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


The Selecta improved considerably over its lifetime, with small improvements to the manufacturing process and consistency of quality being made to almost every unit that rolled off the line. Better assembly parts and methods were incorporated, the selection process for the recycled steel became more rigorous and proceduralized while reinforcing ribs were subtly added to the panels along key trim lines, and off-the-shelf parts such as lights and fasteners were slowly brought in-house and standardized. Production of the progressive springs used in the Sintapa export package was expanded to the rest of the lineup and became a stock option, improving handling and overall feel of the car for little additional cost. New radial tires have been developed that still fit the same rim so that old sets can still be used up or kept as spares while still allowing the car a modern feel and ride, while the hubcaps became as stylish as they were functional. The final conglomeration of these updates as an as-built model, coupled with a new-age facelift, became the next generation of the Selecta.

Known internally as the M312, the new model was effectively mechanically identical to the last one, differing only in appearance and quality. Compared to before, two Selecta owners could now share more parts and less headaches, and feel more confident overall in their car while delivering the same promises they had bought into with the previous version. What’s more, this interchangeability extended to the improved powertrain, allowing owners of an older Selecta to save costs by buying a new engine and transmission crate for installation into a previous chassis, a novel practice that would be considered market self-cannibalization by a privately-operated manufacturer, but was still a source of plenty of income for SUMA and became a hallmark feature of the Selecta family of sedans.



Unable to continue the Sintapa convertible due to exceedingly poor powerplant performance, SUMA instead started looking for ways to dig their heels in in the market they had pioneered (and that Mara had unexpectedly intruded on). Seeing as the majority of SUMA customers remained outside urban areas, and already utilizing a monocoque-with-subframe structure, it was easy to come to the conclusion of a ute. The Letaran market had been soured long ago by small, incapable car-based pickups, but the Selecta had thoroughly proven itself as a rugged and capable platform, and their target market was unlikely to require the power and capacity of true work vehicles. Rather, the simple folk who needed simple cars would also need a simple ute. The San Porta was the answer.

Manufacturing couldn’t be simpler, as it already shared its entire front half with the Selecta, and it was only a matter of chopping the passenger cab in half and bolting on some extended panels to make a bed. The result was much lighter and alleviated many of the problems that had initially plagued the ASE powerplant, and paired well with the platform’s existing performance in towing and locking diff to make a surprisingly robust work vehicle. The easy replacement of damaged parts due to cheap body panels and commonality with the other models would be very attractive for light work purposes. An additional low gear compared to the sedan topped the package off like a nice bow.

13 Likes



MONS 356-ESQUE RETURNS



Thus far it looks like there will be fewer cars in R1 than R2, so Mons will enter R1 to “pad the field”. Mons’ race car is another evolution of the 356-esque, which was first used in the Portunis CannonBall Run, and later in the first era of racing at the Lerance Raceway.

The car’s superficial resemblance to its predecessors is just that - superficial. The previous cars were fully road-legal, and competed in the road-car category at Lerance. This time, a full-blown racing machine was developed.

For the new era of racing the car was re-designed from the ground up. A brand new monocoque chassis provides the strong yet light backbone for this racing monster. Aluminium panels aid with weight reduction (as well as showcasing the quality of domestic Letaran aluminium!). The powerplant is a large 6.5L V8 with all of the modern technologies available at this time (showcasing top-quality Letaran engineering!). Power output is 480 hp (real hp). All this power is translated to the road through a sturdy 5-speed manual gearbox and the latest in oversized radial tires. Ultimate cornering grip is provided by the fully independent double-wishbone suspension front and rear, and over-engineered aerodynamics.

With a predicted top speed just under 300 km/h (ok, it could’ve gone faster, but for service cost reasons it is limited), an acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 4.6 s, and a track time of under 4 minutes and 50 seconds, reasonable fuel consumption resulting in a predicted race run without pitstops, this car is sure to be among the top runners - unless all that new tech decides to blow itself up, of course.



10 Likes

NEW! For 1970...

