It’s definitely hard to tune and design these vehicles to fit ones specific taste.
I do have a question that will hopefully help my engine tuning from here on out.
I see in a few reviews that some engines were noted as being really smooth. Where is that number and what helps engine smoothness? Is it the cams?..intake and exhaust?
I left mine at 14,5:1
Maybe it’s too lean?
2 star priority on Efficiency.
1 star on service costs…
Cams are the big one.
And engine design(inline-6 is smoother than an inline-3, 60 degree V6 is smoother than a 90 degree V6 and so on)
Intake and exhaust decide the loudness.
The number is one of the engine statistics on the left side of the Engine Designer. It has kind of a prickly icon. Engine configuration is by far the biggest factor, with i6 and V12 (also V16) engines being smoothest, followed by engine size and camshaft profile. In turn, smoothness improves the reliability of the engine and comfort of the car. Honestly, just hop on the discord server when you design your next CSR vehicle and ask for advice whenever you’re unsure or stuck; I promise you won’t regret it.
Or whether you can actually use the power that’s advertised.
butts against the rev limiter
After finalizing the list of considered options, Jason and his wife, Lisa, have planned out a full day of test drives. With the dealers already contacted, the planned route will simply be Jason’s route from their house to work. This will involve, but not be limited to some smooth backroads from their home, a typical 55-85 mph interstate run, and pockmarked city streets.
As this is taking place on a Saturday, traffic is not expected to be rush hour level. However, it is noted that a still significant amount of people will be traveling to their weekend activities.
Interesting enough, the first dealer on the list wasn’t even technically a “Marksman” dealer, as the nearest Marksman dealer was too far away for their tight schedule. In its place was a Suisei dealer that happened to also carry Marksmans. Established in 1955 after the founder’s franchise application was rejected by Chevrolet, Hollywood Suisei is the oldest Suisei dealer in the US, verified through official Suisei company records. From humble beginnings as an abandoned Nash dealer, it has grown to become the largest Suisei dealership in the US, a living testimony to the enduring qualities of the brand. And with the new partnership with the Australian Marksman brand, another renowned manufacturer seeking to enter the US market, promising a pair of world-beating executive sedans, it was a natural first destination for them.
As they pulled into the parking lot, they were taken aback by the modern steel and glass dealership towering above the endless rows of cars. After parking the FC22, they were immediately greeted by the owner, who happened to be Lisa’s best friend and former college roommate, Amelia Watson.
“hic! Lisa! Jason! How are you two doing? I heard you were looking at a Marksman ETB-A?”
“I sure am,” quipped Jason. The three approached a white example where a dealer mechanic conducted the final checks. Even if it was a bit chubby, the muscular, yet classy styling gave Jason a good sense of confidence. After getting acquainted with the cavernous interior, Jason noted the interior matched those of cars costing much more, noting the generous power functions, thoughtful ergonomics and assembly, comfortable accomodations, and a welcoming ambiance courtesy of generous wood brightwork. It was easy to get a good driving position, even if the accelerator pedal was mounted was too far to the left.
The ETB-A really punched about its segment throughout the test drive. The 4.0L inline 6 was the star of the show, providing consistent power with uncanny-like unobtrusiveness at all speeds, emitting a muted, raspy din at full load. Acceleration was very strong, and the aggressive geared 4-speed overdrive automatic transmission shifted smoothly and quickly, always having the right gear for the moment. Overall handling was smooth, secure, and rather responsive, though there was some slight sluggishness and the soft tuning of the suspension gave it a heavy tendency to lean in tighter turns. However, this paid big dividends on the highway, where it was able to glide over small bumps while being stable at high speed while maintaining its smoothness on rougher roads. More twisty roads made it more unsettling, but the slight undulations were more than tolerable.
Next up was a trip to the newly renovated Hinode dealership. Much like the Suisei/Marksman one, it was a modern multi-story behemoth, with an imposing appearance that used wide swathes of glass accented by bright white supports. The salesman greeted them as they entered.
“Welcome, my name is Kevin. What brings you here?”
“We want to take a look at the Lucent.”
Shortly thereafter, a dark-blue model was driven to the front, where the three entered. The interior was noticeably more business-like and tighter than the Marksman, though there were ample amounts of wood brightwork. It was comfortable in general, and the driving position was excellent, though again, Jason was also not a fan of the awkward pedal arrangement. Overall, its general atmosphere could be described as Teutonic and focused, with professional levels of design and assembly.
The Lucent was arguably the sportiest model on the list and proved to be an exceptional car in nearly all regards. The 4.5L V8 dominated the experience, and Jason did not have to prod it much to experience the full might of its 283 horsepower. Yet its anger was barely audible under load. Acceleration was unquestionably the most muscular, and the 5-speed automatic was one of the best on the market, being well-matched to the engine’s power curve and shifting smoothly and quickly on demand. Handling was simply impressive for its class, and its outright precision, responsiveness, and quickness inspired a lot of confidence in all roads, even eliciting a smile from Jason. While its more aggressive characteristics meant that it could be trickier to drive in more evasive maneuvers, the slight tendency for oversteer was easily controlled. The advanced air suspension turned out to be a rather useful feature for ensuring a smooth yet composed ride, soaking up larger bumps well. The ride was very taut, providing high stability at speed and a good sense of control in turns, though with some harshness on slower surface roads and smaller bumps.
