Nice sound system too 
8 Likes
Partial photo credits go to the GOAT @iivansmith
2005 Bushido SL FUJI R
Specs
- 4.3L V8, producing 410 horsepower
- Eibach high performance springs, active sway bars and dampers
- Sparco racing seats
- Sony premium 16 active speaker head unit
- Multilink rear suspension
- Lightweight Aluminum body panels
- Bushido patented Quadstack exhausts
- Active cooling system with variable movement
38 Likes
Iâve posted this in discord but forgot to post it here-
due to an earlier irl commitment, Kyorg and I have decided to push reviews back officially until next week. the good news, however, is that due to the delay, I will be able to get a headstart on the 2nd round of reviews, which ultimately means that the instabins/round 1 and round 2 should come out on the same day, or at least very close to one another.
22 Likes
The '06 EU Longnose Coupe body sets may not be for everyone, what with their various shortcomings (only one body style per wheelbase - a 2-door coupe with no provision for a second row of seats, and fewer morphing zones compared to the '05 Mercy and Villain body sets, among others), but you did a great job with it, and created a masterpiece in the process.
5 Likes
Yeah, itâs very japanese.
2 Likes
No way what gave you that idea???
not being a smartass just affirming your observation lmao
Much appreciated, abg. Thanks.
12 Likes
These are truly some of the best cars iâve seen in Automation. Too bad I couldnât join in because Iâm starved for creativity rn.
i think this also beat csr 152 in entries oof ouchie my ego
6 Likes
Speaking of ripoffs, unfortunately this was what inspired me to my headlights:
And it was not intended, but for once I thought some vanilla lights had the style I was going for on a modern car, so I thought why not use them. Unfortunately, it meant that the tail ended up looking like this, without being my intention at allâŠ
Oh well. I was doubtful if I should even enter since I thought my design lacked soul, but some people encouraged me to keep building on it, so wellâŠletâs see how the styling stand up (I know some people have out-engineered me by looking at stats, but thatâs another thing). 
8 Likes
I mean hey the more the merrier, especially the convertible crowd!
In my case, this is what inspired my rear end, which is the Shelby Series I and II (the latter being also available as a coupe, as seen in the image below).
5 Likes
I didnât even know they made a series 2 haha
2 Likes
I also used the DB9 (and the contemporary V8 Vantage) as inspiration for my entry, with a bit of X150 XK(R) thrown in for good measure.
1 Like
Iâve also used a bit of Jaguar XK8 in my front-end, too. Also replying to the previous comment, although not a direct reply.
CSR 162 - Round 0
With Timâs advance check finally landing, he decided it was time to start looking for his next car. Loading up ConsumerAdviceâs website, he clicked into the 2005 Automotive Report to look into some potential options, tabbing over to the section focused on sports cars, and limiting the search to cars $40,000 or cheaper...
The first 4 cars to come up were the Type 12, the Malaxa S3, the Geroug MS4000, and the DMC FS12. As Tim read on, ConsumerAdvice stated that â...Due to a regulatory issue centered over missing information, these four sports cars have not been cleared for sale in the US for the 2005 model year. All four companies have responded and are working on remediating the error, but sales are not expected to resume until 2006...â
@Mausil
@SupraWip
@LennoxV10
@PhirmEggplant
End Result - Binned. All four entries failed to follow the naming scheme, with 3 missing it entirely, and one not having a listed username.
Reading on, Tim went to the next car - the KYT Stinger.
Gleaming through the text, Tim read that â...KYT unfortunately delivered 2005MY Stinger GT-Rs with improperly sized tires, representing a potential safety hazard. The company has announced a formal recall, and affected models will be fit with the proper tires at approved KYT maintenance locations...â
End Result - Binned. Rules state that all entries must have tires that end in 5, the rear tires on your entry ended in 0.
Next up on the article was the Nova Ocelot. Tim read on to see the official report...
Reading the report, Timâs eyes followed the next line - â...The EPA has announced that the Nova Ocelot used an emissions defeat device to bypass current CARB regulations. Nova has responded, and has initiated a recall on all 2005MY Ocelots to replace the entire emissions control system. Affected owners have been notified and may take their Ocelot to the nearest approved Nova repair center...â
End Result - Binned. Rules state that all entries must meet at least WES 9, your car only met WES 8.