From Niichi of Letara: Niichi Dynema

Designed from the ground-up to suit the tastes of the Letaran market - introducing the Niichi Dynema

The economical Dynema sedan - featuring a 1.4L over-head cam-driven inline-four

The spacious Dynema estate - hauls 1080 liters of cargo at 8.8L/100km

The sporting Niichi Dynema Aquila - featuring a 1.8L double over-head cam engine and all-around independent suspension

Economy - Elegance - Excellence: The Niichi Motor Company Promise

15 Likes

TURBOL Corporation Presents:

The 1964 Stellar


With continued success of existing models, Stellar’s all new 1964 model was more evolution than revolution. Mechanically very similar to the model it replaced, it was updated in a few key areas.

With the condition of Letaran roads improving, the engine was redesigned with higher speed travel in mind. Now displacing 1.9 or 2.1 liters, and producing between 56 and 66 hp, 0-100 kmh acceleration improved across the model line to 20 seconds or less.

The poorly received Trekker was discontinued with no direct replacement.

The Stellar Dragonet replaced both the Saloon and Personal Bus. The Dragonet Saloon maintained the typical 5 seat family sedan layout, while the Dragonet Estate eschewed the Personal Bus’ unusual single front seat, 3 door, 7 passenger high roof layout for a more conventional 8 passenger, 5 door estate layout.

One year after the introduction of the Dragonet, the Damosielle was introduced. This model was a shift for Stellar; the company’s target in Letara had been to offer large, comfortable, and desirable family cars on a city car budget. The Damosielle instead aimed to rival premium and luxury cars on interior and ride comfort at a considerably more affordable price. To differentiate it from the cheap Dragonet, the Damosielle recieved updated styling, a vinyl top, and the more powerful engine as standard.


15 Likes

All New 1973 Mitsushita Royale


The first model with specification made specifically for Letaran Market in a brand new local factory.
Available in 3 different trims, all using fuel injected Inline 6 for maximum efficiency and smooth power delivery.

2.0 liter DXi and GTCi are the mainstream model in Sedan and Coupe guise. With decent equipment and affordable price. Also able to run on E10. Thus it is one of the most ecologically sound car available on the market.

What’s really exciting though, is this.

This is the Mitsushita Royale 2500 GT-RS, a special homologation model made originally only for the Japanese market. However, after the racing efforts of the local Mitsushita distributor to bring their car racing, especially after the Mitsushita sent their official support for Kuruan 3000GT in the R2 race, it was deemed worthy to bring this special model to be built to order in Letara as well.

The 2500 GT-RS is different from the Japanese model in many ways, as with the base GTCi. Although it is softer and more usable, it is still an extremely hard core model that’s not expected to sell in great numbers, but should provide decent showroom traffic that should lead to better sales for the DXi and GTCi.

11 Likes

Mara goes Letara, Round 3 - TL;DR

(Since I ended up with eight episodes instead of the planned five, I guess it's time for one of these again...)

Consumer car offering:

From right to left: Mara Irena 1.3 TR (Transporter Regular), 2.0 SK (Sedan Komfort), 2.0 UK (Universal Komfort)

Rear perspective. The rear indicators are now identical between all body shapes, as is the new reverse light.

Sedan and wagon receive the all-new 2.0 litre Perspekt engine, and a new grille compared to the 1963 models in order to distinguish them from the 1.3 litre models (which continue to be available as well but only the 1.3 litre van is submitted as part of the challenge).

Regular trims now have only a plastic window trim but also sport an - albeit basic - radio over the 1963 models. The transporter van gets an optional rear glass window, re-using the same rear door as the wagon.

A Regular Irena interior: a bare metal dashboard with minimalist controls and vinyl seats


A Komfort Irena interior: a vinyl padded dashboard with minimalist controls and cloth seats

Race car entry:

A track-tuned 3-door Irena sedan with the 4.0 V8 Blyz engine from the Irena interceptor version (Archana only) tuned to 250 hp. Supported as a semi-works effort and driven by Letaran John Summer (who had raced a privately entered Mara Companion prototype the years before).