As they arrived at their next destination, the bright Hakaru dealership beckoned with a long line of cars lining the street. Greeting the salesman waiting outdoors for their appointment, they were presented with a black example. Immediately standing out was the impressive fitment of the body panels. Interior space was slightly larger than the Hinode’s though still on the smaller side. Likewise, there was still a serious, Germanic feel to it, with a similarly awkward pedal arrangement and swathes of wood. Jason was somewhat befuddled by the large screen that sat in the center console. Overall build quality was excellent, and interior comfort was judged to be high.
The smooth 4.0L V8 produced a similar amount of power to the Hinode, but the Saren’s acceleration was the most leisurely of the group. While it took much more effort to wring all of its power, most of the blame would have to go to the 4-speed automatic transmission. While smooth, the overly long ratios severely dulled the response and it was always hunting for the “right” gear. In addition, the engine also strained some bit going through these gears. Due in part to the sophisticated AWD system, handling was very secure and smooth, with reasonably good responsiveness, albeit with notable body roll. Jason never felt that it was out of his control. Unfortunately, the ride was judged to be a bit “out of control” due to its relative stiffness (and lack of damping?), which made its behavior more jittery than desired, especially on bumpy roads. However, it was very controlled at high speed.
The Voltari dealership was definitely a mix of traditional and modern philosophies, with a softer, more “human/natural” feel to it. This was a welcome relief from the somewhat sterile feeling of the previous dealerships. Still, both Jason and Lisa knew that the car they were about to test drive next, the Voltari Halcyon, was among the most forward-thinking and modern cars they had seen.
Soon, the salesman would drive one of these painted in eye-catching Ocean Blue Metallic for them to evaluate. Also eye-catching were the very consistent and small panel gaps that hinted at a very meticulous engineering and assembly process, a quality that carried on the interior, the smallest of the group. With a considerate approach to ergonomics, integration of features, and interior comfort, Jason adjusted almost instantly to the car, finding a good driving position very quickly. Ample bright work made this a very inviting place to be in.
Completely subverting initial doubts, the Voltari was very compelling proof that the future of the automotive industry could be in good hands. Though the turbocharged 2.9L inline 6 took quite a bit of effort to really pump out its 273 hp, once it got there, it was like a locomotive on wheels, providing excellent mid-range acceleration that helped with passing. All of this was done with completely no fuss from the engine, and noise and vibration were well suppressed. Unfortunately, the 4-speed automatic transmission wasn’t entirely the most cooperative companion around. Like the Hakaru, its long gear ratios often threw the engine out of the ideal powerband, exacerbating the issues with “turbo lag” and adding unneeded sluggishness, and it could be hesitant to shift when needed. Unlike the Hakaru, its handling behavior was very secure, smooth, and responsive, with well-damped movements throughout all speeds and turns and excellent roadholding. The tradeoff was some harshness on rough roads. The AWD system was very good at providing the most overall grip possible.
Last, but not least, would be the Authlen A780, a model that was newly introduced to rave reviews from the automotive press. Being a smaller, more niche manufacturer, Authlen’s dealership was definitely smaller than the rest of them, though overall service was still excellent. The couple was presented with a vaguely champagne-colored model for their evaluation. Unfortunately, it was clear that the body assembly wasn’t quite up to the standards of the competition, though the interior was still very well built. Much like the Hakaru, the overall interior ambiance was very serious and quite German, with a healthy dose of wood. Overall seat and interior comfort were still high, despite some awkward controls, and there was a ton of cabin space.
The Authlen did a good job of managing the often conflicting demands of executive sedan customers like Jason. At 262 hp, the 4.0L V8 seemed outgunned by the competition. Yet, with the well-matched ratios of the crisp and responsive 5-speed automatic transmission, it didn’t get left behind, being surprisingly sprightly, especially off the line, though the engine made its presence more known than in the other cars. The Authlen’s real calling card was its expertly tuned suspension that incorporated electronic control in the dampers to help deliver good composure without sacrificing comfort. The Authlen’s overall ride was judged to be almost as good as the Marksman’s, being able to absorb both small and large bumps without much fuss. The Authlen took to the corners quite well courtesy of its excellent body control. The one major demerits was some slight fidgeting on the highway.
So there it was, 5 well-engineered answers to the executive luxury sedan question.
The Marksman was a complete outlier, having 6 cylinders in a market dominated by V8s. Yet it was able to subvert nearly all criticism, offering a roomy, well-appointed interior, strong performance, and standout design. And at $40,800, with excellent reliability and incredibly cheap maintenance costs, it is a very logical car to choose. Yet, there was this nagging feeling that even with all these credentials, it couldn’t really deliver the last 10ths of the performance that separate the best from the rest.
