So it safe to go back to the list of all your designs and access the photo mode from there?
Cheers!
I think it’s safe as long as your first exit to the sandbox design list and then re-open the model and take a photo from there. I believe the bug only happens if you design a car and then immediately go to photomode.
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Yep.
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Quick update: unfortunately I won’t quite be able to get the first round results out today. I’ve started having issues with my allergies, and they’re taking their toll on me. Nevertheless, I’ll do my best to get them out by tomorrow.
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Get well soon!
The other workaround is to make a clone and photo that, then delete after 
But you’re going out into the car design menu, which when you are out there, can select the photo mode, which doesn’t break cars.
Cars only lose their fixtures when you enter and exit the photo mode from the designer itself.
Ahhhh I see. Never mind then
Reviews, round 1
The Buckner’s old Ford rattled down the gravel road, popping and banging, and leaving a trail of blue smoke in its wake. Debrah waited for her husband in the courtyard, full of expectations. The car finally stopped with a clunk, and John stepped out on the ground.
“Old girl dudn’t have much life left, does she?”
John shook his head. “Nah. If she’d been a horse I oughta have put ‘er down a long time ago. Either way, it dudn’t matter.” He triumphantly revealed the stack of flyers and magazines he’d hid behind his back. “cuz’ somewhere in this here pile is our new car.”
“In that? I dudn’t think they made ‘em that small,” she said with a smirk.
John couldn’t help but laugh at her little joke. “Who knows? Maybe ‘un day in the future you pick a car from a magazine or somethin’ and then you get it delivered to yer door.”
“Oh, don’t be silly! Come on in, I’ll go put on some coffee; I think we’re gonna need it.
Townsend T100
“Well, this ‘un looks alright to me”
“It’d look better if they finished drawin’ it,” Debrah retorted. “Looks like they just put some grilles an’ lights on a body and called it a day. I like the side trim, though; very stylish.”
“Yeah, yeah, but ya gotta think about what’s on the inside, cuz’ that’s what matters. Lemme see what the reviews say ‘bout it first.”
AutoTrend No.4, 1959:
The T100 is the latest offering from coachbuilder Townsend in the pickup truck segment. It offers decent fuel economy, a large bed and adequate load capacity. While it could do with a larger radiator, we feel it should be adequate for anything but the most heavy of workloads.”
John scratched his chin. “Well, it doesn’t sound too bad; watcha say we give it a drive?”
She nodded in agreement.
Verdict: Test drive!
HRM R-470
“Now that’s what I call a looker!”, Debrah exclaimed.
“Yeah, it sure is stylin’, but I don’t know about those wheels”. He pointed to the ad. “Look at how small the sidewalls are! They oughta be expensive to replace.”
Sure enough, the ad confirmed their fears and more:
“The HRM-R470 has probably the highest load capacity in its class and an engine that can move mountains. Unfortunately the power is of no use if you cannot get close to them, as the truck completely lacks any off-road ability, which in itself is a deadly sin for a work vehicle. Part of the problem can be attributed to the very wide radial tyres, which aside from being unsuited to off-road grip are also hideously expensive. Furthermore, the car suffers from having a very tall first gear, which may make takeoffs very difficult when the car is loaded.”
Verdict: No test drive
Rebel Chromeside 120
“Oh sweeet Jesus, I’m in love! I want it now!”
“Calm down woman! You can’t just pick the first car you fancy, we oughta check it’s up the job first”.
The review didn’t leave them disappointed
The Rebel Chromeside 120 is of the most promising vehicles in the premium pickup truck segment that we have tested. With decent handling, good comfort, great load capacity and fantastic off-road ability combined with low service costs and a very competitive price, it is likely to be a common sights along the roads. Our only complaint is the transmission; while the two-speed automatic is very smooth and the short first gear is very good for towing, it also means the car only has a single gear above 25 miles per hour which doesn’t do wonders for performance. The somewhat short final drive also makes the car quite thirsty at highway speeds. Nevertheless, the Chromeside is a very good truck.”
Verdict: Test drive!
LIM-MIL Shard
“Looks like one them ol’ army trucks”. It was clear she wasn’t impressed.
“Eh, it ain’t that bad. Lemme check the review first, a’ight?”
