[LHC] - Letara History Challenge - Rd 5 [Results being posted]

[cake_ape]

Rd. 2 PREFACE: SPENDING AND LOBBYING

The Preface of Round 2 will determine the starting condition of Letara in 1955. For a summary of what happened between 1946-1954 economically and politically, see this post. In short, the country is experiencing a recession, suffered several major natural disasters, has a new government in power focused on austerity, and has relatively unchanged international relations.

For those that are eligible and want to participate in the lobbying and spending mechanism, this is your chance to shape how Letara dealt with its many challenges, how its industry and infrastructure grew and overcame (or didn’t) the natural disasters and subsequent economic woes.

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TIMELINE

Round two will span 1955-1963 inclusive.

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CAR CULTURE - TAKE-AWAYS FROM 1946-1954

The car market in Letara was fairly saturated with city and family cars. Options ranged from cheap, barebones cars to the most expensive and opulent luxury cars. In the budget and standard segments people favoured the best value for money. So it was not necessarily about being outright the cheapest; it was more about being the best value proposition. If for a little bit more money the car offered significantly more comfort, or luggage space, or reliability, or… any other key statistic, then Letarans did favour that car in most cases.

For more premium - and especially luxury - offerings, value for money became a more and more diminishing consideration. Even though the regular premium market did fade away as the economy plummeted, the few customer who hung on in this market segment wanted something “extra” for their investment. For the increased price the car had to be unique in some way, something you could show off and brag about. And in the luxury segment this was especially emphasized: nobody wants to drove what their neighbour drives. Being unique (in a good way) sold cars.

The utility segment was a bit of a disappointment for Letarans. In their eyes a utility car is just that - purpose build for getting a job done, and getting it done well. Too many utility vehicles were simply too small to be useful, or were too compromised due to platform sharing with their passenger car siblings. As such, Letarans were forced to buy whatever they had access to, regardless if this car really fulfilled their needs or not, and make aftermarket modifications to the vehicles as necessary. The frustrated utility market was then left hungry for true, purpose built, capable, reliable utility vehicles.

The sports segment had a decent spread in the upper, more expensive tiers. Letarans clearly have a hunger for sports cars - they started the Cannonball Run in their regular road cars long before it became a legitimized and official race. However, sports cars were late to arrive in Letara, and by the time they did, most were too expensive for the general population. So for many, owning a true sports car was nothing but a dream.

Cabriolets were rare in Letara. Although available in the city, family, and sports segments, they were only available in limited quantities in the more expensive vehicles. In the Mediterranean climate, they were ideal to show off and drive down the highway with the top down. They were a rare and thus desirable option that elevated the car’s status above the rest, and became a status symbol of wealth and luxury.

Only three cars had metallic paint, so similar to cabriolets, these cars had something special to show. Having a nice sparkling paint job also became a symbol of uniqueness and opulence, and could elevate even a relatively cheap car above the crowd.

Lastly, and this only tangential to the car culture and ties in with the economy - but very few (13/77) cars on the market opted to use aluminium panels, and a few more opted for an aluminium engine head. These cars didn’t receive any special attention from Letarans as they didn’t really seem to bestow much benefit - except maybe in the sports category for weight savings. As such, the newly elected Letaran government of 1953 decided that the aluminium subsidy might have been a failure by the previous government, and started looking into other options. Their support for the existing aluminium industry and the import subsidy hangs in the balance, but could be saved by sufficient external pressure - which brings us to…

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COMPANY SPENDING AND LOBBYING

The following 32 people submitted consumer cars in Round 1, and are eligible for company spending and lobbying: @abg7 @Admiral_Obvious @AndiD @Aruna @ChemaTheMexican @conan @donutsnail @Edsel @Elizipeazie @Fayeding_Spray @FidleDo @GassTiresandOil @HelloHi @karhgath @Knugcab @lotto77 @LS_Swapped_Rx-7 @Ludvig @Lupus @Madrias @mart1n2005 @Maverick74 @Mikonp7 @MrdjaNikolen @Petakabras @Prium @Riley @SheikhMansour @TanksAreTryhards @Texaslav @Vento @voiddoesnotknow

SPENDING

Everyone on the above list has 10 spending tokens that you can spend in whole integers. How you allocate your tokens is up to you. You may buy an assembly or factory in Letara, which increases your lobbying power:

• Spend 10 tokens on spending items and 10 power on lobbying items; or
• Spend 6 tokens on an assembly plant for the next round, 4 tokens on spending items, and 13 power on lobbying items; or
• Spend 10 tokens on a full factory for the next round, and 16 power on lobbying items.

Note that the government has their own spending purse, so your spending will supplement the government’s funds. Spending items proposed by the Letaran Government include:

• Road maintenance - helps to rebuild the current road network after the natural disasters, and maintain at the current level so that roads don’t deteriorate.
• Road construction - will expand and improve the current road network. These might include paving gravel or dirt roads, start construction on an interstate highway system.
• Supporting the current bauxite mining and refining industry.
• Expanding the bauxite industry with alumina processing capability.
• Expanding and supporting higher education - in general, or in any of the following specialties:
  • aerodynamics
  • mechanical engineering
  • petrochemical engineering
  • materials science
  • electrical engineering
• Building of improvements along the Portunis Cannonball Run to enhance its appeal.
• Construction of a dedicated race track (specify what kind).
• Support for train infrastructure.
• Support for air infrastructure.
• Support for other industry - general support, or any of the following:
  • Petroleum
  • Coal
  • Iron
  • Forestry
  • Agriculture
• “Other” - feel free to spend on items not on this list. Provide a brief description what your company spend its tokens on and I’ll do my best to incorporate it into Letara’s lore. If you think your idea might be too far fetched, outside the scope or spirit of the challenge series, it’s best to ask; the Letaran government reserves the right to reject ideas, or they might simply fail.

