Automation Virtual Car Meet (AVCM) @ 2021

Pizza is here!

A light grey and battered Mara Irena panel van with decals from a famous local Pizza shop stops just outside the beach parking lot. A man in his 30s gets out, his eyes widening as he sees the assortment of 90s cars gathered in the parking lot. “Did someone here order a bunch of pizzas… and an oven to make them on the spot?”

Two people from the organising team quickly make their way towards the new arrival. “Yes, yes!”, they shout. They gesture towards the beach at the edge of the parking lot. “If you can put your portable oven there, that’d be great. And your pizza, of course.”

“Sure”, the van driver mutters, still astounded. "I am Andrea, by the way. " He gets several cartwheel-sized pizza boxes out of the back of the panel van. “Prosciutto, Pepperoni, Vegetale, Quattro Formaggi, Inferno, Anchovies…”, he announces enthusiastically and heats up the oven. “What’s this event by the way?”, he asks.

“Everyone is going to bring their finest cars from the 1990 and we just have a good time. And pizza - this always gets people to show up!”

Andrea gestures towards the delivery van. “Oh, then my van technically counts, too. Except for the finest, maybe…”

“Doesn’t it look like more from the 60s or 70s?”, one of the organisers asks.

“Yes, but those folks from the East still sold it in the 90s. My father had one of the early models when he opened the pizzeria. Were very popular in his home country, too. And when our first one finally broke down in 1997 I simply got a new one without really thinking about it. I think they might even still sell them*.”

“Haven’t you thought of getting a new one?”

“Sure, but it does its job”, Andrea replied and put the first batch of pizzas into the now hot oven. “Once daily to the wholesale and the farmer’s market, load it up with the good stuff, that’s it. Ample cargo space, still runs pretty well and it’s dirt cheap to maintain. Something breaks, get something from the junkyard, and my friend Tony fixes it in no time for a free pizza or two. Presto, good as new. For regular deliveries, we have something else, of course - but your order here was a bit… oversized.”

“Wasn’t there a famed GT similar to this this in the 70s in some sort of rally? It at least has the same front”, one of the other attendees asks, eyeing the still unheated Quattro Formaggi in one of the boxes.

“Yes, that was its five minutes of fame. Still the same engine family and chassis, essentially, except that the GT-wannabe back then didn’t have a solid rear axle. And of course none of these ridiculous plastic bumpers - but they keep the dents away I guess.” A quick check of the oven timer let Andrea enthusiastically announce that the first round of pizzas is ready. He quickly slices them and put the second batch into the oven.

The panel van parked out of the way on the beach

After the first frantic wave of serving the first batch of pizzas and while second one is baking, Andrea has a few minutes for himself to enjoy looking all the other impressive cars. “Sometimes it’s all about life’s simple pleasures”, he thinks, as he grabs a slice of his delicious anchovy pizza that strangely was left mostly untouched, while there are already only a few scattered slices left of the other cartwheel-sized pizzas from the first batch.

“Speaking of simple pleasures…”, Andrea caught sight of a diminutive yellow box on wheels that stood deserted at the other end of the parking lot and made his way towards it. Its owner was probably amidst the pizza munching crowd that had gathered on the beach near the source.

* In my last campaign, the panel van version was actually my best selling variant of all my cars right up to 2020.

The 'Star' was a reasonably priced car

“Who keeps one of these for over 20 years in almost mint condition?”, Andrea wondered. His eyes had noticed a 1998 or 1999 Mara Zvezda (‘star’) sports coupe. The Zvezda was the first car engineered by Mara after the 1990s market liberalisation and it had taken them until the end of the decade to at least somewhat catch up with the rest of the world in terms of car engineering. As with the Irena, the Zvezda was available in sedan, hatchback and coupe form (no vans or utes though).

While the Irenas were kept in production as low-cost option for the domestic market (with the exception of the van which kept enjoying great popularity abroad), the Zvezdas were intended as more upmarket option for domestic sales and as mid-tier family cars and pony / budget light sports cars for export. If Andrea remembered correctly, the first generation Zvezda sports coupe had a then all-new aluminium head SOHC 2.3l I4 that made about 100 kW in factory tune, almost double that of the standard Zvezda sedan, hatchback and van versions.

Especially Zvezda coupes were especially rare these days and many of those had not survived numerous crude attempts at tuning by various shade-tree mechanics / wannabe tuners, accidents caused by cash-strapped boy racers who believed to be the next racing gods, or amateur racing events where Zvezda coupes were often entered in due to their affordability and (relative) tuneability.