The LIM-MIL Shard looks to us like an upfitted army truck, and that is precisely what it is. Despite this it has a reasonably comfortable suspension without sacrificing carry capacity. The powerful straight-six engine is undercooled for the workload it is expected to experience, which makes the truck unfit for any heavier work.
Verdict: No test drive.
Vanquist Bitty Boy
“Lookit this thing! It’s tiny! I almost gotta get my magnifying glass to see it!”
“Too tiny; I dudn’t think you could fit a sack of potatoes in it even. But whaddaheck, I might be wrong.”
We are not quite sure what the Vanquist Bitty Boy is doing in this comparison, as it is almost the exact opposite of every vehicle in this test. It is almost small enough to fit in the beds of the larger pickup trucks we tested, and while it is more capable than what its size suggests it is simply too small for the needs of the American demographic.
Verdict: No test drive.
MUD Ouray Classic
“Meh.”
“Whaddaya mean?”
“It looks boring; it’s even got less chrome than that military truck.”
“Gotcha, but I at least wanna read ‘bout it before we ditch it.”
The MUD Ouray should be a very good work vehicle with its 4X4 drive train and impressive fuel economy. We say ‘should’, as like the Shard we reviewed earlier the engine has way too little cooling for sustained loads, and it seems the effort was instead put into (pointless) cooling ducts for the brakes. It’s a shame, since it could have been so much more.
Verdict: No test drive
Sinistra Raider Utility
Debrah nearly jumped off her chair when she saw the front of the Sinistra. “Oh mah stars, it looks like it’s gonna eat me!” After recovering from the initial shock, she continued. “It dudn’t look too bad actually; go see what the reviews say ‘bout it.”
We are not quite sure what the Sinistra Raider Utility is supposed to be. While it pretends to be a pickup truck and it definitely has the right kind of engine, it’s powering the front wheels and this in combination with the sporty suspension it is not very good at hauling things. In the end, we honestly don’t think the Raider Utility makes much sense.
Verdict: No test drive
Olympus Pisces
“Oh my, now this is more like it!” Debrah smiled at the stylish truck. “I could easily see myself in something like this!”
John nodded. It was a little smaller than the others, sure, but it definitely looked the part. He flicked through the magazine until he found the review.
The Olympus Pisces may be a little smaller than its competitors, but do not let that fool you, for it is a very competent vehicle. Not only can it haul heavy loads without breaking a sweat, but thanks to the outstanding brakes and forgiving handling it almost drives itself. This excellence does come at a cost; the Pisces is one of the most expensive models we have reviewed. Nevertheless, we still feel it is work a look.
Verdict: Test drive!
Bogliq Mutineer Custom
“Bogliq? Never heard of ‘em before. It looks a’ight, though.”
John on the other hand were more than familiar with them. They were the only car brand from the eastern bloc that had a presence in the U.S, and that didn’t have all the negative connotations with other brands from there.
“European. I’ve seen ‘em once in a while; they’re starting to get more common. Might be something to look into.”
He flicked through the magazine until he found a review:
The Bogliq Mutineer Custom occupies the same size segment as the Sinistra Raider and Olympus Pisces, while being cheaper to both buy and own than both. The Bogliq is also more lavishly equipped than its competitors, though the comfort suffers quite a lot from the crashy suspension, especially in the rear. The Bogliq also achieves remarkable fuel economy, almost rivaling city cars. Unfortunately, Bogliq’s insistence on using an alloy engine head together with the triple carburettor setup severely hurts projected reliability, while not really bringing many benefits other than a miniscule weight saving.
Verdict: No test drive.
Montes 200V 2200 Deluxe
“What’s this doin’ here? I thought you wanted a truck?” Debrah asked, incredulously. John was just as confused. “No idea. Don’t even remember picking it up.”
He examined the leaflet closer. He could clearly see that it was advertising the previous years’ model, making its presence even stranger. He shrugged, crumpled up the paper and tossed it into the bucket where they kept tinder for the fireplace.
“Shame, cause it’s a real looker,” Debrah lamented.
Verdict: No test drive.
PMI Roamer-Spirit Vogue
“Lord in heaven, look at this word salad; it’s like someon’ threw up a lexicon.” John couldn’t help showing his irritation. If it was anything he had little tolerance for, it was pretentiousness.
