The LEGO Model Team theme introduced in 1986 included larger scale vehicle models with more attention to details, such as steering and drive functionality as well as visual realism of the vehicles. Model Team was discontinued after 1999 and replaced by the Creator theme.
2004 LEGO Sets
2004 was a pivotal recovery year following financial losses in 2003. LEGO updated its color palette, introducing light nougat for licensed minifigures and brighter grays and browns. The company partnered with Ferrari under LEGO Racers and launched Knights’ Kingdom II, a story-driven reimagining of Castle. QUATRO expanded the preschool range, while World City, Orient Expedition, Spider-Man, and Gravity Games concluded. These shifts, along with strategic licensing, began LEGO’s long-term turnaround.