Cop-Show Car Supply (CSCS)1 - NOTRUF 110 - Einsatz für die Autobahnpolizei, Staffel 3 (DONE)

[Happyhungryhippo]

Berlau, February 1996

The first episode is already in the filming process, and Walkowski quickly trashes Rainer Sordels Baumhaber. For the second episode (it´s a two parter, so filming has to be asap) Mike and Johannes invited actor Zbiginiew Mandroki who plays Harald “Dirty Harry” Walkowski.

ZM: AAAH, NICE! That does not really fit Walkowski, but I like it. An excellent design! Perfect. I want that!

MM: Noo, Zbiginiew, the car has awful reliability. It even stalled when performing hard test driving before it sucked the tank empty, which it also does quickly. It is quite fast, and the sound from the small high-revving V12 reminds me of a swarm of angry bees, but no. I even wonder why they install cheap hubcaps over aluminium rims. Propably to let it look more unsuspicious, and yeah, with that bland color, it really works well for our purposes. But the Tio Eagle oversteers bad and is not tough enough for stunt driving.

“A shame”, said Johannes, pointing towards a silver car that they all feel familiar with and don´t know why.

MM: That´s a Samir 2.8i. Also oversteering terribly, but a skilled driver can catch it on this icy surface. Rear brakes have too much force, the safety is questionable although not too bad, and it is not even riding really firm despite the oversteer. The ride comfort is overall on the positive side. It is quite cheap for its performance and the reliability seems alright. It is not a bad car, but feels unrefined in the details.

ZM: The looks are alright, but honestly a bit boring. I would say it does fit in general, but does not reflect Harrys character to well.

Johannes sighed. “Well, there are three more. What about the white one?”

ZM: The IP Royal Vagant looks elegant and rugged at the same time. I like it and I think, it fits Harry quite well. It is not mainstream in our area but blends in well.

MM: For an IP, that´s quite a sum they want! But it is better than the Samir in most aspects. Economy is good, and the comfort is also really a pleasure. A really sporty feel is something I looked for without success, but it is capable of acceptable cornering.

“So this is considered”, stated Johannes, pointing over to a giant flunder.

ZM: Whoa! That´s quite a car! It has that kind of commanding presence but is free of ornate stuff. It is an older model, fortunately. Swanson doesnt make them anymore like they used to. That indicator placement on the side! Pure art! Also the rear, very strict, but other than their new models, the angled shapes work well together. I would put it at the same level as the IP.

MM: For a hint less, the IP is faster. I am not surprised considering how huge this thing is. The handling is better than that of the IP, but it does not feel equally comfortable. As typical for a Swanson, it did handle all the sick stuff I did with it when I brought it here. I agree with Zbiginiew, we should take this to the next round.

“Good”, said Johannes. “Only one left.”

MM: It is a weird car. It handles like a shoebox since it is an SUV with horse carriage suspension, but with that being street-tuned and RWD only make it quite useless offroad. In the muddy snow it disappointed me while the Swanson made it through effortless. The 2 liter turbo engine made me wonder if it is as good as an inline six in terms of reliability and performance, but ACR managed to build it very solid. It is not slow for what it is, I think it is at 100 kph after 8,5 seconds. But I wait with the last thing until Zbiginiew told us what the thinks.

ZM: It really fits Walkowski. A rugged but not too rough appearance, it could be more comfortable but overall it makes a very consistent and well-thought-out vehicle. No nonsense, but also no blandness.

MM: Then it`s also one round further! It is dirt cheap, even noticeably cheaper than the Samir.

[OOC:] Again an interessing quintet. Three cars are very close to each other and I can´t quite decide yet, but two are out.

First one is the Samir 2.8i by @conan . Not a bad car and a 3 Series clone is generally alright in cop shows, but it lacks refinement.

Although the design of the Tio Eagle by @DrDoomD1scord recieves 11 from 10 points, it might not really fit Walkowskis character and the shortcomings in economy, price and reliability are killing it. The Zephorus for Batimus by @riley managed to be miles better at drivability and reliability for a lower price.

The Swanson 537 NP by @Ludvig impresses like the 425 with excellent driving characteristics. But I feel like it is hampered by the huge size. On the other hand, the design is more harmonic than that of the smaller and newer one.

The ACR Vea Pen…, eh, Fenis by @shibusu is a bold move as an SUV. The engineering seems cheesy for
archieving better stats at the first look, but it all works well together. However, a turbo engine in such a car in 1996 seems… Nah, this is a game, not reality. It´s fine and fits Walkowski like an oily working glove.

The IP by @knugcab has about the same strenghts as the Saarland: An ultra-realistic design being exactly what a real life police officer would propably use. Impressive performance, but mediocre sportiness, however what helps it is the fact unlike for Batimus, Walkowski is offered cars with generally lower sportiness except for the Tio which broke down.