Last up on this section of the article; the Vanovo 379.
Reading on, Timâs eyes drifted to the following line - â...Due to a fault with the noise control system, 2005MY Vanovo 379s currently do not meet California state automotive loudness regulations. As deliveries have not officially taken place, Vanovo expects to rectify the issue before deliveries begin...â
End Result - Binned. Rules state a maximum loudness of 50, your car exceeded that limit with 52.9.
CSR 162 - Round 1
Clicking away from the lowest rated cars on the article, Tim moved to the next section of the article, and was greeted with the next car-
Tim looked at the Clari Rapthon, and read ConsumerAdviceâs comments, stating that â...an awkward design in person, combined with relatively mild-mannered performance ultimately keep us from recommending the Rapthon to those looking for a real sports car...â With that, Tim scrolled on to the next car.
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering is one of the better parts of the Rapthon, with overall decent, if average stats, but a weird and slapped together design ultimately seals its fate.
Scrolling on, the next car in the article was simply named the Chevalier...
Reading on, Timâs eyes drifted towards the final thoughts on the Chevalier - â...Ultimately we put the Chevalier on our Not Recommended list, as projected reliability is expected to be very poor, expected service costs are very high at over $2250 yearly, and a bland design that we feel would not appeal to those looking for a sports car...â
End Result - General Elimination. While drivability, comfort and safety were all above average, prestige, sportiness and reliability in particular were all below average Service costs and and the purchase price were above average, adding another nail into its coffin. Kyorg and I were also in agreement about the design, finding it too simple and using lighting elements that wouldnât feasibly exist in the era. For those reasons, the Chevalierâs run ends here.
Scrolling down, Tim landed on the next car - the Hydrion Stryker.
Not immediately impressed with the design, Tim read on - â...The Stryker is a reasonably competent sports car, but some may not be a fan of the bold styling, particularly around the front fascia, which scored low overall with our testers. Ultimately a fine car, but there are better options out there.â
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering was largely solid, with above average drivability, comfort and safety, but sportiness was solidly below average, and the performance stats werenât particularly competitive. The bigger issue was the design, which Kyorg and I both agreed was among our least favorites. With a little more time in the oven, this almost certainly would have gone further.
Scrolling down, Tim landed on the Stardust Bullet...
Reading on, Timâs eyes drifted to the last few lines of the review - â...the Billet is a bit of a blunt instrument, particularly at $40,000. Cheaper cars are sportier and easier to drive, but the Billet has the advantage of being very comfortable and safe. However, it just matches or is slightly slower than some of our cheaper tested cars, and projected service costs are very expensive, at nearly $2400 dollars per year. Testers also didnât like the design, remarking that it felt too simple and not special enough for a sports car in its price class...â
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering is largely good, but sportiness and drivability are below average, service costs are significantly above average, as is the asking price. Ultimately, though, the bigger issue is the design, which Kyorg and I agreed doesnât do enough to look special or exciting, and quite frankly the design is discordant with the high asking price. Overall far from the worst, but unfortunately well off the mark.
Continuing on, Tim scrolled to the Alfieri S6.34...
Reading the review of the S6.34, Timâs eyes gravitate to the next line - â...Testers agreed that the Alfieri was reasonably easy to drive and moderately sporty, but other cars felt better; materials and build quality were well praised, particularly for the reasonably $37,700 MSRP. However, projected reliability is not expected to be very high, and projected annual service costs are expected to be very high as well. Testers were also critical of the design - many finding the front and rear fascias to be underdeveloped, with overly modern touches that do more to hurt the design, rather than to help it. Ultimately, these pitfalls keep us from recommending the Alfieri...â
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering was mostly fine, but cornering grip was slightly behind other entries, sportiness, comfort and safety were slightly below average, and reliability was well below average. The good however, is that the purchase price was below average, and drivability was slightly above average. The bigger problem with your entry was the design, which Kyorg and I both agreed lacked depth, had design elements that were simply too modern and not era-appropriate, and that it just needed more time to be fully developed and better fleshed out.