LOBBYING

Depending on how you spend your tokens, you will have 10, 13, or 16 lobbying power. These can also be spent in whole integers, and it’s up to you how you wish to allocate them. You can lobby for or against individual items. Note that the government has their own ideas and direction they want to take, and some items they feel very strongly about due to for example safety reasons. So lobbying outcome is not a guarantee - but your input might influence the government to make certain decisions.

Lobbying items proposed by the Government of Letara include:

• Mandate amber indicator lights on the front and rear corners of the vehicle.
• Mandate side indicator lights.
• Mandate double head lights - one regular light and one high beam.
• Ban center head lights.
• Mandate three brake lights on the rear of the car.
• Implement stricter safety regulations.
• Ban “obnoxious” car colours that cause a distraction for other motorists.
• Ban radial tires altogether.
• Implement emissions standards.
• Tighten noise regulations.
• Adjust and tighten speed limits on public roads.
• Make driver and passenger side mirrors mandatory.
• As a cost saving measure ban staggered tires.
• Standardize license plate size (state you preferred size).
• Implement a displacement tax (state what displacement(s) should trigger the tax(es)).
• Implement luxury tax on the most expensive vehicles.
• Implement fuel economy tax (state what l/100km (not MPG, Letara doesn’t use imperial units) value would trigger the tax - or taxes if multi-tier).
• For keeping the same or similar road racing format as the Portunis Cannonball Run.
• For an alternate race series, specify:
  • Alternate paved route/format.
  • Alternate mixed surface/dirt race/rally event.
  • Dedicated track racing (specify what kind, e.g. traditional circuit, oval, drag etc.)
• “Other” - feel free to propose your own lobbying item. Same restrictions and caveats apply as for the spending tokens.

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Those people eligible for spending and lobbying, please DM me your responses in the same thread where you submitted your car. Please do not create a new thread.

Spending and lobbying is open until 23:59 ET on Friday, November 11.

[karhgath]

NEWS RELEASE

WOLFE MOTORS
REGINA, SK, CANADA

FOR RELEASE: Sunday papers   

REGINA, December 1954: Lewis Wolfe, President of Wolfe Motors, is proud to announce the formation of the “No Taxes For a Happy Letara” lobby with many more car makers.

“Letarans are hurting and it is time we squash any further taxation in Letara to help everyone get back on track in this economy. Letarans should have the final say on what they spend their money on, they are free and proud” said M. Wolfe.

Their core agenda is fighting any talks of further taxes involved - people need to spend on cars and be happy at the wheel.

“We believe a free economy is best for everyone. Larger cars and powerful engines are not competing with the smaller cars, but we’ve also seen that the utility segment needs some good, dedicated, larger chassis and engines to haul materials around to help rebuild Letara after many years of hardship, and the premium market is hurting. We’d hate to see the smaller car market struggling as the premium market did…”, said M. Wolfe, not finishing his thought.

The core program is simple: No further taxes in Letara, and everyone joining will be helping, in some capacity, rebuilding roads and expanding the road system further to profit all Letarans. Member will also be encouraged to invest in local assemblies or local education, if they are so willing, to show the government how invested the lobby is in Letara.

“No child shall be left behind, and they have a right to grow up and buy their dream car. We’re also willing to fight back aggressively if needed, as we truly believe that free Letarans will be happy Letarans.” said the President of Wolfe Motors in closing.

Right now, a coalition of companies are forming and at least 6 car makers are currently in talks. Please contact Wolfe Motors at the coordinates below if you are interesting in joining or have questions about the “No Taxes For a Happy Letara” lobby.

(ooc: DM me)

[happyfireballman]

Oh hell nah , they’re banning these things that are for us:

(I am not lobbying)

I may advise the bigger companies to take care of the big changes such as the luxury and displacement tax.

Mid-size companies should take care of the issue against obnoxious colors and radial tires.

Smaller companies should try to advocate against the inability for staggered tires and noise regulations.

I am not lobbying against these legislation, it is to persuade companies to take action for these issues at hand as this is a business letter to all the companies to make sure we all advocate for the betterment of our situation.

The letter:

Dear motor companies,

“ The Rhania Motor Companhia would like to make this formal statement for all corporate entities to all come together and make changes to the Letaraian regulations. We all should know that Letara is about to implement some changes that would affect us all such as the addition of a displacement and luxury tax including the obnoxious retraction of our color palette and the inability to use radial tires.

These regulations will make it harder for us to enter the Letaraian market and will drive us crazy (pun not intended)and would stop the production for most of our cars.

