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

[cake_ape]

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Letaran Government wishes everyone who is celebrating Happy Holidays! Please note that our offices will be running at much reduced capacity, so expect response time delays. The Lobbying Office is keeping their mailboxes open and is eager to receive your letters. Currently 16 companies have sent in their proposals. For those 23 companies that have yet to sent in theirs, you have 4 days and change to send in your letters. Reminder:

Spending and lobbying is open until 23:59 ET on Tuesday, December 27.

[Edsel]

Publication by The Aero Company.

A notice detailing our spending and lobbying plans within Letara.

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To follow what other companies have done, we would like to put out this notice detailing our lobbying and spending plans for this coming session.

Spending

In addition to maintaining our current factory, we will be putting forward money to expand the aluminum industry, making progress towards full aluminum production in Letara someday. Aluminum is an extremely useful material to build car engines and bodies with, being very light and having very good resistance to corrosion. Our goal is to gradually reduce the cost of this material by expanding its production and infrastructure, with the hope that one day it may be as cheap and accessible as steel.

As well, we will be putting a small investment into the nation’s forestry industry, to aid in its (and by extension, Letara’s) economic recovery.

Lobbying

We have already written at great length about safety, and the Letaran True-Safety Initiative. This 3-part plan involving a revamped safety law, side marker lights, and allowance of radial tires will make up the majority of our lobbying efforts, and we hope it may factor into yours.

We’ll also be speaking against the government’s recent proposal to mandate double head lights. We can find no practical advantages/disadvantages between single and double headlight setups, especially when custom composite designs are involved. The only affect such a law would have, then, is to control cars’ artistic style, which no government has any place doing. Plus, a dual setup would be hard to tastfully incorporate in small cars such as ours.

Finally, as we did last time, we’ll be putting a word towards the banning of lead fuels. We now have common alternatives that are nearly as capable as lead fuels. And though we may experience a minor loss in performance from the minor drop in octane, this will easily be made up by natural refinements in engine technology within just a couple of years. Note that, beyond the ban on lead fuels, we’ve no interest in or opposition to the introduction of emissions standards or gas guzzler taxes at this time.

Thank you,

The Aero Company.

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

[benjamintamilia]

Official Statement from Canadian Motors

This is a notice detailing our spending and lobbying plans within Letara as the decade plays out.

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To follow through on what other automotive companies are doing or have done, we would like to put out this notice detailing our lobbying and spending plans for this coming session.

Spending & Lobbying:
In order to capitalize on reducing import costs and all that, we will be spending significant expenditure towards a brand new factory in Letara - aluminum industry and all.
It’s not just the factory in Letara that we’ll be spending capital on, we’ll be assisting Vizzuri in developing the LNDRF (Letara Natural Disaster Response Force), freely accessible higher education along with petrochemical engineering to provide a safer and cleaner future for Letaran society - safety laws are never meant to be written in the blood of those that came before them.

We are also very much strongly in support of Vizzuri’s proposed endurance racing at Lerance Raceway - in fact, we might consult with them regarding the possibility of 24 hour endurance racing. We are considering all offerings from them and will be considering them as such.

We are very pleased to announce our collaboration with Vizzuri and their efforts for a Letara safer from natural disasters, as well as aid provide better higher-education, and finally an even better racing. We are looking forward to seeing all other lobbying results.

Canadian Motors
A company for all.

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

[Texaslav]

GLORY AT LERANCE - THE LEGEND OF BENETSCH

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1959: First Blood

Announcer: Gentlemen, start your engines!!

Max Hulos, the Benetsch driver, revs up the ferocious seven-liter unit sitting behind him. A great burden is on his shoulders: thanks to the strict rules at Lerance, he’s in the only Benetsch car on the field. Failure for him is failure for the whole company. Nonetheless, the East Soresian keeps his cool, because he knows that his car is reliable and controllable if nothing else. His is a confidence not mirrored by the pits, however…

Karl Selic: Well, there she goes. That flag will drop any second now; Then we’ll see if we crash and burn.

Jonas Schmidt: He sure is having his way with all that revving. You sure he won’t melt the engine before we even start?

Karl: Uh, no. God, you’re dense for a mechanic.

Up above them all, both company patriarchs - CEO Klaas Benetsch and his father Josip are perched in a private booth, dealing with their own anxiety with the aid of champagne. Klaas hates champagne, though, and is reduced to pacing back and forth in front behind the glass.

Klaas: I like how it sounds, yeah. And I know that it can be driven boldly…

Josip: Then sit down! We can’t have the press seeing you nervous right at the start.

Klaas: Oh, to hell with them. I’ll be calm when we win. Come on!

As if on cue, the green flag flies… And so does the Benetsch. Hulos operates the clutch with total precision, executing a commanding launch that leaves the rest of the field behind. While three cars are in hot pursuit, the Benetsch fellows watch in vindication as the car completes the first lap - one of clean racing - in the lead

Klaas: What did I say? The production chassis works.

Josip: Will you sit down now?

Klaas: No!

Less than 2 hours later, everybody involved celebrates a clear-cut, well-run victory. The Benetsches descend into the pits just in time to see the race car roll in.

Karl: Max, you magnificent bastard! We made it! And you didn’t even have to over-rev!

Max: Eh, I could have fared better in a couple laps. Lap 11 in particular, got goddamn swamped trying to lap people.

Karl: Oh shut up, you were great! Balls the size of coconuts, for real.

Josip: Quite elegantly put, Hr. Selic. All you boys ran a mean race today. A good way to start the season - and the car’s operational history. Enjoy it.

Klaas: No joke! And remember, just because Father and I won’t be attending every race is no excuse to slack off. The #66 must race well throughout.

---

1960: So Close

After a good '59 season, the #66 Benetsch returns to Lerance once more. This time, however, ZRD put more effort into keeping their faster car running; they run as perfect a race as Benetsch, and get away with the win by a razor-thin six seconds.

Karl: Honestly, I’m pretty happy that the Zephorus didn’t turn out a total dud. I’m much happier still, though, that Klaas isn’t here to yell at me this time.

