CSR149: Take Me Away (Complete)

[Aruna]

Judging Round 2.4: 1999 & 2000

Continuing over, I exceeded the word count on previous post!

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@donutsnail - Turból Centurion CS 5.0 1999

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Chad: Woah! A Turból Centurion CS 5.0. These were based on an older platform making it more cost-effective, but still getting great power and performance out of it! Let’s see how it compares.

The front end is quite in-your-face looking, real sharp and killer… The rear wing I’m not too keen on, maybe a lip-spoiler would have been cooler. Is the car wrapped too? I swear the pictures make it out to look half-matte… Anyway, gosh damn this thing is fantastic all around. A premium interior feel with enough performance to satisfy, a true GT-muscle car type then.

Price is… £15,600?! Wow really? That’s a steal for the package it offers. Really the only problems I found was people complaining of expensive costs in long term. Definitely one to consider.

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Pros: Price, Aesthetics, Sportiness, Comfort, Lore & Presentation, Interior, Reliability, Fuel Economy, Prestige, Safety, Practicality, Drivability, Offroad, Environmental Resistance.

Cons: Service & Yearly Costs.

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OOC notes: Not sure of the half-matte looking colour with a shininess of 0.55, it looks quite odd and flat.

The headlights have an interesting use of MDHL+vanilla fixtures which I’ve not seen before, using the MDHL base shape and then the inners of the vanilla fixture as the light cluster, it works quite well indeed! I am not really one for the bulge-y cheeks the front facia has, nor the blobbyness elsewhere, it’s quite odd looking. That aside it’s kind of a weird hybrid of Monaro and Skyline and 840CI, pretty cool really.

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@Est_Nbmstr - HAAI TC 150 Sport-Turbo Tourer 2000

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Chad: Here is a HAAI TC 150 Sport-Turbo Tourer, wow quite a mouthful! It’s… Rather quirky. Let’s check it out.

Hmm… Red with white two-tone… I can’t really dig it. It’s way too flamboyant even for my tastes. I guess it doesn’t look too bad, it’s not exactly attractive too though. Online reviews call it quite “mediocure” and an “all-arounder.” Performance wise it’s not too cracking really.

Hmm… It’s £17,850 to buy. Quite expensive for a car that is quite normal and average.

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Pros: Aesthetics, Comfort, Lore & Presentation, Interior, Reliability, Fuel Economy, Service & Yearly Costs, Prestige, Safety, Practicality, Drivability, Offroad, Environmental Resistance.

Cons: Cost, Sportiness.

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OOC notes: Quite loud aesthetics choice with the red & white contrast being quite “out there”, otherwise basic yet flowing design! Interior is very bright also, but very well made design, the layers of depth are very good, and I am a fan of the gauge cluster and carpet texture in particular.

The exterior design isn’t quite attractive to me, and I’m not sure where to begin dissecting it, but the headlights make me think Nissan’s V36 Skyline/Infiniti G37 coupe. I’d analyse it and maybe see what works with the positioning and proportioning of it’s fixtures. I wouldn’t go to say it’s necessarily a bad exterior, it just needs some more refinement.

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Whew, preliminaries over. I think I’ll have a few days of rest, as I feel really tired mentally from doing it to the point of when I’m not doing the judging, I don’t know what to do with myself!

When I get back to it, I will analyse the data and make the hard decisions on which make the favourites cut. It’ll be dependant on factors such as more pros than cons or severity of the pros/cons, as well as the personal touch of Chad’s dream car factors from the summary, introduction, inspirations and priorities.

[Knugcab]

Explanations:

2.1 litre family is for lore reasons, I never tailor anything like that for competitions.

Chrome trim around reverse light is a mistake, forgot that it was not a mirrored fixture when I changed for the foglight.

Yes, I admit that the RPM gauge is a missing thing, it’s just that I rarely fiddle with instrument clusters since I genuinely hate doing that kind of finicky work and don’t put too much effort into interiors, especially since I have to play in low res (but of course that should also be reflected in the rating so it was completely right to complain there).

I know this won’t save the rating, just a few explanations to make me look less like an idiot…

[Portalkat42]

@Aruna

only things I would question are the rear-view mirror inside being on the glass, unsure as to why it’s there and not on the dash instead maybe? I’ve never came across it being slap in middle so it’s confusing.