11 Likes

Just popping in to say I completely approve of this challenge. Cake tried to check in with me, put in every reasonable effort and has acted as the pillar of community we are used to.

For an explanation on what happened to ALC, see Automation Legacy Challenge (BONUS ROUND - Racing) - #429 by AMuteCrypt

5 Likes
1966 LIBERTY CATALOG
Distributed by Liberty Corp.

Moving Up the Market

After the release of the Liberty New Yorker, Liberty has changed itself from the regular family brand to the exclusive and revolutionary luxury brand. But don’t worry families, we still have a car for you that gives you a taste of the new Liberty brand. This catalogue will show you our future as a brand, and the cars that you can buy in our dealerships.

The Most Practical Car Ever

Our new Liberty Familia is the most practical family car you can buy right now. It features 9 total seats, with 8 of them being removable, and a large cargo space between the 2nd and 3rd row. The Familia is the perfect car not only for families, but for companies that need to haul. Travelling with the whole family? Use 9 seats. Going on a road trip but carrying lots of luggage? Use 6 seats. Hauling? Use 3 seats, or 1 seat. We believe that the Familia is perfect for everyone due to its flexibility. It is priced at 16500 AMU.

Statistics
  • 3L I6 Engine
  • Fuel Injection
  • 12.3L/100km
  • 3 Gear Automatic “Button” Transmission
  • Standard Interior
  • Total 9 Seats; 1 Driver, 8 Removable Passenger
  • Standard AM Radio
  • Advanced Safety
  • Cruise Control
Gallery





Luxury for the Family

The Liberty Civilian is a car that brings Luxury to families. It features a prestigious customizable interior with 5 seats, with a high quality AM radio. It is crafted with high quality leather and wood. Cruise Control is featured allowing for easy driving. It is priced at 21500 AMU, a low price for a car this good.

Statistics
  • 3L I6 Premium Engine
  • Fuel Injection
  • 3 Gear Automatic “Button” Transmission
  • Partially Curstomizable Luxury Interior
  • 5 Leather Seats
  • High Quality AM Radio
  • Power Steering
  • Advanced Safety
  • Cruise Control
Gallery




The New Most Luxurious Car

In 1956, The first generation Liberty New Yorker was labeled as the most comfortable car ever made. This year we will one up ourselves by releasing the second generation Liberty New Yorker II. It features a fully customizable interior allowing you to truly make the car yours. It is hand built by a special team and is crafted with the highest quality leather and wood we can find. Like the previous generation, there is a record player included, and there is a new ice box allowing you to stored chilled drinks. It is priced at 28500 AMU.

Statistics
  • 3L I6 Premium Engine
  • Fuel Injection
  • 3 Gear Automatic “Button” Transmission
  • Fully Curstomizable Hand-Made Interior
  • 4 Leather Seats
  • High Quality AM Radio
  • Phonograph
  • Power Steering
  • Advanced Safety
  • Cruise Control
  • Ice Box
Gallery






Helping the Government

Liberty Corp. Has sent a recent prototype to the Letaran government: A luxury vehicle for diplomats. It is a modified Liberty New Yorker that is built to have a lower cost and higher efficiency. We hope that our cars are chosen for the project.

Gallery





The Little Bird that Could

The last car is the 1964 Liberty Falcon Racer, which is a modified version of the Liberty Falcon (Not Sold In Letara). This year, we are the underdogs of the race. We have a car that are confident is going to win this year’s race. We wish luck to the racing drivers

Gallery



Liberty Corp. Advertising and Engineering Department, 1966
Building 420, 69th Avenue
Philidelphia, PA, USA
+1-215-xxx-xxxx

In the office (Lore)

Michael, the new CEO, entered his office. He sat down on the plush leather chair his dad used sit on. He looked at the ashtray, the typewriter, the pack of cigars his dad bought him as a gift. He wanted to continue the legacy his dad started, except, he knew he had to make changes to the company before they began to sink.