[moroza]

@Happyhungryhippo

However, a turbo engine in such a car in 1996

If it were a diesel, this would be about as remarkable as glass windows.

[shibusu]

Yeah the thing’s supposed to be a base model and it would have a turbodiesel in that case. Thought I had made my cars all way too expensive, which I only tried to remedy for this one, excluding the awd/4x4. Turns out that they are not.

[Happyhungryhippo]

Berlau, 18th of march 1996

Hermann Joh…, ehm, Johannes Hermann looks at four cars parked in the movie studios garage. With him are again Mike the mechanic and now the actor Franz Werner, playing Kriminalrat Bernd Schneider. Since Sarah Maier is in hospital and will not return for the episodes 3 and 4, the car for the boss has priority.

MM: Let´s start with this one, the Capella. It is the cheapest, yet manages to be performant. Cornering is good, however, the comfort is worse than the filming set´s prison cell. Suspension is rock-hard and the brakes are overpowered. Oldfashioned mechanical injection and a huge turbo lag seem weird for a modern car. The car is pretty much a dead fish below 3000 rpm and then punches hard. Despite air suspension, it is really a torture to drive the whole day in it. However, I can not complain about the reliability and it is cheaper than the Pen, dammit, F E N I S.

FW: The looks are smooth but do not really announce the boss when appearing on screen. Nothing wrong with it, but it seems like a decent regular patrol car for me. But for that, it is quite uncomfortable. Next one, please!

Johannes pointed at the Ilaris Imperial next to it.

FW: Ugh. Quite boxy, looks outdated. It´s a 1990 model, maybe this is why. Nevertheless, some interessing things about the design. They had the wrong idea, but executed that really well. Same for the interior, really nice build quality that I expect from a premium sedan, but a wild mix of older and newer designs just like the whole car. The prestige of it could be better, but it is miles ahead of the Capella Notirius. Not great for Schneider, but I wouldn´t mind having to use this.

MM: It is definitely fast for a bearable price tag, not feeling outdated at all, Franz. The comfort is a bit low for a car like this, but it feels nimble and direct, which is actually more important for the stunt crew. There is a turbo lag, but it is quite bearable compared to the previous car, and it spools smoother. The car seems to have matured well, it is reliable and does what it should.

Johannes nodded, then threw a Vaughn key to Franz Werner.

FW: Schneider f…cking loves oldschool barges, and the Vaughn is one of them. “Pleasant” might be the right word to describe the appearance, although it could be a bit more aggressive. But it works well with the conservativeness of Schneider. And that interior! Ultra-comfy and well designed, with space for both Schneider and his ego. Approved!

MM: Sorry Franz, before you get too used to it, it might handle nicely for what it is, but in general comparison here, it is dull. And the slowest. You barely notice the turbo, which makes power delivery smooth and linear, but it lacks the punch, after all. Such a boat needs to be moved. It has only a four-speed with a lot of overdrive, propably to keep the consumption under control, which makes it really a wellness at cruising but… it isn´t fast. And it is the most expensive here, by far. $2000 more, and the Zephorus sent in for Batimus is almost there. If we still had Dietrich Boehme as boss, who was older than you, less interessed in being out of the office and a KriminalOBERrat, a rank above you, it would be this one, but since this is not the case…

Johannes sighed. “Well, there is only one left, what to tell about this one then?”

MM: Another Swanson, a 437. Seems like it is the Batimus one with a Walkowski engine, a dream team. It absolutely swipes the floor in drivability and cornering is the best here, only the Ilaris is capable of similar speeds, but lacks the smoothness of the Swanson when being driven hard. Only the Swanson can come somehow close to the Vaughn in terms of comfort and prestige, however, the Vaughn is still way ahead in that aspect. Unfortunately, the Swanson is even a lot more expensive than the Vaughn. It is even more expensive than a Zephorus KS12 and, believe it or not, a Tio Eagle. You get first-class performance for that and the best reliability, I must admit. This car is a monster.

FW: I must admit, it looks intimidating and strict, all that sharp angles. This exotic livery plays well with that, it looks very bossy despite being smaller than the huge Vaughn. If you spot this in the rear mirror, you know that you are in trouble.

Johannes nodded and asked the two which cars would make it to the next round.

[OOC:] Some very different cars here. I think I know why: The character of Bernd Schneider was the least described, since he is new for season 3 and had, unlike Walkowski who appeared in S02E10, no screentime yet.

The Capella by @kalan will not make it, despite a sensationally low price. The design is ok, the livery even looks very much like the police force was displayed in the AI images (intentional or not?), which I really like. But weird engineering choices and lack of refinement make it no match for the other three.

The Ilaris Imperial by @shibusu is a well-engineered car, but lacks the coherence someone like Bernd Schneider looks for. The design somehow does not work together as that of the Vaughn which seems to be a lot more fluent. The much lower drivability and comfort finally neutralize the cost advantage against the smooth luxobarge, and the better performance finally makes the difference.

