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

[lotto77]

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

Planar History Files: Letara memos vol.3

---

When Planar first entered the Letaran market, Planar management began sending out “recap” memos to their Letaran dealerships and management to inform them of sales numbers and forthcoming plans.

Here is the third memo, sent out in 1974 after their latest successes in Letara.

---

Letara Sales Memo 2

What a decade!

Starting off with strong sales and surprising race results, to an internal feud that necessitated a rebrand that was surprisingly successful, it has been a bumper decade for our company.

First off, sales. The final Sportsman model was released largely unopposed in the luxury sedan category and remained that way even after we restyled and re-engineered it as the Danazine. While the sales of the F6S Danazine were below expectations, we realise that that was because of a lack of differentiation between it and the normal F6. Nevertheless, a good reputation with customers, a growing customer base, and a lack of competition until 1970 have meant that sales were well above expectations overall.

The racing, too, was a pleasant surprise. The Letaran racing branch snuck that project under our noses, and I must admit that nobody had much in the way of expectations, but the results were extremely pleasing! More finishes than DNFs, and even a fourth were far beyond what anyone expected of the car and team, and I’m pleased to confirm that we’ll be putting more money into racing than ever before, both internally and with money for the construction of Lerance’s short circuit.

Our government proposal is probably the only sore spot, but with the LWB prototype being delivered to the government, we’ve had multiple expressions of interest in grey market imports of them from our more wealthy customers, so it’s not a total loss.

Looking forward, we can happily announce that we are yet again providing funding for road construction, and will be lobbying for adjustments to the luxury vehicle tax, to make premium cars more affordable, luxury cars more exclusive, and provide a fairer tax system for the aspirational middle class. As for our cars, there are BIG things coming later in the 70’s, and it’s the first project headed from the start by our Advanced Technologies Group, so look forward to a revolution instead of an evolution.

-James Ardent, P&A CEO.

[AndiD]

Mara goes Letara, Ep. 4-2: Everything but car stuff

Previous post [read it for a rallycross racing proposal if you haven’t done so yet ]

14 March 1974
Great Exhibition Hall, Lerance, Letara

After the discussion of the rallycross racing proposal, Fedor informed Inna and Rodyn about the Archanan government’s investment decisions into Letara, after reassuring Inna that the Mara assembly plant will be maintained.

“First, they want to give discounts on the new Aljoscha Al-62M long-range passenger aircraft to any Letaran airline. The Al-62M should have plenty of range to connect Letara non-stop to many other countries in the world.”

An yet unpainted Al-62M prototype landing at Kronagrad Airport

Inna nodded. “Aljoscha should actually be well known here since we happened to run a racecar with their name on it for the last couple of years.”

Other Archanan investments in Letara

Fedor nodded and continued. “They furthermore want to channel additional funds into expanding the Letaran coal industry along with enhancements to the harbour so that they will finally be able to export coal to Archana directly. Moreover, as at least you will be aware of” - Fedor pointed to Rodyn - “our government increasingly is keen on offering cruise ship holidays to our workers. They therefore would also like to see that the Letaran harbour gets the necessary infrastructure for cruise ships to dock. Since it will be a long trip over the sea, the holidaying workers would probably just get one or two days in the country, before they have to head back aboard.”

Inna and Rodyn nodded. Rodyn remembered how fond Fedor and his predecessor Henri Nordhov were of Letara when they all were competing in the cannonball races over twenty years ago. Somehow they must have passed on their fondness to the right people in the Archanan government.

“If we want to establish rallycross, I think we should also contribute at least something to the track construction…”, Inna started.

Fedor shrugged. “It’s nothing the mother company could directly support since it is too far away for us to consider. However, as Comrade Executive Director of Letaran Operations, you have, of course, some leeway whether how you want to re-invest some of the funds that you make here. While appreciated, you do not have to transfer every last Letaran dollar back to us in the motherland…”

With some relief, Inna nodded gratefully.

[GassTiresandOil]

Ah. No worries lol. Like Kessel’s spokesperson said, to each their own.

[cake_ape]

One day remains for spending and lobbying!

You have about 24 hours left to get your spending and lobbying proposals in to the Letaran Government. Spending and lobbying is open until 6:00 AM ET on Sunday, February 12.

[Ludvig]

Round 4 Spending & Lobby

Swanson investment commitments 1975-1884

5 tokens - maintain factory

1 token Supporting the tourism industry
(ex. tourism board, promoting Letara as a destination (shamelessly plugging the recent(ish) racing successes) in our main markets, rental car service)

1 token Expanding and running the Modred Resort & Casino.

2 token Supporting the Aluminum industry
(alternatively its required infrastructure)

1 token Expanding docks

Swanson lobbying talking points

Modify safety regulations Yes 1 point
Considering development we suggest raising the bar a little (+5 in game)

Mandate amber indicator lights on the front and rear corners of the vehicle: Yes 1

Mandate side indicator lights. Yes 1 point

Allow white glass for indicator lights Yes 2 points

Tighten noise regulations. No 1 point
Keep Letara Loud.