Debrah just laughed. “C’mon, it’s just an ad. Them marketing guys gotta earn their pay somehow. At least it doesn’t look too bad.”
The PMI Roamer-Spirit Vogue markets itself as a more upscale utility vehicle. Sadly, the ‘upscale’ negatively affects the ‘utility’; not only is the coil-sprung rear suspension unsuitable to deal with heavy loads, but a strange amount of effort has gone into engineering certain parts, such as premium tires on a vehicle that does not need them, while neglecting more important things such as the undersized brakes.
Verdict: No test drive.
Deer&Hunt Fallow Mk.III Deluxe
“Oh wow, I like this one. Didn’t know you could make cars look this good with this little chrome.”
John agreed, the Fallow was a very elegant creation indeed. What somewhat concerning was the pamphlet advertising not one but TWO four-barrel carburettors. That sounded like more of a headache than he was bargaining for. Sure enough, the review confirmed his fears:
The Mk.III Fallow offers an enjoyable driving experience without sacrificing practicality, although comfort suffers somewhat. It does however have issues with an undersized radiator as well as an over-complicated fuel system that is bound to become a maintenance nightmare.
Verdict: No test drive
Packard WX-T560
“I dudn’t know what to think about it. The front looks a’ight I guess, but the rear is… I dunno; it’s a’ight.”
John was more confused by the name. “Packard? Thought they went outta business last year. Maybe someone picked ‘em up again.”
Despite the incidental brand name and questionable styling, it is definitely a competent vehicle. While it is rather small, its load capacity puts even full-sized trucks to shame. The fuel system does seem rather complicated at first glance with its quad carburettor setup, but thankfully they are of the self-adjusting SU type and thus should not cause too many issues.
Verdict: Test drive!
Dominion Labrador Styleline
“Huh, almost looks like a Chevy; I like it”, Debrah remarked.
John nodded; it definitely looked like a truck in the classic sense of the word.
The Dominion Labrador Styleline is a very adept work vehicle with both excellent load- and carry capacity, without sacrificing drivability or ride comfort. Our only gripe is with the short gearing, making the engine a tad loud at highway speeds. Otherwise, it is a very fine vehicle.
Verdict: Test drive!
Ponni Workmate Supersix
Debrah shrugged. “Eh, it’s alright. Dudn’t look too special, but it ain’t ugly either.”
John didn’t really have anything to say, so he repeated the gesture.
The Ponni Workmate, like many other vehicles in our comparison, unfortunately suffers from a lack of cooling; this is a shame, as it is otherwise a rather competent vehicle.
Verdict: No test drive
LUXOR Vulcan
“Oh lord, that’s a beauty if I’ve ever seen one.”
Even John, who usually didn’t care for such things, was enamored by the car. It was a little old-fashioned, sure, but there was little doubt it was classy. Of course, none of that mattered if it wasn’t up to snuff.
The LUXOR Vulcan is one of the most elegant designs in our review; it looks more like a luxury car than a work vehicle. This sadly reflects in the mechanics; the engine desperately needs a bigger radiator, and it would do much better with leaf-spring suspension in the rear rather than coils. As it stands, it would make much more sense with an extra set of doors rather than a truck bed.
Verdict: No test drive
Albatross T100
“Hol’ on, dudn’t we look at this one already?”
John flicked through the papers until he found the Townsend ad. He held them up in front of himself and studied them
Townsend T100
Albatross T100
He shook his head. “Nah, just called the same. Dunno who’s sending their lawyers first.”
The Albatross T100 is another competent work truck with extra creature comforts. While not standing out from the competition in any particular way, it also does not suffer from any critical flaws. Combined with its low price and reasonable maintenance costs it is definitely a valid option for those looking for a more plush work vehicle.
Verdict: Test drive!
Dixiecar Freedom V12
“Good lord, what in gods name is that thing??”
John didn’t say a word. Instead, he calmly got up and walked to the kitchen, got a pack of matches, went outside and set the piece of paper on fire. He watched it slowly turn to ashes as Debrah looked on in horror through the kitchen window. After the spectre of the Dixiecar was exorcised from his property, he went back into the house and sat down at the kitchen table, visibly shaken.
“A’ight, next one”
Verdict: No
Gasril Barnside
“Oh, what a fancy lookin’ ride. Ain’t as good-lookin’ as the Rebel, but I like it.”