He called out his engineers: “I need all lead engineers in my office!”. The new engineers scurried into the office and sat down. He looked at them, but not in the way his father would. “Alright! As you know, I’m the new boss here, and I believe all of you are the new engineers we hired. I welcome you to the company”. The engineers gave a light smile.

“We’re glad to work with you,” one of them said.

“Thank you. Unfortunately, it has taken a while for us to find engineers as good as all of you, and our next project needs to get done rather soon”. He sat and started to think a little bit. “I love direction that Liberty Corp is heading towards, but I think it is time to refresh our brand. As you know, our last generation helped establish ourselves as luxury brand. It was a great idea. However, we need to do away with these awfully large land barges”. Michael remembers his dad struggling to drive and park his New Yorker.

“Sir, how do we create a luxury car without it being large?” an engineer asked.

“Good question,” Michael responded. “That’s up to you to figure out. You are the engineers.” They quietly talked amongst themselves and that focused their attention back on the CEO. “In addition to a luxury car, I believe that it would be best to try to remain in the family market. I think that it is still possible to succeed there. Any questions?” There was a pause. "Okay. All of you are dismissed. Get to brainstorming

Several Weeks Later

The engineers entered Michael’s office. They looked excited, but cautious. “Have a seat,” Muchael said. The engineers sat down.

“After a couple of weeks of brainstorming, we figured out what would be best for the company.” The engineers hand their blueprints to the CEO. He looked over each blue print.

“Interesting” he said. “I believe that these cars are perfect. I love the new Familia with its flexible seating. Ooh! And the ice box in the New Yorker. All of these cars are perfect!” The engineers let out a nice smile. “One more thing. I am going to need you to modify the New Yorker for the government. They are requesting luxury cars for diplomats. Just create a new model that is cheaper and more effecient and I think that would be fine. Good job to all of you! Have a good day.” He stood up and shook the hands of the engineers.

10 Likes


Chapter 3


Capital found itself on a complicated situation in Letara during the late 60’s. The tire replacement scam caused by private importers and the severe increase in luxury sedans offer by other manufacturers caused a strain on the company’s finances. From now on, it had to be cautious in order not to fall behind competition. The first step to avoid that was to separate itself from other manufacturers, with unique designs and engineering. This new aproach demanded a lot of time and money, as there wouldn be any news of Capital until 1968, when the Stiletto Concept Car was revealed to the public on the Letaran Auto Show

Concept car pics

A striking design that showed the new design aproach of the company, now partnered with Pegazzo for the body language of its cars. 2 years later, the Capital Monarch was announced for production.

It was, in all regards, a huge car for the company. Both figuratively and literally, measuring 5.27m long and 1.86m wide. The public version was powered with a 5.5l MFI flat 6 engine, producing 244hp and 425Nm of torque. No expense was spared during the development of this car. Advance safety, unique luxury and confort, and the sheer presence of this car made it stand out inmediately. But also it was much more expensive than previous models of Capital, reaching almost 60000 AMU.

A special diplomatic version was also presented to the Letaran government, dubbed the Capital Diplomat, with a much more sensible powertrain (4l inline 6) and equipment, thus more affordable.

Finally in 1971 a special edition 2-door convertible sedan was revealed to the public, called the Monarch Liberitas, hoping to catch buyers looking for the ultimate luxury vehicle.

12 Likes

Reminds me of an Aston Martin Lagonda and it is surely a very unique car.

1 Like

Mocabeys Make It To Letara For 1964

The Warehouse van, Haymaker ute, and Pioneer SUV were all scheduled to have their first deliveries to Letara last year as CKD units, however delays relating to factory construction and the attempted development of a double wishbone retrofit for the Pioneer meant that the triplets could not make it to the country in time for the 1963 model year. However, with the new factory in Letara, the first units of the three models have now rolled off the line and are awaiting certification with the Letaran authorities.