However, in this case, the distinctive yellow colour, tastefully tinted windows and an almost diminutive - for the 90s - lip and spoiler told him that this version had gotten a makeover by Mara’s own inhouse performance division AMM (Avtostudiya & Manufakturiya Mayster), that power output was probably more in the realm of 130 kW, that the whole car had come with a standard factory warranty, and that the price tag had been not quite as low as those of the standard Zvezdas. He was not sure though whether there would be a market for cars like this these days.

After looking at the remarkably unremarkable car in front of him for a short while, Andrea tuned his head to see whether the owner was anywhere in sight. However, all he could see was that there were now little more than crumbs left of the first batch of pizzas at the other end of the parking lot - so even the anchovy one was gone by now. He made his way back to check the state of the second batch of pizzas in the oven. He also saw that there were a couple of new arrivals making their way through the crowd. Maybe his pizzas were even part of the reason why they showed up…?

4 Likes

You see two cars approaching. One sliding across the lot to its parking spot while the other is carefully being loaded out of a truck taking the spot next to it.

The first one being the
1995 Chariot Tauros XS


It’s a classic 90’s American muscle car housing a 4.2L Turbocharged V8 Making 351Hp. Weighing in at 1623Kg (3578Lbs). This launches it from 0-100Km/h in 5.7 Seconds reaching a top speed of 260Km/h (161Mph). it does the 1/4 Mile in 13.7 seconds making it a beast with tame but timeless styling.

You can go take it for a spin if you"d like.
Chariot_-_Tauros_XS.car (53.2 KB)

Next to the Tauros is the
1995 Fmk SR612 GTR In its Tarquini Racing livery


The SR612 GTR is the GT Racing model of FMK’s regular SR612 made for the BPR Global GT Series , Where it spun out and was unable to finish due to the car being unstable and hard to drive. This is mainly because of its 6 Liter Turbocharged V12 producing a staggering 1000Hp. This did barely beat out the Mclaren F1’s Top speed going 391Km/h (242Mph), but it was slower to 100 by 0.2 seconds doing it in 3.4 seconds. I mean the car did weigh a full 1730Kg (3814Lbs). But hey, at least its nice to look at.

Unfortunately you aren’t allowed to test drive this car for multiple reasons.

1 Like

A Sample from Dave Wilson’s Modern Classics Collection

The following vehicles were kindly provided by Dave Wilson, a 53-year-old classic car enthusiast and collector based in Northamptonshire, England.

The cars, from left to right, are as follows:

1992 KPS K2 RR - Finished in Sunlight Yellow, this small and light sports coupe is a prime example of the most track-focused variant of the K2. While retaining the standard car’s virtues of small size, unassisted steering, total lack of driving aids (including ABS), lightweight fiberglass bodywork and mid-engined, rear-drive layout, the RR took things a step further with its omission of creature comforts, additional aero components, and a more aggressively tuned engine, suspension and gearbox (the latter of which still had five forward speeds) for even more incredible performance on track. It’s no daily driver, but the thrills it delivers on a twisting B-road (or on a circuit, for that matter) are second to none thanks to 225 bhp (from a 2.0-litre normally aspirated V6!) pushing just 825 kg - an improvement on the original’s already impressive 200 bhp and 875 kg.

1995 Hampton Hawk GTS 5.0 - Powered by a lusty 5.0-litre all-alloy normally aspirated V8, the Hawk was Hampton’s volume flagship sports car from 1992 to 2001. The GTS variant was introduced in 1994 as a 1995 model, and proved to be a highly popular option package, accounting for two-thirds of global production for the first three years of availability, until it finally became standard in 1998. Engine tweaks yielded 20 additional horsepower over the standard 355-horsepower GT, for a total of 375; to harness the extra thrust, a six-speed manual gearbox was fitted, while the suspension and brakes were beefed up accordingly. With adjustable dampers, genuine Connolly leather and burr walnut wood trim, plus a decent amount of luggage space, the Hawk was as much of a grand tourer as it was a sports car, and proved to be an enormous sales success globally. This example is finished in Sparkling Blue Metallic and is believed to be the first example built in this colour to be fitted with the GTS package.

1999 DMS Imperia GTS by Zephorus - Designed in conjunction with Zephorus, the Imperia GT was built to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary, hence the fact that exactly 50 were made. This example is the only one to be finished in Viola Scuro Metallizzato (Dark Purple Metallic), and in fact, an extensive personalization program meant that no two examples were exactly alike. Using only the finest materials for interior trim (leather, alcantara or a mix of both, with aluminum and/or carbon-fibre accents) lent the Imperia a bespoke feel absent from most other supercars and hypercars. With its 6.0-litre normally aspirated V12 delivering 625 horsepower to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, the Imperia was the most powerful road car DMS had built at the time; however, power is nothing without control, and to exploit this monstrous thrust, a race-bred pushrod-actuated suspension was used at each corner, along with an aerodynamically sculpted front spoiler, rear wing and undertray. Yet despite its lavish interior and high-revving, high-displacement engine, the Imperia weighed in at just 1285 kg (15 less than the aluminum-bodied Hawk) thanks to its carbon-fibre chassis and bodywork. Naturally, the Imperia is a far more exclusive machine than the other two, with examples selling for millions of pounds at auctions.

