The first production Bulgasari Track Pro Edition was delivered in late 2017 to an anonymous customer. The Nirvana Blue model came with Citrus Yellow wheel and brake caliper accents.
Upon Closer Inspection
As for 2020 and the future, RJM has something in the works that may also appear in the hands of Gryphon Gear’s headquarters…
Ok ok I think we’re done here.
Entries closed
I’ll take a look at anything that’s in my inbox as of this post. I will post initial first round judgements i.e. did you make the styling cut or not, as I go.
Now is the time to see whether your car looks good without photo scene tricks 
And so, let the heartbreaking commence.
Bin city, population : everyone
Bin virus
Judgement Round 1: The Walkaround Part 1
Okay I am going to pretty much judge these in order that I received them. I won’t get through all of them tonight. I’m writing them stream-of-consciousness style, but the standards are all set by criteria which I will reference throughout.
What do we have first?
Draconis TB19 a.k.a. “Tinkerbell”
Choice quote from submitter @Jaimz :
As I said previously…try not to be too harsh!
We’ll see about whether I’m being “too harsh”… let’s see here.
Okay what is this. Can anyone here show me a real life example of any hypercar that uses any of these design cues? Especially those headlights. Also the wheel arches aren’t even close to filled.
I use the word “coherent” a lot and suffice to say this is not it.
What are these fixtures supposed to be doing?
What is this? 
Took me a while to realise that these fixtures were simply slapped on the rear window that was still glass, but almost fooled me because all of the windows had been tinted green.
I also notice that the wings on the sides are clipping off. You should take care to designate the fixtures to appropriate layers. Tall wings frequently should just go to layer 4 as they map to the body’s UV mesh and if you place a fixture on top of that then it’ll override the wing (I used to do this to hide them frequently until I learnt how to work around using wings altogether by .jbeam editing).
So if I were to sum this up…
Aesthetics
I’m not going to lie, it ain’t pretty, nor is it anything remotely close to anything you’d ever see in real life
Impact
Like stubbing your little toe on the fridge, then opening said fridge to discover what happened to that jar of creamed spinach you forgot about for 7 years
Construction
On the scale of “3 fixture wonder” to “Quotex levels of fixture redundancy to achieve a bumper bar”, this, hang on I gotchu fam
Coherence
See above
Verdict
I’m hoping that by “not too harsh” you meant in my judgement as opposed to my delivery of it, because there’s no way I can dress this up other than it’s going straight in the 
This is a difficult challenge, if you want to try the land of hypercars again in future it takes quite a bit of study.
Jaimz’s bin count: 1
Honghu Fenghuang
Choice quote from @yangx2:
oop
Holy shit this is obnoxious. The front grille makes it look like some corporate dystopian nightmare concept art. So do the stats but we’ll get back to that later.
This is my favourite angle. I really like the lights. I do see the little AUTOMATION text peeking through those mudflaps. They show up as a white stripe in Beam so it’s best to cover it up unless you’re doing that on purpose.
If you look closely you’ll find the buttresses don’t quite meet the body.
The side is literally one fixture. This is not necessarily a problem in itself but the stamping of said fixture does mean the borders get messy and it doesn’t look that good especially in mica and pearl paints.
It’s kinda messy, but it kinda works. The part I take a bit of issue with is where the vent meets the hood scoop. Is that really how you want the air flowing?
So if I were to sum this up…
Aesthetics
Obnoxiously corporate. I hate it because I’m anything but, but also I love it, because it’s obnoxious.
Impact
by now you would have concluded I definitely do not live in China
Construction
A bit on the simple side in places, a couple of mishaps, but otherwise solid
Coherence
Projects a consistent image with few issues
Verdict
This’ll pass, though, to be honest, not with flying colours. We’ll see how it goes in the Engineering rounds.