If I remember right I put the mirror there after putting the camera at a reasonable head height in the driver seat (which may be a bit low since my personal frame of reference is a bit shorter). It also has to do with the windshield being raked back so far. Any farther up the glass and it felt too close to the driver’s head. It being attached directly to the glass is actually very common in '00s and earlier cars (3 out of the 5 cars my family owns have mirrors like this). The undertray would’ve added to things true, but idk what they look like and mostly that bit of lore was to explain why the car has a sport undertray and rear diffuser but no lip spoiler or anything. Midlands did develop the underside of the car with the assistance of a computer, but maybe not in the complex 3D modeling sort of way that would be done now. It is a '90s car after all. X3

[abg7]

@Aruna

I don’t think it is by any means a bad design, it just could do with a bit more improving to look more realistic and become stronger and impactful visually. Definitely high marks with the colour though, nice job!

Spot on! It’s not a bland or ugly car, but I now know that it could do with some more realistic fixture proportions and positioning inside and out. At the very least, the Hellblazer has some merit - regardless of whether or not it advances to the last stage of judging, I remain proud of it. It is slower and less economical (but more realistically depicted), though, after the latest update in which the engine designer got overhauled.

As for the exterior color, I like to use it as an option for my modern builds (1990 onwards) - it was inspired by similar contemporary bright metallic blues such as GM Nassau/Quasar Blue, Ford Atlantic Blue, Porsche Tahoe Blue, Mazda Laguna Blue, BMW Estoril Blue and Lotus Laser Blue. In fact, it’s my new favorite color to use.

[Texaslav]

@Aruna

OOC notes: The third taillight for some reason acts as indicator which is weird.

The interior is super impressive, it’s essentially a C4 replica, though I couldn’t find interior speakers sadly, either way it’s top notch, scored on par with one other exceptional interior because of the effort and detail you’ve gone to.

Though it being basically a Chevrolet Corvette C4 replica, it isn’t really a bad thing it’s just a little uninspiring but a great car non-the-less!

1. Probably because I forgot to turn it into a brake light. That taillight has an amber turn lamp inside by default and it’s sometimes easy to forget about it because the glass is red.

2. Thank you very much - it truly means a lot to me, leading into

3. I totally understand. I know that this not being an original design of mine makes it a bit less impressive, but I was compelled to prove something to myself, I guess. The C4 is my car, and - maybe what I tend to say in the Discord has tipped you off - my favorite car of all time. Like, not even a joke or a meme. I understand that it’s not the point of this competition, but recreating this thing has been the highlight of my month, and wherever it places in the end I am proud of having done it. Looking back, I also missed the interior courtesy lights on the B-pillars

May the best man win, in any case. This CSR has really been something special, in my opinion, so props to you!

[Aruna]

@Knugcab

Explanations:

2.1 litre family is for lore reasons, I never tailor anything like that for competitions.

Chrome trim around reverse light is a mistake, forgot that it was not a mirrored fixture when I changed for the foglight.

Yes, I admit that the RPM gauge is a missing thing, it’s just that I rarely fiddle with instrument clusters since I genuinely hate doing that kind of finicky work and don’t put too much effort into interiors, especially since I have to play in low res (but of course that should also be reflected in the rating so it was completely right to complain there).

I know this won’t save the rating, just a few explanations to make me look less like an idiot…

Ah, darn I see. I guess it’d have been notable in the lore for the 2.1 litre, though definitely I would have done a new engine family to benefit from lower tax

The trim’s mistake is fine! We all make mistakes so it’s okay, make sure double check next time before submitting is best advice I can give: Usually before I send off an entry I make sure it aligns with the rule set and do a visual check before sending

@Portalkat42

If I remember right I put the mirror there after putting the camera at a reasonable head height in the driver seat (which may be a bit low since my personal frame of reference is a bit shorter). It also has to do with the windshield being raked back so far. Any farther up the glass and it felt too close to the driver’s head. It being attached directly to the glass is actually very common in '00s and earlier cars (3 out of the 5 cars my family owns have mirrors like this). The undertray would’ve added to things true, but idk what they look like and mostly that bit of lore was to explain why the car has a sport undertray and rear diffuser but no lip spoiler or anything. Midlands did develop the underside of the car with the assistance of a computer, but maybe not in the complex 3D modeling sort of way that would be done now. It is a '90s car after all. X3

Fair enough, I know old 50’s race cars had the mirrors mounted on dash, just rare to see the rear mirror in the centre of windscreen, I guess visibility reasons is why? Though the driver’s head positioning makes sense!

I think maybe improvisation could have been done for the undertray, I’m not familiar with how they look either lol.

@abg7

Spot on! It’s not a bland or ugly car, but I now know that it could do with some more realistic fixture proportions and positioning inside and out. At the very least, the Hellblazer has some merit - regardless of whether or not it advances to the last stage of judging, I remain proud of it. It is slower and less economical (but more realistically depicted), though, after the latest update in which the engine designer got overhauled.

