Cult of Personality - Part 2: The Modern Era [LORE] [Batch 1 Submissions: CLOSED]

[SyberRacer]

In light of the Cult of Personality thread closing off with the results, I inquired to VicVictory as to whether I could continue it, but with modern cars. Fortunately the answer given was a yes.

So, without further ado, I present:

Cult of Personality - Part 2: The Modern Era

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This Cult of Personality will work much the same as the original. Every week, people can submit lore cars (new or existing) for review by myself. These lore cars will then be placed into pre-determined categories to outline where they fit in automotive car culture.

The lore vehicles you submit may or may not end up in the categories you intended for them to be placed in. This is the beauty of car culture. Unexpected cars may often shine in cultures that they were never intended for.

Outlined below are the cultures that will be used in this C-o-P. I have tried to include all from the previous iteration. However, I have replaced ones that do not fit in this new time-period with ones that are more suited.

Mainstream Culture - Muscle/Pony Cars - The favorite muscle and/or pony cars of the era. Real life example: Mustang. Automation example: LMC Seabeast.
Mainstream Culture - Classic Cars - The favorite classic family and cruising cars of the era. RL example: Bel Air, Impala. Automation: Ardent Chesapeake.
Mainstream Culture - Hot Rods and Sports Cars - The favorite sports cars of the era, as well as the most popular cars for turning into hot rods. Examples: Corvette (sports), Chevelle (Rods). Automation: Keika Katana.
Mainstream Culture - Motorsports - The favorite cars of the era that made a surprising splash in motorsports. Example: Datsun 510, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru Impreza, Audi Quattro S1 E2. Automation: Bogliq Mutineer.
Mainstream Culture - Drift - The favorite cars that have been converted to use as drift monsters. Examples: FD3S RX-7, E36/E46 3 series, 240SX, AE86. Automation: Caliban Thunder Infinity.
Counter Culture - Spiritual Classics - The cars of the era that made a huge impact for spiritual counter culture. Example: Volkswagen Bus. Automation: Ardent Sentinel Mk.3
Counter Culture - Motor Sport - Cars which, while not high profile motorsports cars, are sometimes used impressively in motorsport by those who elect to use something unexpected. Example: AMC Gremlin, Volvo 850R. Automation: Epoch M10 A1500s.
Counter Culture - Import/Export - Cars which are either sought for importation into the USA market, or exportation from the US to other countries. Example: Nissan Skyline. Automation: Suzume Hosho.
Counter Culture - Jalopy Culture - Cars that are sought after for their sheer durability or capability, left in unrestored condition, and either shown or used in events. Example: Most old Domestic trucks, Honda CR-X. Automation: Deer and Hunt Fallow, Sakura Ronin ES-T.
Counter Culture - Modern Classics - Cars that could eventually be highly sought after in the near future. Example: Mk4 Toyota Supra, BNR34 Skyline GT-R.
Counter Culture - Rice Rockets - Vehicles that a favoured by young people, often seen decked out in hideous modifications. Example: Honda Civic, Honda Prelude, Vauxhall/Opel Corsa.
Counter Culture - Sleepers - “Wolf in sheep’s clothing.” These cars often look unassuming. However, they tend to be stuffed full with modifications to beat super cars. Example: Any regular commuter car.
Counter Culture - Replicas - These cars are usually chosen to be the bases for super car replicas, mainly hilariously bad ones. Example: Pontiac Fiero.

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Regulations

Model and Trim year: between 1990 and 2015.
Engine Family and Variant: No newer than 2015. Engine variant cannot be newer than trim year.
Prohibited Materials/Selections: Semi-slick tyres, Ultimate Unleaded Fuel, Race components, Anything carbon-fibre.
Miscellaneous Regulations: Leaded and low quality fuel is prohibitied.

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Submission and Judging

Each contestant may only submit ONE car each review week. These cars can be existing or new lore vehicles.