Jonas: Knowing him, he’ll still want a debriefing, though.

Karl: I said all I had to say on the matter last year. Given a perfect race, the ZRD is faster and I can’t really change that. Production chassis viability, my ass.

Ander Katowis, driver for 1960: That’s a damn defeatist way to think. If the rubber had held up a little better, he would not have passed me! We were off by six damn seconds and that’s all!

Karl: Maybe you’re right.

---

1961: Bitter Defeat

The 1961 R2 race becomes the most brutal of all - both for Benetsch and in general. By the last lap, with Ander and his GBK leading the race, the field has already been halved with five cars out of the race. And on the back straight, it briefly looks like the leading Benetsch would become the sixth: Under braking, the car loses control and smacks sideways into a barrier and went silent. To make matters worse, this time Klaas is not absent - he’s right there in the pits.

Klaas: God dammit! How does this sort of shit even happen?

Karl: Well, odds are, our rubber supplier needs to be paid a beating or two. Ander had mentioned having issues with traction last year as well. Ope, there goes that Mocabey.

Klaas: What are the odds of us finishing, at least?

Karl: Are you serious? Ander could be injured and you’re worried about the race?

The dynast’s words prove prophetic, however. On the fifth attempt, the Benetsch turns over and started; due to the shattered left front suspension, it takes five agonizing minutes after the revival to finish the last lap. Oh well - good enough for third, thanks to the ZRD having a smaller accident on the same lap.

In the pits, Ander limps out of the car; he didn’t break anything, seemingly, but is beat up and concussed. Wordlessly, Klaas drapes the racer’s arm over his shoulder and leads him to the podium himself.

Klaas: It took some real guts to start back up. You’re a soldier for sure.

Ander: Really, boss? With you around, it would have taken more balls to stay out.

---

1962: Ain’t No Rest

The '62 race was as tightly-raced as the '60 one, with the caveat that the beginning laps were a fair shot more dirty. Returning '59 winner Max Hulos found himself in a constant struggle against the powerful Wolfe car and the ever-dangerous ZRD, with the former eventually conceding the race for the lead to its usual control and reliability issues. The ZRD, however, refused to break or fall behind, and edged out the Benetsch - again, by just 8 seconds. I won’t include dialogue here because I’m lazy.

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1963: The Last Hurrah

Klaas Benetsch looks ever stern as he climbs out of his 1961 Kralewitsch SK70, a formidable road runner that shares the GBK’s 7-liter heart. Having conducted yet another inspection of the Lerance assembly plant, which would soon be tasked with assembling large cars such as the Kralewitsch alongside the humbler Gwesdas, the Benetsch leader is expecting to be cheered up at this, the first race of the last R2 season.

Karl Selic and Ander Katowis both stand awaiting their CEO as he strides unimpeded through the restricted area into the pits.

Klaas: Have my recommendations been taken into account?

Karl:: Yes. We have ordered tires according to the new, harder specification, and there is ballast in the front. There is no chance for a surprise now.

Klaas: I’m going to grab a beer and hang around. Good luck to you, Hr. Katowis.

Ander: I’m going to mow that Zephorus down this time, for sure.

But he doesn’t get the chance. Come the actual race, the ZRD briefly knocks itself out; Lapped by the Benetsch, it doesn’t mount a comeback. Ander finishes the race in first with few if any hiccups - if slower than usual due to the stabilizing weight - and promptly goes to drink himself half to death. In his defense, so does everybody else.

[Repti]

Resuki Official Statement

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Sales Report
& Plans

Resuki is pleased with the sales of the Tabi lineup in Letara. Even with weakened demand for the city-car segment, the 900B and 1300D sold remarkably well and even garnered much of the segments overall sales. The 1300D especially, with its comfort rivaling that of the family-car segment. We believe key factors to this success were the formerly mentioned comfort and excellent reliability offered at a reasonable cost, and will aim to continue this trend in the future.

As for Resuki’s attempt into the performance market, the 1500S sold short of initial expectations. Though, customers that did buy it were very satisfied and we are glad to have offered a car that is loved by our customers. So while the 1500S never lived up to being a true sports car or even a great seller, we glad that it has garnered our customers’ loyalty. And, due to the success of the 900B and 1300D, we at Resuki believe we can comfortably develop more cars for niche segments without having to worry about sales and focus on customers that are looking for that car.

Future Plans

While there is still a remaining demand for city-cars, it is clearly a dwindling segment. Largely due to improved infrastructure of the city post-earthquake and improve economy, and we see no reason for it to grow any larger currently. With this in mind, we plan to move to the family-segment with slightly larger cars that are more comfortable and family oriented. Though, we do plan on aiming to keep Resuki cars affordable and accessible to as many people as possible, and retaining our image of reliable, good cars.

As mentioned in our sale report, we will also plan on making more niche cars. While most will be performance focused, we may also seek other ventures into smaller-segments. We would also like to increase performance of our cars across the board, so we will be dropping the 900cc offering and do not plan on offering a engine of less than 1.0L in any model for the Letaran market in the near future.

Spending and Lobbying

Spending

Resuki has decided to build an assembly plant in Letara as a way to reduce car prices in the Letaran market, provide jobs, and still retain jobs in Japan. While this has taken up most of our spending within the current spending window provided by the Letaran government, we still plan on backing what we can with our remaing budget. firstly, Resuki will donate a little bit the improvement of the Lerance Raceway in an effort to support it. Lastly, Resuki will give what remains to the expansion and maintaince of national parks. We think this is a great way to improve tourism and recreation in Letara, and ensures that the Vizzuri National AT02-Gs recently selected by the government can be used to their fullest potential.

Lobbying

As for lobbying, our top priority is the allowed use of radial tries. We do not wish for the banning of cross-plys but through personal testing and their use in races we see no reason for them not be adopted for use on Letara’s roads. Second, with our push to strengthen the national parks, we would like push for cleaner gas. While we do believe emissions are harmful to the environment, there is currently still little that can be done to regulate them so we simply wish for the banning of leaded fuels. Thirdly, we have suggested to the government that licensed plates should be standardized in the US/JP style, but unregulated in terms of colors. Lastly, we support the continued use of the Lerance Raceway no matter the type of race, as it would be a shame for a track that was built by Letarans to cease being used so quickly.

