35 Likes
A smaller list of finalists than CSR 114, but rightly so. Just goes to show that even the most promising entries can be undone by one or two fatal flaws. Also:
Is it because of the extra weight compared to an aluminum/silicon engine?
And last but not least:
No surprise here. And it was definitely true of my earlier CSR 114 entry as well.
Anyway, the finals promise to be as exciting as ever. But I couldnât stop laughing when I discovered a memey SUV (complete with OPEC sponsorship) on the entry list.
3 Likes
16 Likes
Havenât been binned, havenât made the finalâŚam I they mystery winner?
For Al or AlSi over Fe, lower emissions, lower weight are the 2 points that make it above Fe
Aaaaah, welcome to bin city.
At least yâall didnât get binned over a single space in the name.
Can you help me understand the min-max rating? I am not too familiar with the super car market, so the car is loosely based on combining IRL findings (both GT cars, and high end road cars). I may have mad some odd combinations. I knew it would probably be wonky, hence the throw away kit car marque.
I would like to apologise to @Jaimz for somehow missing his car in all thisâŚanyway, hereâs his quick preliminary review:
DMC Python
This is another inline-5, rear-engined car; unfortunately, rear-wheel drive with a big, long inline-5 engine doesnât really help your stats much. Beyond that, there are a lot of wonky styling choices hereâŚlike, carbon-fibre textured wire wheels. Does not qualify for the finals.
4 Likes
yeah, i actually have the same question about the cast iron, well i used it since it was cheap tho
well, got binned on the first try, moving on to the next one
Final Reviews
On a brisk morning, the four finalists sat assembled in the parking lot, at the base of the world-famous Passo Sana Marzio; the old mountain road that was once the only connection between Sana Marzio and Hetvesia. With the exhausts of each car tinking and popping in the cool air, the client arrived and inspected each car, peering into the cabins one after the other. âI would like to start with this oneâŚthe Jinhe!â the client said.
Jinhe SRE - @yangx2
The client approached the Jinhe SRE and examined the finer details of the car, the bare carbon fibre shimmering in the early-morning light. âLots of neat little touches in this design, I quite like it from the frontâŚâ they began, but as they made their way around the car, the clientâs voice trailed off a little; ââŚbut I just donât know about the shape of the rear of the passenger cabin and decklid - it just feelsâŚreally odd, for some reason.â The client furrowed their brow a little more at the rear of the SRE. âYou know, I really like the Jinhe design language overall, but I think it looks best on a sleek, swooping sedan or coupe, not on an athletic, squat supercarâŚitâs just not doing anything for me. Letâs hope it drives better than it looks!â
With that, the client opened the door and climbed - through a disappointingly conventional door - into the snug cabin, settling into the tightly-bolstered carbon sports seats. Inside the SRE, the controls were well-laid out, easy to read and fell to hand readily. âWell, this is looking better already!â The client closed the door and started the engine, the small V6 barking to life, then settling into a contented burble at idle. Pulling the shift paddle to select a gear, the client eased the SRE onto the road and floored the accelerator. The SRE launched down the road with alacrity, flipping through the gears rapidly as the car built speed. âWhoa yeah, this is pretty quickâŚoh hold onâŚâ the client paused for a moment; for all that the SRE flew through the gears at low speeds, it was as though the car hit a wall at higher speeds, the acceleration tailing off rapidly as the speed built. The client turned to the sales rep; âhow much power did you say this car has?â
âThe SRE comes standard with 298 horsepower, which is more than enough for its 975-kilogram curb weight!â the rep replied cheerily. âYou will also note that the SRE has all-wheel drive too, a testament to our engineersâs efforts to save as much weight as possible!â
âThatâs why this thing accelerates so hard thenâŚâ the client mused to themselves as they stabbed the brakes going into the first turn on the pass, an unsighted, high-speed bend. The client frowned a little as the SRE floated a bit through the corner, not showing the level of poise that they wanted to see, but not to the point that it made the car truly difficult to drive or anything. Standing on the brakes, the SRE slowed rapidly as it approached the first switchback of the pass, the front end digging in aggressively to make the corner, the rear coming around snappily to complete the first hairpin. Accelerating toward the next bend, the client found the SREâs engine to be just a little slow responding, and found themselves working the gearbox rather harder than they would have liked to keep the SREâs turbocharged V6 in its rather narrow powerband. After a few more hairpins, the brakes of the SRE started to show a little bit of fade; not a lot, but enough that the pedal got soft toward the top of the pass.
