Nah, it’s from too much internet and having friends of mexican descent.
1991 BM Bella Stradale
1.8L i5, 201hp, AWD, ABS. Leave everyone in the wake of your flowing hair for only $8999
7 Likes
Hopefully I am not too late for an entry?
The 1991 Norvest R111 Turbo Cabriolet
111 horsepower and 11 L/100km from a turbocharged inline 6 for 8493$ Comes with anti-lock brakes and alloy wheels as standard. Model on display has a 4 speed manual and basic cassette player.
8 Likes
Submissions are herby closed! (since half an hour)
I have received 42 entries in total, coming from:
@Regenfrosch @Watermelon3878 @HybridTronny @yurimacs @findRED19 @yangx2 @PengiWanKenobi @CorsicaUnknown @racer126 @Fayeding_Spray @VicVictory @z2bbgr @Bmaggiori @Mikonp7 @Xepy @fromaj @Ezdmn @machalel @LinkLuke @conan @electroGG @abg7 @DoctorNarfy @goblin95 @Flamers @MrChips @LS-Vehicles @zschmeez @Jaimz @Nicking_HC @MasterDoggo @JohnWaldock @saddiseased @VG33E @NiuYorqCiti @thecarlover @Nicholander @Knightophonix @Ornate @Marcus_gt500 +Leedar @TheElt @R30hedron
First batch of reviews will be there by tomorrow evening, about the same time!
Here’s more about Janny and the characters who will be with her for the most part. I’ll be watching you!
Prologue: Janine
Now in her early 30’s, she grew up and lived most of her life in the GDR town of Sellafelde.
She turned quite fond of her life under the socialist system; well, except for that censorship about the West, the limitations of travel, how some of the fancy stuff is so seldomly available in the Konsum stores, or how she would’ve needed to wait 10 years for a new sofa… Even her old Simmy, a moped, would’ve probably been faster and likely more reliable than that.
She’s spent nice times with that Moped, ever since she got it from her father when she turned 16. And she was pretty much the only girl in town to drive one of these. She took it everywhere, to friends, to vocational school, to youth clubs and discotheques which were popular since they did usually play more than what the public radio stations were allowed to play, including imported songs. She usually didn‘t wear a helmet despite concerns by her parents, showing off her flowing hair in the wind instead. She was leaving quite the impression on the boys in town, to whom she got known to as “The girl with the Simmy”. Wild times which caused her to even fall under the radar of the StaSi, especially since she had a flirt with the occasional visitor from West Germany.
But the years went on, it‘s 1989. Regretfully, she‘s lost her Moped, taken back by her father as soon as she found a spouse who already had a car. She’s now married to Boldizsar, lawfully working in quality control in one of the larger electonics factories, and intending to start a family. Thanks to the ridiculously low rents, water and electricity included, and basic foods subsidised in such excess that a kilogram of bread cost less than the same weight in flour, the pair was sure that they could save up a house of their own as soon as they have a child, by which point they’d likely get that approved. But there was one thing that she didn’t consider possible until November 1989: Losing her job.
The more she heard about the winds of change on the radio and the more people in East Berlin were looking for freedom, the more she thought about what that would mean for her. She had toyed with the idea of opening up a diner. She’d even have an idea on how and where to put it, and it should be easier to manage within the less restrictive system. On a fateful day, late in November, she went up to the factory’s director and told him about her idea.
"I heard that we’ll merge with West Germany, but what will happen here? Will we keep our jobs?“
To which the director answered:
“Let me tell it to you bluntly: It‘s all coming down.
Pretty much all companies and facilities within the soviet union were never meant to compete within eachother, especially not with the free markets of the West. And I don‘t think things will adapt as expected. The Ostmark and the companies here will be devaluated to rock bottom, and easily bought out by the groups and businesses of West Germany. If not that, they‘ll just lose out in the markets unless they somehow catch up from years and decades of politically stalled progress… I‘m afraid the merge will end up being an overturn for East Germany.”
Janny remained silent, quite shocked about that answer.
“As for you, Janny… go for it. Open up your diner. In this brave new world, everyone will need to find their niche.”
“…Thank you for your honesty, Director.”
“Tell your foreman, you got my blessings. Good luck!”
The same day, Janny quit her job, much to the intrigue and even mockery from many of her colleagues. However, she was set on her goal, and went and put her dedication behind it.
Boldizsar or Boldi
Born and raised in Hungary, he ended up in East Germany as exchange student for mechanical engineering. During which time, he met Janny. He‘s not as savvy about cars as one would expect from his studies, since he was more focused on construction.
In the reviews, he‘ll be having a quite reserved view about the cars Janny might intend to purchase, and prefers a more conservative design.
Roland
Roland was a former colleague and friend of Janny. He and his family had moved to the West soon after the borders were opened, and he already had found employment there. But since he didn‘t move too far from the border, he‘s still maintaining good ties to his friends back in the East. He‘s been helping her with the research and collecting brochures from the West.
Waldemar or Waldi
Despite being a capable journeyman car mechanic since years, he needed to refresh his certifications within the new reunited Germany. For that, he had been leaving about the same time as Roland and had become again an apprentice car mechanic at a larger garage in the West. While he was at first disgruntled about that, he did find it quite a revelation to see the tech behind the cars outside the old East, but will point out quirks and issues about any model he had his hands on in the nearly 2 years there. Janny inspired him to also open up his own business in the near future.
Ivan
Your resident Russian.
And
The mostly fictional town this plays in: Sellafelde
A GDR town that was growing to become a relatively modern industrial hub by the 80’s, producing electronics for much of the bloc.
The town was set and made to be an almost propagandistic example of youthfulness and modernism and had a couple of discotheques and youth clubs. Large production halls surrounded public transport hubs, and iconic brown flat complexes, relatively modern and supplied by excess heat by the nearby gas power plant, surrounded the town. There were even plans by the regime to build the at the time largest nuclear power plant of Europe nearby until it was decided to start the construction further north nearby the city of Stendal.
After the fall of the bloc, much of the town went into a decline, many of the workplaces closing off from either takeovers or market pressure. The sudden decline in job prospects caused somewhat of an exodus. At least the mild exodus kept rents at bay, even though much of the properties were given into private ownership. It would take years until new local companies settled back in the region.
18 Likes
It’s late Saturday evening at Janny’s little diner. The days may remain reasonably warm as the autumn sun still shines, but the nights have become cold, just as the kitchen now is.
No guests for now, besides Ivan, who’s still chugging his bottle by the space heater.
The only things she serves at this time are a few cold ones for her boys.
Boldi: “I still don’t know why you want to get a convertible, considering how cold it sometimes gets here!”
Janny: “Not just a personal thing, I promise that the choice will be useful as car. Besides, now that Summer’s over, the prices for them might drop, so, could make a good deal!”
Roland: “And I think that holds true, the dealerships I was at were quite eager to give me brochures and ads. Lemme get them out of my car…” as Roland heads off
Janny: “And Waldi, thanks for coming along! How’s it going with your new garage?”
Waldi: “The site is pretty much ready, but I don’t think I can afford all the tooling yet. These bankers turn out to be more stingy than expected. But you can lend me some in case, right?”
Janny: “Hey, as long as you help me find a car that’s cheaply reliable, then you won’t even have to give me a discount!”
Roland returned with a small bag of many papers
Roland: “Here you go!” he managed to grab about half of them to put on the dining table, in the middle of them.
Geschenk Kunai XL @racer126
R: Here‘s all the brochures and ads I got from the various dealerships I could find while in the West! -Hands Janny a brochure he intentionally put on top for first view- This is a Geschenk for you, Janny!
