Airborne Motor Group (Kee) (Ultimately closed and outdated)

Oskiinus · 15 December 2015 14:08

Okay, time for some classic thingy stuff.

1956 Komodo Motoring Ashisuanto
The year was 1956, and only one year ago one japanese company was born, and it was called Komodo Motoring. They were experienced with building vehicle engines, but fresh car company needed outside help to build cars from others. In late 1955 Airborne Motor Company’s founder got letter that was sent from Komodo with question if they can help to build the car. The polish-american (at it’s times, now fully polish) company, having a solid base of newly introduced Airborne Worker, and they called it Ashisuanto, which means assistant in Japanese and was kind of making the Worker name (which was parodying, laughing out and criticizing communist system in Polish People Republic at the time) a little bit softer and more friendly. In June 1956 they were ready with 12 prototypes for tests. They looked similar to 4-door Worker sedan, but featured some design tweaks and emblems symbolizing two companies: two stripes from Airborne logo and chromed small Komodo dragon on the grille, which is biggest living lizard on the Earth and refers to company name. All the cars had Worker’s 1.0 L I4 which generated approx 42 hp. This car with this engine could reach first 100 km/h within 26.6 seconds and speed up to 124 km/h, which was enough for kei car segment of the era. However, after those tests, in December 1956 Komodo Motoring refused to produce the Ashisuanto. Today there are 7 Ashisuantos left:

Two units are in Airborne Museum; one with original Worker engine and one with engine swapped in Komodo Motoring
Four units are staying in various parts of America in collectors’ garages
One unit stands in CEO’s personal garage in Tarnów, Poland. Registered on his father, rides still on black number plates (that means that last owner registered it before 2000)

koolkei · 16 December 2015 02:28

yeah. i need to get around to make the reviews of these

Oskiinus · 18 December 2015 16:45

1959 Haight Grandeur
As you may know (or not) from press, TV and Motor Trend rumors, Haight Motor Company is slowly reborning after 2011 closing due to crisis. Some history background:
The company itself was born in 1939, just few days before World War II. In WW2 phase it was producing mainly little off-roaders hugely based on Willys Jeep MBs, Kubelwagens and Beetles. After WW2, Richard Haight, the founder, was planning to produce entry-level cheap sedan for US people. 1947 was the year when he met with future Airborne Motor Company’s founder at one of the amateur races. Airborne’s CEO was racing in a 1940 Chevrolet, and thankfully to the huge jump he named his company Airborne. But back to Haight: his company was still existing despite the founder was fully addicted to Airborne. In 1959, Haight Grandeur was launched. Critics named it beautiful and it went into history as one of the best roadsters ever produced. Grandeurs are known for their V12s - first model had V12 also, it was seven-litre engine with pushrods and DCOE fuel system. It was generating 275 HP and that was enough to launch this piece of beauty to 100 km/h in 8.3 seconds and to reach insane score of top speed being placed above 220 km/h. The car itself was pretty often compared to “more luxury Corvette C1”. Production was cut in 1966 and there were around 1,500 cars produced in it’s lifespan.

squidhead · 18 December 2015 17:11

This looks astonoshingly good, but the engine is clipping through the hood, it needs a scoop or something I guess. Although I must say performance is rather lacking for a v12 monster. Maybe wider tires or play with the wheel quality slider? I honestly expected it to do 240 and do 0-100 in about 6 seconds.

Oskiinus · 18 December 2015 19:35

About V12 - I planned it to make similar amount of power to 50’s Ferraris.
About scoop - great idea indeed, however I planned to make kind of hole to make the engine visible.
It’s more like a luxury roadster with great engine, but I wasn’t making the car as a track monster. It’s typically European BTW.

Oskiinus · 26 December 2015 19:45

1956 Airborne Mirage 1.0 Twin Carburettor
In 1947 Airborne Motor Company launched short run of Type 1 generic sedan. It didn’t made, however, and company needed mass production car for the public. 1950 was the year of presenting first version of Airborne Worker (it’s name was a ridiculous and obvious pun on communism in Poland), which got into production in 1955 with major design overhauls. After great success of Worker in it’s first year (1000th unit sold after 4 months of production), the company decided to create low-budget sports car like Porsche 356 (or later Airborne S200), and the project was called Mirage. After making deal with Porsche about utilizing their 356-style bodyshell it was finished and unveiled in 1956; first version, called simply Mirage or later Mirage 1.0 TC was holding inline 4 with capacity of 998cc which was carried from Worker Speedster and received additional power boost in comparison to original by adding second carburettor. In final, engine was making 61 hp which was enough to launch this car which was not weighting even 700 kilograms in nearly 15 seconds to 100 km/h and reach 167 km/h of top speed, which was enough to pass Porsche 356 A 1600. There are 1630 Mirages 1.0 sold, and we guess 1300 are left. At the time it was costing 3129 $. After success of Mirage, next version was developed.