Taxation slight rebalance yes 2 points
Consider balancing taxation so that domestically manufactured cars can benefit from tax breaks. While we enjoy 0% taxation as much as anyone, the safety and material use tax breaks give us no incentive as taxes are a one-way road.

Racing: Consider Rallycross yes 2 point
We are happy to participate in and win any sort of race, but Rallycross seems particularly interesting. Lerance Raceway is a logistically sound base. Perhaps replace the short course with a gravel section, or put it in the upper left as an outside expansion to the short course. Looks like a 60/40-70/30 split.

Edit: forgot this 4K HD illustration what I meant

(OOC: I believe this could be implemented by an extra formula or two in a spreadsheet, by splitting the gross time according to track surface split, calculating times and adding them together, but IDK. If its a PITA the update by Vizzuri is fine.

For later round, a touge/hillclimb/mountain circuit would be interesting. Round 6 Eurobeat intensifies )

[mart1n2005]

Knightwick 1974 market update for Letara

---

Firstly Knightwick motors is very happy with the continued high sales and reviews of out small standard and premium cars. The gamble of exporting our small van to Letara appears to have paid off as well, we may continue the sales of commercial vehicles in Letara but will wait on further country developments.

---

We are also very excited to announce the start of construction of a full scale production plant in Letara, from here we will produc 100% of our small cars for sale in Letara and surrounding markets. This will add to our facilities in the UK, Australia and South Africa. Due to this construction we will slow down export vehicles to Letara for the future with Knightwick Letara taking up this vehicle production.

The Knightwick K45 ended production in 1970 after a long and well loved production run. Due to internal changes in Knightwick motors we currently have no full replacement in this size, so exports of the Knightwick Steed 1100 will fill this market along with the large engined Steed models until our full replacement comes online. The early work on this replacement can be seen here at our stand at the Letaran Auto Show.

---

In our efforts to improve both safety and health of all citizens we are lobbying to mandate the use of side marker lights to all vehicles on Letaran roads. These will consist of an orange reflector forward of the front wheel centres, that also acts as a side indicator repeaters. At the rear of the car is a red reflector aft of the rear wheel centres, this will light up red with the rear lights.

The materials used must be approved in reflectiveness for standardisation of safety.

Here is the example of placement and materials used.

These are the reflective materials that must be used

---

Our second proposal is the use of catalytic converters on all passenger vehicles in Letara, with the increased popularity of ethanol based fuel the particulate figures in Letara have increased exponentially. Current catalytic converter types cannot adequately capture this particulate emission, but if we invest in the use of catalytic converters now instead of kicking the can down the road to our children we can hasten the development of better three way catalytic converters. Even the use of the two way currently available we can dramtically cut down on carbon monoxide and particulates from unburnt fuel in the air.

[cake_ape]

Lobbying closes

Thank you all who have submitted your lobbying and spending items. The Letaran government is now compiling results and building Letera for a new and brighter future. Stay tuned for Rd. 4 Prologue!

[Mikonp7]

Greetings Comrades

With the new years coming in actions, Popas want so introduce the further products of Popas into Letara.
We are proud to announce:

1974 Popas Heavy Industry D-1000.
Planned to move stock from Russia to Letara, materials to the factory, and move products from the factory to other places. To reach does goals, Popas will invest into freight train infrastructure.

[cake_ape]

Rd. 4 PROLOGUE

SPENDING & LOBBYING RESULTS

The Government of Letara received a good number of lobbyists during the consultation period. Although turnout wasn’t as good as during the last decade, there is still a significant turnout among car companies. Here is a run-down of the results:

Spending

The Government once again received a good amount of funds for new road construction, and some funds for road maintenance. With the uptick in the economy, the government will contribute significant funds toward these initiatives.

The aluminium industry also received a large amount of funds. Other industries that received more modest sums were the petrochemical industry, iron/steel industry chain, agriculture. Ethanol production and coal mining received minimal funding, just enough to keep them going at the current level. The government is happy to let these commercial enterprises grow on their own; however, the traditional aluminium industry will receive further incentives from the government.

Air infrastructure received its largest influx of funds yet since the 40s, indicating the changing times. Rail received moderate funding and shipping received a modest amount; both will need additional funding from the government to keep them going or expanding. With large-scale global economic changes and the increase of movement of good and people, the government recognizes that all forms of transport need more investment to grow. Significant funds will be made available to this effect.

Education received overall a good amount of funding, but it was spread wide across various fields. Petrochemical engineering received the most funding, followed by aerodynamics. Electrical engineering and general research/education received modest amounts. Mechanical engineering, materials science, and electrical robotics and computing received minimal funding. With the growing economy, the government also puts forward significant investment into research in the hopes to make Letara a research powerhouse on the global stage.

Investment into car racing dropped since the last decade. All of the funding went toward upgrades or changes at the Lerance Raceway. A modest amount was invested into building the short inner course, a smaller amount was dedicated for a rally-cross type track, and minimal funding was received for layout changes to the long outer track. The government sees the Raceway as the premier showcase for Letata, and recognizes the return on investment here is enormous, so they will put significant funds toward changes at the track to keep it modern and exciting - with that comes some of their own vision of course (more on that later).