Here is where I propose a solution which would benefit us all and in order to do this, we all must work with each other to create a mutualism between each and everyone. If we do not work with each other, we will see chaos erupt from our lawyers to our workers stirring up in a web of regulations

For the bigger motor corporations, they must help to lobby against the displacement and luxury tax as this would lead to a greater issue for the consumer. For instance, if there was a displacement tax then there would be a greater cost for trucks and heavy duty commercial vehicles. Which in turn would create a more expensive with the taxes adding up. The customers of these vehicles need them for hard work and so to implement a displacement tax would hurt our customers greater than ever and would force them to use vehicles that may not be suitable for their needs.

On the other side of the spectrum, the luxury car segment has been growing greater than others based on the observation of my spies in Letara. This increase of luxury car buyers would be more interested in offerings that give them the luxury they require without destroying their mutual funds. This luxury car tax is a slap to the face and would make it harder to sell these types of vehicles to the public. This tax would soon be the death of many companies that I see here, and I would advise to take a stand against this tax.

The bigger companies should understand that they have a responsibility for themselves and the others around them, and it is required that they will assist to lobby against these taxes that would stifle our sales

Another stand that must be made is the advocacy against the unintellectual rules against a colorful palette and the retraction of radial tires. The average sized motor corporations shall take the responsibility to put sense into Letaraian legislation.

A colorful flower on the side of the road should cause equal damage as to a car with an artistically made color with good taste in visual presentation. However that is not the case as the driver is fully aware of his surroundings and a piece of art would cause any accident, as reported by my agents in Letara, most accidents in Letara were caused by external forces such as wild animals and rough roads. This would lead to the reason that an exquisite color shall not cause injuries.

Radial tires are proven to be more effective for both racing and consumer cars. Radials help with traction, fuel efficiency, and overall a faster vehicle overall. Radials allow vehicles to be more effective in their conditions which is what the public needs now as Letara isn’t well invested in its infrastructure.

Companies that fit in this category as being in the middle should use their power to lobby against the retraction of radials and the ban on color.

The last group of motor companies that I would like to address are the small companies. To you, you may not believe that you could make an impact on Letara, however there is a way that you can make a difference to help us all. By allowing for staggered tires and eliminating a noise restriction.

Staggered tires allow for grip for where it is needed such as for race cars and cars for commercial prospects. Without this ability to have staggered tires, many companies would not be able to make effective commercial vehicles or race cars that would win races.

The small companies would not be able to make good cars without having to make some noise especially with their performance vehicles and heavy duty vehicles which would hurt the ability for small companies to make good cars at a low price.

I ask for all of you to consider this letter as a reminder to use your power to help pave the way for a better future for all of us, including the people of Letara. Without this organization, we would not be able to succeed in making quality cars for the Letaraians without these efforts.”

Signed sincerely by the Rhania Motor Companhia

[Knugcab]

VAUGHN REVUE LETARA
The magazine that goes out to all of you Letarans driving a Vaughn, Wraith or VCV
Autumn 1953

"Dream car of the Letarans? That has to be the Wraith Montezuma, during to a study done by an independent institute, interviewing lots of Letarans. The question was, “If you were able to buy and drive any 1953 model automobile, which one would you choose?”. With over 40% going for a Wraith Montezuma, it beat other favourites like the Benetsch Buhrie SK and Minerva Solarian Elegance by a great margin. Also, the Vaughn Torpedo scored among the top 10 cars.

The reasons for ranking the Wraith Montezuma as #1 (where multiple answers were allowed) was mainly the “looks” (over 80% of the answers), followed by the “comfort and luxury” (74% of the answers) and the “powerful engine” (69% of the answers).

Even internationally the Wraith Montezuma is held as one of the finest automobiles built, for example in its home country, USA, where the waiting list for the Montezuma has been very long."

[Petakabras]

SAETA Official Annoucement

We, as a car company, can´t support the absolute nonsense that the “No Taxes for a Happy Letara” coalition is trying to push. This country has recently been hit by several disasters and rebuilding all the affected infraestructure will be a costly affair.

Therefore, we will campaign for a luxury tax on high displacement engines, excluding utility vehicles. Any car company interested in the welfare of Letara should do the same as us, and all of you are invited to join this common effort.

Saving Letara is everybody´s duty

[Madrias]

AMCW Official Announcement

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(OOC: The use of clipped/broken English is deliberate. This is written from the perspective of aliens who speak a language far less complex than English, and they are not amused.)

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October, 1954

Vuri ada ahd nevuri marin.

We have heard rumors and sayings-of-uncertain-truths that some of you are trying to tax engines-of-great-size.

We would kindly advise that this tax is not in your best interests. Yes, you might push some competition out of market. A hound kicked bites hand that feeds, however.

Should you continue on this foolish course, we will be forced to vote in favor of:

• A mandate for top tier safety equipment.
• A ban on all leaded motor spirits.
• A requirement that all motor carriages below 3 meters in length be taxed, as small vehicles are not safe in collisions.
• A mandate for reduction in emissions.
• A ban on any system increasing air pressure in intake.

Do not think we can not do this. We are neither fangless nor clawless.

Di sehuul neruzahi. You have no spirit for war. We are all warriors here, and within each of us, our twin hearts pound the drums of war.

Do not start a battle in which you cannot win.

