Aaaaaand thats a wrap. Thank you all for submitting beans.
Last update for people who may have only submitted an ad or only a car:
Ad and Car:
@Nebulon
@Ananas
@Capri78
@AndiD
@wafuq
@bang6111
@Portalkat42 & @chiefzach2018
@Speeeed_D3m0n
@oldmanbuick
@Oreology & @Xepy
@superbiirdd
Only Ad:
@L_Chad
Only Car:
@moroza (Graced for not having power)
proper ad to follow. right now my power is out, and all i’ve got is mobile data with one discord screenshot for an earlier version, and there’s a lot of janky adaptation in between. will update this once power is restored. thank you for your grace. please enjoy the 2005 DCMW Bikhil Special Three. it’s, uh… special
A rear-engined fuel sipper (2.4L/100km) that also happens to be a decent car, complete with Advanced Safety, a CD player, and a remarkably smooth and rev-happy 716cc three-pot making 100hp at 8400rpm. Weighing just 943kg, it’s not the left-lane-clogging misery box of yore, rather a modern lightweight working smarter, not harder. Grippy and fun to drive, not too punishing on bad roads. Comes with a 200kph speed limiter, deleting which and installing appropriately-rated tires lets it (eventually) reach 287kph.
Enjoy your cake and have some for later too!
nobody
Everyone managed to submit legal entries.
So here are some quick things i seen:
There are 3 cars which run on LPG
Most cars are running on 91
Noone dared to go over the soft budget
The cheapest car is right around half the set budget cap
Mmm nice and le-gal.
@AndiD, this you with the not-a-Mara?
Yes.
Somewhere in a home office in the German suburbs, Stefan sits in his chair, staring at an empty Excel spreadsheet. The vast amount of empty white cells illuminates his face in the dark room.
It took some time to gather all the possible choices, searching for his next ride through magazines, car forums, and by asking some of his more knowledgeable coworkers for their input. Now it was time to funnel all those different data points into something he could actually understand.
Hours passed as he searched for formulas and calculated everything from overall ownership costs and service expenses to figuring out how to incorporate user reviews into his ever-growing spreadsheet.
But in the end, he did it: 12 cars listed neatly into his grid:
@bang6111 - Katami Mochi FEV
While the color might have been a bit much for Stefan, he liked the Microcar at first glance with its sharp design. Entering its data into the spreadsheet also revealed surprisingly low service costs, one of the cheapest on the list, in fact, paired with average fuel costs.
Unfortunately, this came with a rather steep upfront price, making it the second most expensive car in the comparison. Looking further into owner reviews, it also became clear that the Mochi was one of the less comfortable vehicles on the list.
A shame, but that’s how it goes.
Verdict: Binned for not having a good price-performance ratio
@wafuq - Marenzi Luniva
Stefan couldn’t actually remember who had recommended this car. It had to have been someone into niche cars, or maybe a text-only forum post.
Looking into it, the car somehow turned out to be one of the cheapest on the list. Quite impressive for a vehicle that also offered one of the best infotainment packages in the comparison. While owners often mentioned that the Luniva wasn’t the nicest to drive, it more than made up for it with its attractive price.
But it had two major things working against it. First, the design: plain and somewhat incoherent. Second, the competition. There were simply other cars that offered more for only a little extra money or, in one case, were actually cheaper while receiving better ratings overall.
Verdict: Binned for its design. With a better-looking exterior, this could have been a serious contender.
@AndiD - Seongu Kando 1.2 GLX
Speaking of a cheaper option, which can do more: The Kando.
Coming in as the least expensive car on the list, the Kando has a purchase price of just €11,800. It also boasts the lowest insurance and tax costs and undercuts many of the other cars when it comes to servicing. Its biggest downside is fuel economy, as it is one of only two cars in the comparison that consume more than 5 L/100 km.
