All eligible Round 2 entrants have been received. I am now processing the round.
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Motor World Review, August 1951
Model Year-In-Review Edition
Best Entry Sedan – 1951
Bogliq Mutineer Entrance
Relative Rating: 100.00
Our pick for Entry Sedan of the Year, 1951, has us all feeling a bit blue, but in a good way. The 5-seat Bogliq Mutineer Entrance fits the bill for us this year in the commuter/family category
Under the hood is a 121 cubic inch four good for 70 horses. The engine itself is a simple, straight forward affair, but this year Bogliq came up with a new, 4-speed manual transmission to mate to it. This takes the otherwise uninspiring engine and gives it life similar to its competitors.
We found all 5 seating positions to be comfortable compared to others in the class. Trim is pretty typical, with vinyl seating surfaces, woven weather stripping, and a chrome-accented painted dash.
On the road, the Bogliq has reasonable manners. It is neither top of its class nor bottom, but a good compromise all around. Straight line performance to 60 takes a leisurely 16.7 seconds, though it uses 20% less fuel than anyone else in the category, so this can be forgiven.
It is also not the cheapest in the classs, but still manages to undercut other competitors at the same time.
Bogliq’s tagline is “Buy Better. Buy Bogliq.” This year, they are on the money with that assessment.
Best Upscale Car – 1951
LMC Captain Series 6
Relative Rating: 93.51
Certainly, there has been an explosion over the last few years in premium and luxury offerings from various manufacturers. This category was the most crowded this year, but of those, LMC’s Captain Series 6 stands out.
Powered by a 158 horsepower 281 V8, with power sent to the rear by a 4-speed manual, the Captain gives one of the most thrilling rides in the class. Skidpad handling was the best of all in class, and its acceleration was second best, attaining a 0-60 of 11 seconds flat. Top speed was clocked at just shy of 119 miles per hour.
Interior trim is below average for this class, with seating for four, an AM radio, and Swiss-action in-dash clock.
Long-term testing predicts this will be one of the most durable upscale cars available this year, and also one of the cheapest to fuel and run. This goes hand-in-hand with its relatively low purchase price.
Overall, we feel that the LMC Captain is a good bargain for the money, and its pulse-pounding performance is something to behold.
Best Other – 1951
Caliban Type SC
Relative Rating: 100.00
One hears the words “kit car” and conjures the image of a hotrod cobbled together in someone’s garage. Caliban’s Type SC buries any such preconceived notions, and shows that a kit car can be something to be reckoned with on the road.
Though not huge at 195 cubic inches, the V8 under the hood utilizes advanced technology, giving it 152 horses. This in turn lets the Caliban shoot to 60 in under 10 seconds, and top out at 115 MPH. But its small and agile body, along with clever tuning of the suspension, gives it the absolute best lateral handling of any car we tested this year.
One might expect a car with such bravado to cost quite a bit, but the Type SC has a relatively low cost, making it an attractive option for a Baron of the Boulevard.
The Caliban is a road cruiser, through and through. Those in rural areas should abandon any idea of purchasing this, as rough, broken rural roads are not compatible with this low-slung rocket.
Caliban claims that Type SC “takes the lead.” Verdict? Guilty as charged.
Best Engine – 1941
Dominion 244ci V8
(+5.00 Relative Rating bonus for this round)
Of the engines put before us this year, we are most impressed with the 244 cubic inch V8 from Dominion. It puts out a respectable 138 horsepower, while coming in a relatively light package for a V8. As well, lab testing indicates that the 244 is one of the most reliable of the current offerings. For that, Dominion Motors receives our Best Engine award for 1946.