J: A present? Ohhh it‘s actually the brand! And it already looks the type! Thank you, Roland! -browses through the brochure‘s pictures- It looks nice in yellow, the front expresses confidence and the rear looks sporty, nice details on the sides and fancy two color side mirrors. Kinda looks like it‘s on stilts, though.
B: I couldn‘t live with the color, such an offensive yellow.
J: But it looks fine and handsome to me, even fast! I hope it‘s not too sporty?
R: Naaah I don‘t think so with how high it sits, but it gets to 100 in 11 and a half seconds, which is incredible considering it only takes 6.1L per 100km!
W: Yes, Geschenk made a quite sturdy and efficient engine for that one, the car really is unproblematic. Only complaint a customer actually came in about was the ABS. It‘s a bit easy to push the brakes hard enough to lock the wheels if it weren‘t for that, so it‘s good the engineers tried to incorporate that system, but it vibrates a lot, more on it than on other cars. But they were fond of the otherwise supple ride comfort and well made interior even on the rear seats.
J: And it costs less than 8000, even! Not just a steal, a Geschenk! -Janny lays it aside for a further view-
J: The Geschenk seemed good already, but how much more have you got?
Riavera Cabrio @Regenfrosch
R: About 41 brochures, but the first brochure I‘ve found over in Yarishausen was while I ate at an Italian restaurant, of all places! Sporty Italian convertible with over 100hp! With a cassette player and being less than 8200, it sounds quite good!
J: The Riavera Cabrio, it has a few nice things going for it! I like that grill section and the shiny wheels! But I feel like it could have some more features, especially the sides could have something more like a trim line, at least.
W: I heard that the Italians had a bit of help from the Swiss on this one, so it is highly reliable. But it unfortunately isn‘t the only reason I‘ve seen this car only once in repair.
J: How so?
W: The suspension is solid in more than one way, it‘s well made but targeted for very sporty driving, too uncomfortable for most. I should tell you about that case! That boy told me he drove it ‘nice and calm’ until the engine made funny noises. Since it‘s a transverse mounted boxer, the front head was easily accessed, but the rear was just a pain to get to. Even if you can rev the engine that high, doesn‘t mean you really should. Even changing the spark plugs will be a challenge. Oh, and there‘s a special performance air filter and ventilated brake disks that will be expensive to replace, not speaking of the Michellini sports tyres that wear down very quick on the front! Bit too exotic.
B: Sounds like they attempted to combine Emmental with Gorgonzola and made an Emmenzola mistake. It‘s cheese. Next one?
EKW Piper S @PengiWanKenobi
J, looking at the next brochure: That‘s styling one can agree on! Boldi, have a look!
B, after sipping his beer: Yes. And EKW stands for Einkaufswagen (Shopping cart), eh?
R laughs: Haha, no, but it is splendid from what I‘ve seen! When the dealer gave me the brochure, they were telling me about how quick it is with its spritely 95hp 1.7L engine, all the while having incredible fuel economy and low maintenance! They also said it handled with direct feedback with a not too firm but enjoyable responsive ride! Also, I‘ve seen it having a robust but well equipped interior, including a tape deck. All for below 8700!
J: That almost sounds too good! I‘m really considering this. Waldi, what do you say?
W: Only occassion I‘ve seen those in was for oil changes, and the few who actually put on winter tyres during last winter, where the garage also was keen on offering protective undercoating to their owners, since the cladding and chassis are not rust proofed unlike the rest of the panels. And be warned, there’s no power steering.
J: Well, I‘d be one of the few who would need it in winter, but it seems within my budget! Might as well be a reasonable option!
W: Make sure you‘ll get the undercoat and tyres from my garage!
Pajaro Tempest GL @CorsicaUnknown
R: If you found the last one good, you might find this one even better! The Pajaro Tempest! Comes with another 1.7L I4! Also with 95hp! And even more firm!
J: And it looks handsome! Though, the back ended up looking more cute and friendly than the front, but the tail lights have a nice touch with the chrome and black there! And beautiful trim all around!
B: I kinda prefer the previous one, I don‘t know why.
R: It may just look more bare inside, but the two seats are more comfy and lighter, possibly more sporty!
J: I can‘t help but compare it to the Piper before. Huh, traction control, interesting. What does that mean, Waldi?
W: It‘s an added function that prevents wheels spinning from too much acceleration. Good in winter, I have to say! And it uses pretty much the same sensors.
B: Just more electronic stuff that can break, then.
R: Ohh and they had a demo vhs up about the production process! They milled the crankshafts on CNC mills!
W: Precision-milled crankshafts! Fancy and quite modern that they have the facilities!
J: It has a tape deck, too. I mean, could consider? I like the looks, so I reconsider it later!
GM Ghyffer Pouselle C @findRED19
J grabs the next ad: Chubby! Cute in a way.
B: ahem It looks like a menthol cough drop ahem
J: But round is modern, Boldi! Boxes are getting old, and this is refreshing, especially in that colour!.. well, a bit strange, maybe, since the rear has a different face than the front.
R: Oh, and the Pouselle also is an automatic! Just need to move the knob once, and it does all the shifting for you! A very comfortable and relaxed driving experience!
W: Well, automatics can be unpredictable and never as reliable as a manual transmission. The newer automatics are a bit better behaved but can become problematic even quicker, especially if the electronics are poorly done. But Ghyffer seems to know how to make them not too bad. Though, there was a colleague, who was mainly responsible for the EFI-stuff, who remarked that the ignition timing seems a bit bugged in the engine, always on a conservative default far away from the knock limit.
J: With about 8500, it’s still cheap enough and I might not want to pass on the automatic, seems good!
W: Go for it, if you want. I know it‘s also a transverse boxer front like the Riavera, but it‘s better accessible in this one.
J lays it aside for later consideration.
Lagau Epyx Turbo @yurimacs
B notices a flyer that intrigues him: I like this one, finally something that looks like a car amongst the balloons.
J: It looks quite utilitarian, but handsome! But, what is it with these huge exhaust pipes?
B: Because it has a cylinder more than most cars, these 130hp must go somewhere.
W: The five cylinder version? Heard good things about it, the sturdy all-iron engine makes no problems despite receiving boost. Seen Japanese brands use turbocharging a lot, makes great power from little displacement, even good economy if one doesn‘t step too much on the pedal.
R: And it absolutely hauls! All wheel drive! Less than 9 seconds to 100 no matter where!
J: That‘s all nice, but how is it inside?
R: You should see for yourself! In the showroom, with roof and pillars dismounted and neatly stored in its rear deck, it basically turns into a tiny convertible pickup truck, 3 seats on the front and a spacious rear!
J: 3 seats could be enough considering that!
R: It has a nice radio with tweeters, too, unfortunately can‘t play Cassettes but some old tape format I didn‘t even know about.
J: Oh, that‘s disappointing. But otherwise, boys, What do you think?
B, R and W: EINE ABSOLUTE EINHEIT!
J: Alright, I consider it! Sounds like a capable unit.
Kuma TD 1.4 Convertible @Xepy
J inspects the next flyer: This looks very modern! Is that a light that stretches the entire front?
R: Not the inner area, but the outer area turns on, and the pop up lights come up for high beam! Astonishing light setup! The rear also has a connected style going for it, with a cute spoiler, too!
J: Awesome! What an unique but sleek design! I‘m sure that‘ll catch some eyes! Well, might get hubcaps for those rims, though. Actually, how does the technical side look like? Janny hands the brochure to Waldi
R: 1.4L Turbo I4 engine! Super brisk, goes to 100 in less than 9 seconds!
W: That one also has the traction control, but I don‘t think I‘ve seen that one causing issues? It‘s a quite upscale considering the rather bare interior.
R: But it at least has a tape deck! Oh, and might I mention that it takes only 6L per 100 km? I couldn‘t resist giving this one a drive around myself before, it‘s easy to handle, not too wild, not too firm!