There are, however, reasons why it’s this affordable. The equipment is only slightly above the bare minimum, and the Kando’s chassis is made from conventional steel, making it far more susceptible to rust than other cars.
If you’re willing to accept those compromises, you actually get a very good deal. Stefan really wanted to move this one into the “try out” pile, but once again, there were simply better-looking options further down the list.
Verdict: Binned for looks and rust-prone chassis. Again this entry could have been a top contender, if the design got some love.
@Capri78 - Yamano Esize 1.3S
The Yamano was another coupé in the list of cars, featuring a rather unique design language.
At first glance, it was priced just above the median of all cars, totaling around 26000€ after 5 years. Its a bit more hungry on fuel than the rest of the cars, although that still means the Esize consumes around 4.3 L/100 km ,respectable for a car with one of the larger engines in the comparison.
Online, the Yamano is heavily praised. While it might be a bit on the smaller size, it is considered one of the most comfortable options out there, while also featuring the best safety options of any car. This was something Stefan wanted to try.
Verdict: Gets booked for a testdrive.
@Ananas - F&N Te_
How are you meant to call this car? “Teeeeee”, “TeUnderscore” or “Te.”
Back to the numbers, this is again one of the cheapest cars on the list. Having a total cost of just around 17700€…
This is pretty much where the good points stop. Owners describe it as “back-breaking,” with drivers having to fold themselves into the tiny coupe every day. The same people also note that, while it is actually quite enjoyable once you’re driving it, that enjoyment doesn’t last very long.
Verdict: Binned for having the worst comfort rating of all cars. There are cheaper options with better rating ((Also someone give this car a hug, it somewhat has a crying face))
@Nebulon - Hirose Scleara NMp
Another sleek, slippery coupe.
A solid middle-of-the-road option (at least in the context of Stefan’s dataset).
Insureance on this is a bit more expensive, but it can counter this with a lower purchasing cost. Looking at the feature sheet, this also comes with a very nice and premium interior, and while it doesnt have the same type of safety kit as the Yamado, it is being praised as one of the more roomy and practical options. And Stefan also a fan of the more toned down design of thhe Scleara.
This will need to face of the Yamado in a direct comparison.
Verdict: Booked for a test drive. What the Yamado lacks, this can provide and vice versa.
@superbiirdd - Château Â-XdH Essentielle
The… The… Chätö… Ä…Arrrr… The weird french car is very very weird.
The design is “business in the front, party in the back”. But even this isnt true. This is the first car with an LPG options, and the engine produces a whole… 33hp.
33hp
Stefans old Renwoo has more.
Statwise this is a middle-of-the-pack entry, but there is one thing which is a deal breaker;
the performance. Stefan isn’t looking for a sportscar per se, but this car has a 0-100km/h of 18 seconds. This might be actually to slow to get on the autobahn with.
Yeah, no
Verdict: Binned. Weird french car is too weird.
@Portalkat42 / @chiefzach2018 - Hiyunzari Atsuden Fantasy
The Atsuden is weird. But better weird. Cute weird. A very retro styled, small coupe.
Once again this was one of the small numbers of LPG powered cars, but unlike a certain other car, this is actually able to move under its own power.
Thanks to the LPG, the fuel cost of this are minimal, and even with the alternative fuel type, magazines and forums are reporting very low service costs. The small 700cc engine also also keeps taxation low.
While it isnt as equipped as the Yamado or the Scleara, its also significantly cheaper as the other two cars. Being able to undercut them both by around 3000€ while still providing a smooth and pleasant drive. Owners and forum users also glazee the incrediable drivablity of the Atsuden. So much that the same people are actively recommend test-driving it whenever it appears as an option.
Well then.
Verdict - Booked for a testdrive. While the Yamado and Scleara are fighting for the top spots, this comes as a soild packed option
@Oreology / @Xepy - Arusa Kokaze
Its a magic mouse! And magic it truely is.