Which sadly means that the Vaughn El Mirage GTS by @Knugcab is out. Butter design, Sofa comfort, Rolex prestige, cathedral interior, tank safety - it has a lot on the positive side, but the last two were not judging criteria. The car is cheaper than the Swanson in purchase, but the servicing matches that of a Zephorus 12 cylinder. If Schneider did not need to use his car from time to time in a chase, the Vaughn would have won.

The Swanson 437 by @Ludvig seems to be the jack of all trades, but the price hurts. This time, the design seems way better than that of the 425 for Batimus, and I am very sure it is because of the livery that uses the aggressive angled shapes of the car perfectly and covers a lot of the car´s space that would otherwise appear bland due to the weird sizing of the fixtures. If Johannes Hermann thinks it is worth the hefty price, it wins.

[Ludvig]

3 rounds in a day, very quick but still quality. You gotta be a patient man for putting together all those photoscenes.
Interesting comments on the medium vs large Swansons. Some design differences are intentional for their intended markets (even if the 400 arguably closer to the 500 two generations back, than the 500 itself especially in the edgy livery), but the 400 is also a 1-2 year older design IRL.

[Happyhungryhippo]

Berlau, 3rd of May 1996

“Alright, Nicole, the new characters now got plenty of screentime, time for your Sarah to come back to the force - with a fitting ride”, said Johannes to actress Nicole Korte whose alias in the show is Sarah Maier.
“Let´s start with that red one, what do you have to tell about it, Mike?”

MM: A Vaughn Silverbird in GTC top trim. Nothing wrong with it, but the handling and sportiness are the lowest here, although not particulary bad. Maybe because that thing is quite heavy. But again, not bad especially for a Gasmean car. Excellent safety, but the comfort is meeh. The old-fashioned OHV V8 is reliable but has some thirst, but returns quite stunning performance. The purchase is pricey with $ 25.000, especially considering it is for a junior grade detective.

NK: The front looks like a frog trying to kiss me. Nah. I mean, this is acutally a cool car in general, but among these five, it is the least interessing together with that blue one.

Johannes stepped to the SM Soaura. “Looks like an Illaris, but is branded as SM. Maybe their sister company, like Primus and Globus?”

MM: Feels similar to the Vaughn, also fast, but not that fast, alright handling and cornering, the comfort is a bit better. Actually the best together with the Swanson, but far less than the other protagonists have in their cars. Price and reliability match the Vaughn.

NK: Hm, another car that stands visually out but not in a way I like it. And if I don´t like it, Sarah doesn´t like it, right? The front without a grille is not to my taste, the taiillights are too oval go only roughly with the shape of the rear, too low and too wide to really fit. Saberin Motors didn´t mess it up, but it falls behind next to that other one here.

“You mean the Zephorus 305?”, asked Johannes.

NK: Yeah, clearly an older model, but cool as heck with all those spoilers and wheel arches… this also lacks a grille, but goes better with that than the Soaura. That stripes are also quite cool. Looks like made for a young and wild person like Sarah.

MM: The Zephorus offers almost 300 horsepower for a bargain. $ 16.100 - as low as the Capella, but comes with a V8. Like the Vaughn, the engine is powerful, reliable but thristy. The Zephorus even consumes more than the Vaughn with 16 liter! This is way too much. The simple chassis has a very harsh ride to allow for acceptable cornering, but still offers no improvement about Vaughn and SM in that aspect. Well, the price is still hot. It is hard to get more bang for less buck.

“We made good experiences with a Swanson, what about the 200 series, Mike?”

MM: The 220 PF is no surprise, it handles the best and makes stunt driving very easy and precise. The comfort is good, at least among this quintet, and reliability is great, but none of the five disappointed in that aspect. The price is lower than the Vaughn and SM, but a lot more expensive than the Zephorus. From my side, it´s a go. Perfect all-rounder.

NK: Have you seen that huuuuuuuuge wheelbase with tiny overhangs? Nah. That´s ugly. Sarah is despite her psychological issues a very lively person. That Swanson looks as it has a constantly bad mood and wants to run me over. No, sorry Mike.

She walked over to the Nordwagen Skadi.

NK: THIS is better. Still unique and very different, but smoother and … it´s a bit on the retro side, but plays that card very well. The blue color and some oval shapes prevent it from being too strict. The wheelbase is also quite long, but it somehow looks better than the Swanson.

MM: Well, Nicole, this car is also among the expensive ones. They all are except for the Zephorus. The performance of them all is very close. The Nordwagen is worse in drivability, sportiness and comfort than the Swanson, but not by much. In addition, the Skadi is the toughest in terms of reliability. It is more or less a matter of taste between these two, and I think you made your point.

[OOC:] Surprisingly all cars match each other in performance and price (except for the Zephorus). So it was mostly up to the design.

