of those stages are relatively straightforward bodywork stuff and shouldn’t prove too tricky for younger builders or film fans with just a casual interest in Lego.

As far as Lego recreations of real-life cars go, it’s actually one of the better ones. The Charger’s fairly simple shape translates well into brick form using the various pre-existing Technic panels and what you get at the end of the build is instantly recognisable as a 1968 Charger, with opening doors, bonnet and boot. The V8 engine is also present and correct, with pistons that move with the car, and a cog on the rear allows it to be steered as well.

Being modelled on a Fast and Furious car, this isn’t a regular Charger and the kit includes some neat little nods to the movie version. NOS tanks nestle in the boot, there is a mini fire extinguisher in place of a passenger seat and a scaled-down supercharger intake sticking out of a cutout bonnet, just like in the original film. The supercharger belt even turns in time with the engine.

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Unlike the real thing, the Lego one also features an integrated display stand that lets you set the car up on its rear wheels, just like Dom’s in the first film’s final race (although hopefully without the same smashy consequences).

While the Lego Fast and Furious set is not as detailed or difficult as other recent kits, the Technic Charger is a decent introduction to Technic cars for younger builders or for film fans who fancy building their own version of one of cinema’s most recognisable films.