Making their way down the other side and through the tunnel back to the start of the pass, the client noted that the SRE had absolutely exceptional fuel economy, and its highway manners were generally quite good. Returning to the parking lot, the client thanked the rep from Jinhe and moved to the next car on the list.
Montrouge Estoc 340 - @EnryGT5
The client made their way toward the bright blue Montrouge, almost glowing in the morning light. Right off the bat, they found themselves drawn toward the sleeker, more aggressive shape of the Estoc, loving the contrast between the bright paintwork and the black roof, which, to the clientâs surprise, hid a full-length glass roof. âThe styling of the Estoc is quite a bit more aggressive than the Jinhe SRE, which tried to go the elegant route and did not make it, in my opinion; the Estoc, though - wow - looks and feels every bit like a supercar should!â Continuing their look around the car, the client kneeled down and peered under the car at the rear, taking in the subtle aerodynamic devices. âI really canât find any fault in this carâs looksâŚit ticks all the appropriate boxes!â
Climbing in to the Estocâs cabin, the client started the engine and shut the door, the boxer-four settling into a quiet idle, but with a deep, throbbing undertone that informed a performance-oriented engine. Inside, the interior was very similar to the Jinhe, with carbon-fibre bucket seats, a head-up display and flat-screen instrument panel, along with swaths of Alcantara, carbon and leather from door to door. While it wasnât laid out quite a nicely as the Jinhe, nor were the seats quite as comfortable, there really wasnât much between the cars in this regard. Pulling a shift paddle to select a gear, the client made their way out of the parking lot and onto the mountain road, flooring the accelerator and launching the bright blue car down the road. The boxer engine was playful and responsive, far better than the Jinhe, but the lack of all-wheel drive and the added weight held the Estoc back as it accelerated up the road, especially considering it only had forty more horsepower than the SRE. âI canât get over how much better this engine responds compared to the Jinhe,â the client said, âsure the turbos spool at about the same rate, but this car gives you an extra fifteen hundred RPM at the top end, so you hardly notice in the endâŚplus, it makes the car feel far racier, you really have to work the hell out of it to get its best!â
Making their way through the first high-speed bend, the Estoc gripped hard - far harder than the SRE could, with the wider rear tires giving the Estoc a confidence and poise that the Jinhe just couldnât match. In fact, the handling only got better and better as the client threaded the Estoc up the switchbacks of the pass, whooping with joy as the Estoc filled them with confidence, a feeling only bolstered by the carâs excellent brakes, that remained fade-free all the way up the pass, then down the other side.
âThis car handles exactly like I wanted it to - the grip levels are excellent, and it inspires confidence no matter what speed weâre at!â The client exclaimed. âSure, it doesnât have the straight-line performance of the Jinhe, but itâs such a narrow gap between the two, Iâd hardly have noticed had I not driven these cars back to back.â The client threaded the Estoc back onto the main autoroute to return to Sana Marzio through the tunnel, the Estoc quiet and comfortable at highway speeds, but its wider track and tires made the car more likely to follow the contours of the road than the Jinhe did. âHmm, itâs not quite as happy at highway speeds as the SRE was,â the client noted, âand the fuel economy seems to be quite a bit worse too, if this instantaneous readout is to be trusted.â
Returning to the parking lot, the client shut off the engine and climbed out of the car, talking briefly with the rep from Montrouge. âThis is an excellent car overall; I found the handling to be absolutely electrifying in particular!â the client said as they shut the door. âRemind me, what was the asking price for this car?â
âWith registration fee and sales tax, one-hundred and eight thousand.â the rep replied.
âA hundred and eight, huh?â the client replied as they opened their notebook, âat that price, that makes the EstocâŚfifty grand cheaper than the Jinhe, holy shit!â The client blinked and smiled. âAbsolutely incredible - youâve got yourself a giant-killer here!â With that, the client shook the repâs hand and made their way to the third car of the day.