W: Driver‘s car, then!
J: But I‘ll give it a look, for that economy!
B: Hmm, maybe that styling ripes like a fine wine, too.
Garuda KAT-6 S @goblin95
R: I have a liking for this one, just have a look, Janny! The Garuda KAT-6 S, just… wows me every time, just, this is beyond its time! Don‘t you think?
B: What is with those edgy headlights!?
J: It‘s incredible! And that rear, it‘s awesome! I like the styling of this one, definitely a considering that.
R: And you know what I like? 137 hp, from a 2.4L 6 cylinder, to the rear wheels! Don‘t worry, drove it, it‘s pretty good to drive with the modern automatic! A smooth and comfortable ride! Good interior, tape deck…
J: But you know my worries about RWD in winter, right?
R: Traction control! That should cover your worries.
W: Right as we go to the 90‘s, manufacturers of the West and far East really seem to get behind their electronic stuff! Haven‘t seen this one yet, probably brand new.
R: Just as well, they somehow kept the rear bench quite spacious despite the drive tunnel!
J: I‘ll give it a consideration, then!
K Engineering Fortuna V8 @Fayeding_Spray
R: But one of the cheapest cars I‘ve seen is actually coming with a V8! Just 5900!
W: Wait WHAT? A V8 in a car for 5900?!
R: Yeah, the K Engineering Fortuna V8, seems to be a strange niche lifestyle vehicle, though. Single seater in the front with two in the back, but it looks awesome!
B: A shame, the looks have already grown on me! Are you sure this isn‘t meant to be a tractor? What‘s the displacement like?
R: 2.1L, so I think too small to be a tractor, maybe one of those Tuk-Tuks?
W: But I feel like it‘d be as easy to service as either.
J: Guys, considering it only has an open air roof, barely 3 seats, and all the confusion it causes, it sounds like an awful car for me.
R: But… V8!
J: Let‘s not bother, I thought you found another offer with a V6 instead that sounded much nicer?
R: Ohh sure!
Bechov B3262C @machalel
R: This here, the Bechov B32… I just call it BC. May be from the east, at least by the name, but it not only packs a twin turbo V6, but it has the engine in the rear!
J: Ohh, it looks chic in the front! Almost elegant, and it becomes much more sporty at the rear! Those rear vents make it unique! Say, you don‘t think it causes any issues that the engine is at the rear?
W: It‘s good for sporty driving since it has better traction at the rear, and it can even be overall lighter and more agile! Borsche uses this layout quite often for that.
B: That‘d be the dream. Borsche… I‘d like it.
W: Though, they usually need staggered tyres in order to be drivable, lemme see if the tyres aren‘t too wide at the rear.
R: Here, have a look, Waldi. Meanwhile, can I point out that it achieves incredible economy of 7.1L but goes to 100 in less than 10 seconds?
W: Can I point out that it surprisingly uses the same size tyres all around? I don‘t think it‘ll drive tame, at all.
R: Ohh but I couldn‘t resist and took a test drive with it! Feels like a go-kart! Though admittedly, it was a more dedicated sport variant I drove, more grippy, but it would‘ve cost more than our budget. This variant at least has the same peppy V6!
B: You just need to be a great driver, then the rear won‘t step out on you.
J: Well, rather not, then. I don‘t think I‘m that great of a driver.
(Still remarkable and bold setup! But ultimately, the engine PU also is over limit.)
Likar Tirol @electroGG
B, handing over the brochure of the Likar Tirol to his Wife: This one has an interesting look, doesn’t look as much as a cough drop as the one before.
J: Interesting? That sure has a featured look with its deep lights. Ohh, that rear also has a nice tail light design. I could like it, actually!
R: Ohhh this one I think was a testbed for a TCA-ALM, some traction-controli-active-auto-locky-mechanismo or whatever they told me. Apparently has superb handling, because it really ate those corners at the autocross when they demonstrated it! Took that with me, because they incidentally designed it as convertible on the ladder chassis they used.
W: Ladder chassis at this time? Interesting, but I don‘t think it‘s for purchase, then?
R: No, they released it! Gets a bad fuel economy, though. And no actual cassette player, they had some American made 8-track put in just to have a radio.
W: It‘d be absolutely unique, but those tyres on the front look very wide!
J: Well, not risking it! Off it goes.
Econobox Generica Cabrio @Watermelon3878
J picks up the next brochure in the pile: Oh, are the headlights entirely hidden?
R, looking over: Yes, it‘s one of those few cars with full pop up lights! Pop-ups are quite the eye catcher, aren‘t they?
J: It‘s unique! Though, it‘s as if they just wanted to make a red balloon, it‘s almost all red and round! The color is nice, though, and that makes the tail stand out despite being simple, too.
R: Well, the dealership said that it will be one of the most economical convertibles when it comes out in summer next year!
J: Next year? I don‘t think I would wait for it. Not even have to wait, it‘s not like we have to enter a waiting list for a car anymore.
(The Engine‘s ET is exceeding the limit)
Atera Atom @HybridTronny
Roland tosses a brochure to Janny: But this one is already out and comes with a cool name! The Atera Atom!
W: Oh…
J: Hey, it looks good! Vivid glossy red, a thoughtful minimalist front, not entirely empty, and that rear is also a good looker. The ATOM badge might be a bit too blunt.
W: I wouldn‘t suggest you this one. The garage I was at back in the west had at least two cases where the pistons of this model‘s engine had their low friction pads shear loose and damage the cylinder. They admitted they revved their engine too high, because it would otherwise be too sluggish in the low RPM range.
J: That sounds bad.
W: Combined with the engine running a bit hot during summer and the mix of iron block and the new lightweight head, this is a receipe for failure, too. But well, it does have front airbags which actually saved some lives in this. The brake setup is as simple and cheap as it can reliably get. But I still don‘t know why the manufacturer specced slightly wider front tyres, and it looked odd to see leaf springs with adaptive dampers combined at the rear.
R swishes the brochure off the table: I thought they meant something better with Modern Twist! Should‘ve looked deeper into it.
Mistral @Bmaggiori
W deliberately grabbed this one out of the pile and showed it off to all: I swear this one is a concept car!
J: That design! Those sleek slender eyes, But there‘s a lot of wide empty area.
B: And the mirrors are tiny. Good colour, though.
W: And I remember it has been recalled for changing gaskets to a more, well, reliable type, because this is a rare car with an aluminium block while retaining an iron head!
R: Otherwise, well… it uses 9 liters per 100… no, that‘s not good enough for it.
J: I think there were others with much better economy. So, a no from me.
R: This could‘ve been something.
(Also, you should‘ve followed naming conventions here
)
Ivan, drunk: “I go home.” topples over the chair
Janny: “Oh, not again, Ivan!”
Boldi, helping Ivan up again: “You shouldn’t be driving tonight. Where’s your car?”
Ivan poins at a Popas Kvass parked outside, the Convertable version
Popas Kvass Convertable @Mikonp7
R: Hey, looks like you’ll get to test drive a convertible tonight already, Janny! I’ll follow with mine, cya when you’re there!
J: Not another Popas… Fine, then, I’ll look into it.
B: I don’t think it looks bad at all. That’ll become a soviet classic, for sure!
I: YOU KNOW, COMRADE! Look at the sporty stripes on front!
J: Ivan, since when do you drive a convertible?
I: Since yesterday! Is such good car. Russians only made better! Cannot wait to enjoy Siberian summer with it!
Janny, while closing her diner for tonight: That sounds good! Well, where do you have the keys?
I: Is right here. Careful, engine STRONK!
