Nice. Last question - I know that the kei car maximum width for ‘98 is set at 1.48m. The body I used is 1.5m. Should I reclassify it as something else or is that close enough for rock and roll?
Fixed it for ya.
I mean, you can’t exactly morph width at will in Automation, so 1.5 is probably close enough
If you could though, even a little, it would be awesome.
I know some bodies can be frustratingly not sized to kei regulations (won’t find this on mine, I make thoroughly sure to make kei specific size ones!), so this is fine, as long as it is close like you say I won’t mind, and follows the 660cc rules, all cool!
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Awesome! I’ll finish the car off and post it tomorrow then. 
There is plenty of time left yet, the actual contest doesn’t open for entry until the 7th, and closes on the 21st! Please take your time with the design, engineering, interior, etc 
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Awesome project!!!
I’m so down to build a car for this.
But a question can i submit a range of cars beeing the same style(like Golf GTI, Mercedes AMG) with a base model and one or two tune levels?
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Hello! :D
Unless they say otherwise, most challenges only allow one car per entrant. So if you have 3 versions of a car on your computer, you submit the one you think fits the contest best.
This challenge is encouraging participants to submit lore in a forum post too, though, so a description of how the submitted trim fits into the larger lineup would be perfectly welcome!
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Ok cool thank you.
I’m going to pick one then.
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Yep to clear up, it’ll be a one car per person basis like most challenges here unless specified otherwise 
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Given that Beam is a component, will there be any restrictions on Advanced Trim Settings?
Advanced trim settings options are fine yeah!
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Obviously there’s no CW3-ish price curve, but will breaking the 35k soft limit more acceptable for older cars? My current prototype fits the 35k limit okay but I wanted to make sure
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No real bias to the year with price, long as it makes sense it should be fine
How important is price? Is there any benefit to being just under the hard limit vs being slightly over the soft limit?
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As with any comp, lower priced with impressive stats is always going to beat higher price with lesser stats. Staying closer to the soft limit is beneficial to a player wanting a great car that they can then spend some leftover cash on tuning or customising their ride!
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On the other hand, a more expensive car could be more easily justified if it provides a sufficiently large statistical advantage over a cheaper one, thereby ensuring that the player will not need to spend as much money on upgrades - if they have enough to do so at all.
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1998 Fuji Yorokobi Sport, a Kei car capturing the essence of light, economical sports cars for Japanese drivers suffering through the lost decade.
Car-Culture.jp op-ed, 1st December 2000.
The 1990s were a tumultuous time for Japan.
In order to deflate speculation and keep inflation in check, the Bank of Japan sharply raised the inter-bank lending rates in late 1989. However, this drastic policy change ended up having the exact opposite effect: in 1991 the assets bubble finally burst, leading to a complete stock market crash. For young adults that were just entering the workforce this new reality was a stark contrast to the prosperity of the 1980s in which they where raised. With ever falling purchasing power and rising costs of living, spirits were sapped, dreams were dashed and disenfranchisement begun to set in. These young men and women couldn’t know it yet, but they had just entered Japan’s - and their own - lost decade.
With that in mind, personal car ownership became a difficult proposition for many. Forget executive and sports car offerings, even the humble family sedan or hatchback were quickly becoming prohibitively expensive not only to buy, but to run in general. While many would opt out of owning a personal motor vehicle entirely, there were still some that sought the individuality and freedom of a car of their own.
Enter Fuji Motors, 40 year veterans of the automotive world and almost exclusively focused on the diminutive Kei car class. With the tight regulations on both body and engine size loosened by the government, first in 1990 and again in 1998, Fuji were one of the first to develop and launch vehicles updated vehicles. Amidst their more traditional offerings of hatchbacks, vans and light trucks, there was one model which stood out from the rest: the Yorokobi.
Akira Nakamura, the head engineer at the time, had children who were entering the workforce in the ‘90s, and thus was keenly aware of their plight. While he could afford a sporty Italian roadster on his salary at their age, the eldest Junji opted for a bus pass, while the young Miku drove a lightly tuned ‘88 Fuji hatchback, refusing to give up on her love of cars. Her passion for driving inspired the Yorokobi lineup: designed to be a simple and light two seater commuter in base trims, and a capable sports car in the top trims. They were small enough to fight the traffic of congested cities such as Tokyo or Osaka, yet infused with enough pep and exceptional handling to bring a smile to the face of a tired enthusiast after a long day of work. And, since it was still a Kei car, it was actually affordable to buy and run.
Speaking of the top of the line model, the Yorokobi Sport was powered by Fuji’s now signature turbocharged 660cc boxer 4 unit, producing 62hp and 60lb-ft of torque. The engine was mounted midship in a transverse configuration, and power to the rear wheels was conveyed via a slick 5 speed manual gearbox. The inviting interior was clad in soft cloth and twill, with leather and wood trim accents, as well as sporty aluminium strips. Occupant comfort was managed by 3 way power seats, and a dual zone air conditioning unit. Safety was enhanced by a host of traction aids, with the ABS of the previous model being supplemented by a licensed Ishigami Industries traction control system. To sum up, it was a car that felt fast, despite relatively low acceleration and top speed figures, and cosseted the occupant in affordable luxury. It may sound oxymoronic, but that’s the truth.
All in all, the Yorokobi Sport strove to become a beacon of hope, an aspirational benchmark for the disenfranchised youth of the country - to be an attainable apex on the horizon of their lives. There were other competitors in this class, of course, but this car is special to me. You see, dear reader, that’s my car in the photoshoot, which I bought a few months after launch. I am the same age as Miku, and she had already clocked over 5,000 kilometres on the odometer by the time I picked mine up from the dealership. Despite the hardships our generation had to endure in the 90s, there was still a spark of joy to be had, if you knew where to look. Ours was the Yorokobi.
- Murata Ido, editor.
(I’m sorry about the novella I’ve written here - got really into the lore, haha).
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Is this open now?