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LEGO Icons is heading to Venice with 11388 Venetian Neighbourhood, a newly revealed 5,682-piece canal-side diorama due November 1, 2026. The 18+ set will be sold exclusively through LEGO.com and LEGO Stores, priced at US$549.99 in the United States, with regional pricing elsewhere.

The display model pairs a luxury villa with an artisan glassblowing workshop and an astronomical clock tower. An arched bridge spans the canal, a gondola sits in the water, and 17 minifigures fill the scene with tourists, locals, a glassblower, musicians, gondoliers, and two figures in elaborate Carnival of Venice masks. The whole composition rests on a trans-blue water base.

A Piano Made With 3D Printing

The set includes a 3D-printed street piano. LEGO produced the piece using additive manufacturing rather than traditional injection moulding, and in the reveal video, twirling the flower vase on top makes the piano play a few notes. LEGO describes the technique as making possible moving parts that would not normally be produced with conventional moulding.

Built to Be Rearranged

The model isn’t a fixed vignette. Floors and roofs lift off to reveal interiors, and the main sections can be separated and rearranged into different layouts. In its long street arrangement, the diorama measures 63cm wide, 31cm deep, and 48cm tall. At 5,682 pieces, it ranks among the 20 most parts-intensive LEGO sets ever released, according to The Brothers Brick.

Pricing Around the World

Launch pricing runs £449.99 in the UK, €499.99 in Europe, AU$799.99 in Australia, CAD$779.99 in Canada, and SGD$759.90 in Singapore. The November 1 on-sale date applies in all regions. An Insiders early-access window covers the first three days, with general availability on LEGO.com and in LEGO Stores from November 4. An end-of-life date of December 31, 2028 has also been listed.

Companion Gift-With-Purchase

At launch, buyers of 11388 also qualify for 40898 Venetian Water Taxi, a 322-piece gift-with-purchase. The small model includes a classic water taxi, a dock scene, captain and tourist minifigures, luggage, a camera, a lifebuoy, and two pigeon figures. It can stand alone or sit beside the main canal diorama. The GWP is available while supplies last, with the promotion window listed as November 1-8.

Details That Read as Venice

Small touches carry much of the Venetian character. The main set includes four pigeons — three grey and one white — recalling the birds that were once a familiar sight in the city, especially around St. Mark’s Square. The glassblowing workshop occupies part of one building, with a shop under a turquoise awning at street level. The clock tower’s dark blue face carries Latin 24-hour numerals and zodiac signs, echoing the city’s astronomical clock tradition, while the canal is lined with the colourful mooring posts known as paline.

LEGO’s official product description calls the set “a perfect gift idea for adults and travel lovers” and highlights the option to play notes on the street piano, sail the gondola beneath the bridge, and lift away floors and roofs to examine the interiors. The listing also points to the LEGO Builder app, where builders can rotate the model in 3D, zoom in, and track progress. The set uses no stickers.

11388 Venetian Neighbourhood arrives November 1 at LEGO.com and LEGO Stores, with 40898 Venetian Water Taxi available as a gift-with-purchase while supplies last.

Team Associated is turning back the clock with the new 1:10 scale RC10 Ultra Rider 2WD kit, a buggy that pairs 1980s styling with modern components. The electric off-road kit is listed as part number #6060 and was announced Oct. 15, 2026. Two reports list slightly different prices: RC Car Action has it at $349.99, while Big Squid RC puts the street price at $349. Team Associated says the Ultra Rider “isn’t just a tribute; it’s a high-performance celebration of engineering that defined a decade.”

Retro Styling, Modern Suspension

At the heart of the Ultra Rider is its front and rear trailing-arm suspension, a look Team Associated says echoes the era’s most innovative race cars. The suspension is fully independent at both ends, and the company says the layout lets the buggy soak up bumps and stick landings with a modern feel. Long-travel, fluid-filled anodized aluminum coil-over shocks handle the damping, with forged aluminum trailing arms up front and in the rear.

