CSR 88 - ''Back to The Future'' (FINAL RESULTS PUBLISHED!)
GROOV3ST3R
#223
At last, it’s time for… the final round of CSR 88!
The philosophy behind the first round was a quick design and brochure shootout. This time, technical specs will be scrutinised, with 13 scored categories.
The finalists were looked at in greater detail and scores adjusted accordingly.
Alarm bell rings out
‘‘AAAAL!!’’
‘‘Yes?’’
‘‘yawn You do realise it’s my day off today…’’
‘‘I do, however you have a very busy schedule booked today. In fact, I would say that you are already running late.’’
‘‘Wha…how? It’s 6:30am… just give me 5 more minutes…’’
40 minutes later
‘‘a-what-huh…OH CRAP!’’
‘‘I knew this would happen. Every time you ask for ‘5 minutes’ ends this way but you just won’t learn.’’
Fi-Vee jumps out of bed. After a long day of boring paperwork at the office, last thing he wanted was an early wake up call. But cars won’t test themselves!
A quick mad dash later, Fi-Vee is ready to go.
‘‘Your first appointments are in Yagami. Your Uber is almost here. I took the liberty of plotting the most efficient routes. Please, try to stick to this plan.’’
‘‘Thanks, AL. I’ll fo my best.’’
Yagami is fairly close by. It’s the cultural capital of Neo-Yamasaki. Before long Fi-Vee is greeted with the neon glow of hologram displays and the sight of dozens of street performers. It’s a nice day and the atmosphere of the place quickly rubs off on Fi-Vee. Perfect day for a test drive!
‘‘I love Yagami. It was always my favorite place as a kid. It’s so captivating, colorful, full of life and individuality… a far cry from Central, that’s for sure…’’
‘‘It really is quite a charming area. We are currently heading to the Leviathan Automotive dealership. We will arrive in a couple of minutes.’’
Leviathan Automotive Spectrelight
Cab rolls up to the forecourt and stops right in front of the main display - Spectrelight is proudly presented centre-stage.
Lightly drooling, Fi-Vee heads in for a closer look.
‘‘Hi! Welcome to Leviathan! Can I help you?’’
‘‘I’m here for a test drive? Should be under 154Z.’’
‘‘Let’s see… ah! There we go! Your rep will be with you shortly. Feel free to take a look at the car while you wait!’’
Fi-Vee nods and walks over to the car with excitement.
‘‘It’s absolutely amazing. The body has been crafted so well and it’s so harmonious.’’
‘‘It makes quite an impression.’’
Itching to get in, Fi-Vee steps inside.
‘‘This is so nice and comfortable. Interior is incredible! Exactly what I am looking for.’’
‘‘My systems have synchronized with onboard computers seamlessly. Compatibility at 100%.’’
‘‘I could just sit here and play with all these gadgets for days!’’
‘‘Here comes the rep!’’
After a brief chat with the rep, Fi-Vee is let out for a test drive.
‘‘Seats are so nice, I am really enjoying this massage. Shame you can’t try it out AL!’’
‘‘I wouldn’t be able to understand the concept of a massage in the first place.’’
‘‘It’s a comfortable ride. I am impressed. Everything is where and how it should be.’’
‘‘My analysis shows this car is one of the safer ones out there, packed with all the latest gear.’’
‘‘I couldn’t ask for more really. It packs a punch too.’’
Before long it was time to head back and hand over the keys. Test drive went really well and left Fi-Vee very pleased.
‘‘We need to shortlist this one! It’s a very good fit!’’
‘‘Already taken care of. Our next destination is 2 blocks away.’’
‘‘That’s not very far, let’s walk over! It’s a nice day.’’
Blaster Destructor
'‘The ‘Blaster’ dealership is right around the corner.’
‘‘That’s a very funky name for a car brand!’’
‘‘It’s as unique as the car itself.’’
Fi-Vee enters the dealership and waits in the reception. It’s an unusual building, with lobby overlooking showroom floor from above. A Destructor is placed in full view of the reception.
‘‘It looks even better in person! This paintjob catches light so well.’’
‘‘In the brochure, it says each and every one of these cars has a unique light pattern built in.’’
‘‘Really? So no two are identical? That’s nuts!’’
Fi-Vee is greeted by a rep and shown around the car. Not too long after it was time to take it out for a ride.
‘‘It’s comfortable, but yet somehow not quite as much as Spectrelight was. Ride is a little nicer but it rolls quite a bit. Very high quality interior however, which is a big plus.’’
‘‘It’s a little less efficient too. There were however no issues with system integration. One thing to note is, my detailed analysis and research is showing this to be statistically quite a bit less safer than the previous car.’’
‘‘What a shame! I was really enjoying this car. It feels so secure on the road, despite some pretty high roll. It’s a little faster too…but economy isn’t that great. Spectrelight will be hard to beat!’’
Fi-Vee returns to the dealership, both impressed and conflicted. It’s a great car but feels marginally eclipsed by the last one.
‘‘Let’s keep this one in mind. It stands out and I love the look of it, but I want to see how it stacks up against the rest.’’
‘‘I will add it to the shortlist then.’’
@OME + Ben Cook
AKANE KE01
A few minutes later, they reach the next dealer in Yagami - AKANE.