When submitting, please include this as the naming format.
Model Name: Modern Cult - (Forum Username Here)
Trim Name: Vehicle manufacturer and full model and trim name.
Engine Family Name: Modern Cult - (Forum Username Here)
Engine Variant Name: Full engine designation.

For review, at least a picture of the car and short description about the history must be submitted. A proper advert for the car can also be submitted.

Please PM the .car files to myself. Clearly display in your message that your submission is for this challenge.

Submissions will be taken every 2 weeks, from 12:00 am (GMT) on Monday. Contestants are given until 11:59 pm (GMT) on the Sunday of that week to submit their vehicles. 1 week is then taken to compile all submissions and distribute reviews. This is to allow me enough time to do so, since I am a full-time University student.

Disclaimer: All reviews are my subjective opinion. Realism and accuracy will be taking into consideration when reviewing the submitted vehicles.

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Current Standings

Mainstream Culture - Muscle/Pony Cars -

None submitted

Mainstream Culture - Classic Cars -

None submitted

Mainstream Culture - Hot Rods and Sports Cars -

None Submitted

Mainstream Culture - Motorsports -

None Submitted

Mainstream Culture - Drift -

None Submitted

Counter Culture - Spiritual Classics -

None Submitted

Counter Culture - Import/Export -

None Submitted

Counter Culture - Jalopy Culture -

None Submitted

Counter Culture - Modern Classics -

None Submitted

Counter Culture - Rice Rockets -

None Submitted

Counter Culture - Sleeprs -

None Submitted

Counter Culture - Replicas -

None Submitted

[VicVictory]

Ahh, which crap chic Ardent to foist off on you first week?

[SyberRacer]

Surpirse me.

[abg7]

What about limited production parts (full aluminum or fiberglass panels, luxury interior, glued aluminum monocoque, etc.) and spaceframe or semi-spaceframe chassis? Will they be allowed or not?

[SyberRacer]

Anything not listed in the regulations as prohibited, is allowed.

[SyberRacer]

ATTENTION!

Submissions are now open. Please feel free to PM me the first batch of cars. Deadline for submission is 11:59pm GMT on Sunday 2nd December.

Sorry for not posting on/before 12:00am GMT, fast asleep and forgot.

Please remember, only one submission is allowed, per person, per batch.

[HybridTronny]

1995 Atera Tuscany Type X

It was Atera’s attempt to hop on the “fast station wagon” market with their latest 1995 Atera Tuscany Type X. It was rivaling against iconic Audi RS2.

Originally, the engine supposed to have more horsepower around 300hp from 2.0L Flat-4 but lowered since the fuel economy on that range is not very fuel-friendly i would say. So, they tune it down to 200hp to save more fuel. But hey, Atera probably thinking adding more horsepower too in their future Tuscany model.

[VicVictory]

1991 Ardent Sentinel DL

4th Generation Model

Excerpt from Ardent model wikis:

@VicVictory

Survival of the poor economic conditions of the 80’s took a toll on Ardent. Plans to take the Sentinel further upscale were placed on hold, as volume-selling base models constituted a large portion of profits for the 3rd generation Sentinel.

Meanwhile, the aging Cygnus 2-liter pushrod engine was becoming increasingly uncompetitive, even in the home market.

For the 1991 model year, Ardent launched an all-new design for the Sentinel, replacing the outgoing 12 year old model with something new, yet still thrifty.

[Knightophonix]

Nice Roadtrip Adventure pic.

[Crash77]

The 1991 AME Aerlo.

In 1991, AME (American Motors of Europe) was doing fine. Noticing strong demand, AM (American Motors) funneled more money into it, producing 3 new generation vehicles in one year. And for a while, AME had the market of European luxury sports cars, surpassing many rivals, with many features like a 148 mph top speed, and a fully-fledged V10 engine. Selling a reasonable 7,938 units, along with the Base model (16,723) and the V6 (13,215), AME continued to put money into it’s sports car, the AME Aerlo.