John thought it looked promising, too. Unfortunately, the reviews didn’t agree with him.
The Gasril Barnside is a bit of an enigma to us. Statistically, it outcompetes everything in its segment, and has a comfort level rivaling luxury cars. And yet it throws it all away by having a stupidly short final drive which means the engine is screaming at a deafening 4300 rpm at highway speeds. Couple that with below-average reliability, and, as much as it pains us to say this, unless Gasril revises their model we sadly are unable to recommend it.
Verdict: No test drive
Brooks Idaho DeLuxe 350
Only two cars left now. They were both starting to feel a little tired, and were glad this was soon going to be over. The Idaho DeLuxe was an understated yet stylish truck of a similar size to for example the Rebel. “I like this one too,” said Debrah.
The Brooks Idaho DeLuxe is very reasonably priced and has decently low running costs. Unfortunately it is not as well-equipped as its competition, and coupled with the low load capacity, poor brakes and insufficient engine cooling we are also unable to recommend it.
Verdict: No test drive
Washington Motorworks Bull
“‘Tis the last one”, John said.
“Thank goodness, I thought I was gonna pass out.” Debrah tried, and failed to suppress a yawn.
“Looks like another army vehicle, almost. Ah think it’s better lookin’ than the Shard, though, so it’s alright I guess.”
The Washington Motorworks Bull has a decent load capacity and is a very decent off-roader, combined with an attractive price tag, however like many other vehicles we have tested it suffers from an undersized radiator, making it unsuited for hauling.
Verdict: No test drive
Thanks to everyone who waited so patiently for the reviews. I should have the final part ready by tomorrow. If you want more detailed criticisms of your cars, just hit me up either in the thread or via PM.
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About what I expected. It was loosely based on a lore car built in 1957, which was offered in FWD only. But, believe me when I say that Sinistra Motors learns from mistakes like that. The next time we do a truck, it’ll be offered in 4x4.
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Yeah, all over the USA many Bogliq dealers were saying and hearing the same criticism… Needless to say, the 1961 models all have 100% American Iron!!! 
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Woo! Moving on! Relieved, as there was so much competition…
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Goddamn it! Forgot to PM through the entry 
To be perfectly honest, this is just fine by me. Happy I made it onto the second round!
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Yeah, it was already a bit too outdated to reach the thresholds for the competition 
Worked fine in '56, but '59 is a different story. The weird quality choices had to do with safety, drivability and fitting within the PU and ET limits.
Anyway, could be worse for an entry I made in a week that I had no time and had dinners and drinks every evening (I wasn’t sober when I designed this).
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Reviews part 2: the final
The Ford wobbled and rattled as another tractor trailer blew past them. John held the steering wheel tightly in his hands, Debrah at his side; as much as he didn’t want to admit it, driving on the highway in his old clunker was kind scary. It was really only capable of doing 40 miles per hour safely, way below the speed limit of 55, and even then very few drivers kept to it.
In front of them lay the City, with its glistening towers and spires of steel and glass. Even though they had been there before, they still found themselves awestruck by its imposing beauty.
It was early noon when John turned onto the off-ramp. Now all they had to do was figure out where to go.
Packard WX-T560
The first dealership they found was the Packard dealer. The showroom was filled with strange-looking vehicles, and in the back was the model they were looking for (John had already forgotten the designation). It wasn’t long until they caught the attention of a salesman, who gleefully showed them around the car. There very many things that were unfamiliar to John, from the exotic disc brakes to the two-speed automatic and massive V8; he couldn’t help but gawk as the salesman opened the hood. What he wasn’t so thrilled with were the four carburettors; the Ford only had one, and that gave him enough trouble. Whatever, there was more to see.
A few minutes (and signatures) later they were both sat inside the cabin of the Packard. It felt like being sat inside a cocoon, a very different feeling from the Ford. A little too much of a cocoon actually; the cabin felt a little too small. They couldn’t be too picky, though, as it was a nice cocoon; two well-padded leather-clad bucket seats up, a stylish dashboard that, unlike in the Ford, wasn’t part of the gas tank. The car even had a radio that was better than the one they had at home! John turned the key, and the V8 rumbled to life. Following the salesman’s instructions, he put his foot on the brake pedal, and moved the gear lever to ‘D’. A soft thud resonated in the car. As soon as he let off the brake, the car started creeping forward.