‘‘My sensors show you are salivating profusely. Please refrain from dribbling on the upholstery as we may be held liable for the damage.’’
‘‘I’ll do my best but come on… this is so captivating.’’
Around 15 minutes passed with Fi-Vee simply ogling the car from every angle, with an occasional ‘‘wow’’ here and an ‘‘ooh’’ there.
Thankfully a rep showed up just in time to save the pair some embarrasment in front of other customers as people began staring at them.
‘‘It’s so fast! How is it this fast?!’’
‘‘That would be thanks to an incredibly efficient engine, producing over 680hp.’’
‘‘Though…I thought this road was a little smoother than this.’’
‘‘It’s not the road. It must be the car you are talking about.’’
‘‘It’s… not that ba-A-ad’’ he said, just as the car hit a bump. ‘‘Okay, I really felt that one…’’
‘‘It appears to be quite a focused ‘drivers’ car. Road holding and suspension dynamics are tuned for good feedback though a touch unbalanced. Extremely wide tyres provide great levels of grip but at a cost to economy. Perhaps not the most comfortable setup.’’
‘‘Oh man… I was really hoping this one would be the one! But I don’t think I could really relax being driven around like this. Its just not as comfortable as the other two.’’
They return to the dealership, a little sore.
‘‘Well, I think that is that. It’s a very impressive and downright beautiful car but… just not as comfortable as I was hoping it would be.’’
‘‘Would you prefer to take an Uber to the next dealer?’’
‘‘I think I can still walk, I’m not a fragile fossil like Greg!’’
Ceephax Squarepusher
A short while later, they arrive at the Ceephax dealership. Fi-Vee peers through the window and spots a Squarepusher parked by the gate.
‘‘That’ll be the one for today!’’
‘‘It would seem logical, yes.’’
After being show around the car, it was time for a test drive.
‘‘It appears my systems are around 95% compatible with the onboard computers. This is no big obstacle however.’’
‘‘I think the old school infotainment in this car was executed very well. Everything in here feels high quality and well built.’’
‘‘Ceephax is well known for their sturdy designs.’’
‘‘And that sun roof, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s very interesting.’’
‘‘What do you think of the performance?’’
‘‘It’s very fast and feels almos glued to the road. But it’s lacking in comfort compared to other cars again. And there is a lot of body roll - some of my friends don’t deal well with this sort of thing.’’
‘‘Spectrelight is proving to be a challenging bechmark to beat. Also, my analysis shows some trim-related reliability concerns.’’
‘‘As much as I love the styling, I don’t think it’s the right fit for my needs unfortunately.’’
‘‘Well, we have 1 more dealer here in Yagami.’’
Ars Phenex KX4800I
Arriving at the next dealership, Fi-Vee can’t stop himself from giggling like a child.
‘‘He-he-he, Ars!’’
‘‘That is not a very mature thing to say, Fi-Vee.’’
‘‘I know… but… ah nevermind…’’
However, once they turn around the corner, a Phenex is parked right outside the dealership. Fi-Vee quickly stops giggling and instead starts admiring the car.
‘‘It may have a funny name but it’s hella stylish.’’
‘‘I will never understand your childish sense of humor.’’
‘‘You will never understand humor.’’
‘‘True. Let’s focus on the car, shall we?’’
They head inside to meet with the rep. A short while later, it’s time to take the car for a spin.
‘‘My systems are noting minor incompatibility, similar to Squarepusher. It must be some sort of driver error.’’
‘‘These seats are a definitely inferior to all the other cars so far, they just don’t hold me all that well. They are however incredibly comfortable, as is the ride. And the car is just so quiet! I didn’t think it was possible to be any better than the previous cars but somehow, it’s managed that.’’
‘‘It would appear this is one of the more comfortable cars and it offers a very high standard of safety equipment.’’
‘‘It’s a really good combination, though again it rolls around a lot.’’
‘‘Performance seems reasonable if a little lacking in comparison to other contenders. In particular, brakes aren’t quite as effective as one would expect for a car of this size.’’
‘‘While I would have liked a nicer interior, it’s far from bad! It’s really good, though is it enough to compete with the Spectre?’’
‘‘I will keep it for comparison later on.’’
They leave the car back at the dealership, quite satisfied but curious about how it will compare to other cars.
‘‘I have arranged a cab to meet us in a few moments. We are now heading to Sumiyoshi.’’
‘‘The commercial district?’’
‘‘Correct.’’
Sumiyoshi is best described as a shopping mega-centre. Blocks upon blocks of indoor and outdoor corridors and alleyways, bridges and balconies. There are shops and boutiques as far as the eye can see. You can buy anything here, literally…
It’s a veritable maze.
‘‘AL, how the hell do we get around this place?’’
‘‘There is a monorail service to allow shoppers to move around with ease. We will use this to get to our next few dealerships. It’s just quicker this way.’’
‘‘If you say so.’’
TAORE ARUMINA5000
‘‘This is our stop, the next few dealers are nested around this area.’’
‘‘So, where to first?’’
‘‘Taore Dealership.’’
A short walk away from the station, Taore dealership is part of a larger complex comprising of several competing brands.