[asami]

The FG F Series is a series of cars produced for a long time, with much history. The SFG F5 was created as a practical supercar, with a V10 engine. Originally, it was meant to have a detuned and stroked F1 engine, though that proved illogical, and instead, a whole new engine was designed. In 2007, the F Series received a facelift, which is also when the first wagon F5 was released. The F5 wagon was originally designed as a luxury performance car, but instead was made to be more sporty, which makes a 5 seat supercar.

[Mikonp7]

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EcaMobile is a in the 1980’s established brand located in Germany.

After the fusion with Pfeil in the late 1970’s the main markets are luxus vehicles and light sport cars.

The “Blackjack” trim is the hightest trim of any EcaMobile Vehicle

This one is based on the 2014 EcaMobile Broadway

[VicVictory]

@Knightophonix

Nice Roadtrip Adventure pic.

… I don’t follow…?

[loflyh]

Retro Age Motors board meeting …circa 1994. Samuel Easton III, CEO of RAM speaking …
…ladies and gents …my Great Uncle, Edward Easton pioneered the Eagle name brand in 1970 as a pure performance line. My …how times have changed! We reduced the line in …what was it, 1973 to just the Eagle and Eagle GTX. By 1975, we reduced the engine size to a 350. Yes. I know …government regs, soaring fuel prices …blah-blah and more blah! But the reductions continued well into the eighties when we started using vee-sixes and …inline fours?!

No more …this day, August 17th 1994, I rebel against your stuffy-fluffy inline ways and re-introduce an engine with real …VAROOM! Ha-ha-ha …call me a Madman. Call me the Nut Case but ladies and gents I present to you heathens …the Imperial …three-hundred and fifty-seven cubic inches of gas guzzling glory!

Oh …and just to be clear …my contract requires you to pay me a severance deal of several hundred million dollars should you decide …to …terminate my services early. So …either way, I will be laughing all the way to the bank!

Now speaking …William Loflyh, Chief Body Design Officer and Board Member in good standing …
Oh yes and just to be clearer …if you produce a flop …your position is forfeit, including the severance deal. Check the small print.another detail to remember, I control the body design department. Hope you like the grill!

Retro Age Motors
Parking Memories in the Driveway

[Ornate]

2010 Accursio Criceto - 35th Anniversary Edition

After being unable to get much market traction worldwide with the Accursio 1000 due to reliability issues and bad rust proofing, Accursio looked to reduce their running costs and started to cooperate with a Japanese carmaker known for making motorcycles and small cars. Accursio would help their Japanese counterpart avoid tariffs in European markets, in exchange for having access to their product line and being able to modify them for the local markets. This exchange would bring Accursio’s arguably flagship car, the Criceto.

Since its debut in 1975 as a 2+2 mini sports car, not much has changed in its 35-year lifespan. Although the company would occasionally seeing waning sales as mini-cars fell out of fashion, being a cheap to buy, maintain sports car resulted in the Criceto being adopted in amateur motorsports and resulted in the creation of the single make Criceto Cup series. Criceto’s success would not stay only in amateur motorsports and would see it be competitive in a range of motorsport series ranging from rallying to touring cars due to its high power-to-weight ratio.

The 35th Anniversary Criceto goes back to its roots, quite literally, as it comes with a 1.2l inline-3 as it did in 1975, with the exception of coming with a turbo to make up for the power. Due to safety regulations changing over time, the rear seats were removed and replaced with a small spot to hold bags and other small items. Safety regulations also resulted in the car using advanced materials to produce the chassis and panels in order to keep the car light and small as possible, which in return, due to its lightweight, power steering was omitted to provide a pure driving experience.

Cric, at its heart, has always been a car for the European market. With its small size, small engine displacement for low road tax, and low fuel consumption to deal with fuel prices. However, this has not prevented it’s spread to the states and worldwide.

