LEGO Technic McLaren P1 (42172) review: The most beautiful car on our shelf

🏎️ Introduction: The car that made us buy a display case

Some sets go on the shelf. The LEGO Technic McLaren P1 (42172) went into an acrylic display case, because it simply looks too good to collect dust. That is the short version of this review: the McLaren looks fantastic, it was an enormous amount of fun to build, and it asked enough of us along the way to feel like a real achievement when the last panel clicked into place.

🧱 This review is part of our LEGO 18+ hub, where every adult LEGO set we have tested is collected in one place.

We cannot think of a real weakness. The instructions were excellent, as they almost always are with LEGO, and the orange body with its black sections looks fantastic. If you love cars, or if you love LEGO, this is an easy recommendation. Our verdict: 5 out of 5.

Those numbers describe a big model. At 1:8 the McLaren is close to two feet long, and almost 3,900 pieces make it a project rather than an evening build.

🚗 What you are building: A hybrid hypercar in LEGO form

The real McLaren P1 is a hybrid: a 3.8-liter V8 working together with an electric motor. LEGO built that idea into the model rather than just the shape. A mode lever switches the drivetrain between neutral, electric and hybrid, and the gearbox has seven gears that you select with paddles on either side of the steering wheel, like in the real car.

That is the heart of what makes a Technic supercar different from a display model in another line. You are not just building a body shell around a frame. You are building a drivetrain that works.

🛠️ Build experience: Demanding, and a joy from start to finish

The McLaren is not a weekend snack. It is demanding, and that is exactly why it was so much fun. LEGO rates the set 18+, and according to Brickset’s review the two instruction books run to about 400 pages each and exactly 1,000 steps. You feel that length, but you never feel lost.

The instructions are the reason. They were excellent, as we have come to expect from LEGO, and on a build of this size that matters enormously.

And the reward at the end is a car that looks fantastic. On a build this long, that is what keeps you going, and it made every session worth it.

⚙️ The functions: More than a pretty shell

A Technic car has to do more than look right, and the McLaren delivers on that side too. Here is what the finished model can do:

• Seven-speed gearbox: gears are selected with the paddles behind the steering wheel, and the mode lever switches between neutral, electric and hybrid.
• V8 engine: a brick-built V8 with moving pistons.
• Steering: the steering wheel turns the front wheels.
• Suspension: all four wheels are suspended. Brickset measured about 5 mm of travel and notes that it does not sag under the weight of the model.
• Butterfly doors: they open upward on a spring-loaded mechanism hidden just in front of the rear wheels.
• Rear wing: it rises and lowers when you turn a gear wheel at the back of the car.

None of these is a gimmick. Each one mirrors something the real car has, from the paddle shifters to the butterfly doors.

🎨 Design: It simply looks fantastic

This is the part that matters most to us, and the reason for our 5 out of 5. The McLaren looks fantastic. The orange body, the black sections on the roof and sides, the low nose and the long tail come together into a shape that reads as a McLaren P1 from across the room.

There is a practical detail behind that finish, too. According to Brickset, the set has no stickers: every decorated element is printed, including the 8x16 information plaque. For a model that will spend years on display, that is a real advantage. Printed parts do not peel, lift at the corners or slowly yellow, and you never have to line up a long sticker across three panels.

The color matters as well. Brickset notes that many of the orange elements were produced in this color for the first time for this set, which is part of why the body looks so consistent.

🖼️ Display: Why ours lives in an acrylic case

Because the McLaren looks so good, we present it in an acrylic display case. That decision says more about the set than any spec sheet: you only buy a case for something you want to look at every day and keep perfect.

A few practical points if you plan the same:

• Measure first. The finished car is about 23 inches long, 9.5 inches wide and 5.5 inches high. A case needs room on top of that, especially if you want to open the butterfly doors inside it.
• The case is extra. It does not come with the set. Several brands sell acrylic cases made for the 42172, so check the inner dimensions before you buy.
• Pick a wide surface. A sideboard or a deep shelf works better than a narrow bookshelf. The McLaren needs breathing room to look like a supercar and not like a box of parts.

📸 Photographing the McLaren

We photographed the car in our toy photography studio on black sand, with a blue light behind the car and fog. The fog shots were taken with the Nikon Z8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8 at 115 to 140 mm, f/5.6 and 1/8 second; the plain black shot is from our Nikon Z50 II, and the studio overview and the shot on grey sand are from an iPhone.

The contrast does the work: warm orange against cold blue. Low fog around the wheels makes the car look like it has just stopped after a burnout, and a plain black background turns it into a studio car shot.

For a look behind the scenes, this is the set-up: two large strip softboxes on either side, the car on a bed of black sand, and a blue light on the backdrop.

👨‍👩‍👧 Who it is for

The McLaren is for car fans and for LEGO fans, and it is perfect for anyone who is both. It is for people who enjoy a long, demanding build with good instructions, who want functions they can actually operate, and who want a model that still looks spectacular when the building is done.

It is less suited to anyone who wants a quick evening build, and it is not a toy for children: LEGO rates it 18+, and with 3,893 pieces and a working gearbox that rating makes sense. If you want a LEGO car at a lower price, our guide to the best LEGO car and vehicle sets for adults has options in every price class.

📋 Good to know before you buy

• The price is high. $449.99 at LEGO’s list price puts the McLaren at the top of the LEGO car range. The current Amazon price is shown in the product box above.
• Plan the space. Close to two feet long, it needs a wide shelf or sideboard, and a display case adds to the cost.
• Plan the time. About 1,000 instruction steps are not done in one evening. Spread it over several sessions and enjoy it.

Related Dadnology articles: Best LEGO car and vehicle sets for adults · Our toy photography studio setup · PMI SmokeNINJA fog machine review

📌 FAQ: Frequently asked questions

How many pieces does the LEGO Technic McLaren P1 (42172) have?

3,893 pieces. The finished 1:8 model is about 5.5 inches (14 cm) high, 23 inches (59 cm) long and 9.5 inches (25 cm) wide.

What functions does the LEGO McLaren P1 have?

A seven-speed gearbox shifted with paddles behind the steering wheel, a lever that switches between neutral, electric and hybrid modes, a V8 engine with moving pistons, steering through the steering wheel, suspension on all four wheels, spring-loaded butterfly doors and a rear wing that rises when you turn a gear wheel at the back.

Is the LEGO McLaren P1 hard to build?

It is demanding. LEGO rates it 18+, the two instruction books run to about 1,000 steps. We found it challenging and a real joy, and the instructions were excellent throughout.

Does the LEGO McLaren P1 have stickers?

No. According to Brickset’s review, every decorated element in the set is printed, including the information plaque.

Is the LEGO Technic McLaren P1 (42172) worth it?

For a car fan or a LEGO fan, yes. It is expensive at $449.99 list, but it looks fantastic, the build is a real experience and the functions work. We rate it 5 out of 5 and display ours in an acrylic case.