Ah ok. i thought you still was out of town. (I Did reference a car design thread here because im looking for an perfornance upgrade for one of the cars i submitted for next round to keep up with the times and a restyle.)
The original Generations tournament actually concluded with a round set in 1999 (although it could have continued beyond that, if not for a combination of scheduling conflicts and lack of lore for some entrants), but this one might not, in which case it could continue well into the 21st century. If it does, I’m expecting the next round to be set sometime in the early 00s (2000 to 2003).
The year for next round has not yet been randomized. However, since it’s a 4-6 year span between rounds, you can safely narrow it down to 2000-2002.
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Nice!
Coming soon for Generations Round 10. No Hakumai car will ever be remembered for its looks but, What might eventually become a Twin-Turbo V8 car, or an Twin turbo V6, could be a I6 Tuned by Crest Race Cars. (a third party)
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You’re welcome 
no problem, its ready for the next round. Soon ill tune the engine to spec.
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Alright, I need look no further than the cars in GTA III (2001) to get some styling ideas then! My ability to make attractive cars is going downhill fast after the 80s.
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im totally not futureproofing car designs
how much hours left till next Generations round?
Edit: i forgot something for the 150XT Car. Front reflectors. The car was originally meant to not have the round headlight cover pieces to mimic cars with round headlights, but rather normal headlights like all the other manufacturers competing in Generations II.
Why is that car using 6-lug rims (MY96 Bogliq Buttress 132DLH)
Bogliq engineers aren’t used to high RPM engines and want to make sure the wheels don’t fall off… True story, I heard it from a guy who’s Mum is the lunch-lady in the R&D breakroom where she overheard a couple of engineers talking about it.
Nice, it wont fall off with 5 lug wheels though, or is it because the ancient bogliq engineers thought that it wont work. Meanwhile our R&D department is still thinking of making the cars more and more ahead of their time and using the very modern DOHC
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Sports compact entry: Courageux 15 Type - N
The facelift “15” bows out with this 1996 wrc homologation entry. Powered by a turbo charged 2.0 engine producing 235bhp@6500rpm. The drivetrain is a rear biased awd system with geared differentials and a sporty 5 speed gearbox with the 0-100 run in 6 seconds.
The type - N swaps the steel doors and bonnet for lightweight aluminium components and a front splitter and large rear wing are also installed.
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Sports Utility entry: Courageux Terrain sport
A modern small suv powered by a 2.0 engine and using a monocoque construction and awd drivetrain.
The sport model has a small rear wing, round driving and indicator lights and a stylish push bar on the front.
3 Likes
uh oh i think i have competiton now
The facelift “15” bows out with this 1996 wrc homologation entry. Powered by a turbo charged 2.0 engine producing 235bhp@6500rpm. The drivetrain is a rear biased awd system with geared differentials and a sporty 5 speed gearbox with the 0-100 run in 6 seconds.
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Best of Economy Class - 1996
Rocha Spok 413
It may seem counterintuitive for us to select one of the most expensive cars from the “Economy” class as our winner. After all, frugality is the cornerstone of this bit of the market. But times are starting to change, and for many, up-front cost isn’t as big of an consideration as the entire package.
That is where the Rocha Spok shines. That, and its incredible 45 miles per gallon in combined driving on our test course. Additionally, every regular maintenance item that one can think of, from washer fluid to the spark plugs, is easily reached and accessible for service, keeping labor costs to a minimum for routine checkups.
Of course, fuel and maintenance savings alone don’t make a whole package. Rocha has put great thought into their interior, and the ergonomics of controls and the padding and positioning of the full-cloth seating gives the Spok the feel of a much more expensive car
Rocha’s engineers have also poured much time and money into figuring out why cars rust, and eliminated many of the “traps” where dirt and leaves trap water on most cars, giving it what appears to be a great chance at preventing the body from rusting out and falling apart.
