CSR126
– POINTLESS FILLER AND A BORING, UNIMAGINATIVE SETTING –
The general CSR Rules
Previous round: CSR125 - Alternative Sports? Alright, Ikouzo!
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– THE STORY –
The summer of 1988. Sun is shining down upon a smog-filled Los Angeles, a city in the midst of a crisis as the Writer’s Guild of America strike continues to continue, a heat wave rummages each day and Reagan is still in office. This is not even to mention the cries of teenage girls heard all over the country, due to the breakup of East End, a New Wave band who had dominated the music charts during the decade.
East End was founded in London during 1979 by singer Ethan Hues, guitarist and keyboardist Kit Doyle, bass guitarist Caitlyn Tennant, drummer Nik Taylor and songwriter Co Kaine. Originally associated with the New Romantics scene, characterized by their flamboyant fashion and deep lyrics, they became a leading force in the Second British Invasion of the US music charts, achieving multiple No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 such as “I Will Throb Your Heart” (1984), “Spit On My Grave (And In My Mouth)” (1985) and “Yum In My Bum” (1985).
With their worldwide success came internal struggles within the band. Aside from the Taylor, the members were constantly fighting over who’d receive the most screentime in music videos, who’d receive top-billing on the back of vinyl sleeves and who was actually the pin-up boy. In 1987, after a mutual agreement, the group decided to break up. While most of them moved back to their native England, the drummer Nik Taylor decided to stay in LA, to settle down with his family and escape the popstar life, in his multi-million dollar mansion in the Hollywood Hills.
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After a few months, life has settled down. And now it’s ready to be turned upside down, once again. Nik’s partner, Eric, wants to adopt a second child to their home, after having adopted their daughter just a few years earlier.
“Well, this idea certainly sounds… intriguing”
"Oh, make a merrier face about this! I know you love this idea just as much as I do."
“I mean, sure, but we’re gonna have to get us a new set of wheels, and it feels like I just got my EXC”
"Is that seriously your main concern, getting a new car? Look at the money you were throwing around just a few years back, I know you won’t have a problem with funds"
“Right… there’s something you need to know, something that I’ve hidden from you for a while now…”
"…yes?"
“I’m a cheapskate. I don’t like spending money, never have.”
I see. Well anyways, I’m sure there’s plenty of family cars available for less than a Taluvec! We don’t need to live in constant luxury anyways.
“What’s a Taluvec?”
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– PRIORITIES –
PRACTICALITY
Your car needs to hold at least four people and their luggage comfortably. This isn’t saying you need to make a van with a massive cargo capacity, just that it needs to be able to fit a few large suitcases.
DESIGN COHERENCE
If it’s a mid-size sedan with a 2.0 engine, make it look like a mid-size sedan with a 2.0 engine. The design needs to represent what the car underneath is, design cues should flow together well and each fixture should have a purpose. This isn’t a call to over- or underdesign your cars, just have them look good.
REALISM
Ties in with design coherence. Look at the specifications and engineering of cars from this era and have it be like a car from 1988 would be.
DRIVEABILITY
This is a family car after all, so expecting a car that will spin out at every corner is out of the question.
SAFETY
Again. it’s a family car. It should be safe by 80s standards, as the passengers shouldn’t be afraid any time they sit in it.
PRICE
There is a soft limit of $31,500 - if your car crosses that limit but is worth it, the family would be glad to have a look at it. This allows you to make anything from an ordinary sedan to a minivan or a premium wagon, and it should be a wide budget for the family car they’re looking for.
FUEL ECONOMY
Ties into price: a car that’s good on fuel is well appreciated but not that necessary. Hot tip, don’t throw a turbo on your car just for the sake of better fuel efficiency.
TRANSMISSION
Both the owners know how to drive manual and automatic. A manual can definitely get tiring in LA city driving, an automatic can be much slower and eat into costs. It’s a hard choice, isn’t it 
RELIABILITY
Something that doesn’t require a new engine everytime they go to the shops is good enough.
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– RULES AND RESTRICTIONS –
ENGINE
- Variant Year: 1988
- Fuel Type: 91RON / 86AKI
- A catalytic converter is required
- Max Engine ET: 130
TRIM AND CHASSIS
- Trim Year: 1988
- Max Trim ET: 115
- Max. Approximate Price: $31,500
Consider this a soft limit, as the buyers are definitely willing to go over this cap for a car that’s worth it.
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– INSPIRATION –
These are some cars to guide you when it comes to your choice of bodystyle and styling.
Since I already have this lying around, here’s a playlist filled with 80s cheese to really get you into the spirit without having to resort to cocaine and intentionally getting AIDS
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– SUBMITTING –
SUBMISSIONS WILL OPEN September 1st, 17:00 (GMT+3)
Until then, give me all of the feedback you can.
THE DEADLINE IS September 8th, 20:00 (GMT+3)
Click here for a countdown to the deadline.
Use the following naming scheme for your entry:
Engine name: CSR126 - [forum username]
Engine variant: [engine name]
Car name: CSR126 - [forum username]
Car trim: [car name]
An ad is also required. Submit on the forums only, it’s highly possible I might miss it on discord.
RESUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED
You’ve got a one-time chance here, use it wisely.
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And most importantly, have fun! Don’t be salty, sad or disappointed if your car doesn’t win as it’s all about participation in the first place. Take your time with your entries, there’s no need to rush them. Also, any and all feedback will be greatly appreciated! Don’t be afraid to speak out when there’s an issue somewhere, I’d love to try and resolve it.