Beta Julia Dea Stradale
Choice quote from @mgobla:
The design is simple and elegant without any spoliers or wings, it generates downforce via its undertray
Simple and elegant huh? Let’s judge. First thing I see is this:
It’s not a good sign when not only does the headlight not conform to the shape of the body, but the new shape that it creates doesn’t evoke anything in particular. It indicates “poorly placed fixture”. Protip: look at the fixture from all angles to see if it really fits.
I’ll add that it also doesn’t have any of the details of a 2020 headlight.
Radical called and wants you to move the taillights back down to the grille, where they had it.
But on a more serious note, I’m not exactly seeing “elegance” in this, considering how many mismatched angles there are. Try imagining this thing in real life. Yeah it’d be a mess.
Were you planning on doing something else with this? That scoop just… stops halfway in the window. Kind of makes me wonder wtf is going on underneath.
Bruh
Okay I’ve seen enough.
Aesthetics
Does not successfully evoke a Carrera GT, 4C, or Elise, all of which were named as inspirations.
Impact
Construction
Let me expand upon my choice of clip (since it’s one of the most misunderstood film clips in all of film history and it’s frankly brilliant). This is close enough to a 4-fixture wonder…
Coherence
…not that we’re saying that 4-fixture wonders are automatically bad (there is a challenge that specifically disproved this). It’s bad if they don’t create a coherent image of the car.
That actually doesn’t quite explain why I chose the clip lmao. If anyone thinks they get it feel free to tell me.
Verdict
Take a look at this thread and you can probably see why this one’s headed straight for the If it’s not clear to you and this complete demolition of your entry hasn’t destroyed your will to build hypercars in future, I’ll try to shed some light on it as I go.
mgobla’s bin count: 1
EFI Shuuko
Choice quote from @Lazar:
enjoy riding this crossover
Such japes! On a more serious note this body has a known issue with ride height:
granted it makes over a ton of downforce, but even this doesn’t explain needing over a foot of suspension travel not to “bottom out” when the suspension is actually quite firm already. I’ll give it a free pass.
Aside from the body shape and fixture stamping causing a slightly awkward lump in the DRLs at the corners, there’s something about this AMG GT meets Aston meets Nissan GTR, at least there’s small reminders of each of those. Yeah, not bad.
So see this:
These fixtures were not designed to scale really large.
I mean it fairly screams “blood doped Porsche” but it takes a lot of fighting this body to make something else of it so I don’t mind. At least it’s quite well done.
I actually can’t tell where the panoramic window ends and the engine lid begins.
Right so what do I think?
Aesthetics
With a limited canvas it makes a decent fist of it. I’m not complaining.
Impact
Like the turbo spool on a boxer 6 in Automation
Construction
Generally well put together and tidy, with the unfortunate issue of some fixtures that just weren’t meant to scale so large.
Coherence
Very good actually.
Verdict
While it’s playing certain things slightly safe and not exactly knocking me out of the park, it does easily pass in all aspects. Let’s see how it does in engineering.
Phew I’m pooped, I’ll come back to knock a few more out tomorrow.
Ah well……
sigh
Oh this is gonna be fun!
I’m excited, and a tad anxious 
My aesthetics… oof… I like them, but compared to some of the radical designs on this thread, I doubt I’m making it beyond the first stage :b
im ready for the bin
Judgement Round 1: The Walkaround Part 2
Home from work, workout done (note to self: do not go back to the gym until this COVID epidemic shit is over with, yikes), dinner had, beer drank.
Yep, it’s judging time.
DMC Hyped
Choice quote from @Jaimz (again):
Enjoy!
Mommy I’m scared.
ffs, really!?
I’m not posting any other angles, mainly because my internet is currently a mobile phone with 1 bar worth of signal, but also because there’s retro-future and then there’s a hotrod with… actually fuck it, feast your eyes on this:
Would you look at that tyre width to track width ratio. It’s worse than a Carmageddon car. From the original game.
Aesthetics
No.
Impact
Not good.
Construction
Also not good.
Coherence
I don’t even know anymore.
Verdict
Try rocking up to a top end car show in one of these.