Next up in the article was the AMS Spiteful, and Tim scrolled on to read the summary;
Reading the article, Timâs eyes drifted to the following line - â...our test car was sent in a purple and white two tone, a paintjob our testers universally agreed looked out of place. Driving wise, our testers generally liked it, but some werenât immediate fans of the peculiar engine - a small, turbocharged 3.0 liter V8, with an unusual 60 degree layout. Some testers also found it slightly unwieldly to drive, ultimately putting the Spiteful on our Not Recommended list...â
End Result - Design Elimination. While overall an okay entry, with above average sportiness, slightly above average prestige, and a mix of average to below average stats elsewhere, particularly drivability and comfort, in combination with an awkward and imperfect design doing the most damage. All together, its run ultimately ends here.
Loading the next section of the article, Tim landed on the Authie et Dallier 8/25...
Reading on, Timâs eyes fell to the conclusion of the 8/25âs review - â...We have trouble formally recommending the 8/25, particularly because our testers unanimously found it difficult to drive and didnât find it particularly sporty; complaints were also directed at the quality of materials, which many felt didnât live up to the 8/25âs $39,900 asking price. Projected reliability is expected to be fair, and the 8/25âs projected annual service costs are expected to be reasonable as well. IIHS safety scores are very low, and many testers found it to be very uncomfortable. Some complaints were directed at the design, mainly directed at the proportioning of the design, and towards the surfacing on the body. While it may find its own niche, the 8/25 ultimately wonât be what a buyer in this segment is looking for.â
End Result - General Elimination. All of the engineering choices made good enough sense, but drivability, sportiness, prestige, comfort and safety were all well below average, things that are hard to look past, even more so when you consider that the 8/25 nearly maxes out the budget. Kyorg and I both agreed the design needed more time to be fully fleshed out, with myself in particular not liking the general proportions of the design, which donât sell that this is an front engined, rear wheel drive car to me. Overall far from the worst entry, just too many flaws that stacked up against it.
Following the 8/25, Tim landed on the Wells Raven...
Scanning through the Ravenâs review, Timâs eyes fell to the following line - â...while the Raven is decently easy to drive, testers felt that it didnât feel very sporty to drive. Complaints were also directed towards the touch surfaces and the build quality, which testers found very poor at the Ravenâs $38,600 MSRP; however, ride comfort was acceptable but not at the top of the class. Projected reliability is expected to be poor, but service costs are projected to be somewhat reasonable. Complainted were directed at the design, with many feeling that the shapes on the front and rear fought each other, and the solid white roof looked out of place, almost as if it was a mistake to some. Due to all of this, we unfortunately cannot recommend the Raven...â
End Result - Design Elimination. Overall not a bad entry, and itâs clear to me that youâve come a long way since Iâve last judged anything youâve made, but sportiness, prestige, safety, reliability are all well below average, drivability is slightly below average however. Design is on the cusp of being good, but the shapes on the front and rear sorta fought one another, the solid white roof is weird and looks out of place, and the body color headlight internals look strange against the unpainted plastic headlight frame. Not a bad showing, and like I said above, a clear and definite improvement over other cars of yours that I have judged.
Scrolling down, the final car in this section of the article was the Tarske SW630...
Reading through the review, Timâs eyes fell to the next line - â...We unfortunately canât recommend the SW630, with this Final Edition doing little to hide that itâs a 10 year old car. While still sporty to drive, with acceleration figures among the top of the field; itâs not very easy to drive, and materials feel just okay for its $39,800 MSRP. Reliability historically has been very good for the SW630, but annual service costs have been very expensive according to owner reports, estimated at an average $2024 per year. Much like the Authie et Dallier 8/25, we expect the SW630 to find its own niche, but not for buyers in this segment today...â
End Result - General Elimination. Engineering generally makes sense, but Iâd argue that itâs just a little too fast for the era; drivability, comfort and safety are well below average, but sportiness, prestige and reliability are all at or above average. Service costs are above average, as is the purchase price. Combined with the design, which looks 10 years too old, an awkward side profile accentuated by the raked rear bumper, and busy front and rear fascias do little to help. Iâll give you some leeway since it sounds like a rushed entry, but unfortunately that rush left you with a flawed entry too.
