Last month I finally bought the #LEGO #Technic 8880 Super Car set (1994). It came out right in the middle of my teenage LEGO years, and was heavily promoted in all the other Technic sets released at the same time.

And for the time, it was a marvel of engineering: 4 wheel drive with 3 open differentials, independent suspension, 4 wheel steering, a V8 engine with moving pistons, and a brand-new 4 speed gearbox. A life-size version was even built for the Paris Motor Show around the same time, and I got the privilege to see it in person.

Alas, the set didn’t fit in either my birthday or Christmas budget at the time, and it stayed a dream figment for the best part of 30 years. Until last month when I finally got my hands on a second-hand copy of the set.

I was of course afraid that reality would trample that dream to dust especially after I was gifted a 42115 Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 set by my partner which is in the same vein, but I’m pleased to report some of the original magic is still here.

The building experience is typical of 1990s Technic, with much more parts per building step than entirely comfortable, and several building techniques taking advantage of parts’ flexibility that have since been outlawed by LEGO. But the main advantage the Super Car still holds over newer large scale Technic vehicles is how didactic it is. Its weirdly high stance and airy design with no body panels makes every single feature visually accessible, including during operation.

This was immediately evidenced by my 10 year old kid asking me about the simple but functional gearbox. I was able to show her how it worked by comparing wheel speed with engine speed and point at various exposed gears. Sure, the Lamborghini’s modern gearbox is impressive, but I’d be damned if I could explain how it works to anyone, let alone show most of it given its tight package with body panels hiding the gears including on the bottom.

This makes for me the 8880 Super Car a timeless classic less by its outdated looks than by the sheer “how it works” enjoyment it still provides to this day while modern Technic sets can fall short in that aspect despite more complex features.