Yeah it wouldn’t go so well would it?
Jaimz’s count: 2
(can we get a +f)
Alba Hálcon
Choice quote from @TheLapTopX20:
im ready for the bin
I’m sure the bin is ready for you too 
let’s go motherfuckaaaaaaaa
After some intense study, this is my favourite part of the car:
Well, I do love the paint, but seeing as what I drive daily is a “Berocca piss yellow” Civic, this bodes poorly for you.
Also,
This car is so sick of your shit already, it wants to return to the 90s when life was simpler, and instead of a global recession and a viral epidemic we just had a global recession.
Maybe you should apply to the design team for Tesla’s cybertruck. I’m sure they could use your input.
Aesthetics
Nowhere close to 2020 my friend.
Impact
Construction
Barely there, like half my underwear 
Coherence
You know what, it’s kind of the same sad all around so I’ll give you that.
Verdict
GM hocked out a POS 90s econobox to multiple platforms and this was the most cynical of the lot.
TheLapTopX20’s count: 1
FABEL Sport Météore RS
Choice quote from @MrChips:
So how does a horse like, drive a car
Long and hard, like my co-ffee, yeah I don’t drink coffee
What you get if the Elise and the A110 had a hot steamy sesh alongside the French Riviera. The idea is good. The lip is a bit meh and there’s a bit of awkward fixture selection in the lower fascia. But I can’t fault the overall execution (are the wings peeking out from underneath the bonnet and windshield because I’m missing a mod??? Shit. We can fix that later.)
There are ways and means of keeping things simple but keeping it right. This is the right body and one right way of doing it. Use fixtures to create complex contours like on modern cars, yes, but block and contrast areas to create singular and purposeful lines. Choose the lines that clash carefully.
My niggle with this design is that the sloping upward aspect of the tail lights creates a slightly dour impression. I know the shape of the body is what it is but probably better to either go fully horizontal, or even taper the height at either end so that the lights slope up. You’ll be hard pressed to find a good-looking hypercar IRL with frowny-eye sadface tail lights.
This is what happens when you mirror a fixture instead of doing the right thing and duplicating it the right way around on the other side. How would the Belgians feel about this!? 
Aesthetics
Cute, perky and makes me want to ride it all day long yes there’s too much innuendo in this segment it’s a Chips thing ever since I offered him le succ if he gave me a good RNG roll in the last Collector’s Auction. He declined.
Impact
yes I picked MLP specially for you, suffer
Construction
Probably the weakest part, as there are a few shortcuts and loose ends (even wing tips notwithstanding). The headlight construction and lower front fascia could do some work
Coherence
It knows what it’s about to be sure.
Verdict
This is a really promising looking car. As it stands I can’t simply import it into Beam and work on the tuning so technically it doesn’t meet my originally specified standards, but, as you may have already noticed, the other two cars I passed kind of didn’t either. So in this one goes, because I actually like it.
Chips had another car, a collab entry, but that one had a mod issue so while we work on that, let’s go down the list…
Lynx Caracal
Choice quote from @mart1n2005:
my body is ready for the bin
You too huh? At this rate we’re gonna have a giant bin orgy 
Anyway you never know until the test comes back positive so here we go!
I thought this was missing a badge, turned out Martin just removed it oop.
This is a very interesting idea, but the headlight to DRL ratio is a bit awkward (I’ll tell you now this is a recurring theme). I like bravery, but at this level it does need to be backed up by execution.
This is like that awkward bit where you meet your cute quirky crush from online and you don’t know what to say so you sit there for like 3 hours not saying anything and wondering wtf you were thinking and maybe it’s just you?
(Ignore the lift plate sticking through the body Automation just do be like that sometimes)
I’ve just realised that the super-cool LYNX lettering has gone missing. For proper photoscene effect, a recap of what was posted before:
This is actually an awesome idea. I don’t agree with a couple of the fixtures (the lip ends sticking up like that hmmmmm) and I reckon those exhaust tips should have been a bit further out but that last one is being extremely nitpicky.