-Vilzahir Jupard Rhuthan-Selgald

[HelloHi]

PRESS RELEASE - CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

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Here at Alira, we take safety very seriously. This is why for 1955, we hope to pass a law mandating a center third headlamp in Letara, making it easier and safer to see at night. As of late there has been lots of discussion surrounding displacement taxes. At this time, we have no position on this issue. As part of our entrance into the Letaran car market, we are also proud to announce that we are launching our first factory in Letara! Located in Storia, we hope to begin production of our soon-to-be-announced new model there. As always, drive Alira- there’s nothing else like it!

[GassTiresandOil]

KESSEL WERKS CORPORATE OFFICE

December, 1954

Sigmund Kessel sat at his desk, looking over the dismal sales figures from Letara regarding their Sperling. His Operations Manager, Otto Frisch, poured himself a drink at Mr. Kessel’s wet bar and gazed out the office window.

Kessel: “Our Sperling has failed…”

Frisch: “Yes, Letara’s middle-class is struggling. We have… also misjudged the
priorities of the people…”

Kessel: “Then we should adjust course as soon as possible. I have heard numerous setbacks have hit Letara especially hard as of late. Do they have a plan of action for recovery?”

Frisch: “Of course, but it will take capital investment, like anything else. On that subject, there seems to be some heated lobbying by some of the other auto makers present. Even some threats of bodily harm… kidnapping, that sort of thing.”

Kessel: “Really? Don’t we supply the Letaran government with their transport vehicles? Notify all Kessel employees about the K20’s secret anti-confinement measures. I’ll be damned if any of our people get kidnapped in our own van! What the hell are these people rallying about anyways?”

Frisch: “It’s a little manic, to be honest. Half of their demands are ideals that our company already shares. Others, namely a tax on SMALL vehicles, will push even the cheapest cars beyond the price-point of most Letarans. Basically, only the wealthy will be able to drive.”

There was a moment of reflection in the office as the two men stared out the window. Then, Sigmund Kessel spoke.

Kessel: “The poor, who are left to wallow in financial quicksand, will reach for the hand of Satan, so long as he promises to pull them out. We saw that first-hand here in Germany not too long ago… now it seems the East and West are carving our country for themselves. We have a chance to make an impact for the masses of Letarans. We will build a factory there, and we will use it to build such a vehicle that the poor may drive themselves out of the quicksand they find themselves in.”

[Edsel]

Official Statement from The Aero Company.

This letter is directed in response to proposals and statements made by SAETA, AMCW, Alira, and Rhania.

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First off, we must address recent statements made by the Rhania Corporation.

We are appalled at your recent conduct directed towards SAETA. We feel that this conduct is unacceptable for any modern company.

We understand that you might disagree with some of their ideas and proposals- this is to be expected in a democratic system -and that you might even want to convince them of your view of the contrary. But to threaten violence or murder against another for this purpouse is the lowest form of degeneracy, cowardice, and barbarity imaginable, and has no place in the civilized business world; especially when paired with a (poor) attempt to hide your identity in doing so.

The appropriate organizations within the Spanish State has been notified, as have our fellow automakers in Japan. We advise that, if you would ever like to enter the Lentaran domestic market, and ever hope to make any friends or allies among the automakers of any nation, you should strongly reconsider how you conduct yourselves before the international community.

Out of Lore: The above letter is a further part of the lore, however I do want to make a note out of lore that threatening (even fictional) violence against an (even fictional) company might be a little too intense for this roleplay. Please try to tone it down a bit next time.

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That aside, we would like to address proposals recently made by various other companies, and provide some proposals of our own

Our platform is based around the danger of large vehicles. We define a large vheicle as a car or truck with a wheelbase larger than 3 meters, and/or track width larger than 1.4 meters, and/or weight greater than 2000kg. A large vehicle is a danger to other road users; its weight means it cannot stop or steer very easily, especially in emergency situations. And in the event of a crash, while its inertia means a slight boost in safety for its passenger, it also greatly magnifies the danger to anything it may hit- pedestrians, cyclists, other cars, buildings, and more.

Now, we recognize that to many, this size is a necessity; many businesses and large families genuinely need the capabilities of large vehicles. So we do not intend to limit, or prevent the sale of large vehicles, per se, but rather we hope to improve these vehicles, and those that drive them, in the long term.

So first off, we would like to propose that stricter driver training and licensing standards be implemented for large vehicles. In order to drive a large vehicle, drivers would have to take additional training courses on how to manage the vehicle’s extra weight, and would have to pass a more rigorous exam; after which, they would be issued a special license for driving large vehicles. This would ensure that all large vehicle drivers would be fully qualified to manage their machines, and better able to handle adverse conditions. And while we recognize that this requirement would add cost to these autos, our research shows that to the vast majority of large vehicle buyers, this cost would not be prohibitive.

Secondly, we strongly and enthusiastically support Alira’s plan to mandate a center third headlight in Lentara; we had been hoping to introduce a similar proposal ourselves. However, we do not envision such a law as a blanket requirement for all autos, but as a requirement only for vehicles. Large vehicles need more distance to stop from a given speed, and the 3rd headlight ensures they can see further at night to accommodate this. This also serves to aid other drivers/pedestrians/etc. in identifying large vehicles; similar to how motorcycles only use one headlight instead of two, so they can be identified as such quicker.

We also note SAETA’s suggestion of a tax on high-displacement engines. While that is not our preferred solution, we also like the idea, and feel our companies’ views have much in common; we’d be willing to discuss coordinating our lobbying with you further.

