80’s to 90’s is where my design language is permanently hardwired. That, and I was working on the Empress shortly after I showed off the Kingsnake. I took all the design cues I loved from cars around that time, or slightly before it, and melded them into one car. Concealable headlights, luggage rack on the trunk, rear-lighting explosion, Buick’s side vents, wire-spoke hubcaps on steel rims, chrome and dark metallic paints, plus wheel skirts on the rear axle. Because I had that extra bit of time, I tossed a basic interior together and called it good.
I had a different one I was tempted to unleash, but decided to go with the older, more tame one. Both would’ve been a Rowlari, but this is the one I liked a bit more. About the only thing I wasn’t certain on was what color it should be, because Rowlari Ruby Red is, well, somewhat close to Bricksley Crimson.
By 1990, the Sandhurst Louisianno had become a more family oriented car. Availiable with sedan and wagon body styles, and in 2 trim levels - GLS and GLE. The GLS had a 2.9L I6 with 78KW, while opting for the GLE gave you the 3.1L with 85KW, and traction control… there was an option for a 3100 HO with 99KW, identified by a thin red stripe under the rear “EFI” badging. Fuel economy for the 3200lb GLE auto sedan (on optional 16" rims and HO) was 22.4 MPG, with highway-only results being a much better 35.2 MPG; anything constant under 60 mph returned over 30MPG… Both trims had a 4 speaker cassette, with the GLE having the option of a higher powered set-up. 18-19 seconds wasn’t blistering for the 1/4 Mi, the exceedingly rare 5 speed manual could shave a second from that.
The most popular colour sold in 1990 were “Not Quite White”, “Blackcurrant Metallic” and “Iron Awe”.
One week (and 3 hours) left for submissions. However, if the rate of submissions doesn’t slow, this will be ended prematurely by max capacity, so don’t wait till the last minute.
Edit: DON’T FORGET TO PUT A FUEL DOOR ON YOUR CAR! Seriously… so far run across 3 cars without em.
The early 80s were a good moment for Cabrera´s operations in the US. Both the Fulgor and Boreas models were selling in good numbers, not extraordinary, but enough to justify more investment for this market.
Cabrera´s lineup proved to be more popular between people who were looking for a rugged, reliable workhorse. But other brands were fighting for that market too. Subaru and AMC (Especially with the Eagle) sold in much better numbers, their success was attributed to their 4WD systems, which Cabrera didn´t have at that time.
Using the current gen Boreas (the next gen was already being developed, moving to a FWD platform) as a base, they lifted the car and fitted it with 4WD (developed with some help from a Subaru car we disassembled) and some extra mods for better offroad performance.
While the new gen Boreas was released in 1987, the Pilgrim (with the prevous gen underpinnings) would survive until 1994, when they released their first purposely-built offroad car.
In 1987, Régal released its Rapide GT sport car in Europe. It was a very fast mid-engine sport car that was fairly successful, but not available in north america due to export laws and regulations.
Since the mid-80s merger with Régal, Angus Automobile was now focused on commercial and utility vehicles only for the north american market. However, Both Angus and Régal were not sure what to do with Octane, the performance badge used by Angus. For 1990, they decided that Octane would rebadge the Rapide GT and modify it for the US and Canada. It ended up being a complex endeavor and they realized that the market was not there for a mid/top-level mid engine car in the US.
After multiple reworks (and quite a bit of infighting), the Angus Screamer was released as Angus’ swan song. It was now a severely downtuned Rapide GT positioned more as an entry level sport car. Not satisfied by how things were developed, Octane decided to modify it and try to bring it back on the performance track.
They had their chance in 1992 - the Screamer - Octane Edition was born. Its engine was swapped out from the downtuned Régal 3.0L 6 cylinder boxer to the new Régal 3.6L, and while still downtuned for regular octane, it was outputting 250 HP now compared to the 180 HP of the base edition. The whole body was now partial aluminum as well and it sported larger alloy rims.
The automatic transmission of the Screamer was replaced by a 5-speed only manual, and the ride was lowered. Overall, it was a lighter and complete performance package, but retain the general profile of the Screamer. After some infighting, it was only released as a performance trim of the Screamer.
It would take a few years still before Octane were able to take ownership of their destiny, but everything hanged on the 1992 Angus Screamer - Octane Edition for now. Is the north american market ready for it?
Thankyou!!! And me too. I’m a fan of big coupes in general, my favorite being the 1992 Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo…which I’ve owned two of them in the past…wouldn’t mind owning a third.
Hinode Motors Corporation is a multinational automotive manufacturer based in Kitakyushu, Japan. Founded in 1926 as a repair shop, the company eventually began to manufacture parts for other, larger companies. After the Second World War, Hinode began to produce passenger vehicles.
The first-generation Tempest began production in 1968. It was a compact executive sedan sold primarily in the Japanese market, although the car was also exported to the United States, Europe, and other Asian markets. Though the car sold decently in Europe and the United States, the Tempest was a hit in the Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern markets due to their comfort, reliability, and low service costs.
In 1988, the sixth-generation Hinode Tempest was introduced into the American market. While the Japanese market had a plethora of variations to choose from, customers in the United States had to make do with only three trims: the Grande, the GT, and the GT Turbo. The Grande was the luxury trim. It featured the best that Hinode had to offer, including a standard CD player, ABS, and traction control. The Grande came with only one engine choice: a 3.0L inline six producing 190hp driving power to the rear wheels via a 4-speed automatic. The GT meanwhile, was the sports trim. It was appointed with slightly less luxuries than the Grande but it was a comfortable place to be nevertheless, even with the lowered and stiffened suspension. The GT also came with the 190hp 3.0L inline 6 from the Grande but was available with a 5-speed manual in addition to the 4-speed automatic. The GT Turbo was just like the GT, but it came with a 2.0L turbocharged inline six producing 215hp. The only transmission available is a 5-speed manual.
