1999
High Class
Looking back through the years taught us what we lacked in our lineup. In 1982, we created the Sentinel, with RWD and AWD trims to test the waters with the new tech. And apparently, it was terrifying. Turbocharged engine in a luxury car. What the hell were we thinking back then?! But, then again, we’d just come off of the turbocharging high from the Storm Duke, so maybe the gas fumes got the better of us?
In 1986, we did it again, same engine, different car. The Storm Turbo Pilot was… Even more terrifying. But that one at least had half an excuse, as we were trying to build for Group B, only to have it cancelled in our face. So to sweep our mistake under the rug, the barren interiors of the homologation cars were packed full of luxury goodies, the gearbox was swapped from a 5 speed stick to a 4 speed automatic, and we shoved the car out the door as it was, unleashing yet more turbocharged terror on the unsuspecting Luxury crowd. At least the Turbo Pilot had AWD with no RWD option, so it was less likely to kill you.
Which brings us to today. 1999. And we’ve done Luxury a favor. We brought back the Sentinel in two separate trims. Without turbos.
The LX version is the ‘cheap’ one, being standard high-end luxury.
A 5-speed Automatic is coupled to a SymTrak unit, providing power through the geared rear differential, sending 400+ horsepower through all four Medium Compound tires. The car rests on 185mm wide 18 inch magnesium multi-spoke rims. Brakes are vented four piston up front, and vented single piston out back, bringing the Sentinel LX down from highway speed in about 33.5 meters.
A fully clad undertray keeps the air resistance down, improving the gas mileage just a little, and cooling vents make sure that big 7.1L beast under the hood stays cool without being a drag.
Inside, we paid attention to everything you’d be in contact with. There is no exposed plastic in this car, everything is either covered in leather or is made of metal. The 5 luxury-grade seats have heaters in them for cold days, the mirrors are heated for defrosting, the heater itself is a hybrid heater-core and electric coil unit, so you don’t have to wait for your heat, and your air conditioning is provided through redundant twin compressors and cooling loops, meaning that you won’t lose your cool if one of the units gives up. Not that it would, as we’ve built the Sentinel’s interior with a little extra care and attention. The in-dash radio has a 3-CD changer cartridge mounted just below the climate controls, there’s a cassette deck in the radio itself, and underneath the CD changer is a set of extra cupholders, in case the two we’ve given up front aren’t enough.
In the back seat, there’s a TV with DVD and VHS players built into the center console, as well as cupholders built into the center console, placed low enough that even the tallest of beverage containers shouldn’t interfere with viewing the screen.
The Sentinel LX also features our advanced safety package, with crash-rails in the doors to prevent deformation, enhanced A, B, and C pillars to handle not just roll-overs, but also an impact directly to the roof, and airbags powered by the main Safe-T-Net unit. Unlike previous conventional airbags, these Safe-T-Net airbags inflate rapidly using nitrogen gas instead of an explosion. This means that there’s very little risk of air-bag injuries, as well as that Safe-T-Net can deploy the airbags at different speeds depending on the type and intensity of the collision, as well as keeping the airbags inflated slightly longer for improved crash protection.
The Sentinel LX rides on our Hydropneumatic suspension option, with semi-active sway-bars providing improved ride stability and comfort. While not quite as floaty as the old land-barges of the past, the LX does have several selectable ride-comfort modes, as well as a custom programmable mode using the multi-function display in the radio unit to adjust your suspension settings to your own personal preferences.
For $61,000, this car’s a steal given what you get, and it shows.
However, if you’re the guy seeking the ultimate luxury car, if the Sentinel LX sounds good, but you’ve already got four cars like it, if that’s not quite good enough for you… You can order a Sentinel Custom.
Same PowerShift 5-speed through SymTrak, but we worked to quiet down the big engine just a little more, and in the process found a little extra power. Medium compound tires are used again, but this time wrapped around a 19 inch magnesium rim at 185mm of width. Same brakes, with a shorter stopping distance, despite the higher weight. Same undertray, same cooling flaps, all working together to keep maintenance costs down by sharing parts with it’s less-expensive and less classy sibling.
Inside, you’ll find there’s still 5 seats, but this time, they’re hand-stitched with high-quality leather, meaning each Custom is 100% unique. The front bucket seats are heated and air conditioned, the mirrors are heated, the heater is again the same as the LX, with hybrid ElectroHeat technology, but there’s an additional layer of redundancy in the air-conditioning unit. Three separate cooling loops were used, instead of just two. The radio in this car is further improved, with a 10-CD changer, in-dash TV for the front-seat passenger, DVD player, cassette deck, in-dash 33/45 RPM record player, and a satellite phone for business calls. The climate control unit has a bigger multi-function display, can be programmed to keep the car at a specific temperature instead of just being close enough, and is capable of informing you when your vehicle needs service. Oh, and we don’t call it a cigarette lighter in this car. They’re cigar lighters. Same port, but better quality all around.
In the back seat, the rear bench is also heated and air conditioned, there’s again a TV with DVD and VHS players, another set of cup holders, cigar lighters, and a refrigerated compartment to keep your drinks ice cold on long trips.
We’ve also beefed up the safety in this car, adding in side-curtain airbags to prevent a side-impact slamming your head into the double-thick sound-insulating window glass, knee-airbags to stop the driver or front seat passenger’s knees from meeting the dashboard, and heavily reinforced the passenger compartment ‘safety cell’ to prevent intrusion even under some of the most severe impacts. We’ve done this to ensure you don’t just survive an accident, you’ll be able to open the doors and walk away unharmed to call your lawyers and insurance company.
At $101,500, the Sentinel Custom is not something to order lightly, but if you have the money, you owe it to yourself to get one. These cars are bound to become collectable some day, and while there’s no limit on how many Customs we’ll make, that’s because we know there is a limit on how many are willing to throw that kind of money around.
Madrias - Storm Sentinel.zip (47.8 KB)