And finally, we’d like to address AMCW’s proposal. We note that you are strongly against SAETA’s proposal, and that your overall position differs from ours. However, we would like to express that we do not consider ourselves “in opposition” to you; in fact, we approve of many of your proposals. Being from Japan, a very densely-populated nation, we see the need for a ban on toxic leaded fuels, and a mandate for a reduction in emissions. We also approve of a requirement for stricter safety standards. if we could open some dialogue on the matter, perhaps we could find some common ground off of which to work from.

We have a vested interest in providing a safe, bright future for the nation of Lentara; espeically since we plan to have a factory of our own operating within the country by 1955. That is why we are reaching out to SAETA, AMCW, and Alira, in the hopes that we can combine our lobbying efforts to create better legislation for the future of Lentara- and we invite any other automakers who agree at least in part with any of these ideas, to contact us directly, so we can talk about how we might work together.

We look forward to speaking with you,

The Aero Company.

5-chōme-325 Komaki,
Aichi 485-0041, Japan
+81 568-XX-XXXX

@happyfireballman @HelloHi @Madrias @Petakabras

[lotto77]

is anyone even going to read this? I guess I'll just put a spaceship here (_)(_)=====D~~

^ The div above this is the first background, and the primary border. The background doesn’t move due to the “background-attachment: fixed” tag. The background loops vertically if your image is short or your device is tall enough, so this allows for patterns (see: portalkat’s AGC20)

Feel free to change the image to whatever suits your fancy.

^ The div above this is the second background, and secondary border. it also defines the text color and font family.

Planar History Files: Letara press releases vol.1

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In the mid 50’s, a storm was brewing in Letara. The government had put out proposals for tax changes and companies were getting in tussles both publicly and privately to drum up support for or against their agendas.

P&A didn’t feel like they had any real audience to talk to, considering their status as an edge player in the niche upper end of the market, but as rhetoric grew and plans for big updates got pushed out of these new taxes’ timeframes, the company felt it could get a word in to get some brownie points and maybe even attract some new customers.

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Letara press release 1, clipping from The Letaran Herald

Here at P&A, we are proud to be serving the upper end of the Letaran market, and while our message could very easily just be mailed to our current customers, with the way other companies are going about it we feel we need to make our voice known to a wider audience.

For those unaware, P&A’s only offering in the consumer market at the moment is the Sportsman Mk.II, a luxury sedan with a 5 litre six cylinder, and as such our opposition to a displacement tax should be self-explanatory. However, it may come as a surprise to some that we are actually lobbying for a luxury car tax, as we feel that that will both make the upper end more exclusive, and put more money back into Letara’s economy. We are also lobbying for stricter safety standards, as good passenger safety has always been of great import to us here at P&A, and we wish for the market as a whole to follow that.

As for non-taxation related issues, we are also proud to announce that we are fully putting our support behind both improvements to the Portunis Cannonball Run, and also towards the establishment of a dedicated touring car series, with us personally investing in the creation of better dedicated race facilities to support it.

I hope we can continue to enjoy a good reputation and experience in Letara, and wish for all of our competitors both current and future to maintain level heads in what will surely be a trying time, no matter whether you get what you want or not.
-James Ardent, P&A CEO.

[Edsel]

(Because you were threatening a Spanish company; The planned crime would’ve taken place in Spain.)

[benjamintamilia]

Official Statement from Canadian Motors

This letter is directed in response to the less than savory behavior by some companies, plus cover why the HW38 “Pangolin” never made it to market.

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Firstly, we must address the reckless statements made by the Rhania Corporation.

As a company within the British Commonwealth and looking to perform business with Letara, we are less than pleased with Rhania’s reckless behavior and conduct directed towards SAETA. As a company committed to ensuring security, we are standing in solidarity with The Aero Company for what we also feel is unacceptable conduct for any modern company.

We fully understand that your viewpoints on the lobbying for various safety items aren’t exactly on the same page as the rest of us - which is on par with a democratic system - and that you are actively considering trying to change our viewpoints.
But to actively threaten violence or murder against another company or person in writing for the explicit purpose of trying to keep the lobbyists at bay is everything that is wrong, venal and mendacious with the Rhania Corp. and is the lowest tier of human behavior possible; on top of pairing up with no attempt to hide your identity in doing so.

The appropriate organizations within Letara and the greater British Commonwealth will be notified, as with our fellow automakers in Canada and elsewhere. We strongly advise that if you are ever actively considering entering the Lentaran domestic market or are considering contracts with them alongside hoping to make any friends or allies with the automakers of any nation, we encourage you reconsider how you are conducting yourself before the international Community.

Out of Lore: The above letter is a further part of the lore of my company and Letara as a whole, however I do want to emphasize that threatening (even fictional) violence against an (even fictional) company might be a little too intense for this roleplay.

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That aside, we would like to publicly address why the 1947-1948 HW38 “Pangolin” have never made it to the Letaran government and how we are actively working to prevent similar situations from occurring again in the future.