The hardware list leans heavily on new suspension pieces. Up front there are CNC arm mounts with set screws, a new kingpin design, and a black molded bumper. Out back, the kit uses molded bulkheads, aluminum arm mount plates, and CNC rear arm mounts with set screws. Carbon fiber appears on the front tower, while the shock towers are fiberglass, and the package includes heavy-duty turnbuckles, ball studs, full metal ball bearings, and hardened rear driveshafts.

The retro theme carries over to the body and wheels. The kit includes exclusive silver wheels, a silver chassis, nose plate and motor plate, retro molded side guards, and front and rear tires on 3-piece racing wheels. Bodywork is a clear Protech shell with cutout templates, plus a driver figure, lights, and a scale window net.

Vintage Body, Sealed Drivetrain

Under the shell, the Ultra Rider uses a sealed 3-gear Stealth A.T.C. transmission with a high-torque ball differential and a 2.25:1 internal gear ratio. Team Associated says the buggy pairs strong ground clearance with a low center of gravity. Battery options include 6-cell NiMH packs and 2S LiPo packs.

This is a kit build, not a ready-to-run car. Buyers need to add a battery, motor, ESC, servo, charger, and radio/receiver. On paper, the Ultra Rider is a 1:10 scale electric 2WD buggy aimed at off-road use, measuring 381mm long and 226.8mm wide with a 267.7mm wheelbase; weight is listed as varying. Specs also list electric power, off-road terrain, and a buggy body style. Assembly level is kit.

Collector Series Rollout

The Ultra Rider also comes with a collectible twist. Big Squid RC reports that the kit is available only through the Associated Collector Series program in limited quantities, with access tied to the Team Associated Membership Club. The same report says the buggy should be a blast for vintage racing as well as highly collectable.

RC10 Heritage

The RC10 name has a long history. The original buggy debuted on Dec. 5, 1984, and became the first to take home gold in both ROAR National and IFMAR 2WD World Championships, according to product background for the RC10 Classic Jay Halsey Edition. That later limited release marked the platform’s 40th anniversary and replicated the paint scheme Jay Halsey ran at the 1985 IFMAR Worlds.

Team Associated describes the Ultra Rider as “built for those who remember the thrill of the first dirt jump and those ready to experience it for the first time.” The kit is listed as #6060, with more details available from Team Associated.

The Open Source Hardware Association has added 30 new projects to its certified open-hardware database, covering the September 2026 certification update.

OSHWA published the new entries on Oct. 13. The additions bring the total number of listings in its Certified Projects Directory to 3,431, and the group includes both newcomers and repeat certifiers. The association described the latest round as covering everything from educational physics devices to USB protection, with plenty of projects in between.

How the certification program works

OSHWA’s certification process is free, and it gives hardware creators a formal way to confirm that a design follows the community definition of open source hardware. The official logo lets people see at a glance that a product meets that standard. The Certified Projects Directory is searchable by hardware type, license, and country of origin.

The program launched in 2016. According to an Opensource.com article about the certification effort, demand came from hobbyists and Fortune 500 companies alike, and more than 100 projects had earned certification within the first six months, with participants spread across nine countries. The approach relies on a trademarked certification rather than on patents, so the mark itself can be protected even when the core hardware is not.

Certification matters because open hardware licensing can be tricky. Unlike software, which gets automatic copyright protection, many hardware elements do not have clear intellectual-property protection at the moment of creation. Hardware projects tend to have fewer rights attached right away, and securing protection can require active steps such as filing a patent application. Some aesthetic design elements may also qualify for automatic copyright protection, which makes the overall licensing picture more variable and complex than software. The OSHWA certification guide walks designers through the licensing choices for each part of a project, so downstream users can modify, build, and distribute the design without requesting extra permissions. Creators who finish the process can self-certify their hardware as OSHWA-compliant.

PhotogateV2

One new entry, PhotogateV2 (UID AR000006), is a low-cost sensor aimed at physics lessons. The hardware uses an ESP32 controller, an infrared emitter/receiver, a user interface, and 3D-printed parts, and the whole setup can be assembled by educators and students. OSHWA described the project as a way to put hands-on experimental physics directly into classroom work.

ChamberFlux

ChamberFlux (UID US002855) goes to the 3D-printing side of the maker bench. The add-on is a simple circulation unit intended to keep air moving inside the enclosed build volume of a printer. It is built to pair with the filtration system the machine already has, giving the room around the printer an added layer of defense.