That is what a whole package is, and that is why we feel the Rocha Spok 413 is well worth the extra money over most of its competitors
Ardent Piper DL
“…very close second to the Rocha in our testing. It gives up quite a bit in fuel economy and comfort, but returns that in spades with much better road manners and a sticker price that is thousands less…”
Pros: Great drivability, great environmental resistance, low maintenance cost, low purchase price
Cons: Subpar fuel economy
Earl Vista Peon
“…lowest-priced vehicle in the class, and the cheapest to maintain. It does have unfortunately stiff seats, and the control layout is very dated…”
Pros: Lowest in class purchase price, lowest in class maintenance cost
Cons: Poor drivability, worst in class comfort
Courageux 3 LX 1.5
“…quite comfortable, similar to the Rocha. It’s also projected to be extremely reliable. Unfortunately, fuel economy is on par with the Ardent, while lacking the same road manners, and boasting a notoriously complex engine bay…”
Pros: Great comfort, great reliability
Cons: High maintenance cost, subpar fuel economy
Hampton Fennec MkIII 1.8 Prime 5-door
“…gets over 40 miles per gallon in our tests. Its impressive handling and visibility make it possibly an even finer drive than the Ardent. However, its overall costs are quite high, and its projected lack of reliability does not help…”
Pros: Best in class drivability, great fuel economy, good comfort
Cons: High purchase price, high maintenance cost, poor reliability, poor environmental resistance
Bogliq Bosun 215B
“…going back to Bogliq’s humble and inexpensive roots. Perhaps Bogliq took it too far, because, like the early Bogliq-Ardent rivalry, the Bosun falls short in comfort, ride quality, and longevity…”
Pros: Low purchase price, good reliability
Cons: Poor drivability, poor comfort, worst in class environmental resistance
RCM Fox EL
“…other than its impressive fuel economy, it just fails to grab our attention…”
Pros: Good fuel economy
Cons: Poor environmental resistance, mediocre in every other way
Deer and Hunt Bambi Base*
TIE - 8th
“…drinks far too much fuel for our tastes. The driving dynamics are pretty good, but not enough to overlook its other shortcomings…”
Pros: Good drivability
Cons: Worst in class fuel economy, somewhat high purchase price, somewhat high maintenance cost
Hakumai Crest CX 3-door
TIE - 8th
“…pretty scary to drive. Hakumai has much growth to do in this area…”
Pros: Relatively low purchase price
Cons: Worst in class drivability, poor reliability, subpar comfort
Katsuro Roma
“…with how poor the fuel economy is and how expensive the car is, one would be better served stepping up to an entry-level mid-sized car…”
Pros: Great drivability, good environmental resistance
Cons: Highest in class purchase cost, poor fuel economy, worst in class reliability, highest in class maintenance cost
Best of Sport Compact Class - 1996
Rocha Rocket 416
Rocha has made a sweep of our smaller classes this year, with the Sport Compact class going to their Rocket 416 coupe.
While its extremes of performance are topped by other competitors, the Rocha holds its own as a fun car to throw around. What makes it special, again, is the consideration of the whole car. Instead of trying to make something that is realistically a track day car, they made an every day car that feels like it should be on the track.
During regular day to day driving, the Rocket is nimble, but confident and planted. Potholes are not overly jarring to the occupants, unlike some competitors.
As with the Spok, Rocha had an eye toward longevity with this model. This bears out in projections that this model is going to be one of the most reliable in the class, as well as one of the least likely to rot into dust.
Furthermore, it is an affordable model, easily within the budget of most typical households.