The Vaughn by @Knugcab is another case of fifth, not last. It has hardly any fault, but just fails to impress in any way. However, working on that shitty mess of mod body and having a bearable result deserves some applause.

The SM Soaura by @shibusu suffers from lack of coolness and seems to mix being different with being weird. The stats of it can´t iron that out. Which means, it will not proceed, even if the car is overall solid.

The Swanson 220 by @Ludvig has the best stats, beating everyone except for the price and has only the Nordwagen in striking distance. But it looks odd. What I felt somehow weird about Batimus car is even worse here, mainly due to the wheelbase that is too long. It just looks different without looking right in terms of proportions. Since the Nordwagen is in striking distance and looks way more suiting for Sarah Maier, this sadly means that the Swanson is not considered despite many positive things.

The Nordwagen Skadi by @moroza has convincing stats and wanders confidently on the small rope between weird and different. Even the bizarre six-headlight-configuration can´t make me call it ugly in any way, and the rear design perfectly reflects the front. It´s being consistent in all details what makes that design work.

The Zephorus 305 by @Riley captivates Sarahs personality the best. Young, wild, free, this liftback sedan manages to look modest and berserk at the same time. Where it also scores is the price: Some 5.300 less than the SM which is the second-“cheapest”. I am still not sure if it is enough benefit to cure the diverse shortcomings which are absurd fuel consumption, mediocre handling quality and low comfort. But it is the only opponent left for the Skadi, and it will be a tough wheel-to-wheel duel.

[Knugcab]

I had a feeling that the Vaughns would be a bit too “gasmerican” for a Hetvesian show, oh well, it was worth a try… and yes, I don’t recommend anyone to use the SN95 body because it really is junk!

[Happyhungryhippo]

A small notice of what to expect

I stepped on the gas with the judging to get it done before I fly away on vacation (and I don´t want to take my expensive gaming laptop with me when not going by car), but everything that could go wrong shortly prior to the takeoff went wrong and took more time than expected, so I am still not done to arrange all the 20 screenshots and write the stories needed for the final post.

The judging is done, and there are final descisions which car is considered. This took me longer than expected since as a host, I have the responsibility to objectively decide what the fictional client wants and suits him/her best, and not what I would prefer.

But the final post will take my like 10 to 15 hours to make since it is something new and not seen here before. My plane takes off in less than that.
Which sadly means that I can´t continue before September 21. I also didn´t manage to enter all the challenges I originally wanted, but that´s life.

Now that the judging is 100 % done, it is just the huge presentation of the cars that is left, so the update will not bother me in any way unless the mods are turned useless, which is very unlikely since the game engine remains the same.
As I don´t work for a living anymore and this is a high priority after the return, you can expect the final results and presentation soon after the 21st of September if I don´t almost kill myself with a jetski like two years ago.

So, how will the finals be presented? You have an episode guide hidden in the opening post, and even if I can´t turn them into graphic novels since Automation is not the Sims or a 3D studio software, most action scenes involving the cars will be featured. Some background cars were quickly thrown together, some others are requested from other users, since Berlau is not GDR where you just had three main types of cars in the scenery.

For that reason, you are free to send me realistic 80s to early 90s cars you want to have seen in the background. The villain cars are mostly there, either a Nordwagen, Saarland or Primus/Globus.

I apologize for not having better news for the challenge duration, but I hope that the waiting will be worth it.

[Happyhungryhippo]

EPISODES 1 AND 2

It´s a two-parter, so I did the stunt scenes for both in one post. One winner is now revealed. If your car is not mentioned yet, don´t worry. You still might see it in another role as I want to provide every entrant with at least one fancy screenshot as benefit for the work put into the car.

E01 starts with an older Globus van that crashed after a tire burst, the driver fled the scene after trying to put the van on fire, but Jakob Walkowski - driving the police car from seasons 1 and 2, a Primus Astrona, watches this on patrol and came just in time. Frank Batimus and his new partner Harry Walkowski arrive on the scene with Franks new ride: A Swanson 425. They find a lot dead bodies inside - with missing organs that were taken for trade, obviously, sometimes even when the victims were alive.

Do you always have such fucked up things at the Highway Patrol?

No. This is… something else, Walkowski.

Call me Harry. How about a beer? I know a really good bars in Berlau.

I smell that.

Hey, Harry! Look what I found there. The driver must have been in a hurry, because there is a forgotten map. An adress is marked in the industrial area.

So, you find a piece of a map and directly drive there? What would you have done if they had left a globe in the car?

A first trace leads them to a company that pretends to be in import/export business, but Frank is sure that this is just a cover - they are kidnapping people on order! They interrogate the CEO, and on the parking lot they see a 1988 Primus Imperator whose tires seem to match - the van driver had been picked up by a car using similar tires.

So, may we check your alibi, Mr. Stroganoff? Where have you been this morning?

I do not think that I need an alibi, inspector Walkowski.