Cerebus

The September list also includes Cerebus (UID MX0000041), a compact gadget aimed at USB devices you don’t fully trust. It works as a small go-between: connect a suspicious drive, and the device’s OLED screen and color LED report what happens when the storage talks to a host. Red flags include a sudden attempt to move files or a USB voltage spike.

The association behind the badge

OSHWA’s work extends past the certification directory. The organization says its main activities include hosting the annual Open Hardware Summit, organizing conferences and community events, educating the public about open source hardware, and publishing data on the movement. The certification program remains one of its central tools for helping creators indicate that their products meet the open-hardware standard.

The association also keeps a certification bot on Mastodon for people who want to follow new entries as they land. Hardware creators can submit their own projects through the OSHWA application site. The 30 new September certifications are now part of the searchable certified list.

JConcepts has a new body for one of RC’s best-known rides. The company’s Groveland, Florida, designers pinpointed the mounting positions on the Traxxas Slash and blended the truck’s kit components with a new F2 shell for what JConcepts describes as a drop-down fit and finish. The result is a pre-cut short course truck body built for Slash trucks running clipless body mounts.

With quick-change and clipless mounting systems showing up on more vehicles, JConcepts says it zeroed in on the Slash and matched the F2 shell to the truck’s mounting positions. The modular body-mount assembly attaches using upper and lower components and stock hardware.

“The F2 has always been a unique design, now, the Short Course gets the IFMAR World Championship winning treatment,” JConcepts said in its announcement.

The design brief, according to JConcepts, was simple: lower the roof line, improve the function of the air-release louvers, bring in the latest number and name plate performance geometry, and give the body an edgy look. JConcepts also describes the pre-cut F2 as a body for entry-level short course classes, meaning SCT racers and bashers can run the new shape on their trucks.

Front-End and Body Lines

The front end is a large canvas for detailing. The included decal sheet can blank out the entire grille and headlight area, or builders can use two detailed light-and-signal looks drawn from passenger vehicles. The hood has a large cut-in feature with trim lines for adding extra air escape holes, and the hard-edged fenders are shaped to provide clearance for racing and bash tires before blending into the F2 design.

Cab and Rear Details

Inside the cab, JConcepts uses a low-profile V-style roof with extra louvers sunk into the roof. The design is tied to the company’s Finnisher 2 performance and tuning ability, and a slight stabilization fin runs down the center with a railed edge on each side for added rigidity. Behind the cab, a hard chamfer leads into stepped sections that create more air escape areas, and four deep-rooted louvers sit between the body mounting area so drivers can tune airflow to their needs.

At the rear, a rollbar outlines the bed area, and the new number plate mounting area sits in what JConcepts calls a key performance area. The rear fenders are bulged to clear racing tires and flow into the F2’s double-step side-pod enhancement. Trim-lines on the rear quarter-panel mark air-release passages. The recessed side windows and alternate panel locations can be painted body color, finished in flat stealth black, or masked as one piece.

Paint, Decals, and Slash Fitment

The clear shell is molded from heavy-duty polycarbonate and ships with protective film. JConcepts includes a detailed decal sheet and window masks for painting, and overspray film is standard. The package is backed by JConcepts customer support and heritage, and the company directs buyers to reputable dealers and distributors.

Fitment covers six Slash variants. JConcepts lists the Slash 2WD BL-2s (58334-4), Slash 2WD XL-5 (58234-8), Slash 2WD VXL (58376-74), and Slash 1/10 RTR 2WD (58234-8-REDX). Also on the list are the Slash 1/10 Electric 2WD Short Course Truck Kit (58214-4-R5) and the Slash Ford F-150 Raptor (58394-4-FOX).

Price and Part Number

The F2 SCT body, pre-cut for Traxxas Slash clipless models, carries part number 0729 and UPC 845937040428. JConcepts sets the retail price at $70.00 and the MAP price at $59.50.

AR Box, the 1:64 diecast offshoot of Almost Real, has two new releases on its schedule. The announcement gives fans of the line two new additions to watch, and it was reported by Diecast Society on October 14. The pair covers a BMW M4 GT3 EVO and a licensed Land Rover Defender 110 “Camel Trophy” Workshop Unit replica.