Entry Sedan Class Reviews
Epoch Model 20
“…tradition of an unbeatably low purchase price continues. What has been left behind was the old underpowered 31 cubic inch engine. A new 85 horsepower straight-six gives new life to an old brand. Unfortunately, it still drives like an ox cart…”
Pros: Lowest purchase price by far, best in class reliability
Cons: Flat out terrible handling, low practicality and comfort
Relative Rating: 87.88
Ardent 410 Custom Sedan
“…seating for 6 people in reasonable comfort. Also, despite good manners, nimble handling on paved roads, and solid straight-line performance, we found it was a little less than pleasant on a rutted, muddy road, seemingly characteristic of all recent Ardent sedans. Fuel economy is also off the mark…”
Pros: Good comfort, best in round handling, fastest car in class
Cons: Worst in class offroad, poor fuel economy, low reliability
Relative Rating: 87.88
Upscale Car Class Reviews
Sinistra Emperor Mk.2
“…bizarre front wheel drive contraption. It liked to just sit there and burn rubber, or to wander off the road in hard turns. This newcomer also has a big question mark when it comes to long-term reliability…”
Pros: Strongest I6 engine, very comfortable and prestigious, best in class top speed
Cons: Poor reliability, round-worst drivability, high purchase price
Relative Rating: 75.32
Olympus Virgo Deluxe
“…spendiest car of the group. The interior is, bar none, the most comfortable for both drivers and passengers. Unfortunately, the engine is a bit underpowered, and the automatic transmission didn’t help its case at all. In addition, the test car developed some disconcerting noises during our time with it…”
Pros: Best in round comfort, best in round prestige
Cons: Worst in round reliability, highest purchase price, poor handling on rough roads
Relative Rating: 71.43
Vermillion Bismarck V8 DualMatic Deluxe
“…from having one of the best engines in the industry to one of the most underwhelming. In a big cruiser and mated to an automatic transmission, this makes for a less than exciting drive. In every way, the Bismarck V8 is just mediocre…”
Pros: Relatively low purchase price, decent rough road handling
Cons: Worst in class performance, poor safety
Relative Rating: 71.43
Dominion Ensign DeLuxe
“…a worthy consideration for those looking to crack into the upscale market, without the premium price tag. It looks the part, but doesn’t drive it. Handling issues and blind spots plague the Ensign. On the bright side, it does have what we believe to be the best engine of the year…”
Pros: Best in round engine, low purchase price
Cons: Poor drivability, poor economy, relatively low comfort, poor safety
Relative Rating: 73.83 (including bonus)
Side note: Fixture violation (no mast antenna to support the radio). Future violations will result in Relative Rating penalties.
ACA Corona V8 Twin Power
“…not particularly good road manners, which are exacerbated on country roads. This seems to be more of a sheep in wolf’s clothing than anything else. A shame, as we are fond of the 303 V8…”
Pros: Good engine, relatively good performance
Cons: Poor drivability, relatively low comfort and prestige for the price, poor offroad
Relative Rating: 68.83
PMI Usurper Sabre V8
“…lovely 185 horsepower 318 V8. The Usurper Sabre continues a tradition of performance, making it to 60 in 10 seconds flat, and being able to hit just shy of 119 MPH. While it handles competently, the level of comfort just doesn’t rise to our expectations…”
Pros: Good performance and handling, relatively low purchase price
Cons: Poor comfort, poor safety
Relative Rating: 92.21
Other Class Reviews
Birmingham 7000 Sarthe
“…just plain outrageous. The 7000 is a pure adrenaline sports car, but it just seems to miss the mark of any established category…”
Pros: Highest in round prestige and top speed, reasonable reliability
Cons: Highest in round purchase price, poor comfort, mediocre handling
Relative Rating: 79.55
Fenton Grand Touring
“…big and heavy V8 that manages to be underpowered. It’s more like what you’d get if Townsend Coachworks built the Caliban…”
Pros: Good comfort, good handling
Cons: Poor reliability, relatively mediocre performance
Relative Rating: 88.64
Deer and Hunt Fallow
“…a very good selection for rural owners and farm work, Deer and Hunt has addressed deficiencies in the previous motor with a new V8 engine. This did cause the price of the Fallow to tick up slightly, but it is still a good value…”
Pros: Low purchase price, high reliability, best in round offroad
Cons: Poor comfort, utility still on the low side
Relative Rating: 88.64
Overall Relative Ratings are now in the OP and will be updated round by round.
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Bogliq USA HQ, Early September, 1951
Bogliq USA Corporate HQ, CEO Konstantin Bogliq’s office
“Would you like another piece of cake sir?”