1958 Airborne Mirage 1.4 S
Sportier Mirage with new engine built only for this model. It was inline 4 with 1.4 litre capacity generating 81 hp. Car also went heavier due to safety improvements and bigger engine and now it was weighting 732 kg. Due to rear drive layout car was pretty difficult to control and became shittier to drive, in fact. There were no improvements design-wise, only some interior options added, like cooling from vents or fully leather dashboard. Suprisingly, Mirage S was cheaper than standard variant which got replaced by S and it was costing 2850 $. Despite low price, only 591 S models were built to 1963, when Airborne Motor Company introduced something new.
Funfact: Kraft Haus Technik in 1958 bought some Mirage S units and tuned it as few prototypes, however it’s unknown what happened to them.

1963 Airborne Mirage 2.3 S2
The last iteration of Airborne Mirage. With new engine and design overhauls, like reverse lights addition or new plastic vents to reduce mass. But the biggest change was under the engine lid, and it was 2.3-litre naturally aspirated V6 engine which was generating almost 98 hp. This change made Mirage sportier, more attractive. And it was really well-solding, however after two months deal with Porsche about their bodies expired, due to “presentation and please to promote their newest model, 911”, so Airborne Motor Company had to cease production. In S2 interior remained the same, looks got changed and car was able to reach sub-10 second time to 100 and reach 182 km/h. That was enough to pass strongest versions of it’s main rival, Porsche 356. By funniest accident S2 was the cheapest car to produce from whole Mirage lineup and it was costing only 2400 $. Despite this, only 101 units are sold and AMC needed to fulfill needs of those 3500 people who ordered Mirage S2, but got informed about end of production. Company proposed to orderers new model with Mirage components, but with another bodyshell. Some didn’t agree and there were 895 orders left for new car.
In fact, Mirage was the only mass-produced rear-engined car by Airborne Motor Company (after 1973 Automotive) and had no successor until Valletta debut in 1972.

As always, give opinions!
By the way, thanks Felgen for this non-Porsche body.

Salvaged1Gdsm · 26 December 2015 23:24

got some genuinely nice and original designs there and I like the fact you have established your own style of taillight configuration that you use across multiple platforms, keep up the good work.

Oskiinus · 30 December 2015 18:04

2017 Airborne Centenario
Airborne Motor Company’s founder was born at 2nd of January 1917. After 59 years he died in Hades supercar tests in 1976. Hades was founder’s ambition to create the best car to outclass everything else, including cars of it’s era. But we made a car to celebrate founder’s 100th birthday in 2017. Of course, the car is finished in 2015 but who the hell cares? Sales will begin at 2.01.2017, just at the 100th birthday anniversary day. Anyway, this is the Centenario. Made to be best car you can afford if you have LOOOOOOTS of money. Pointed at Gryphon Gears, Jioranis and other hardcore creations. It’s company’s first production car with V12 engine under the body and it produced 625 hp and still leaves some place to rev this engine a bit more. Massive aero engineering and weight reduction made this car go in 2.5 seconds too 100 km/h (that’s quicker than you can speak Airborne Automotive Centenario name) and it can reach maximum of 382 km/h. As a Cerberus’s partial successor it has slower top speed but better 0-100 acceleration (2.5 vs 2.8 ). In case of suspension and tyres it’s pretty unique; as the first car of the company uses pushrod suspension plus Centenario runs on road-legal semi slicks, which is pretty uncommon in Airbornes. Of course, it comes with a bit of luxury inside and safety systems including ABS and ESP. Don’t worry, you can turn them off, however we don’t recommend them even if the car has AWD like here. After 39 years, the ultimate hypercar is finally ready. Centenario will be offered in three colors, as refferring to countries where it has grown: Championship White, Polish Red and American Blue. Of course, everyone who buys this ridiculous [size=50]piece of shit[/size] hypercar will be also part of official Airborne Supercar Club who brings together owners of limited-production super and hypercars over the years from Airborne, this is:

Rome (476 units)
Evoluzione (25 units)
Deimos (somewhere near 400 units)
Centenario (1917 units)

The price is 786.620 $.

I hope I didn’t killed you from boredom because of this backstory. And, would you like a kind of interview, or stuff like Kampfzerstorer did and so other people?
If magazines want to review one of the cars, they can ask with ease.

Microwave · 31 December 2015 12:51

Nice little Hypercar you got there. What’s the airfield time?

Oskiinus · 1 January 2016 11:51

My company avoids posting track times due to it’s politics (and fact it doesn’t want to get involved in stupid time wars), however saying that Centenario laps Dunsfold track in time of approx 1:10 and Green Hell in 7:14 is pretty true.