“Ooh, excitin’!”, Debrah exclaimed.
As soon as they were out on the street, John pushed down the gas pedal - a little too hard, as the rear wheels started spinning furiously. He found himself having to feather the throttle to keep the vehicle under control. As soon as the speedometer hit 20 miles per hour, the revs suddenly dropped by themselves. A bit too much, as the engine started sputtering and backfiring. Not exactly graceful, but at least it didn’t stall.
On the highway he decided to test the performance of the Packard. He stamped on the throttle again, and as the revs rose, he felt a surge in his back. Forty, fifty, sixty, seventy - the speed kept climbing. He backed off the throttle and held the speed steady. The engine was still quite loud, even when he was barely touching the gas. Still, it was miles (at least thirty per hour) better than the old Tudor.
As they were walking towards the Ford, the Packard safely returned, John turned to Debrah and said: “Well, watcha think?”
“Golly, that’s an experience and a half,” she said, still mesmerized by the ride, “but I still don’t really like how it looks.”
John had to agree with her, though he was thinking less of the exterior and more of what was in the engine bay. Four carbs may be good, he thought, but one is better!
For the sake of not exceeding the deadline by a third day I’ll keep the following reviews a little shorter. I wanted to flesh out their first-hand experience with a ‘modern’ car a bit since the contrast compared to their pre-WW2 Ford is much larger than in between the other cars. I hope this is understandable.
Olympus Pisces
The Pisces was far better looking than the Packard. It was far more coherently designed, with lots of flashy chrome - almost a little gaudy, at least in the rear with its massive taillights, thought Debrah.
Under the hood was yet another V8, but this time with a single one-barrel carburettor. Far better for reliability. What John found less enticing were the rubberband thin tyres, especially the fact that they were different sizes front and rear. Even after the salesman it was to improve the handling, he still didn’t feel content; he knew that the front tyres always wore out faster than the rears, and if you couldn’t rotate them you’d end up having to replace them at different intervals.
Out on the road he had to admit the salesman may have had a point, as the handling was very well-balanced. The gearbox also had a more sane spacing, so despite the engine making far less power than the Packard’s the car felt quicker, and on the highway it was much quieter. Of course, John knew that the low towing capacity was a trade-off.
Overall, they both liked the car a lot more, even though John still had his reservations about the price and the tyres, as the car was the most expensive of the bunch.
Dominion Labrador Styleline
The Labrador looked much more like a traditional truck than the other two, with its tall cabin and high door sills. The styling was far more subdued to that of the Pisces; more minimalist and elegant, with a chrome grille surround and stylish chrome trimmings on the side. Like the previous cars, this also had a V8, albeit smaller. Still a single carburettor, but this time it was a four-barrel. On the inside, the car had a bench seat, though still leather-clad. Just like the other two the car had a radio, although it wasn’t quite as good.
Neither the handling nor ride comfort was as good as the previous cars, mostly having to do with the solid axle front suspension, but also the less supportive seats. The gearbox had the same extremely short first gear as the Packard, and the engine handled the change with about the same grace, which in this case meant “not very well at all”.
Albatross T100
The Albatross T100 was in many ways very similar to the Dominion Labrador; both had roughly the same body shape, both had solid front and rear axles, and both had V8 engines with four-barrel carburettors. The biggest difference was that the Albatross had a manual three-speed instead of an automatic, and one less seat.
It was much the same story on the road; the Dominion was easier to drive, though mostly because of its automatic gearbox, while the Albatross had softer and more forgiving suspension. The extra gear did make the Albatross more responsive, and the engine was much quieter at speed.
Townsend T100
Next up was the Townsend, which happened to be at the Ardent dealership. Despite having a similar name to the Albatross, the cars looked very different, with the Townsend looking much more like a regular car. A big car; the wheelbase several feet longer than their Ford’s and a big part of the body hung out behind the rear wheels. Under the hood was the first straight six they’d seen so far, with a two-barrel carburettor.
The inside of the Townsend was far roomier than the cars they had tested so far; it could even be considered roomy inside.