Everyone (besides Roland) somehow found a seat inside, Ivan on the front passenger side. The roof for now warmly covering the passengers. Janny tried to grab the choke, only to find that Popas seems to have upgraded from a Carburettor to an actual electronic fuel injection system. The Engine sprung to life, the cassette player engaged, noticeable vibrations emanate through the cabin from the large 4 cylinder, but made inaudible by the music.
I: Don’t mind music, comrade gave me mixtape and first song that played was this.
Meanwhile, Waldi found and was checking out the brochure, Boldi providing light with his lighter.
W: That engine has nearly 2.4L capacity, updated with single point EFI. Quite big, but otherwise… seems to be the old reliable Kvass!
Janny rows through the 4 gears. The engine really doesn’t seem weak, at all. It pulls! But the roadholding was still as bad as ever.
I: Take a turn right, right there!
J: But that’s a gravel path!
I: And is shortcut! Turn now.
J reluctantly took the shortcut. Meanwhile, Ivan had pulled a lever in the middle console.
J: What was that, Ivan?
I: Diff lock! Now gravel is like concrete road.
Janny does indeed notice that the Kvass seems to handle better when not on the road. The suspension dampens bumps very nicely, the tyres grip into the loose surface, but the brakes seem to react quite harshly.
W: Such awful fuel economy, but it seems to be otherwise… solid.
B: I swear the seats have become more comfy.
After that detour on the gravel road, they have reached their destination.
B: You owe us, Ivan!
I: I organise more Vodka, how is that?
J: Good enough! Actually, thanks for the test drive, Ivan.
Soon after, Roland also arrived, and Ivan was back in his abode.
R: Whoa, I couldn’t catch you on that rural path! It seems to be a nippy car!
J: Maybe, but it doesn’t seem to be made for the road, and Waldi revealed that it has bad fuel economy, so… I don’t think this would be it despite the reliability.
B: But personally my favourite so far, and it was easily able to fit us all comfortably!
R: Let’s head back to Sellafelde and call it a night!
J: Alright, good idea!
They set off back home, intending to review the rest of the pile the next morning.
17 Likes
But V8
4 Likes
DAMN IT! I was being rly careful about that too… how much over?
Wat…
I swear I double checked…damn,will have to look again once I’m free 
Put in traction control to make the car more desirable, ended up making it less desirable 
Anyways, great writeup!
1 Like
Yep, damn… over…
I was so focused on squeezing under the ET cap, that I forgot about checking the PU cap 
1 Like
gotta consider the reality of the situation. a car like that would’ve never had TC. the in-game markets are misleading to that effect at best.
3 Likes
Almost 5 ET over
Also, no worries about Boldi instabinning because of looks, he’s just getting snarly if the looks are too crazy to him, but the looks are sold to Janny. Though, even she wouldn’t want a multi-color-pastel-purple+neon-green something 
And as for the thing about Traction control: It does make it less desirable within circumstances (like… actually not realistically needing it), but not to the point of instabin. ABS is pretty much accepted, but also not needed if I see the brake setup is 
Heads up edit: I need at least another day since I had lost most of yesterday due to personal reasons, which turned me too busy to review most of the backlog of the entries as I had intended that day.
I tried to catch up with them today, but there are still (as of now 12) entries left that I need to review. They’d be otherwise ready now if it weren’t for that interruption (and me being a slow writer). But all should be done by tomorrow afternoon, and the results shall be ready by Sunday evening GMT.
6 Likes
Yeah, in 1991 traction control pretty much was reserved for the most expensive, complicated cars on the road…not cars like this.
5 Likes
Thank you all for bearing with me. Now that I could finally work through the backlog of entries after I had a blunt interruption to my weekend, I’ll post the reviews now!
Sunday Morning, at Janny’s diner:
Radio: “And now for the local weather: … ,Sellafelde: Brisk winds at a mild 11°C. Now continuing with the best tracks of the decade, up next: ‘Everything Counts’, ‘Alles Zählt’ by Depeche Mode, because all of you listeners count! After a brief ad break. Thank you for listening to Midwave Antenna, have a nice relaxed Sunday!”
All the while, a coffee machine had coughed hot water over a funnel of powdered coffee beans. Janny takes the kettle, filled with the fresh brew.
Janny: “Here you go, boys! Now we were far from looking at all the different cars, didn’t even get to look at half of them before Ivan needed a lift.”
Ivan: “I promise, not going to happen today!”
Janny: “It’s alright! Enjoy your breakfast, Ivan.”
Ivan: “No, I have something for you!” As he hands her a cassette tape
Ivan: “Take this, don’t like that music much, anyway.”
Janny: “Best of Italo Disco Vol. 4… Well, thanks, Ivan!”
Waldi: “Haha! Simply the best! Good old disco!”
Boldi: “Getting too old for this.”
Roland: “Well, one more for your tape deck!”
Janny: “Hey, even you used to dance with me to disco, Boldi! No shame in staying young!”
Boldi: “Alright! You’ll get a convertible to go along with it, as well.”
Roland, after retrieving the rest of the baggage: “Alright, where have we left off?”
Janny: “Probably some sports car, as I know you, Roland.”
CSM Divisia Spyder Turbo @Nicking_HC
R: Well, I have brought many sporty cars, though! Just because I find you should enjoy every time you drive, and here‘s something which I also suspect comes from the land of the rising sun! CSM Divisa Spyder, with Turbo!
B: Wasn‘t the name Spyder more related to some Italian cars?
J: It looks inoffensive and cute! The lettering and colour does underline a sporty heart, though!
W: But it has ABS despite not really needing it… well, except for harsher conditions, maybe. You agree, Roland?
R: Yeah, the brakes seemed to be just about enough for those wheels! Pretty efficient tuning, I‘d say!
J: So you also drove this one to try the sportyness? How‘d it drive, then?
R: Would be good for you! A very comfortable ride, not really fast as I expected but it handles tame, the turbo boosts when you need it, it‘s whisper quiet, has featured seats for two persons in the rear, tape deck… it has a lot of good!
W: Not just that, but that platform doesn‘t need any undercoating! Was off our little list. And yeah, I know it‘s a turbo, with a bit of a high boost, but it has solid piping and shouldn‘t go wrong.
J: It is right on the limit of my budget, though, and that economy rating doesn‘t sound so good to me, either, so, nah, there‘s sure better options!
Mondo E503 Cabrio @Ezdmn
J, looking upon the pile: I had noticed this yesterday evening already, a shame I couldn‘t look much further at it until now, because that thing looks incredible, very distinct!
B: Distinctively… nice. It has some appeal to me, but those headlights look quite narrow.
J: The shiny pillars go along nicely with the chrome trim and wheels, the detailed lower section and bumpers radiate such a sporty modern presence! Ohh I love that design!
R: And that bump on the bonnet of the Mondo is not without reason! It has a strong 2L I4, 16 valves and modern injection! Makes a torquey 100hp and is efficient to boot!
W: The engine is sturdy, unfortunately requires a high flow air filter. But I know this one has its entire underside covered with a plastic shield. Not just for aerodynamics, I think it‘s also because of the rust-prone platform.
J: I‘ll keep that in mind, then!
R: But it also has a great 4-speaker radio with cassette, easy seating for 4 and when I took it for a spin myself, it handled SO GOOD! The ride was comfortable, the 4 speed gearbox may be notchy and the brakes mushy, but otherwise, it eats corners for breakfast!
W: Also eats its front tyres in the process. One can see the camber! Be warned of the brakes, too, had a case where the rubber brake lines just… inflated! That customer almost crashed if it wasn‘t for that handling.
J: Sounds too dangerous. Regretfully a no.
JIPOT Tarpin CCT Cherry Top @MasterDoggo
R: I‘m very excited about this! Jipot is bringing out a convertible version of the Tarpin, with 135 hp from a 1.6L turbo 4 cylinder!