Being able to achive best fuel ecomy of any vehicle, and having fuel costs which can only be beaten by LPG vehicles. This advantage does come at a price, however, as service costs are noticeably higher, but thats kinda expected with something like this.
Overall people could agree on the Kokaze: A very good comfortable ride, even though it can be a bit snug inside. The design also helps sweeten the deal.
Speaking of the design, Stefan wasn’t entirely convinced. Its a very extreme design, but on the other hand he would love to see this parked to the landyachts of his co-workers.
Verdict - Booked for a testdrive, so unique, Stefan has to at least give it a go.
@Speeeed_D3m0n - Olympia EC0
The Olympia was again one of the cheaper options on the list. The car itself was only 15800€, which makes it the fourth cheapest.
However, unlike its low-cost competitors, this car is expensive to run… Like 5.3L/100km expensive. Like over 1000€ per month on service expensive. Like having one of the bigger engines expensive. So while it appears inexpensive now… and even in 5years, this will quickly be more expensive with every following year.
Further people online claim the EC0 does not offer a particularly pleasant driving experience, some even reporting that the car tends to squeak its wheels under relatively light loads.
Verdict: Binned - Very expensive in running costs, and the worst driving car statwise.
@oldmanbuick - The Constellation N1 1.0HFE
One of the few Non-coupe bodied cars on the list. The Constellation is rather cute looking hatchback. One thing you wouldnt get from its pictures: This is one of the more expensive cars, even though it looked like it should be one of the cheapest.
Looking at the stats and reviews, this not perse bad, but people did state that its not the nicest to drive, and the seats are rather unconfortable.
Verdict - Binned, Just not good enough.
@moroza - DCMW Bikhil Special Three
A very sleek sportscar. Fitting for being a DCMW, this is also the most expensive car of the lot (Even as a LPG car!)
Very expensive upfront and having the most expensive wheels of all cars.
Looking at the numbers, this does have some inpressive numbers. The quicked 0-100. The best cornering g’s. Very good brakes… all the things Stefan didnt reaaaaally care about.
Being such a small, sporty car, many people declared this a “Sunday-Car” orsomething you’d let your spouse drive around in (as a convertible, it would probably do very well).
These are all things, Stefan was not looking for.
Verdict: Binned - Expensive and going into the wrong direction
People who will get a test drive:
At least I know that my car is indeed, very 
French
Oh damn, wasn’t quite expecting to make it to the test drives with my legally distinct Insight, but here we are lol (Also not to sound nitpicky, but you seemed to have left out Oreology and Xepy’s pings under the last section and it’s spelled Sclera, not Scleara 
)
I think I am going to have to make “not per se bad” the new motto of Constellation, since that seems to be the general sentiment in reviews of the brand! 
Didn’t expect my little Yamano to make it this far.
Also just as a note, It’s Yamano, not Yamado. Not a problem, just figured I’d point it out.
That might explain why my planned entry, while leaning more on the economy end of things, was canned before I’d started work on its exterior design - I feared that it, too, still would’ve looked too much like an actual sports car, albeit a miniature version of one.
In any case, picking a top four was much easier from a 12-car field - but Stefan will have his work cut out picking a winner from the remaining cars.
Saturday, 7:30 am. Time to get up. Its a busy day today for Stefan. 4 cars, 4 bookings, 4 test drives.
It doesn’t take him long to get ready. By now, the routine is well established: shower, get dressed, make a coffee, and head out. Time to get to the first dealership.
The dealership was a rather small but smartly designed showroom, with only a handful other models on display. Stefan was quickly greeted and led to the prepared car. The dark-blue coupé was still sitting in the showroom, pointed at the open glass-front, ready to for its test drive.
The first impression was great. The high quality interior was tenfolds better than his aging Renwoo. As he adjusted the seat, he did notice the somewhat smaller space in the car, but the generous glass areas helped to disguise that. Turning the key brought the first surprise… he couldnt actually tell that the car was running, as it was almost silent. Putting in the first gear, Stefan rolled out of the showroom for the drive
The drive itself was very pleasant. The only thing reminding him of his old car was the 5-Speed manual. Driving the Esize through the early weekend traffic was not a hard task, and evenwhenever he stopped at a traffic light, he found himself fiddling with the buttons and knobs of the premium Hi-Fi system.
