About Vehicles & Machines
Vehicles are the largest theme in the range and, for most people, the place to start: cars, motorbikes, trucks, tractors and engines as mechanical wooden model kits. You press the parts out of laser-cut plywood boards and slot them together without glue.
The range is wide. The compact race car with 90 parts is done in about half an hour; the UGT-24 endurance race car needs 970 parts and about 24 hours.
Drive and move
Many models have a spring mechanism: wind it up, set it down, off it goes. With others, the appeal lies in the mechanism itself — in the V8 engine the pistons move, in the automaton the cyclist pedals, and on several vehicles doors, bonnets and loading beds can be opened.
What a particular model can do and how far it drives is described on its product page.
Also pre-assembled
Some models in this theme come already assembled. They arrive ready to display and are not put together — you can tell by the missing build time on the product page. If you want to build, look out for that; if you want to give a gift without anyone having to build it, that is exactly why they exist.
Frequently asked questions
Do the models really drive?
Many do — they have a spring mechanism that you wind up with a key. Others are display models or demonstrate a mechanism without driving. What each model does is described on its product page.
Where do I start if I have never built one?
With a model under 100 parts. It is done in under an hour, and afterwards you know whether it is for you. If you want to go straight for a big one, bear in mind: the large vehicles are projects for several evenings, not an afternoon.
Do I need glue or tools?
Neither — no glue and no tools. The parts are pressed out of the board by hand and slot together. Many models come with sandpaper and wax to smooth edges and lubricate moving parts — that is all you need. Exactly what is in the box is listed on the product page.
Are there any pre-assembled vehicles?
Yes, a few. They are marked as pre-assembled on the product page and show no build time.
What age are they for?
The manufacturer rates most vehicles as suitable from about age 14, a few smaller ones from about age 8. These are guidelines from the instructions. Younger kids can build along well if an adult takes care of the mechanics.