Speed Champions Buying Guide 2026

The Fastest Growing LEGO Theme

Speed Champions has quietly become one of LEGO's most successful lines. What started as a handful of licensed sports cars now covers Formula 1, classic cars, movie vehicles, and automotive legends. In 2026, there are over 50 Speed Champions and Speed Champions-adjacent sets across multiple subthemes.

For collectors and car enthusiasts, the volume is exciting and overwhelming. Which sets are worth the shelf space? Which deliver the best build for the price? If you are collecting a specific category - the F1 grid, for example - which should you prioritize?

I have reviewed every Speed Champions set currently available. This guide organizes them by category, ranks them, and gives you my honest take on what to buy, what to skip, and what to grab before it disappears.

Category 1: The F1 Grid (Speed Champions 8-Wide)

The complete 2025 Formula 1 grid in 8-wide Speed Champions form. Ten teams, ten cars, each with a driver minifigure in team livery.

Top 3 F1 Speed Champions

1. Williams FW46 (77249) - Score: 9.22. The highest-scored Speed Champions car I have reviewed. The blue and white livery is clean, the proportions are excellent, and the build introduces techniques the other F1 cars do not use. If you buy one F1 Speed Champions car, buy this one. Full review

2. APXGP F1 Movie Car (77252) - Score: 8.92. The car from the Brad Pitt F1 film. The fictional livery gives it a unique shelf presence - it does not match any real team, which makes it stand out in a lineup of ten real-world cars. Full review

3. Ferrari SF-24 (77242) - Score: 8.80. Red car, red brand, instant recognition. The Ferrari consistently outsells every other individual F1 Speed Champions car, and the build quality justifies it. Full review

Complete F1 Grid Rankings

Should you collect the whole grid? If you are an F1 fan, probably yes. Ten cars lined up in grid formation is one of the most visually striking Speed Champions displays you can build. Total cost for all ten team cars: approximately $250. Less than a single Technic F1 car.

The Audi F1 R26 review has a closer look at Audi's first F1 car in LEGO form.

Category 2: Supercars and Sports Cars

The traditional core of Speed Champions. Licensed road cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, McLaren, BMW, Mercedes, and Aston Martin.

Top 5 Supercars

1. Lamborghini Revuelto and Huracan (77238) - Score: 8.80. A two-car pack with exceptional value. Both builds are satisfying and the contrasting liveries display well side by side. Best value in the supercar category.

2. Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale (77254) - Score: 8.70. The aggressive aero and red-black color scheme create a set that looks faster sitting still than most cars do at speed. Strong display piece.

3. Porsche 911 GT3 RS (77239) - Score: 8.70. The 911 silhouette is one of the most recognizable in automotive history, and LEGO captured it well at 8-wide scale.

4. Ford Mustang Dark Horse (76920) - Score: 8.66. American muscle at Speed Champions scale. The aggressive front end and wide stance translate well to brick.

5. McLaren W1 (77257) - Score: 8.60. The teardrop cabin and aggressive rear aero make this one of the more distinctive silhouettes in the 2026 lineup.

Other notable supercars: Bugatti Vision GT (77253, 8.50), Bugatti Centodieci (77240, 8.50), Honda S2000 (77241, 8.50), Dodge Challenger (77237, 8.40).

Category 3: Movie and Classic Cars

Speed Champions has expanded into movie vehicles and historical icons, attracting a broader audience than the licensed supercars.

1. DeLorean Time Machine (77256) - Score: 9.10. The best non-F1 Speed Champions set available. Gullwing doors that actually open. Doc Brown and Marty McFly minifigures. At $24.99, arguably the best value in the entire catalog.

2. Lightning McQueen (77255) - Score: 8.40. The Cars franchise enters Speed Champions. Love it or dismiss it - this will sell to every family with a child who grew up on Pixar's racing films. The character car design translates surprisingly well to 8-wide.

3. NASCAR Camaro ZL1 (76935) - Score: 8.24. Oval racing meets Speed Champions. The NASCAR livery stickers are extensive but the finished result is distinctly American motorsport on your shelf.

Category 4: Two-Car Packs

Two-car packs offer built-in display pairings and better per-car value. These are the strongest value plays in the theme.

Lamborghini Revuelto + Huracan (77238) - Score: 8.80. Two Lamborghinis for the price of one premium single car. The display pairing is natural and the color contrast works.

Mercedes-AMG G63 + SL63 (76924) - Score: 8.58. An SUV and a sports car from the same brand. Different body styles create visual variety.