Joining the Autobahn, it did struggle a bit to get up to speed, but it was not a serious problem.
Taking the cloverleaf interchange to head back also proved effortless, as the car feels planted and safe.
Overall the drive left a very positive impression and serves as a strong refrence point for the upcoming cars.
Next was the Hirose dealership. a warm, dimly lit showroom filled with all kinds of different cars.
Right at the back stood a yellow Scleara, waiting to be driven. A quick exchange of documents ,Stefan found himself in the sleek coupe.
Looking around the cabin, Stefan inspected the infotainment system and the materials used throughout the interior. Everything still felt premium, although it lacked some of the finer details and polish of the Yamano. Even then, the seats were just as comfortable. Looking around, there was much more useable space in the Sclera. A worthy compromise for the cheaper up-front cost.
Rolling the car out the dealership, Stefan faced something new: a CVT. Something he never experienced. A quick explanation from the salesperson, he was on his way.
Following roughly the somewhat same route as before Stefan tries to find the differences between this car and the Esize he just had driven earlier. The CVT was actually a nice change for the city traffic and Stefan quickly got broke the habit of pressing the clutch in every time he came to a stop.
Going on the Autobahn, the Scleara impressed him even more. The acceleration was much better than the Esize and the engine seemed to be always in the perfect spot to overtake anyone when needed.
The fast exit offramp was a breeze, as this car seemed to much more capable in genrel.
Returning the Scleara left a good impression on Stefan, a better car at a smaller price. A new raised bar in his search.
Next on the list was the Hiyunzari location.Walking in, the whole place had a distinctly traditional Japanese feel. Going past the other retro-inspired quirk mobiles lined up in the showroom, he was quick greeted by a salesperson and led to his test drive. The design of the Atsuden was still somewhat over the top for him, but inside here it blendes in quite well with the rest of models.
Inside the drop in price showed, the seats were pretty standard, but still felt very high quality and thoughd-through.The CD player was about as simple as it gets, but at least it had one. But it felt as practical as the previous Hirose. Despite its simplicity, the cabin felt just as practical as the Hirose. Turning the key, the little engine sprang to life with surprising pep, and Stefan rolled the Atsuden out of the showroom.
Making his way through the now busy afternoon traffic was effortless thanks to the CVT and the car’s overall ease of use. The Atsuden almost seemed to glide through the city on its own.
The autobahn run was the best so far. The car being able to easily get up to speeds, feeling surprisingly sporty while remaining incredibly easy to drive. It was by quite a far margain the quickest car of the three cars.
Parking the car, Stefan looked over the car again… had he something like fun driving this?
Weird.
Last on the list was the weirdest of all the cars: The Kokaze.
The showroom was very premium, almost luxurious. Stefan was quickly led into a seprate room, walking past a new set of luxury cars that only his boss could probally afford. The room itself was a pure white chamber dedicated solely to the Kokaze. No decorations, no distractions. Just the car and the person looking at it.
Walking around it, Stefan still could not belive that someone actually was able to build something like this and make is legal for the road. It looked more like a concept study or a technical drawing than something that should exist in real life.
Sitting inside, the car reminded him a little of the Hiyunzari. The only diffrence were the noticeably better stereo and the more refined interior design. On the other had this was also the car with the least amout of useable space. The engine came to life, and Stefan headed out for his final test drive.
One thing he noticed almost immediately were the looks he got from other people. The Atsuden had already attracted a few curious glances while waiting at traffic lights, but in the Kokaze he felt like he was constantly being watched. It was a feeling he wasn’t quite sure how to deal with.