[AndiD]

Mara goes Letara, Ep. 3-3: Safe at certain speeds

Previous post

Henri Nordhov, Mara’s Comrade Executive Director, continues with the board meeting agenda. “While we are dealing with the Letaran government, we should also think of how we should use our influence. First and foremost, we should prevent another safety regulation debacle.”

Lobbying for Letara

Fedor, Comrade Director of Engineering, nods. “Agreed. But with the Irena’s new unibody construction, we’ll be fine with the existing safety regulations.”

Inna raises her hand. “Other companies are pushing for even stricter regulations, for new cars to fulfil specific advanced safety criteria, for instance.”

Henri and Fedor frown in unison. “But why? Why make life difficult for themselves or anyone else, with no real need?” That was Henri.

Fedor adds. “I can only repeat what I said the last time. If you want proper holistic safety for all people, limit speeds. Simple physics, biology and psychology. Less energy to dissipate, more time to react, and less inclination for drivers to feel safe if they really aren’t. Everything else just shifts people from one column to another in their accident statistics, if at all.”

“So, a big push against additional safety restrictions, coupled with a proposal to achieve the safety goals through speed limits?” Inna is hastily taking notes.

“Yes”, Fedor replies. “There should be a detailed speed limit proposal on our records from a few years ago.”

Inna nods. “There are also rumours that cross-ply tyres could be banned.”

Another frown by Fedor. “Why ban a tried-and-true technology?”

“So something else to be against.”

“Against the ban, yes, most definitely”, Fedor asserts. “Why does everyone seem to be so intent on solving problems that don’t exist in the first place?” He shakes his head.

Henri cannot resist a comment either. “And what’s that free market everyone is always talking about in Gasmea and also over there? Sounds more like a ban market if you ask me. Freedom to sell everything that isn’t banned.”

The ensuing round of snickers and giggles is more than just polite.

“But lastly we should also ensure that if we race something that this resembles a car we actually sell. And we are not against racing, right?” It was obvious that the new Comrade Director for Sales, Alexandra Koroleva, is enthusiastic for some competition.

“So we should also throw our support behind keeping a production-level racing class?”, asks Inna. “Perhaps to enter a racing version of the Irena in?”

Henri nods again. “And if we could limit the amount we’d have to spend to go racing, that’ll be even better. Tune the engine, the suspension, throw out the rear seats… nothing fancy.”

Fedor agrees. “Nothing like some more serious restrictions to get us engineers really creative. Just throwing money at a problem is always the lazy man’s solution…”

[FidleDo]

LIBERTY LOBBYING REPORT

Distributed by Liberty Corp.

Safety

Liberty Corp. has decided to release our lobbying report to the fellow companies in Letara. We are spending most of our lobbying power to help promote safety in future automobiles, with it mostly going towards our car classification proposal. While we do agree with the proposal given out by Aero, we believe that the unsafeness of small cars are not taken into account. We also plan on lobbying for lighter things, like amber indicators and double headlights.

Tires and Fuel

The discussion on banning leaded fuel has become very heated recently. While we do see some of the benefits of leaded fuel, those benefits are very miniscule compared to the damages that leaded fuel can cause. Thus, we plan to lobby for the ban of leaded fuel.

On the topic of tires, we believe that radials are much better than outdated cross-ply tires. However, we think that cross-ply tires should not be completely banned, as they do have some utility benefits. We plan to lobby just for the removal of the ban on radials

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

[Mikonp7]

Greetings Comrades

We would like to introduce a new venture:

Letara Transportation Show

With the help of the Letara’n goverment we would like to bring the vast automotive industry to the common people. Giving the people a chance to see the cars of the future, get a feel of the car catalog of today and maybe even find a new job in this ever growing sector!

Want to be a official sponsor and have a special spot for your brand? Help finance this project as an official sponsor!

((Non-RP This is meant as a advertisment opportunity and maybe showing other designs from the running brands))

[Ludvig]

Swanson investment commitments 1964-1794 (Spending tokens)

7 tokens
Expanding the assembly plant into a full factory. Tax breaks go brrrr On a serious note, we would like to clarify for the record that we do have an assembly plant.

1 token
Establishing/expanding a Tourist Bureau of Letara - coordinating and promoting international leisure travel to the country. On the ground, this is provided by an office at the airport/Lerance city center, and promotional material for destinations including a map/guide book for self-sufficient visitors. On the home front: as shareholders in Sunkeeper International, we will make sure Letara is one of the promoted destinations for freezing North Americans in the following years.

1 token
Purchasing a stake in, and refurbishing the historical Modred Bellevue Hotel [or similar] - making it a top destination for both domestic and to a hopefully increasing degree international travelers. If state sanctioned gambling is legal, this will a part of the concept.

1 token
Funding for upgrades to the airport - expanding and/or paving the runway, expanding infrastructure to support a (moderate) increase in traffic, by new jet airplanes - all as deemed necessary by the government. Any leftover funding to finance an upgrade to the international lounge with tasteful Swanson sponsorship, including a seasonal display car and a lounge table fashioned out of decommissioned 0-70DA6 engine. In any case, we will establish a rental car service through our subsidiary Aas Rentals (putting those dust collecting 217BFs to use…)

Intended effects: Promoting cultural and financial connection between Letara and the Free World. A better trade balance through income from foreign spending, and the indirect promotion of future foreign investment. Providing jobs - many of which may be “low skill” in strict terms, but accessible and immediate. We believe Letarans are fully able to provide an unforgettable experience for visitors to their beautiful country.

Swanson lobbying talking points

Modify safety regulations “No, but if, then” 1
We believe the current regulations are fine. If any changes are to be made, we suggest keeping a form of tax incentive for “decent” and “advanced” safety equipment, to offset the added costs. This, we believe is the core.

Mandate amber indicator lights on the front and rear corners of the vehicle: Yes 1
Mandate side indicator lights. Yes 1
For with amendment - we would like to clarify the text such that the bulb/light emitted needs to be amber, while the glass may be amber or white translucent.