BMW M4 GT3 EVO (G82)

The BMW is the M4 GT3 EVO (G82) in “Presentation Car #1” livery, scheduled to arrive in February 2027. The announcement lists the product-number block 630001001 / 610321101. AR Box is a 1:64-focused line, and the retailer listing confirms the BMW is 1:64.

Weye Model Cars, which has a related AR Box BMW M4 GT3 EVO open for pre-order, provides more detail on the EVO platform. Weye says it is the latest evolution of BMW M Motorsport’s customer racing program and debuted in the 2025 season. The product page describes the P58 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six as capable of up to 590 horsepower depending on Balance of Performance regulations. Weye places that engine under a heavily ventilated carbon-fiber hood. It adds that the EVO package refines the G82 chassis with a focus on aerodynamic efficiency, tire wear management, and drivability for professional and amateur drivers.

The related pre-order is for the 2026 FIA WEC Spa-Francorchamps #32 car run by Team WRT, product number 630002001. Weye expects it in Q1 2027, making it a separate AR Box BMW from the Presentation Car #1 example. The listing calls the #32 dual-licensed by BMW M Motorsport and Team WRT, with its red livery driven at Spa by Darren Leung, Sean Gelael, and Augusto Farfus. Weye also describes the replica’s aerodynamic details as meticulous, with an aggressive racing stance and realistic wheels, identifies it as the second release in the AR Box lineup, and lists the color as red and black.

On pre-orders, Weye notes that release dates are manufacturer estimates that can change, and payment is charged at the time of purchase to reserve the model.

Land Rover Defender 110 “Camel Trophy” Workshop Unit

The Land Rover side is a “Land Rover Licensed Product – Defender 110 ‘Camel Trophy’ Workshop Unit Tanzania Burundi replica,” with arrival listed as December 2026. The full name carries the Tanzania Burundi regional tag, and the schedule puts the Defender ahead of the BMW, with the two arrivals split across 2026 and 2027.

AR Box in 1:64

Weye frames AR Box as Almost Real’s dedicated 1:64 line for serious collectors. The retailer says the sub-brand focuses on the popular scale while keeping up the parent company’s attention to detail and build quality, with paint finishes and accuracy as priorities. It also presents the replicas as collector-grade miniatures, with paint finishes and realistic accuracy at the center of the presentation.

The new slate runs from a track-focused BMW to an expedition-themed Land Rover.

Other 1:64 GT3 news

AR Box is not the only maker with a 1:64 BMW M4 GT3 EVO on the way. Diecast Direct is listing a Mini GT by TSM version of the #1 Paul Miller Racing 2025 IMSA Daytona 24Hrs car under item number MGT01247. That model is also 1:64, is expected around October–November 2026, and is marked as pre-sold out. Diecast Direct cautions that all expected release dates are approximate and may change for reasons including production delays, insufficient pre-orders, licensing difficulties, and shipping delays. The retailer says production and other delays are beyond its control and that it updates ETAs when manufacturers provide reliable information.

For collectors watching the AR Box calendar, the near-term date is the December 2026 Land Rover Defender 110, followed by the February 2027 BMW M4 GT3 EVO.

Italian model specialist BBR has a new Ferrari on the workbench: a 1:18 scale resin replica of the Ferrari Mondial Quattrovalvole. The model will be sealed rather than fully opening, and BBR will present it in six different exterior-and-interior combinations.

Details were reported by Diecastsociety.com, which noted BBR has not provided a release date at this time.

Six Versions, Two Reds

The announcement is built around color. BBR’s six options are:

• P18289A – Ferrari Mondial Quattrovalvole Rosso Corsa with Black interior
• P18289A1 – Ferrari Mondial Quattrovalvole Rosso Corsa with Beige interior
• P18289B – Ferrari Mondial Quattrovalvole Giallo Modena with Cream interior
• P18289C – Ferrari Mondial Quattrovalvole Verde Pino with Beige interior
• P18289D – Ferrari Mondial Quattrovalvole Blu Sera with Cream interior
• P18289E – Ferrari Mondial Quattrovalvole Nero DS with Cream interior

Rosso Corsa is the only exterior color used twice, with the cabin swapped between black and beige. The other four versions pair Giallo Modena, Verde Pino, Blu Sera, and Nero DS exteriors with cream or beige interiors.

