LEGO Star Wars’ new Imperial Shuttle goes toe to toe with the best version so far
There’s a new LEGO Star Wars Imperial Shuttle in town, and it goes toe to toe with the best playset version of this ship so far…
75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle is the fifth time we’ve seen this particular ship at this particular scale since 2001, and the 16th time at all scales (there have been plenty of microscale versions across polybags and advent calendars, plus an Ultimate Collector Series set and a midi-scale version in 75419 Death Star). And at £139.99 / $139.99 / €149.99, it’s the most expensive playset yet – at least in real terms.
All else considered, perhaps the closest contemporary for the 2026 set is 2015’s 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium, which is widely considered the best and most successful Lambda-Class shuttle so far (outside the UCS set). We’ve had one playset in the years between – 2021’s 75302 Imperial Shuttle – but that arrived at the dawn of the downsized era and stripped the ship back to the bare essentials.
What we’re really interested in here, then, is how 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle compares to 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium…
LEGO Star Wars Imperial Shuttle 2015 vs. 2026 – cost
Adjusted for inflation, the 2026 set is actually the same price as its 2015 predecessor in the US. That one came in at $99.99 originally, which would be equivalent to $139.92 today. And they’re remarkably close in piece count, too: there are only 24 elements between them.
| 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium | 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle |
|---|---|
| £79.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 (£112.60 / $139.92 / €133.63 adjusted for inflation) | £139.99 / $139.99 / €149.99 |
| 937 pieces | 961 pieces |
| Five minifigures | Five minifigures |
As that table shows, though, it’s not the same story worldwide. 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium retailed for £79.99 in the UK, which in today’s money would be £112.60 rather than £139.99. In Europe, the 2015 set cost €99.99, which is equivalent to €133.63 when adjusted for inflation – but 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle will cost €149.99.
So we’re already on shaky ground there, and inflation obviously doesn’t paint the entire picture (purchasing power and wage stagnation also impact what we’re actually able to afford). But removing price and value from the equation – it’ll hopefully be available with discounts down the line – how does 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle compare to 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium from a design perspective?
LEGO Star Wars Imperial Shuttle 2015 vs. 2026 – design
Perhaps the most obvious difference between these two sets is their proportions. The 2015 set’s central fin is taller by roughly 50%, with an extra brick in height at the bottom (spot those three stacked inverted slopes compared to two in the new one), and an additional 1x6x5 slope brick up top. The wings on the new version come in at 18 studs long, while those on the 2015 set are 24 studs long.
75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle is therefore a little more compact than its predecessor, but rather than a cost saving it feels like a deliberate design choice here, given the downsized 2021 shuttle’s fin mirrors the 2015 set while its wings match the 2026 version at 18 studs long. So, which attempt is more accurate?
Reference images of the shuttle from the movie suggest the wings should reach the top of the fin when in landing position, so 2021’s 75302 is way out (there’s another five or six bricks in height on the fin), while the 2015 set is also not perfect: the fin juts perhaps three or four bricks above the wings. From the initial product images, the 2026 set actually looks closest to the source material in landing mode.
In flight mode, though, it’s fair to say 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle looks just that little bit too squat – even if that perception might be coloured by years of LEGO Imperial Shuttles that have gone taller. The hull is at least superior here, better rounded using the modern parts library and with fewer studs showing.
On the other hand, 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium has the advantage in terms of interior space – the new set’s interior looks to have in-built seats that occupy most of the room, whereas the 2015 model left things a little more open, so you could pop in minifigures, weapon crates or anything else you liked. That one could also accommodate two minifigures in the cockpit, while the 2026 set can only fit one.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the colour scheme on the new version looks cleaner – there’s more white and fewer patches of grey – although that may be partly down to the source material, as this shuttle is based on The Mandalorian Season 2 rather than Return of the Jedi.
LEGO Star Wars Imperial Shuttle 2015 vs. 2026 – minifigures
75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle includes five minifigures, three of which appear to be exclusive here at the time of release. The Mandalorian pops up in basically every LEGO Star Wars set these days, while the generic Stormtrooper design has been around for a while, but Dr. Pershing and the Imperial Shuttle Pilot are brand new designs, and Moff Gideon has had a small makeover compared to his previous Season 2 appearance in 2021’s 75315 Imperial Light Cruiser.
75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium also includes five minifigures, four of which are still exclusive to that set to this day. Chewbacca has appeared plenty of times elsewhere, but the two Endor Rebel Troopers are technically both unique, as are the variants of Princess Leia and Han Solo in their Endor fatigues.
Both models feel evenly matched in this arena: they’ve each got three named characters and two generic troops, and while there’s more arm printing across the board in the newer shuttle, Leia’s fabric poncho in the 2015 model makes up for that.
LEGO Star Wars Imperial Shuttle 2015 vs. 2026 – which one should you buy?
Working purely off the product images here – we don’t have 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle in hand yet to see how it stacks up in the flesh – it feels like the 2026 model gives the 2015 version a run for its money in almost all the ways you’d hope. If you can get past the shorter fin, the overall design is cleaner and more refined, with more accurate proportions while landed to boot.