Gryphon Gear Kelpie Touring Pack - @strop
The client hesitated a little bit as the dark blue and bare-carbon Kelpie sat before them, with a menacing sense of purpose that no other car in the field had. âWowâŚthis thing feels like itâs going to tear my head off even just sitting here; itâs all splitters, diffusers and vents everywhere, like it came straight out of the Le Mans 24 Hours and onto the road!â Every surface was purposefully sculpted, every vent and inlet having a real function in the Kelpie, that function being to go absolutely as fast as possible. The client ran their had over the enormous rear wing of the car, feeling the surprisingly sharp trailing edge of the wing element along their fingers.
Climbing into the Kelpie, the client found the interior to be quite a bit more spartan than the other two; the seats were similar, but the bolstering was heavier and the padding a lot thinner, and there wasnât anything like the features and toys that were found in both the Estoc and the SRE alike. Pressing the bright red starter button, the inline-5 bellowed to life and settled into a rather frantic idle, the entire car vibrating and shuddering, as though the client was wearing the engine in a backpack. Closing the door, the client found that while the interior was rather spartan, the cabin was permeated with that no-bullshit, âgo as fast as possible and to hell with the restâ sense of purpose that Gryphon Gear was famous for in every one of their other cars. Pulling the shift paddle to engage a gear, the transmission noticeably clunked and made the entire car shudder for a moment, though the client found that the car was quite happily puttering along at a walking pace through the parking lot. The client turned onto the road and floored the acclerator, the Kelpie responding by launching itself so violently down the road that the client felt like their brain was left behind at the intersection.
âHoly shit, this thing is absolutely on a different level to the other carsâŚit isnât even close!â the client thought as they banged off shift after shift with the double-clutch transmission, a hard mechanical wail from the inline-5 providing the background music. Approaching the first bend, the client slowed down slightly and made their way to the apex, finding the car carrying a huge amount more speed through the corner than either of the other two. Bracing against the bolsters in the seat, the client opened up the throttle to see if the Kelpie could handle even more speed; not only did it corner harder still, the car was not even upset in the slightest from the additional power.
âThatâs the power of our all-wheel drive system!â the GG rep shouted from the passenger seat. âYouâll find that system in our line of hypercars; if it can sort out two thousand horsepower there, it can easily handle four-thirty here!â
Reaching the first hairpin, the client stood on the brakes, the Kelpie shedding speed at a truly alarming rate. Turning in, the Kelpieâs front end dug in hard, the rear end following obediently and smartly with zero drama, allowing the client to get the power down out of the corner very quickly indeed. The inline-5 engine responded quickly and without drama, though there was a bit of a dip in the torque delivery between 3500 and 5500 RPM, the engine still felt very linear and smooth in its delivery, and had the soundtrack to back up its credentials. âMan, watching the tach climb up to and over that magical â10â on the gauge is addictive!â the client exclaimed as the car hurtled toward the next hairpin. The Kelpie expertly wove its way up the mountain pass, dispatching every challenge with an ease that none of the other cars could match, doing so in a playful but disciplined manner.
Starting their way back into Sana Marzio, the Kelpie settled down into a surprisingly comfortable highway cruise, showing good manners and excellent fuel economy no less. âOh wow, I was expecting this thing to be utterly unruly on the highway, and yet, itâs exactly the opposite of that!â The client exclaimed.
âYes, we are very proud of how the Kelpie can at once be a totally focused track tool, and at the same time, settle down and eat miles on the highway with no drama. Truly, itâs the best of both worlds!â The rep replied. Bringing the car back to the parking lot at the base of the pass, the client shut down the engine and sat there for a moment.
âMy hands are shaking, this car is absolutely electrifying. I donât know what else to sayâŚâ
Ausud E11 - @goblin95
The client made their way towards the Ausud, a long, low machine with a sense of purpose about it, looking almost as menacing as the Kelpie does. Resplendent in its pearlescent, silver-tinted bare carbon fibre, and with smart, light blue accents all around, the Ausud E11 has every bit of the presence of a traditional supercar. âThis car is clean and yet at the same time, incredibly purposeful; it just goes to show that sometimes you donât need to go over the top to make a modern performance car,â the client said to themself as they took in the handsome rear end of the E11.
Opening the door and climbing in, the client was shocked by the interior of the E11; unlike the other three cars on the shortlist, the E11 had a finely crafted interior, resplendent with the softest, most sumptuous leather they had ever seen, and some of the most intricate metalwork and detailing that the client had ever seen in a car of this type. âWowâŚIâm just speechlessâŚâ they stated, in amazement.