The first two cars share the same base code family: P18289A is the Rosso Corsa/black car, while P18289A1 is the same red exterior with a beige interior.

Resin and Sealed

The material and body style are worth noting. This is a resin model, and the announcement describes it as sealed. That puts it in a different category from the opening die-cast metal models that make up much of BBR’s existing 1:18 catalog.

On BBR’s official storefront, the current range is organized into 1:64, 1:43, 1:18, and 1:12 series plus accessories. The 1:18 die-cast metal lineup includes Ferrari LaFerrari editions, Ferrari F80 models, Maserati MC20, and Formula 1 cars for the 2026 season. BBR says its high-quality die-cast models are “faithfully reproduced in every detail,” combining Chinese technology with the experience of BBR’s handmade products.

The new Mondial Quattrovalvole, by contrast, is a resin miniature with no mention of opening panels in the announcement.

The Ferrari Catalog Around It

Ferrari is a central part of BBR’s catalog. The official store lists a dedicated Ferrari section alongside other makers, and it covers everything from the LaFerrari to current F1 machinery. Specific Ferrari entries in the 1:18 die-cast range include the LaFerrari DIE CAST Full carbon with carbon base, the LaFerrari 2012 open diecast White Birdcage special pack, and Ferrari SF26 Grand Prix cars from the 2026 Italian event for Leclerc and Hamilton.

Elsewhere in the catalog, BBR lists Ferrari SF21 cars from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and multiple Ferrari 296 Speciale and Speciale A colorways, ranging from Rosso Fiorano to Giallo Kuramochi. Those releases join the 1:18 die-cast LaFerrari, F80, and F1 models on the Ferrari side of the store.

BBR’s 1:18 die-cast listings also include a Ferrari 296 Speciale A in Rosso Fiorano, Rosso Corsa with silver stripes, Grigio Ingrid, Giallo Kuramochi, Giallo Kuramochi matt with black and grey stripes, and Blu Capri with silver stripes. The 296 Speciale is shown in Rosso Taormina, Nero DS with Ambra stripe, Argento Nurburgring, and Giallo Modena with Blu Nart stripes.

The storefront also shows the wider BBR mix. A Maserati MC20 is listed in the same 1:18 die-cast group, and Mercedes-AMG F1 E Performance models mark Kimi Antonelli’s 2026 race wins and pole position.

The BBR Model Store is based in Saronno, Italy. It carries 1:43 and 1:18 scale models made by BBR and by other companies, and the store says web listings appear only when items are actually in stock so they can be shipped promptly to customers.

What’s Known Right Now

For now, BBR is keeping the announcement focused on the six versions. No release date has been attached to any of them. What collectors have today is a clear code list, a sealed resin format, and a Ferrari nameplate from BBR’s latest 1:18 project.

LEGO has dished up the final course in its 2026 Restaurants of the World series. 40909 Restaurants of the World: Italy is the fourth and last gift-with-purchase set in the quarterly lineup, closing a year-long gastronomic tour with a small pizzeria crowned by an oversized Margherita pizza sign. The reveal, which landed in early October, gives collectors a look at the set and confirms the lineup’s final destination.

The set officially becomes available on 13 October 2026 as a free GWP on LEGO.com for shoppers who spend US$180 / AU$295 / £160 / €180 / NZD$320, while stocks last. Its release overlaps with LEGO’s Double Points promotion, so LEGO Insiders members can build up extra points to spend against future orders.

A Compact Pizzeria, Big on Pizza Energy

The completed restaurant is instantly recognisable as an Italian eatery. An oversized Margherita pizza sign serves as the signboard, hovering above the terracotta tile roof and able to be swivelled into multiple display angles. A stickered Pizzeria sign adds to the front, and diners’ tables sit out front above the entrance archway. Around the building, builders will find dark green window shutters and a very Italian wall fountain on the left side.