As for the exterior color, I like to use it as an option for my modern builds (1990 onwards) - it was inspired by similar contemporary bright metallic blues such as GM Nassau/Quasar Blue, Ford Atlantic Blue, Porsche Tahoe Blue, Mazda Laguna Blue, BMW Estoril Blue and Lotus Laser Blue. In fact, it’s my new favorite color to use.

It’s a good car, though I would definitely be more cautious of the budget next time (as well as my input earlier on investing more into car design), because being the max value doesn’t help, especially in Chad’s case with the line in “Introduction” section about his spending habits. I love Lotus’ Laser Blue also, very good, the Hellblazer’s colour choice is one of Chad’s favourites, as well as being the best blue of the lot!

@Texaslav

1. Probably because I forgot to turn it into a brake light. That taillight has an amber turn lamp inside by default and it’s sometimes easy to forget about it because the glass is red.
2. Thank you very much - it truly means a lot to me, leading into
3. I totally understand. I know that this not being an original design of mine makes it a bit less impressive, but I was compelled to prove something to myself, I guess. The C4 is my car, and - maybe what I tend to say in the Discord has tipped you off - my favorite car of all time. Like, not even a joke or a meme. I understand that it’s not the point of this competition, but recreating this thing has been the highlight of my month, and wherever it places in the end I am proud of having done it. Looking back, I also missed the interior courtesy lights on the B-pillars

May the best man win, in any case. This CSR has really been something special, in my opinion, so props to you!

1. I understand, always been unsure why that fixture has indicator backing despite being in the taillight section
2. You’re welcome! I’m glad to receive quality cars to look over!
3. The Corvette C4 is definitely a “dream car” for many people, and I do think they’re hella rad, so to own one would be very cool indeed, I am glad you’re happy and able to own one yourself! You definitely proved yourself with it, it’s top notch detail in replica, even if not completely original, I can always appreciate that

Thank you also for the last bit too, I am glad to have lived up to expectations with the comp!

[nightwave]

Hate to be That Guy and kill the party, but I think we got our wires crossed somewhere and wanted to clear it up. I’m going to try and keep this as salt-free as possible to avoid escalating, and I’m not going to cry and “Raaahh! DEMAND YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND NOW Angry Noises!” but wanted to get on the same page.

My issue stems from the inclusion of the Monaro VXR as a muscle car, which had muscle car performance but never had a reputation in America (where it sold as the GTO) as having muscle car styling. With that and the mention of BMW I took it to mean he would accept something more subdued and classy rather than over the top. I accepted that he wasn’t looking for something like what I submitted, but it did stun me a bit when I was vetoed for everything I thought he wanted.

[Aruna]

It’s not that it wasn’t a muscle car that made Chad not interested, it was the exterior design really, it felt basic in terms of quality, not in terms of subdued and classy so to say, it is somewhat the lines of “5-fixture wonder” sort of vibe if it makes sense?

It’s maybe best to compare the exterior to the other entries with well-received exterior designing & detailing; such as the Suisei Koyo GT, Kamaka Destiny XS-R, and Turból Centurion CS 5.0 in the range of the larger 2 door coupes such as your entry. If we put the designs side by side the Ibis looks rather bland in terms of style. I feel like I might be using a lot of text to get over my point without really getting it out clearly

I guess it might be what I said in the OOC notes about comparing it to needing more “oompf” that would be in terms of visual impact than it being more aggressive and muscular looking, as the car did meet the criteria in areas as seen from “Pros” section, I hope that helps!

[Aruna]

Judging Round 3 & 4: Chad’s favourites and final choice

Chad’s house, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, 2022.

After a few days of mulling over the large variety of cars for sale on the market, Chad decided on his top 10.

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Chad: From a 1970’s muscle car, to a 1980’s Group B homologation car, various GT cars, and the few sporty coupes from the 90’s, there is a giant selection of diversity…

There is a load more downsides on the old guard versus the early & late 90’s cars, it’s to be expected. Though some seem to be surprisingly good for their age in comparison, they’ve held up well, definitely in the looks department, but that’s just me, heh.

I got to admit, I love all of these sweet rides, they are my favourites… Though I can only choose one to own, I’m no multi-millionaire! I guess I’ll compare them with statistics, online reviews, and maybe going down to see a few, get up close and personal, find which ones send a goofy grin across my face…

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Finale

Eventually getting it down to a final 3: Kaufmann Viera Turbo '81, Midlands Io Sprint '96, and Cascina Lavandula '97.