Mocabey Introduces The Airig

The Mocabey Airig is an extended size luxury sedan which will be offered to governments and corporations for VIP transport. With luxurious interiors and the latest 8 track players, it promises to be pleasant inside, and the huge rear overhang houses a boot that can fit whatever a VIP wishes to transport with him. The engine bay is home to a twin cam 5.2L straight six producing 220bhp in fuel injected form, enough to propel even this behemoth to 100km/h in ten seconds. Armour fittings will also be offered by Mocabey, though whether they will be done in house or through a specialist supplier is not yet confirmed.

6 Likes

The Capital Monarch, in all its forms, is one of the best uses of the Gondola mod body sets, in any size. Well done!

1 Like

Entries are now closed!
Thank you all who submitted and also thanks for keeping the thread clean :slight_smile:
Without further ado… let’s jump right into it!



Rd. 3 RESULTS

Chapter 1: politics, economy, and natural environment




Economy and natural disasters 1946-1974.



POLITICS

International: This decade saw a large shift in global politics toward for more peaceful co-existence and diplomacy. Letara had a leading role in several successful peace negotiations at the Global Federation Summit (GFS), including its own with Montelin. Indeed, through these negotiations Montelin has agreed to a withdrawal from the Letaran peninsula and a slow transfer of land back to Letara. Letara thus established itself as a strong diplomatic nation and established its reputation as a successful - and peaceful - negotiator. As a leader in this realm, the GFS established the International Court of Peace Negotiations (ICPN) in Fiegheni, the old capital city. With the international standing of Letara improving, it is only natural that the friendly relations with Somunds and other countries are continuing to be strong.

Domestic: Backed by a strengthening economy, Letara is entering a phase of political stability. The population recognizes that the investment-focused government elected in 1963 is successfully reversing the depression, so the elections of 1968 and 1973 see only minor changes to the ruling coalition of parties. Of course newspapers are still complaining about the negative blips in the economy, but the population who lived through the “dark '50s” remember where they came from and where they are at now. The successful negotiations with Montelin, the promised land transfer back to Letara, and the establishment of the new ICPN in Fiegheni all bolster the government’s credibility.

RP effects: The government will have a moderate to large spending budget (spending tokens) - these will be added to the pool of tokens the car companies collectively spend during Rd. 4 Preface. The gov’t spending priorities may or may not augment company spending, and will focus on large-scale infrastructure projects.


ECONOMY

The economy of Letara started an upswing in the early '60s, which continued virtually unbroken though to 1967 - the only small decrease seen in 1966 caused by two years of large fires devastating the recovering forestry industry. But with other industries gaining strength, and the forestry industry not a major contributor to the economy anymore, it was a minor setback. After 1967 the economy entered a stable phase with small swings. Not a booming economy yet by any means, but stable - and that is what people really wanted, what gives them optimism and hope. The middle class is once again re-establishing itself and growing steadily through the decade, and there are fewer and fewer truly destitute people. Jobs are being created and rapidly filled.

RP effects: With the economy finally growing and stabilizing at a more comfortable level, people are optimistic for the future. The growing middle-class now actually has some money to spend, and is also willing to spend it. Especially the little spikes in the economy in the late '60s and the renewed growth spurt in the first years of the '70 resulted in increased consumer spending, with some contraction during the small downturns. Companies would do well to capitalize on those positive blips.


NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Thanks to generous investment by private corporations, the forestry industry has seen a true revival with new fast-growing forests planted in the early '60s. All this new dense growth eventually became too much, and new fires started in '65 and '66. The fires were deemed to be caused by natural processes and no foul play is suspected. This may seem like a broken record by this point, but the survival of the forestry industry is once again a little tenuous. At least the city folk are slowly learning proper outdoors skills and have not set the National Parks on fire. The only other noteworthy natural event was the flood of '69. This is a rare occurrence in Letara, but sometimes an oceanic current reversal brings intense summer rains, resulting on flooding. This happened in '69. The floods caused the most damage in hilly and mountainous areas as the water was funnelled down valleys. The agricultural sector also suffered major damage as field flooded and crops failed that year. This resulted in a three-year-long economic setback while reconstruction efforts were under way and Letara was more dependent on food imports. But overall, the natural environment was relatively quiet this decade, not resulting in any major setbacks for Letara.