The Hinode Lucent was the athlete of the bunch, with the best powertrain and irresistable handling that didn’t sacrifice daily comfort. Yet, all the technology that makes this feat possible comes at a cost. In this case, it’s poor projected reliability and a very high purchase cost of $49,700. Would it be worth every penny, given its uncompromising performance?
On the other end of the spectrum, the Hakaru stumbled heavily with its sloppy paired powertrain and tigger style suspension tuning. This was a car that had a slightly pragmatic preference for (on paper) value. With its focus on offering a good range of standard features, including AWD, a V8 engine, and nearly all the trappings of a modern luxury interior, at a very good $42,900, these issues could be overlooked, especially considering that it had the highest predicted reliability and the best efficiency (over 24 us mpg).
With unflappable handling, a welcoming design, and sheer attention to detail, the Voltari Halcyon took a unique approach, taking the best of what Voltari had to offer instead of chasing the status quo. Unfortunately, with an uncooperative transmission, turbo lag, and a somewhat stiff ride, the prospect of paying $49,400 seemed much less appealing.
Thus, the Autech A780 occupies a pretty sweet spot in this group, offering excellent ride quality and handling composure. At $41,100, while it didn’t match the outright value of the Marksman, it still manages to undercut many a similar or worse performance competitor. What you pay, unfortunately, is in the form of lackluster performance, though that compromise isn’t as severe as one might think.
2nd place: @Falling_Comet and @That-S-cop (Marksman ETB - A)
3rd place: @EnCR (Authlen A780)
4th place: @vero94773 (Voltari Halcyon Executive 2.9t AWD)
5th place: @Executive and @Ryan93 (Hakaru Saren Super Royale AD4)
more places can be determined upon further request
Also prop car by @Portalkat42
You haven’t looked at my car yet.
Besides, what kind of evaluation is that? You only evaluated panel designs and materials, which you didn’t say anything about at all. All right, we’ll wait until VenaSera comes to California and reassess.
Normally, and according to what was in the rules. You didn’t even announce the winners, and the score that each car scored. You didn’t pass the exam as a presenter.
That part’s hidden in a pop-down menu at the bottom of the post. Don’t know about the rest, tho.
You didn’t pass the exam as a presenter.
I don’t think you passed the IQ test.
I like how well-written the judgements are and results were amazing, well done for crafting a good CSR round
Considering that the host commented something like this, I’m not sure that they want to evaluate any further because they don’t want to appear aggressive or mean to you. The engine, the suspension, brake, safety and chassis are all reviewed and commented. If they evaluate furthermore it’ll probably just turn into public shaming.
Quite right. Well done to him, then, for winning a CSR for the first time ever. However, each of the other finalists ran it very close - and the same would have been true of the semi-finalists had those not been eliminated due to scoring poorly in the aesthetic categories. And regarding this misguided remark:
I couldn’t disagree more - this was one of the best CSRs we’ve had in a very long time, not just because of the premise and planning, but also because of the writing, especially how the verdicts on each car (including the ineligible ones) were delivered. In fact, in true CSR tradition, it sets a very high bar for the next round, regardless of who hosts it, when it’ll be set in, and what it’ll be about.
was literally the first car covered
To @kalan,
And mind you, Mazda did make a special post dedicated solely to your car here. If anything, you should feel honoured that he even looked at your car.
Also, try to get good before telling others to get good, Mister “Experienced Player”. And when you tell others to get good, at least try to be a little polite about it.
And to the rest of you, I’m going to pass the hosting rights to @Falling_Comet and @That-S-cop. I’d love to host my very first CSR but unfortunately, I still have other commitments at hand (including TMCC and uni).
Thank you to @66mazda for hosting this round and for the detailed reviews, and good job to all that took part! Kalan, you should be ashamed of yourself not because of the car you made (because we’ve all been there at some point) but because of your insufferable behaviour. And once again, cope.
Yeah but how do I cope when tfw no ina feed you takoyaki into your mouth
wait this isn’t discord
If many agreed that everything went in the best possible way, then I will not argue about the process of legal proceedings.
Okay, thanks for the information, I’ll really try to be more restrained. And it does not matter that the organizer of the Challenge decided to conduct judging in this format, presenting such a wide variety of reviews. In reality, if I were the host, I would only evaluate by the points scored. On the other hand, I’m too lazy to rewrite all the numbers about each car in order to process them later and identify the order of players.
Thanks to @66mazda for his labour and we are waiting for the next round.
When I heard about the 2.2L Turbo V8 from mazda, I was shook, and a lot of other factors about it. It was really bad to say the least. But congrats to all who made it to the finals and to succulent for the win.
gratz on dubz
Which, I think it would be useful info for you, is not the way CSR works 99% of the time. Getting to know how a new place you’re in works can be helpful, especially before criticising the way it works just because you expected sth else.
Congrats to @66mazda for a really nice round (a real shame I couldn’t enter) and to the finalists 