Oh, sure you do need one, because otherwise it would be too easy for me to get the arrest warrant, and… EH! HE HAS A GUN! FRANK, ATTENTION!

Unfortunately, Vitaly Stroganoff escapes, since he had some grenades in his car that destroyed the following cop car, inherited from the deceased Kriminalhauptkommissar Sordel, and the Baumhauer lasted only one day in Harald´s hands…

Soon after, Sarah Maier uses CCTV footages and some tough classic police work to find out who stole the 1976 Globus Duratrans - and finally manages to get the address, after comparing the face to hundreds of criminals that could fit there - and it was Fred Willig, working for Stroganoffs business - and he came to some wealth recently, as he moved into an expensive area of Berlau.

12-4 to 12-2, where are you? 12-2, I could need assistance. 12-2, please respond. AAAAAARGH, FRANK, HARRY, WHERE ARE YOU?

Well, these two were enjoying hotdogs and left their phones in the car, so Sarah decides to go alone.

She spees to the apartment, a luxurious penthouse, but nobody is there. She then tries to collect proof by searching for whatever could be useful.

Suddenly, when she was checking the the rooftop balcony, Sarah was pushed off it, but survived by breaking both arms to catch the fall… but the roof of the Saarland Origo she used is now… quite dented.

E02 continues a few days after - It was clear that the organ traders had help from a doctor to perform the surgery. But the doctor isn´t an idiot: No traces were left in the van, at least not of him. Frank and Harald investigate in every hospital in Berlau and found out that all organs missing in the dead bodies were needed in the St.-Lazarus-Krankenhaus in Berlau - exactly that hospital where Sarah currently is.

She notices something suspicious, since a doctor seems to have forced symptoms of a kidney failure at a patient and proposes removing it, so Sarah tries to collect proof against Dr. Joseph Heiter who seems to be the brain behind the organization.

Frank and Harry finally manage to find Stroganoff with the help of some informants, but he notices that and steals an old 1978 Primus Astrona Taxi. By using a brand new patrol car, a Capella Notirius, Harry blocks the way, and the Swanson, and Frank forces Stroganoff into the road block with his Swanson. Well, since Frank took an abbreviation, his brand new car is a bit dented, but at least not a total loss.

Dr. Heiter meanwhile found out that Sarah collected proof against him, kidnaps her in a dramatic finale - she was locked in an ambulance, and Heiter drives to a junkyard in order to put it in the car crusher…

Frank and Harald take Schneider´s 1991 Primus Legacy without his consent, since saving her colleague at all cost is what every dedicated cop would do.

In the end, they arrest Heiter with a well-placed gunshot, save Sarah and even get a praise from Bernd Schneider - he wanted a new car anyway, since he refered to his predecessor´s car as “Boehme´s wheelchair” since he considered it as too boring.

The episodes featured cars from @kalan , @Knugcab , @Ludvig and from @S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T who didnt enter but I found the car very fitting for the earlier season.

WHY THE SWANSON?

In the end, this car combined best performance, handling and reliability as well as value and even if I think the styling isn´t perfect, it is edgy. Something that also reflects Batimus who is a much younger version of Columbo with an attitude, despite looking like a dressman. In short: He is weird. And the Swanson is equally weird. But I chaged the awful Army green. That purple fits great in the 90s and emphasizes the character of the car a lot better.

I will try to publish one more episode per day, so that you will soon know what happened to your car.

[Happyhungryhippo]

Episode 03

The reverend Paulus Heller, working at the highway church near Berlau, was nailed on a cross.

Inspector Walkowski, do you have anything of interest for me?

Are you the DA in this case?

Staatsanwalt Wichert, yes. I forgot to introduce myself. What can you tell me yet?

The reverend was nailed on a cross in his church, that must have some symbolic meaning.

You archaneans are religious, I thought, so, you know what that means?

Eh, that was too personal and wrong, my religion is . ah, forget it… anyway, our lord and saviour was nailed on a cross to pay for the sins of mankind. So, I think our reverend here had some secrets and someone found out and did this to let him pay for the sins.

It turns out that Heller was a pimp - but treated his girls well and gave them a fair slice, which made the prostitutes rather working for him than for others.

Wait, so he also funded the meal for the poor and homeless…from … sex work? Really?

Yes, boss. In a letter to his brother he blamed the lack of funds these days to keep up his caritative work. The only thing he bought himself is a new Saarland, and … new window curtains.

And, do you have a suspect, Frank?

I am sure we have to look in the competition. Many girls changed from her old pimp to the holy samaritan.

Harald investigates undercover as doorman, but sadly, the Baumhauer is junked and he does not want to be seen in that role with the Saarland Origo from the department. So he casually walks to the impound lot to get a confiscated TIO Eagle that belonged to a traffic law attorney that got his car confiscated for frequent traffic violations… With the stylish Eagle, Harry is taken serious and his cover is solid. He finds out that the reverends business has made the rival Rüdiger Fritsche green with envy, and he lost one third of his girls to him.