RP effects: The forestry economy continues to struggle, and will need continued support to survive - again. The agricultural sector did suffer some losses, and the thought of new flood-control measures are up for debate. Insurance companies are revisiting their flood insurance policies. Overall not much else to be said this decade.


Car reviews and other results to follow shortly!



24 Likes

Rd. 3 RESULTS

Chapter 2: :wastebasket:


This post will be OOC as it’s just dealing with some unfortunate housekeeping before I get to the meat and bones of the reviews. Y’all seemed to like this format, so here goes. Perhaps some bad news for some, but maybe also some relief for others. So, let’s rip the band-aid off, get the less fun stuff out of the way, so we can get to the good stuff.


CONSUMER CATEGORY

Although I strive to have as few bins in the consumer category as possible, there are still things that cannot be explained away or swept under the rug in some RP/lore friendly fashion. These cars broke some hard rules:

@Fayeding_Spray Walkenhorst 1500 STND: Basic '60s safety (Standard '50s was required minimum - and yes, that is better than Basic '60s).

@TanksAreTryhards Levante Nuova 130 - 3.8 SuperTurismo: +2 Brake TP (+1 was max).


GOVERNMENT ASSIGNMENT

@benjamintamilia Canadian Lucania Executive Brougham: Euro size license plate, no space for US plate.

@Ch_Flash Martinet Correur 4200: Euro size license plate, no space for US plate.

@Mikonp7 Popas Tachanka Non-Weaponized: No wipers; only one mirror on the driver’s side.

@Prium Capital Diplomat: Euro size license plate, no space for US plate.

@Repti Resuki Rey Select: +5 Suspension TP.

@TheYugo45GV Mayland Ambassador: +1 Suspension TP; no mirrors on the car.


RACING

@04mmar Honduro Performante: Too expensive at $48300.

@ChemaTheMexican Garland Determinator: '68 model, trim, family, and variant.

@conan Mitsushita Kuruan 3000 GT: No separate taillight and brake light fixture; semi-slick tires.

@doot KHI-Calhav Touring: No windshield wipers or mirrors on the car.

@MisterRocketMan Niichi Sagitta NRT: '65 model, trim, family, and variant.

@Petakabras Albor Sprint Touring: '68 trim.


Car reviews, gov’t assignment, and racing results coming soon!



22 Likes
submitted beforehand, don't worry

Kamaka Car Present Feature: Kamaka Draco


Kamaka Motor Corporation very proud to make introduce new bespoke grand tourer, Draco. Develop car from ground up, no making compromise. Make sure be greatest car Kamaka ever make.


EXP-GT R1 Spec

We first showcase Draco in form EXP-GT prototype, make in R1 racing class specification. Just start for greatness. Show true ambition experimental 4.6 liters double over the head shaft V angle 8. All new radial slicks tires. Go across Lerance Raceway 4 minute 51 second.


Draco 2500GT Coupe+Convertible

Now public can get 1967, Draco 2500GT coupe and convertible greatest show what Kamaka Motor Corporation can do, have many new feature, Aluminum body panel. Four wheel double wishbone suspension. Full unibody.

Engine also very good, 2.5 liters double over the head shaft straight six. Makes 160 horsepower. No much power as V8, but make up with more lighter more save fuel. All this make best car handle we make.


XS-R

At top, Draco XS-R sit on throne. Come from we give engineer fuck ton LSD ask them make Kamaka fastest on road. Only focus on performance, radio even optional. Put biggest tire can possible on, change engine to 4 liters V8. Make 270 horsepower. Very sporty racing stripe, inspire from America muscle car. Every small detail design careful, make sure Draco XS-R can go over 170 mile per hour top speed.

15 Likes

Oh bollocks, the one time I forget to put mirrors on my car is when its required, I knew something felt off. A real shame that so much time and effort was lost thanks to my stupidity. Regardless, good luck to the other goverment entries, and may the best car win. Can’t wait to see who comes out on top.

