Yeeeees! Made it to the next round 
3 Likes
Oh my everything, I really need to change these glasses of mine. That last sentence states I made it onto the next round. Hold on…
Wait, what!? Hibiki made it? It beat the Arrow, it beat the Twist, it impressed Mr. Track Guy (he never really got a name, did he)? I… I’m at a loss for words, I really am. Downsizing, you didn’t fail me! 
3 Likes
ok, i’m shocked my 103hp 995cc I3 super Eco car made it through.
it does over 40MPG UK for god sake!
5 Likes
A small correction if I may, MM have nothing to do with making the Oscuro even if they approved the use of the platform. Especially in 2005 they wouldn’t be able to afford CF tooling. I never named the outfitter that made the silhouette build, but you could as a joke refer to them as Mystery Maker 
I’d hardly call 3.8% fade in sport conditions “severe.” As for the LSD, it’s hardly a requirement with less than 250 hp, and while I did try one out it did pretty much nothing to the car except drive the price up, hence why it was omitted.
3 Likes
Depends on the power to weight ratio and the format. If that’s 250hp in something the size and drivetrain of a Lotus Elise for example, then you bet it will benefit from an LSD, let alone in even a Ford Focus RS from 2005.
What Automation doesn’t show you is the behaviour of the car under power in corners and, essentially, how much the inside wheel slips. That’s really where the LSD is most relevant in this context.
9 Likes
This just made my day 5x better! (I probably get too excited over video games) can’t wait to see final results! 
2 Likes
Woooops. I should have remembered that removing the carbon fiber gave me the leeway to put that quality slider back to a better value. I certainly had the room, both in ET/PU and in total costs 
For my defense, this fits well with the lore, though. I had this Lotus/Alpine philosophy of shaving weight, and poor interior quality is also a staple of these cars 
2 Likes
CSR74 Reviews and Results, Part 2: Finding the Finalists
After the first round of cuts following the track test, there were just 13 cars left for me to evaluate further as I pondered the pros and cons of each one. Eventually I settled on having to choose from five finalists, but finding them took a little more care than making the initial shortlist. Ultimately, though, I was able to determine exactly which cars would still be in contention. So here’s a rundown on why the shortlisted cars made it to the top five… Or not.
Farox Cielo 4.8
Notes: “Forgiving and fast, but the tires are not quite as grippy as I thought they were. Its AWD system saved it from being unmanageable at the limit, but I want my next track car to have proper high-performance rubber, which the Cielo clearly does not have. So unfortunately this one is no longer in contention.”
Is it a finalist? No.
Righello
Notes: “One of the most balanced cars of the bunch, and one of the fastest. Sometimes, when you throw the kitchen sink at a track car, it ends up being better than the sum of its parts. Unlike the Cielo, this one will stay around for a little bit longer.”
Is it a finalist? Yes!
CVM SC32
Notes: “Despite not having stability control, it’s still a blast to drive. One of the best sub-400-bhp cars I’ve ever tested, probably due to clever chassis tuning. Come to think of it, would you need more power when the basic mechanical package is so good? I guess this one will still be up for consideration.”
Is it a finalist? Yes!
CSM Hibiki RS
Notes: “Another front-engined, rear-drive sports coupe with a non-turbo V6, but this one is actually less powerful than the SC32 - chalk that up to its smaller engine. That explains why it can’t get anywhere near the SC32’s pace; as such, its high challenge factor is more difficult to justify than with the SC32.”
Is it a finalist? No.
Grand Motors Spite
Notes: “I don’t know if it’s witchchraft or something, but somehow they’ve made a live-axle design embarrass a lot of IRS-equipped cars. Especially since it’s got a lot of power under its hood. It runs the Righello very close, and has a more analog feel, but is just as well-balanced. I’m struggling to split the two, so this one might still be in contention.”
Is it a finalist? Yes!
Caliban Type SC TO
Notes: “Another well-balanced machine, and a very light one too. Even though it’s a sub-300-bhp car, it’s just so enjoyable to drive on track that I can’t help but put it in the top five.”
Is it a finalist? Yes!
MM Silhouette Oscuro
Notes: “For sheer pace this car is almost unbeatable, but in the end it’s actually too challenging for my tastes compared to some of the remaining cars. Even so, I have to salute MM for such lunacy.”
Is it a finalist? No.
JHW Trakstr
Notes: “The polar opposite of the Oscuro - mild-mannered and very easy to master. Unfortunately, it’s not fast or exciting enough to keep up with any of the finalists, so it has to go.”
Is it a finalist? No.
Caveron-Vastra RCE
Notes: “Faster than the sluggish Trakstr, but positively boring to drive when compared with some of the best cars on the shortlist. Too much grip and weight to really raise my heart rate.”
Is it a finalist? No.
Skylaner Cutlass
Notes: “It blows the Caliban away in terms of raw pace, but it’s too tricky on the limit, especially since it is completely devoid of driving aids. I can live without traction control, but not stability control, and since the Cutlass has neither, I have to let it go.”
Is it a finalist? No.
Cabart-Danneville RITO V6
Notes: “Another car that’s fast but dull. Very light, though. Even so, I often find myself wishing this car were much more exciting.”
Is it a finalist? No.
BM 5-3
Notes: “Basically a faster, more challenging Oscuro, and hence too difficult to tame for my tastes.”
Is it a finalist? No.
400-GXR TrackSpec
Notes: “Looks good enough in isolation, but off the pace compared to some of the other front-engined coupes on the shortlist. Ultimately needs a bit more power to push its weight around, and so it can’t go any further.”
Is it a finalist? No.
Bowen Danio 510R
Notes: “The closest thing here to a complete package - blistering pace, superb handling and just the right amount of excitement. No wonder it’s staying around.”