Hampton Vulture 1.8i Performance
“…pure fun that borders on sports car territory. Unfortunately so does its price and lack of reliability…”
Pros: Great sportiness, great fuel economy, good drivability
Cons: Poor reliability, high purchase price, poor environmental resistance
Hakumai 150XT 22nd Anniversary Edition
“…other than the arbitrary Anniversary nomenclature, we like this for many of the same reasons as the Rocha. It’s just a hair less fun to throw around and a bit more expensive…”
Pros: Best in class drivability, best in class environmental resistance (tie)
Cons: Poor sportiness, otherwise very mediocre
Ardent Marathon GT Turbo
“…the long-awaited arrival of the Turbo Trivalve that has been around overseas for years. The Marathon GT Turbo gave us a bit of a thrill, and is the second least expensive option. It just doesn’t get the balance of sport or city right…”
Pros: Low purchase cost, great reliability, good fuel economy, best in class environmental resistance (tie)
Cons: Poor sportiness, mediocre drivability
Silverhare Pegasus 2.3S
“…cheapest way to get into the category, with some decent performance. But between its terrible road manners and its coarse engine that we began to dread…”
Pros: Best in class fuel economy, lowest in class purchase price, best in class reliability
Cons: Worst in class drivability, poor environmental resistance, General Engine Advisory
Cascadia Hariken S
“…we consider this a track car with passable enough road manners for daily use. Barely…”
Pros: Good sportiness, great fuel economy, good reliability
Cons: Poor drivability
Katsuro Adara R
“…Katsuro solved the problem of balancing between being a race car and a sunday driver by throwing lots of money at the problem…”
Pros: Best in class sportiness, good environmental resistance
Cons: Highest in class purchase price, poor fuel economy, mediocre drivability
Deer and Hunt Bambi Superroad
“…here we have almost the exact opposite dynamic in play from Katsuro…”
Pros: Relatively low purchase price, great drivability
Cons: Worst in class sportiness, worst in class fuel economy
Courageux 15 Type-N
“…would have been a better high-cost compromise than the Katsuro had it not tanked in our reliability tests…”
Pros: Good sportiness, good drivability
Cons: Poor fuel economy, worst in class reliability, worst in class environmental resistance, high purchase cost
Bogliq Buttress 132DLH
“…Bogliq seems to have forgotten what “compact” means, and sent us a steroid-injected version of their mid-sized Buttress…”
Pros: Good sportiness, good environmental resistance
Cons: Poor in every other aspect
Best of Midsize Class (TIE) - 1996
Ardent Chancellor DL and RCM Atlantic DX
(Meta note: The Chancellor actually beat the Atlantic by a large margin in the mathematical calculations. But due to my rule of “I can’t win a category, I can only tie”, I removed my score from the weighting table to see how everyone else stacked up, making the Atlantic the “winner”. This may make for an odd-sounding review or three in this category as EVERYONE but the Chancellor got a massive bump, and it changes the curving of the individual category vs. overall results.)
When sensibility is in order for a family on a tight budget, or for a fleet manager looking for vehicles that lack drama, the basic mid-sized sedan seems to be the beige-silver-white weapon of choice. And there’s great news this year for those looking for such noble yet no-frills transportation: we have two winners!
We tested an RCM Atlantic in DX trim, with a 174 horsepower, 3.2 liter twin-cam V6 engine and 4-speed electronic automatic transmission. Interior features include full cloth seats with front buckets and a center console, power windows, locks, mirrors, and steering, and a 50 Watt AM/FM/Cassette stereo. Safety features include driver and passenger airbags, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, side intrusion beams, and front and rear crumple zones. 16" alloy wheels were also included in the purchase price.
Its counterpart was an Ardent Chancellor in base DL trim, with a 97 horsepower, 1.9 liter twin-cam variable-timing 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed electronic automatic transmission. The interior included full cloth seats with front buckets and center console, power windows, locks, mirrors, and steering, and a 40-watt AM/FM/Cassette stereo. Safety features include driver and passenger airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes (rear drums), side intrusion beams, and front and rear crumple zones.
There are quite numerous similarities between the two vehicles, but also some philosophical differences (which are lessened if one steps up in trim levels on the Chancellor) such as RCM’s use of a V6 engine.
This leads to the first of several differences that make up our pros-and-cons list; the Ardent Chancellor is a bit more economical when it comes to fuel, though takes its sweet time getting up to speed.
While the interiors sound basically identical, the suspension tuning and slightly better driver ergonomics make for a little better ride than the RCM, though our staff felt the RCM’s radio was better. Conversely, while the safety equipment list is identical, the heavier RCM fares a little better in crash tests.
The Ardent is significantly cheaper in its base trim, but can get costly fast as options and trim levels are piled on. Even so, the RCM is expected to be significantly more reliable in the long run.
You can’t go wrong in either case. If your budget is stretched or you’re looking for better fuel economy and cruising comfort, get an Ardent. If you’re looking for a long-lasting partner, the best safety, or more kick under the hood, get an RCM.
