LEGO explains reasons behind recoloured Creator and Technic sets
The LEGO Group has explained why it’s launching colour-swapped variants of two Creator and Technic sets in 2023 – and confirmed that they may have limited availability.
Earlier this month, the LEGO Group launched 42162 Bugatti Bolide Agile Blue. For all intents and purposes, the 905-piece LEGO Technic set is exactly the same as March’s 42151 Bugatti Bolide – only swapping out the original model’s yellow elements for blue. The still predominantly black car is otherwise built in exactly the same way as its predecessor.
On the same day, 31144 Exotic Pink Parrot popped up on LEGO.com, with a release date of August 1. Like the Bugatti before it, that model is not a new design: instead, it’s a recolour of this year’s 31136 Exotic Parrot, exchanging blue and yellow pieces for pink, cool yellow and lighter blue elements. But veteran LEGO fans will know this isn’t the first time the LEGO Group has issued straight recolours.
Back in 2021, the company trialled launching alternate colours of existing sets in specific markets, introducing new versions of 10271 Fiat 500 and 31058 Mighty Dinosaurs in what it’s since referred to as a ‘product differentiation test’. A spokesperson for the LEGO Group has now confirmed that the refreshed Bugatti and Parrot are both a direct result of the takeaways from that pilot program.
They’ve also shared that 42162 Bugatti Bolide Agile Blue and 31144 Exotic Pink Parrot may be retailer exclusives, which typically means they’ll only be available through LEGO.com, LEGO Stores and a single third-party retailer (such as John Lewis or Zavvi in the UK). At the moment, the Bugatti appears to be available exclusively at Smyths Toys on this side of the Atlantic.
Retailer exclusives are traditionally trickier to find discounted (as a result of fewer retailers competing on price), so if you’re looking for the best price on either a Bugatti Bolide or parrot, you’re probably better off seeking out the original versions. But these recolours will still be more accessible than the likes of 77940 Mighty Dinosaurs and 77942 Fiat 500, which were only available in select regions.
42162 Bugatti Bolide Agile Blue is available now, while 31144 Exotic Pink Parrot launches August 1.
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“But veteran LEGO fans will know this isn’t the first time the LEGO Group has issued straight recolours.”
Indeed – one need only consider 2150 and the five colour choices for 3741/42.