‘‘At least we won’t have far to walk!’’
They reach the dealer and go inside to speak with a rep.
‘‘Where do we go to see the car?’’
‘‘Oh, it’s just in the back, ready for a drive. Rick will show you the way.’’
‘‘Interesting, thank you!’’
The pair are guided through a couple security doors and walk down a lengthy corridor.
‘‘Where are we going?’’
‘‘Oh, please excuse my manners. Because of our location, test drives outside are impractical. Instead, we benefit from access to a private test track, shared between all dealerships.’’
‘‘What, a test track in the middle of a shopping centre?’’
‘‘How intriguing.’’
‘‘Here we are!’’
They reach the end of the corridor and the final set of doors open, revealing the Arumina parked right outside.
‘‘It’s absolutely beautiful.’’
‘‘It’s clearly a very focused aerodynamic design.’’
‘‘All these little features and smooth curves…’’ said Fi-Vee, touching the bodywork.
‘‘Shall we try this one out?’’
‘‘Yes, let’s!’’
They get inside and start driving around.
‘‘This is a very comfortable car. It rolls around a bit but this seems to be the norm. Seats are similar to those in the Phenex but a little higher quality.’’
‘‘Hardware compatibility is at 100%. I am able to interface with the car at will.’’
‘‘Color me impressed, it’s an amazingly balanced and comfortable ride. It’s quieter than most cars, too.’’
‘‘You also have to admire the efficiency. For a vehicle this fast, it’s simply exceptional.’’
‘‘Very true! Did Rick say if there was a longer stretch somewhere where we can test that?’’
‘‘Hold on, I’ll set a route for us…’’
The pair sneaked out through an access tunnel and onto the skyway for a bit. Upon return, Fi-Vee looked exhilirated yet slightly terrified.
‘‘That’s almost too fast… I love it.’’
‘‘This is one for the shortlist.’’
‘‘Where are we going next?’’
HONGHU INC. E I G H T
Next on the list, Honghu Inc. dealership, 2 doors down.
A model E I G H T was parked outside.
‘‘Ooh I like that, it just oozes charisma.’’
‘‘It’s certainly very expressive and elegant.’’
After meeting a rep and being shown around, it was time to hit the test track.
‘‘Comfort is decent, if a little lower than in some other cars we’ve tested so far. Performance is definitely highly impressive.’’
‘‘No compatibility issues to report.’’
‘‘That’s good to hear. Incredible interior. One of the better ones for sure. And a very balanced, comfortable ride. Just as quiet as the Arumina.’’
‘‘The only issue my analysis can find is mediocre braking performance. However, it’s not terrible considering the weight of this car.’’
‘‘They even programmed the numberplate with my name!’’
‘‘It’s the kind of attention to detail that makes a difference.’’
After a good 20 minutes, they return, very satisfied with the ride.
‘‘One thing bugs me though, it wasn’t quite as comfortable as the Spectrelight.’’
‘‘I will shortlist this one for you.’’
DeerAndHunt Tines Saloon
Up next, Deer And Hunt.
As they enter through the main door, several Tines are parked on the floor facing the lobby - all following Fi-Vee with their headlights.
‘‘Are they staring at me?’’
‘‘Perhaps they are curious. You have to admit, they are rather cute.’’
A nearby Tines winks at Fi-Vee. After a brief chat with the rep they got out onto the track.
‘‘Hi! I’m Tines! But you can call me Tim. I will be your ‘Buddy’ for today!’’
‘‘Hello.’’
‘‘Greetings!’’
‘‘You seem awfully chipper!’’
‘‘I am happy to be on the road! I love driving!’’
‘‘Well then, take us for a spin!’’
‘‘Sure!’’
Tim takes off with a screech. Fi-Vee is thrown into the seat and grabs the door for support.
‘‘Someone is a little enthusiastic!’’
‘‘Hehe! I can slow down if you’d like?’’
‘‘Don’t mind me. I like a bit of excitement now and again.’’
Tim drove them around, setting faster and faster lap times for a good 20 minutes.
‘‘I…I.I-iii-i t-tt-tt-hink this wi-l-llll ddd-ddoo’’ Fi-Vee struggled to say, as Tim was speeding around the track.
‘‘Alright! I hope you guys had fun! I know I did!’’
‘‘You’re one of a kind Tim, don’t ever change!’’
‘‘Hehe, alright! You two have a great time!’’
They say their goodbyes and begin walking towards the next dealership.
‘‘That was fun!’’
‘‘We should do this more often, I am registering a huge boost to your endorphin levels.’’
‘‘It was great. But there is one thing that wasn’t - the comfort was more sportscar like than I would have hoped for. It’s outclassed by other cars we’ve tested so far.’’
‘‘My analysis shows safety just barely meets minimum legal requirements.’’
‘‘Don’t tell me we just set a new lap record in a death trap?!’’
‘‘That is your interpretation. Mine is it was a perfectly acceptable car for the job. I did however note minor compatibility issues and economy seems a little underwhelming.’’
‘‘It was a great little car and I love the way it looks but it’s just nowhere near safe or comfortable enough. A real shame :S’’
‘‘At least we didn’t hurt it’s feelings.’’
‘‘I hope so.’’