Under the “miscellaneous” category here were other funded initiatives. Minor and modest funding toward the maintenance of historical sites and national parks. Some funds for a small anti-alcohol campaign. Minor support for the tourism industry and the Modred Casino. Modest support for delivery/courier services. An ad campaign to support the image of small cars. And some funds toward the brave firefighters of Letara.

Lobbying

This decade lobbying cooled somewhat and was less contentious. In terms of car regulations that affect the aesthetics and safety of a car, more companies voted against dual front beams than for, but neither side was overly enthusiastic. The government will drop this issue for now. The third centre headlight issue received almost no attention, only one company voicing their desire to keep allowing them. These are indeed deemed dangerous as they can lead to blinding of oncoming traffic, or to dangerous situations due to mistaken identity. They will be banned by the government. The indicator issue received more attention: several companies voiced a collectively strong opinion to mandate amber coloured lights, with one adding that clear/white glass should still be allowed as long as the bulb is amber. Fewer than half votes were received to keep the current allowance for red rear indicators. The government agrees with the majority: amber coloured indicators set them apart from other lights and are unambiguous. White cover glass will be allowed, as long as the bulb shines amber. An overwhelming number of votes was received for the implementation of side markers/indicators, with only one company against voicing a small opinion against them. The government will follow the majority vote and mandate side markers/indicators. The third brake light issue received one vote for and one against, indicating that in general companies do not care about this issue one was or another. For now no third brake light will be mandated; there will however be an awareness campaign by the government which might sway consumer desire due to the safety benefit. There was one vote to allow tail and brake lights in the same housing, and on vote to mandate duel reversing lights. With new lighting technology we agree, brake and tail lights can be in the same housing, but two separate bulbs are still necessary. There was a weak vote to mandate double reversing lights. The government agrees, this is indeed both an aesthetically pleasing and safe choice. One company put forward a weak lobby against a mandate to mount rearview mirrors on the door. For now the government will sit tight and gather more data on the safety for fender-mounted mirrors.

In terms of other car regulations that affect the engineering side, one company indicated that they’d like to see catalytic converters mandated on all cars. The government thinks that this technology is very much in its infancy; a full mandate seems premature. Two companies put forward a motion to ban cross-ply tires, but it didn’t seem to be a major priority area. The government still sees a viable and valid use for cross-ply tires; this is an issue that will likely sort itself out due to natural competition pressures. No mandate is necessary. One company pushed strongly to reduce the crash safety standard by 50%, but another company voiced their concerns about safety and wants to raise the standard by 5 points. For now, the crash safety rules seem adequate and no changes are needed. Three companies want to prevent the lowering of noise regulations. The government agrees that the current noise regulations are sufficient to keep the peace on Letaran roads. There was a strong push for introducing emissions standards/limits, and an equally strong push against. At this time the government agrees that a strong push for emissions standards would stifle the car industry; there will be other initiatives taken in an effort to reduce emissions by the worst polluters. The strongest lobby item by far was regarding aerodynamic devices on consumer cars: this item received an overwhelming number of votes in favour of allowing them. The government closely followed the research on these devices and saw them in action on the Raceway in the last decade. They see no reason to outright ban these devices, although reasonable limits do need to be set. Two companies lobbied to extend the tax rebate for the 160km/h limited cars to cars that are naturally slower than this speed. The government agrees, this will be implemented.

Taxes: everyone’s favourite topic. First, there was a large push by one company to introduce a graduated tax based on emissions, and two companies in favour of a tax break for cars with low emissions, and one company for a tax break for cars with high fuel economy. In a similar vein, there was a push for tax incentives for cars with catalytic converters. While the proposals as stated will not be implemented, this is an interesting way to curb emissions and will be considered. One company wants to exempt off-road cars from both future fuel economy and displacement taxes. None of these taxes are on the books currently; utility vehicles might be considered for this kind of exemption, but the government sees no reason to exempt offroad vehicles. Several companies voiced a strong opinion to give tax breaks for cars using E fuels; one company was in favour of adding tax to cars using E fuels. The government sees no reason currently to add taxes or rebates to such cars; the natural fuel price difference and availability is already enough to modulate the market. One company lobbied against both a fuel economy and displacement tax. The government agrees, this is not (anymore/yet?) the time for such measures. One company lobbied very hard for a ‘toy car tax’ - a tax on any non-utility car with only one row of seats - in an attempt to raise prices on sports cars used typically as a second or third car in the household. Despite the strong push, the government sees no reason to implement such a tax; some of the smallest and most affordable city cars only have two seats. In terms of taxes on luxury cars, there was some push to raise the limit to $45k or even $50k, and a minor push to raise the tax % but leave the limit where it is, and a small voice to remove the luxury tax altogether. The government will keep the luxury tax at its current %, and raise the trigger limit slightly to align with today’s realities.