[NormanVauxhall]

Žnoprešk Zap 1.1 EL (Us Spec) BM10

The second generation of the Zap debouted in the late 1989. The engine availables at launch were the old inline 3 (from 800cc to 1.2 liters) and the 4 cylinders inline used in the Zest/Zenit (from 1.3 to 2.0 liters).
In 1991 the brand new SOHC 4v inline 3 was developed and increased the fuel economy and power of the smaller displacement version, the 1.1 liter EL (entry level).

Here depicted a base version of the smaller displacement available in the US market, dropped with the 1994 restyle because it wasn’t really popular.

[abg7]

During the late 80s and early 90s, the explosion in affordable yet capable Japanese sports cars caught many Western manufacturers unawares, as their products were found wanting in many respects. But Linden Automotive didn’t want to let them claim the market uncontested, so in 1992 they launched the LS44 - a sleek two-seater powered by a 4.4L normally aspirated V8 driving the rear wheels. It was fast, but some of the engineers at Linden Racing feared it wasn’t fast enough - hence their decision to introduce a higher-performance version.

The resulting car was called the LS46 in reference to its 4.6-liter engine. It now developed 340 horsepower at 6700 rpm - 35 more than previously. Linden Racing achieved these gains by increasing the compression ratio, boring the engine out to its limits, fitting longer exhaust headers, and swapping the standard intake plenum for a set of individual throttle bodies with a high-flow air filter. Also, unlike the earlier LS44, the LS46 had a six-speed manual gearbox instead of a five-speed unit.

Unsurprisingly, the performance gains were significant and easily felt: top speed increased from 161 to 167, while acceleration from 0 to 60 mph improved by 0.4 seconds (4.9 for the LS46 compared with 5.3 for the LS44). Yet even with the extra power and weight, the LS46 still handled very much like its predecessor, which is to say very well, and the larger brake rotors front and rear ensured that it could still stop on a dime. On the outside, the LS46 could be distinguished by wider bodywork to accommodate 245-section tires on 17-inch alloy wheels (versus the LS44’s 225-section tires and 16-inch wheels) and a larger rear spoiler.

It’s no surprise that the LS46, which went on sale in 1995, was a sales success for Linden - many customers realized that it was definitely worthwhile to pay more for the extra performance it provided over its lesser stablemate. Eventually, it got to the point where the LS44 was discontinued altogether and the LS46 became the base model.

Due to its strong performance credentials, the LS46 became a popular choice for circuit racing almost as soon as it was introduced. However, some time in the 2000s, many enterprising enthusiasts around the world also realized its potential as a drift car. It was, and still is, a common sight at drift meets everywhere, from the grassroots level all the way to televised professional competitions. As for the thousands of unmodified examples that still exist, they are becoming increasingly sought after by collectors for their analog nature, unburdened by excessive electronic interference or turbocharging and/or downsizing just for the sake of it at the expense of throttle response and a mellifluous exhaust note.

[Chickenbiscuit]

1998 LMC Maladus (M200)

This is the 5th generation Maladus, the latest and greatest (at the time) from a long line of LMC sports cars dating back to 1961. The M200 began production in 1992 and received a facelift in 1998 for the final two years. It was fitted with an improved version of the all-aluminum 4.6L V8 Wraith producing 358 hp for the base model. At 3,243 lbs, it was much heavier than the previous generation, but it proved to be surprisingly nimble on the track. The base '98 Maladus could reach 163 mph and conplete a quarter mile in 13.5 seconds.

The Maladus has seen many uses over the years due to its versatility as a sports car. Previous Maladuses (Maladi? Maladus’s?) have been tuned by TreadKillers with a '94 430R and an '89 M150 model appeared in a starring role in The Agile and the Angry. The Maladus would go on to be Motor World Review’s “Best Sports Car” the next year thanks to it’s no compromises approach.

