The Lamborghini Miura P400 SV and on a pedestal behind it, the Brick Shop versionScotty ReissNow you, too, can have a Lamborghini Miura P400 SV, one of the rarest and most valued cars in the world. The Miura set a record just last year when it hit an auction high of $4.9 million, making it the most valued Lamborghini ever.If that price is above your budget, does $129.59 sound a little better? But there’s a catch: you have to build it yourself.The Lamborghini Miura PV400 SV is the latest in Mattel’s Brick Shop line of scale-model build kits. Launched just two years ago, Brick Shop offers buyers the chance to dive into the details of a car’s design and construction and build a collectable model.AdvertisementAdvertisementKits are filled with moving parts, detailed engines and dashboards and wheel options; materials and designs are drawn from the original cars, lending an authentic feel. Mattel, which also makes Hot Wheels and Matchbox die cast cars, partners with car makers to showcase their most popular models for collectors and enthusiasts—and delighted children who just like to play with cool cars.The Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Brick Shop modelScotty ReissSuper Cars Are Now An Immersive ExperienceUnlike Mattel’s die cast cars lines, which represent both production and super cars as well as imaginative modifications and are intended for light play and display, Brick Shop is designed to allow the average car fan to become a builder and designer. This is a trend that has blossomed in recent years as Lego began offering more car build kits and showing off life-size car builds at events and auto shows.Brick Shop, however, differentiates its product line with a distinction that is clearly seen in the Lamborghini Miura: rather than adapting sharp-edged bricks to create a look-alike models, the Brick Shop line replicates the curves and iconic details of the cars they model, said Ted Wu, Mattel’s global head of vehicles and building sets. “This is not a blocky brick build,” Wu said about the Miura. “We captured the iconic hourglass shape, we captured all the right curves, we have pop up headlights that actually function and the meticulously detailed V12 engine,” he said.Using injection-molded parts the company is able to create precise and delicate panels, bumpers and other components that comprise a design; under that outer shell builders will find more brick-like parts that easily snap together.AdvertisementAdvertisementDiving in a bit further, Brick Shop’s designers added doors, hoods and trunks that open, snap-on wheel covers in different finishes, metal parts on some kits, steering wheels that turn, extra parts to customize each build, decals to denote racing or heritage details and a metal signature plate that denotes the model. Each kit also comes with a smaller die cast replica.The Brick Shop Corvette C8 RScotty ReissSix New Models Add To Brick Shop’s LineupAmid a flourish of cameras and applause from fans and enthusiasts, Wu introduced the six new models added to Brick Shop’s lineup: The Lamborghini Miura, the top of the line in a 1:64 scale kit with 1,524 pieces. A smaller scale Huracán Sterrato will also be offered, representing a new relationship with Lamborghini for Brick Shop.Brick Shop’s Elite series now features a 1:16 scale collection with the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 with 793 pieces; the ’84 Audi Sport quattro with 864 pieces and ’94 Toyota Supra MKIV with 824 pieces, all priced at $53.99.Additions to the 1:32 scale collection include the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato with 268 pieces, the ‘83 Chevy Silverado with 223 pieces and the ’20 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R with 261 pieces; this collection is priced at $21.59.The Brick Shop build kit for the Lamborghii Miura P400 SVMattelMattel Captures The Pulse Of The Auto MarketThe ability to sell die cast cars for $1.25 in every grocery and big box store gives Mattel a unique perspective on the auto market; they can see trends take shape in real time and pinpoint flourishing new passions.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat intelligence helps to inform the models that Brick Shop designs into kits. The result is a lineup of new and classic modes, with details that go deep into a car’s heritage. The ’84 Audi Sport quattro, for instance, is not only a highly sought collector’s car, but as a rally car it set new standards for both Audi and rally competition. The Brick Shop kit celebrates all those details, from the Hella fog lights on its front to its extensive rear wing. The ’83 Chevrolet Silverado is a classic sport truck and an inspiration to a wave of new sport trucks that are now coming into the auto market.But the Lamborghini Miura may be ultimate finger on the pulse, not just for its heritage or rarity, but for its democratization. Now, anyone can have this classic super car as long as they’re willing to build it.This article was originally published on Forbes.com
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