R: Just look at it! Doesn‘t it scream classy sports car?
B: Ohh, I think one can not get more power for less! And I do like the looks of it!
J: It has an aggressive but refined sporty look! From the stylish angled front lights with their unique wipers and the black colored rims to the angular rear defined by that wing! Now the convertible is the cherry topping! I hope it isn‘t undrivable, though!
R: Don‘t think it will be! It comes with very grippy tyres and double wishbone all around and even gets the ABS option! Not just that, look at the interior! Half-leather seats!
J: That‘s great, but… it doesn‘t tell a price on the flyer.
W: It isn‘t even out yet, but you can get the coupé for that price and trim already! Is a bit service-intensive, though.
J: Oh, what a disappointment, the looks have already grown on me.!
B: Looked quite roomy, too. Well then, maybe some later day.
(This thing is cool and I like how you pulled off that sunroof look, but not only have you gone over Trim ET, but also have not implemented the mandatory +1 to chassis when using a non-convertible body!)
Morton Shrike Cabrio 1.8 @abg7
The next brochure, magazine-sized, dropped off the table and turned open to show the paint in its full glory.
Ivan: What a YELLOW car!
J, picking up the brochure again: That‘s a striking shade of yellow! Morton Shrike… Doesn‘t look bad on the front, either! Oh, but the rear is a bit more simple with its wide tail lights.
B: At least it looks consistent and… really, not too bold.
R: And it comes with everything you‘d want! Stereo cassette player, comfortable and useful rear bench, good economy at 6.7L, even with the automatic gearbox! Didn‘t drive that one because ehh, it seemed a bit boring to me despite the 100hp rating and alloy rims.
W: Hmm, I‘m not sure about the automatics by Morton, but as manufacturer, they seem rather competent. Looking at the brochure for the specs… Though, the Bridget medium compound tyres sound a bit upscale, but shouldn‘t be too expensive at that small size.
J: Sounds very reasonable, especially with an asking price under 8400! Shall give it a go.
Keystone KT1800 Sunrunner @VicVictory
B gazed upon the next brochure to review: Hold on, is this car an even more offensive shade of Yellow?
R: Neon Yellow, baby!
I: Oy blin! Looks like vest worn by konstruc workers.
J: That‘s really a quite sharp and eye catching shade! But I don‘t know if this will necessarily receive a positive reaction! The front is very empty despite the defined front grille and… oh, these are lights in the grille!
R: Looks better on the sides and the rear! This is like… the sporty turbo version of the Shrike! If you give it a chance, it‘s quite the nice driving experience, powerful but easy!
W: Well, it has more torque, could handle even more BOOSCHT with strong forged internals, the cooling seems to handle that well, too. But… I‘ve seen some young ones swap that front bumper for something more redeeming.
J: You‘re indicating that it might not be reasonable?
W: It comes with large grippy tyres, needs more frequent oil changes, on top of just… costing more. I mean, go for it if you want the pep without sacrificing the comfort of the automatic.
B: Not for us, then.
FABEL Sirius Cabrio @MrChips
J: How‘s this for a good looker! This one is chic!
J: Confident and defined front, simply modern headlights, and a tailgate that has a sporty eye-catcher of a tail light arrangement!
W: And the Sirius is a quite unique vehicle in the sense that FABEL may have cooperated with Borsche! Not just a boxer 4 cylinder, but engine at the rear, and… they have provided vented disk brakes all around.
R: And despite everything, costs just 7000!
W: And despite everything, not too costly to service, the rotors are small enough, but solid disks would‘ve been better, of course. I know I said before that such a setup should require staggered tyres, but they have somehow pulled it off to use same size all around, the tyres are grippy enough! One can swap the tyres around from front to rear as they wear down, because the suspension is just set up in a way to counter the rear engine nature with quite some camber where the weight sits. Not ideal, but not too much to eat tyres, either. Additionally, they put the radiators on front to further aid making a better weight distribution. So yes, I‘ve seen it becoming quite popular since it came out in 1988, because it is basically a budget Borsche!
R: Especially with that responsive handling! The engine is capable, gets to 100 in about 10s, gets better economy than the Spyder, and it really likes to turn!
J: Well, sounds a bit dangerous in handling yet again.
B: Give it a go, one of the most popular cars ever had this kind of setup, and many cars of the east bloc, too. It’s a Sirius contender!
J: Hmm, might do! May not be convinced about the fuel consumption, but we will see.
Shromet Interval Turbo @DoctorNarfy
R: You know there was another awesome rear engined car within our Budget? The Shromet Interval Turbo, made in USA!
W: Ahh, Shromet is actually a quite forward and modern manufacturer. Usually need rust-proofing, though.
R: And it also comes with a manual 4 speed, works thanks to the turbo torque! 127hp from the 1.7L I4! And of course, since it is the future, it comes with ABS! It may just have 3 seats, but it has a big compartment in the front and another one just behind the seats.
J: I am quite astonished by the looks! Beautiful colour, that‘s a metallic paint, right? And unique clear cover for the front, and a reserved sporty look on the rear, goes well with the chic 3 spoke rims! Aside the blunt wing mirrors, definitely a classy look!
B: I think there was a French sports car that looked a bit like that, called Mapine or something.
W, also inspecting the brochure: Drum brakes all around, interesting. But 235-wide Hoosiers on the rear! Well, it is an exotic, after all. But I think it is well planted?
R: Ohh it was! Sure has a cool handling, somehow ends up neutral sliding if driven hard! But it only has an 8-track tape player as popular in the US.
J: That handling alone does sound scary, next to the questionable practicality. I‘ll pass.
(Also, MINISCULLY above trim ET)
Kansei Strela @saddiseased
J: Roland, this one looks very sporty yet again! But I like it, it‘s got energetic eyes and a cute rear.
R: And a spoiler!
J: It‘s well proportioned and those rims are a looker! Also, headlight washer jets! Cute feature. Drove it?
R: I have to admit… I was scared by the engine. I wanted to test drive this, started the engine, and I thought someone turned on massage seats until the guy from the dealership told me that that isn‘t actually a feature of it, but the engine. But it‘s quite the advanced DOHC unit, turbocharged, but it shook a lot for being just 1.5L in displacement!
W: That‘s because it has an Inline 3, they‘re not really balanced unless you dedicate some balancing shafts to them.
R: But it did pull good when I drove it, the 111hp engine just roared and bashed the car in under 10 seconds to 100 despite roughly 1.1 ton weight, and it is still somehow rated for sub-7L fuel economy! Modern torquing! And of course, great bench on the rear and a stereo cassette player!
J: Just why does it sound so capable? There has to be something!
W: Wide Loloyo tyres can be costly, special air filter and the individual throttle bodies might also be a concern… the engine is intriguing, though! Oh, and it was on the rustproofing-list, and it has ABS, even if the brakes are balanced.
J: So, it‘s actually nice, but not quite worth a consideration.
(INLINE 3 POWAAA)
GMI 120-C @LinkLuke
R, grabbing the next brochure: I was kind of reluctant to take this one, but it sounded cool and quirky! The GMI 120-C, comes with a smaller 1.2L, also 3 cylinder engine, but it‘s making 90hp with a quite big turbo!
J: Such an unique look, sporty, and such a lush colour! Such big wing mirrors.
B: Such a no go.
J: I can see it working!
W: I remember this one has earned a bit of an image in rallying. This… I think it‘s a de-specced version, but that engine as it is is well capable to produce like 50% more power if not more. Forged internals, iron block and everything. But in normal use, it has so much turbo lag, and it also kept the vented disks in front.
R: But even prior tune, it just takes a bit over 10 seconds to go to 100, and even has an advertised economy rating of 8.4L!