[MAX_POWER]

Kettenblitz 900SE

It was the small hours of February 19, 1989, and Angela Wagner was considering quitting Saar-Kraftig. Her fourteenth proposal on the exterior design of the new Andante was rejected, citing increased manufacturing costs. She was forty-one, and she already hated the idea of leaving nothing but easy to produce front quarterpanels behind, as far as her career was concerned. Instead of giving up, however, she fetched another pot of coffee, and sat down to work. Under her hands, the classic form language almost sketched itself onto the sheet: a car that was small, friendly, and didn’t care to be anything but the joy of driving at the limit. The next afternoon, she met up with some fellow designers, and founded the unofficial Kettenblitz Einteilung. They worked in the off-hours, during lunch breaks, with no definite goal in mind, just the desire to create something more than yet another bargain bin sedan. There seemed to be no chance of their car being made at this company, especially since news of binning the prestigious GSi trim level arrived.

The rogue design group was found out after almost a year of secrecy. In a rare moment of sensibility, Saar-Kraftig’s leadership decided that firing such a dedicated and talented team of designers might be a bad move, and instead begrudgingly made the group official. Kettenblitz Einteilung received proper funding, and time on the clock to create the car they so desired. The only stipulations were that they couldn’t run late, and couldn’t run overbudget.

At the very least, that is how the legend goes.

The vehicle was laid down on an entirely new floorplan, with a wheelbase of just 2190 mm. It allowed for an FR layout, as well as a special, double wishbone front, pushrod rear suspension setup, which granted the car its characteristic tight handling, even with uncomplicated springs and dampers. The goal was to keep the weight low, and a generous amount of aluminium was used for paneling. Due to time and manpower constraints, an older GSi engine was upgraded for the project. Turbocharged, with modern MPFI and VVT, the 1.8 liter SOHC-4 alloy unit, designated KB16B-1800TL, produced 106 kilowatts at the flywheel. The drivetrain used a regular 5-speed manual transmission, and an open rear differential powered the 195/50R16 wheels, while a vented front disk, drum rear setup, along with TCS, ensured braking performance. All this was adequate for a 6.8 second 0-100 sprint, a 200 km/h e-limited top speed, and 1.10 G cornering. The two-seat interior was kept rather basic, with just cloth and polymer used throughout, and the subcompact-tier high-lipped trunk and low ride height immediately demolished any hopes of practicality. The tightness of the budget and schedule start to show on the barely adequate safety even for the era, and the lack of proper rustproofing, making the car these days something of a rarity in good condition.

The exterior of the 3850 mm body was composed of soft, sweeping lines, with a friendly face and glossy black trim - the design intended to evoke a mischievous partner-in-crime, rather than an aggressive animal.

The 900SE (which stands for 900 kg Sportentwicklung) was finally released in 1991, badged Kettenblitz, both to avoid Saar-Kraftig’s ever plummeting reputation damaging sales, and a potential failure affecting the parent company. These concerns were proven baseless, as the car sold remarkably well even at the initial $16k price point, satisfying the market desire for a cheap, uncompromising track car, or a toy to take to work that didn’t take up much space. The Kettenblitz SE series remained a integral part of the standard lineup, until its sudden cancellation in 2019.

Not everyone can afford to keep an SE, despite the reasonable price tag. It’s too much of a compromise to even consider for everyone but the most dedicated. Those with one in the garage, however, are incredibly enthusiastic about their plaything. They call it “puppydragon”, allegedly the name of the animal on the badge, designed by Ms. Wagner’s daughter, and they’ll talk your ear off explaining the importance of a pushrod suspension and low weight. They’ll tell you that you’ll only understand once you’re behind the wheel, and that much is all truth.

[DriftinCovet1987]

Since the original 600-6TDE would have been much too old for this, I’ve built its direct descendant - and it looks like I might have one of the newest vehicles here (and the first one on the '09 3.1-meter F-segment body).