Additional pictures

Download links

Click on any of the links in this spoiler if you would like to try any of these amazing machines out for yourself!

First car: KPS_K2_-_RR.car (41.9 KB)

Second car: Hampton_Hawk_-_5_0_GTS.car (45.4 KB)

Third car: DMS_Imperia_GT_-_GTS_by_Zephorus.car (64.1 KB)

Closing comment from the owner:

“In my view, the 1990s was, still is and will always be the best decade of motoring (especially for performance cars), full stop, not only because the horsepower wars had not yet gotten out of hand, but also because cars didn’t suffer from tech overload as they usually do now - and they have also become larger and heavier to boot, due to increasingly stringent environmental and safety legislation, as well as changes in customers’ demands. Given that the age of modest dimensions, excellent all-around visibility, normal aspiration, manual gearboxes and little or no electronic intervention (all of which are virtues of many great driver’s cars) is now long gone once and for all, I feel proud to have brought together three wonderful driver’s cars which have all of these virtues, leading to a purer driving experience in each case. Yes, the Imperia has stability control, and both it and the Hawk also have traction control, but it only takes a single button press to toggle them on or off. And since most modern cars are not only ordered in monochrome shades, but also try too hard to have any real road presence with their exaggeratedly aggressive styling, the simpler aesthetics and more diverse color choices of the cars I have brought feel like a breath of fresh air in an increasingly cynical motoring landscape.”

(Special thanks to @Riley for helping me with the exterior design of the Imperia GT, and also to @BannedByAndroid for extending the deadline by one week to allow me to post these vehicles.)

5 Likes

1992 IP COMMUTER 2000 GTX

Ah, the 1991-95 sixth generation IP Commuter. A car best described as a “mode of transportation”. Reliable, economical and…a little bit boring, wasn’t it?

If that’s your opinion, it seems like you have forgotten the 2000 GTX. Don’t worry, in that case you are not alone. At the release, there was many skepticals. In the era of hot hatches, IP put out a fire breathing, compact… two door sedan, a body type that was more or less obsolete by the time and mostly associated with old age buyers. Also, 140 hp was not impressive even in its era. On paper.

On the other hand, the light weight combined with the independent rear suspension (a reminder of that you could get the fifth generation with all wheel drive, but that’s a completely different story) and a fine chassis tuning meant that this was a FUN little car. The performance wasn’t too bad actually since 0-100 km/h was done in 7.7 seconds and the top speed 231 km/h. For a front wheel drive car, it felt reasonably well balanced too. A viscous LSD and a close ratio 5 speed gearbox added to the sporty traits of the vehicle, and this was in the era before electronic nannys, not even ABS was standard. At least the GTX was always equipped with power steering, which wasn’t the case on all the lower spec models. Today a reminder of that the 90s actually was a very long time ago and a completely different era, even if it may feel like yesterday sometimes.

Even if this model was a lukewarm success in Europe and Australia, it has a small cult following in Asia and North America. So also here in Miami. Robert Hunt was looking for a nice, unmolested example, but there is few and far between. The euro lowrider and sport compact craze of the 90s, and the F&F era of the 00s was a fate that few GTX models could escape. The rest of them has vanished in the salty and humid air, thanks to the mediocre rust protection. Finally he could find this one, in the rare colour of “Boreal green metallic” that is almost impossible to find, since most GTX buyers opted for brighter colours. With even the stock alloys with their sticky 185/60R14 rubber still in place, very few miles on the odometer and a full service history from the IP dealer until as recently as 2014, it is going to stay this way. Since you still can get a good example for a nice price, we think that this was not a bad investment.


Au revoir!

8 Likes

Iaski RZX Turbo, Zerve-NAM Korner Safari, and Onaria GTM 400!




Iasaki RZX Turbo

This 2nd gen RZX is a fire breathing, mid engine, supercar from Iasaki’s performance division. It has a 350hp twin turbo mill, and was the only generation of RZX to get a flat six. It was made for GT2 homologation, but the race car lost funding, and we got this monster. This is a pre facelift, giving it pop up headlights and a more concave rear window. The RZX is a very raw, analog supercar. it throws you back in your seat, and it was a marvelous succesor to the flat four, twin turbo, groub B first gen.