Otherwise the car itself was fine. Another smooth CVT experience, even though this one seemed a bit more choppy at the low end.
The autobahn run was pleasently uneventful, which is in no way a negative point. It got to speeds with ease, remained stable at higher speeds and brakes were the bitiest of them all.
Stefan returned, and handed back the keys. Once again he looked over the techno-bubble he just drove.
This is going to be a harder choise than he thoughed…
Sunday. Stefan is sitting on his balcony, looking over this excel sheet for the n’th-time, trying to find a simple answer. Annoyed, he closes his laptop, leans back, and takes a breath.
This might require a non-mathematical solution.
By far the best equipped car of the four, but also the most expensive.
The biggest flaw is its competition. The Sclera is a better overall package with a safer design, the Atsuden massively undercuts it while still delivering a better driving experience, and the Arusa was a much nicer drive.
The quirky car is simply too much for Stefan. He can see how many people would flock to it, buying it purely for its weirdness alone, but he has to actually live with the car. Because of that, and the lack of practicality, Stefan really cannot imagine himself driving this.
Now there were two. The safe and the funky. One was nearly twice as expensive in paper-costs as the other, but it ran on non-special fuel and offers a great overall package. And the other, being a special little car, providing him with one of the best drives he ever had, while being massivly under budget, making the extra trips it needs to fuel up worth it.
After all the number crunching and calculations… Stefan went with his emotions. Tthe little Atsuden had simple won him over.
An amazing offer at this price point, being a bargain even after more than 5 years of overship. A car, on which he can always look back and giggle at his own actions. For once, he went with his guts, not his numbers.
Finals ranking:
1 - @Portalkat42 / @chiefzach2018
2 - @Nebulon
3 - @Oreology / @Xepy
4 - @Capri78
Thanks everyone for entering this odd-ball of a theme!
Am glad to see the Hiyunzari Atsuden Fantasy won over Stefan’s heart. @chiefzach2018 and I are tied up in other things atm, so passing the hosting down to @Nebulon. X3
Oh wow, I didn’t quite expect my little Sclera to make it up to 2nd place 
. It was a lovely round though, and GGs to all the other entrants!
Also, I still don’t think I’m quite cut out to be hosting challenges yet lol, so I will be passing down to @Oreology and @Xepy
I can barely recognize the underlying body set (which I think is the '05 Mercy in 2.3m wheelbase fastback coupe configuration) underneath all that finely crafted body molding - considering your penchant for rear-engined layouts and making them work well enough to succeed in challenges, surely your entry had the same layout?
Anyway, this was a long-overdue, well-deserved win for you and your collaborator - but it was a close one.
Nope. This one was fwd. We wouldn’t’ve been able to achieve our driveability targets with RR. The body was one of the FTO body hatch/shooting break variants.
Thanks for pointing that out - i’ve found the '87 Fatale to lend itself to FF/RR builds well (especially the latter, and given your expertise with that layout, I really did believe that you chose it until you explicitly told me otherwise) if the A-pillar is moved close enough to the trailing edge of the front wheel arch to create the desired cab-forward proportions (although pushing the A-pillar rearward makes more sense if you want to use that body set for an FR or front-longitudinal AWD build). Also, I suspect you used the 2.26m wheelbase version of that body set to keep weight down.
The only one of my brands that actively uses RR/R-AWD: Midlands. They have like 3 models that aren’t RR, but they also originated at the very beginning of the brand in the '50s/'60s (or are very specialized). Sometimes my italian brand Arco will use RR, but that’s mostly for older stuff, and my “for fun” brand Faolan will occasionally as well(basically if i feel like it would be fun, they might use it).Hiyunzari is just standard japanese brand that has some custom bodyline vehicles similar to the Suberu Casablanca and Minica Townbee, verging into Mitsuoka style stuff. The Atsuden fantasy is just one of those put over what is essentially a Gen 1 Honda Insight. I forget what exact wheelbase I used, but it would be similar to that.