Out on the road the Townsend turned out to have a much more comfortable suspension setup, mainly due to the independent front suspension. This car too had a two-speed automatic, but the rpm drop from first to second was far less severe. At cruising speed the engine spun even slower than the Albatross’ power plant.
Rebel Chromeside 120
John and Debrah both had a good feeling as they stepped into the bustling Rebel dealership. In the middle of the showroom, among the crowd of prospective customers, it sat.
“Good lord, it’s even more beautiful in person.”
Even though John didn’t care much for design, he had to agree. The Chromeside was simply beautifully crafted, from the big chrome grille, through the tastefully placed chrome trim on the sides and hood, to the chrome-slathered tail fins and light assembly. Even though none of the other cars (except for the Packard) were ugly, this just took it to another level; it was simply breathtaking.
With no salesmen in sight (at least none that weren’t already busy), so they took it upon themselves to inspect it. John got down onto his knees and looked underneath the car. Ladder chassis, solid axles front and rear. Skinny bias ply tires front and rear; nothing special about the running gear except for the disc brakes. He got up and started fumbling inside the grille, looking for the hood latch.
*thonk*
Seemingly coming out of nowhere, the sound made him jump. He looked up and saw Debrah grinning at him, leaning into the cab. Apparently she found it first.
Under the hood was yet another V8, a small one with only a single one-barrel carburettor at that. The cast exhaust headers weren’t even shaped for even a little airflow optimisation, just a straight log of cast iron on either side.
The inside was just as nice as the Townsend’s. Leather seats, except this time two bucket seats, and a decent radio.
They finally managed to get ahold of a salesman, and were soon out on the road. Despite the simplistic suspension, the ride was almost as smooth as the Townsends. Sure, it didn’t corner as well, and John had to work the steering a bit harder, but it was close. The fact it could do this and still be able to carry as much weight as it did was fantastic.
When they returned the car, both John and Debrah were all smiles. Even though they had a feeling which car they would buy, they still planned on not deciding until they’d had a few days to think about it.
That is, until the engine in their Ford decided it didn’t want to be an engine anymore and disintegrated into a shower of metal chunks, smoke and oil. John pulled the car onto the shoulder and brought it to a stop. He chuckled.
“Well, guess the ol’ girl decided for us.”
They managed to get a lift back to the city, and left the Ford on the side of the road, smoke still rising from the engine compartment. A few hours and a visit to the bank later, they were on their way home again. Debrah sat behind the wheel, John by her side, letting the V8 rumble lull him to sleep as they sped through the dusk.
The car rocked gently in the draft as a tractor trailer sailed past. Debrah and John barely noticed, encased in their cocoon of steel and glass. Fifty-five miles per hour was the speed limit, and they had no intention of going faster. Many things had changed in the twenty-five years that passed since they bought their beloved Rebel Chromeside. The world had gotten bigger, faster, more complicated.
But some things were still the same; even though both her and John had gotten wrinkly and grey, they were still their old happy selves, and the V8 engine still burbled happily down the road. Sure, the car was starting to show its age somewhat, with its faded paint and dented panels, and the exhaust pipes did leave trails of blue smoke on cold days, but it didn’t matter; they’d never even think about trading it for the soulless shoe boxes on wheels that passed as cars nowadays.
Why the Rebel? Well, there were many reasons; it had a good balance of everything they were looking for; reasonably easy to drive, comfortable, able to carry lots of cargo, usable on the fields, not too expensive and good looking. The biggest reason though, was something more intangible, something they still couldn’t explain all these years later; it just felt right. Maybe they’d never figure out the actual reason why, but in truth it didn’t really matter; for whatever reason, they knew they made the right choice and that’s all that was important.
1st place: @MrChips
2nd place: @undercoverhardwarema
3rd place: @thecarlover
4th place: @ZSCHMEEZ
5th place: @VicVictory
6th place: @Urbanliner
Again, massive thanks to everyone who participated and patiently waited for the results! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing.
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Wheee, 4th place! A new personal record! I’m happy with that. 
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It’s been a long time coming, but you have once again managed to conclude a CSR round satisfactorily - and give the win to the right user for good measure!
And congratulations to MrChips for winning a CSR round for the very first time with what was essentially the most complete package of the bunch.
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Well written and quite the challenge. Thank you. Congratulation MrChips
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