The last major lobby item is about racing. In terms of race location, there was a small push for hillclimb type racing. Without proper (or any) investment by companies, this is currently not feasible. The overwhelming majority voted to keep racing at the Lerance Raceway in one format or another. One company lobbied for ‘more investment’ into the Raceway. The government agrees as they already see the economic benefits of having a flagship race venue and prestigious races in Letara. There was some push for a 24-hour race, a small push for truly crazy supercar racing, but the overwhelming majority of companies voted for some sort of rallycross/mixed surface racing. The government agrees, this is a new global fad and would keep the raceway exciting and relevant for many years to come. There was one company pushing for a minimum weight for the R2 class. The government notes that there is no more R2 class. One company suggests to place a proportional displacement limit and boost limit on cars with turbos. The government will evaluate this proposal and consult their engineers.

---

INTRODUCING LETARA IN 1975

Map of Letara circa 1975-1984.

Longer RP description of Letara in 1975 and pictures.

First and foremost, the entire country of Letara rejoices as the diplomatic efforts of the past few decades have finally paid off - with dividends! Montelin’s resistance finally crumbled under economic and diplomatic pressures, and they released their hold on the occupied territory that rightfully belonged to Letara. Thus after years of diplomacy, Montelin vacated their last military units and relinquished control to Letara. Part of the deal is that all existing infrastructure, including the airport, sea port, and military base would be untarnished. This is not only a large diplomatic victory for Letara, but also a large economic boon, considerably increasing Letara’s import and export capacity.

View of the newly liberated rocky shores with the former Montelin military airport, seaport, and town in the distance. Letara will make the most of the new shipping capacity, and the town is prime location for a new tourist utopia.

Domestically the government, with the aid of large corporations, has been busy upgrading Letara’s main infrastructure lines. The interstate that before only connected Lerance to the Somunds border now also connects to Fiegheni and Somunds. Major interchanges have been upgraded from level crossings to flying interchanges, allowing cars unobstructed and safe movement to their destinations.

The “butterfly” crossing from the trunk interstate to the divided highway toward Fiegheni.

Lerance Airport has also been expanded with a longer second runway, a second terminal that can receive larger airplanes, and a zeppelin port. This will significantly increase Letara’s passenger and cargo air capacity. These changes were necessary as more and more diplomats and tourists arrive in Letara on larger and more comfortable airplanes.

The expanded Lerance Airport. In the background: Lerance Raceway, new flying intersection and divided highway toward Somunds, and the new high-rises of Lerance. The twisty road up to Mount Modred is also paved now.

With the growing economy business is brisk and office space at a premium, especially in Lerance. With the capital built on a peninsula, there is not much space to expand the city outward, so up it goes! The new buildings tower over the city, their glass facades reflecting the ever-present sunshine. These buildings are truly awe-inspiring and give confidence for the next generation, showing that the way up in the world is… up.

The Lerance skyline with the new office and residential towers dwarfing the rest of the old city.

Looking at Lerance from the opposite side shows the new highway interchange, the interstate toward Somunds and the electric double rail line.

The countryside is also in a boom cycle. As the population grows, farms are making big bucks and expanding into new areas. Brospyne Fields now nearly encroaches on Jawole and Pistano, making these rolling hills a very picturesque scene as the crops slowly wave in the breeze.

The new fields that provide much needed crops for both food and ethanol production in Letara.

TL:DR - With the economic uptick, much has changed. First and foremost, Montelin has ceded the occupied territory to Letara; this gives Letara its second airport and another major shipping port in the far west of the country. Montelin Town is perfectly situated on the seaside to present Letara with a new vacation destination. The aluminium industry is expanding and exports are rising. The rail network has seen further improvements: the line is fully dual track to Portunis now, and electrified all through the country. A new line is under construction toward Fiegheni too. The road network saw major upgrades with an interstate system now connecting Fiegheni, Lerance, and Storia. Many rural roads are in the process of being upgraded from gravel to asphalt, or from dirt to packed gravel. Small villages are becoming more and more connected. In the big cities some high-rises are starting to pop up as office space become more of a premium.

PEOPLE’S TASTE IN CARS

See the Preface of Rd. 4 for a summary how people’s attitudes have changed in the past decade or so. Overall, though, the economy of Letara is in an upswing. Small city cars are becoming equated with ‘cheap’ as there really weren’t any more prestigious offers in the last decade. The family segment is overall a little over-saturated, except for the void in the middle of the premium class. Sports cars are starting to push the boundaries of speed and agility; it is expected that they will not do so at the cost of too much comfort. The utility segment was quite barren last decade; Letarans hunger for true workhorses as well as utility vehicles that could function as family cars if needed. Wagons are seen as pure family workhorses as there were no premium or sporty variants to speak of.

---

RULES AND REGULATIONS

TIMELINE

In game, the second round will span from 1975 to 1984 inclusive; models from any of these years are accepted for consumer vehicles.
IRL, this round’s timetable is:
Rules deliberation will be until Feb 14, on which date the round officially opens for submissions. The round closes Feb. 27 @ 21:59 PM EST.