âThe E11âs interior is hand-crafted by our finest craftsmen and women,â the Ausud rep said, âto create a driving experience like nothing else in its class.â
The client started the engine, the air filling with the familiar sound of a boxer-six engine throbbing away. Closing the door, every control and display in the E11 was found to be absolutely top-notch, rivaling that of even the finest of luxury cars. Selecting a gear with the shift paddle, the E11 wove its way easily though the parking lot to the exit, where the client turned onto the mountain road and floored the accelerator, the E11 responding by gently stepping the rear end out and surging up the road, the manic rasp of the boxer-six filling the cabin as the client flipped through the gears. Though quick, the car didnât feel anywhere near as fast as the rest of the field, let alone the Kelpie that the client had just driven. Reaching the high-speed bend, the client gently stabbed the brakes and turned in hard, finding the rear end of the E11 a little too happy to step out than they would have liked, and not just because of the unusual rear-engined layout of the car either.
Approaching the first hairpin of the pass, the client stood on the brakes until the ABS engaged, the car tracking straight and stopping very positively, with no drama whatsoever. âThese brakes are incredible!â the client exclaimed.
âWeâre very proud of the E11âs brakes at Ausud,â the rep stated proudly as they braced themselves against the footwell for the hard stop, âwe feel that they are the single most important aspect of safe and approachable performance driving!â
The client turned into the hairpin, finding the E11 responding eagerly, but not quite as much as the other three cars; it almost seemed to the client that the car was running out of tire a bit sooner than the others. Accelerating hard toward the second hairpin, the Ausud again showed itself to be confident applying all of its three hundred and eighty horsepower to the ground, the carâs active suspension providing an absolutely stellar ride quality at the same time. Reaching the top of the pass, the client found the Ausudâs brakes showed no signs of falling off, giving them the confidence to push the car on the downhill run toward the autoroute tunnel back home.
Reaching the autoroute, the E11 settled into a very sedate cruise; quiet, smooth and without any noticeable exhaust drone at speed. The fuel economy was decent, though not quite as good as either the Jinhe nor the Kelpie, but a fair bit better than the Estoc. Pulling back into the parking lot, the client shut the car down and shook the hand of the Ausud rep, thoroughly satisfied with the test drive of the E11.
Climbing back into their chauffeured car back into the city, the client opened the notebook that they had been filling out over the course of the day. Reading their notes over, it was abundantly clear which car had won out on the day. Pulling out their phone, the client dialed the number written on the page and waited.
âYes helloâŚI would like to make an appointment to come by your dealership to purchase a KelpieâŚâ
Congratulations to @strop, proving once again that he is king of the supercar!
Second Place - @EnryGT5
Third Place - @goblin95
Fourth Place - @yangx2
Thank you all for participating in this round of CSR!
27 Likes
great writing and thank dog the client was willing to overlook the (significant) deficit in comfort because it hurts my GG gland to go any higher. Especially since Iâve already started inducting this model into the company loreâŚ
Alright for once in like over a year I can host. So far Iâve done:
- A new versatile regular car for regular me (won by Nialloftara)
- A replacement car for GGâs tame racing driver, Kai Kristensen (won by Der_Bayer)
- A replacement pickup in the traditional Australian style for GGâs chief mechanic, Teresa Pound-Whittlesea if she knew I revealed her double-barrelled surname she would murder me (won by Leedar)
The problem is if I keep trying to buy for GG staff itâs all gonna be modern stuff unless itâs for Dan, and Dan got herself a Baroc not too long ago so sheâs accounted for. And if itâs for the floor managers Luca or Isla, theyâre into 90s JDM sport stuff and god forbid we go there yet again.
No, weâre going in a different direction. Iâll get the brief up later, but for now, hereâs a primer.
12 Likes
Noice!
Quite right. And given the fact that he will be able to host the next round, I canât wait to see what theme he comes up with. Judging by previous form, however, itâs bound to be exciting no matter what it will be about.
Strop hosting next? Now thatâs something to look forward to!
On another note, love the writeup. Really makes me regret not submitting my Mondo E2, with a few tweaks and a substantial redesign to bring its looks up to par it wouldâve been perfect for this round. I wonder how it wouldâve stood up against the competition.