“No thanks Eustace, just a coffee thanks, I’ll take it in my office…”
Konstantin left the victory party and headed up to his office. It was a huge call for Bogliq to invest in monocoque machine presses but it paid off, big time!
Motor World loved the new Mutineer and so did the American public. Bogliq dealers were screaming for more stock and the factory had put on an extra shift to keep up with demand.
The massive success of the new Mutineer and the long term investment embodied in the radical new technologies showcased by Vision: One meant that Bogliq was all over the automotive newscape. Bogliq USA was currently at the top of the tree in the American market and Konstantin wanted Bogliq to stay there…
But how? Konstantin mused. The Alpha Four was really old tech and while solid, the design was showing its age, plus it had no room for expansion. Bogliq would need multiple engine sizes and types to keep ahead of the curve and the Alpha Four wasn’t an easy engine to make variants of. Bogliq also needed to build a bigger sedan to appeal to larger families so the Alpha Four simply had to go.
Decisions, decisions… Konstantin needed some quiet time to contemplate Bogliq’s future but, for the moment at least, the present was looking very rosy indeed!
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I have to ask a stupid question, how are we pronouncing the Bogliq trim level “Entrance”? I get the feeling I’m doing it wrong.
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It should be pronounced “N-Trance” as in En Trance not as in “the building has a front entrance”
e.g.
If the accent is on the second syllable, then entrance is a verb meaning “to enchant, charm, or enamor” — “You will be entranced by the movie; the scenery looks so real you will swear it is growing in the theater.”
entrance - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/entrance
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September, 1951 - Sinistra Motors Headquarters, Nevada
“Damn it, Luke! Your front-wheel-drive contraption is a nightmare.” Mark Jasper said, tossing a copy of Motor World Review on Luke Sinistra’s desk.
“I told you, understeer is going to be something we have to work out. This will improve.” Luke shot back, glaring at Mark. “What isn’t going to help us is that everyone else is going with V8 engines. As much as I love our straight-six engines, we need something to match that.”
“I come to you with a complaint about the driveline and you tell me the problem is we need a bigger engine. They were doing burnouts in our luxury car, Luke!”
“I know that. But we can do lazy engines if we must. Just get me a damn V engine in the next car. I don’t care what you have to do, just make it happen. Borrow, beg, or steal the components needed and make it work.”
“We don’t have any reference materials, no research or development time in V engines. What you’re asking will take us years.” Mark said.
“I designed a front-wheel-drive in two years. You can do a V8 in one. Here, I’ve even made a small-scale model of what you’ll need to build in my spare time. Just scale it up.” Luke said, opening a filing cabinet and removing the small V8. He removed the tag labeled ‘Special Prototype #1’ from it, then handed it over to Mark, who seemed amazed by the complex little engine.
“Two cams. That makes a lot of sense. That solves the problem. I’ll get to work right away. Thank you for solving the design crisis! Just make it bigger.” Mark said, before running out of the office. The rest of Sinistra’s Engine Design Team could hear him yelling, “We’ve got a project! Luke needs a V engine!”
Luke closed the door in his office, turned on the phonograph, and started playing some reasonably peaceful classical music. “That will give us an edge, no doubts about that.” he said to himself, giving a light chuckle. “Can’t possibly mess up making the engine we need now.”
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But it still works, it is the lowest trim, right? 
It is the entry level tier for private buyers, yes. But the barrel bottom scraper is the Engage trim, as in the cheapest price to engage customer interest, geddit? 
The rest of the trims are named with similar concepts in mind, lol, and I got the idea from playing the Light Campaign… Helps keep the trim’s role in check.
Engage: Basic trim
Entrance: First decent trim for private buyers
Entice: Extra sweeteners to get customers to pay more
Enthuse: Performance trim to generate enthusiasm in our customers!
Empower: Luxury/GT trim to allow our customers to own the roads!
Hopefully that clarifies my line-up structure a bit better for you! 
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Cardiff, 18th November 1951. Lord Mach’s office.
Mach and Zacharias are once again reviewing the results that year, with the company of Brown, lead designer for Caliban. Mach is eyeing the magazines Zacharias has once again imported from the United States. He smiled slightly as he reached the end.