TAXES FOR CONSUMER VEHICLES

All cars imported into Letara will incur a 20% import tax. All cars assembled in Letara will 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: 5% for alu panels, 3% for partial alu panels, 3% for alu engine block, and 2% for alu engine head material. Cars with “advanced '70s safety” or better will receive a tax break of 3%. Cars with a speed limiter set to (or natural speed) 160.0 km/h or less will receive a 2% tax break. To aid the Letaran environment and health: there will be a 5% tax reduction for cars that utilize a catalytic converter. To recoup some costs of these incentives, the Government will keep its tax on frivolous toys that the rich buy: there will be a 5% tax on more luxurious and expensive vehicles (set at $30k pre-adjustment price - i.e., the price you see in the trim tab). Clarification to these: the ‘tax breaks’ are incentives, so apply even if that brings your net tax below 0%.

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 '70s 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. Centre light(s) are banned. Cover glass shall be white or light yellow.
• 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 may be housed in the same fitting, but must be separate bulbs (the government reserves the right to check appropriate functionality).
• 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. Cover glass shall be amber or white; regardless of glass colour, indicators must illuminate with amber light.
• One pair of amber or orange side markers must be situated on the front quarter panel or bumper of the vehicle, ahead of the front axle; reflector may be integrated in a ‘wrap-around’ design of the headlight assembly.
• One pair of red side markers must be situated on the rear quarter panel or bumper of the vehicle, rearward of the rear axle; reflector may be integrated in the ‘wrap-around’ design of the tail light assembly.
• A pair of white-illuminating reverse lights are mandatory on the rear of the car.
• Outside mirrors required on both the driver and passenger side.
• External gas cap not required - could be hidden in lights or other fixtures.
• 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 catalytic converter tax rebate above and fuel cost modifiers below).
• Fuels available in Letara include:
  -Unleaded Regular (91 RON) - everywhere.
  • Unleaded Premium (95 RON) - everywhere, premium price (add 3% to long term running costs).
  • Unleaded Super (98 RON) - everywhere, super 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).
  • Ethanol Blend E70 (106 RON) - everywhere, large markup price (add 10% to long term running costs, similar environmental perception bonus).
• All aspect cross-ply and radial tires are available.
• Engine noise is to be under 55.
• No race components.
• Functional aerodynamic fixtures must be attached to or integrated into the car (i.e., no floating fixtures away from the car body). Maximum downforce allowed: 0.0 kg (as seen in the Performance tab (i.e., measured at 200 km/h)).

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 - 4C1 - <forum name>'” for the first trim, “LHC - 4C2 - <forum name>” for the second trim, and “LHC - 4C3 - <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 import correctly on my end.)

GOVERNMENT ASSIGNMENT: HIGHWAY INTERCEPTOR

Letara has significantly expanded its highway system and improved many other roads with better surfacing. The government also forecasts a large jump in car performance in the coming years, surely some breaking speed records. Although there are some stretches on Letaran highways still without speed limits, dangerous driving is outlawed. And there are of course many stretches that do have speed limits. The government will need to enforce these laws, but to do that, they have to catch the criminals first. Therefore, the Government of Letara is putting out its Request for Proposals for a new fleet of highway interceptor vehicles. The proposals must have the following criteria:

• The government needs these vehicles by 1980, so Model, Trim, Family, and Variant years must all be set to 1980 or earlier.
• The vehicle must be road legal (see consumer rules and regulations above).
• Coupes or sedans preferred.
• Must have at least two full-size seats.
• The vehicle must be able to keep up and catch the fastest cars on Letaran roads (in other words, this car must be fast and agile).
• The vehicle must provide adequate safety and protection to its occupants.
• A highly drivable car is desirable.
• The car must have blue and red flashing lights on the roof that must be visible from all angles.
• The usual colour scheme of Letaran police is a white background and green (#008018, 50% flake) accent colour. A creative, original, and appropriate livery in these colours would be appreciated.
• 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 - 4G - <forum name>”.

RACING IN LETARA: LERANCE RACEWAY RALLYCROSS

After another successful decade of racing at the Lerance Raceway, it is time to switch gears. The Raceway will remain the hear of Letara’s automotive racing spectacle. But, racing will shift to the inner track. And that’s not all: the inner track is dirt! The outer track has also received modifications and upgrades. The middle of sector one is completely redesigned: the cars enter this area though a double-apex 180, slow at the chicane in front of the grand stand, race to a tight hairpin corner, and exit though some flowing bends to the old part of the track. A portion of sector three after the cars come off the middle (dirt) sector is also redesigned with some technical esses before emerging back on the old track and the big sweeping banked corner. The new dirt-covered middle sector has some elevation changes down to the lake and back up to track level, and some technical, twisty corners to contend with. For safety the track has been upgraded with sand traps in strategic locations and Armco barriers where appropriate. A new campground was built around the central lake, allowing all-weekend camping opportunities for fans. Of course all these changes took a few years to complete; after a short hiatus, racing will resume at the Lerance Raceway in 1977!