We heavily regret to inform the Letaran government that the cargo ship containing 10 examples of the HW38 “Pangolin” to be imported, the SS Edwardian Castle of the Commonwealth Oceanic Navigation Company, was lost in a storm after colliding with unmarked shoals some 5 nautical miles (9 km.) off the coast of Letara with the loss of all hands, and salvage operations have recovered at least 1 of the 10 examples along with the victims of the disaster; the other 9 examples were too damaged to be recovered.
We are actively working alongside the Commonwealth Oceanic Navigation Company to ensure such a tragic thing doesn’t happen again; a investigation into the disaster was just completed, the results are to not be publicly disclosed as it contains business pertaining to Letara.

We are looking forward to speaking with you,

Canadian Motors
A company for all.

1 Canadian Motors Circle,
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
+1 519-XXX-XXXX

[conan]

Official Statement from Yanmex Import | Importer of Mitsushita Cars

Due to lackluster sales, we could not afford to employ a copywriter at this moment. We’ll report back when we have one.

[abg7]

Press Release from Wolfram Motors

Concerns about our Wanderer’s lack of sportiness led us to make some tweaks for the 1954 Cannonball Run. They worked… up to a point. Few of our entries finished, and even then, well behind the leaders. Nevertheless, we have chosen to make the Cannonball spec an extra-cost option from 1955 onwards.

In addition to this, we are currently investing in large-scale road construction and maintenance programs in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that hit Letara recently, along with improvements to the Cannonball Run, as well as a dedicated paved closed-circuit race track. We are also lobbying for the establishment for a circuit racing series and a road racing format similar to the Cannonball Run, plus mandatory fitment of amber indicators on front and rear corners, and a license plate size similar to that which is already in use throughout Europe.

[FidleDo]

LIBERTY CORP. STANDS WITH FAMILIES

Liberty cars have always been well known as the family car of Letara. It is the reason why the Liberty Civilian Wagon was one of the best selling family wagons of Letara. Which is why we, Liberty Corp., has decided to side with families to make cars safer for the next generation of Letara. We plan on lobbying for more safety features, not only for our cars, but we want to push other manufacturers to do the same.

But that isn’t our only plan for lobbying. In order to make cars safer and easier to drive, we are planning on going against Letara’s proposal for banning radials and staggered tires. Although we do understand where the Government is coming from, we believe that this is a horrible idea! If this is law is set in stone, all cars on the Letaran roads will be impossible to control, including yours! Is that what you want for your family?

Speaking of Letaran Roads, we have decided to help the government recovering by donating some of our money to help rebuild the roads of Letara. As you know, there have been plenty of disasters that have struck over the last few years, and sadly, Letara has been struggling to recover. We hope that other corporations gather together to help you and this country.

Lastly, to help the economy recover, we have decided to build a factory in Letara! Why? We want to provide jobs to all of the hard workers out there, and help give money to boost the economy during these unprecedented times.

So the next time your family is safe in your car, or the next time the country improves, or when you are working with us, remember to thank Liberty, because we stand with you!

Liberty Corp. Advertising and Lobbying Department, 1953
Floor 7, 13, Building 420, 69th Avenue
Philidelphia, PA, USA
+1-215-xxx-xxxx

[Petakabras]

The Even Keel Proposal

Several manufacturers have recently seen the devastated state of the country, and after long deliberation, have reached an agreement that complies with each company´s individual objectives, yet offers a serious fix for the current situation in Letara.

By taxying displacement, all the citizens will help in the common effort to rebuild Letara. Letaran hardest-hit citizens get affordable transportation, thanks to the tax free sub-660cc class, and Letara´s government will get the much needed tax money through the higher-displacement tariffs.

Below 660cc: 0%
660cc-1.4L: 5%
1.4-2.2L: 10%
2.2-3.0L: 15%
Over 3.0L: 25%

Utility vehicles will be treated as one bracket below their real displacement.

This proposal from The Aero Company, Kessel Werks and SAETA is still open to other interested companies, and we will gladly give you more information if asked.

[Madrias]

A letter, written on parchment and sealed in a clearly hand-folded, wax-sealed envelope ended up in the mail room at SAETA.

---

Vuri ada ahd nevuri marin,

Forgive my English, it is not my native language, merely fifth language I have learned.

I have read your proposal, and while I am firmly in disagreement, I understand your position. It not-fortunate that your proposed tax, however, seem to deliberately target us. As motor-carriage builder, you know how difficult engine is to build, yes? Many years go into design, into testing, into making good engine. We have four options for engine. Smallest is 4.1 of your liter. This “proposal” at time like this means either lose all money designing new, small engine, or lose all money because cannot sell car.

Why these size chosen? Why these tax chosen?

Perhaps compromise? Less tax on big engine, or bigger engine under tax?

Ideal to not tax engine at all, but tax car-of-little-usefulness instead. You say transportation is important, yes? What purpose does car with two seats, no space to store boot, and powerful engine have? Also, why is “trunk” called “boot” if boots not go in trunk?

– Vilzahir Jupard Rhuthan-Selgald,
Ruler of Valraadi Empire, Leader of Aetheriian Motor-Carriage Works

[MrdjaNikolen]

Mrdja Cars Letara journey
Part 1b: Reaction to reviews and other events, announcement of further plans

1946

First year on market brought many news, most of which would be of rather negative kind.

