Challenging, flawed, but stunning: LEGO Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 review

Luxury, prestige, excellence - LEGO Technic's daring recreation of the legendary Ferrari Daytona SP3 supercar is as formidable as it is beautiful. The big question is: is the LEGO Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 worth the price?

I recently undertook the challenge of assembling this behemoth 1:8 scale Ferrari, replete with functional steering, an eight-speed sequential gearbox with a paddle shifter, a piston-pumping V12 engine and scintillating butterfly doors that open by the push of a button.

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Assembly

Spanning over 30 hours of total build time, with plenty of rest for both my back and cramped hands, LEGO Technic's Ferrari Daytona SP3 was a perilous, challenging, yet rewarding build that relied on my constant attention. The first book quite easily presented the most challenges, with a bewildering amount of precise cogs and gears that just had to be perfectly accurate.

A particularly daunting factor of this build was the unknowable nature of whether or not you'd actually constructed certain sections correctly - which only became obvious once construction was complete. By that point, it was far too late to alter anything.

Herein lies my first major criticism of LEGO's Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3, which conversely is also one of its strengths - its sheer toughness once assembled is breathtaking.

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Designed to last, the construction of the car involves intricate interlocking Technic grids, countless threading pieces, and an infamously irremovable piece known only as 6338962, which once inserted is practically irremovable. In my opinion, a facet of LEGO's design ideology is a certain amount of freedom - the ability to deconstruct and rebuild, to truly take apart the Ferrari Daytona SP3 is going to take a lot of elbow grease, some restraint and a nifty pair of pliers.

Very fortunately, my Ferrari was working perfectly once complete, requiring no disassembly whatsoever, and the build, while challenging - was consistently engaging till the very end.

Design and features

Aesthetically, it's needless to say that LEGO Technic and the design team led by Uwe Wabra and lead exterior designer of the real deal; Stefano De Simone did a spectacular job in capturing the utter beauty of the supercar, stretching the bounds of what I assumed was capable of LEGO to even greater heights.

The faithful recreation of each curve, the creative rendition of the cyberpunk-esque blade stack, the sheer detail of the engine with real pumping pistons - this is a beautiful, passion-rich model that feels like a genuine achievement to complete.

A particularly exciting touch of detail is the gorgeous tyre rims, equipped with the stunning printed Ferrari logo - certainly one of the most satisfying parts of the building process. And, as an additional touch - an awesome-looking brake calliper nestled behind the rims, giving the wheels that extra hit of above-and-beyond detail that LEGO is known for.

Hidden amongst the sensational aesthetics of LEGO's Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a wealth of complex engineering and breathtaking mechanical networks that work miraculously well. In the cockpit of the Daytona SP3 is a fully functioning eight-speed gearbox with gearstick and paddle switches, their inner workings even after construction being an absolute mystery to me.

Unfortunately for Technic fans, however, the gearbox is a direct copy of LEGO's previous Technic supercar model, the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37, yet it remains impressive nonetheless. The cockpit itself is also fairly barebones when it comes to aesthetics, yet the clean look of the interior still has a certain charm to it - some may love it, others - not so much.

At the front of the model is a wonderful integration of more traditional LEGO pieces that mimic those cyberpunk angular grills curving seamlessly into the corners so as not to disrupt the Ferrari's perfect smoothness. This smooth look continues to the front bonnet which opens up, revealing some storage space. LEGO unfortunately hasn't included anything to store inside, unlike the included bags with the LEGO Technic Porsche 911 GT3 RS, or Bugatti Chiron, it's a nice detail regardless.

Probably my favourite feature though has to go to the beautiful butterfly doors, opened using a couple of hidden switches in the rear of the car beneath the hood, which can be a little cumbersome to access, but once pressed - the beauty and innovation of LEGO's engineering become apparent.

Speaking of the hood, underneath is a remarkable rendition of a V12 engine, complete with piston pumping movement when the car is in motion. Lifting the hood of the car exposes some of the wondrous inner workings of the LEGO Ferrari Daytona SP3 itself, alongside the fantastic supercar suspension.

A neat little detail of the boot is the unique code on the side which allows fans to **spoilers** access tonnes of spectacular blueprints, postcards, and all sorts of lovingly crafted artwork to display.

But enough about the car's interior, let's talk about the exterior. Just looking at the surface, you'll notice the sheer seamlessness of the panelling, and the tasteful arching that you'd think would be near-impossible to pull off with LEGO, but despite these challenges - the design team absolutely thrived. This solidity carries throughout the design ethos of the Technic Ferrari Dayonta SP3, even to its underside, and I'm all the happier for it.

Finally, a brief discussion about the box itself; lavishly decorated with the prestigious Ferrari logo proudly displaying a brand crossover that is nothing short of iconic, it's the perfect display piece to go alongside your SP3, and with some careful orientation, you can just about fit the model inside.

To join the box for display is a (thankfully printed) LEGO plaque celebrating the Ferrari supercar, complete with 0-100 km/h speeds, maximum revs, and powertrain information - everything any petrolhead would love.

All these incredible details work wonderfully to create a model that feels incredibly special, a rarity to be enjoyed for years to come, without the worry of traditional LEGO that's always at risk of becoming a pile of rubble in an instant - the Ferrari Daytona SP3 is clearly a top contender for best LEGO supercar set so far, in my opinion.

Any negatives?

There are, as I've discussed, a handful of minor nitpicks that you can make about the model - its finicky butterfly doors, the lack of detail in the cockpit, the empty boot space and the inability to disassemble the model once it's been built, but these criticisms are greatly outshined by the sheer overall brilliance of the set itself that blurs the line between LEGO and a genuine 1:8 model of the car itself.

Price and competition

Of course, for many people (myself included) the price is an issue - at 3,778 pieces for £389.99 - it's a lot of money for a model, but is it still worth the cost?

In my opinion, it's a definite yes, but my recommendation doesn't come without some warning. This, much like many of the larger LEGO sets, is a model made for die-hard fans and collectors with a deep love of both supercars and the mindful process of assembling LEGO sets.

The LEGO Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a mesmerising display piece, and one that would look fantastic in any supercar shrine, but if you're strapped for cash, there are a multitude of smaller Technic sets that'll satiate your craving for intriguing mechanics, solid engineering, and superb detail.

Verdict

All-in-all I loved assembling the extraordinary Ferrari Daytona SP3, a set with more than enough tricky assembly, ingenious mechanics, and staggering detail to satisfy the hungriest of collectors.

Its impressive features and design give the SP3 a one-of-a-kind beauty that I've yet to see outperformed in a LEGO Technic model to date, and the wealth of techniques used to mask the intricate machinations of the model are bound to change the face of LEGO Technic models as we know them.

Aside from some tricky mechanical features that require some dexterity, a slightly dull cockpit, an almost too-sturdy design and a hefty price tag, the beauty of the model itself keenly outpaces any criticisms I or anyone else can throw at it.

If you're a fan of LEGO Technic and the raw power of the Ferrari Daytona SP3 supercar - I can't think of a better set to recommend.

Other LEGO sets to consider

Read our review here

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How I tested the LEGO Ferrari Daytona SP3

I tested the set by personally assembling the set and, and once finished, I used its features a few times, fully getting to grips with just how good they are.

Ryan Houghton is a tech writer and reviewer for What's The Best, specialising in PCs and gaming. He is a keen PC gamer and an avid reader.

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