Staring off the next section of the article was the Yamaguchi CBL2. Tim clicked over to see the review...
Scanning the CBL2âs review, Tim read - â...the CBL2 is a decent imitation of a sports car, but the lowest cornering grip observed on our 20 meter cornering pad, in combination with performance testing results that are among the lowest observed, we find it hard to recommend for those who want a truly exciting car to drive, particularly at its $37,500 MSRP for the 2005 model year. Testers also werenât a fan of the styling, reporting that the mixture of flat black plastic and chrome trim cheapen the design...â
End Result - General Elimination. While engineering is largely okay, itâs below average in all of the three star priority stats, and slightly above average in two of the two star priorities (comfort and reliability). Price is slightly below average, and SVC is well below average, but overall itâs not very fast, it doesnât corner very well, with the lowest 20m cornering grip in the entire challenge. In combination with a design that ultimately looks rather down-market, itâs hard to see this one going any further.
Continuing on, Tim stopped at the next car in the article; the Armor Sunburst...
Initially intrigued, Tim started to read the Armorâs review - â...while we generally liked the Sunburst, it was in the lower end of our performance tests, and some testers remarked that it didnât feel as nice as some of the other vehicles we tested, expected for a $31,400 MSRP test car. Testers were divided on how it drove, some found it very intuitive, but others had a little trouble. Testers also commented on how comfortable it was, given its price. Testers were also universally in agreement about the design, many finding it slightly awkward to look at, and ranking it lower than other cars that we tested...â
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering for the most part was pretty solid, especially for the price, the cheapest in the entire competition. Drivability was just below average but still solid, sportiness and reliability are above average, but prestige and safety were below average. Performance was reasonable, but slightly below average overall. However, what ended the Sunburstâs run was the design, which Kyorg and I both agreed lacked detail, and felt that the front in particular was the biggest flaw, with design elements that were too large and too close to each other, making it feel awkward and squished. A touch more polish on the design likely would have gotten it further, but this is the end unfortunately.
Continuing down the article, Tim loaded up the next car - the Flint Dynamo...
Reading on, Tim focuses on the next line - â...The Dynamo is very nice to drive, with testers unanimously scoring it as one of their preferred cars to drive, with very good handling and ride comfort. It also scores very well in the performance department, being in our upper echelon of performance out of all the cars we tested. MSRP is slightly high, at $39,000, but projected service costs are very good, at just under $1550 per year. However, our testers unanimously ranked the Dynamo as one of their least favorite looking cars - representing an interesting dichotomy...â
End Result - Design Elimination. While the Dynamo scores very highly in many of the objective categories, the only real flaws being the slightly low safety and above average purchase price. However, Kyorg and I unanimously agreed that the design was one of our least favorites, with a very far forward A-pillar, a busy and narrow lower front fascia, the cheap-looking blue accents in the headlights, and a rear that needs lower lights and a less tacked-on spoiler being our biggest complaints. If the design had been better, this easily could have made it into the semi-finals, possibly even beyond.
Up next in the article was the Rocket 540 - Curious, Tim scrolled down...
Scanning through the review, Timâs eyes fell to the following line - â...while the Rocket is very easy to drive and very sporty, the front-biased AWD bogs it down slightly in corners, giving it one of our lower 20 meter cornering grip scores. Materials and build quality are very good, but projected reliability is mid-pack, and projected service costs are slightly above average. Criticism was also leveled at the design, with many testers feeling that the flat black paint wasnât a flattering color, the military-like badging cheapens the looks, and many felt that the lighting elements were too modern, or poorly chosen, depending on the tester you asked...â
End Result - Design Elimination. While engineering overall was fine, I will bonk you slightly in the realism department for the front biased AWD on a sports car. The highest priority objective stats were all above average, and the next highest priority stats were also around there too, with the exception of reliability, which was slightly below average. Purchase price and service costs were slightly above average, but far from the most expensive. The real fault here was the design, with the flat black paint doing little to help the design along, the lighting elements were poorly chosen, with pieces that wouldnât feasibly exist in 2005, or single fixtures that just didnât look very nice. With a better design, this likely would have done better.