First thing that should be brought to attention is disqualification from racing bcos car turned to be little bit too expensive.
Main culprit for this was found in engine compartment: that inline 6 had very likely took price above the limit and responsible supervisor also admited he misremembered price cap.
This was rather unfortunate as it meant said Daniloski cars would not be used in role for which they were intended, however they were still road legal and as such could have been used in other manners.
In this case, new role was rapid delivery: in case of need to quickly get some relatively small item, said item would be put in trunk or on roof rack and away we go.
Ones that had chance to use these were blessed, as it meant they will not put up with relative slowness of Kolondra 1400

Speaking of which…

Defacto Mrdja Cars Letara’s consumer and company fleet car would be met with cold reception.
It also had racing intake for some reason, as someone clearly havent paid attention to said detail, likely contributing for cars reliability (precisely, relative lack of it).
As was already covered, people running the operation were also using this in Wagon version, which proved to be best one as well.
Reason for this was fact this was both smallest and cheapest 6+seat vehicle avaiable to public, which did brought fair share of compromises.
Also many wagons overall were submited, prompting independent category

Fact that 1400 was “hatchback” contributed to fact that it had relatively solid boot. This wasnt noted in reviews and Quint would have liked if it was, but then again, it likely was not only vehicle with such feature.
It was kinda surprizing to see this being marked as city car, as in Quint’s words “belonged in small family car segment”.
Tbf, it is fair bit shorter and with smaller wheelbase than VW Beetle which was quintessential representative of said class and yes, there was quite a bit of offer of bigger cars
Seems Letarans dont feel the need to go quite that compact…

Van was met with very varied competition. Utility vehicles did happen to be fairly compromised, which eased the fact Van havent did that well.

This also means that we are unlikely to further discuss any vehicle mentioned here, as eventually even Wagon met more than its match in market not that much later.
Quint and Omega had gotten used to long journeys that they took every day, helped by fact they kinda already have such experience.
Nothing really happened in their lives that would prompt further discussion

1947

This year will be remembered by Triple Threat that happened during said year.
Out of fires, volcano eruption and drought, only last one brought some issues for functioning of company.
Thats mostly due to fact some employees happened to get hit by it, affecting their mood while on job.
Happily, damage to them happened to only be of material kind but this will nevertheless badly hit economy of whole country

1948

Company received another batch of rapid delivery vehicles, as government proposal also happened to be disqualified.
Once again, thats due to misremembering if example sent for scruteeneering had 3rd row (it didnt) but tbh government representative was reached to comment if car had chance to further progress if not for said mistake.
He said that power and speed of Kolondra V8 were very solid, but it had too many shortcomings in other areas to proceed much further.
We arent exactly happy with response, but will strive to improve upon it.

1400 Wagon got proper competitor in 8 seater segment, namely Liberty Civilian Wagon, which meant its popularity skydived

Year is also showing country getting weaker economy-wise

1949

Earthquake has shook entire country. This time noone was spared from consequences: this means our lovely duo is going to need to take down their seats in car and basically live in said car.
Omega got properly scared due to this very scary event and Quint also needed to change into clean pants after event has passed.

There was fair bit of damage to dealerships and employee’s houses as well, so everyone greatly struggled on that, in many cases using cars from dealer lots as temporary accomodation.
Said cars are often bought outright by said employers tad bit down the line, as they got very customized to fit needs and wants of its user-turned-owner.

Some employee’s having either KimiKups or V8s at their disposal started working on the side as express delivery drivers, not picky to any customers.
This was done in secrecy, behind back of their supervisors.

1950

Very moderate repairs on both company facilities and houses from previous year are continuing further; effect of ppl not wanting to part with their temporary houses being in full swing.

Express Delivery gang is busted and cars are relocated to other employees. They tried to continue using lesser 1400s now in their hands, but they ultimately failed to live up to standard set year before.

1951

This year had several events of importance
Fire and lava had further made dent on Letaran economy, happily no lives were lost as far as our employees were concerned

Certain group called LED has broke into the premises, using overall chaos in company.
All but one example of Kolondra V8s and Daniloski KimiKups were stolen.
Only remaining examples were in Jawoli atm, being used by Quint and Omega.
No money was taken, no damage of any other sort done

It left company puzzled…

1952

Investigation revealed that some people had seen V8s and KimiKups in wild.
This was reported all over the country, which provided significant clues as to what exactly happened.
LED gang was caught and their base of operation was revealed: LED stood for Letara Express Deliveries and members were…our various employees that started with this side job few years ago.

Dedication was quite impressive, seeing that they were still regularly attending their jobs in company.
Still, measures had to be taken and as such LED stopped with their operations for time being.
They had some pay cuts because they did still STOLE our government and racing car proposals, which wasnt greatly received.

1953

LED…is back, but now as subsidiary of company so they can deliver some stuff we might need at rapid pace.
They had complained fair bit, but tad bit higher paycheck had mostly silenced them down.

They were also in charge of inside organisation “Future Letara drivers” that prepared elderly, children and women of other employees to get driving licence, providing their great expertise in one of best possible ways.

1954

LED is allowed to expand outside of our company, with whom will still be semi-related: afterall it is composed of our employees and using our rejected proposals as their vehicles.
However, they are making plans to further expand their fleet by buying some consumer-avaiable cars that would still be able to meet high standards in terms of speed.
Kolondras 1400 of any kind are very much not going to be considered, that is as much as it can be told.