Mach: “The Type SC is the sports car of the year, gentlemen. Good job, but I have a question for you, Brown.”
Brown: “Yes Sir?”
Mach: “They keep saying our engines are technologically advanced despite them being a simple two valve design. What are they on about?”
Brown puts a greasy OHV head on Mach’s desk, complete with its rockers and pushrods.
Mach: “I swear if you have stained my desk I will make you clean it with your tongue.”
Brown: “This is what they mean, sir. While we use an overhead cam, they use this system called overhead valve, also known as pushrod. These manufacturers are perfecting it as we speak. My point is that technology they are not 100% familiar with is going to be advanced technology to them.”
Mach: “I see now. How is our brand valued, Zacharias?”
Zacharias: “We are the second favourite, Sir, only Bogliq is ahead of us.”
Mach: “Is there any way we can take that from them?”
Zacharias: “I would suggest an aggressive campaign, Sir.”
(@HighOctaneLove you play this however you feel you need to 
)
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Birmingham HQ, Alabama:
Roland: the 7000 was a flop. I think we have exhausted our premium cars, we need to go downmarket or we could be in trouble
Chief designer Reginald: don’t worry, I have something cooking up already; would you care to have a look?
Roland: sure, hopefully you know what you’re doing…
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ACA HQ: Lansing, Michigan. | December 10th 1951
Conway storms into the design room
Conway: The hell is this?! What the hell is going on. "Poor drivability, relatively low comfort and prestige for the price, poor offroad". What the hell are you guys doing?! Dammit, our reputations fucking ruined. Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!
Design Staff: Sir, I don’t know, we designed it to specification.
Conway: Well clearly that specification was shit. Listen, I want a new fucking car to replace this travesty of a model ASAP. In the mean while, improve the current car, make it better, I don’t give a damn what you do just make the damn car sellable. Otherwise we’re knee deep in shit…
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Dale Rathbone’s Summer Cottage: Traverse City, Michigan
Joe: Did you read the reviews?
Dale: Yeah. You were right. I should have sent them the V8 with overdrive
Elizabeth: I told you.
Dale: Well! I wanted to showcase the Lux-O-Matic. It’s very trendy these days.
Joe: Only to those starch shirts downtown. Besides, it’s new! There’s always problems with the new stuff.
Dale: No! It’s not good enough! Elizabeth, I want you to get Jerry and Robert on the phone. They’re going to start working together!
Elizabeth: Sure Hun! Anything else?
Joe: Now don’t go overboard! Fun is fun, but remember, this is our flagship brand.
Dale: I know! But if we have another black eye like this in the press, well we might as well sell our asses to the big guys right now! I want to hand this company down to my children.
Elizabeth: Dale! You weren’t supposed to tell!
Joe: That’s okay Liz. We knew you were getting a little chunky around the middle.
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Ardent Headquarters
Tuesday, August 7th, 1951
“Explain this one to me,” Jack sneered at the department heads gathered around the table. “Explain to me how we can beat Bogliq in Europe, but we seem to have a hard time defending our home turf?”
“Wrong eng…” John Case started, but was cut off.
“Wrong everything. Wrong engine. Wrong suspension setup.” Jack slammed the copy of Motor Review World on the table. “This isn’t the first time they’ve dragged us through the mud because our cars can’t handle any. What, do we only sell in California? New York?”
“No, s-sir,” Clarence stammered.
Jack slowly sat down. “Damn right, Clarence. We sell to all fifty States, all ten Canadian Provinces, and two thirds of both Europe and Latin America. You guys think there isn’t any mud in Alabama? Wyoming? What about Brazil? Huh?”
The room fell silent. Jack picked up a cigarette and moved to light it, but stopped. He shook his head and set it down in the tray, unlit. “Stanton, do you think the W1 will work in rural areas?”
Glass shook his head. “Too small. That’s A1 territory.”
“We need something other than the A1. Those guys at Deer and Hunt have been trying to muscle in on that market.”
“The Vela refresh is almost done, Mr. Chancellor,” Desmond interjected. “It’ll be harder for them to do that against a relaunched line.”
Jack nodded. “Good. But we need to do better in the middle. I want ideas, people. Two weeks, come back and pitch what you’ve got.”