Allow Radial tires Yes 1
Radials are better, simple as. We have no opinion on banning cross-ply as we don’t intend to use them anyway.

Ban leaded fuel Yes 2
Lead additives in fuel should be banned. Lead is poisonous to all lifeforms. Lead is Dead. While E70 gave us some trouble, E10 and regular unleaded seems to work fine with our engines.

Tighten noise regulations. No 1
Combustion engine music is a boon for the ear; the song of Progress and Virility. Some “noise” alerts pedestrians of an incoming vehicle, preventing accidents. Loud pipes save lives.

Standardize license plate size Yes 1
We propose adopting the European standard plate, with its aesthetic wide and low format. As opposed to the “rodent teeth” form factor of American plates.

Implement displacement tax “No, but if, then” 1
While additional taxation is understandably unpopular, in case this is unavoidable we once again promote our proposal for a displacement tax:
For, 3 points -
0% up to 2500 cc,
5% for 2501-5000 cc,
10% 5001 cc and over,
Commercial vehicles exempt. May be enforced through being able to carry a government-sized box
A simplified tiering, avoiding the complications of other proposals. To not disincentivize safe, family-sized vehicles, while not incentivizing possibly dangerously underpowered cars.

For keeping the Lerance Raceway as Letara’s flagship racing venue. Yes 1
We support keeping the Lerance Raceway event as is, same race length as attrition is bad enough as it is…
Changing (or keeping the same) racing classes, rules, and/or format. Yes 1
…but with some amendments, in particular for for R3 to promote low-cost grassroots motorsports.
Class 3 (R3): <=1200cc Max Budget 15.000, Road legal car and engine, Sports radial or Sports cross-ply
Class 2 (R2): <=2500cc Max Budget 35.000, Homologated car/engine, Sports or semi-slick radial
Class 1 (R1): >2501cc Max Budget 50.000 Free/experimental car/engine, Semi-slick radial

Other - legalized gambling, at state-sanctioned Casino(s) Yes 1
This will keep gambling (mostly) out of criminal hands, and provide some modest idiot tax income from frivilous spending by the rich. Yes, we would like to have a casino as part of “our” hotel in Modred

“Lore”…is coming. For now, a shot from the Celebratory Tour of '59:

[cake_ape]

Just a quick 12-hour reminder to get your lobbying in!

[HelloHi]

Press Release

Alira Cars - 3/17/64

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Despite our hiatus from the Letaran market from 1955-63 due to some issues with certification and registration of our model lines, Alira has not given up on its' plans to sell our cars in the Letaran market. During this time, we have massively reorganized our Letaran efforts, creating a new Letara division within Alira Europe. This will allow us to better serve the needs of the Letaran people with cars better tailored to the market. We also plan to restart the stillborn Alira Racing effort with these new, properly certified models, now that our Stinson sports car is legal in Letara. We also plan to continue investing in our Letara factory, which continues to produce the Sausalito and Larkspur lines, and begin supporting higher education in Letara in an effort to see more bright minds achieve success. Stay tuned- big things are coming soon here at Alira!

[ChemaTheMexican]

i cant be bothered to css on cell, so please forgive the uglyness and potential typos, ill fix this post later

GARLAND SPENDING/LOBBYING

Garland Is interested in keeping the factory, therefore 5 tokens will be allocated to keeping It.

(2) Allocated to expanding the road network of Letara

(2) Allocated to the support and expansion of the agricultural industries of Letara.

(1) Allocated to maintain Letara’s greenery, wildlife and national parks (we’re not monsters after all)

LOBBYING

(5) Introduction of Radials into the Letaran market

(3) Standardize plates to 150x300 mm (6x12 in).

(3) Lower the safety tax to allow small car manufacturers a More favor chance.

(2) Start switching to unleaded.

(1) introduce oval racing.

(1) Allocated to introduce ambers on the front and rear corners.

[GassTiresandOil]

Just remember to PM cake_ape with your spending and lobbying. Posting it here is cool, but it won’t count unless you PM him on your original message.

[ChemaTheMexican]

Yep, i PM’d them the reply link almost immediately, thanks either way though!

[Edsel]

In the rules post, cake_ape directly asked us not to refer to forum posts in lobbying.

Make sure you copy and past the content of that post into your DM, rather than just the link.

[ChemaTheMexican]

i rushed to get the lobbying/spending out quickly that i forgot to do that, its done now though

[Happyhungryhippo]

Frunia, 1964

Ludger Frehse stopped his gray brand new Astrona 2000, facing his fellow colleague Ludovico Rossi who came with a 2400 model.

“Ah, Ludger. You also got the new facelifted Astrona… but hey, only a 2000? It seems you have been demoted since Letara 1960”.
“Don’t remind me of that disaster.”
“You should have avoided that we had to withdraw after only five months because you used a forbidden tire profile that was too experimental for Letaran authorities.”
“At least I managed to smuggle a lot of Primus cars into the country as gray import, so at least the dealerships can exist to service the cars - but they are actually still really few compared to the cars that were officially allowed to be sold. I have a tough time over there.”

Rossi smiled.
“Ludger, you have done a lot for you rehabilitation. The reason we meet here is that we want to invest for an assembly line and lobby a little. There is a lot of budget and Primus wanted to promote me for that job. But Ludger, you were always like a son to me. Go reinstate yourself and get back your reputation! Follow me to our Frunian headquarter.”

“Do we start now? What car should we take?”
“Unsure. This is up to you. Right now we only have old clunkers besides our new Globus budget brand, maybe we should take them - or wait for new Primus cars, the new ones are said to be brilliant. The engineers are so excited.”
“What is in that folder? Can I see it?”
“Sure. The new flagship Imperator will surely lead its class, its scheduled for 1967. The new Astrona arrives in '68. however, its the current Astrona with a larger body and more comfort. The '69 new arrival could be our chance as well.”
“Yes, Letara had a tough time, and something small yet fun and well-made would be perfect. The current Publica F is durable and super cheap but I guess it’s bad as a figurehead. It’s not what brings us in the public mind. But that prototype of the next Publica, wow. Is that a Frunian design?”
“Sure, supervised by me. Make your descision, QUICK! Your flight back to Letara is in four hours.”