3 Likes



Rd. 3 RESULTS

Chapter 3: the renovated Lerance Raceway opens 1964

After several years of racing madness and record crowds around the Lerance Raceway, there was an urgent need to expand and improve the facilities. Several car companies stepped in to help refurbish the track and its amenities. Some major changes included the construction of many new spectator stands around the track, camp grounds were carved out of the landscape, a new Ferris wheel was constructed near the pit lane, and the access roads were widened for smoother traffic flow.

One of the major issues with the old track was that it used part of the regional highway as its long back straight, which necessitated the lockdown of the highway during race weekends. It wouldn’t have been such a big problem as it is a divided highway, if not for the crowds taking over the other side as well to watch the race. In a major reconstruction the highway is now completely separated from the back straight, and there are legal spectator areas inside the track along the straight. This should help tremendously to keep traffic flowing around the track.

The track itself was also resurfaced and improved. Several turns, including the 270 degree “rotunda corner”, were completely rebuilt with banking, in an effort to make racing smoother and even more exciting. Top banking angles are up to 7.5 degrees! These changes combined should make cars go around the track several seconds faster compared to a flat surface.

Racing regulations were also revisited. The new “R1 Class” is the domain of pure and dedicated racing cars. The stiff entry time limit ensures that only the best participate and that racing will be tight. Cost caps limit these cars to make racing more affordable. The imposed limitations only made the engineers think harder and be more creative. Thus, despite the imposed limits, these are still among the fastest and most sophisticated cars ever built!

The new “R2 Class” is open to street legal cars that make up to 250 HP. With even stiffer cost caps, even amateur and enthusiast racers can participate, although factory teams are of course still very welcome. These cars are naturally slower than their R1 cousins, but they are no less impressive to watch and should still provide much entertainment for the masses. Especially as the “common folk” can actually imagine themselves driving one of these cars off a dealership lot one day.

After initial scrutineering (see here), nine cars remain to race in both classes. Let’s see how they stack up on paper.


R1 Class


Left to right (now with correct cars in the photo): Wolfe Racing Razor GT Prototype @karhgath, Mocabey Monaco @SheikhMansour, Benetsch GBM-ISSV @Texaslav, Mons 356-Esque Rev.3 @cake_ape, Kamaka EXP-GT R1 Spec @LS_Swapped_Rx-7, Vizzuri Drago QV Corsa @Aruna, Zephorus Racing Design Silver Thunder '64 @Riley, Knightwick k40 Roadster sebring @mart1n2005, Rhania Ralcon-R @happyfireballman

With modern technologies more precise pace and statistics modelling can be conducted on these cars (see below for stats panel). These statistics are very useful for bookies while setting up their odds on race weekends.

Looking at overall pace, the spread between cars is pretty narrow - as predicted and hoped. On pure pace, the Wolfe seems the fastest, closely followed by the Mocabey and Benetsch. The Mons is a fraction behind the top three, as is the Kamaka and Vizzuri, although the top six cars are well within striking distance of each other. The last three cars are the Zephorus, Knightwick, and finally the Rhania, each about another two seconds slower than the one in front.

With such a close field, race wins will indeed come down to reliability and the driver’s ability to get the most out of the car. Looking at it though this lense, it looks like the Wolfe has it all sorted with very good reliability, drivability, and comfort. To top it off, it doesn’t even need to make a pit stop for fuel! The Mocabey trails the Wolfe in all stats, but it is not predicted to need any pit stops. The Benetsch has good drivability, but comfort is a little lacking, so drivers might struggle especially toward the end of races to get the most out of the car. This car will need a pit stop during the race. The Mons has pretty poor drivability in comparison, and comfort is also just average, so the driver will have to work quite hard to extract all from the car; reliability is good, however, so race finishes should be a regular occurrence. This car will not need pits stops, giving it a decent hope to catch up while the Benetsch is in for its fuel stop.