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Round 3 - 1957
The States are no longer in an active war, with the Korean campaign ending in an armistice. However, the Cold War is setting in as tensions with the Soviets remain high. Still, at home, the streak of prosperity seems to continue unabated. Economic news as of late has been mixed. The GDP growth has slowed a couple times, unemployment has fluctuated, but also the minimum wage was increased in 1956 to $1/hr. Suburban boom is still in full swing, televisions and telephones seem to be a staple for homes across the country, and The King is rocking and rolling his way across the country. On the automotive front, June of 1956 sees the signing of the Federal Aid Highway Act, signaling the start of the Interstate highway system. Many existing highways and turnpikes are rolled in, and 20 years of expansion and construction are about to begin… But there is also social unrest at home. Senator McCarthy has conducted Senate hearings to root out Communism in the US, and Brown vs. Board of Education has determined that segregated schooling is not Constitutional, setting up the scene for unrest in the South. In November 1956, the US has is presidential election with Eisenhower being re-elected.
Economy
Unemployment: Low to Moderate
Inflation: Low to Moderate
Economy: Growing slower than inflation
Short-term economic forecast: Recession
Notable Social and Political Happenings
End of Korean War. Cold War with the Soviet Union. Congress authorizes construction and expansion of Interstate highways. Suburban flight is in full swing. Racial tension in the South about to reach a boiling point. McCarthyism and anti-Communist sentiment. Polio vaccine introduced. Rise of Rock and Roll.
Regulations
Fuel: Leaded (universal), Super Leaded (common)
Bumpers: Required, but no regulation as to size or strength.
Front lights and fixtures: At least one pair of headlights required. At least one pair of turn indicators required. Turn signals may be placed in bumpers.
Front light colors: No red may face forward.
Rear lights: At least one pair of brake lights. At least one pair of turn signals. At least one pair of reverse lights. Turn signals and reverse lights may be placed in bumpers. If turn and brake lights are in the same fixture and of the same color, there must be a minimum of two bulbs in the fixture.
Rear light colors: Brakes must be red. Reverse must be white. Turn signals cannot be white.
Side marker/signal lights: not required until 1963
Side light colors: amber only
Mirrors: Driver’s side required.
Aerials: Long mast antenna required if car has a radio.
Fuel fillers: Fillers on the rear panel and hidden behind fixtures are legally allowed.
File Naming Convention:
Model: Gen3-(username) Trim: (MFR Model Trim)
Engine: Gen3-(username) Variant: (Whatever you want)
Export and PM me the .car file, make a post about your car in your lore thread (if not already there), and post an ad in this thread BEFORE the round deadline.
If your company hasn’t registered for the competition yet and you want to participate in this round, please PM the required company information as well as your submission prior to the round deadline.
Round 3 deadline: Thursday May 10, 9:00 AM PDT (UTC-8)
Registrations for new companies are still being accepted.
Companies now eligible in this competition:
IP Automotive, LTD
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1956, Sinistra Motors Headquarters, Nevada
“Okay, who’s the fucking smart-ass who did this?” Luke Sinistra demanded, pointing into the engine bay of what was supposed to be a low-budget family cruiser.
“Well, um… We had a few problems with… scaling that V8 up. So we… Kinda went back to what we know.” Mark Jasper said, grinning lightly. “On the plus side, that new carburettor is really nice, isn’t it?”
“Five years, Mark. I gave your design team five years to give me a V8. You gave me an inline triple in 1952. A four-cylinder in 1954. Where. The fuck. Is my V8?”
“Well… It’s complicated.” Mark replied.
“I swear, Mark, if you sold it to the fuckin’ Commies, you’ll be in front of a firing squad. The last thing we need is them having our V8 designs, after all I went through to get it here. So tell me, what is so god-damn complicated about what you did to fuck up our plans.”
“We… We couldn’t figure out the crankshaft. That twist in the middle, it’s… Difficult.”
“So you gave me this. You didn’t think to take the inline four’s crank and link the cylinders? At least that would’ve been a V8. Sure, it would’ve sounded strange, but this does not scream ‘budget car’ at all.”