Soon after, Frank tries to reveal the truth in clever interrogations. The pimp Rüdiger Fritsche tries to escape with his Nordwagen Freya, and Batimus needs to push his Swanson 425 to the limits to match the mighty Nordwagen. On the radio he yells for assistance, and Demir Berkan, the first Dalluhan working for the Hetvesian police, assists with his Samir 328i, shooting the tire of the Nordwagen, causing Fritsche to give up.

So, Mr. Fritsche, if you are that innocent, why did you escape then?

I realized I left the oven at home on just in the moment you entered.

No, YOU ESCAPED BECAUSE YOU KILLED REVEREND PAULUS HELLER!

NO, I HAVEN´T NAILED HIM ON THAT FUCKING CROSS!

Oh, how do you know that? We didn´t give that detail to the press. Mr. Fritsche, the game is over.

In the department, he loses control as he made a mistake in the interrogation, manages to captivate Frank with an electric shocker and escapes with a Primus Astrona patrol car. But Kriminalrat Schneider follows them with a helicopter and alarms Walkowski, causing a giant mayhem in the city of Berlau.

Harald rams the Primus over and over with “his” Tio Eagle, which is not the right tool for the job and the engine stalls and finally passes out.

But Walkowski grabs the car of the police president who was eating at a nearby gourmet restaurant, pulling out the driver and taking over the wheel.

With the massive Vaughn El Mirage GTS, he not only leaves behind a furious police president but also rams the Primus Astrona finally to dust, after Frank woke up jumped through the rear window onto the Vaughn and climbed in on the passenger side at 200 kph.

The episode ends with Walkowskis Knoia phone ringing, with a colleague asking if he know any about a Tio Eagle that a lawyer now asks for where it is…

Eeeeh, the car? Eeeeh… yes, … eh, BAD SIGNAL! CRRRCKKKKKKHHH!!!

Cars featured in the episode by @DrDoomD1scord , @conan, @Ludvig, @moroza and @Knugcab

[moroza]

That’s a rather heavy car to be hovering that high off the ground… Also, the base Freya is a family estate car. What you have there is a Freya Æro.

Good that they shot the tires out of that thing before it reached an Autobahn. Chasing it with 227hp wouldn’t be very interesting or productive.

[Happyhungryhippo]

It was hitting the curb after a hit from the Swanson and therefore levered up, since it was now slowed down Demir Berkan could shoot the tire.

Tomorrow in the next episode Walkowskis car will be revealed!
@shibusu and @Knugcab, stay tuned.

[DrDoomD1scord]

Didn’t think I’d see the Eagle in this haha

[Happyhungryhippo]

The good design was rewarded with a brief appearance in the show in one of the toughest chases of the 1990s. It lasted five minutes screentime until Walkowski grabbed the Vaughn to finish the Astrona off in another five minutes
But I hope you didn’t plan to get the Eagle back after the Show… or did you?

In this case, you might come with a trailer…

[Knugcab]

The work you’re putting into both the storytelling and the pictures is just amazing, few challenges have been this “deep” in that regard, you really deserve credit for that. I love it!

[Happyhungryhippo]

Episode 04

The successful computer salesman Hans Heller is in a hurry - after a traffic jam, he is late for an appointment in his office in Berlau and speeds with his Swanson 537.

In the other direction on the A-2, the restaurant owner Vittorio Morini drives to a farming market in the countryside to get groceries, but suddenly he is shot by the driver of a Nordwagen Tyr Autobahnkuriernear Berlau, causing his Globus Grand Cruiser to crash into the center barrier and into oncoming traffic, killing Hans Heller who noticed it to late as he focussed on his phone. Even the tough Walkowski, now having an own car, an ACR Via Fenis, is shocked by the scene, and Frank Batimus, who speaks fluently Frunian, decides to intrude the Mafia undercover, as a first investigation of the backgrounds seem to indicate a mafia feud.

Meanwhile, Haralds uniformed brother Jakob recieved a new patrol car, an Ilaris Imperial, after his Primus Astrona did not survive the last episode. The traffic law attorney Dr. Günther Bess, after a trial against the department, now drives a Zephorus instead of the Tio Eagle, and speeds again - Jakob Walkowski performs a dangerous maneuver to stop Bess and, well, confiscate the next car - and Batimus happily grabs it as soon as it arrives at the department.

Frank takes note that il padrino, Mauro Forelli, was insulted my Morini that the pasta in his money laundry restaurants was terrible - and Forelli was furious with rage about that, since his own mother was in the kitchen using a family reciepe. His right hand, Gennadi Frutti, seems the most suspicious, so Harald secretly gets a hint from his partner who went undercover.

Since Sarah is still in hospital, Bernd Schneider calls for Demir Berkan as assistance, unfortunately, the ACR seems to be a bit to slow to get the Nordwagen Tyr Ludenkarre and Berkan only trashes his Samir 328i, but an oil leak caused in one of the contacts finally makes Frutti stop.

