680 parts

This is a quite innovative set for the LEGO Technic theme, as it features several vehicles / machines in one single box, that could be played together in one construction scenario. Somehow it reminds me the old Universal Sets, although with an obvious different concept.

The vehicles are:
One red Excavator (looks close to the old 8294 from 2008, in a smaller and simplified version).
One yellow Front Loader with articulated steering. Similar to 8453 from 2003.
One blue / LBG Dump Truck similar to 8052 (at least in the color scheme), but smaller and the tipper does not get-off the chassis. The cab is American style (blue big rig shape cab) and LBG tipper.
As for the functions we have:
Excavator: 1 knob to rotate the upper structure (geared), 1 knob to lower / raise the boom and one lever to manually articulate the dipper arm plus bucket.
Front Loader: 1 knob for the articulate steering, another one in the rear to raise / lower the front arm and a lever to move the shovel in a nice articulated solution.
Dump Truck: 1 HoG wheel on top of the cabin for steering and one knob to dump the tipper which has a dump rear door.
All the vehicles are about 9 studs wide.

As for the new parts, I've found 3 dog bone beams in the excavator, 3 long axle/pins (2 in the excavator and one in the front loader), plus the new worm gear in the Front Loader also. There could be more dog bones or long axle/pins, but these were what I could find or remember from a quick inspection, without being able to take pictures or write notes...

No part count indicated for this set, as it was the one that I found obviously wrong (442...).

This is the smallest set, a Chinook helicopter, in blue and white colors. It uses six 99012 small rotor blades (3 in each rotor).
Instead of the need to swirl the rotors manually and since there are two of them, there is a knob in the back to make them rotate simultaneously, for which they are obviously geared together.
No new parts in this one, that I was able to find.

And that's all about this new model and functions.

141 pieces

Together with the pull-backs this is amongst the second smaller sets.
The predominant colors are lime and black, it is a smaller version from the older 8272 released in 2007, and it uses the smaller 3873 wide tread links (black version).

In what regards new elements, it is the one and only one set using all the new steering elements described above (all the three: new arm, connector and gear).
As a small set, the functions resume to the manual steering on the handlebar, suspension and tread rolling.

414 pieces

This is a classic hot rod vehicle with a 6 piston engine in the front. Probably its most noticeable aspect is the dominant color, where we get some Technic beams and panels in Medium Blue color. We haven't seen this color in Technic sets for years, and by then only in a small set of parts and fewer sets.

It features an HoG knob wheel for steering and a nice retractile roof - that's it! The front grill is brick based and the doors do not open...

In the model I've seen, it had 44309 tires (43.2 x 22 ZR) at front, and the new tires in the rear axle. Although the box and catalog images show the first ones at all wheels. Probably because they're preliminary images, but can't be sure about what we will get in the end (someone may have misplaced the tires in the model).

The box has some space in the upper-right corner, reserved for a new "marketing campaign" (3D Build In), which means there will be available 3D media building instructions for iPad and Android tablets. Such media files should be read on App Store and Google Play apps, based on Autodesk Inventor Publisher, like we have seen on the new 31313 MINDSTROMS EV3 [3, 4]. A more than expected movement I'd say!
I was told this was going to be also available for the other models (at least the B-models), but can't be sure whether this is a correct statement, as there weren't such references in the preliminary boxes. Although the dealer's catalog have a mention to "digital media support to strengthen the experience".

No new parts that I've noticed in this model too.

680 parts

This is a quite innovative set for the LEGO Technic theme, as it features several vehicles / machines in one single box, that could be played together in one construction scenario. Somehow it reminds me the old Universal Sets, although with an obvious different concept.

The vehicles are:
One red Excavator (looks close to the old 8294 from 2008, in a smaller and simplified version).
One yellow Front Loader with articulated steering. Similar to 8453 from 2003.
One blue / LBG Dump Truck similar to 8052 (at least in the color scheme), but smaller and the tipper does not get-off the chassis. The cab is American style (blue big rig shape cab) and LBG tipper.
As for the functions we have:
Excavator: 1 knob to rotate the upper structure (geared), 1 knob to lower / raise the boom and one lever to manually articulate the dipper arm plus bucket.
Front Loader: 1 knob for the articulate steering, another one in the rear to raise / lower the front arm and a lever to move the shovel in a nice articulated solution.
Dump Truck: 1 HoG wheel on top of the cabin for steering and one knob to dump the tipper which has a dump rear door.
All the vehicles are about 9 studs wide.

As for the new parts, I've found 3 dog bone beams in the excavator, 3 long axle/pins (2 in the excavator and one in the front loader), plus the new worm gear in the Front Loader also. There could be more dog bones or long axle/pins, but these were what I could find or remember from a quick inspection, without being able to take pictures or write notes...

828 pieces

This is the largest set for the January releases. It has an European style Skip Truck with an yellow cab (13 wide plus the mudguard beams - 15 wide overall at the wheels), DBG bumper and black front grill. The rear chassis and and lifting arms come in red, and the skip in blue.

It has 6 wheels with the new tires mentioned above and a two-function switch box to control the the skipping functions. With the yellow lever at one position, the knob on the other side controls the rear outriggers with one small LA (similar principle as used in the 42008 Service Truck, but flat feet instead of panel "blades"), and at the other position it rotates the lifting arms via two large LAs.
There is an automated mechanism the locks the skip when the rear outriggers are raised and then it dumps the rubbish, and when the outriggers are lowered the lift arms unload the skip out of the truck. A very smart and well done mechanism, indeed!

I don't remember any new parts here, but likely I'll be proved wrong...
Although we get two 5 x 11 panels (64782) in blue for the first time, and one in yellow (still not the return from the already rare red ones...)
The skip is tied to the lifting arms with some pearl dark gray Bionicle chain links (53551).

This set can be upgraded and functions motorized, with supplemental Motor Set 8293.

1308 pieces

This is the largest set for the season and as usual it is planned for general availability in March.

This is a large bi-motor cargo aircraft with about 70 studs wing span, for you to get an idea of the dimensions.
It is mostly white, with just the vertical rear stabilizer and rudder (not functional, I think) colored blue.
The rotors in the motors use the same blades (99012) as in the Chinook.

This set will be a bit more expensive than its counterpart in 2013 (The 42000 Grand Prix Racer), as it will come with motorization out-of-the-box (one PF M-motor and the respective Battery Box).
As for the functions, it includes:
Motorized spinning rotors
Motorized landing gear. Guess this is valid for the front and rear landing gears. For the rear ones there are some fairing panels which cover / uncover the wheels, although I don't know whether these also raise / lower, or if it is only the fairings that move up and down.
Motorized front cargo bay - The whole plane cockpit moves upwards, giving access to the interior cargo bay. One mini-LA is in charge here.
Motorized rear cargo bay - A descent 5 x 11 panel like in the 9396 Helicopter. Another mini-LA is also in charge here.
The flaps and ailerons move manually, although not sure whether they move independently (guess they do) - Several black knob wheels (32072) in use to make these functions work.
Don't know whether the elevators also move, but guess not.
We can see several red levers (4 of them), which I presume are there to command the switch box (likely two of them) and to move the flaps / ailerons (likely another two of them).