Mont Royal Aerocar
Making their way to the Mont Royal dealership, Fi-Vee noted:
‘’‘We’re nearly halfway through the day.’’
‘‘And almost halfway through the list.’’
As they walk in, a rep greets them and takes them right to the car. Some time later, they get to test the car out.
‘‘It’s a big, heavy luxury limo and it handles like one. Rolls quite a bit but is otherwise very well balanced and incredibly comfortable. This may be the most comfortable car yet!’’
‘‘It’s a very commendable design for sure. Everything is built to a high standard and seems well put together.’’
‘‘Another car with a very interesting roof line. It’s quirky, I like it.’’
‘‘Brakes are a little dull however.’’
‘‘You don’t need to tell me that. It’s reasonably quiet and efficient though it feels almost slow compared to some of the other cars we have tested.’’
‘‘It’s not a racing car after all.’’
‘‘Overall, It’s a pretty positive impression.’’
‘‘I will add this one for further consideration.’’
Ponni SWV
‘‘It would appear that Ponni shares the building with Mont Royal.’’
‘‘That’s handy. Not far to walk then.’’
A set of sliding doors later, they cross from the Mont Royal to Ponni dealership and sit down in the lobby.
Like the previous one, it’s a very luxurious arrangement. A rep soon appears and takes them over to see the SWV.
‘‘It’s a very simple design on the outside but retains class and character.’’
‘‘It’s minimalistic on the outside, though I don’t think that’s the case inside.’’
Fi-Vee steps inside.
‘‘Wow, there is so much room in here! The seats are just as nice as other cars and sooo comfortable.’’
‘‘I am able to synchronize with the onboard computer seamlessly. It would appear this car is loaded with safety features and advanced aerodynamics packages. It is one of the safest ranked cars on sale to date.’’
‘‘That sounds spot on!’’
They take the car out for a drive.
‘‘Wow, Color me impressed! It’s a very large vehicle and yet it’s pretty fast and doesn’t roll nearly as much as other much smller cars. Comfort is absolute, magic carpet ride.’’
‘‘It’s powered by an amazingly efficient engine. It should also prove itself reliable. The only lacking area are slightly dull brakes.’’
‘‘I’ve never been more comfortable in my entire life. And it’s so quiet too!’’
‘‘I’ll tick that one as a ‘‘yes’’ then.’’
With an incredible smile, Fi-Vee concludes the test drive. This is definitely a strong contender, nothing has come close to this level of comfort and safety so far.
Emican & Joyce Spectre 300
‘‘Next up, Emican & Joyce.’’
‘‘Let’s go then! I am really looking forward to this one!’’
A few units later, they reach the dealer and get a rep to show them around.
The car is parked in a row of other, nearly identical Spectres.
‘‘I am a huge fan of this car. It looks really luxurious and polished on the outside. It’s just what I was looking for!’’
‘‘shall we got for a drive?’’
‘‘Sure!’’
And so they get in and set off.
‘‘Oh my god… this is a disaster. The suspension is so hard! This is borderline uncomfortable. Definitely not what I was expecting when looking at it.’’
‘‘My analysis shows this car has dampers from a sports model. Perhaps a factory or specification error?’’
‘‘I can feel every bone in my body ache. But it still rolls so bad!! How is this even possible?’’
‘‘Well, what about performance?’’
‘‘It’s great, sure but the top speed is clearly lacking and I just can’t live with this suspension.’’
‘‘It looks like there were no aerodynamic features fitted to this car as standard, which impacts top speed. There are also some reliability concerns.’’
‘‘Let’s just call this one. Brake temperature warning light has just come on.’’
They park the car up, hand the keys over and make their way out.
‘‘We will need to relocate to Naganuma now. It will take 20 minutes by train.’’
‘‘Will there be refreshments aboard? I’m starving…’’
30 minutes and a few snacks later, they arrive in Naganuma. It’s an industrial district, with vast warehouse and factory complexes dominating the skyline.
‘‘First up, Epoch dealership.’’
Epoch - Fourier Transform
Upon arrival, they are greeted with the sight of a dozen dekotora vans, all with different styling and accents.
They make their way over to the reception and wait for a rep. After a few minutes, one comes out and takes them for a quick tour of the place.
‘‘Amazing! So they take standard Fourier vans and apply the custom livery to each one.’’
‘‘This is where the ‘Transform’ part of the name is given to each of these vans, along with a healthy dose of personality.’’
They get inside the van and look around.
‘‘Hmm, inside isn’t quite as striking as the outside.’’
‘‘My scanning algorithms are coming up with some errors, standby.’’
‘‘I’ll take it for a spin in the meantime then.’’
A few moments later:
‘‘You know I love the way they look and all but this is close to undrivable. The suspension is badly unbalanced and not very comfortable. It’s not as fast as most of the other cars and nor is it as efficient.’’
‘‘Ah I have finally been able to connect to the onboard computer. Apologies, I had to interface with some old legacy systems. It seems this van was setup for downforce instead of low air resistance. An interesting choice.’’
‘‘This isn’t a racing van though.’’
‘‘Not quite. It seems a little less statistically safe than previous cars we’ve looked at. Some safety equipment manufacturing seems to have been outsourced to what was formerly known as Uganda.’’