Earl Jupiter Space 3.5
“…inexpensive and spacious wagon. Safety and rust-through seem to be potential points of concern…”
Pros: Low purchase cost, highest in class practicality, highest in class reliability
Cons: Poor safety, poor environmental resistance
Hampton Ferret MkV 2.5 Prime
“…sublime comfort and great handling that is similar to the Chancellor. Unfortunately, the reliability is also similar, but pricing is not…”
Pros: Great comfort, great drivability, good safety
Cons: Worst in class reliability, high purchase price
Katsuro Parente
“…premium wagon that, despite its price tag, is still quite tempting to those who can stretch their budgets…”
Pros: Best in class comfort, great safety, good enviromental resistance
Cons: High purchase price, poor practicality, subpar reliability
Bogliq Buttress 121B
“…bargain-basement mid-sized car. But if one is a commuter, there are some compact cars that are more pleasant to drive all the time…”
Pros: Lowest in class purchase price, good drivability, good reliability, good enviromental resistance
Cons: Poor comfort, subpar safety
Rocha Madison 418
“…Rocha’s magic in the smaller categories just doesn’t translate well here…”
Pros: Great reliability, best in class environmental resistance, good practicality
Cons: Poor comfort, worst in class drivability, worst in class safety
Deer and Hunt Goonie Base
“…rather funky styling for a sedan that was quite polarizing. We couldnt say much for its road manner, and it didn’t do much better than pass the crash tests…”
Pros: Low purchase price, decent reliability
Cons: Poor drivability, poor safety, worst in class environmental resistance
Hakumai Raider V6 RS
“…stumbled and fell in its overall package…”
Pros: Decent safety, decent environmental resistance
Cons: Poor to worst in class in all other areas
Best of Sport Utility Vehicle Class - 1996
Earl Conquerer Lakota
For many years, Earl has been conquering the entry level classes. Now the Conquerer comes for the title of probably the fastest-growing class of vehicles in the country, SUVs.
It is an unapologetic throwback to the earliest SUV models, with a rugged locking 4WD system and spartan yet useful dashboard. What lies beyond, though, is a far more modern implementation of the rest of the interior, with seating surfaces that are both comfortable and supportive, and a driver’s seat that includes 10 way adjustment, matched only by the Bogliq Baller.
In typical Earl fashion, it is also built to bring out the best of itself for many years to come, nearing the tops of our reliability charts.
Its low entry price wraps everything up with a neat bow. There is no other package in the class that can compete, dollar for dollar. Truly, the Conquerer Lakota has achieved its goals.
Katsuro Raver
“…the best for hauling camping gear, people, or groceries. Just make sure your destination is not too deep in the woods…”
Pros: Best in class practicality, good comfort, good environmental resistance
Cons: None
Hampton Braemar 2.8i 4x4
“…continuing Hampton’s tradition of putting in a solid competitor at a rock bottom price…”
Pros: Lowest in class purchase price, great offroad, best in class reliability, Engine of the Year
Cons: Worst in class comfort
Rocha Colorado 640
“…very comfortable cruiser with great manners on-road. All but the worst roads should be passable, but be wary of going truly off path…”
Pros: Great comfort, great drivability, great environmental resistance
Cons: Poor offroad, poor practicality, somewhat high purchase price
Bogliq Baller 251P
“…could be considered the first luxury SUV. The interior is posh, on par with expensive luxury cars. Of course, that comes at a cost…”
Pros: Best in class comfort, good drivability, good practicality, good offroad
Cons: Highest in class purchase price, poor reliability
Deer and Hunt Hawg Base
“…basic off-road transportation that caters to younger buyers. Its lack of rear doors is limiting to those with children…”
Pros: Low purchase cost, great reliability, good offroad
Cons: Poor environmental resistance, poor practicality, poor drivability
RCM Yukonite Colonial 4WD
“…well-mannered utility that probably is best kept to country and forest service roads rather than rougher terrain…”
Pros: Good drivability, good practicality, good reliability
Cons: Poor comfort, poor offroad, poor environmental resistance
Hakumai Super Carrier 150
“…it seems that the Super Carrier will last a very long time. You may wish it didn’t though…”
Pros: Great environmental resistance, great reliability, good offroad
Cons: Poor drivability, high purchase price, subpar comfort
Courageux Terrain Sport
“…more of a lifestyle ute than anything geared toward a family…”
Pros: Low purchase price, best in class drivability
Cons: Poor comfort, worst in class practicality, worst in class offroad, worst in class environmental resistance, poor reliability
Ardent Hood LS 4WD (5-passenger)
“…not a terribly stand-out entry. Quality seems to have suffered recently, perhaps as a side effect of Ardent’s recent labor woes…”
Pros: Good comfort
Cons: Worst in class reliability, poor in all other aspects
Best Engine - 1996
Hampton HD6 2.8i
+5 point RR bonus
The inline-six motor isn’t quite dead, at least if Hampton has anything to say about it. A once revered and common motor format has nearly gone by the wayside as more cars go to a front-wheel drive configuration, and with them a more compact V6 motor.