Race regulations:

• All cars must be Model/Trim/Family/Variant year 1977 or older.
• There will only be one class of cars.
• Cars may have race components, engine swaps, suspension swaps etc., and don’t need to be road legal.
• Must be a coupe, hatchback, or sedan body style.
• 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% or less (on each axle, front and rear).
• May have one aerodynamic fixture on the front and one on the rear of the car. Fixtures must be physically attached to or integrated into the car. (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.)
• 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).
• Neither the front or rear downforce may exceed 20 kg as seen in the Performance tab (i.e., measured at 200 km/h).
• Have to have at least standard '60s safety and a safety rating of 25.
• Locking differentials are banned.
• To encourage tighter racing and to showcase the fastest cars, entry is restricted to cars that can lap the updated Lerance Raceway '77 under 4:30.00 minutes as shown by the game.
• 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.
• Total approximate car cost may not exceed $55,000 AMU.
• Total approximate service cost may not exceed $4,000 AMU.
• A race will be 100 laps long (one lap is 10.263 km long).
• A driver will be RNG simulated for each race; drivability and comfort stats help your driver achieve a better time.
• The time loss on the dirt portion of the track will be simulated through the offroad and drivability stats of the car, and a small RNG multiplier. Overall, the better both offroad and drivability, the less time is lost here.
• It is a long race, so drivers will have to swap during fuel stops; at least two drivers required per team (not necessary to submit to me, you can just RP with it).
• Pit stops return. 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 - tank size (l) = 10 * footprint (m²)), and the length of the race (100 laps = 1026.3 km). At each fuel stop drivers will swap; each stop will be about two minutes in length (again ± some RNG).
• There will be RNG controlled weather (yes, weather) for each race, which could result in more or less slick surfaces. Both the on- and off-track portions will be affected. Drivability will be able to mitigate the slippery conditions.

A leaderboard for each year of racing will be simulated. Track times are simulated with RNGs, but reliability, comfort, drivability, and offroad stats 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 - 4R - <forum name>”.

The updated track:

OOC: I’m not sure why the red car drifts away from the track during the lap. I tried to correct it, but it still does that. In TrackEdit the lay-out is fine, so just ignore the wandering car if you like to watch it go around…
Lerance Raceway 77.zip (660.8 KB)

---

Reminder that if you’re submitting your first car, please also register your corporation. At the least tell me where the company is from, but a short lore blurb would be much appreciated - or a link to a lore thread. You will participate in all subsequent rounds with this registered company, so make sure it is the company you want to use for the rest of the playthrough!

Remember, overarching rules are in the OP, so please read that too.

For returning companies, please re-use your LHC DM threads to submit your cars.

[Knugcab]

A little sneak peek, an advertising campaign in a number of Letaran car magazines in 1982…

(Thanks to @Maverick74 for the car!)

[doot]

Heya cake, was designing a race car and noticed some odd things about using offroad for racing.

In no particular order:

• Offroad favors heavier cars. This should be fairly obviously counter to rally cars; it’s a game of who can be the lightest. This is very odd and makes for weird race cars.
• Offroad favors widely spaced gears. Rally cars usually have very short final drives with relatively close gearing in order to allow them to maintain wheel speed at all times. This isn’t nearly as big a deal as other items.
• Offroad favors large, wide tires. Perfectly logical for crawling rocks, but rally cars usually want smaller rims and relatively narrow tires with a large sidewall. This allows them to “punch through” the soft surface and find traction with the sidewall and the stiffer, less disturbed terrain underneath. As it stands, it’s basically just “make the biggest tires possible” in order to do well in both.
• Offroad wants a locking differential. Obviously this isn’t ideal for track racing and an LSD is probably still your better overall bet, but strange anyways.
• Better power to weight is a penalty for offroad. Kind of ??? on its own, but weird and bad for race cars… small light cars which should be better offroad get penalized.

TL;DR - using offroad for racing has some odd consequences on car design. The optimal race car will most likely be a heavy midsize MR or RR car with very large tires.

What to do? I do have a couple options that can maybe be checked by CSV, and I’m open to any feedback or suggestions from other participants.

• Formula for rallyx performance factoring tire size, weight, sway bar tuning, pwr if it’s exported, and differential type. If this is possible, I’m happy to sit down and write the formula myself (just don’t want to bother if not).
• Formula for rallyx performance based on offroad… with penalties applied for weight, tire size, etc. That way you don’t have to calculate the sidewall, sway bars, or suspension yourself, though it may have slightly more janky cheesiness.
• No change, but a ban on locking differentials to somewhat mitigate cheese. Not ideal, but easy to implement.

[cake_ape]

Points well taken, thanks for the query and suggestion doot.

You are correct with your assessment of true off-roading (mud bogging and rock crawling) and full on rally cars. However, this is rallycross (or at least something like it), not pure rally. Meaning: it’s super compact dirt with only a very thin layer of loose dust on top. Unless it rains… I’ve done some research into rallycross tires. The FIA only mandates 17" rims (which I’m not going to do for more flexibility an variety) and the amount of groove space in the tread (more than semi-slicks but less than sports tires in my interpretation of automation tires, so I’ll allow all tires). As for width, I found two manufactures that supply pro teams and they offer 215, 225, and 230 widths. So kinda narrow for outright tarmac sports/race cars, but not overly narrow either - somewhere in between rally and on-road race, which makes sense.