Inside, the little restaurant keeps things practical: a prep kitchen with cheese, tomato sauce, and herbs, a stone oven for the pies, and shelves lined with glasses and bottles. The set also packs in a Margherita Pizza tile and a pizza box, so the chef is ready for takeout duty.

Meet the Pizza Chef

Like every set in the series, this one includes an exclusive minifigure. The cheerful Pizza Chef wears a white top with a semi-circle pizza logo above the breast pocket; the back of the torso includes fabric detailing. There is no alternate face. One detail collectors may notice: the chef’s warm pink legs are relatively rare, and a review from Jay’s Brick Blog notes the colour was introduced this year and had previously appeared only on the Gilderoy Lockhart minifigure in 76473 Hogwarts Castle: East Wing.

A Full Year of Restaurant Builds

With Italy, the 2026 GWP collection is complete. The quarterly run began with 40906 Restaurants of the World: Japan in Q1, moved on to 40907 Restaurants of the World: Mexico in Q2, and 40908 Restaurants of the World: Greece in Q3, before ending with 40909 Restaurants of the World: Italy in Q4. Collectors who grabbed all four can now display a full row of restaurants, each with its own exclusive regional minifigure.

The pizzeria also taps into a long LEGO tradition. Pizza has been a staple of LEGO Town for decades, thanks in large part to 6350 Pizza-to-Go from 1994, which helped bring the printed 2×2 pizza tile into the 1990s LEGO lineup. According to the review, pizza’s popularity in Denmark also runs deep: Danes embraced the dish from the 1950s onward.

The Last Slice

The same review from Jay’s Brick Blog calls the Italian build a delicious way to finish the culinary tour. The review suggests the four-restaurant series only scratches the surface of world cuisine and hopes LEGO may continue the line in 2027 and beyond. It also singles out the exclusive minifigures as a highlight, saying they do a lot to localise each set and personify its cuisine. The reviewer even admits the build inspired a Margherita pizza order from a local pizzeria.

For now, getting the pizzeria means meeting one of the regional spend thresholds. The offer runs from 13 October 2026, and the set will be available only while stocks last on LEGO.com.

Humanoid robots will line up for a five-a-side football match with no joysticks in sight, a Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed DeLorean is heading to Rome from Switzerland, and a five-metre pedal boat largely produced on a desktop 3D printer will be on the show floor. That is the picture at Maker Faire Rome – The European Edition, running 23–25 October at the Gazometro Ostiense, with part of the programme again at the nearby Istituto Superiore Antincendi.

400+ Stands and 145 Projects

The 14th edition will fill the former industrial gasworks with more than 400 exhibition stands. The Rome Chamber of Commerce organises the fair, bringing together independent makers, companies, start-ups and researchers. 26 secondary schools and 27 universities and research centres are taking part, with 145 projects between them.

The three main areas — Innovation, Creativity and Discovery — anchor a programme built around hands-on experience: testing prototypes, questioning builders, joining workshops and watching research leave the lab. Robotics and AI sit alongside digital manufacturing, circular economy, agritech, aerospace, design, education and creative production.

Italy’s First Open Humanoid Soccer Tournament

A headline newcomer is Italy’s first International Italian Open RoboCup Humanoid Soccer tournament. University and research teams field five humanoid robots per side; once a match begins, nobody touches a controller. The machines read the pitch and decide their own moves.

One contender, SPQR, comes from Sapienza University of Rome’s Department of Computer, Control and Management Engineering and has competed in RoboCup since 1998. Led by engineer and researcher Vincenzo Suriani, the team reached the final of the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing in August. According to the fair, it was the sole non-Chinese side left in the running when the event reached its final three days.

Robotics, Research and Craft

The I-RIM 3D 2026 conference, organised by the Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Machines, runs alongside the fair; the event announcement calls it the eighth edition. It covers assistive and medical robotics, collaborative systems, Embodied Intelligence, Physical AI and AI in industry. A new DEMO strand puts research systems in front of visitors, and RoboPitch lets selected start-ups and research groups present proof-of-concept projects to investors, universities, companies and innovation hubs. CNA Roma will look at how robotics and AI can be used by craftspeople and smaller companies.

