Setobrick

All LEGO Cars sets

24 setsfrom 2011 to 2012

LEGO set representative of the theme Cars

The LEGO Cars theme brings together 24 sets released in 2011 and 2012, with 16 in the first year and 8 in the second. It offers cars to build, race tracks, spy scenes and character sets, with 9 minifigure characters, from Lightning McQueen to Tow Mater.

A theme of 24 sets spread across 2011 and 2012

The LEGO Cars theme has 24 sets over two years: 16 came out in 2011 and 8 in 2012. It draws on the world of the Pixar films, with the races of Radiator Springs and the spy missions of the second film.

The most recent sets date from 2012: 9478 Francesco Bernoulli, 9479 Ivan Mater, 9480 Finn McMissile, 9481 Jeff Gorvette, 9483 Agent Mater's Escape, 9484 Red's Water Rescue, 9485 Ultimate Race Set and 9486 Oil Rig Escape.

Sets from 34 to 849 pieces

The size varies a lot from one set to another. 30120 Guido (34 pieces) and 8200 Radiator Springs Lightning McQueen (35 pieces) are the most compact. At the other end, 8679 Tokyo International Circuit reaches 849 pieces and 8639 Big Bentley Bust Out has 744. On average, a set in the theme contains 220 pieces, compared with 389 across the whole catalogue.

In between, there are themed scenes such as 8487 Flo's V8 Café (254 pieces), 8486 Mack's Team Truck (379 pieces) or 8638 Spy Jet Escape (339 pieces). Two build-it-yourself models round out the offer: 8677 Ultimate Build Mater and 8484 Ultimate Build Lightning McQueen.

Lightning McQueen leads the minifigures, ahead of Tow Mater and Guido

Lightning McQueen appears in 13 sets, Tow Mater in 8 and Guido in 6. Finn McMissile features in 5 sets. Luigi, Grem, Professor Zundapp and Holley Shiftwell each appear in 3 sets, and Acer in 2.

As for colours, Black dominates with 21% of the pieces, ahead of Light Bluish Gray and Red, at 14% each. Dark Bluish Gray (11%), White (9%) and Reddish Brown (6%) complete the palette.

Cars in figures

Number of sets24
Release years2011-2012
Peak year2011 (16 sets)
Total pieces5,272
Average pieces per set220
Catalog-wide average389
Largest set8679 Tokyo International Circuit (849 pieces)
Smallest set30120 Guido (34 pieces)
Newest set9478 Francesco Bernoulli (2012)
Minifigure characters9

Dominant colors

Color breakdown of the pieces across all Cars sets, minifigures included.

ColorPiecesShare
Black1,14021%
Light Bluish Gray77014%
Red76014%
Dark Bluish Gray62511%
White4888.8%
Reddish Brown3205.8%
Tan2083.8%
Yellow1993.6%

Minifigures

All minifigures

2012 8 sets

2011 16 sets

Frequently asked questions

What types of models can you find in the LEGO Cars theme?

There are compact character cars like 9480 Finn McMissile, themed scenes like 8487 Flo's V8 Café or 9486 Oil Rig Escape, and a large race track with 8679 Tokyo International Circuit. Two Ultimate Build models, 8677 Ultimate Build Mater and 8484 Ultimate Build Lightning McQueen, are built piece by piece.

How did the theme evolve between 2011 and 2012?

2011 has 16 sets, with scenes like 8487 Flo's V8 Café and 8486 Mack's Team Truck. 2012 has 8 and puts the focus on character cars, from 9478 Francesco Bernoulli to 9481 Jeff Gorvette, as well as spy and rescue sets like 9483 Agent Mater's Escape and 9484 Red's Water Rescue.

Which colours dominate in LEGO Cars sets?

Black comes first with 21% of the pieces. Next come Light Bluish Gray and Red, at 14% each, then Dark Bluish Gray at 11% and White at 9%.

What sets the LEGO Cars theme apart from other themes?

It turns talking movie cars into compact sets: a set contains 220 pieces on average, compared with 389 across the whole catalogue. Lightning McQueen appears in 13 of the 24 sets, alongside characters like Tow Mater, Guido and Finn McMissile.

What is the largest LEGO Cars set?

It is 8679 Tokyo International Circuit (2011): 849 pieces.

Which year has the most Cars sets?

In 2011: 16 sets, more than any other year.

How many minifigure characters does the Cars theme have?

9 characters in total. The most frequent in sets are Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater and Guido.