Following the Rocket, Tim went on to the Planar ZD50...
Reading through the review, Timâs eyes drifted towards the following line -â...Testers found the ZD50 reasonably easy to drive and sporty enough, but other cars weâve tested do better. Materials felt nice enough and decently well put together, but at $39,000, it leaves something to be desired. Projected reliability is expected to be average, and projected service costs are further expected to be very reasonable. Performance was good, but towards the lower end of the pack. Complaints were leveled at the design, with some testers feeling that the lighting elements were far too large, and the extensive yellow plastic used throughout the design cheapened it. We expect the Planar to be another car that will find a niche, but ultimately isnât for everyone...â
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering for the most part was fine, but it was average to slightly below average in many of the objective stats, but comfort and safety were just above average. Service costs were very reasonable, but for being so close to the price cap, I donât think it has a clear advantage over the competition in general. Design was fine, with praise directed towards the front fascia design and side surfacing, but the lights were all too large. While an era appropriate choice for some things, the transparent yellow plastic looks cheesy and sorta cheapens the rest of the design, which ultimately led to its elimination. Solid effort, just needs some refinement.
Moving from the Planar, the article loaded up the Adamo Celeritas...
Scanning through the article, Timâs eyes drifted to the following line - â...the Celeritas is an interesting choice, being very easy to drive and very sporty, but at $39,800 it doesnât live up to that price, with cheap feeling materials, and questionable build quality. Comfort is poor, and IIHS safety scores are low as well. Reliability is projected to be fair, but slightly below average, and projected service costs are expected to be very high, something weâd worry about with the oddly sized tire and wheel package, something that might prove to be expensive or hard to come by as the Celeritas ages. In our testing, fuel economy was also very poor, at just an average of 16 miles per gallon. The design also had some detractors, with many remarking about the awkwardly shaped rear that looks messy in person, and a wide front fascia that looks too far apart up close. Testers didnât feel that it was unattractive, but lacked polish in a category of cars where design is so important...â
End Result - General Elimination. Engineering was fine, but the tire sizes are weird (they still end in 5, but theyâre just a weird size that Iâm not sure exists irl, especially over 15-inch wheels). It scores well in the three star objective priorities, but prestige, comfort, safety and fuel economy were all well below average. Service costs and purchase price were also well above average. Design was fair, and I see the attempt at some more technically difficult design techniques, but unfortunately here they just end up looking messy and poorly integrated, the upper front fascia is too wide and the headlights look a little far apart, but overall, itâs far from the worst design, it just needs refinement.
Continuing on, Tim loaded up the next section, with the Ryuji Goemon coming up first...
Scrolling through, Timâs eyes started scanning the summary of the Goemonâs review - â...While we liked the Goemon as a budget sports car, the RX trimâs push into the more premium sports car sector feels half baked. While easy to drive and very sporty, ride comfort is among the lowest ranked according to our testers, materials feel cheap and touch surfaces imperfect at the RX trimâs $35,700 MSRP. Projected reliability is expected to be very good, as weâd expect from a Ryuji, and projected service costs are also expected to be very reasonable. Criticism was leveled at the Goemonâs design, with testers finding it too downmarket for the field that the RX trim is trying to play in. Overall a fine car, but for those looking for a more premium experience, the Goemon RX simply isnât the right car.â
End Result - General Elimination. While engineering is generally fine, with above average sportiness, drivability and reliability, it scores pretty solidly below average everywhere else, and while itâs still one of the more affordable entries here, it still feels too expensive for whatâs offered. Design also had one big issue - it feels too downmarket for what Kyorg and I were actually looking for, seeming more like it belongs a class or two below what the brief asked for. Not a bad entry, and in a different challenge itâd probably do pretty well, but it just misses the point of this challenge unfortunately.
Next in the article is the Kasane Daemon - Intrigued, Tim scrolled on...
