LEGO Icons Ford Model T (11376): The World's First Power Functions Kit Is Here
When LEGO unveiled Icons set 11376 — the Ford Model T — the collector community erupted. And rightfully so. Over 1,000 pieces. Custom spoked wheels with white rubber tires. A hand-crank starter. Period-accurate brass and wood detailing. It's one of the most thoughtfully designed vehicles LEGO has ever produced.
The Ford Model T didn't change the world by being admired. It changed the world by moving — by putting millions of ordinary people behind a wheel and sending them down roads that barely existed yet. It was kinetic energy democratized.
Until now, there was no way to make it happen. No one had built a Power Functions kit for LEGO 11376. That changes today.
The Car That Built the Modern World
To understand why motorizing this set matters, you need to understand what the Model T actually was.
Henry Ford introduced the Model T on October 1, 1908 — not as a luxury product, but as a deliberate act of industrial democracy. At the time, automobiles existed, but they were playthings for the wealthy. Horse-drawn carriages still dominated city streets. Roads were largely unpaved. The idea of the average American family owning a personal vehicle was, frankly, laughable. Where other automakers targeted the wealthy, Ford targeted everyone else. His insight was straightforward: a car that ordinary people could afford would transform society far more profoundly than a car that rich people could enjoy. He was right.
The moving assembly line, introduced at Ford's Highland Park plant in 1913, slashed production time from over 12 hours per vehicle to under 93 minutes. Prices fell accordingly — from $825 at launch to roughly $260 by 1925. (Amusingly, one fan noted that the new LEGO set at $130 is now technically cheaper than a real Model T was in 1925. Purely numerically, of course.)
Over its 19-year production run — 1908 to 1927 — more than 15 million Model Ts were built. The demand for Model T travel created political pressure for paved highways. It gave rise to gas stations, roadside diners, repair shops, and the suburban landscape. The car didn't just respond to modernity; it created it.
One of the T's most clever engineering features was its planetary gear transmission. Unlike the sliding-gear systems common at the time, which required real mechanical skill to operate, the planetary system was genuinely accessible to everyday drivers. Anyone could learn it quickly, You didn't need to be a mechanic to drive one — which was the entire point.
A Legacy That Spans Over a Century of Lego History
"Celebrate an icon of automotive history with the LEGO® Icons Ford Model T (11376) model car kit for adults. This authentic replica of the 1910s automobile comes with a fold back fabric roof, fold-down split windshield and a single opening passenger door. Other features include an opening rear trunk and a highly detailed driver’s cab with working steering. Lift the seat to access the gas tank. Lift the hood panels from both sides to reveal the engine and turn the crank to spin the fan. Finished with black bodywork, golden accents and tall spoked rims with slim white rubber tires, this vintage car decor model makes an elegant display for the home or office. This premium model makes a great gift idea for lovers of classic American cars. " Description adapted from LEGO
What's particularly interesting is that LEGO isn't a stranger to vintage automotive history. Back in 1976–1977, LEGO released a series of classic vintage car sets — including a 1913 Cadillac (Set 0390), a 1926 Renault (Set 0391), and a 1909 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost (Set 0395) — all in roughly the same 1/16–1/18 scale that the modern Icons line uses. The Ford Model T is, in some ways, a spiritual successor to that era of thoughtful, historically-grounded builds.
The Icons vehicle lineup has matured considerably since then. Sets like the Shelby GT500, the Jaguar E-Type, the Chevrolet Camaro, and the Corvette have demonstrated that LEGO can produce vehicles that satisfy both automotive enthusiasts and display collectors. The Model T fits beautifully into that tradition — perhaps even more so, because few cars carry as much cultural weight.
What Makes LEGO Set 11376 Special
The Icons Ford Model T is a serious piece of design work, and community reaction has reflected that. A few elements worth highlighting:
The Spoked Wheels
The Crank Handle
The Color Palette
Configuration Options
From Static Display to Rolling Legend
The Shelby Cobra sits still. The Jaguar E-Type sits still. The Corvette sits still. For most of those vehicles. You display them, you admire the proportions, you occasionally bore guests with facts about the Jaguar's inline-six. That's the deal.
And for the Model T, there's something almost poetic about that. This is the car that defined motion for an entire civilization. Leaving it static on a shelf is a little like framing a surfboard and hanging it on a wall — technically valid, but philosophically confused.
Whether the wheel elements could be adapted for drive trains, whether the chassis could support a motor, whether someone would build a kit — the desire to see a beloved build actually move.