‘‘Let’s just call it, I can feel the brakes start to fade on me.’’
Fi-Vee parks the van up and they leave the dealership.
Ausud RE600 - Glow v2
‘‘I’ve called for an Uber to take us to the next dealership. We’re going to Ausud.’’
‘‘Is it far?’’
‘‘A 10 minute drive.’’
When they finally arrive at the dealership, it’s just past lunch. A rep walks out to meet them and takes them to the car.
‘‘Wow, this is even more striking in the flesh than it was as a hologram.’’
‘‘It appears this one is in it’s ‘show’ mode.’’
‘‘It looks so sporty and aggressive. I can’t wait to take it out for a spin.’’
A quick technical brief later, they are on their way.
‘‘It’s faster than most of the cars we’ve had a look at. Performance is mighty impressive.’’
‘‘As is efficiency.’’
‘‘It seems well built and sturdy. Brakes are amazing. But… it’s just not as comfortable as other cars. Suspension appears setup back to front and the body rolls quite a bit for such a light, small frame car.’’
‘‘My systems are having some trouble synchronizing.’’
‘‘Well, it’s a great drivers car. But I’m not sure if it would be comfortable enough for me to be driven in every day.’’
‘‘You do have high standards.’’
They complete the test drive and leave the dealership.
2048 Zenith 1S
‘‘The next dealership is just around the corner.’’
They walk around to the other side of the industrial estate block and find a row of black vans parked up neatly.
A rep in a black suit comes out to greet them and assist. Soon, they are pointed to the right van and begin the test drive.
‘‘Wow, I thought Ponni SWV was comfortable! This is even better! It’s subtle but noticable. Interior is great.’’
‘‘I am having no issues connecting to the onboard system. It would see that safety and comfort were key priorities for this vehicle.’’
‘‘That’s obvious. It doesn’t handle particularly sharp but the comfort is absolute. Ride is reasonably well balanced too.’’
‘‘Perhaps this is the kind of vehicle you are after?’’
‘‘Economy isn’t bowling me over and performance seems average. But Who cares when you are THIS comfortable!’’
They drive around for another 20 minutes and get back to the dealership. The vehicle start to slow down quite early. Once it comes to a halt, Fi-Vee very slowly gets out, pale as a sheet.
‘‘The brakes… oh god the brakes… I nearly had a heart attack. They are horrendous! This thing just doesn’t stop, at all.’’
‘‘They are cooked. Perhaps it’s not a car for the skyway?’’
‘‘I’m just happy to be on solid ground. It’s a very safe van but it needs all that to protect you from a crash you will inevitaby cause.’’
They leave the dealership.
KarZeder Engineering AB50LUT3 UN1T
‘‘Are you okay? You still look pale.’’
‘‘I’ll be okay in a moment.’’
‘‘Good because we are on the way to see another super van.’’
Upon arriving at the KZE Dealership, they are greeted with their van parked outside and ready.
The rep is already waiting and is eager to show them around.
15 minutes later, they get on their way.
‘‘So… Let’s see… aaand GO! HOLY CRAP! This thing hauls!!’’
‘‘A very fast van indeed.’’
‘‘It’s terrifying! I love it. It’s reasonably comfortable and the rep assured me it’s safety is second to none.’’
‘‘It’s actually second to one but nevermind.’’
‘‘Suspension is super soft but it doesn’t roll nearly as much as other cars d-…’’ and at that moment, they hit a bump.
bang ‘’…what the hell, maybe too soft. Did we just bottom out?’’
‘‘I think so.’’
‘‘Magic carpet ride isn’t a cure for all it seems.’’
‘‘I am having trouble connecting to the diagnostic system. I will try some legacy interfaces again.’’
‘‘Hmm, you’re not the only one struggling to connect. It’s an incredible machine but that suspension is just too soft for it’s own good and the interior is fairly standard for a vehicle like this. I’d have like something a little more special.’’
‘‘Ah here we go, I managed to connect. Oh… it seems there are quite a few warnings here.’’
‘‘This doesn’t sound very promising… I guess we better wrap this up, brakes are starting to fade now.’’
They return to the dealership and leave.
Black 'n Dokker Dustbuster
‘‘Next up, Black 'n Dokker.’’
Outside the dealership stands a row of white vans. Some, clearly commercial vehicles.
They head inside and soon a rep takes them to the car.
‘‘Okay, they weren’t joking with this styling… It does look like a sanitation vehicle.’’
‘‘You cannot deny it’s practical.’’
‘‘Sure, with 9 seats. But I’m not sure, looking at it from up close, if I’d want to be seen in this.’’
‘‘Give it a try anyway, since we’re here.’’
They get in and set off.
‘‘Well, while not the fastest accelerating car, it’s certainly fast in a straight line and seems well built. The interior is very nice indeed and brakes are refreshingly good!’’
‘‘Perhaps it will grow on you?’’
‘‘The ride is incredibly well balanced and fairly comfortable. However, I’m not convinced by the styling now. It’s worth noting that 9 people can be more comfortable here than 6 in most of the other cars.’’
‘‘It’s a unique vehicle.’’
‘‘Still, there are nicer alternatives out there. I think I’ll pass.’’