Zerve-NAM Korner

The Korner was produced from 1965 to 2004, and this 90s model was equipped with the offroad safari package. It is suprisingly good offroad, and packs a small flat four making 47hp. The offroad bits include heightened ground clearence, bigger tires, locking differentials, and four wheel drive.

Onaria GTM 400

This was the last year of the six-cylinder 400-GTM. It has a 3.0L I6 making 295hp, and is the most hilarious sleeper in existence. It was made for the track, and was a monster in touring car racing. The suspension and engine are tuned for maximum performance, and it is the perfect contrast to it’s fire breathing, hammer-like, V8-powered succesor.

2 Likes

On the other side of the parking lot…

Kaizen Corporation

Kaizen%20logo%20for%20ad%20japanese


Well, the Kaizen Owner’s Club USA have arrived at the predetermined venue somewhere in Miami, Florida for the 2021 Automation “Virtual” Car Meet.


Included for this meeting are three examples of the long running Kaizen S series from the two generations from the 1990s, the K609 and the K610. They seek to highlight the model from multiple angles, including practicality, performance, and racing heritage.

1990 Kaizen SC32


1997 Kaizen SC34


1997 Kaizen VSCPr GT1 Homage

Designed as a homologation model to the VSCPr GT1 race car, a particularly crazy attempt at getting a “luxury saloon” in the GT1 class of BPR Global GT Series, a place where supercars dominated. Kaizen were already renowned for creating some fo the sportiest and most engaging “luxury practical cars” around, and this confidence in the GT1 effort was intended to really showcase their technical expertise in a way that was distinctively Kaizen.

Only 67 of these homologation specials were created, in a nod to the race car’s main number. Initially, the number 66 was sought as it was a personal “lucky number” for the founder, but someone already took it, so the next number in line was chosen.

One particularly interesting fact was that it was created as part of a longtime partnership with the iconic British automaker Arion Automotive, and thus utilized much of the engineering expertise and innovations that would normally be found in Arion sports and super cars of the era, including but not limited to a highly refined bodykit and aerodynamics, engine and drivetrain tuning, and suspension parts.

Unfortunately, on the track, it was an utter failure, and we don’t think the organizers were too thrilled to learn of its development. Its massive V10 was simply too underpowered, as the car’s weight was significantly higher than its competitors. However, they would provide plenty of theater and would be a welcome “wild-card” in a field of highly developed and sometimes homogenous sleek sports cars, and thus would be quite popular with fans. After all, a big saloon type car locking horns with supercars was already amazing in its own right, a proof of the objective march of progress. In addition, they gained a reputation for an insane amount of mechanical grip that surpassed most of the field. Finally, various technology from the race cars made their way into lesser Kaizens (including that 1997 SC34 we just mentioned), and would greatly bolster the sporting reputation of the brand.

Homologation models would gain a detuned 552 hp version of the race car’s 6.2L single overhead cam 40-valve V10, with an exhaust and intake more suitable for street use. These cars were estimated to hit 62 mph in 5 seconds flat, and reach a top speed of 191 miles an hour.

This specific model actually went to a Kaizen dealership in the Orlando area, whose owners have kept it as their (climate controlled) showroom display in their decades of ownership. They regularly drive it, mainly to take it to car shows and track days.

@Aruna helped with the design and @Xepy did the livery.

Well, that’s all for today! Enjoy and have a good day!



to

11 Likes

Correct me if i’m wrong, but i’m pretty sure that’s not the beach photoscene.

it’s not, it is the 00s warehouse

This^

Bud, nice cars, but the cars are not in the photoscene I have mentioned.

2 Likes

Thanks, I’ll get working on that when I have the chance!

This post is brought to you by a deadline loophole. Oh, and @chiefzach2018.

AVCM 2021

Oh hey, what’s this guy bringing in

1993 Bradford-Zacspeed Ax-1 Apache

Credit to Zach and @yurimacs.

1996 Seikatsu-Zacspeed YR-1

Credit to Zach for engineering.

1991 Seikatsu Diesel Galactic SK1

Yeah this one’s all me.

13 Likes

(Sorry for the late post, too much stuff on hand these days.)

9:00 PM
21th May, 2021.
Miami.

The show has ended, after weeks of cars, people and everything. Obviously, the event, isn’t as large as expected, but at least there some people keen to join the event.

Nevertheless, “H0RIZ0N” drove his Tesla away from the event venue, with his staff bringing the vehicles to a truck.


And that means, AVCM @ 2021 has ended!


See you next year!

@Restomod Please change your entry pictures to the appropriate photoscene, I’ll give you time until 31st May or else I will take action, thank you.
And yes, @Tzuyu_main, for this time I let you pass, since I nearly forgot about the deadline.

6 Likes