Another new strand, AvantCraft, examines Italian craftsmanship as digital fabrication, robotics and AI enter workshops. Curated by Ca’ Foscari professor Stefano Micelli and organised by Upskill 4.0, it covers mobility and precision engineering; contemporary craft in ceramics, glass, scagliola and inlay; and fashion, jewellery and biomaterials. Highlights include high-performance cars, titanium bicycles, 3D-printed ceramics and the Dallara Stradale.

The Showstoppers

From Sardinia comes P3DALO, a five-metre inflatable pedal boat whose paddlewheel and structure are largely made on a standard desktop 3D printer; it breaks down for transport in an ordinary car. Sapienza Corse brings Gajarda AWD Hybrid Driverless, a Formula Student racer that recognises the course and drives itself using cameras and autonomous actuators. A DeLorean DMC-12 — designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and made famous by Back to the Future — arrives from the Enter Technikwelt Solothurn museum in Switzerland. A 17-year-old Italian maker will show a neural headset and a 3D-printed bionic hand. Robby Minichef, a kitchen robot that learns from a chef, demonstrates the actions and timings needed for spaghetti cacio e pepe. Da-Vinci Bicycle turns Leonardo da Vinci’s aerial screw into a VR flight experience: visitors pedal a stationary bike that drives the mechanism.

Education and Competitions

The Educational and Gaming area includes MakerCamp — described by the fair as Italy’s only official Minecraft Partner and Minecraft Education Partner — plus robot battles, circuit printing, augmented reality, driving simulation, European Space Agency activities and live chemistry. The STEAM in Minecraft 2026 contest has registered 417 classes from primary and secondary schools across Italy.

MakeITcircular 2026, promoted by consumer associations belonging to the CNCU, Italy’s National Council of Consumers and Users, offers a top prize of €3,000; winners are due on the main stage on 23 October. Eni returns as Main Partner for the thirteenth consecutive year. The Rome Chamber of Commerce promotes the event through Innova Camera, and tickets are available exclusively at makerfairerome.eu.

JConcepts has a new clear body for racers running Sparko’s F8 SE 1:8 nitro buggy. The S15 is a replacement and high-performance shell designed specifically around the F8 SE, the latest Sparko platform for 1:8th nitro buggy racing. JConcepts lists the body at a $40.00 retail price with a $34.00 map price.

Designed Around the F8 SE

The Groveland, Florida-based JConcepts team says it spent considerable time evaluating the F8 SE’s chassis layout to adapt its championship-winning S15 body to the vehicle. The result blends the performance traits of the popular Silencer body with new features such as mid-body winglets and a rear stabilizer kick-up.

JConcepts also calls out a forward cab bias and a channeled rear escape, plus an upper fin on the roof for stability and tracking. A cockpit shark fin adds extra stiffness, according to the company. The body’s sideguards are shaped to wrap the F8 SE naturally, with user-generated cutouts positioned around the steering geometry and front/rear body mount locations set for a clean drop-fit.

The S15 uses heavily chamfered side-pods blended into winglets, and a standard front nose cone is included; it can remain clear or be painted to match. The shell is clear polycarbonate with protective film and comes with a window mask and decal sheet.

When a new racing vehicle hits the market, JConcepts strives to offer a replacement and high-performance shell for competition needs.

JConcepts states the product is built, formed, and printed in the U.S.A. and is backed by the company’s customer support and racing heritage.

The Silencer Connection

The S15 is the latest addition to JConcepts’ Silencer body family, which the company describes as the gold standard in 1:8 off-road buggy performance. The Silencer was originally crafted for the 2012 IFMAR World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has been updated through the years.

Over time, the S1 version has been offered for cars from Team Associated, Mugen, TLR, Tekno, HB Racing, Sworkz, and Sparko. With Ryan Maifield driving, the Silencer has claimed champion status at The Dirt Nitro Challenge and the Psycho Nitro Blast. JConcepts also notes the Silencer is a back-to-back-to-back IFMAR World Champion design: David Ronnefalk took the 2016 title, and Davide Ongaro won in 2018, 2022, and 2024.