In 1990, the Tempest received a facelift. The front bumper and taillights were slightly refreshed, and the climate controls were simplified. The most important change, however, was with the GT Turbo’s engine, which was replaced with a newer and larger 2.5L turbocharged inline six following complaints that the 2.0L engine which, though powerful, was not powerful enough for the American market. Power was increased dramatically to 273hp effectively bringing the Tempest to the upper echelons of the sports sedan market. In 1992 the sixth-generation Tempest was discontinued, being replaced by the seventh-generation Tempest.
All the best cars are named after snakes, and the SUTA is no exception. Suta is a genus of venomous snakes endemic to Australia, with range spread all across the country. The SUTA, meanwhile, is a high-performance track toy, born of the ashes of the World Sports Car Championship. With Bernie Ecclestone and the FIA seemingly bent on the destruction of the largest threat to F1 supremacy, the team opted to seek out its independence - all 756 kilograms of it.
The car is built solely around providing the ultimate driving experience. On the inside, drivers will find a single seat with an integrated six-point harness, a hefty rollcage, a nice dash and speedometer, and… not much more. Every single element of the interior is designed to keep the driver fast or alive, or both. The driver is connected to the road by a 5-speed manual transmission, stiff pushrod suspension and wide, low-profile tyres.
The car was originally intended for Group C endurance - a big externally-sourced engine, no bumper requirements and few light requirements. The team was forced to adapt quickly, adding the mandated 5 MPH bumpers, side indicators and extra lights. The car is powered by a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated, twin-cam i4 displacing just 1.6 litres and weighing in at 95 kilos, not much more than the driver. The team at Ares has tuned it to within an inch of its life, allowing it to put out 136 horsepower - which is impressive when the car only weighs 756 kilograms. The engine has been named the Affinis, a name pulled from the scientific name of another snake. With the base model coming in under 25 thousand dollars, Ares had aimed to sell to the budget-conscious but performance-hungry, both on track and street…
The Ares SUTA is not being accepted as an entry. Meme body and/or exotic car, not allowed in this competition. Resubmission of a different vehicle is allowed.
Ah, a shame. I must’ve overlooked the exotics part, although I suppose it’s fair. Such is life. Probably won’t resubmit, although I do want to say thanks - even though it didn’t end up being legal, this challenge did inspire me to make an actual brand car. Good luck to everyone else!
You could still enter the final round by putting the same engine in a different body (as long as it is not a meme/exotic body) while following these rules:
The Ryuji Goemon first debut in 1970, eccencially being nothing more than a coupe variant of the Chariot sedan with a hotter engine setup. But it’s low cost and easy upgrade potential meant that it soon became a common sight on racetracks throughout the world. For the 1990’s, fans of Ryuji’s sport coupe were in a bit of a surprise when the fourth generation Goemon debut.
Gone was the third gen’s rear wheel drive chassis, being replaced by a traverse front wheel drive setup related to the one used under the rest of the Ryuji passenger car lineup, with McPherson struts up front and semi trailing arms in the rear. Despite the outcry from a few rear drive purists, the new Goemon proved to be an excellent handler and with an optional 140hp 2.0L 16V inline four ( a 100hp 1.6L came as standard equipment) it was quicker than the outgoing model as well.
But in light of what Ryuji’s rivals were beginning to churn out, it was determined that an even more potent version would be needed. And so for the 1992 model year, the RS Turbo was added as a halo variant. The 2.0L engine was fitted with a Garrett T25 turbocharger putting out 12psi of boost, as well as a host of internal changes to better cope with this forced induction. This new engine made 196hp @ 6700 rpm and 194 lb-ft of torque at 4300. An all wheel drive setup was developed to allow this newfound power to make it to the road. This allows the 2452 pound sport coupe to reach 0 to 60 in 6.4 seconds and a top speed limited to 130mph (ungoverned test mules were seen hitting almost 190mph). 15 inch alloy wheels, vented disc brakes, anti lock braking, and trick aerodynamics mean the RS Turbo handles and stops just as well as it goes. Production is planned to be limited for it’s introductory year with prices starting at $16,071 before options.
Through the 1980s, Boulder saw sales of it’s truck-based SUVs increase dramatically, with the vast majority of buyers viewing the vehicles as alternatives to traditional station wagons rather than utilitarian workhorses. With this information in mind, Boulder set about making a new truck that would better cater to their new clientele in this growing segment.
The new truck, called the Boundary, utilizes a version of Boulder’s compact truck chassis, but features modifications intended to make for a better family vehicle. The most major change is a cab-forward design that trades engine bay area for interior space, as compact V6 engines designed for passenger car use elsewhere in the Turból umbrella were deemed sufficient for the Boundary. Unlike the trucks it is loosely based on, the Boundary also includes independent front suspension on both 2wd and 4wd models. The leaf sprung solid rear axle was retained to keep a flat load floor in the rear, and the roof was slightly raised over the rear to further increase interior space. Luxuriously appointed trim levels, such as this LE, have been added to the range; quite a stark change for the traditionally utilitarian Boulder brand.
For fear that this newer, softer Boulder may alienate more traditional Boulder customers, the Boundary was styled in a very conservative, boxy fashion, and available options keep the vehicle quite offroad capable. This example is optioned as such, with 4wd, a manual rear locking differential, skidplates, larger, offroad-oriented tires, and an externally mounted full-size spare.
