Which Icon LEGO Car makes the better Investment, The Corvette or Chevrolet Camaro Z28?

LEGO cars have gained great popularity among enthusiasts of all ages, offering a diverse range of options across various series. In the LEGO Technic Cars series, cars are known for their intricate designs and realistic features, appealing to those who enjoy engineering challenges and functional elements like working engines, steering mechanisms, and suspension systems. On the other hand, the LEGO Speed Champions series caters to fans of sleek and stylish racing cars, featuring iconic vehicles from renowned automotive brands like Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren. These sets often focus on capturing the essence of high-speed racing with aerodynamic designs and vibrant colour schemes, making them popular among both collectors and young builders. Additionally, the LEGO Icons Cars series offers a journey through automotive icons, showcasing beloved classic cars in LEGO form. With meticulous attention to detail and authentic styling, these sets pay homage to timeless automobiles that have left a mark on car enthusiasts worldwide. Whether it’s the technical complexity of Technic, the speed and agility of Speed Champions, or the nostalgic charm of Icons, LEGO car continue to captivate fans with their creativity and innovation. In this article, we are going to take a look at two Icon LEGO cars in detail, including an insight into their LEGO investment potential.

Which LEGO Car in the Icon series makes the better Investment, Corvette or Chevrolet Camaro Z28? Both of these LEGO Icons cars are scheduled to retire at the end of this year so we’ve taken a closer look at both of these LEGO cars to see which will make the best LEGO investment.

Both LEGO Corvette (10321) and LEGO Chevrolet Camaro Z238 (10304) from the LEGO Icons theme have been LEGO exclusive sets for the majority of their retail shelf life and are expected to retire this year. So which, if either, would Investabrick choose to add to their LEGO investment portfolio?

10321 LEGO Corvette

Known for its sleek design, powerful performance, and rich history, the Corvette is an iconic American sports car. Produced by Chevrolet, the Corvette has been a symbol of American automotive excellence since its introduction in 1953. Over the years, the Corvette has evolved through various generations, each one pushing the boundaries of automotive innovation and performance. With its distinctive styling and high-performance engines, the Corvette has earned a devoted fan base and remains a timeless symbol of American automotive engineering. It is no surprise that the car has made it into a LEGO Icons set.

Set Details

The LEGO Icons Corvette (10321) set honours the timeless 1961 Chevrolet Corvette C1, capturing its classic elegance with remarkable authenticity. This build gives the option to construct either a hardtop or open-top model, showcasing the iconic curves and sleek lines of the original design. With features like an opening bonnet and boot, a meticulously detailed engine bay with a spinning radiator fan, and functional tie-rod steering, this replica leaves no detail overlooked. Inside, the intricate interior includes brake, clutch, and accelerator pedals, a gear stick, radio, rear-view mirror,

and functional steering. We think that while the build impresses us with its sturdiness and attention to detail, some enthusiasts may have preferred silver-toned trim parts over the light grey ones!

LEGO 10321 Investment Potential

With just over 1200 pieces LEGO Corvette has a price per brick of 12c, having been launched in August last year and is scheduled to retire later this year. LEGO Corvette has been a LEGO exclusive for the majority of its retail shelf life so supply has been closely held, albeit is starting to become more widely available ahead of retirement. Until now discounting has been rare, but we will be keeping an eye out to see if there are any discounts later in the year.

10304 LEGO Chevrolet Camaro Z28

The Chevrolet Camaro Z28 is an iconic American muscle car known for its powerful performance and distinctive design. With its sleek lines, aggressive stance, and roaring V8 engine, the Camaro Z28 embodies the spirit of classic muscle cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Originally introduced as a high-performance option package for the Camaro in 1967, the Z28 quickly gained a reputation for its speed and handling on both the street and the track. Over the years, the Camaro Z28 has become a beloved classic among car enthusiasts, celebrated for its timeless style and exhilarating driving experience.

Set Details

The LEGO Icons Chevrolet Camaro Z28 (10304) set offers a customizable experience like the real thing. From deciding between a roof or convertible to selecting classic or hideaway front headlights, builders have the freedom to tailor their model to their preferences. There are lots of authentic details, including a meticulously crafted V8 engine, functional steering, and opening doors, bonnet, and boot. At Investabrick, we think that while this set represents a great LEGO car model with its

intricacy, some enthusiasts might find its price slightly high. Additionally, a preference for printed pieces over stickers, as seen in previous sets like the Porsche 911 Turbo, could enhance the overall value for fans.

LEGO 10304 Investment Potential

With nearly 1500 pieces LEGO Chevrolet Camaro Z28 has a price per brick of 12c, launched in August 2022 LEGO 10304 is expected to retire later this year having had just over 2 years shelf life. Again, this has been a LEGO exclusive set in the main, albeit is again now starting to become available elsewhere. Discounting again has been minimal to date, but again something to keep an eye out for as retirement approaches.

LEGO Icons Theme Analysis

The overall LEGO Icons theme has quite a wide remit with sub-themes including LEGO Botanical Collection, LEGO Landmarks, LEGO Modular Buildings, LEGO Fairground and LEGO Winter Village.

The LEGO Icons theme has had 100 sets since being launched in 2010 and as a collective group, historical LEGO investment returns of 12% have been delivered from the retired LEGO sets. There are some very popular LEGO sets as well as some great LEGO investments and we have looked at some below.

LEGO Carousel (10257) has nearly doubled in value since retiring at the end of 2019 (16% annualised growth), LEGO Vestas Wind turbine (10268) has added more than 50% value since retiring in 2020 (14% annualised growth) with LEGO Corner Garage (10264) not far behind with 44% growth since retiring at the end of 2021 (17% annualised growth). LEGO Maersk Line Triple-E has more than doubled its $150 RRP since retiring just under 10 years ago (8% annualised growth).

Comparable Sets Analysis

Delving deeper into the more comparable sets within the LEGO Icons vehicles subtheme we can performance very much in line with the overall LEGO Icons theme with average annualised growth of 11%.

LEGO Ferrari F40 (10248) is the pick of these LEGO cars, having tripled in value from its $100 RRP since retiring at the end of 2017 (19% annualised growth). The other 3 sets we looked at, LEGO James Bond Aston Martin DB5 (10262), LEGO Mini Cooper MK VII (10242) and LEGO Volkswagen Beetle (10252) have all seen average annualised growth of 10% since they became retired LEGO, broadly in line with the theme and sub-theme average LEGO investment returns.

Conclusion

Both LEGO 10321 Corvette and LEGO 10304 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 are great sets to build from the LEGO Icons theme. Here at Investabrick we think they will make good, if not great, LEGO investments projecting LEGO 10321 Corvette to be worth $226 in 5 years time, an increase of 51% from its RRP of $150 and LEGO Chevrolet Camaro to be worth $277, an increase of 63% from its $170 RRP.

With projected LEGO investment returns of 10% or just above per year we think they will make solid investments but would recommend keeping an eye out for any small discounts ahead of retirement or alternatively look to buy from LEGO when they have a LEGO insiders rewards weekend offering double points (the next one could possibly be as soon as early June).