Is it a finalist? Yes!
And so there were just five cars left for me to consider. Deciding on a winner was going to be a tall order, given that each finalist had so much going for it…
9 Likes
To be fair, entering a GT car as a track-focused mata replacement was a pretty long shot
Oh my god. Not only survived the first cut. My car actually getting into the finalist. Even words can’t express how happy I am! 
*By the way, I have some difficulty to check all the cars. It’s quite annoying. Anyone can teach me some way to check all the comments made by a specific user?
You made my day twice, finalist, HECK YEAH
*around Laguna Seca only. And also significantly more expensive to drive ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Nonetheless thanks for the memes. Next time @TheElt we’ll really push it to the limit 
5 Likes
fell at the second. expected, but happy to have advanced with that thin of a meme
4 Likes
CSR74 Reviews and Results, Part 3: The Final Reckoning
With the track test complete and the top five finalized, it was time to rank the finalists. This was an action-packed day for sure, and now the moment of truth was imminent. Eventually, though, after a lengthy period of deliberation, I finally came up with a finishing order for the remaining cars. And so, after a day which featured a roller-coaster of emotions both during and after the track test, the final ranking was as follows:
5th - Watermelon3878 - CVM SC32
This would have been a more balanced car if it had stability control, but as it stands it’s too demanding to drive flat-out compared to the other finalists, even with the traction control turned on. Given that track cars may sometimes see occasional road use, that’s a sore point, and combined with the fact that it’s the most expensive of the finalists, the SC32 cannot finish any higher than fifth.
4th - findRED19 - Grand Motors Spite
I loved the authentic muscle car feel of the Spite early on, but when put up against some of the other finalists, its live rear axle turned out to be more of a hindrance than a benefit. In particular, the inability to adjust the rear camber angle was a real annoyance given that I like to tinker with my car setup in between hot laps, and ultimately leaves it with one hand tied behind its back at times, which is why the Spite finishes fourth.
3rd - Tsundere-kun - Righello
Unlike the Spite, the Righello had a proper independent rear end, allowing me more freedom when adjusting its suspension. It was also faster over a single lap (and also easier to drive), thanks to its sophisticated active suspension. However, that extra complication is not without its drawbacks; such a setup is quite expensive to service, as well as being more difficult to maintain. Moreover, given that a track car ought to make me feel connected to the road, the active suspension on the Righello seems to neuter that connection somewhat. Nevertheless, the Righello can proudly claim its spot on the bottom step of the podium.
2nd - Mr.Computah - Caliban Type SC TO
If there was ever a car that could teach you all about balance, this would be it. Its challenge factor was closer to 1.0 than any of the other finalists, and was equally exhilarating whether it was driven normally (slow-in fast-out) or sideways. It was also the lightest and cheapest car in the top five, which meant that not only would I have lots of leftover cash for upgrades, but the impact of adding extra power would be more easily felt. On the subject of power, it had less of it than the other finalists, which explains why its lap time was the slowest among those of the top five cars. In the end, the Caliban proved to be a giant-killer, but its relative lack of pace consigned it to second place.
1st - Chipskate - Bowen Danio 510R
By bringing a supercar to a sports car fight, Bowen have blown away the opposition in the track car category. Yes, it’s more challenging to drive than any of the finalists except for the SC32, but it’s worth it. It feels more like a race car when you’re chasing lap records, and is equally entertaining on the road. Given that it’s one of the most powerful cars in the whole field, let alone the top five, the fact that its lap time was faster than what any of the other finalists could manage speaks volumes about its effectiveness. And it looks properly exotic, with its eye-catching lime green paintjob, wide rear wing and svelte yet aggressive styling. Front up to a track day in one of these and you’re very likely, if not guaranteed, to make the opposition see its rear end.
And so the most nerve-racking car-buying decision of my whole life up to this point concluded satisfactorily with the purchase of a Bowen Danio 510R. With the sun slowly setting, I got in it and drove home, knowing that the big green beast would provide me with many memorable driving experiences for years to come.
I knew it would be a real nightmare getting all 35(!) initial reviews done in time, so I kept them short and to the point. I also used the same strategy for the second round of cuts, again saving time and effort. But in the end, my decision to condense the reviews (by keeping only the most important information about each car) meant that hosting this round was definitely worth it for me.
Final Standings
1st - Chipskate
2nd - Mr.Computah
3rd - Tsundere-kun
4th - findRED19
5th - Watermelon3878
And to all the users who entered this round… Thanks for entering!
16 Likes
Well, my best result so far and congratulations to Chipskate for winning!
Well, downsizing caught up to Hibiki in the end. It was the most engine I could get out of it before fuel consumption would outright DQ the car. But when you had competition pushing close to 400hp with smaller bodies, the Hibiki’s handicap was just too big.
Still, all of that aside, I couldn’t be prouder of the Hibiki. For a car that was effectively handicapped, finding my way past round 1 was a huge victory, after countless technical and design failures in the CSR. For once I had a car that looked and drove nicely, a car that was more than a novelty act.
Perhaps with a different set of rules I can get the Hibiki to where I wanted it to be, but even now it’s my finest Automation car.
Many thanks to abg for hosting the event, and congrats to watermelon and Tsundere-kun for the surprisingly good sleeper performances!
Er, best not to tag the winner, that’s a no-no as far as final results are concerned.
3 Likes
My bad 
1 Like
It’s fine, that mistake is a common one. Above all else, you should be very proud of your second place! Taking the least powerful car out of the finalists to a 2nd place is a victory for the Lotus philosphy.
I can understand the excitement leading to some mishaps… 
1 Like
In hindsight, I would’ve done a 2.5-ish turbo, but I was going for a more authentic sports car vibe with N/A and no ESC.