The Kamaka has stellar reliability, so it should finish races quite regularly. However, it is similar to the Mons in that it is not the easiest to drive and not as comfortable. It might need one fuel stop, or none, depending on how hard the driver pushes the car on that day. The Vizzuri brings up the tail end of the top contenders, as it also has decent reliability. It is hard to drive, but quite comfortable, so while the driver has to work hard, at least they won’t fatigue as quickly. With zero pitstops predicted, this car should still be a strong contender for an outside win.

The last three cars on the list are predicted to struggle with reliability, with the Zephorus relatively the most likely to finish a race, with diminishing odds for the Knightwick and Rhania. All three cars are quite uncomfortable to sit in. Where the Zephorus shines is its stellar drivability - if it can run without issues, it should be able to pace evenly. The Knightwick is also quite easy to drive, but the Rhania is quite a handful for the driver. Lastly, both the Zephorus and Knightwick will need a pit stop for fuel, if they make it that far of course. The Rhania will need to make a pit stop - if it indeed makes it that far.


Theoretical pace and statistics of the R1 class cars.



R2 Class


Left to right: Swanson 255 RC (FL) @Ludvig, Torshalla Griffin II @Maverick74, Mara Irena 4.0 R2 Touring Car @AndiD, Primus Astrona 4200RS @Happyhungryhippo, Martinet Vespae R2 @Ch_Flash, Liberty Falcon Racer @FidleDo, Kessel 250 KO @GassTiresandOil, Vaughn Endura @Knugcab, P&A Sportsman Mk.III Flat 6 Race Spec @lotto77

The R2 Class was also put to the test to obtain theoretical pace and statistics. First, with smaller engines and a shorter race, none of the cars will need a fuel stop. The fastest of the bunch is the cute bowling shoe Swanson, followed within striking distance by the Torshalla, Mara, Primus, Marinet, and Liberty. Outside a realistic striking distance runs the Kessel, and much larger muscle cars Vaughn and at a considerable distance, the P&A.

Looking at the secondary stats, it start looking even better for the Swanson. It has stellar reliability, top of the pack drivability, and very good comfort. Based on the statistics alone, it looks like it will be very hard to beat the Swanson. However, any mistake will be capitalized on by the moderately reliable Torshalla and Primus and superbly reliable Mara, which should still be within striking distance for a win. Each car has its strength and weakness: the Torshalla has great comfort reducing driver fatigue, the Mara has bomb-proof reliability and should still be running when every other car has blown a gasket, and the Primus has good drivability, although overall predicted to be the weakest of the “top 4 bunch”.

While on pure pace the Martinet and Liberty also look good and close enough to punce, their reliability is predicted to be problematic. Both of them have OK drivability, but poor comfort, so they will struggle to keep up a bit. But if they do on a good day, and they don’t brake down, then they could still be a threat for an outside podium or even a very lucky win.

Looking toward the bottom three cars, on pace alone they really have to hope for retirements of the faster cars to hope for a podium finish. They do have decent reliability, especially the Kessel, which should keep it in contention in most races. The Kessel also has good comfort, so it should come alive more toward the latter part of the race. The Vaughn has overall good stats, so it should find that it can extract good pace from the car. The P&A doesn’t have the best reliability, but it is not terrible. Where this car shines is with its comfort. The driver will have no problem with pushing through to the end of the race (if the car makes it that far, that is).



Theoretical pace and statistics of the R2 class cars.



With the above information in hand, eager Letarans wanting to test their fortunes will be able to make “informed decisions” regarding their bets come race weekend. What do you think, how will these races pan out?


…to be continued…



21 Likes

Um, not to rain on your parade, but you used my 3C1 car in that photo instead of my 3R1 one. I am not bringing a landbarge to a car fight.

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Haha, something looked off! I’ll correct that momentarily. Too many damn cars with similar looking names in my car manager. :smiley:

Edit: corrected.

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…Can we race the luxobarge anyway? :point_right: :point_left:

(Maybe to celebrate Letara’s Xth anniversary, we run the winner of the government assignment, representing Letara’s “President,” in the 197X R2 race?)