Sl that takes tauga out of the mainstream performance car competition then?
I hope not. Rather, I hope it expands the range of vehicles in said competition
soo… when will you be releasing this new said stats? 
[spoiler]because i need to prepare my toilet to be able to flush it down after i take a dump on it[/spoiler]
Ouch! 
Well, not sure. It took me ages to make all those info cards, so I’m not dying to do it right now…
However, if you want something to aim for, then all the drivability stats for each model are 60+ and in most cases, sportiness has gone up by 2-4 points.
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okay then. except for the economy figures, my butt is ready 
##2001 ErinSport GT01
Overview
After the GT95 became too uncompetitive in 1998, ErinSport left prototype racing for a few years and returned in what was a new era for the discipline. After GT1 cars were essentially banned, a whole new generation of open cockpit vehicles filled the gap; this was the time when Audi started to become Le Mans heavy weights, when the American Le Mans Series became one of the premier motorsport championships, and when privateer teams were as equally competitive as factory ones.
Erin have never been out of prototype racing for long, and it was announced in early 2000 that a new race car was on the way. It would continue the ‘GT’ naming scheme, and would reaffirm the ErinSport name as a motorsport powerhouse.
This car was the GT01, the most advanced race car ErinSport had ever developed.
The GT01 S1 in ErinSport Livery (2001)
Details
The GT01 was the first car ever all-carbon fibre car from ErinSport, utlising only a minor aluminium latice sub-chassis to bolt key components like the engine transmission and suspension to. As a result, it was incredibly light, meeting the minimum 900kg weight restriction for the LMP900 class with ease.
All-round pushrod suspension with double-wishbones were used to ensure excellent handling, while ventilated carbon fibre discs were used for the brakes. This car could stop from 62 mph in just 26.36m.
Powering the S1 and S2 variants of the car was a very unusual 3.9l turbocharged inline 6. It was around 20kg lighter than an equivalent V8, the other engine considered for the car, and also ran far more smoothly. Producing 680 hp, it was one of the most powerful engines that year.
Delivering that 680 hp was an all-new 6 speed DCT gearbox and limited slip diff that utilised a carbon fibre propshaft and carbonfibre linkages. It was incredibly durable and far lighter than the systems its rivals used.
Like many of its competitors, the GT01 had a very smooth body and a low rear wing, but unusually was not open cockpit. While the later S3 variant would be made with both closed cockpit and open cockpit versions, the S1 stuck with this due to its aerodynamic benefits.
The results of all this were marvellous: 0-60 in 2.7 seconds, a top speed of 220 mph, and it was capable of some brilliant laptimes: Airfield in 1:11.00, ATT in 1:59.06 and the Green Hell in 7:13.55.
The XTune 3.9l TDi engine.
Competition History
The GT01 debuted at the opening race of the 2001 American Le Mans Series at Texas Motor Speedway, and went on to finish 4th at the end of the season. While the car was competitve, the team simply couldn’t match Audi’s R8 (jhe R8 LMP, not the R8 road car). The car also raced at Le Mans that year.
For that first year, the car ran under the ErinSport team. However, in 2002, ErinSport made a major change to their operations: they began selling the GT01 to privateer teams, the first time they’d done this with any of their prototype vehicles. For that year, the car was also updated: the S2 variant featured improved aerodynamics and slight modifications to the 3.9l i6.
2002 saw the GT01 enter a wide range of championships, as privateer teams took it right around the world. ErinSport themselves would continue to compete in the ALMS, as well as the FIA Sportscar Championship (which would be replaced by the European Le Mans Series in 2004).
Privateer teams competed with the car in Grand Am (the Grand America Road Racing Championship, later the Rolex Sports Car Series) and various other IMSA championships. A total of 5 GT01’s ended up racing at the 2002 24 Hours of Le Mans, two under ErinSport and three under separate teams.
Selling cars to privateers proved to be successful: the Erin brand gained major recognition over in America as a result, and the company saw US exports increase by some 70% in that year alone. Hence, they continued doing this until the end of the cars life.
2003 saw the S3 variant introduced, which now included the original closed cockpit version and open cockpit version. Erin also started offering more engines, and at the same time, stopped racing with the 3.9 i6, replaced by a 3.8l V8 Turbo derived from the one that powered the Erin Scarlet Mk 3.