I’m just not quite as sure about this. Again the idea is brave, but the proportion of the fin to the wing is a bit off. Also I’ve been noticing that a lot of people are using a certain scoop that ends quite abruptly midway down the window, and was hoping that people would do more to address this (like I habitually do).
This is what happens when you scale up shiny flat fixtures: it crinkles and doesn’t look good here, or in Beam. A recurrent issue in this challenge.
Sectioned windows and sliding segments are super cool and totally in since suddenly everyone’s trying to one-up the McLaren F1 again, but the challenge is making it work with the window. This one looks more like an afterthought.
Aesthetics
Right off the quirky scale. I admire braveness, even if it doesn’t always work.
Impact
Like trying to consume a Baguette from the wrong end. “But the ends of a Baguette are the same!” I hear you say. But I wasn’t referring to the Baguette’s ends.
What I mean is that it’s niche and rather an acquired taste that takes time. If I really wanted to shove something up my butt I wouldn’t be wasting such a precious thing as bread in these difficult times. That’s what Bad Dragon is for.
Construction
Again, a few things not paid due attention and rather bare sides expose a lack of care in the detail work. I’ll add that the model I received, missing mod notwithstanding, was actually inferior to how the draft looked in the photos…
Coherence
I didn’t even think about Coherence when studying this whacky work.
Verdict
Unfortunately this one doesn’t pass muster. It’s technically a , due to many things just not quite coming together and some things lacking care. But I like the idea, and I don’t know if Martin submitted anything else yet, so I will use my discretion to rescue you from the impending bin orgy.
Mart1n2005’s bin count: 0
Note to self: possibly wait until one doesn’t have bengis on the brain before writing these things. Or don’t, it’s possibly more fun this way.
This is what happens when i spend too long styling just for the sake of adding more stuff. I originally thought the solid centre section looked a bit messy which is why i removed it before i sent the car in, it was the one piece i just couldnt work out whether i liked or not
Damn i gotta fire some neurons from my brain and get actually good ones
Anyways, im bringing oranges and oreos to the bin party cya there
holy fucking shit I accidentally edited over my last post instead of making a new post how dumb am I
(hint: extremely)
I’ll see what I can do to fix that. Meanwhile, here’s the actual post.
Judgement Round 1: The Walkaround Part 3
Boy I love how the COVID-related racism against Asians means that Asian grocery stores are fully stocked when all the idiots are literally punching each other up over 1kg bags of rice in the big chains and the Asian places have an abundance of 5, 10, 25kg bags just begging to be sold.
Also in fact the largest contingent of COVID cases in Australia are returned travellers from the US (+f to you guys in 'murica, y’all actually gonna get fucked harder than Europe). But I don’t see Australia implementing any travel bans from the US any time soon, no…
Okay let’s roll.
EMS Durandal
Choice quote from @mekilljoydammit (who entered this alongside @MrChips :
Mod issues on the Durandal? Golly, speaking as someone who had to import it a bunch of times to tune it, color me NOT SURPRISED
Turns out there was this assorted mirrors mod that Chips used to make reverse cameras that I overlooked. Now I have it, but I didn’t have time to reload the car, and apparently it behaves wonky in Beam. I’ll fix that later. Let’s just look at the car.
Yowzers this is an ambitious undertaking. The first thing that stands out to me is the pains taken to apply masking so a three tone finish can be applied. There’s a problem with the specific approach taken here though:
Use of these:
does not play nicely with highly reflective surfaces due to the ridges on the fixture. It’s best to use nega tape first and then cover it with chickenbiscuit’s shaping fixtures, even if this is a giant PITA because nega tape steals priority from the shaping fixtures so moving them around is pure torture.
Also I know Chips has a habit of using these vents:
And that’s fine but I find the extra strakes in this configuration are fairly overdone.