Scrolling down, Tim drifted towards the closing lines of the Daemonâs review - â...while we like the idea of a budget mid-engined sports car, our testers remarked that despite being relatively easy to drive and moderately comfortable, it doesnât feel as special as youâd want it to at $37,100. In other good news, performance was very competitive, scoring towards the top of the pack. Weâre also surprised by its projected reliability and annual service costs, particular when you consider the Daemonâs mid-engined nature. Unfortunately, our testers ranked the design towards the bottom, many remarking that it feels too simplistic and not exciting enough, especially considering how good it is to drive and live with.â
End Result - Design Elimination. While the Daemon scores well overall, ranking above average in drivability and sportiness. Service costs and price are below average, however safety and to a lesser extent comfort rank below average. Ultimately though, Kyorg and I agreed that the biggest flaw was the design, which lacks detail and excitement, an unfortunate result considering how well it scores otherwise.
Next up in the article is the Cordelia GTT...
Reading through the Cordeliaâs review, Timâs eyes focused on the wrap-up of its review - â...We unfortunately have trouble recommending the Cordelia, as many of our testers remarked that it has a fairly steep learning curve when it comes to driving it daily, and while still reasonably sporty, it doesnât feel as sporty as we would have liked it to, especially given its aggressive mid-engine styling. Reliability is projected to be below average, and projected service costs are exceptionally high. Some complaints were leveled against the design, with a few of our testers finding it to look somewhat dated, and finding the hexagonal grille pattern up front to look out of place...â
End Result - General Elimination. Engineering overall sorta missed the boat, with well below average drivability, reliability and safety. Itâs a little quick for the era, and service costs are astronomically high, the highest in the entire competition. The design was also flawed, looking dated and slightly era-inappropriate hexagonal grille inserts that only amplify how dated the rest of the design looks, which also looks admittedly a bit too replica-y for my personal tastes. Not a horrible entry, but some fairly significant flaws ultimately hold it back.
Coming into the final portion of the article, Tim scrolled on to the next car - the Mars Jemini...
Reading through the Jeminiâs review, Tim focused in on the final few lines - â...the Jemini is an acceptable car, but we hesitate to give it a full recommendation for a few reasons - while very easy to drive, it doesnât feel as sporty as some of the cars we tested, and some of the materials feel slightly cheap and lacking in terms of quality at the $38,300 MSRP. Comfort is good, as are the Jeminiâs IIHS safety scores, but projected reliability is expected to be very poor, and projected service costs are also expected to be very high. Fuel economy in our testing was also poor, at just 18.8 miles per gallon in our testing. However, one of our testerâs bigger issues with the Jemini was the design, feeling slightly downmarket with the LX trim we tested. A different trim may remedy it some, but alas we can only review what weâre given...â
End Result - General Elimination. A surprisingly okay entry all things considered, but reliability, prestige and sportiness were all varying amounts of below average, but it scored pretty decently in the objective categories otherwise. The bigger flaw for us however was the design, which while still good, felt slightly cheap for the brief, and lacks some refinement, particularly with how the lights wrap around the body front and rear, and a lower front fascia that feels a little too high. Not a bad design, but it just lacks refinement and elegance. Much like a lot of the cars in this round, just minor faults are what holds it back.
Last up in the article - the Amato Lyra...
Last up on the article, Timâs eyes patiently scanned through the review, falling on the following lines - â...Our testers generally found the Lyra to be easy enough to drive and very sporty; with materials and build quality that also felt appropriate, given the Lyraâs $37,800 MSRP. Acceleration was breakneck, but some may find it to be a little too much. Some of our testers liked the design, but many found it too brash and toy-like, particularly in the flat orange our test Lyra came in. A decent car, but a little too divisive for some of our testers, which ultimately keeps us from giving it our full recommendation...â
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering was solid, but arguably it was a little too fast for the era, and leans a touch far towards sportiness. The bigger issue for Kyorg and I was the design however, which we both felt just lacked elegance, the not-Supra taillights werenât our favorite, and the mixture of the aggressive and large design elements and bright orange paint make the entire car feel too brash and boyracer-y, crossing into feeling toy-like. Not at all a bad entry from an engineering standpoint, but design is really the thing that holds it back.
After a long day of narrowing down selections for his next car, Tim gets a call about a âwardrobe emergencyâ at the set of his project, and rushes out the door, anxious to get the situation handled and get back home to keep searching for his next car...
28 Likes