W: And the rest is sturdy and unproblematic, a solid hatch since 1981!
J: Doesn‘t sound reasonable enough, though, so I‘m not considering it.
Maskevask Konaivu @fromaj
J: But what is this impressive thing! That‘s a car from Amiland?
R: Not sure from the name, but I can tell you that the Konaivu looks even larger in person! It emanates a really luxurious aura! And for what it is, the economy is not bad at 10.3L!
B: Damn, now that I would like to drive myself!
J: It looks stylish, like an old upscale luxury model with a copious amount of classy chrome! But where‘s the catch?
W: The lack of a solid rear axle would indicate that it isn‘t a late 70‘s American. The pushrod engine would, however. Even though it‘s a small I4, it‘s turbocharged with good low end torque! 185 Nm from 2k RPM on! Could be a post-embargo economy engine from the late 70‘s but revived with new tech for the 90‘s, so that‘s a good one! The rest, however… I think they weren‘t as dedicated on upgrading.
R: Well, they did replace some panels with lighter Aluminium, they told, but if you looked closely: There were some noticeable gaps!
J: How bad is it, Waldi?
W: Let‘s say, even though it has ABS, it doesn‘t work very well and sometimes caused the rear wheels to lock, stalling the engine if the clutch wasn‘t pressed fast enough. Was not the only reason it has been brought in, electrical issues all over! It‘s a good idea to have two packs of fuses for this one.
J: Then not, it looked too heavy and unwieldy the more I looked at it.
Akurai Kogai BlueSky @Flamers
B inspected the next paper meanwhile, and looked quite fascinated.
B: That‘s some nice displacement. 2.6L, and leather seats, even though it‘s Japanese. But it‘s not looking bad, not over the softtop especially with the rear.
J: You‘re not going to like a more modern design or are you, Boldi?
B: May just be the colour. What do you think? Wait, where are the wipers?
J: Hidden? But that‘s a nice dark but warm silver. It sure has a confident youthful but still premium feel. And you‘re right, it does seem to have a lush leather interior!
R: Heck yes, the Kogai BlueSky has a smooth and powerful Inline 6! And together with the automatic, it‘s just really comfortable and joyful to drive with good handling!
W: The engine is indeed good and nice to work on. Just wished they didn‘t bother with the ABS and traction control.
R: Waldi is right, the brakes are quite good as is, but the engine sure has grunt!
J: And the catch?
R: Well, is right at our price limit, and drinks a bit.
W: The Japanese may be known for their quality electronics, but I don‘t know how much I‘d trust that electronically controlled automatic along with the TCS and ABS, these seem a bit much to go wrong and hard to fix if it does.
B: Oh bother.
J: I wasn‘t too sure about the taxation of it, anyway. Would‘ve really liked it!
FM Street @Jaimz
W, showing the Brochure of the FM Street
W: This one has an interesting setup, I have to say! The engine I reckon is basically two of those Japanese Kei-car engines put together to form a tiny 1.2L Inline 6! Kept a turbo, and somehow… they opted for a mechanical injection system! Impressive little machine, though I‘m not sure how the supply is for spare parts if that goes wrong.
R: I wasn‘t as impressed when I drove it, Waldi. It handled nicely, but the turbo might as well not exist until you go to higher RPM.
B: Sounds like one of those rally homologation vehicles again?
J: From the fuel economy, I‘d say yes. Not inclined for this, but the nicely accentuated no-frills look has something! May seem cheap, but purposeful!
B: Good ol box. Wait, why do they spec convertibles for rally?
W: Best guess is the stiffer chassis, and that they‘ll just weld a roll cage and hatchback body to the stiffer convertible floor? Don‘t ask me, I‘m not a mechanic for racecars. Not yet, at least.
R: You oughta become one! I‘ve got something ridicolously fast in line, still!
J meanwhile put the brochure off the table.
LSV Stallion @LS-Vehicles
B: OHHHH This thing just oozes masculinity!
R: And it sounds like it, too! When I drove it, the big 4 cylinder just sounded unexpectedly strong, and it has quite the strength to go for it! 127 turbo stallions! LSV has really gotten quite a horse into the European market!
J: Let me have a look… OK, this is distinct and impressive! That beige roof and the pronounced but prudential front! Just as well as the accentuated trim fitting to those wheels and that strong rear… the exhaust pipes might even be too much. It has such a prestigious appearance, is it even within budget?
R: Yep, this one is just! Including full feature spacious seats from the sheer size of it and also comes with a cassette player! And it‘s lovely to drive, fully independent suspension, tyres that keep you on track, not leary at all, and goes to 100 in just 9.2 seconds! And even takes just 9.2L for 100km, incidentally.
J: Sounds like it‘s a bit much, but I‘m surprised it isn‘t a much worse fuel economy. You had seen an LSV, Waldi?
W: Ohh sure! They have a simple solid OHC engine, not the greatest but also not bad, built sturdy enough and doesn‘t need to rev high. They do sound nice and loud with their slightly asymmetrical exhaust, but also have a more proprietary air filter, and yet again, LSV is another modern manufacturer trying to put ABS and TCS as standard equipment, but I think that comes from the vehicle being a more upscale sports car across the atlantic.
B: When do we get one?
J: It may be a bit too costly. Those tyres also look wide…
W: Yes, 205 wide Hoosiers, but at least without stagger. Could get cheaper local makes at a stretch!
J: I like it, just seems a bit risky. But I may as well reconsider it!
R: Please do!
Mitsushita Boarilla SE Convertible @conan
W, looking at the next brochure, then handing it over to Janny: Mitsushita, I can suggest that.
B: Sounds quite shita‘… or is it? That doesn‘t look bad! You say it isn‘t bad on the inside, either?
R: Ohh yes, it has good seats, the rear ones are well fitted for 2, too, and it has a great tape deck, a speaker for each seat! They also mentioned that the engine itself is really quiet!
J: That sounds pretty good, and it looks handsome! Just notice these subtly tinted wheels! They‘re alloys, right?
W: Yep, which might inflate the price for the Yomama tyres a bit, especially since they‘re quite large! And the vented disks on the front are also a bit more costly than just solid ones, and it has ABS.
R: All for that stopping distance! Those brakes will never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down!
J: It has such a nice presence! These sharp headlights garned with the wiper and washer give it even a bit of a premium look! The rear also continues a premium look but also distinctively sporty with that wing! How does it handle?
R: I haven‘t driven it yet, but I‘d be excited for a test drive! It‘s apparently good for a sub-10 second time to 100!
J: Really inclined to, even if it seems a bit more costly.
9 Likes
HTA Berliner HaC @VG33E
R: Would also like to drive this: The HTA Berliner -HaC! They promised it‘d be quite sporty, with a powerful 1.6L engine with 108 hp and a torsen diff!
W: How right you are, Roland! There were quite some young people who got some repairs‘ done to it, which included harder rear dampers and aftermarket disk brakes on the rear, and some even wanted a high flow filter and get the traction control deactivated! Of course, louder mufflers, too. But honestly, the dampers make sense in this one, it‘s a bit wobbly otherwise.
J: But I‘m not looking for a sports car!
W: Well, it‘s merely a warm car, with slightly more grippy front tyres specced for the front, but it works to have the same spec tyres front and rear with it, too.
R: Well, you‘re right, it was a suggestion by some younger colleagues in the West, anyway. I mean, look at it, this shouts sporty! The indented headlights, the mean tail lights and that diffuser and fat twin exhaust!
J: And possibly drinks a lot. I‘m sure the boys have great fun with it!
As the brochure got elegantly flung off
Norvest R111 Turbo Cabrio @R30hedron
B: Hey, that seems almost as impressive as the Stallion! The hood stretches even looooonger. Must have an impressive engine!