Frehse looked at the prototypes and was happy to see so many competetive new products for the near future. He was determined to use his second chance.

YEP, Primus rejoins last minute this time. I am still fed up with the exporter error ruining trim techpool, however, sh*t happens.

[doot]

Found the easter egg

[cake_ape]

Rd. 3 PREFACE - LOBBYING CLOSED

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Lobbying is now closed; thank you to everyone who submitted their lobbying and spending items. It was again a really exciting week and fun to watch the various companies coming up with new ideas to improve Letara.

I’ll go and tally up the votes, make some governmental decisions, and then go ahead and build the country in WR:SR. Stay tuned for the full reveal and Rd. 3 Prologue!

[cake_ape]

Rd. 3 PROLOGUE

SPENDING & LOBBYING RESULTS

The Government of Letara is excited to announce that turn-out for spending and lobbying once again exceeded expectations. Here is a run-down of the results:

Spending

In total, there are now 11 companies with assemblies and a further 17 companies own a factory. This abundance is necessitating the expansion of the current plots, as well as establishing the new city of Tulsaje that will support a new manufacturing plot near the border of Somunds.

Education received a large influx of monetary support. First, KHI pushed hard for their “Letaran Enrichment Initiative” with the aim to establish a new School of Technology at Mount Modred. Although the proposed site in the historic tourist town is not for such a modern school, the tech school will be established in Tulsaje and the main building named after KHI.

Research in Mechanical Engineering received much support and has greatly advanced in the past decade. Petrochemical Engineering and Aerodynamics have also received a decent amount of funding and have seen modest progression. Materials Science and Electrical Engineering have received only minor support; just enough to keep up with other industries.

The Lerance Raceway has received abundant funds for improvements to and around the track. These changes are sure to keep the track modern and auto racing the most important form of sports entertainment in Letara for another decade.

Road construction and maintenance have also received a decent amount of funding. With the new government’s added funds this will result in an improved and well-maintained road network in Letara.

Rail infrastructure has also seen a decent influx of money, most notably from General Automotive. With added government funds this will allow for duplicating and electrifying some tracks and making the whole train network more efficient.

The airport received negligible funding, and even with government support this is not sufficient to expand the airport. At least it will remain at its current level without dilapidation occurring.

There was some funding set aside for a TV campaign against leaded fuels. The government fully supports such health-focused ad campaigns, and this push was regarded as a great success. Combined with lobbying, a greener and healthier future for Letara will be secured.

Car companies have also spend various amounts on diverse industries. The forestry industry has received the most funds; enough to finalize the large reforestation campaign around Mt. Modred with quick-growing trees. The agriculture industry has also received good support. This will allow the expansion of the sector around Brospyne, as well as preparing the northern peninsula’s poor soil for future expansion, if desired. The added funding toward an ethanol production facility will secure Letara’s E-fuel supply for the foreseeable future.

Immortale Automotive set aside a small pot of money to open a small iron ore mine. This small operation will be up and running near Zekerdal. Perhaps this will allow this sleepy town to blossom into a more prosperous mining town similar to Fortune?

Mara initiated a small push toward opening a coal ore mine, which was now possible even with the modest funds after resources were identified in the past decade. The small mine will be opened near Chanceille, which is already well situated with its established forestry industry.

Both the coal and iron ore need to be exported as aggregates. Since the conversion of the Storia Harbour for general shipping, it no longer supports aggregate transport; without support for the shipping industry and no government funds left available, these aggregates will be shipped to Somunds by train for the time being.

Popas and Capital have both put equal amounts of funds toward a convention centre and auto exhibition. The large convention centre in Lerance is a perfectly adequate place to hold car shows, but the funds can be used to renovate the centre and make it more suitable for such purposes. Since neither company contributed more than the other, the convention centre’s name remains Lerance Convention Centre - LCC for short. As main sponsors, however, both companies receive recognition in the form of commemorative tiles near the entrance of the building. (OOC: I do like the idea of a Letara car show to showcase concept cars or whatnot, but that would be too much work for me. I also do not want to clutter this thread with a side-challenge of sorts. So, if any of you would like to hold a “Letara-inspired car show” in a separate thread, then I am all for it.)

Several other initiatives received minor funding. First, there is funding set aside for a car park building in Lerance, which would alleviate some of the potential future parking shortages in the capital. Minor funding was received to preserve Mount Modred’s historic hotels, which the government fully supports as well and appreciates the help; this will bolster the tourist attraction value of the town. Some funding was made available to make unleaded fuel available in all areas of the country; this was already the case, but the better supply chain should prevent bad batches from occurring. There was some support for the Letaran Communist Party (by Mara). So they can now afford a new apartment overlooking the harbour in Storia to establish their HQ in. There was also a small amount of funds to establish (or rather support, as it already existed) a Letaran Natural Disaster Response Force, which is much appreciated by the government. Last, but not least, the Letaran Police Force received some funds.

Lobbying

Lobbying saw some issues highly contested, while others were clear-cut. First, the issue of taxes - always a contentious issue. In terms of an engine displacement tax, there was a small push for such a tax, but there is no consensus as to how it should be implemented. However, there as a much larger push against such a tax, so the government will not consider it further.

As for fuel economy tax, it was mostly ignored by companies. Only two companies provided a small push against such a proposal, but there is a much larger for push by one company. The government will consider this carefully, as it is a large and convincing push, but it has to be weighed against that it is only by one company.

Overall there was more active lobbying around a luxury tax, but in the end the result is a wash. The government recognizes that this would be a good way to generate income without hurting those in the most need, so without a clear signal from the car industry, this kind of taxation will be considered.

There was one company that wished to impose taxes on uncomfortable or hard to drive cars. In the government’s opinion this doesn’t make much sense; why tax a car that would likely fail in the marketplace anyway? Not much tax money to be gathered from a product that won’t sell anyway.