The minifigure line-up is relatively strong too, so it’s really just the interior space where 75094 Imperial Shuttle Tydirium clearly comes out on top. 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle also has the advantage of being available now (you won’t need to hunt it down on the secondary market), although nobody could blame you for waiting for a discount…
If you are happy to snap it up day one, you can already pre-order 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle at LEGO.com ahead of its July 1 release. Head here for more images of the new LEGO Star Wars set.
LEGO Star Wars 2026 sets
| LEGO set | Price | Pieces | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30727 TIE Advanced | $4.99 | 68 | January 2026 |
| 30728 The Razor Crest | $4.99 | 74 | May 1, 2026 |
| 40856 The Mandalorian and Grogu: Allies & Villains | £34.99 / $39.99 / €39.99 | 661 | April 26, 2026 |
| 40917 The Darksaber | Free with 75442 The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter only | 278 | May 1, 2026 |
| 75420 Luke’s Landspeeder | £34.99 / $39.99 / €39.99 | 215 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75421 Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter | £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 | 473 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75422 Yoda’s Hut and Jedi Training | £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 | 440 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75423 Luke’s Red Five X-wing | £79.99 / $99.99 / €89.99 | 584 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75424 AT-ST Attack on Endor | £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 | 347 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75425 Mos Eisley Cantina | £69.99 / $79.99 / €79.99 | 666 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75426 Millennium Falcon | £89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 | 885 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75427 Throne Room Duel & A-wing | £139.99 / $159.99 / €159.99 | 962 | March 1, 2026 |
| 75436 The Mandalorian & Grogu’s Speeder Bike | £8.99 / $9.99 / €9.99 | 58 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75437 Cobb Vanth’s Speeder | £24.99 / $34.99 / €29.99 | 207 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75438 Yoda Bust | £34.99 / $39.99 / $39.99 | 399 | April 26, 2026 |
| 75439 Darth Vader Bust | £44.99 / $49.99 / $49.99 | 349 | April 26, 2026 |
| 75440 AT-AT | £59.99 / $64.99 / €64.99 | 525 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75441 Venator-Class Attack Cruiser | £69.99 $79.99 / €79.99 | 643 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75442 The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter | £229.99 / $249.99 / €249.99 | 1,809 | May 1, 2026 |
| 75443 Grogu’s Homestead | £17.99 / $19.99 / €19.99 | 107 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75444 AT-RT Attack | £39.99 / $44.99 / €44.99 | 297 | April 26, 2026 |
| 75445 Anzellan Starship | £64.99 / $74.99 / €74.99 | 701 | April 26, 2026 |
| 75446 Grogu (Mandalorian Apprentice) | £119.99 / $129.99 / €129.99 | 1,200 | April 26, 2026 |
| 75447 The Razor Crest | £139.99 / $149.99 / €149.99 | 930 | April 26, 2026 |
| 75448 Clone Shock Trooper Mech | £12.99 / $14.99 / €14.99 | 151 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75449 Siege of Mandalore Battle Pack | £17.99 / $22.99 / €19.99 | 116 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75451 Hutt Palace Sentry Droid Showdown | £44.99 / $49.99 / €49.99 | 415 | August 1, 2026 |
| 75452 BB-8 | £79.99 / $89.99 / €89.99 | 569 | January 1, 2026 |
| 75453 The Mandalorian & Grogu Sandcrawler | $199.99 / €199.99 | 1,700 | August 2026 |
| 75454 The Mandalorian & Grogu AT-AT | $159.99 / €159.99 | TBC | TBC 2026 |
| 75455 Buildable Boba Fett | $169.99 / €169.99 | TBC | August 2026 |
| 75456 Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026 | £29.99 / $44.99 / €34.99 | 293 | September 1, 2026 |
| 75458 Imperial Remnant AT-RT Driver Helmet | £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 | 775 | June 1, 2026 |
| 75459 Imperial Lambda-Class Shuttle | £139.99 / $139.99 / €149.99 | 961 | July 1, 2026 |
| 75460 New Republic X-Wing Starfighter | £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 | 558 | April 1, 2026 |
| 75461 Up-Scaled Darth Vader Minifigure | £89.99 / $99.99 / €99.99 | 1,028 | June 1, 2026 |
| TBC Ewok Village | $179.99 | TBC | TBC |
| TBC Star Wars Mini-Movie Posters | $49.99 | TBC | TBC |
| TBC Buildable Yoda | $149.99 | TBC | TBC |
| TBC EPII Bounty Hunter Pursuit | $59.99 | TBC | TBC |
| TBC Icons of Star Wars | $79.99 | TBC | TBC |
| TBC Luke’s X-wing Microfighter | $14.99 | TBC | TBC |
| TBC Luke vs. Darth Vader: Bespin Duel | TBC | TBC | TBC |
| TBC Anakin’s Jedi Starfighter | $29.99 | TBC | TBC |
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