There are some sneaky little problems with stamping of fixtures thus further highlighting the problem with fixture choice:
Back to bigger picture stuff:
This is a very clever attempt to alter the natural line of the La Ferrari body, which was the most popular body in this challenge, but carries the significant disadvantage therefore of looking pretty much exactly the same as everything else unless you really fight the line. Again you can see from even this distance some messiness in the masking, but nothing that can’t be fixed.
Some people call the McLaren Senna ugly. This ain’t pretty but it does carry a magnificently menacing sense of purpose. It’s just a bit weird how this rear end is so squarish when the rest of the car is less so, and that is probably a product of going with the canvas given to you: a common trap on this body.
This here is awesome and it’s where, imho, what was attempted actually really comes together the best.
Aesthetics
Industrial brutalist, like listening to, wait for it:
Although probably without dating as poorly, jesus.
Impact
How do I combine the tastelessness of both ponies and dubstep to accurately describe the impact this entry had on me?
I am the font of all knowledge.
fuck this did not age well at all, even I’m cringing a bit posting this
Construction
The biggest problem by a long shot. We’re going to have to replace all of the masking fixtures. All of them. That’s going to be a long painful process. I know this because I had to do it for Lilith, but the difference was, this car was built when we had better materials for the job!!!
Coherence
Falls victim to the geometrical limitations of the body: curvy and angled everywhere but the flat-arse back.
Verdict
It’s very good, and very ambitious, but probably could do with some tweaking and does need a fuckload of work to make it conversion-friendly. I mean, it could be worth it…
So I’m keeping it.
Centauri Banshee Turbo R
Choice quote from @nialloftara :
There’s not much left of the original banshee prototype but that’s probably for the best
In short this was a collab entry with @DoctorNarfy (on my advice), as Niall was one who took up my offer for preliminary review feedback, and was the one who made the final call on styling, AFAIK. Let’s see how it’s ended up.
Erm hmm.
The basics are there but the rounded edges to the headlights, not to mention the very large one piece array, actually dates the look significantly. Also the choice of fixture makes it look like it has anime fangs, uwu.
This is okay, I guess. I had problems with wheel arch morphs resetting, as you can see in the above pic (please ignore). The clash between the side vent and the bodykit bit isn’t exactly inspired though.
The other big issue is one specific to this body: the seams between sections (like door, bootlid, bumpers etc.) all show up so it takes some very careful fixture placement. I’ll take you on a proper technical tour of Mercury later to show you how I got around it without compromising the overall vision. But as you can see there’s that door seam showing up in the side vent. Yeah, that’s going to show up in Beam too.
I dunno, kinda ditto what I said about the front. The shapes created by the fixtures here are all a bit fussy and don’t flow.
This is a similar idea to above and much cleaner except the hood scoops ending abruptly. I get wanting to use a tapering sunroof but then the scoops clash and since they overlie regular roof then blend into the rear window that does my brain in like trying to geometrically reconcile an Escher picture.
So what do I think?
Aesthetics
It kinda do be like:
Impact
Thank you, stock image man, for demonstrating what happens to me when I try to make sense of the rear for too long.
Construction
Effort is evident, but unfortunately not sufficient knowledge to overcome some of the natural limitations of this body.
Some of you will probably be thinking “that’s an awfully polite way of saying a Tier 3 is still a Tier 3” but also shut
Coherence
Coherence is difficult to achieve if the approach is too messy.
Verdict
As much as I hoped for success given I am a fan of Niall’s engines, there’s just no way I can justify letting this through. All due process was observed diligently and in good faith though, so I won’t do it the indignity of -ing it.
Niall and Dr Narfy’s bin count: 0
Olsson Orkan
Choice quote from @MasterDoggo :
Hey, here’s my FITE ME 3 entry!
c’mon I had no material to work with geez
GOOD LORD THE COLOURS HOW RADIOACTIVE IS THIS!?