The criminal technicans found out that Frutti can not be the muderer.

Sorry, Walkowski, but… nah, it was impossible that Frutti did it.

Who then?

Since people said it was a Nordwagen, and considering how small Frutti is, someone taller must have fired the bullet… at about a size of 178 cm…

Forelli is 179 cm. FUCK! And Frank is there right now. I NEED TO HURRY UP!

Almost simultaneously Forelli reveals to Batimus that the assasination of Morini was a matter of family honor, so he did it himself. Forelli now tells Batimus that his cover was blown, and that he will be the next on the list.

In just that moment Walkowski crashes with his car through the window, distracting the padrino and letting Frank escape.

Who also escaped was Forelli, escaping with his Nordwagen Tyr Autobahnkurier. Since Batimus drives a very capable Zephorus, Forelli can´t shake the detective off. With a driving-on-two-wheels-stunt, the Zephorus squeezes past the Nordwagen and slowes him down, allowing for Walkowski in his slower SUV to close up. Together they manage to stop Forelli, who unfortunately was killed on impact, since Walkowski pushed him against a lamppost at 120 kph.

WHY THE VIA PEN…FENIS?

Competition was strong, but the Fenis was not only dirt cheap, it also looked rugged enough to fit the rather rough Walkowski. It looks like it would be a capable tool for ramming or driving into someone else´s living room. The performance is lower, indeed, but to be realistic, not all fugitives drive overly fast Nordwagens that require a sports car. The Swanson 437 seemed to be a bit too large and avantgardistic, the IP Royal Vagant was a very close one but finally didn´t match the price or the “working-class” style that fits the character perfectly.

Cars in the episode from @Ludvig , @shibusu , @Riley, @conan, @moroza, @karhgath, @mart1n2005 and @azkaalfafa

[moroza]

This is excellent.

[DrDoomD1scord]

Meh, it’s fiiiinnee

[Happyhungryhippo]

Episode 05

Sarah Maier is back in duty and whitnesses the kidnapping of a bus that planned to go on a coffee tour.

While she keeps Schneider updated, Harald Walkowski interrogates the nursing home staff where the bus picked up some frail people. He quickly finds out that something is wrong with the people onboard, and they are heading in a strange direction.

No, I don´t want to drink another coffee. Something is seriously wrong, and I need answers.

Inspector, we have signed a non-disclosure-agreement, please understand…

COME ON! They are kidnapped and I guess these geezers aren´t able to defend themselves anymore. My colleague is now after them on the A-15. What are they up to?

Ummm… we can give you the names of them, but not more.

You are wasting time. But well, go ahead, print that out as fast as you can!

While Sarah Maier follows the bus, Frank Batimus finds out that all the seniors inside belonged to a military unit that had committed war crimes in the early 1940s and were accused of that, but without result - so this is most likely an act for revenge. Sarah tries as hard as she can to stop the bus with her Zephorus 305, but it has no use.

The bus even drives in the direction of a site where the war crimes were commited by the seniors. This is a question of conscience - should they try to save the seniors or not? SEK (Sondereinsatzkommando, a special heavy duty task force of the Hetvesian police) boss Paul Wanner loses his patience and orders his officers Swoboda and Kasupke to stop the bus at all means.

Yes, this is Kasupke. What is this urgent?

A bus that wanted to go on coffee tour was kidnapped. Stop them and execute the terrorist. Swoboda will pick you up with your car. Where are you now?

Berlau, Kastanienallee 47c. I was just drinking a coffee, and…

Swoboda is on the way. Do it quick and without too much collateral damage!

Since they have a rear-engined Saberin Soaura, the nimble sedan manages to maneuver quickly as a road block, but desipte the gunshots fired, the bus crashes into the officers, which miraculously survived, but the Soaura didn´t. Schneider, furious with rage about the disobeyance of the SEK, calls for the minister of the interior to stop any attempt to stop the bus with weaponfire.

In the end, they are police officers after all, and have to save the seniors, but possibly killing a grandchild of the many victims and letting the seniors go away leaves a sour taste. Hit by a bullet fired by Hauptkommissar Klaus Kasupke, Moshe Rosenzweig has to give up and is finally stopped by Batimus and Walkowski in the Swanson.

Sarah enters the bus first, unarms Rosenzweig and promises him to collect further proof against the former SS members to give justice to his ancestors after 50 years.

It´s over. Please don´t resist further, because that means faster medical assistance if you are unarmed.

I had a toy gun all the time… it was just, that I felt that urge to give justice to my ancestors.

But HOW? By doing THIS?

I hoped that you would blow the bus with them up, my …argh… I would gladly have died for…this… aaargh.