Aston Martin Vantage + AMR23 (76925) - Score: 8.48. A road car and its F1 safety car sibling. The matching green ties them together.

BMW M4 GT3 + M Hybrid V8 (76922) - Score: 7.94. Lowest-scored two-pack. The builds are competent but the 71-sticker count on the M Hybrid is excessive. Buy only if you bleed BMW blue.

Category 5: Technic Scale (1:8)

For builders who want engineering depth and display-scale presence. These are weekend-long builds with working mechanisms.

1. McLaren MCL39 (42228) - Score: 9.36. The best Technic car in the current catalog. Working DRS. Papaya orange livery. 1,675 pieces of engineering satisfaction.

2. Red Bull RB20 (42206) - Score: 9.20. Functional steering with realistic camber changes. Dark blue authority.

3. Ferrari SF-24 (42207) - Score: 9.10. Pushrod suspension. Rosso Corsa heritage. Smallest of the three at 1,361 pieces but no less satisfying.

Full 3-way comparison: Technic F1 Showdown

Other Technic cars: Lamborghini Revuelto (42214, 8.70), Porsche GT3R Rexy (42224, 8.52), Ford GT40 MkII (42223, 8.60), Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport (42222, 8.40).

Category 6: Icons Scale

The premium tier. Historical cars at collector scale with display stands and plaques.

1. Ferrari F2004 Schumacher (11375) - Score: 9.40. The EARL APPROVED F1 legend. Seven championships distilled into 735 bricks.

2. Williams FW14B Mansell (10353) - Score: 9.30. Active suspension era. The F1 purist's choice.

3. Shelby Cobra (10357) - Score: 8.90. American racing heritage in blue and white. A different era, a different kind of speed.

4. Ford Model T (11376) - Score: 8.70. Where automotive history begins. A build that teaches as much as it displays.

Full comparison: Ferrari F2004 vs Williams FW14B

Buying Strategy by Budget

$25 - One Great Car

DeLorean Time Machine (77256). Best single Speed Champions purchase at any price. Universal appeal, excellent build, iconic design.

$50 - A Pairing

Lamborghini two-pack (77238). Two cars, two display styles, one purchase.

$100 - The F1 Starter

Pick your four favorite F1 teams from the grid ranking above. Four cars at roughly $25 each creates a mini-grid that displays well in a 2x2 formation.

$250 - The Complete Grid

All ten F1 team cars. Lined up in grid formation, this is one of the most impressive Speed Champions displays possible. Add the DeLorean at the end of the row.

$500+ - The Full Collection

Complete F1 grid + one Technic F1 car (McLaren MCL39 recommended) + one Icons car (Ferrari F2004 recommended) + DeLorean. Every scale and era of Speed Champions in a single display.

What's Coming

May 1 brings the LEGO Editions F1 helmets: Lewis Hamilton (43022) and Charles Leclerc (43014), both at 884+ pieces. These complement the car collection with driver-focused display pieces. Full helmet guide.

For the complete set-by-set review archive, see Every Speed Champions Set Reviewed.

Track prices on any Speed Champions set at GameSetBrick.

Display Tips for Speed Champions Collectors

Speed Champions cars are small enough that display approach matters more than with larger sets. A single 8-wide car on a shelf looks lost. Ten of them in a grid look like a museum. The difference is entirely organization.

The Grid Formation: Line up your F1 cars in two rows of five, mimicking an actual starting grid. Place the highest-scored car at pole position. Ten different liveries creating a rainbow of motorsport color. Use a black baseplate or dark shelf surface to make colors pop.

The Brand Garage: Group by manufacturer. All Ferraris together, all Lamborghinis together. This works well if you collect across Speed Champions and Technic - a Speed Champions Ferrari next to a Technic Ferrari creates a scale comparison visitors always comment on.

The Timeline: Arrange chronologically. Ford Model T on the left, through Shelby Cobra, classic F1, modern supercars, ending with the 2026 Audi R26. The design progression from car to car is genuinely interesting.

The IKEA Approach: Speed Champions cars fit perfectly in IKEA Kallax units. Each compartment holds 3-4 cars comfortably. A full 4x4 unit can display 48-64 cars with room to breathe.

Risers: Acrylic display risers transform a flat shelf into a tiered display. Three levels let you show more cars in less horizontal space while keeping every car visible. This is the single most impactful display upgrade for a Speed Champions collection.

More strategies in the LEGO Display Ideas guide.