Relax, I found the car, needs NO work
by Lukas Mack
LEGO released the ECTO-1 set 10274 in late 2020 ahead of the then-upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel film. That makes this iconic Cadillac colossus nearly three years old. For a Lego set, that’s getting long in the tooth and although it might’ve narrowly escaped retirement this year I can’t imagine it has the longest shelf-life ahead of it sadly. It’s for this very reason I thought it was well worth it to take a look at the classic ambulance-come-ghostbusting platform on wheels before I miss out. I still regret not picking up the Ghostbusters HQ before it too retired. So, at a whopping $369.99, do the 2352 pieces add up to something special or is this one we can pass up?
We need to clarify a couple things before proceeding. If you were initially dissuaded from buying this set due to its association with the Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel and not the originals, then rest assured. Externally, the main difference is just the rust markings as in-universe this is the same car as the original only left in a barn and restored. If you want that original look, easy, you find yourself with only 15 from 53 stickers to apply. This is the one time you’ll likely hear me defend the use of stickers – in fact, this is the perfect use case. There are 38 rust-patterned stickers that are nicely transparent (so no mismatch of white stickers on white bricks here!) and given their simplicity of design and intent to merely age the car, YOU have the choice of which iteration to build and display. For the purposes of this review I have applied the stickers of rust but you can choose to keep yours clean looking. The other thing to mention is that this thing is an absolute behemoth!
The vehicle is 47cm long – that’s half a metre! So yeah, this thing sure ain’t minifigure scale. Even though I didn’t expect any minifigs for a set at this scale, I think for the price, we could’ve done with the old crew standing beside it. Many of us sadly missed out on those guys when they appeared in the Ideas ECTO-1 and Firehouse Headquarters from 2016. If not the minifigs, then I think we deserved at least a display plaque with in-universe details. That’s not asking too much.
Returning to the ECTO-1’s scale again, this thing really is a monster but it‘s got to be the most beautiful ghostbusting ambulance about. The piece count and scale really do justice to what has otherwise been pretty much a box on wheels in earlier iterations. Sure, prospective owners will need to set aside a little more shelf space but this larger scale grants the set the extra room needed to truly capture the right proportions. One thing that surprised me was the many curves and angles to this beast I would otherwise miss. There’s rarely a harsh edge where it shouldn’t be and you really start to appreciate all the shapes this 1959 ambulance has to flaunt. They really don’t make them like they used to!
Just like the films, this vehicle is absolutely packed to the gills with everything needed to fight the supernatural. From proton packs and ghost traps to all the little requisite dials and gizmos; clearly the designers were fans and paid attention to the details. I really enjoyed those moments throughout the build where I recognised another piece of equipment or reference. The ‘Stay-Puft’ marshmallows on the front seat certainly elicited more than a smile. And the joy doesn’t stop there; I couldn’t believe how many action features they included. I thought this was more of a shelf-sitter but that assumption couldn’t have been further from the truth. Of course the doors open and the steering wheel works but there’s a rear trap door, swiveling and rotating rooftop antennae and my favourite feature – the door gunner seat. It’s taken more from the Afterlife movie but I like to think in my own head-canon that the original crew added it sometime in the intervening few decades. Open the rear side door, push the hidden bricks on the driver’s side and bam, the back passenger seat flicks out and spins around. Awesome!
This is a set that I can’t help picking up and playing with. Yes, it’s a big ol’ display set but it’s something made to be interacted with too. It catches the eye and maintains your attention. Now, is it worth your wallet’s attention in late 2023? The short answer is yes. I can tell you, even as more of a casual fan of the Ghostbusters movies, this set has absolutely won me over. It does have a hefty price tag but if you’re the sort with any passing appreciation for the franchise, I’d encourage you to pick this one up before it’s too late. Even casual fans like myself will fall in love with the scale, detail and array of action features LEGO’s ECTO-1 has to offer.
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Words by Lukas Mack
Photos by Lukas Mack
Editors Note:
This post may contain affiliate links that generate income for the website.
This set was provided free of charge by The LEGO Group. Opinions expressed in the review are those of the reviewer.
Perth Lego Users Group 