The single minifigure included in this set doesn’t have any unique pieces, but the combination is new, making him one of those “somewhat exclusive” characters. His head has had 11 other appearances across many themes. (In fact, this is the clone of the chef from the 10260 Downtown Diner.)

I think a lot of people would have... It would be another "Maersk-blue construction hat situation". You can see more photos and details on their review but the 163-piece set comes with an old-school taxi, a street section, and what looks like the Doughnut Thief, who you may recall from the 2020 Police Station Modular, who seems to have cleaned up his ways and has made a career change from illicit sugary treats/news publishing to transportation. And while the curbside scenery would take some modification to work into a Modular Building layout, the use of Medium Stone Grey curbstones and Dark Stone Grey paving stones seems like deliberate invitation for builders to make those modifications. The signal lamp/sign marking the taxi stop makes a great new type of street furniture to add to a layout, and uses common enough parts that it can be easily be duplicated to create additional stops for a larger layout. When this set was revealed, I found the taxi decidedly underwhelming, based primarily on its seemingly awkward shape. However, this model is more attractive than I expected and I think the first image was unflattering. The proportions of the vehicle are realistic and the curvature of its bonnet and windscreen looks superb, which is something LEGO cars often struggle with. A perfect addition to the Modular Boutique Hotel, and a great incentive to pull the trigger on it if you haven’t got one!Taxi is, in many ways, a confusing companion for 76269 Avengers Tower. The four minifigures have little relation to the tower and LEGO fans interested in Avengers Tower may already own 76178 Daily Bugle, which includes another taxi. Honestly, this model feels like the result of designers not knowing what to make, which I would understand, as 76269 Avengers Tower already includes most things associated with this location.

And that was for Amelia Earhart - an excellent set (also, more parts at a lower spending threshold) I think the interior is probably the weakest section of the model, with only enough space for one passenger, squeezed right behind the driver. There is ample luggage space though, housing a suitcase, another slice of pizza and a dark blue cap, adorned with the Avengers logo. The cap also appears in 76269 Avengers Tower and presumably belongs to the taxi driver, although he cannot really wear it with his double-sided head. In my review of the minifigures from 76269 Avengers Tower, I mentioned the need for civilians requiring rescue. An unnamed Taxi Driver fulfils the role nicely and features some interesting pieces, as this torso has only appeared once before, in 76405 Hogwarts Express - Collectors' Edition. Moreover, the sand blue jeans look good and the minifigures comes with a coffee cup, as well as a printed slice of pizza, returning from 10312 Jazz Club.Looking at the box design with the shared sand green strip, and the design of the taxi, and just how well it fits into the Boutique Hotel, it’s clear that LEGO probably meant for the Vintage Taxi GWP to be released alongside the Boutique Hotel at launch on 1 January, but supply chain delays probably meant that they couldn’t make the timing work. Focusing on the front of the Taxi you’ll see a handful of 1×1 clear studs that represent the headlights and such, you’ll also see the very impressive grille piece that is again moulded and not build-built, which is fine as this element isn’t seen to often and does fit the look and feel of the era the Car is from. The curves that run along each side are again seen at the front and add to the whole aesthetic. Case in point: look at the van designs from 1687 or 6345. Both still use the old 1x3 vehicle doors, but because of the shape and size of the windscreen, the minifigure can't possibly exit the vehicle via the side doors, only by lifting the roof! Is he the driver or the passenger? If the former, is he moonlighting as a cabbie, and why does he have what is presumably luggage? If the latter, where's the driver? And I think a big part of why LEGO was able to work side-by-side seating into those earlier vehicles in the Modular Buildings Collection is that they were vehicle types with no roof, no side windows, and either flat side walls or none at all! All these factors made it quite a bit easier for them to deal with the minifigure's awkward, unwieldy proportions.

However, only one minifig? That's a plain rip off. The vintage car, sailboat etc. all had 2 minifigs. A driver and a passenger is not that much to ask. Especially given the price needed to get this. In addition, the vehicle includes no fewer than five exclusive printed parts! The number plates allude to 76269 Avengers Tower and their flame yellowish orange colour matches the 'Empire Gold' plates found on many New York taxis. The designs on either side look appealing as well, complete with the same waving minifigure logo featured on the taxi in 76178 Daily Bugle. As design standards have continued to change and evolve — such as with molded wheel arches and curved elements becoming more ubiquitous on LEGO vehicles — the practicality of those traditional door pieces has diminished further and further. You start of by constructing a portion of the pavement (sidewalk) which all sits upon 4×8 Tan plate. Covering the plate in matching dark grey tiles it will happily sit next to other LEGO Modulars, although it is a smidgen higher I don’t think that necessarily matters much.Thank you for reading through our review of the LEGO Vintage Taxi (40532) set, we hope you e joyed it as much as we did. Either that or he’s using this as a front to deliver doughnuts to high-flying guests staying at the Boutique Hotel. Not too sure I like this trend of extremely expensive GWPs… but as demonstrated in November 2021, LEGO know how to play the game to squeeze as much money as they can from their fans. Regarding the 60312 police interceptor, my dad was a gearhead growing up in Detroit, and sometimes mentions that there was a car shop on Woodward Ave that could modify your car so even the cops couldn’t catch it. And then the cops took their cars to the same shop. Good review! It's definitely charming and a beautiful match for nostalgic vibes of the Modular Buildings Collection. The only other set I remember with old-school curved fenders like this was 70911, and needless to say that was at a far more exaggerated scale! It's a great demonstration of how useful the 1x3 inverted arch can be for automotive detailing.