Microwave · 1 January 2016 12:05

Fair enough. I’ve noticed that you have positive downforce in the front and negative in the rear. You really should try to swap those around so you have negative in the front and positive in the rear.

Oskiinus · 12 January 2016 20:46

2016 RZ Aranaut

Airborne Motor Group was pretty successful in 2015. Names like Ray Corporation were brought back to live, Airborne Automotive met various reorganisation processes. Let’s start from 2016 news: RZ Motors is going to be revamped too and they will produce mainly city compact cars (that means ending production of Mk1 Orbit). Let me present their new car, designed in 2015…

RZ Aranaut is a car that is probably the cheapest possible entrance to Airborne Motor Group’s world. It’s basic car of RZ Croatian lineup. It has naturally aspirated Inline 4 multi point EFI 849cc engine generating almost 66 hp (YES, SATANIC POWAH). Since it’s not very expensive (not like Smart), it has pretty simple suspension with MacPherson struts and semi trailing arm to provide compactness. Body, designed by Airborne engineers is pretty similar in materials to cars of polish company lineup - monocoque chassis with aluminium body panels. It provides reduced risk of rusting and gives some opportunity to be alive after an accident. About performance… it’s one of only few cars in whole Airborne Motor Group offer to have FWD and 5-speed gearbox. It’s not very fast (not tested yet, however bet that it will go maximum 170 km/h wouldn’t be so unfair). Of course, Aranaut provides also newest safety systems and shares interior shape with Airborne Xy. Price will start from 11.410 $, depending from taxes and personal preferences.

strop · 13 January 2016 04:10

I only just noticed that the 2017 Centenario was slated to compete with the likes of my company specifically. I am flattered. In fact, 2016 for us is a year of a different kind of envelope pushing in ways other than simply as fast as we can make it, but by 2017 we will likely be looking to put together all our accumulated experience to revive a 2014 project to make a dedicated hypercar slayer.

At this point in time Automation lacks the engine configuration I would like to put in such a car, but in due time, one shall see. What we can confidently say is that it will comfortably outpace a P1, which is only fitting so many years down the road.

Oskiinus · 13 January 2016 06:25

[quote=“strop”]I only just noticed that the 2017 Centenario was slated to compete with the likes of my company specifically. I am flattered. In fact, 2016 for us is a year of a different kind of envelope pushing in ways other than simply as fast as we can make it, but by 2017 we will likely be looking to put together all our accumulated experience to revive a 2014 project to make a dedicated hypercar slayer.

At this point in time Automation lacks the engine configuration I would like to put in such a car, but in due time, one shall see. What we can confidently say is that it will comfortably outpace a P1, which is only fitting so many years down the road.[/quote]

By telling it’s competitive for your level of cars and setting up year for 2017 - I usually do a model year where ot is going to be introduced, you know. Something like Luxury HUDs: they’re in cars from 2015 irl, however these cars will be introduced some Time later (from few months to even Three years). And sorry if I interrupted your plans (with this “ad”) - Centenario was mde in previous year as a Concept car featuring futuristic Technology (you know what I mean when you see irl concepts, yeah?). Wasn’t afraid of that, I meant current Gryphons.

strop · 13 January 2016 07:08

Don’t worry, there’s no interruption of my plans whatsoever. If anything, it coincides with our plans quite nicely, though the cars do remain in a different class since I’m aiming for about 1300hp with a turbo. If anything it would have baan a good competitor for the Soltra Espation… Except Soltra was disbanded after an accident crippled their company at the end of 2015.

But it would generally be unreasonable to get annoyed with a potential competitor for interrupting one’s plans anyway

UMGaming · 13 January 2016 08:08

Just saying that the Soltra Espation was quite a bit cheaper in total cost terms

Oskiinus · 15 January 2016 16:47

Hello guys.
You may notice Airborne F15, nicknamed “Patricia” from one of twenty deadliest hurricanes that were measured by humans. The car overall is 10th out of 12 places in AP1 category overall, and was 28th in Sebring. Despite this, we’re pretty okay with result. Not happy, not sad, however it could be worse. But, finally, Patricia made a “debut” on AMWEC poster, this time of race in Fuji
By the way, you may expect that production version of Rea may base on Patricia.