Once I had recovered I was able to take a closer look and appreciate the ideas here. I like the approach, again, the technique of blocking is very effective. I really like how the shapes in the front fascia around the headlights is constructed. This is quirkiness but expressed in a period-correct and more cohesive fashion. Except I find myself mystified by the specific choices in the centre lower grille.
This is what I mean by demonstrating how things look in the harsh light of day (or a studio). No picture perfect cloudy weather to hide behind now, as I warned you!
The CF blocking of the door is a fine idea but here we start to see a bit of a deficiency in the commitment. More could be made of this. Making the window deliberately square off but not actually making more of the slanted shape to flow better was an opportunity gone begging. The indentation and shape in the side vents is uneven and with some judicious fixture selection could have been more dramatic as opposed to looking like a .jpg texture in an early 3D FPS game like Duke Nukem 3D. That lower vent is very lonely and the rest of the lower bodywork on the side is very flat. Not particularly 2020, it’s just missing a lot.
The general idea of blocking shapes continues but the incursion of the tail lights into the middle space here is less successful probably because they are also contained within a fixture, so all it achieves is interrupted flow of line. This was hidden in the photos posted but in Beam 90% of the time it will be clear as day.
I think this is the part where simple shines through best because there’s actual detail work here lol.
It’s very Koenigsegg Regera, though, and that was a 2014 car.
Right, time for judgement.
Aesthetics
It’s there, where it shows.
Impact
Construction
The basics are, in many places, very good, but the lack of finer details and flair lets it down.
Coherence
I think the rear and sides are the weak links here, with more care with direction of line it could be a solid package.
Verdict
Some glimpses of greatness are potentially there but doesn’t deliver enough of all of it to get through. The next question is whether it’s so bad it gets a …
MasterDoggo’s bin count: 0
(but it didn’t make it through this round)
Falcon Astralis
Choice quote from @Kittenpunch :
Whether it crashed into bin city in the first round or not, this has definitely been a learning experience
Our first wholesome quote for the round. Kittenpunch also took up my offer of preliminary feedback and probably did the most work to transform something from, erm, very not-ready, to something that was getting there. Let’s see if it’s arrived.
A slightly inauspicious start with a very bare approach. I never quite liked the arrangement of the headlight/DRLs (can’t tell which is which) because they’re fussy and a bit thick (but less than they were before!).
It’s just very bare.
I think a lot of players have issues with doing sides on bodies because they don’t tend to be all that busy, but rather sculpted and sculpting is difficult to do in Automation unless you’re used to thinking laterally. Also note how there’s been an attempt to meaningfully change the shape of the window to extend the line to the vent. It’s not 100% successful and it’s a bit lumpy from this angle, which underscores why every change has to be viewed from multiple angles.
This is just nuts. It’s more prototype than a real car. Paradoxically, a simpler brake light array may have had more impact.
This part underwent extensive reworking and now looks almost the business. The transition from roof material to rear engine lid material is jarring and clashes with the line of the fixture, which, with a bit of trickery, could have been avoided. Also again, some of the lines don’t quite match up. But I can tell you there is a lot more panache than previously.
Aesthetics
It used to have a lot more “batwing batcar” motifs in it, which I kind of miss.
Impact
That rear be so thicc be like 
Construction
Massively improved but some technical aspects still need work. The real elevation in level comes when you master how to make new lines in the body work and they line up perfectly from all angles. It takes a LOT of clever fixture work and masking sometimes.
Coherence
Also massively improved, but at the expense of anything going on up front.
Verdict
This would win an award for being “most improved”, but also that should read “most improved but you still didn’t make it”
sorry
Kittenpunch’s count: 0
I feel so boring today, it’s possibly because I didn’t drink any beer. Yet.
Nooo!
Oh well, guess Centauri just can’t build a visually appealing hypercar, even with help. Back down to the minor leagues with me.
ah man y u gotta make me feel bad with Aeris dying dude 
you hyped for the remastered version or what
I think I’m physically incapable of being attracted to modern cars, and it probably was for the best I didn’t enter on that basis.