LEGO has experienced a bit of a renaissance in recent years with the 'enthusiast' market — largely made up of adults trying their hardest not to grow up. This has come through stuff like their bonkers Technic line, which includes the jaw-dropping 1:8 scale Porsche 911 GT3 RS that came out a few years ago, as well as a Bugatti Chiron that's hitting shelves as we speak.
But the beauty of LEGO is that you can take the instruction booklet and throw it in the fire in favour of making your own creations. A bit like this rather amazing, functional, turbocharged inline six 4.0-litre Ford 'Barra' engine replica.
Made by a YouTuber by the name of 'Pussking Leo' (uhh, we won't ask), it shares a lot of the appearance of its full-scale counterpart. From the sloping red rocker cover that came on some examples, to all of the plumbing, to the ZF six-speed transmission bolted onto the back.
But this is no mere replica. The YouTuber's creation also functions. With the help of a power source, it kicks into pint-sized life. The pistons gyrate, the turbo spools, and the belts turn.
"I know that the firing order is not correct," says its creator apologetically at one point — a statement that underlines the attention to detail that's been paid.
So, why make the Barra?
At the time of its introduction with the Ford BA Falcon, it was considered to be one of the most underrated pieces of Aussie engineering. Some journos who tested the Barra-equipped Falcon XR6 and XR6-Ts back-to-back with the V8-powered XR8 would lean towards the smaller engine due to impressive performance and better balance.
With the Falcon now well and truly dead, the Barra is slowly becoming a regular engine-swap fixture in the modified car world — like an Aussie equivalent to Toyota's ever popular '2JZ' twin-turbo inline six-pot.
But for those who can't afford a Barra of their own ... LEGO could have you covered.