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As a child of the '90s, I make no illusions about my love of Lego, so when the building-block juggernaut released its first 1:8-scale Technic model based on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS nearly a decade ago, I knew I had to have it.
From there, Lego has released a 1:8-scale supercar every two years since, moving onto the Bugatti Chiron, Lamborghini Sian, Ferrari Daytona SP3, and McLaren P1 – but there is one big catch.
They are expensive – like really expensive – with the first set retailing for $500 back in the day, and steadily climbing to a whopping $700. Cost of living crisis, am I right?
Sure, each set has about 4000 pieces and will take you days to put together, but that’s still a massive chunk of change just to have a fancy display piece – albeit a stunning one.
But what if there is an alternative building-block brand that also offers an officially licensed 1:8-scale supercar that is just as fun to build and fabulous to look at?
Enter CaDA Bricks, a Chinese toy company with ambitions to stick it right to Lego and its 1:8-scale supercars with its own set of models.
Brands covered by CaDA include Toyota, Mazda, Volvo, and Suzuki, but the set that caught my eye most is the Mercedes-AMG One.
Besides fitting in amongst the Technic supercars, the CaDA Mercedes-AMG One has one particular trick that Lego cannot match – a battery that allows for motorised functions and working lights.
That’s right, the CaDA set features several electric motors that allow you to open the doors, deploy the spoiler, and drive and steer the Mercedes via a remote control.
There are also working head- and tail-lights to complete the look.
It’s an undeniably cool feature, which adds to the playability of the model more than what is offered by Lego.
Is a CaDA Bricks set as fun to build as Lego?
With just under 3300 pieces in the set, the CaDA Mercedes-AMG One set can’t quite match the Lego Technic builds for complexity, but honestly that is probably no bad thing.
In the Lego sets, you build everything from the ground up, including a working gearbox, driveline, and suspension componentry – but most of that is hidden away under the bodywork when finished.
Because the CaDA set is motorised, some of these bits are less complex to make room for the wires and battery pack, but again, all this is covered with the body when completed.
However, stuffing wires (and warning labels) into an already tight-fitting building set does present complications.
For one, the wiring needs to be twisted and plied in such a way to route around bricks, which are all straight edges with very little room for tolerance.
The flexing and bending of the wires then present a problem, because blocks can get pushed out of place while you assemble.
It’s not a deal-breaker, mind you, but I’d say the added functionality of the electronics don’t do enough to justify the added annoyance in the build process.
CaDA’s relative newness to the building block market is also evident in its pieces and instructions.
Whereas Lego has honed and fine-tuned its process over decades, some of the bricks in the CaDA set just seem… odd.
While some Lego pieces are a single block of plastic, the CaDA version of the same piece is presented as two.
This might be due to a lack of moulds or keeping pieces as broad as possible to work in multiple sets, but instead of having T-shaped pieces, CaDA has two L blocks that then need to be overlayed to make a ‘T’.
The frame pieces that underpin a lot of the Mercedes-AMG One’s structure that are square or rectangular in shape are also two pieces, making it harder to push in connector pins as they must clear two holes that might not always be perfectly aligned.
Some of the instructions are also difficult to pull off, requiring a push of a connector without much room to get your finger in the correct place, for example – so be sure you are willing to sacrifice a fingernail or two going into the build.
Again, these are small misgivings, and while the build did not take as long as a Lego set, I still ultimately had a heap of fun putting together the Mercedes-AMG One.
Also of note, and maybe this is because of the sleek and slender shape of the Mercedes-AMG One more than anything, but I did notice more ‘custom’ bricks used to better emulate the shape of the model in this set than what is presented in a Lego Technic one.
Once finished, though, the attention to detail is spectacular.
Everything from the mid-mounted aerodynamic fin with the AMG logo debossed on the plastic, to the front-fender flaps that can open like the real car, is marvellous to behold in shrunk-down plastic form.
Likewise, the wheels offer incredible detail, and having the Michelin licensing for the tyres is also a great touch.
There’s no doubt the CaDA Bricks Mercedes-AMG One looks right at home next to the rest of my Lego Technic collection, even if its motorised features won’t be used once on display.
I will also take a moment to talk about some of the extras.
In Lego Technic sets, there is usually a placard to build with key vehicle statistics – which is also offered in the CaDA set – but a luggage set that is stored in the Lego’s front boot is not offered in this particular CaDA model.
In fact, outside the doors and spoiler, there are no opening bits in the CaDA Bricks Mercedes-AMG One, but given the motorised innards, that’s an understandable omission.
I will also point out the unboxing experience of the CaDA Bricks set, which is premium and high-end thanks to the thick cardboard and printed detailed – something Lego Technic sets do quite well.
It really does feel like you are opening and building something truly special.
But where the CaDA Bricks set shines most is the price.
At the time of writing, the Mercedes-AMG One set will set you back about $440, while the Lotus Exige Cup 430 that doesn’t have any motorised bits can be had from just $350.
These sets are considerably more affordable than those offered by Lego, while still offering a fun-to-build product that has just as much attention-to-detail and head-turning appeal.
Yes, you have to overcome some small building niggles, but if you’ve ever been curious about the Lego Technic supercars, CaDA Bricks is offering an alternative at a much cheaper price that still scratches the same itch.
Tung Nguyen has been in the automotive journalism industry for over a decade, cutting his teeth at various publications before finding himself at Drive in 2024. With experience in news, feature, review, and advice writing, as well as video presentation skills, Tung is a do-it-all content creator. Tung’s love of cars first started as a child watching Transformers on Saturday mornings, as well as countless hours on PlayStation’s Gran Turismo, meaning his dream car is a Nissan GT-R, with a Liberty Walk widebody kit, of course.