Two companies provided a mild push to reduce import taxes on cars not assembled or manufactured in Letara. This notion is rejected by the government, as it is one of the core principles of Letara, and provides a push toward establishing well-paying jobs for Letarans.

Two companies also provided a small push toward reducing the existing “safety-tax”. The current government will look into this, as safety regulations will be changed anyway (more on that later).

Finally, one company pushed for no changes to the current tax system. We appreciate their confidence in the past government’s vision, but as they are no longer in power, they have no more say in the matter. The current government has big plans with Letara, which will necessitate a revision of taxation.

The first issue on the table for car regulations is what fuels the cars can use. There is an overwhelming push to ban leaded fuel outright. With the advertising campaign also successful, the Letaran people are also supportive of this push. So from now on, leaded fuel will be banned from Letara. There is also a decent push to only have unleaded fuel available in Letara (and thus ban E fuels), and a push in the opposite direction toward only having E fuels. With the expansion of both the forestry industry, agriculture, and the establishment of the ethanol plant, banning E fuels is not something the government will entertain.

In terms of emissions, there was a push for implementation of emissions regulations, but a stronger push against such measures. For now, the government will be satisfied with the banning of leaded fuels, and assess how unleaded and E fuels stack up without mandating any emissions standards. However, a close eye will be kept on cars’ emissions in the next decade in order to be able to make a more informed decision then.

Tires were the most clear-cut of any lobbying item. Radials are heavily favoured by most companies, and the government cannot deny their safety and efficacy as witnessed in at the Lerance Raceway. Thus, radials are in. Despite a small push to outright ban cross-ply tires, the government feels like they are tested and true, so there is no need to ban them on any justifiable grounds; if the market feel like they are not useful anymore, they will phase out on their own.

Very minor lobbying was received against tighter noise regulations, but it seems that this is overall not a very important issue for car companies. For now, the limit will stay the same.

There was a sizable push to keep lighting regulations as the status quo. There was an about 50/50 split for and against a double-headlight mandate. For now, single headlights will be allowed with a single bulb doing double duty as regular light and brights. There was an about equal split for/against amber indicator lights too, so for now red rear and white cover (amber bulb) front indicators will remain legal. Lastly, there was a small push to mandate front and rear side markers, so the government will consider this.

There was a large push for US-size license plates, eclipsing a push for European or other size/format standards. This was such a convincing argument that the government feels compelled to implement US size plates as the norm.

There was a rather large push to tighten speed limits with only a tiny push to loosen them. The government will take a look at the current rules and regulations, and consider this in light of the new road construction happening all across the country and the larger passenger car population occupying said roads.

Safety regulations implemented by the previous government were received poorly. This government concurs; the dummies used in their outdated testing methods were only evaluated based on the car’s ability to absorb shocks received when the car was hit by a foreign object. It did not account for the car hitting other objects and the associated rapid deceleration, the many internal injuries, cuts and bruises from flying glass and unsafely secured fixtures, nor did it account for the bodies hitting internal surfaces as their momentum carried them into the dashboard. So the current government feels vindicated in their assessment by the clear push toward changes in the safety regulations by car companies. As for how the new safety regulations should be implemented, there is still a wide range of opinions by companies, and the government also has their experts working on the problem. But rest assured, changes are coming.

An overwhelming majority of votes was for keeping the Lerance Raceway as Letara’s premier car sporting venue. With the raceway still new, and the great success it has seen over the years, the government could not agree more. Especially with the large sums of money dedicated for improvements, it is very clear that the Lerance Raceway is here to stay.

The race format, however, seems to be quite divisive subject. There really is no consensus what format, what classes, and what rules/regulations should be implemented. Some want long 12-hour/enduro races, some want more unlimited Group-7 type race cars, some want rallying with dirt elements, some want touring cars, some want other regulations involving SVC calculations and tire size limits, and there was one vote for oval racing (without any proposal/funding for such a track, mind you). Since there is really no consensus on any of this, the government will assess its options and also do public consultation to see what the people of Letara want to see most.

Lastly, there was a singular lobbying point spent on the legalization of gambling - which was already legal (see - bookies at the races), so no change will be needed on this front.

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INTRODUCING LETARA IN 1964

Map of Letara circa 1964-1974.

Longer RP description of Letara in 1964 and pictures.

Quite a lot has changed in the last decade as both government and private corporations have sunk considerable amounts of money into improving Letata. First, with the influx of many new car companies wanting to establish assemblies and factories in Letara, it became clear that the current plots near Lerance and Storia are insufficient to house all. So the government decided to make a bold move, and use large sums to build a brand new town from scratch near the Somunds border to support a new “factory corner”. Since there was no more funds available for rail construction beyond the upgrades (see below), this location was the most suitable to allow for quick import/export via trucks.

The newest and modern city of Tulsaje that supports the new car manufacturing industry in the area and the new automotive tech school.

This location quickly made good use of the new divided highway that now runs all the way from Lerance to the Somunds border, and the first cars quickly rolled off the line at the new Tulsaje factories.

The first car that rolled off the factory line in Tulsaje is loaded on the export train - a short shunter line to the main line and to the border.

The new divided highway now also bypasses the Lerance Raceway so that on race day the highway does not get half blocked for the race, and half blocked by spectators. The Raceway itself also received many upgrades, including new spectator stands, campgrounds, and a ferris wheel - all in order to make the race weekends a larger spectacle and run smoother.

Lerance Raceway - upgrades to the race grounds, the highway, and Lerance in the background.

Moving into the mountains, the area surrounding Mt. Modred has also received much attention. A major reforestation project is underway to restore the forest to their pre-eruption glory. The town of Chanceille has been expanded with some new multi-story housing that supports the growing forestry industry as well as the new small-scale coal ore mine.

Chanceille and surroundings; Mt. Modred still looms over the landscape.

Near the Montelin border, the small town of Zekerdal also experienced a large growth spurt. Here the opening of a small iron ore mine boosted the economy. The old village is still recognizable with its older farmstead houses and large yards. The workers’ housing and other modern amenities have grown up around the village. This increased activity and presence near the Montelin border certainly has not gone unnoticed, and will aid Letara’s claim on the peninsula’s tip.