Oskiinus · 15 January 2016 21:37

In case you missed, our Detroit entries!

automationgame.com/phpBB3/viewto … 6&start=10
(above is the link to official video)

Sillyworld · 16 January 2016 06:48

[quote=“Oskiinus”]Hello guys.
You may notice Airborne F15, nicknamed “Patricia” from one of twenty deadliest hurricanes that were measured by humans. The car overall is 10th out of 12 places in AP1 category overall, and was 28th in Sebring. Despite this, we’re pretty okay with result. Not happy, not sad, however it could be worse. But, finally, Patricia made a “debut” on AMWEC poster, this time of race in Fuji
By the way, you may expect that production version of Rea may base on Patricia.[/quote]

Oh, that’s were the name came from By the way, I was close to the zone were Patricia were supposed to strike (like 2 hours or so). It was a chaos, a lot of traffic accidents from people runing from the coast to other cities, the gouverment place a lot of shelters, and all the stores, schools, gyms and pretty much everything was closed… and at the end nothing happened. Just regular rain for a day and a half. Nonetheless, the F15 is my favourite looking car in the AMWEC

Oskiinus · 20 February 2016 13:30

Let’s show some historical propositions from Airborne Automotive, since I had nothing to post last time…

1978-1980 Airborne Mercury Coupe/Targa
In 1974 the founder planned to make supercar that would wipe out everything, including Lamborghinis, Ferraris and even De Tomasos and other exotic speeders. The car was presented in 1976 as Hades, but in result of terrible accident which founder died in, next CEO (his son - at time of he became the CEO he was only 15 in late 1976) decided that Airborne needs to strike sports car market, but not with THAT radical car. That’s how Mercury was born. By times when it was presented in Geneva in 1978 reviewers quickly took it as response to british Lotus Esprit and the car made initially kind of success - not a failure, but not a hit. Unlike Esprit, it’s main rival it was not turbocharged until 1985 and was offered in two variants - coupe and targa (joined the offer in 1980). Both Mercurys in their NA stage were powered by 2,8 litre V6 that had power of “only” 208 hp that was transferred to rear wheels by Airborne’s classic - manual gearbox made in cooperation with Getrag, which allowed to use unique setup with “reverse 1st” gear. Combined with small curb weight (964 kg targa, 971 kg coupe) could reach impressive 0-100 result of 5.9 seconds and respectable top speed in it’s class (245 km/h coupe, 241 km/h targa). In fact, Mercury Targa made bigger success due to possibility to take off roof and make the car lighter. In 1978 Mercury Coupe was costing $24.653 and Targa in 1980 was priced at $30.443.

1975 Airborne A27
In 1973 oil crisis struck many small, but also big companies. Airborne Motor Company was assassinated due to bankrupcy in 1973, but was reborn quickly in the same year as Airborne Automotive and was only manufacturing Valletta (first post) in small amounts to 1976. But there was another project - family car focused on economy for times of crisis. Result of this plan was Airborne A27 - pretty simple name came by A from Airborne and 27 was from fact that the model was presented 27 years after founding. A27 was extremely crappy, slow, boxy (but featured some nice looks), and pretty economical and went Airborne back from the dead in first year of production - the car became a hit! However, it hurt company’s name pretty badly - Airborne fans turned out and said that the company went it’s sports factor, so founder sent desperate letter to Kraft Haus Technik for possibility to tune their car. In fact, A27 had 2 litre inline 4 producing only 60 hp. The car could reach only 157 km/h and needed 16 seconds to reach 100 km/h, which was pretty… well… explain it to yourself It had also it’s pros - it was RWD and light, so some drifts could be performed (and in late 90s A27 became one of drifters’ favourite cars). In shortcut: A27 was car only for crisis times and it did pretty well, however production of this “budget” version was cut in 1978 due to plans of introducing new, better commuter sedan which would be made better, more powerful and in total better. A27 in 1975 costed only $2.152. Also, as a funfact - two exemplars of A27 were reported to be shipped to PRL in December 1977, however what happened to them is unknown.

1966 Airborne Beta 1000
In Anno Domini 966 christians went to territory of Polans and christianized Mieszko I from Piast dynasty and his people causing the beginning of Poland. In 1966, 1000 years later Polish Church released Bible of the Millenium which was direct translation of original Bible and Airborne did anniversary thing too - Beta 1000. Because what car was better to modify into anniversary edition than Beta, Airborne’s flagship car from 1961 to 1969? Beta 1000 kept the V8 engine what started it’s lifespan in Monocoque and then went to original Beta. Compared to Beta, Beta 1000 received visible design overhauls and in fact became pretty modern design-wise. It could catapult itself to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and reach 232 km/h, which was pretty comparable (if it comes to acceleration) with most of muscle cars of it’s era. It wasn’t a track car - it was more like 2+2 GT. It was however very thirsty - it burned 23 litres of fuel per 100 km! The car was limited in production to 966 units (which of around 71-73 were shipped to Poland) and was available only in two colors - Championship White or Flag Red, which are colors of polish flag. In it’s times Beta 1000 costed 16.050$.

Tell me what do you think!