Hampton shows us, with their HD6 2.8i, that there is still life left, and it can be beautiful. While turning out a healthy-for-its-size 130 horsepower and 154 lb-ft of torque, the HD6 remains stoic in its engine bay, neither making harsh jerks or growling in complaint. Overall NVH for this motor is among the best available, allowing occupants to enjoy a reasonable conversation at the same time as a reasonable drive.
Furthermore, testing indicates that the HD6 is also among the most reliable engines available on the market today.
It’s a motor that one could be proud to have under their hood for possibly a decade or more.
GENERAL ENGINE ADVISORY
Earl Goddess 4 2.3 8v
This year’s engine advisory can be taken a bit less seriously than in previous years, as the problems we found weren’t dire by any stretch of the imagination, merely annoying.
This year we take issue with the 2.3 liter Earl Goddess 4-cylinder, 8-valve overhead cam motor. On paper, it’s a perfectly fine motor. Adequate power, bench testing showing that it has about average reliability, and not being overly complicated or costly to maintain.
But the road experience isn’t taken into account in engineering diagrams and data readouts. Except, perhaps, the readout from the decibel meter. We found several cars powered by the Goddess 4 to have in-cabin noise readings above 70 decibels at just 60 MPH. Overall NVH from this motor is among the worst on the road today.
If a quiet, smooth ride is your aim, avoid this motor at all costs.
Visual Design Honorable Mentions
Courageux 15 Type-N
Katsuro Adara R
RCM Yukonite Colonial
Deer and Hunt Goonie
Deer and Hunt Hawg
Hampton Fennec
1996 Reliability Rankings
Earl - 72.05
Rocha - 68.13
Deer and Hunt - 67.68
RCM - 67.63
Courageux - 67.43
Hampton (TIE) - 66.95
Hakumai (TIE) - 66.95
Bogliq - 66.73
Ardent - 66.60
Katsuro - 65.93
1996 Relative Ratings
Earl - 100.00
Hampton - 100.00 (after RR boost for Engine of the Year)
Ardent - 96.30
Rocha - 89.68
RCM - 87.83
Bogliq - 85.89
Katsuro - 85.10
Deer and Hunt - 71.16
Hakumai - 69.31
Courageux - 64.15
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Hampton Motor Group - Round 9 Aftermath/Round 10 Prologue
By 1996, Hampton Motor Group as a whole had become the import brand to beat in the highly lucrative American market - its cars were consistently good once again, and held their own even against the best domestics. Glowing reviews across their whole range, thanks mainly to top-notch design and engineering, and bolstered by aggressive marketing campaigns and a robust dealer network, made Tony and his talented team of designers and engineers justifiably proud of their achievements.
In his 1998 speech at the 50th anniversary of the company’s establishment, Tony emphasized the contribution of his employees in turning Hampton Motor Group into the major manufacturer it had now become:
“Many thanks to all of you for making this company the Great British institution its customers have known and loved for the past 50 years. Without your efforts, Hampton Motor Group would have collapsed or fallen under foreign control long ago. As we approach the 21st century, we will face new challenges and competitors, but our dedication to our company’s core values and focus on innovation will ensure that the Hampton Motor Group will continue to be successful throughout the world for decades to come.”
Hampton’s success during the 1990s also coincided with some of its competitors’ (including Katsuro and Courageux) miscues around the same time. Meanwhile, the entire HPR range (from Fennec to Hydra) had become the darlings of the enthusiast press. Appearances in films, TV shows and video games quickly followed, and Hampton was quick to capitalize on this newfound publicity.
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