Liebherr has done it again, teaming up with LEGO designers to create the biggest LEGO Technic set to date which became available on October 1st of this year. This move follows the previous biggest LEGO set released by Liebherr earlier this year. The 42100, which is a model of the massive, 800-ton, 4,000 HP Liebherr R 9800 mining excavator, comes with seven motors and the Control+ app for real operation.
Developed in partnership with Liebherr, the 4,108-piece model of the R 9800 excavator comes with an array of true-to-life features and functions, introducing LEGO builders to advanced elements of engineering, while the LEGO® Technic™ Control+ App puts the builder in complete control of the model. The Liebherr replica is not only the new flagship of LEGO® Technic™ models but also the first smart device connected kit, which allows programming. The feature enables the user to control the model entirely via a smart device, reproducing the operations and applications of its original Liebherr counterpart.
“I think that for any brand, being contacted by LEGO Technic for a project like this is a great honor! Even more, when it’s to develop the flagship of the range for the year to come, this is clearly a strong signal. This means that your brand is attractive and conveys values of quality and performance. We experience the fascination for our huge machines and the sophisticated technology behind them – for example with visitors at our trade fairs. We believe that the LEGO team has done a great job in capturing this fascination and turning it into an impressive model, that can ignite the joy for engineering,” said Grégory Schuh, Marketing Manager at Liebherr-Mining Equipment Colmar SAS in France.
“We wanted to give fans an even more authentic experience when they build for real with LEGO Technic elements. This new way of controlling your LEGO Technic set bridges the physical and digital world and gets you even closer to the real-life model replicas that you build."
- Niels Henrik Horsted, Marketing Director at the LEGO Group.
In the course of the partnership, Liebherr provided comprehensive support to the LEGO project team; not only during the development of the model but also for the development of the marketing campaign revealed in early October on the LEGO Technic and Liebherr social media channels. LEGO team gained unrestricted access to the machines, logistical support and contact with the customer to make this project possible.
First LEGO® Technic™ set with new Control+ App
As an innovative brand and committed to digital transformation, Liebherr is also pleased to be associated with the launch of the Control+ App, a major innovation that complements the consumer experience. This new smart device connected platform that delivers a richer and more immersive LEGO play and building experience for LEGO Technic fans, regardless of age, replacing the Power Function system.
The sophisticated app technology enables super-precise movement and functionality, while delivering authentic digital play combinations. The multi-function control screen on the app enables users to drive the excavator in all directions, rotate the superstructure, extend and raise the boom, open and tilt the bucket, play realistic sound effects and get real-time feedback, such as boom position, power usage and drive distance – authentically mimicking the original.
With the One-touch screen, LEGO fans can use drag patterns to control the boom, arm and bucket, while the Custom-built movements screen enables users to choose pre-set commands or record the model’s actions to create complex movement sequences. Finally, with the challenges & achievements screen, users can complete challenges to unlock reward badges.
Impressive excavator from Colmar: The Liebherr R 9800
The Liebherr machine, on which the LEGO model is based on, is produced at a Liebherr site in Colmar, France. Since 1961, Liebherr has produced hydraulic excavators in Colmar. Along with earthmoving, demolition, and other industrial products, Liebherr also offers machines for the extraction and loading of material in the open-cast mining industry. Liebherr in Colmar today operates under the name of Liebherr-Mining Equipment Colmar SAS.
The mining excavator is one of the heaviest machines in the Liebherr universe. With its 810-tonne weight, the Liebherr R 9800 weighs approximately three times more than a large passenger aircraft. The bucket size comprises 42m³ and can hold 80 tonnes of material in one bucket – as much as filling 300 bathtubs. Because of its size and heavy parts, 28 trucks are required for the shipment of one R 9800. For assembling the full size R 9800, 12 weeks are required.
The replica model LEGO® Technic™ Liebherr R 9800 excavator can be put together faster and comes in just one box. It is now available in stores and in the Liebherr-Shop: www.liebherr.com/liebherrshop/