The first investigation was lazy and full of errors, so the seniors were never sentenced, and Sarah is confident to do it right this time. Nevertheless, Rosenzweig commited now crimes himself, and will sadly not experience the arrest of the former military special unit staff, since he died before the ambulance arrived. Klaus Kasupke, who fired the lethal bullet, promises Sarah that Rosenzweig did not die for nothing and offers any assistance wanted, but the three from the highway patrol leave without saying any word.

Why the Zephorus 305?

More performance in that price range is absolutely impossible. Sure, the other entrants, especially the Nordwagen, were not bad and it was a tough descision between the Nordwagen and the Zephorus. Given the fact that Sarah is a junior grade detective, the Zephorus is the more realistic with a very low sticker price. It´s general appearance also looks like junior grade, like an average older sedan that is a leftover of the 80s, but with coolness and some visual pepper. It has some significant shortcomings, but the Nordwagen scores equal for actress Nicole and is much, much cheaper without being unreliable or totally undriveable.

Cars featured from @Ludvig , @Riley , @shibusu, @Knugcab and @AndiD

[Happyhungryhippo]

Episode 06

Klaus Kasupke left the courthouse free of charge, as his shots were justified. He reaches out to Sarah for a peace meal at a near highway restaurant. Sarah reluctantly accepts, as he really did only defend himself, Moshe Rosenzweig attempted to kill Kasupke and his partner Robin Swoboda and she might have reacted the same. When they finished eating and walked to the parked cars, a huge explosion destroyed the restaurant, throwing its WC onto Sarah´s Zephorus…

OH NO! IT WAS JUST REPAIRED!

So, did the mechanics install an onboard toilet as upgrade?

SHUT UP, KLAUS!

Later, another restraurant blows up… with many victims. Since they are all close to the highway, the case gets assigned to Batimus and Walkowski.

This series of explosions at highway restaurants makes it obvious that blackmailing is in progress. Frank Batimus, a passionate cook, works undercover, while Harald Walkowski and Sarah Maier stir up the local suspects - after Frank provided them with the results of his observations.

Frank withnesses that the Sokolow clan seems to threat the restaurants to pay or be destroyed - and that the “Golden Tree” where he works undercover seems to be the next. Mihail Sokolow sees Batimus in the kitchen, recognizing him as a cop as he was arrested by him back in 1994, and blows up the Yamaguchi Zen of the restaurant owner, Woo-Ttum Kaiser. In just that moment, Walkowski arrives and jumps in the Swanson to chase Mihail.

Mihail makes a terrible descision: He enters the highway the wrong way in his Vaughn Firebolt GTS - and can´t react to the oncoming old Primus RT320, whose sharp angled front works as a ramp, catapulting the Vaughn into the air. Batimus locks up the brakes of his Swanson despite ABS, skids sideways onto the Primus and also gets arborne, rupturing the fuel tank of the RT 320 and causing fire.
After a 20-meter-fall, Mihail survived thanks to the good safety of his Vaughn, but is in a coma with permanent severe brain damage. He won´t be hepful at all…

The next day, Harald Walkowski and Sarah Maier are on the way to Juri Sokolows mansion to arrest the father and possible brain behind the blackmaling.

But Juri Sokolow isn´t dumb and knows what will happen. In revenge for his son, he rams the Via Fenis of Walkowski witth his silver Nordwagen Tyr Autobahnkurierand fires multiple bullets on it, hitting Harry in the shoulder. Sarah fires back, bursting a tire and causing the Nordwagen to slide into a construction site, having a terrible lethal accident.

The case seems solved, all return to normal duty. But after a few days, when Sarah is alone on patrol in a highwayside area, a blue Nordwagen Freya approaches her and fires on her, as well as some ramming attempts. Behind the wheel of the blue Nordwagen is Yulia Sokolow, trying to get revenge for her family, after all, it was Sarah who decided her father´s fate with her gun.

The two young women get into an intense catfight where nobody spares the other, the cars bang heavy, gunshots are fired, and both fight like devils. When Sarah finally manages to call for backup on the radio, Batimus and Walkowski jump in the red Saarland Origo and speed to the scene.
But it seems to be too late, facing a dead end of a ramp Sarah jumps off it with her Zephorus, getting some distance between her and Yulia.

But the 305 is severly damaged, leaking oil, coolant and gasoline. In a desperate attempt she goes for a head-on crash with the Nordwagen. In the very last second, she jumps out and becomes unconscious.

Soon the uniformed Patrol as well as Batimus and Walkowski arrive, supported by an Ambulance. Sarah suffered a broken leg and a concussion, while Yulia´s trial isn´t urgent since she will spend the next two to three months in the ICU of Berlaus central hospital…

The episode ends with a pensive Kriminalrat Schneider, doubting if he did enough to protect his force out there, and ordering a car to interfere himself in dangerous situations, so that his policemen and women don´t have to, while Sarah is visited by Klaus Kasupke, with whom she seems to get closer…

Cars featured by @Riley , @shibusu , @moroza , @Knugcab and @Ludvig