W: I‘ve seen some! Surprisingly have a small 1.9L I6, but it seems a bit strangled with that tiny single point fuel injection. Whisper quiet and smooth, though!
R: I can confirm that, but I can also confirm that it felt a bit dangerous even to me. It handles nice and the suspension is comfortable, but I feel it has a bit too much weight to handle for the brakes and tyres. Any speed and it gets scary!
J: How that?
R: Well, I had to do quite a hard stop at one point, and the brakes just took their sweet time to get the car slowed down, besides it readily sliding around whenever I took a corner a bit fast… doesn‘t seem grippy!
W: Might be because the European model does have smaller tyres, but didn‘t know it was that bad.
B: Such a shame! I would‘ve liked this one myself, it has a classy GT look!
J: Besides the high fuel consumption of about 10.6L per 100, this really would‘ve been a looker with that confident looking premium front and that elegant rear! Would‘ve even been quite feature rich for just 8500!
W: I mean, one could always fit better brakes and wider wheels down the line, would cost more but this one would‘ve needed it. As it is now, it‘s a Grand Tourer on ballet slippers.
(Normally paid little attention to stopping distance, but here it went way beyond 45 meters, which did appear just a tad excessive! Otherwise formidable car!)
Huangdou CC-100S @yangx2
B, grabbing the flyer of the Huangdou: Is this some sort of chinese brand?
W: I think it is, but don‘t worry, they aren‘t as…
B: I‘ll throw it away, then-
J: Nonono, let‘s have a look!
W: And I was about to say, they aren‘t as bad as they‘re made out to be! At least Huangdou is quite solidly designed. Was merely another on the list of Manufactureres where an undercoating is suggested. But otherwise, good engines, and the cars have not much that can go wrong. Though, I hazard a guess that they take inspiration from the Japanese, or was it the other Chinese manufacturer that does so?
R: Hey, Waldi, you sure you can get the vented disk fronts and the quality Tyres they‘re specced with?
W: Which are?
R: Yomama.
W: As long as they‘re not too fat.
R: Because this thing also features seats nice for 4 and the best HiFi cassette experience I‘ve so far encountered, the deck supports up to Dolby C and has an Equalizer! Janny, we gotta drive this!
J: Okay Okay, but I didn‘t even get to comment its looks!
B: I comment for you: It‘s too white and too blue. But it has a fifth shoe: that‘s too good to be true.
SBA Rosales R150 CS @z2bbgr
J: HEY, this is a cute shade!
B: Oh, we ain‘t getting it in that paint! Would look pretty good in brown or beige or even blue, though.
J: It‘s boxy, but handsomely so. That rear especially! It looks in a way modern and sporty despite the boxy nature!
R: Ajjj, the Rosales RISO ahem R150! I think it‘s a Spanish one? Anyway, I think it is actually a facelift, the model year is from 82, but let me say, it was one of the lightest options I‘ve seen, so I wanted to see how it drove, and it was a revelation! You‘ll like that it isn‘t hard, at all, and I liked that it still managed to impress in handling!
W: Quite a well done update on the little car, it‘s got a 5 speed manual, now got good power steering, and the engine has been upgraded to a 4 valve SOHC head with variable timing, even! Has great efficiency.
B: Too much electronic stuff.
W: It‘s not too bad in this one, despite the suspicion that it‘s actually a French engine. Just the full undertray might become annoying.
R: What do you think, Janny? It also has capable seating for 2 at the rear and a tape deck!
J: I‘ll give it a try, especially looking at that fuel consumption! 6.3L! And it costs less than 8200.
Boyd Ecstor Cabriolet @Leedar @Marcus_gt500
J: This has a nice look for the front!
B: Yolk yellow, what a choice.
J: The Boyd Ecstor has a nice trim on the sides! The rear… hmm, besides the plate holder and the quite fancy lights, that is a peculiarly round rear.
B: As yours.
R: Besides the flattery, that one comes with another 1.5L Boxer! May just be 86hp, but you‘ll like to hear that it really has not much of anything that can go wrong! Right, Waldi?
W: Yes, and it comes with a good 4 speaker cassette system which at least supports Dolby B! And two more comfort oriented seats at the rear!
J: Seems splendid! How does it drive?
R: Well, started it, ran smooth as a boxer does, burbled nice and silently. Too boring for me, you know?
J: But it sounds quite nice to me! Now the fuel economy has to be right.
W: Hmm, according to the prospect, 8.3L for 100.
J: That‘s just… a tad too low for such a car, then. May pass it.
W: Yeah, was about to mention the vented disks on the front, and the costs for the brake pads also seemed a bit higher than on other brands.
J: A no, then.
Albatross Venice @zschmeez
B, inspecting the next brochure: That hood looks longer than it probably is. Huh… Chrome trimming all around, headlights like they should look like, fine steel wheels, simplistic tail… Hey, weren‘t we looking for convertibles?
R: The Albatross Venice has a nice variation: A T-top! One can simply dismount the roof pieces and store them away inside to effectively have an open top!
J: I have been looking for a fully open roof, though!
B: Just lower the windows and you‘re good to go.
J: Boldi, it‘s not quite the same! A full open top would make it easier to just throw baggage on the rear seat, nothing in the way unlike here.
B: I still think this is a stupid arguement considering you‘d have something in the way during rain and cold, anyway.
Ivan: I gonna drive Kvass with top down in winter! Just wear uschanka.
J: Well, what has it going for it? I mean, I could see that being a looker, it looks quite premium.
B points to a picture of the interior: Leather trim seats! Comfortable rear for two, and a practical angular dash with big glove box, even has a tape deck! I‘d drive this, it probably has better trunk space, too.
J: Alright… but it looks like it won‘t be easy on fuel.
R: Just 7L per 100km! Even with the 100hp machine that can pull to 100 in 9.4! And it handles well despite the tyres!
J: Ahh, what‘s wrong with them?
W: Hard long lasting compound, economy tyres that‘ll last multiple seasons!
J: But there sure is something wrong at just over 7600, with all this?
W: Mechanically, nothing. Electronically, neither, the engine has some hydraulic cam timing system, at most. Albatross seems quite reliable.
J: Well, could maybe ask if there‘s a full bench seat or 4 speaker radio available, too. I‘ll see it!
Takemi Ascera Cabrio XA @Nicholander
W: Wait… Deja Vu! I think we‘ve seen something which looked very similiar before!
J: Maybe, but, I think this one is still distinct! Features a nice cherry red colour, elegant relaxed front headlights, but quite sporty looking vents right there, too! The rear looks a bit bulbous in comparison, though.
R: The dealer wanted me to give it a go, but not too hard. But, where‘s the fun in that? It handled very nicely, slightly skiddish with the front but otherwise holds the line! Engine is also quite strong! But, have to unfortunately say, not for sale yet.
J: Why not?
R: I don‘t know, maybe because it‘s a public testbed?
(Looks like both the trim PU and ET are above the limit.)
ZAF Mikro 1.1 CL @JohnWaldock
J: Let‘s see the next one for now.
J: Ahh, around price as the Venice, but an actual convertible! What a nice innocent design! Splendid rich colour! And a well equipped interior rear, I see! Looks no frills practical at core but still has some presence, I like it.
R: Waldi, tell her.
W: I had some of these come in because the ZAF has bottom out issues. Can‘t really load much at the rear.
R: And looking at the paper, it seemed a tad too sluggish to me anyway. Almost 13 seconds to 100? Well, maybe we‘ve been spoiled by previous cars.
W: Also has ABS in this price class, for some reason.
R: Hey, when I looked below the Mikro 1.1, those brake disks were HUGE! Obviously not revealed below the hubcaps, but I‘m sure they‘d impress with some alloys revealing them!