Now, back to the challenge. It’s been a lore-thing not to restrict tire size, and I want to continue that tradition. Is it perfect? Heck no. Just like so many other things in automation, it is not a perfect simulation. I think incorporating drivability as a counter to the offroad stat will work well, given that heavier cars, utility gearing, and ultra wide tires tend to result in worse drivability, so it becomes an interesting trade-off. Same with power-to-weight ratio. Too much will hurt both drivability and offroad, so again, a trade-off. So I think that it’s best to just see it as a game and not an attempt to simulate real life to 100% accuracy. In that light, I think there are plenty of interesting choices to be made this round.

As for the locking diff, 100% agree, they are nonsense and will be banned pronto

Bonus: I found a great way to incorporate weather into the RNG stuff, making drivability an even more important factor than before for both the on- and off-road sections! I’ll add that to the post too.

[doot]

All makes sense to me. The locking diff was my biggest concern, so I’m glad it was addressed! I figured this would be the way forward but wanted to say everything I was thinking of instead of just one thing. Thanks! Sorry if any of that came off condescending- reading it back it’s a little snooty and I do apologize.

[mart1n2005]

I would hope no one is going to run 17" wheels on a 1974 rally car though. I assume 14 was about normal for the era? Was rallycross as we know it even a thing back then

[GassTiresandOil]

I know that in the States, normal wheel sizes ranged from 13" to 15" and NO LARGER. That’s right around the time radial tires started being used in America, and it took the US about a decade after to introduce anything with 16" wheels.

My father still has a 1975 Pontiac, and it brags about its “Radial Tuned Suspension” right on the dash, like it was the hot new thing lol.

[Knugcab]

Rallycross was starting to take off by then, yes. But it was quite far from what it is today, more or less “take off the lights from your regular rally car and bolt them back again when you’re done”…

[mart1n2005]

Oh that’s pretty cool, I’ll have to research this further when I get home. My rallycross knowledge isn’t that great tbh

[conan]

All New for 1980: Mitsushita Kuruan / Sesta

All New for 1980, Mitsushita Kuruan and Mitsushita Sesta. Following the success of 5 previous generation of cars, the new 1980 Mitsushita Kuruan is set to conquer the D-Segment market anywhere once again.

We at Letaran Mitsushita by Yanmex, believe that safety and environment is the utmost importance aspect in improving family mobility. The new Kuruan is thus made with both firmly in mind.

1980 Mitsushita Kuruan is all new from the ground up, with sophisticated double wishbone suspension front and rear providing the right mixture of ride quality and road holding capabilities.

Powering the Kuruan is the new range of double overhead camshaft, multi-valve, inline 6-cylinder engine. Not only is it smooth as silk and powerful, all consumer Kuruan for Letara is equipped with catalytic converter which combined with electronic fuel injection makes it one of the cleanest car available anywhere on earth.

Also introducing for 1980, the new Mitsushita Sesta 2-door coupe. The racy and stylish new personal luxury car utilizing the capable Kuruan chassis. Which combining with new twin-turbocharged powerplant makes it a proper performance machine.

All Mitsushita Kuruan and Sesta is also equipped with the latest in safety technology, we strived to make the safest and toughest machine we are capable of and we feel that we have achieved exactly that.

On sale now.

---

1980 Mitsushita Kuruan KT

We at Yanmex Mitsushita have received the government request for a “Highway Interceptor” to provide service to the newly open network of interstate highways peacekeeping. We hereby have submitted the proprosal based on our new 6th generation Kuruan family sedan which have already gone into similar service in it’s home country of Japan.

We hope you find this satisfactory.

[Happyhungryhippo]

RPG intensifies

Letara, 1974

Ludger Frehse looked happy. Primus finally had an own factory here - which was possible due to the success of the third-generation Publica. Especially the ST sold like bread, and the GLS was still strong in it’s final year.
The telephone rang, it was the Hetvesian general manager Klaus Degen, the successor of Friedrich “Fritz” Huppenbauer.
“Hey Ludger, I heard you wanted to talk to me?”
“Thanks, yes, how is the D5A? I might have an idea who would be one of the first customers to test our last pre-production-model before they’ll be on the market.”
“Yes, that Diesel engine is already making progress, why?”
“WIll it arrive in 1976 as planned? I promised the Letaran traffic minister five police cars for an anti-alcohol campaign. Three Primus Astrona 2100D and two Globus Comet D27, delivery should be done in late '75, giving us three or four months of feedback until these cars are in the showrooms.”
“Sure, no problem, what a great duty for our cars to prove their reliability and economy. Do you have a plan what car to sell next? The Publica will recieve it’s facelift, do you want to see it?”
“Yes, book me a flight and get me a car at the airport, it’s about time!”

please note: Until 1977, police cars in Letara were blue instead of green

Hetvesia, 1974

A metallic blue Primus Imperator turbo rolled up on the airport exit.
“Oh, you didn’t send a driver but came yourself, what an honor, Klaus!”
“Yes, I am still grateful that you stayed in Letara. This cleared the way for my promotion, so thanks again. We are heading to the city center, where a new Publica CL will await us.”
“Great. Let’s see if the Letarans prefer the Astrona or the Comet. The next generations might play a role, I heard rumors the highway patrol will renew most of it’s fleet for the new decade. Maybe I should send them another Interceptor, that Gasmean special model for the GHP. I am sure by 1980 we’ll have a second generation, and it will be hard work to find out which of the three models suits Letara best.”