ZENE Bricks PF Kit — The First and Only One on the Market
ZENE Bricks has engineered the world's first motorization kit built exclusively for the LEGO Icons Ford Model T (set 11376). This isn't a generic Power Functions retrofit. The team spent weeks studying the Model T's internal chassis geometry, weight distribution, and gear ratios to design an integration that works *with* the set — not around it.
The result is a kit that makes your Model T drive, steer, and respond to remote control, while looking completely period-accurate from the outside.
What's Inside:The kit includes a precision servo motor for steering, an L-Motor calibrated for the Model T's weight and proportions, and a rechargeable lithium battery pack — a meaningful upgrade over standard AA batteries, delivering longer run times and more consistent torque. Control works either through a dedicated 2.4GHz remote (range up to 25 meters) or via a smartphone app. Yes, your 1908 Ford Model T can be controlled from your phone. Henry Ford would have had thoughts about that.
Nothing Looks Added On
This is where most motorization attempts fall apart. Exposed wiring, awkward battery boxes bolted to the side, motors that sit visibly proud of the chassis — they destroy the aesthetic integrity of a display model instantly. ZENE's kit was engineered from the start to integrate invisibly. The period-accurate silhouette stays intact. From the outside, it looks exactly as LEGO designed it. From underneath, it moves.
Installation is Plug-and-Play
The kit includes a step-by-step digital installation guide and can be installed either during the original build or retrofitted into a completed model. You don't need to be a mechanical engineer — though watching the finished Model T drive across your floor will genuinely make you feel like one.
This matters because the LEGO Model T actually has mechanical features worth animating. The planetary gear system that LEGO faithfully reproduced? The crank handle detail? These aren't just decorative — they're functional storytelling elements. The ZENE kit extends that storytelling into real motion.
A Static Display Is Half the Story
The Ford Model T isn't really just a car. "The car industry wouldn't be the same without the Ford Model T. A true classic." Hard to argue with that.
The Ford Model T didn't transform the world by standing still. It did it by being in constant motion — on dirt roads, cobblestone streets, and eventually the first paved highways that its own popularity helped create.
The ZENE Bricks Power Functions Kit gives it the other half. If you're building LEGO 11376, there's now a straightforward choice: display it, or drive it. Given that no other motorization kit exists for this set anywhere on the market, ZENE's kit is the only way to make the latter happen.
Frequently Asked Questions
What body style of the Ford Model T does the LEGO set represent?
The real Ford Model T was produced in numerous configurations across its 19-year run (1908–1927), including touring cars, roadsters, sedans, and coupes. The LEGO set appears to draw primarily from the early touring car variants, featuring the open-top configuration with visible wooden and brass detailing. There are also reportedly additional pieces for customization, following LEGO's tradition with other Icons vehicles.
Are the white rubber tires in set 11376 new LEGO elements?
Yes — white rubber tires are exceptionally rare in LEGO's catalog. The new wheel molds with white tires included in set 11376 are expected to be sought-after parts for MOC builders working on other vintage vehicle projects.
What is the ZENE Bricks Power Functions Kit for LEGO 11376?
The ZENE Bricks Power Functions Kit is a motorization upgrade designed exclusively for LEGO Icons Ford Model T (set 11376). It includes a precision servo motor for steering, an L-Motor for propulsion, a rechargeable lithium battery pack, and dual control options via 2.4GHz remote or smartphone app. The kit is engineered to integrate seamlessly into the existing build without altering its period-accurate appearance. Note: the kit does not include the LEGO set itself.
How does the Ford Model T connect to LEGO's broader history of vintage car sets?
LEGO actually has a longer history with vintage vehicles than many fans realize. In 1976–1977, LEGO released a series of classic car sets at roughly the same scale as the modern Icons line, including a 1913 Cadillac, a 1926 Renault, and a 1909 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost. Set 11376 is in many ways a modern successor to that tradition — bringing historical automotive craftsmanship into LEGO's most sophisticated adult-oriented building format.
Is the ZENE Bricks Power Functions Kit compatible with any other LEGO set besides 11376?
No — this kit was engineered specifically and exclusively for LEGO Icons Ford Model T (set 11376). The motor selection, gear ratios, mounting points, and chassis integration are all calibrated for this particular build. Using it with other sets is not supported.
Will installing the kit change how the Model T looks from the outside?
No. The kit is designed for seamless internal integration. The exterior silhouette, proportions, and period-accurate details remain exactly as LEGO designed them. There are no visible external modifications, exposed wires, or battery boxes that alter the display appearance.
What control options does the kit support?
The kit supports two control methods: a dedicated 2.4GHz remote control with a range of up to 25 meters, and a smartphone app. Both control steering (via precision servo) and propulsion (via L-Motor).