They return to the dealership and leave.
Bogliq G-Man
‘‘This is the second to last car we will be looking at.’’
‘‘It’s getting late now anyway, we have good timing.’’
At the Bogliq dealership, as usual, the rep gives our pair a tour and points them to the right vehicle.
‘‘You know, I think this one looked a little better in pictures.’’
‘‘I have no reason to believe they are anything other than identical.’’
‘‘The front looks okay but the back is a little overdone, almost like a different car.’’
‘‘Let’s try it and see what it’s made of.’’
And so they climb in and get under way.
‘‘The ride is fairly smooth and well balanced. It’s pretty comfortable though it doesn’t bowl me over. It’s got respectable acceleration but that top speed may be a problem.’’
‘‘It isn’t the most aerodynamic shape so in that regard it’s not doing too badly.’’
‘‘Well, there are better options out there. And brakes are pretty bad. They don’t seem to fade but they don’t stop very well either.’’
‘‘If you say so.’’
The test drive concludes and they leave the dealership.
Zacspeed - Interstellar - Runner
‘‘The last dealer is located 10 minute drive from here. Uber is arriving now.’’
‘‘Perfect, thanks AL.’’
A short while later, they reach the final dealership.
Outside there are several classic sports cars. They head inside and are quickly served. The rep shows them to the car and gives them a quick brief. Soon, they are on the way.
‘‘This looks odd but cool.’’
‘‘It’s a very unique car.’’
‘‘Maybe it’s a little much. It drives like limo with a sports car body. Somehow though, it’s not very comfortable at all.’’
‘‘What is puzzling me is that it’s very light and aerodynamic yet manages a pretty mediocre fuel consumption.’’
‘‘Some parts of it don’t seem all that well put together.’’
‘‘It also rates pretty low on safety test and reliability, judging by owners forums.’’
‘‘Maybe this isn’t a great idea, lets just call it a day!’’
‘‘That sounds good to me.’’
They park up and return the keys.
It’s time for Fi-Vee to head home, pondering on his final decision.
GROOV3ST3R
#224
I hit word limit, sorry 
After getting back home, Fi-Vee took a shower and went to bed, wondering which car he was going to choose.
The next morning, AL wakes him up in the usual way.
‘‘DAMMIT AL! Please, let me have a few more minutes.’’
‘‘You will never learn, will you…’’
‘‘I am tired, come on…’’
‘‘Fair enough.’’
An hour later, Fi-Vee finally gets up and has a coffee.
‘‘So have you made a decision yet?’’
‘‘It’s a struggle, they are all very good and very different cars.’’
‘‘Well, what’s your gut feeling?’’
And it was at that moment that Fi-Vee knew exactly what the right car was.
-
@NiuYorqCiti / Ponni SWV - ‘‘I know it’s not as daring as I perhaps initially envisaged, but this is by far the best all round package. It’s got it all, incredible comfort and safety, economy, great balance and poise. It doesn’t shout or try too hard, it’s quiet and refined. I think this would be perfect in every way. All other cars do something really well, but none do it all like this one did.’’
‘‘That’s very sensible of you, Fi-Vee. Who knew.’’ -
@Chickenbiscuit / Spectrelight - ‘‘An amazing car in every way, the styling blew me away. If I could have two, I’d buy this one too for special occasions. Ponni was simply better in the end however.’’
-
@Yangx2 / Honghu E I G H T - ‘‘I loved the clean, sleek lines of this car. In the end, it was almost like the Spectrelight, trading some comfort and safety for better performance. A very good car nonetheless!’’
-
@4LGE / Arumina5000 - ‘‘Amazing car, really. I’ve never been driven quite this fast. But for all of that, it was simply overshadowed by previously mentioned cars. Perhaps with a little bit less roll and more comfort…’’
-
TIE: @Xepy / @Masterdoggo / Ars Phenex and Destructor - ‘‘Amazing looking cars, both of them. While the Phenex was let downn mainly by it’s interior, low top speed and brakes, it was a good car overall. As for the Destructor - it was simply fairly average in technical terms and ultimately lost out to slightly better cars. It’s a very respectable platform however.’’
Congratulations to the winners! You know the drill!
I hope you guys have enjoyed this CSR! I know it took a lot out of me, It’s 3am now and I’ve almost finished writing it up. Then off to work in 3.5 hours, yay!
An honorable mention goes to @OME + Ben Cook - I really loved that design and so did Marcus, but the suspension tuning was for a sports car, not a comfort car. It really suffered as a result, while incredibly wide tyres kill fuel economy.
There was a trend we noticed: subs that were really well styled would tend to perform worse in the tech shootout while amazing technical entries usually did a little worse in the design shootout. This is why teaming up is a good idea. Take strengths of 2 people and combine them into one awesome car!
Unless you are NiuYorqCiti and you have a 41% efficiency engine and max out BOTH comfort and safety and get dead-on suspension tuning. Seriously though, I am so impressed by that van it’s not even funny - you’ve clearly considered choices I didn’t even think would matter at all till I tried to mess around with that van. Good job man!
It was certainly an eye opening experience being on this side of the challenge for once. And safe to say, the sheer amount of effort required to run it was far more than I realized.