“Better than nothing, though. Or using the same old engine again. Trust me on this, it’ll sell well.” Mark said.
“We’ll see. If this flops and we have another fuck-up on our hands, Mark, our next conversation will be regarding your term of employment here, and the non-competes in your contract.”
(Figured a bit of lore-building was appropriate.)
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After hours on 3 April 1952
Fenton and Everette dined late that night talking business. They both knew their success as a car manufacturer wouldn’t ride endlessly on a single model and so came this meeting. Everette lit a cigarette and took a drag.
“Don’t get me wrong. The GT is a model worth keeping around.” he said to Fenton. “But its never going to have mass appeal.”
“I beg to differ,” Fenton responded. “I think it already has mass market appeal. We can barely keep up with demand. People want this thing”
Everette took another drag on his cigaratte. On exhale, he countered.
“No disrespect, but don’t kid yourself. $9600?” he continued. “That’s over half my annual salary. Now imagine Jo Schmo who’s actually buildin the thing for 50 cents an hour. You think a GT is in his future?”
Fenton swirled the glass of scotch he had in front him and slowly lifted it for a sip. There was certainly no denying what Everette had to say. Independent suspension, V8 engine, mastercraft interior - the GT was a dream car at very least.
“I suppose you’re right. I don’t see the car ever falling below $7000.” He took another gulp. “What do you propose?”
Without missing a beat, Everette dropped the bomb. “I’m saying we build a car for Jo Schmo. Something a guy can afford at the end of the year.”
Now it was Fenton who wasn’t missing a beat.
“Everette, just… hang on. The giants already have that one in their pants pockets. I… that would be suicide.” He reached for his drink again but paused right before it touched his lips. “You remember why we’re having this conversation right?”
“Fenton, I get it.” Everette said, cigaratte in his mouth. He removed it and continued. “But, hear me out. I really think we have a shot at it. I mean, we kicked the Krauts’ asses in the war but not before they totally pulverized the Europe. So now the US is the world’s only industrial power; people are buying stuff like crazy. If there was ever a time for something new, its now.”
Everette paused for a second to take a drink.
“Plus, the public is fickle. If we build something accessible and practical, it might help guard the GT’s image. Its selling well now, but sooner or later the press is going to catch up to it. You read the Motor World Review a few months back right?”
“Yes.” Fenton replied. He finished his drink and set the glass down.
“I think you might be right” Fenton finally admitted. “We need something that everyone could buy and that anyone could drive. And something that could survive an invasion by the damned Reds.”
Fenton reached in his coat pocket for his stogie. He popped out a cigar and while cutting the end, he looked over at Everette.
“I don’t want you to spend too much time on this just yet since we’ve a lot of problems that need attention. But put together a proposal. We’ll revisit this in a month or two.”
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Should I submit the trim that I want to give or give all the trim of that car?
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Only the trim you wish to have considered/graded. You may make references to other trims when you post your ad and/or in your lore thread, of course.
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Bogliq USA HQ
Detroit, Michigan
Strategic Planning Session, October, 1951
“The way I see it, we only have two rivals, Epoch and Ardent, and we’ve got both running scared” declared Jake Mulligan, head of Bogliq’s marketing division. “We’re untouchable right now so why worry?”
“Because you’re looking too small, Mulligan. You’ve missed the forest for the trees!” Retorted Konstantin. “All these quasi-luxury brands just have to move a little bit down-market and, BAM!!!, our market-share is cut in half!”
“Yeah, but why would they? Caliban has no interest in budget cars, it’d dilute their brand identity!” replied Jake. “Same goes for the rest of 'em. There’s major headaches in going from high profit, low volume, to low profit, high volume manufacturing; the changeover will kill them!”
“But not all of them. Some WILL survive. We need to pre-empt this vulnerability and make it so that the budget end of town is the toughest neighbourhood; too tough for those dandies from richey-dich, lah-de-dah tinseltown!” And with that final statement Konstantin left the meeting. Being at the top was hard, you had to make lightning strike the same place twice! But giving up wasn’t an option. Thankfully the Mutineer had provided Bogliq USA with a nice, fat, war chest to keep the company from fading gently into the night…
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