But first, a bit of history on the car’s predecessor (which might affect its standings, but whatever)…
1978-1989 Gatz Valerian Mk4 600-6TDE (VSX40/D) (1986 second facelift shown)

The first Gatz Valerian to ever be run turbocharged and on diesel power, called the 600-6TDE, was a slap-dash hackjob made to beat the EPA and by stuffing the now-legendary KZNG-truck-source KR-60-O/TDE. This massive 6-liter overhead-valve turbodiesel straight-six - the left half of KZNG’s monstrous ZR-120-O/TDE, used in semis, high-end pickup tricks, and the Valerian’s Euro-market platform sibling, the ultraluxe KZNG Statesman - turned an otherwise emissions-strangled personal luxury/sports/muscle coupe into one of the fastest and most efficient cars on the American market.

Almost 300 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of tire-churning torque from the big six - the first time any Gatz had had one bank of cylinders since 1924 - was no joke in a time when even Corvettes were barely capable of 200, and it not only could seat two more people than the Corvette, but it could do it in typical Gatz comfort and still get 17 mpg as it cracked 140 miles per hour and hit 60 in under 8 seconds.

It was a sensation with drivers who didn’t mind the complex mechanical fuel injection or a manual transmission, and wanted all the typical features of a personal-luxury coupe - comfort, space, power, prestige - with the added benefit of higher mileage and better reliability. It also was a hit with those who wanted to have fun in a more-expensive muscle car, but without most of the muscle-car problems.

Admittedly, the four-speed manual that was the trim’s only option - as well as the fact that it was the only six-cylinder Valerian in history - meant that it wasn’t all that popular with purists or wealthy commuters who didn’t want to put up with the fuel injection, the turbo, the manual, the massive boat-anchor six, and the somewhat off-putting image that a diesel car gives. Although it has somewhat become a drifter’s-favorite and county-mile-eating cruiser for those in the know, the 600-6TDE and its more-pedestrian 600-6PTE (introduced in 1980) were confined to the history books in 1989.

As quick stopgaps, the inline-six Vals were great; as actual trim lines, they were quickly outrun as Gatz’s V8s and V12s began to gain twin cams, four valves, VVT, turbochargers, multi-point injection, and all sorts of other fancy tech that put the truck-engined monsters out for good…

2012-present Gatz Valerian Mk6 600-6TDE Coupe (VSX60/D) (2014 first facelift shown)

…or were they?

To keep up with the times in the pickup-truck and ultra-luxe markets, KZNG replaced the 30-year-old KR-Series with the much-more-modern (and much-lighter) KS-60-TDE/4. The S, in this case, stands for Silicone. The entire block and the new DOHC head of the KS-Series were cast entirely out of aluminum silicone - shaving off half the weight, dropping emissions, and allowing it to be used reasonably in passenger cars without wrecking the balance too harshly. Not only that, but the somewhat-dated Mk5 Valerian/Statesman’s V8s and V12s were proving once again to be a bit too uneconomical and expensive for the EU and US markets, despite all the advancements that they had gained in the '80s and '90s. So, what does Gatz do when they need to beat the EPA and maintain the Valerian’s performance image while maintaining reliability and s m o o t h n e s s once more?

Well, this is what happens.

That’s right. The madmen from Marion, Michigan did it again. They stuck the KS-Series - a 450-horsepower, 600-pound-feet torque monster - and stuffed it under the hood of their new Mk6 Valerian with all-wheel-drive and a 7-speed automatic to help make the beast easier to control.

It proved to be a bigger sensation than Gatz had hoped for, especially in sedan form, as the idea of a massive six getting 36-40 mpg average and still cracking 190 miles per hour turned out to be popular with the upper-middle-class folk - and they didn’t have to worry about shifting. At least, not if they didn’t want to. The TDE still was offered with a 6- or 7-speed manual as options for those who wanted even more fuel economy and didn’t mind rowing their own gears.

However, unlike the original, the new TDE wasn’t as shouty about its performance or its diesel engine. The only differences between it and a normal Valerian coupe are the small ducts on the front of the hood and the badge on the rear. And the diesel image that it gives off, especially after its sales got a bit oofed in the wake of Dieselgate.

Yes, I probably have the most meme-worthy car here, but I just couldn’t resist posting such an awesome machine after I missed my chance to post the original in CoP Part 1.