---

Company itself decided that building factory here in Letara is way to go, and said factory will cover much more than Letaran market if needed.
As for lobbying:

1. Against ban of radials
2. Against ban of staggered tires
3. Same racing format as Portunis Cannonball Run
4. Numberplate format of CamshaftSoftware Verse
   (For RL readers: Modern numberplates that feature name of game as text; already used on all Round 1 entries)
   
   
   
   These will be used as-is, without scaling of any kind
5. Highways without speed limit

Related to this, Quint has received a letter and it came from Rhania Motor Companhia.
This was quite an interesting letter, as this company that wasnt even on the market wanted to influence the situation.
As such, Quint responded:

Dear Rhania Motor Companhia,
Here is Quint Chitco from company that manages Kolondra, Daniloski, Rosanda and Kontir brands in Letara.
As being on market for entire time since opportunity had arisen to do so, i find myself qualified to discuss contents of letter you had sent.

There is certain issue on what exactly would define large, medium and small car manufacturers.
Im aware that you probably meant categorisation by how many cars are produced, but as engineer of sorts i would desire more precise definition of the terms.
Besides, only company for which i may happen to know that number is my own company. Im aware other competitors will tell you as such as well.

Suggestions likely make some kind of sense, but im not of thought that they would be desirable option for all companies on market for one reason or other.
I have freedom to do whatever i please with part of company under my immideate control, which is part in Letara in particular, but not all of competitors would have such freedom and personally i highly doubt actual highest positioned person would personally decide to be here.

I happened to hear about certain letter your company sent to SAETA. To which i say: Thats not really behaviour apt for company that looks to be internationally accepted and probably even decide to join this market in particular.
Considering our current plans would involve producing some high-performance non-utility vehicle in coming period, i definitely do not fully agree with SAETA’s stance on matter of displacement tax.
But can see that they had opportunity to shape next period to their plans as happens to be allowed here and so i dont see reason to threaten someone’s life for that.
As such, if you plan on joining us on market you might want to reconsider your approach to dissagreement first, otherwise you may not face success no matter how good your cars happen to be.
-Quint Chitco, president of Mrdja Cars Letara

With that being dealt with, Quint looked out of window. He does happen to like it here for few reasons.
Omega decided to hug him from behind.
-Secretaries having affair with their boss isnt smart idea.
-And same can be said about hiring your girlfriend as secretary.
-Fair point, said girlfriend might be very bad secretary.
-Boss, what do you have in plan for next…hour or so?
-Arent you supposed to know that as my personal secretary? My time schedule is very busy…but it can be rearranged.

I think its fair to say, said next hour or so he was indeed very busy…will leave to imagination of reader as to how.
Its fair to say that results of lobbying will be very anticipated and Quint will need to make some decisions based in that.

[FidleDo]

AN OPEN LETTER DENOUNCING THE EVEN KEEL PROPOSAL

LIBERTY CORP.

We would like to address the recent proposal that has been presented to us by Aero Co., Kessel Werks, SAETA, and any other corporations that are deprived of freedom. The last thing people want in this country is to be forced drive a car that has the same amount of power as the typewriter in your office! Cars should not be devolving back into horses; we're supposed to travel forward in time. LIBERTY CORP. denounces ALL companies that lobby for this proposal, and I advise that all corporations join LIBERTY CORP. in our philosophy that actually cares about consumers and the citizens of Letara.

We side with families after all, and we believe that every company should. So we ask, how are you going to stick a family of 5, and 2 suitcases, in a car powerd by an alarm clock, and is the size of your bathtub? It is an impossible question that doesn’t need answering. Furthermore, what happens if said family gets in a car accident? What you get is 5 people dead and turned into a bloody pancake! I propose that all of these city cars shall be banned from Letara for safety reasons. If you truly care about the families who want to live a full life, you should side with LIBERTY CORP. in our new proposal titled “Safety Equals Size”, or proposition SES. Please send a Letter (ooc: a dm) if you side with LIBERTY CORP. and the families of Letara.

Proposition SES1.1 - Liberty Corp

This proposition is currently subject to change based on the feedback and internal research

Section 1: Size

Based on our research team, it is found that people who drove cars that were in the city segment were more likely to die in a car accident. To help prevent an event to occur we propose this:

1.1 Size

-A. All cars with a wheelbase less than 2.10 meters and/or length of 3.50 meters will incur a 10% tax increase

-B. All cars with a wheelbase less than 2.40 meters and/or a length less than 3.80 meters will require the following:

• Steel panels
• A steel monocoque chassis
• An engine with a cylinder count no greater than 4 cylinders
• An engine with a max displacement of 2.2 liters
• The latest safety features
• Front and rear bumpers

If at least one of these requirements are broken, the car will incur a 10% tax increase, or a 20% percent tax increase if rule 1.1A has been broken.

Section 2: Conclusion
Although SES may seem strict towards small cars, it is necessary to protect the lives of the drivers and passengers of the unsafe city car. Proposition SES is still in its experimental phase, and is subject to change. If you would like to join us to save these drivers, or if you would like to request changes to this, please do mail us (ooc: dm me or reply). Do remember that LIBERTY CORP. does hold the right to reject your recommendation.

*(ooc: damn, wtf happened to this, why is there drama? Might as well add to it.)*

Liberty Corp. Lobbying Department, 1953
Floor 13, Building 420, 69th Avenue
Philidelphia, PA, USA
+1-215-xxx-xxxx

[Prium]