Chapter Closure
Fi-Vee was at the dealership, signing the last of his papers for the Ponni when suddenly the phone rang.
‘‘KID! I need you down here, RIGHT NOW! Where the hell are you?!’’
‘‘Relax Greg, I’m at the dealership. I’ll be over shortly.’’
‘‘Can you hurry it up, it’s an emergency! Get here now!’’
‘‘Oka…oh he hung up. Classic Greg…’’
‘‘Maybe we shouldn’t rush this.’’
‘‘It’ll be okay, he’s probably over reacting anyway.’’
Paperwork done, keys handed over.
‘‘Will that be transfer or card?’’
‘‘Transfer. My bank will only let me throw 70.000 credits at once anyway and I had to jump through some hoops to get that pre-approved…’’
‘‘That’s fine…aand…you’re good to go! Enjoy you new car!’’
‘‘Lovely, thank you!’’
Fi-Vee jumps in, smell of new car in the air.
‘‘AL, ‘set a course for Greg, full steam ahead’’’
‘‘Please don’t let this go to your head.’’
‘‘Noted, but please step on it.’’
‘‘We will be there in 20 minutes.’’
‘‘That’s fine. Hey btw did you figure out what was going on with these recordings?’’
‘‘I have managed to partially recover the data. It would appear that someone has been tampering with the data in order to mask their presence within the system.’’
‘‘Sabotage?’’
‘‘I can only speculate, however it appears so.’’
‘‘Huh, just wait till Greg finds out about this. Got any leads?’’
‘‘I’m working on it.’’
‘‘Alright, keep me updated. We got far to go now?’’
‘‘No, another 10 minutes and we’ll be there.’’
‘‘Good. Hey wha…’’
beep beep beep beeeep crash
‘’…’’
‘’…w…wh.’’
‘‘Hey, he’s waking up!’’
…’‘what…the…where am I? Greg? What are you doing here?’’
‘‘I’ve been keeping an eye on you kid. You know, for the 3 weeks you’ve been here?’’
‘‘Wait…I’ve been HERE 3 WEEKS?! ouch’’
‘‘Don’t strain yourself, that was a nasty crash.’’
‘‘What the hell happened…’’
‘‘AL said it was sabotage. He’s taken over the investigation following some leads on an organised cyber crime gang. We don’t know what they want yet but they clearly didn’t want you snooping round kid!’’
‘‘Bloody hell…’’
‘‘Hey! Be glad you were in a Ponni. Those things are built like tanks. I even bought my mom one. She hates other cars but feels safe in that one. Go figure.’’
‘‘Oh crap my car!’’
‘‘Yeah don’t worry, we got that taken care of. You got a new one waiting for you at home for when you get better.’’
‘‘That’s kind of you, Greg. I appreciate it.’’
‘‘Don’t sweat it kid. No get some rest, I’ll be round if you need me.’’
‘‘Alright.’’
That’s it for CSR 88!!! Thanks for joining in 
CC9020
#225
Well, I guess I should’ve put bigger brakes on my 5000 lb van, but I assumed the aerodynamics would slow it enough that it would stop the second you pulled your foot off the metaphorical gas pedal, seeing as it’s AI driven. Congrats to NiuYorq, damn your aerodynamics
GROOV3ST3R
#228
For what it’s worth, it was a decent all rounder. You managed better comfort with 3 benches than some cars did with individual seats. In its own way, it was a respectable entry.
@asami yeah you had 2% on bottom out. Due to sheer size it was a safe car but comfort suffered a little because of that bottom out.
@CC9020 if not for the fade, you could have scored higher. Keep in mind these cars were meant to drive at really high speeds all the time.
I know some people will be disappointed with their result but out of 31 people, there can be only 1 winner. Im happy to provide feedback to anyone if you want to pm me!
MasterDoggo
#229
If I can point a major issue of this CSR,in my opinion, (the challenge was cool anyway, I loved it!) the body choice … almost everything between 60s to '92.
I tested my car with a more modern body (from 1980 with a better drag), with the same engine, and almost the same weight, and well… The drag of my 70s body killed it!
It was a handicap for my entry. With that body I gained -0.6L/100kms, and +25 km/h top speed, and it’s not the best body, I can have better performances with the 1990 850ci body or the 80s van.
I knew it (TheCarLover pointed it on discord), I’m not contesting any results, but I think in reallity we couldn’t compete with a body before 1980.
Maybe it could be better to limit the era to a decade?
But as I said, I loved this round anyway, I love the cyberpunk universe and I was waiting for this theme in a CSR since a long time!
yangx2
#230
Pretty neat concept for a round
Porter Robinson + a bit of Chinese city-esque cyberpunk was my main inspo for my car. This song specifically really wraps the whole idea together.
If the first two cannot host, I unfortunately can’t host either.
Thanks for the good round guys! Nicely picked up after the initial conundrum
goblin95
#232
Congratulations to the winner for winning again!
As for me, I do realize the reason why my car has such a low comfort rating… It’s got a very tiny cabin compared to a sedan or a minivan 
But it’s still a fun read and a fun round overall. Therefore, thank you Groovester and Marcus for hosting!
