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



Rd. 1 RESULTS

Chapter 8: “Passenger transport” - part 2


1948

After eliminating eight vehicles from consideration, the evaluation office set out to review the remaining eight vehicles under consideration:


Left to right, back row: Literman, Mocabey, Kolondra, Popas, Minerva, Swanson, P&A, VCV, Wolfe, Kessel, Liberty;
Left to right, front row: Stellar, Matsushita, Vizzuri, Mara, Cataphract.


Wolfe: The Wolfe brand with its distinct look is a well-known sight on Letaran streets. So as such, this car might just blend in nicely, even though it might get a few looks, since the wagon trim is not commercially available. Price-wise, the Wolfe Special Six Wagon is reasonable - not the cheapest by any means, but in the lower end of the spectrum. Upkeep, too, is quite reasonable in the long run. It has barely acceptable comfort, but is sufficiently easy to drive, has very good off-road chops, and overall is a solid car without any major flaws. The fuel system is tuned safe, so even a batch of bad fuel out in the country won’t affect its performance. Extra thick steel panels and good build quality make this a very appealing car. On top of that, it has good speed and decent handling. For these reasons, the Wolfe will be sent up for further consideration.

Kessel: The Kessel K20 proposal strikes us right away with its properly clever - brilliant even - camouflage. Disguising the ‘special bus’ as a regular Fronaco Secco delivery van is perhaps the best proposal we’ve seen so far! Looking past the skin, let’s see what this one has to offer. It is on the slightly more expensive side both in terms of upfront cost and long term maintenance. Not egregiously so, but we could buy cheaper. It is a fairly comfortable ban, very easy to drive, very practical, very safe, has good build quality, and an engine that puts it almost exactly on par with the Wolfe performance wise. The build quality seems very nice too, providing some extra protection for the drivers and passengers. So what is there not to like? There is that nagging problem of a relatively high price. But nevertheless, we’d be amiss no to send this up for further evaluation.

Liberty: Next up is the Libery “Merchant” bus. It domes in factory-standard colours matching other Libery vehicles on the road. This is a rather expensive proposition, both to buy and especially to maintain. Actually, it has one of the worst fuel economies of all proposals. For this price it is quite comfortable, one of the more comfortable proposals in fact. Safety is good, and performance is acceptable. The steel panels are good to have again. Where this proposal really falters is an abysmal off-road capability - this is really only designed for paved surface driving, and as such has very limited use as a government special transport bus. So combined with the high costs associated with the Liberty, it will not be further considered.

Stellar: The Stellar Troopy is one of the cheaper (but not cheapest) proposals, so it is immediately quite intriguing. It especially excels with a very affordable long-term upkeep. It does have steel panels, but despite this it immediately stands out as having one of the lowest safety rating of all proposals. Comfort is acceptable, it is very easy to drive - one of the best in fact - has decent reliability, and its octane requirement is tuned to a very safe level. Performance is a little lacklustre, however, even if cornering is quite good. Overall though, it just doesn’t quite shine in the areas that really matter, and thus it will not be further considered.

Mitsushita: The Matsushita Masterbox Panelvan is a strong showing overall. It’s price is about the average here, but upkeep is just a little over the average mark. Comfort is acceptable, it is pretty easy to drive, safety is quite good in fact with extra attention to detail in this aspect of the car, the steel panels and overall extra build quality make the car feel sturdy, and offroad is quite good too. Performance again is right about on par with the Wolfe and Kessel. Yes, overall this is a very strong proposal, and will be sent up for further consideration.

Vizzuri: The Vizzurin also comes in company-standard blue, just like the Liberty. It costs nearly as much upfront as the Minerva, but is at least more reasonable to maintain - on par with the Mitsushita. Let’s start with the good on this car. Well, it has really good offroad capabilities, is decently easy to drive, and has decent reliability. But here is about where the good stuff ends unfortunately. Its aluminium panels aren’t confidence inspiring, its performance is quite lacklustre (surprising for a Vizzuri), and it is simply too uncomfortable to be of any use on longer trips. The government would be paying doctor’s bills to correct every driver and guard’s spines! For these reasons the Vizzuri will not be considered further.

Mara: The Mara Visim 2.5 is the cheapest proposal submitted both in upfront and long term costs. In fact, it undercuts the competition by quite some margin. Its maintenance costs especially are paltry compared to the others, but fuel economy is very good too. Despite the engine being tuned to low-quality fuel - something not really necessary in Letara - the car’s performance is still acceptable. Not good, but just enough . Comfort is really bad indeed, making us think of future doctor’s bills - but not quite as bad as the Vizzuri. This would need some cost-benefit analysis… Other than this, the car is quite practical, has just about acceptable offroad capability, and is very easy to drive indeed. The extra thick steel panels feel very sturdy and safe. So while on paper not necessary a top pick, it has just enough strong points on offer, and we cannot overlook the bargain price tag on the Mara; so even though only three proposals were requested at the top security office, we still include the Mara in the evaluation package further consideration.

Cataphract. Subtle is not really a word you’d use to describe the bright yellow Cataphract Immortal. Cheap is also note how it could be described. It is the most expensive on offer by a long shot (in fact you could buy two Wolfes or nearly 2.5 Maras for one Cataphract)! Upkeep is similarly very expensive, head and shoulders more than the rest (ok, the Kolondra was nearly just as bad, but that one didn’t even get past initial scrutineering). In any case, for all this expense, the car offers decent drivability, just acceptable comfort, excellent off-road capability (the best in the entire field in fact), and good reliability. The engine is weirdly tuned to 82 octane, however, which leaves us scratching our heads a little bit. Performance is good despite this, and the car corners well too. Lastly, the aluminium panels are just too soft for the intended purpose of the vehicle. So overall, the over-the-top costs associated with this proposal are not justified, and thus the Cataphract will not be considered further.