Chad checked them all out one by one, comparing their stats, which one felt right for him, comfortable, fast yet agile, and so-on before choosing the car of his dreams:

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Final results

With a final few ponders, Chad inquired about the Cascina Lavandula with Murakami eventually leading to him buying it after a very confusing auto-translated conversation.

It was a close one, he was inclined towards the Midlands Io Sprint, though felt overall Cascina Lavandula was the right choice, with no real issues beyond up front costs, and servicing in comparison.

With a grin across his face, Chad sped off towards his home town, enjoying the invigorating inline 5’s power-driven orchestra, comfortable interior, and spaciousness.

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1st: @Tsundere-kun & the Cascina Lavandula '97
2nd: @Portalkat42 & the Midlands Io Sprint '96
3rd: @Xepy & the Kaufmann Viera Turbo '81
4th: @GassTiresandOil & the Armor Hurricane S/C '70
5th: @donutsnail & the Turból Centurion CS 5.0 '99
6th: @Texaslav & the Winchester Warrior '95
7th: @Falling_Comet & the Suisei Koyo GT '94
8th: @LS_Swapped_Rx-7 & the Kamaka Destiny XS-R (CE54) '98
9th: @EnCR & the AMB C160C Convertible '98
10th: @HybridTronny & the Steurmann 8GT '88

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Congratulations to the winner, and everyone else too for entering! I appreciate the massive amount of entries I got, well done for everyone to trying their best.

I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t the most stressful and difficult competition I’ve ever hosted on the forums, I hadn’t actually found as much fun in it as other challenges I’ve hosted sadly, though that may just be due to my mental struggles, it was still quite cool checking out each entry.

Anyway, I hope at the least all of you had fun entering and receiving feedback too! Until next time!

[Knugcab]

On the other hand, this has been one of the most fun CSRs ever both to participate in and read the reviews for, you should be proud of yourself, especially for a 1st time host!

Congratulations to the winner.

[abg7]

@Aruna

Congratulations to the winner

A really close one too, and it seemed only fitting that the winning entry was the one who deserved it the most! It’s a pity that you haven’t come up with a more detailed writeup on why Chad picked his favorites (and later the top 3)… yet.

At any rate, this is a very tough CSR to follow, and good luck to whoever hosts CSR 150 - the first to be hosted solely on the latest open beta build.

[Tsundere-kun]

Uncountable gratitude to Lord Chad purchase automobile, I am terrible debted in grace!

DeepL translation

Thank you Aruna for this amazing round! It was pretty fun and enjoyable and the writing is really immersive and great! I honestly didn’t expect that I earned Chad’s heart considering there are so many great picks! I would like to pass my hosting privilege to @Portalkat42 as I do not have much of free time nor the sufficient abilities to host a satisfactory CSR round.

[Portalkat42]

I very much plan on hosting, since I have an idea that I’ve wanted to try for a bit and now that certain mods are available is very possible to execute. The brief won’t be out until after October 5th however, since I’m working on a build for ODC and my time will be consumed until then. I plan to have it out around the 8th or 9th, with the typical week of rules editing and month of actual challenge work time.

[abg7]

The last time you hosted a CSR, the turnout was unexpectedly small, given the premise; I suspect your requirement for a fully detailed interior (as was the case in the recently concluded round) may have been to blame, but back then, fewer people were willing and/or able to able to create one for their entries compared to now. The fact that you took far longer to release the reviews and results than expected didn’t help, but it turned out well in the end. Let’s hope things go much more smoothly for CSR 150 - I would be a fool to expect otherwise.

[Portalkat42]

I plan on being much more concise with this round. No full blown fanfics in the prologue and reviews this time.

[abg7]

In retrospect it’s not hard to see why the Lavandula won - it looks ace (the nose combines styling cues from a Series 8 FD RX-7 and an NA1 NSX-R, while the rear evokes an R32 GT-R), and its straight-five provides all the sound, fury and power Chad would want (and makes a great substitute for an actual rotary engine, which Automation doesn’t yet have). Your decision to go the I5 route makes perfect sense - an I4 may have been too slow, and an I6 or V8 may have been too big and heavy (and the latter, with a 90-degree bank angle and a 4-valve DOHC setup, is wide enough to significantly increase service costs when installed in either of the Z15A/Z16A bodies).

Speaking of which, many of the entries (including mine) submitted used that particular body (in either size) - yours was the only entry using that body to make it to the finals, though. And please correct me if I’m wrong, but the pics suggest you used the larger of the two bodies (with a 2.45m wheelbase).

[Tsundere-kun]

It is indeed the larger varient.