From Bricks to a Head-Turner: The Life-size LEGO Mercedes W14 showcase arrives in Cape Town for a limited time.

The life-sized Mercedes W14 EQ Performance on display at the V&A Waterfront
COPYRIGHT: Slipstream SA

LEGO® South Africa, in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, has treated South Africans to a rare and unforgettable nationwide experience, with a life-sized LEGO Mercedes W14 E Performance on tour across the nation. The awe-inspiring activation has stopped off in Cape Town, at one of the city’s most iconic tourist destinations, the V&A Waterfront, where local and international audiences will have unprecedented up-close access to a modern Formula 1 recreation.

The showcase marked a landmark moment for LEGO® South Africa, representing the brand’s first campaign of this scale in the country. More than just a showcase, it’s a celebration of the shared values that unite LEGO® and Mercedes-Benz: precision, engineering excellence, and innovation. 

For the South African spectators, it’s a chance to experience the craftsmanship and detail of a contemporary Formula 1 machine in a way rarely possible outside the paddock.

Designed as a true “big-brand moment,” the campaign was crafted to generate excitement well in advance of the final reveal. Working on the idea of the car being shipped from Singapore, the team built excitement with a “Guess What’s in the Crate” campaign across their social media platforms, which went on to spark a lot of conversations around what it could be, and ultimately, culminated in the brand’s biggest-ever unboxing event.

The life-sized LEGO Mercedes W14 has some incredible detail.
PHOTO CREDIT: Slipstream SA

From the moment the crate touched down at the airport, fans around South Africa were invited to follow the story as it unfolded, building towards a helicopter drop-off and the breathtaking reveal of the LEGO® masterpiece in front of media and motoring enthusiasts at the Mercedes-Benz Experience Centre at Zwartkops Raceway. 

“The reveal forms part of LEGO South Africa’s ongoing commitment to celebrating creativity and innovation through play,” Valery Kasimov, the newly appointed Country Manager for LEGO® South Africa, said.

Mercedes-Benz South Africa highlighted the strong alignment between the two brands, with Claudius Steinhoff, Executive Director MBC & Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, saying: “This collaboration between LEGO South Africa and Mercedes-Benz is built on shared values of precision, performance, and excellence. The LEGO Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 car celebrates our achievements at the pinnacle of motorsport and reflects the innovation, craftsmanship, and passion that unite both brands.”

The grand public showcase kicked off at the Nelson Mandela Square in November last year and has since traveled across the nation. And, for its penultimate pitstop in South Africa, the life-sized LEGO® Mercedes W14 E Performance has arrived in Cape Town, at one of the city's most iconic tourist locations, the V&A Waterfront. 

As passersby catch a glimpse of the life-sized Mercedes-AMG F1 W14, the reaction is immediate and unmistakable, with audible gasps as they stop in their tracks, instinctively reaching for their phones. Within seconds, the LEGO® display becomes a backdrop for photos and selfies, with curious onlookers moving closer with every step to find out more.

With every step they take closer to the activation, the audience is greeted by very friendly LEGO staff, who assist with all the inquires, also encouraging those present to challenge their building-skill and reflexes, with LEGO® build stations were kids and adults a like can build their own race cars, take it to the “championship racing” high-speed ramp with precision timing systems, and see how they rack up against the competition. And, for those who aren’t keen on building, there is a reflex challenge, which tests your reaction times, mirroring real driver skills. 

The LEGO® Technic Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance and Mercedes-Benz G 500 Professional Line

PHOTO CREDIT: LEGO South Africa and Slipstream SA

And for those who marvel at the sight of the life-sized masterpiece, questions arise, which are quickly answered by the LEGO staff, where it's learnt that the life-sized Mercedes-AMG W14 is based on the LEGO® Technic set, which is available in stores now. 

When asked about the build itself, the curious spectators are informed that the scaled-up LEGO® Technic Mercedes-AMG F1 W14 E Performance build took a team of 15 expert builders over 2,438 hours to assemble. The team used a total of 192,937 LEGO bricks, resulting in the build weighing approximately 913 kilograms and measuring 5.1 metres in length and 2.2 metres in width.

The result is an awe-inspiring replica that mirrors the sleek aerodynamic lines, intricate details, and striking presence of its real-world Mercedes-AMG counterpart. And, for those with a keen eye for detail, this life-sized creation features the ‘red star’, which, for many F1 fans, symbolizes Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team's tribute to three-time F1 World Champion and former Mercedes non-executive chairman Niki Lauda. 

The LEGO South Africa activation at the V&A Waterfront
PHOTO CREDIT: Slipstream SA

In every sense, the life-sized LEGO Mercedes W14 display, which has been travelling across the nation, is more than a showpiece. “This campaign is for everyone; it is truly South African in every possible way,” LEGO’s spokesperson said. As the LEGO Group strives to connect fans of racing and design by inviting builders of all ages to recreate the world’s most iconic racing cars in the comfort of their homes, it’s true to say that this showcase across the nation has sparked conversation and left a lasting impression on all those in attendance. 

With Cape Town scheduled as the penultimate pitstop for the activation, it’s evident that the clock is very much ticking. For those who have yet to visit, there is still time: the life-sized Mercedes-AMG Petronas W14 will be on display in Cape Town until 25 January 25, before concluding its tour in Johannesburg at Sandton City from 5 to 28 February, 2026.