“Ewww, Ludger, that won’t be neccessary. The Comet will fade out, and so will the Interceptor, even if the Gasmean police allows us to keep the leaded-gasoline engine without converter untill '76.”
“What?”
“The oil crisis has hit Globus so hard that they lost one third of their sales. On top of that, the old-fashioned V8 engines are hit by the new emission regulations in Gasmea. I think Globus won’t make it.”
“Bad news! So continuing with the small Publica is your advice?”, asked Frehse, still in disbelief that Globus would be killed after not even 15 years of existance.
“Yep. It’s proven, the people know it, the people like it.”

Gasmea, a week later
A bus arrived at a lonely desert dealership, 40 miles away from Belasco. The managing director was making a trip around the country to boost the moral of the employees. As Frehse didn’t want to disturb, he took the public transport - a Globus Omni. Crazy to think that badge could disappear from the roads.

The Globus managing director, Lionel Lomax, looked even worse than Frehse had thought.
“Police cars, eh?”, he stuttered. “Here, Gasmans best interceptor, it’s about to loose 65 horsepower soon. And nowadays the police complains about economy and that the car is tight for it’s size, or better said, smaller vehicles offer the same space. This is the most dedicated interceptor, made exclusively for the police force!”
“Well, is it true that Globus will be shut down?”

“It looks that way”, Lomax said with a sad voice. “The Atlas is an old design, the Comet struggles and will be replaced by the new Astrona, and the Grand Cruiser, selling still surprisingly strong considering how hard times are for landyachts with big V8s, is on the rocks… It’s said that the Grand Cruiser won’t recieve another facelift and will be replaced with the new Imperator. Those bosses are insane! At first, they founded Globus to move their Primus car to Frunian and Hetvesian style, just to kill us off a decade later and to re-Gasmeanize their sedans.”

“So, as I search for a police car, there won’t be anything after I get those two Comets?”
“Definitely no.”
“What does the competition do?”
“If we only knew. Rumors say Vaughn builds a new luxury car that is as roomy as the Grand Cruiser, but much lighter and more efficient.”
“Vaughn?”, pondered Frehse, “Yes, I heard about them. They’re not bad, to be fair, but Primus Globus shouldn’t fear them. The journalists visiting the Letaran auto show yesterday voted the Astrona to second, ahead of their new Firebolt, and the Astrona is already in it’s sixth year.”
“You sound like you have a plan.”
“I do. Do you have a car left?”
“Did you look at our sales report? I can give you ten, if you want. Look at all these unsold vehicles!”
“Which one is fast and filled with gas?”
“That purple one.”, answered Lomax, not really knowing what Frehse had in mind.
“All right, I’ll see you in a week in the headquarter. I’ll call you!”

The Globus Comet Fastback pulled away with a roaring V8, but the roar wasn’t the same as it was before the times of two-way converters and unleaded gasoline - that costs a fortune…

[cake_ape]

@Happyhungryhippo

please note: Until 1977, police cars in Letara were blue instead of green

Sorry to rain on your parade, but…

Letaran police headquarters ca. 1976

The under-secretary of the Letaran highway patrol picked up the phone to call the commander-in-chief:
“Remember that memo from two years ago from the damn Public Relations and Lobby department? You know the one about some donation of five police cars?”
…“What are you talking about?”…
“Well, there is this company that wants to support an anti-alcohol campaign…”
“Oh yes! That is a great idea…”
“Yes, but they also want to donate five cars to the highway patrol as a showcase.”
“Oh?”
“Well… they have arrived sir. We just took possession, but there are some issues sir.”
“What kind of issues?”
“You better see this for yourself sir.”

The two headed down to the central garage where a group of mechanics surrounded the five new cars.

“But… these have blue colouring! Why would they have blue colouring? We never had blue on our police cars, they’ve always been green. I guess if we want to use these a paintjob is in order. Are they at least any good?” - asked the chief as they approached the lead mechanic.
“Well sir… apparently these units run on diesel. That poses a problem, since the only diesel available in Letara is reserved for heavy-duty vehicles, trains, and ships. We don’t have the infrastructure to easily fuel these cars.”
“Soooo…”
“Yes. We have five one-ton paper weights on our hands.”
The commaner sighed and turned to the under-secretary…
“Ok, can you please contact the good folks at Primus, profusely thank them for their gift, but ask - as politely as you can - for a return address? Or at least a shipment of gasoline engines that our mechanics can mount in these cars…”
“Yes sir.”