NiuYorqCiti
#233
Well, it seems like I’m on a roll, lol. Thanks to both @GROOV3ST3R and @Marcus_gt500 for hosting such an interesting and refreshing round. I can’t help but thank you guys for all the effort put into this one. The writing and all the things you did to try and get us to feel like we’re actually part of that kind of “dystopian” future was a truly remarkable feat. I hope you both have the opportunity to host another round in the future, I really enjoyed this one as well as, I’m sure, everyone who participated did too.
I find this kind of content what makes this community such a great place to be in. It’s nice that once in a while we’re free to let our creativity and imagination do it’s thing, and to have lots of fun while doing it.
And, as always, I won’t have enough time to host the next CSR, as much as I desire to. I have to study for four exams of different subjects in a lapse of three weeks, and then I’ll go back to my home city for around two months. So no way I’ll be able to host it.
I pass it to @Chickenbiscuit
EDIT: @GROOV3ST3R hope you have an easy time at work tomorrow.
And again, thanks for all the effort you’ve put into this.
Chickenbiscuit
#234
Congrats to the winner and thanks for the fun round, I won’t be able to host anything for awhile so its on to @4LGE if you would like to host.
OME
#235
This was the first time we interacted with this community, we are impressed on the level of commitment, hats off to @GROOV3ST3R and @Marcus_gt500 for the idea and all of the set up, truly immersive. Congrats also to @NiuYorqCiti for the well deserved win.
We learned our lesson and, although the AKANE was supposed to be a drivers car, we will put in the same time in designing the chassis as this time it was a bit rushed.
What a ride!
machalel
#236
Thanks to @GROOV3ST3R and @Marcus_gt500 for this round, thematically it was great! Congrats to the winner and other top placers, there was some amazingly creative entries this round.
I spent most of my time on the visuals for the Fourier Transform, and that’s obviously what let me down in the end. I really struggled to get the car to meet all the required specs, let alone excel. I’m still happy getting into the finals though 
4LGE
#237
Thanks for this round! I knew the setting was awesome and it really rolled after the guidelines were set. Great dedication on the reviews, too! It was really cool and immersive 
Congrats NiuYorqCiti for the victory! And all on their designs, there were some seriously cool things in this challenge! I’ll share my entry when I’m back home from work, I think it has things going for it, and things someone much more knowledgeable about the technical setup might even be able to fix.
As for hosting duty, I am actually baffled and honored that I’m next in line. I’d prefer someone with maybe more spare time to go for that, but I’ve been thinking about what I would do for the next round, and got a nice theme and brief in mind! I’ll post it in 9 hours or less unless Xepy or Masterdoggo beat me to it 
GROOV3ST3R
#238
Honestly, thats a great point. The only reason why I left it so open ended was because of the Not–Datsun body was only available in 1960. If not for that, Id probably have limited it to between 75-85. Its something to consider for another time.
Running a csr is pretty damn demanding, as it turns out. Hats off to anyone who can pull it off on their own and in a timely manner.
Should there be confusion as to who the next host will be, I’d be happy to provide an extended leaderboard for troubleshoting.
Thanks for all the kind comments guys! We really appreciate it. We are glad you enjoyed this round and that we were able to turn it around at the end. Like I said before, if anyone wants more detailed feedback about their subs (and how they compared), let me know by pm and ill help you out!
So… best of luck @4LGE! I’m sure you can do it. If there is any advice I could give, it would be to write reviews as the cars come in. that kind of tripped me up a bit.
4LGE
#239
Pretty sure I could, now that I realise that I have a few holidays next week! I was just a bit reluctant because I have hosted a round long before, and also know that it can turn stressful, especially if one doesn’t keep that advice you mentioned in mind. I didn’t back then since I was sure I could review every car along with a detailed story all on a single day, then finish off on the other, which turned out to be a bit of a wrong estimate 
But stuff is learnt, and I have something in mind that is close to home for me: Are we going back to the 80’s? Not quite, but the number of that round will be a relevant year within the challenge I had in mind
Here’s the car, for everyone interested in making it better or worse or find out how the hell I pulled off these wheel well covers XD
CSR88 - 4LGE - TAORE ARUMINA5000.car (51.6 KB)
Here’s the new Round, BTW!
Marcus_gt500
#240
Thanks for having patience with us, guys. We wanted to make this theme on a competition for long, and also solve something that particulary bugs me, that on previous CSRs all entries were versions of the same body, with a wildcard here and there. This round was beautifull, vans, sedans, coupes, even a vacuum cleaner, all styled on our favorite style! Congratulations to all that entered for your efforts on making our dream car world come true for a week. Also, @GROOV3ST3R is the one to credit here, he wrote the story, made the tech reviews and spend much more hours than me on this! Also, @goblin95, your car was my favorite. Sure I have a soft spot for rear engineered cars and their unique driving characteristics, but still. Also, thanks to all that posted their inspiration songs, they greatly increased my library on the theme. I hope the expericence adquired here have a place on the mind of the next CSR holders, specially our effont on bringing more variety.
Cheers folks!
PS: Also really cool ads, congrats!
Marcus_gt500
#241
Hey guys, I’ve added the songs you shared here to the playlist. It will be kept up. Here’s the link again. Have fun.