The Car It’s Made For

The F8 SE is part of Sparko’s F8 Nitro Pro Buggy platform. Sparko says the F8 was engineered with the professional-level racer in mind, with corner speed the highest priority from the start, alongside build quality and maximum durability. The platform is named after the F8 fighter jet, reflecting precision, performance, and advanced engineering.

The F8’s spec sheet includes race-focused geometry, a 16° aluminum C-Hub for corner-entry steering precision, and a rigid front upper arm for consistent steering feel. The drivetrain is a three-differential layout with high-capacity 43/13 ring and pinion gears front and rear, a center differential with 46T spur and 13T pinion, and a dogbone center driveline. It also uses 7075 hard-anodized aluminum shock bodies, dual sway bar sets, and a molded electronics tray for the servo, receiver battery, receiver, transponder, and switch.

Part Number and Price

The JConcepts S15 for the Sparko F8 SE is listed as part #0764, with UPC code 845937042637. The retail price is $40.00, and map price is $34.00. JConcepts points racers to reputable dealers and distributors and asks them to demand authentic, licensed products.

For 1/7-scale on-road builders who would rather run a body than paint one, Bittydesign has a new option: the Kanjo-N shell in pre-painted form. The new release fits the Arrma Infraction V2 and Felony, and it is also compatible with the Arrma Limitless. Bittydesign says the shell arrives exactly as it appears in the product photos, with paint applied and trimming already finished, so owners can skip the most labor-intensive part of body preparation.

What’s in the box

Pre-painted does not mean fully assembled. The box includes window masks, a pre-cut decal sheet, the decals themselves, front and rear aero flaps, a pre-cut rear wing, and widened wheel fenders. Screws for the wing are supplied, and the fenders use small M2 screws and nuts to attach. The front side aero flaps go on with double-sided tape.

Bittydesign says the trimming is done by robotic cutting, and that covers the shell plus every included part. The company’s pitch is that builders can set aside scissors and rotary tools and focus on assembly instead.

Dimensions and fitment

The pre-painted body is made from 1.5mm polycarbonate and has protective film on the outside. Length is 720mm, height is 174mm, and wheelbase is listed at 406mm with Arrma dBoots Hoons wheels. The two sources part ways on width: the announcement says 325mm, while Bittydesign’s Kanjo-N product page lists 306mm.

Fitment is built around the Infraction V2 chassis, with Felony compatibility noted in the release. Limitless installations require a few extra Arrma parts: the Infraction Body Post Mount Set (#ARA320517), Front Bumper Support (#ARA320521), Front Bumper (#ARA320515), and Outcast Body Post Set (#ARA320357). Bittydesign also lists the Traxxas XO-1 and Hobao Extreme VTE2 as compatible.

Styling and custom paint

Styling draws from Japanese car culture of the 1990s and 2000s; Bittydesign says the body was developed with Arrma in mind and positions the shell as a style icon for the 1/7-scale segment. The company says the design was aimed at fans of that era’s most iconic machines. The design phase took months of virtual modeling and rendering, and the final shell is produced with five-axis CNC milling. Wide fenders, front and rear aero flaps, and a large rear wing give the model a street-style, racing-inspired look.

The pre-painted release is not the only paint route for this shell. Bittydesign also offers on-demand airbrushing, saying it can handle everything from a one-color street-style finish to a more involved custom graphic. Options include pearlized and chameleon colors, artistic graphics, and racing liveries. A free painting quote can be requested by email, with a quote arriving within a few hours.

Retail context and price

Retailer Hobbies Direct, which stocks Bittydesign, identifies the company as an Italian brand whose catalogue pairs racing shells with custom-paint supplies. The retailer says the brand’s range includes unpainted bodies like the A3-F, Ahura GT, Destroyer 1/7, AR8-GT3, and Hyper-GT8, along with liquid mask, stencil sheets, and the Rock1 airbrush tool. Hobbies Direct says its Australian warehouse stocks roughly 34 Bittydesign lines, and local stock means buyers in Australia do not have to wait weeks for shipping from Europe. The store adds that the moulded shells have clean trim lines, which it says makes cutting and masking easier for first-time painters. It also notes that matching paint tools can be shipped together with a shell.

The pre-painted Kanjo-N is priced at €139, about $155, under part number #BDAR7-KJN-PP.