With minor modifications, a number of GT01’s competed in the Daytona Prototype class of the Rolex Sports Car Series between 2004 and 2006.
By 2004, the the GT01 had improved significantly, and was now a far more competitive machine. The open cockpit version proved to be the best version overall, though ErinSport only competed with it in 2006. Many see their continued usage of the closed-cockpit version as the the reason the car was never as successful as it could have been; rival cars became lower than the GT01, negating the aerodynamic benefits of having the roof.
Legacy
In all, some 59 GT01’s would be produced between 2001 and 2006, 28 used by ErinSport. This makes it the single most produced prototype ErinSport have ever made. It would see its greatest successes in the ALMS and ELMS championships.
However, it never won a single race while competing with ErinSport, the first ever prototype from the company to fail to do so. Its best finish was 2nd overall in the 2004 season of the ELMS, still not able to topple Audi from the podium. Former CEO of Erin, Marco Erin was once famously quoted as calling it “the most frustrating race car of all time”.
However, the huge boost in sales in the US market prompted Erin to open 34 new dealerships there, and exports to America now account for almost a fifth of the company’s total sales.
ErinSport also made a serious amount of money in selling the car to privateer teams, and have continued the practice ever since. This has led to a number of partnerships with privateer teams since, including Chip Ganassi-ErinSport and Pescarolo-ErinSport.
The 7 speed DCT gearbox fitted to the S5 and S6 variants would be modified for use in the 2006 Berlose X 4.0 and the 2007 Tauga X-AllDrive.
While the car was never good enough to be the Le Mans winning car that it arguably should have been - ErinSport had done that a number of times before - it left a lasting impression on the company and the brand.
If this car were a song, it’d be The National Anthem by Radiohead.
Well done for reading all that if you did! Comments, criticism, complaints and questions are all most appreciated.
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Badass livery. Looks like something I’d drive in Gran Turismo 4 in Sunday Cup for the lolz.
I can hear Shatter by Feeder playing in the background already 
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It wouldn’t look out of place in any other circuit racing simulation, for that matter. And what if a detuned version of the straight-six found its way into a contemporary Erin road car?
@Deskyx That was exactly the kind of thing I was going for. Christ I remember working so hard to try and get the Audi R8 in that game
@abg7 That’s a good suggestion. Just need to find the right car now…
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Best GT ever.
Next goal! GT4 style dealership for Erin! New Cars, Legendary Cars, ErinSport Tuner, and Events hall!
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Oh fuck school and homework I need to dig out my GT4 copy and spend a few solid hours on it now
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@Deskyx Oh my god the feels right now. And don’t start making those suggestions, because I will end up spending 5 solid days making something like that!
@ramthecowy For gods sake, I’m at uni currently and I didn’t bring my PS2 with me, which means I have to sit here in frustration wishing I could play it 
AND NOW THIS IS STUCK IN MY HEAD.
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That song has to be right up there as one of the most motherfucking catchiest songs ever. It doesn’t get out of your head for weeks 
That is a sick racing livery, really suits the cars the cars lines well.
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Thank you! 
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I’m assuming the livery was Photoshop? Yes, cracking job you’ve done there
Of particular note is that although subsequent Gran Turismo games include the R8 LMP, it has been overshadowed in those installments by its replacements, the diesel-powered R10 and R15 TDI, as well as the mid-engined supercar named after it. And I always think of GT4 every time I listen to “I Predict A Riot” by the Kaiser Chiefs (which was featured in the game’s soundtrack).
@Deskyx you are spot-on, although in later GT games turbo upgrades only have three stages; each one shifts peak power higher up the rev range than the last. At least they all include uprated intercoolers now. And if I remember correctly GT6 is the only game in which any car (including the super-expensive Le Mans prototypes) can be bought at any time as long as you have enough credits to do so.
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M8 nothing beats a Minolta Toyota 88CV witha stage 4 turbo.
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This guys knows it ^^
…well the Pescarolo C60 + turbine gets close to it
Im.gonna say it…worst sounding game ever. The music is good and then it all falls apart the cars sound like shite not shit shite. I i was alive in the 80’s just sorta kinda i had 5 yrs of it and all of the 90’s long live kurt long live dimebag
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