Zekerdal and surroundings; the new town is growing around the small village’s quaint core. New iron ore mine in the background.

In the previous decade Jawole became the site of aluminium ore production, but the small village was not sufficient to take the industry further. However, full aluminium production is seen by both the government and the car industry as a desirable economic target. In order to support this goal, the old town was completely removed, and replace with more modern flats for the workers that flooded to Jawole to work in the new aluminium factory.

Jawole has perhaps seen the most change. Gone is the small village, which is now replaced by a small town with multi-story buildings that support the aluminium industry.

Last, but not least, Brospyne - or rather the area around it - has also experience significant growth. The existing farms around Borspyne were industrialized, but were still relatively small reflecting their old, more manual origins. In order to keep up with the new E-fuel craze in the world, more agricultural output is needed. Thus, a brand new industrial farming corporation was established called “Brospyne Fields”, which increased agricultural output of the region by over 50%.

The fields of Brospyne have fed all of Letara, but the addition of ethanol-added fuels necessitated an expansion of the agricultural industry.

TL:DR - Much has changed in Letara in the last decade. The spending-focused government has initiated several large infrastructure projects. Of course, the support provided by various large corporations cannot go unmentioned, and the government is very much thankful for their contribution to the betterment of Letara. First, a new town is established near the border of Somunds: Tulsaje will be the third major centre focused on car manufacturing. Tulsaje is also the home of the new automotive tech school. Several other towns have seen significant growth and modernisation thanks to new industry or expansion of existing ones. Jawole now has a full aluminium factory, and the town has grown quite significantly with a few high-rises. Chanceille and Zekerdal, both quiet backwater villages, have grown due to the new coal ore and iron ore mines. Chanceille got an additional boost to the already prevalent forestry industry in the area. Bospyne grew with the addition of new industrial farms; the new are is called Brospyne Fields. The rail between Lerance and Somunds is now fully double-track, and this stretch as well as the one to Storia is electrified. Many roads were upgraded: there is now a full double highway from Lerance to the Somunds border, many inner city streets are upgraded to be fully paved and even have street lighting, and several dirt roads have been upgraded to gravel.

PEOPLE’S TASTE IN CARS

See the Preface of Rd. 3 for a summary how people’s attitudes have changed in the past decade or so. Overall, though, the economy of Letara went through a major depression, but has made a small recovery in the last few years. Due to the economy and many people not buying cars, and the previously built roomy downtowns, room is still plenty in cities - but that can always change if more cars make it on to the roads. The new National Park has spurred people toward more vacationing in nature. Just like in previous decades, the upper echelons still do like to show off a little, but they do want their cars to have tangible advantages over the cheaper cars that the regular plebs drive - if the car shines in any area they value (e.g. prestige or sportiness) that can justify the higher cost, they will buy it. Unique cars are especially prized. Remote areas are becoming better connected and have access to better fuels as well - only the really far off areas are still dirt roads. So off-road prowess becomes slightly less relevant in terms of necessity, but with the newfound love of the outdoors, it is still an important factor - just in a different way.

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RULES AND REGULATIONS

TIMELINE

In game, the second round will span from 1964 to 1974 inclusive; models from any of these years are accepted for consumer vehicles.
IRL, this round’s timetable is:
Rules deliberation will be until Dec. 31, on which date the round officially opens for submissions. The round closes Jan. 14 @ 9:59 AM EST.

TAXES FOR CONSUMER VEHICLES

All cars imported into Letara will incur a 20% import tax. All cars assembled in Letara will only incur a 10% import tax. Cars fully manufactured in Letara do not pay an import tax. To support the aluminium industry, cars with aluminium parts will receive the following non-cumulative tax breaks: 3% for alu panels, 2% for alu engine block, and 1% for alu engine head material. Cars with “advanced '60s safety” or better will receive a tax break of 3%. Cars with a speed limiter set to 160 km/h or less will receive a 2% tax break. To recoup some costs of these incentives, the government will impose two taxes. The first will be to also aid the Letaran environment and health: there will be a 5% tax on cars that use more than 15 l/100km fuel. Utility vehicles are exempt from this tax. The second will aim to tax frivolous toys that the rich buy: there will be a 5% tax on more luxurious and expensive vehicles (set at $25k pre-adjustment price - i.e., the price you see in the trim tab).

No other taxes in this era.

TECH POOL

For all three categories you will have the following tech pool points:

You are allowed to have less tech pool points, but not more. If you have more, the car will be rejected by the government as a too futuristic and experimental prototype.

CONSUMER VEHICLE REGULATIONS

The government stipulates that:

• Drive on the right side of the road, so LHD cars only please (if you model interiors).
• All cars shall have minimum standard '50s safety.
• All cars with a wheelbase less than 2.5 m shall have a safety rating of at least 20.
• All cars with a wheelbase 2.5 m or greater shall have a safety rating of at least 25.
• Headlights: one pair required situated on the front corner area of the vehicle; two pair are allowed. Cover glass shall be white or light yellow.
• A third centre marker light on the front, not more than 5 cm in diameter, is allowed.
• Tail lights: one pair required situated on the rear corner area of the vehicle. Cover glass shall be red.
• Brake light: one pair situated on the rear corner area of the vehicle. A third centre brake light on the rear is allowed, but not mandatory. Cover glass shall be red. Tail and brake lights shall be housed in separate fittings.
• Turn signals: both left and right signals must be visible when looking directly at the front and rear of the car. Pairs of signals shall be mounted on the front and rear corner area of the car. Turn signals must be amber on the front; amber or red in the rear. Indicators on the side of the car are allowed, but do not replace the front and rear lights.
• One white-illuminating reverse light mandatory on the rear of the car; two reverse lights are allowed.
• Outside mirrors required on both the driver and passenger side.
• External gas cap not required - could be hidden in lights or other fixtures, or tank could be inside the trunk or under the hood Trabant style).
• One or multiple windshield wipers are required; the wiper area must cover the windshield both on the driver and passenger side.
• One (unscaled) US-size license plate required and must be visible when looking directly at the rear of the car. A front license plate is allowed.
• No emissions or efficiency regulations (note the fuel economy tax above).
• Fuels available in Letara include:
  -Unleaded Regular (91 RON) - everywhere.
  • Unleaded Premium (95 RON) - everywhere, premium price (add 5% to long term running costs).
    -Ethanol Blend E10 (92 RON) - everywhere, minor markup price (add 2% to long term running costs, but better environmental perception).
• All aspect cross-ply and radial tires are available.
• Engine noise is to be under 55.
• No race components.
• No aero bits.

