This week’s review features an older set. I am slowly trying to get my wife into building with LEGO® bricks as a hobby. I finally convinced her to pick a set that she wanted. The idea was to start small, so she picked her dream car from when she was a teenager. We ordered the 1974 Porsche (75895) for her, and spent some time building together. I built my Lamborghini; she built her Porsche. Now each of our Sigfigs has a nice car.
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1974 PORSCHE (75895) SUMMARY
- NAME: 1974 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.0
- SET #: 75895
- THEME: Speed Champions
- COST: $19.99 CAD
- BRICK COUNT: 180
- MINIFIGURES: 1
- RELEASE DATE: August 1, 2019
1974 PORSCHE (75895) QUICK REVIEW
- VALUE: 95% (Great cost-per-brick, amazing cost-per-minute of build-time.)
- BUILD: 95% (Excellent design that accommodates Minifigures well.)
- MINIFIGURES: 77% (Nice torso printing, but lacks accessories and has a low brick: fig.)
- ENTERTAINMENT: 100% (Nice design, no play or display limitations.)
- OVERALL SCORE: 92%
1974 PORSCHE (75895) REVIEW
VALUE: 95%
The 1974 Porsche costs $19.99 in Canada. Additionally, the kit contains 180 pieces. Therefore, the cost-per-brick for this set is $0.11. Comparatively, my average cost-per-brick sits at $0.14. As such, this set is a great value. I rate the cost-per-brick at 90%.
This set took one hour to build. At $19.99, the cost-per-minute of build-time was $0.33. That is excellent given that my average is $0.82/minute. In fact, this is one of the best build-time values I have seen. I rate the cost-per-minute at 100%. Averaging this with the cost-per-brick score yields an overall value grade of 95%.
BUILD: 95%
Contrary to newer Speed Champions sets, the 1974 Porsche does not accommodate two Minifigures. However, it followed the six-stud-wide design template of the time. Therefore, this is not really a point of contention and I will not deduct points for it. Like other Speed Champions sets, this one achieves a sleek, realistic look by employing clever brick use. I particularly like the rounded headlamps using Technic pieces.
However, what I like the most about the 1974 Porsche is the ceiling clearance. A point of contention that I have with many Speed Champions sets is that Minifigures cannot fit inside with their hairpieces on. They either must be bald or wearing the racing helmet included in the kit. I tried multiple Minifigure hairstyles with this set and all of them fit.
My only point of contention is the lack of doors. No Speed Champions sets have car doors in my experience. However, I feel that is a bit of realism that the LEGO® Group needs to develop. Given that all Speed Champions sets lack doors, I will not deduct a full point for that. I rate this build at 95%.
MINIFIGURES: 77%
The 1974 Porsche kit contains one Minifigure. He comes with all the standard parts and features front and back torso printing. However, he does not have a double-sided face or any leg printing. While the set contains brick-built road cones, the only actual accessory is the racing helmet. I do like the leather jacket and Porsche t-shirt torso design though. I rate the design of this character at 12/15 (80%).
For a set containing 180 bricks, the brick-to-fig ratio is satisfactory, but not good. Comparatively, my average ratio is currently 153:1. Most Speed Champions sets that I have reviewed fall into the same trap. However, as far as the whole theme goes, this is not the worst ratio I have seen. I rate the brick-to-fig ratio at 74%. Averaging this score with the design score yields an overall Minifigure grade of 77%.
ENTERTAINMENT: 100%
As an adult builder, my wife says she enjoyed the experience. She also reported that this car model looks nice in white, which is not her preferred car color. Of all the Speed Champions sets we have this is her favorite. I also like the car, and I will include it in my LEGO® city displays. Additionally, I do not have the same issues with the car as with other Speed Champions models. Minifigures fit inside properly, so there are no limitations in terms of display or play. I rate the entertainment score at 100%.
OVERALL SCORE: 92%
Of all the Speed Champions sets that I have reviewed so far, the 1974 Porsche is the most complete package. It comes at a really good value and eliminates one of my major design pet-peeves in the theme. The set comes with a nice Minifigure; however, the character needs more printing and accessories. Additionally, including another Minifigure as a mechanic or test-drive evaluator would improve the score. I like this car, and I recommend it for filling up your LEGO® city streets. What are your thoughts on the 1974 Porsche? Comment below or reach out on social media.
Until next time,
-Tom
Want to know what others think?
Brick Insights is an awesome site that aggregates LEGO® set review scores from around the web. Based on their statistics, you can see what other reviewers think of the 1974 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.0 (75895) below.
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