W: As it is now, however, it‘d just require cheap tyres, which is good!
J: I get it, boys. A shame, really, because it seemed like a quite nice practical thing at that price and low fuel consumption!
FAAL Mesaia CAB @Knightophonix
R: Ohhh, a nice Frenchie is up next! The FAAL Mesaia, with a strong 1.8L engine! And since you care, it is reasonably efficient with 7.4L per 100km!
J: Would you look at that! Big round headlights!
B: And a bearably offensive yellow.
R: Let the sunshine in in this yellow CAB!
W: Not in any forest, though. These cars seem to be prone to have a doe jump in besides the sunshine. No really, there was a case where this couple just cruised around the forest road when suddenly a doe jumped not in front of the car, but nicely landed on the spacious rear bench! They crashed against a tree in that scare, and their insurance almost didn‘t believe them until we pointed out the hoofmarks and damaged rear seats. Otherwise, solidly made car, we‘ll see how the ABS holds up, though they used vented disks front and medium compound Michellini tyres.
R: I noticed the interior is a bit cheap, but at least it comes with a 4 speaker cassette system! And look at those rims!
J: They do look sporty! Overall a nice looker, that tailgate is distinctive and molds well with the lights! I might just consider this even if it costs a bit.
DAAG CS20iC @NiuYorqCiti
R: HEEY, I didn‘t know I put the DAAG behind the FAAL!
J: The full leather interior was the first thing that caught my attention!
B: Full leather interior? What an understated fantastic blob.
J: The rear makes a nice contrast, the lower portions have a bit of definition just like the front has. I know the trend is towards making cars smoother, but the sides could‘ve used like a trim line at least.
B: But a calm color, at least.
R: Didn‘t give this one a drive yet, but it seems alright, with its 2.0L engine that makes 100hp
W: One of the more common and reliable automatics I‘ve seen! The engine is kept simple, 2 valve per cylinder SOHC, not even with VVT! The CS20i doesn‘t really need protective undercoating either and is otherwise just… reliable! Not even an ABS that could go wrong, cheaper solid disks on front. But I see, medium Michellini tyres again.
J: That sounds like a dependable thing. Could be one of the better automatics despite somewhat lower fuel economy! It‘ll be considered, even with that higher price.
Solo Checker Droptop @thecarlover
J picked the next flyer up.
J: Der Checker! What an alluring car, stylish front and a beautiful motif on the sides! They really had thought out something with that design, the fresh tail light arrangement gives the rear life!
W: Solo has one of the better ABS systems out there, and I have not seen any Checkers come in for a reliability problems so far, even though they‘re around since 89!
R: But it seemed a bit boring on paper, looked a bit bland to me personally, but, I guess they‘re good?
J: Doesn‘t look boring at all to me, just… fresh! The front just kind of reminds me of the Shromet from before. Are they related to eachother?
W: Not that I know. But you‘ll find it nice to hear that the tyres just… last.
R: And at least the papers say that it sips 7.3L per 100, so that sounds nice, at least!
J: Not too expensive, either, seems to have a more passenger-focused seating for the rear, and I see it has a full blast cassette stereo! That steering wheel looks a bit thick, though.
W: Sounds like an airbag! I recommend that, they can save lives since they have gotten more reliable the recent years.
J: You know, that sounds like an overall great package, much considered!
Makano Fresh @Ornate
B took the second last brochure from the pile and inspects it.
B: Menthol Cough Drop 2: Electric Boogaloo… oh my, with that fuel economy rating, it might as well be an electric car!
J: Show me! Ohhh, a car with a canopy roof, seems alright! But what does it take for 100km?
B: Just 5.3L per 100.
R: Yeeahh, I had to bring one reasonable option, at least. That‘s the Nakano Fresh, and it achieves that economy even with an automatic! And that at a price of just 6400!
J: VERY considerable!
R: At the price of seeming absolutely sluggish with taking almost 15 seconds to 100.
J: I didn‘t seek a sports car, but that does sound a bit slow.
B: What is it with these overly pronounced bumps on the roof?
J: They fold to hold the canopy in place, obviously! And I have to say, it looks definedly cute on the front! But… hey, that‘s peculiar, no side mirrors?
W: Removed for aerodynamics, maybe? But… that‘s illegal.
J: Maybe they have some ultra advanced feature like a rear view camera, but I can‘t imagine they‘d fit a huge CRT screen inside at this price point?
B: That‘d be a luxury feature! A screen inside the car!
W: Pretty sure this one wouldn‘t have that, but what I can say is that it really has absolutely nothing that can wrong besides that gearbox and maybe VVT on the 1.3L I3. Doesn‘t even come with power steering! And tyres and brakes are also dirt cheap for the Freshs!
J: Seems like while this car does excel in some regards, it feels just a bit too compromised in others. I don‘t think this will be it.
(But holy sheeeeeet, it‘s the ultimate budget budgie)
BM Bella Stradale @TheElt
J has the last brochure in line in her hands now
R: TADA! I couldn‘t resist having a look at this one!
J: Roland, it‘s not even a convertible!
R: No, but a hard top! I think… anyway, it has just 1.8L displacement, but… over 200hp! I just had to sneak a true sports car in, and it handled SO DIRECT with that all wheel drive setup!
J: Roland…
R: The turboboosted inline 5 just purrs the car to 100 in a mere 5.8 seconds!
B and W: IMPRESSIVE!
R: And I took it on the Autobahn! It‘s well capable to go over 200kmh! And it isn‘t awesome just there, it corners so hard the seatbelts hurt!
W: Wait, and in all of that, no sign of vented disks, but wide Michellini sports tyres all around instead!
R: Janny, you could have an incredible sports car for your budget!
J: That is neat, but it doesn‘t sound all that practical to me, so, I rather not. I‘m glad you had your fun, however!
Janny: “But we really have everything looked at, or does anyone else have some more to add?”
Ivan: “Buy Kvass!”
Janny: “Besides Kvass!”
Roland: “Nothing anymore.”
Boldi: “I think the 17 we did choose out of the 42 including the Kvass may be enough. Weren’t you unsure about like half of them anyway?”
Janny: “Well, quite right! Should look into making an even closer selection, might be a bit hard to visit 17 dealerships on one day”
Congrats to the close selection:
Knightophonix, yangx2, LS-Vehicles, thecarlover, abg7, conan, z2bbgr, NiuYorqCiti, zschmeez, MrChips, goblin65, Xepy, racer126, CorsicaUnknown, PengiWanKenobi, findRED19, yurimacs!
18 Likes
Hmm. My gamble fails again. 
(In this case I thought complicated, big and too high tech engines would be penalised, so I did no turbo, no low friction pistons, ‘Euro’ engine size of 1500 cc. The consequence is bad fuel economy compared to those that didn’t restrict themselves thusly, and coincidentally economy seems to have been graded more severely than it seemed like it would.)
Sorry I couldn’t bring home the bacon Marcus; good luck to remaining contestants!
the Shromet could have been great… RIP MR and RR, ET strikes again.
1 Like
Huh. I thought for sure something would have gotten it tossed out early on, but I was not expecting stopping distance causing it to be dropped from consideration. There’s a lot of tough competition! But I did enjoy getting this car built, and I think I did well for my first CSR.
Edit: Did a bit of looking into my entry again, the whole car might be just a tad too heavy. Even with thicker tires and more aggressive brakes, it still would have had trouble stopping in a reasonable distance. Ah well. Best of luck to the finalists!
4 Likes
Dang, binned again despite a good first entry. First time I’ve ever been bashed for the high camber, but I guess that’s understandable. What I don’t really understand however is this:
Was it something to do with the quality slider?
1 Like
ISEEWATYOUDIDDERE
4 Likes