You may submit up to three trims of the same model (meaning all settings in the model tab need to be the same for all trims). Participation in other categories is not required. Participation with at least one car in this category this round will allow you to lobby/spend for the next round. Please name the Model of your submissions “LHC - 3C1 - <forum name>'” for the first trim, “LHC - 3C2 - <forum name>” for the second trim, and “LHC - 3C3 - <forum name>” for the third trim. (Please note the spaces between the text and dashes in the naming, it helps me tremendously if you do this diligently. The best way to export your cars is to make all three trims within the same model, and just rename the model between exporting the trims. That way you know that the model settings are all the same, and they all export correctly on my end.)

GOVERNMENT ASSIGNMENT: DIPLOMATIC CORPS

Letara is slowly expanding its diplomatic corps. As foreign official are a more frequent guest on Letaran soil, the need is increasing to transport them in the appropriate luxury and safety befitting a country’s leader. Therefore, the Government of Letara is putting out its Request for Proposals for a new fleet of diplomatic corps vehicles. The proposals must have the following criteria:

• The government needs these vehicles by 1970, so Model, Trim, Family, and Variant years must all be set to 1970 or earlier.
• The vehicle must be road legal (see consumer rules and regulations above).
• Large sedans or stretch limousines are preferred, SUVs can be a wild card.
• Sedans and SUV must have at least 4 full size seats (2/2 configuration); stretch limousines must have at least 6 full size seats (2/2/2 configuration).
• The vehicle must comfortable.
• The vehicle must provide adequate safety and protection to its occupants.
• The vehicle must be prestigious and look it too.
• The vehicle must be able to display two small flags (usually one of Letara and one of the dignitaries’ home country).
• A highly drivable car is desirable.
• Given that this is a government vehicle, costs are always paramount: low purchase price, low service costs, low fuel consumption, and high reliability are highly prized.

You may submit one vehicle in this category. Participation in other categories is not required. Please name the Model of your submission “LHC - 3G - <forum name>”.

RACING IN LETARA: LERANCE RACEWAY

The first few years of racing at the Letara Raceway were very successful as throngs of people descended on the race track each year. Over the years it also became clear that the current facilities are simply inadequate to host this many spectators. The government received ample sponsorship from various car companies, and a very detailed track update design from Vizzuri (*ooc: thanks and credits to @Aruna). The track was quickly updated between the 1963 and 1964 race seasons. Now, there are more and larger spectator stands track side, a few camp grounds, a permanent ferris wheel, and most importantly the track is now completely separated from the regional highway. The track itself has also received some upgrades, namely some of the corners are now banked to facilitate faster racing.

Common rules for both classes:

• All cars must be Model/Trim/Family/Variant year 1964 or older.
• There will be two race classes: the Super class (R1) and the Touring class (R2).
• No outside help allowed for drivers and cars. If the car breaks down, the driver can try to get back to the pits for a repair, or they are disqualified (this will be RNG simulated - but reliability helps).
• A driver will be RNG simulated for each race; drivability and comfort stats help your driver achieve a better time.
• A minimum of two seats are required.
• Comfort must be at least 5.0. It’s low, but just enough for the hardiest of drivers to manage without actual lasting spinal damage.
• This round I’m introducing pit stops for fuel. The number of fuel stops your car needs for the race will be determined by its fuel consumption (± small RNG to simulate some variation), tank size (tank size will be determined by the footprint of the car), and the length of the race (25 or 20 laps). Each fuel stop will be about two minutes in length (again ± some RNG).

Rules for the Super (R1) class:

• Can have race components, engine swaps, suspension swaps, etc., and don’t need to be road legal.
• Must be a coupe, hatchback, or sedan body type.
• Are allowed to run on Ethanol Blend E100 (129 RON) or any other fuel available to road cars in Letara.
• Sportiness brake fade must be 5.0% or less.
• May have one aero fixture at the front of the car, and one at the rear; both fixtures must be physically attached to the car’s body. (OOC: this is slightly cheezeable. I will apply a loose “stick with the spirit of the challenge and realism” rule, so don’t go overboard with the cheeze. If in doubt, you may send me a screenshot of your car and I’ll tell you if your 5-m-long overhang is too much or not.)
• Neither the front or rear downforce may exceed 0 kg.
• Have to have at least standard '50s safety and a safety rating of 25.
• To encourage tighter racing and to showcase the fastest cars, entry is restricted to cars that can lap the updated Lerance Raceway under 5:00.00 minutes.
• Total approximate car cost may not exceed $45,000 AMU.
• Total approximate service cost may not exceed $3,000 AMU.
• A race will be 25 laps long.

Rules for the Touring (R2) class:

• Cars must be fully road legal (see consumer car rules above).
• Cars must have the space for four seats (only two need to be physically installed).
• Cars may have a maximum of 250 HP.
• Sportiness brake fade must be 5.0% or less.
• Total approximate car cost may not exceed $35,000 AMU.
• Total approximate service cost may not exceed $2,000 AMU.
• A race will be 20 laps long.

A leaderboard for each year of racing will be simulated. Track times are simulated with RNGs, but reliability, comfort, and drivability do help.

Last but not least, I will be participating in this event as well, so you get to “race” yours truly. I will post a proper car showcase in the thread.

You may submit one vehicle in this category. Participation in other categories is not required. Please name the Model of your submission “LHC - 3R1 - <forum name>”, or LHC - 3R2 - <forum name>". Note that if any category receives less than six participants, then I will pad the field by allowing two cars by the same manufacturer to run.

The updated track:

Vizzuri Raceway '64.zip (1.2 MB)