Stay tuned for the final decision between the Kessel, Mara, Mitsushita, and Wolfe.

…to be continued…



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Rd. 1 RESULTS

Chapter 9: Consumer segment 1946-1954 - family wagons


Left to right: Popas Rushba 150005S-4 @Mikonp7, Empire Motors Wagon @Lupus, Kolondra 1400 Wagon @MrdjaNikolen, Colombri Family @Admiral_Obvious, Sausalito Wagonette @HelloHi, SAETA Albor 1300 Viajante @Petakabras, Liberty Civilian Wagon @FidleDo, Benetsch Buhrie Kombi @Texaslav, and Ainsworth Athena V8 Spearhead @voiddoesnotknow.


FAMILY WAGONS

The family wagon segment consists of - this is hopefully self explanatory - family vehicles with a wagon body shape. Although wagons exist in the city segment, these are larger with ample room for the whole family. The wagon body style allows for significantly more luggage room, making these vehicles ideal for family outings where you need to bring more of your household with you - such as on longer trips abroad or camping. Family wagons are mostly seen as utilitarian vehicles that exist only to get their job done, and get it done well without a fuss. Not too many family wagons existed in the Letaran market in this era, but they did span the entire range from budget to luxury offerings.

The first and only family wagon offered in 1946 was the Kolondra 1400 Wagon. Due to its size, perhaps it could’ve been classified as a city car, but because it managed to cram three rows of seats in the tiny body, it broke out from the city classification and got assigned into the proper family wagon category. Just like its sibling, the Kolondra 1400, it was not much of a looker and had large panel gaps showing. But it simply didn’t have any competition if you wanted to seat 8 people. Well, 8 tiny people, but 8 nonetheless. Since there was no direct competitor on the market, and nothing quite comparable in other segments, it was hard to compare the 1400 Wagon. It did suffer from the same problem as the 1400, namely the race headers fitted to the car. Consumers had to shell out extra cash to get those replaced before driving off the lot. That didn’t help performance either of course. The tiny car with 8 seats had naturally abysmal comfort - the worst of any vehicle on Letaran roads in 1946 in fact. Despite its small size, it did have some offroad capability with its offroad skid plate. However, since you could buy a Stellar Four Door Saloon for about the same amount of money (before factoring in the mandatory modifications for the Kolondra, which was more capable overall, more comfortable, and still could seat 6, it is not hard to imagine why the Kolondra didn’t manage too many sales. Despite having a virtual monopoly in the family wagon segment, the Kolondra didn’t manage to entice people into this segment ad really only managed a few sales with people who really needed that third row of seats, and didn’t mind giving up virtually all luggage space to make use of it.

Introduced in 1948, the Liberty Civilian Wagon is what many considered the first proper ‘family wagon’. This car too had seating for 8 with the same 2/3/+3 seating arrangement as the Kolondra, but in contrast had a premium interior and no radio. As such, it was quite a bit more expensive too, but at the height of the economic recovery, this didn’t really prove that much of a deal. In the long term, the Liberty would be classified as at the upper end of the ‘family wagon standard’ market, whereas the Kolandra was near the bottom. In any case, the Liberty featured a powerful 4L V8 that it shared with its sedan sibling. The car was pretty comfortable, especially given its three rows of seats, which sat well with the discerning customer base. It could haul just enough for the extended family vacation. So it basically ran unopposed in the family wagon segment for two years, finally pushing the Kolondra out of the segment for good. Sales started strong as people were looking for those longer trips with their hard-earned funds, and hoped to make family memories hiking in the wilderness or visiting far-off places in Somunds in their Liberty.

Perhaps seeing Letarans’ interest in the growing wagon market, three new models were launched in 1950 for this segment. First was the Popas Rushba 1500-5S-4. To say that this car caused a minor uproar in the car market is a slight understatement. First off, it undercut the family wagon market by a long shot. It was properly cheap to buy, which was just as well in the slowly turning economy. It had two solid axles, 4x4 drive with a manual locker, offroad skid tray, and all-terrain tires. It was not fast only reaching 87 km/h, and it was not comfortable by any means. It was also not particularly safe, so rollovers were quite dangerous. It only had seating for 5 people, three on a small rear bench. But it did one thing well - exceptionally well in fact. Off-road. It had simply the best off-road capability of any vehicle on Letaran roads between 1946 all the way to 1954. It could tackle the most difficult terrain of any vehicle. The fact that it was slow did not matter when you were rock-crawling! So while it never sold strongly for families, the nature-loving youth gobbled it up, and soon started their own modifying culture to make it even more capable. Lift kits started being applied to the Popas. It could be said that this car singlehandedly started a small offroad craze in the Letaran market, and the Popas ran unopposed as the offroad vehicle for the next few years, especially among the bored rural youth.

The second vehicle introduced in 1950 was the Empire Motors Wagon. First off, this car also suffered the same engine issues as the Empire Motors Premium Sedan. Right from the get-go its reliability issues were noted in consumer reports. It cost about the same as the Kolondra, so not that expensive, but Letarans had to factor in the increased long-term repair costs associated with the Empire Motors vehicle. Weird here too was the use of an automatic locker differential, which just isn’t necessary on this vehicle. The Premium interior raised comfort to a very nice figure, however, making it the most comfortable family wagon on the market. The advanced safety features were also very nice, making it one of the safest cars on the road. However that just wasn’t enough to overcome the car’s issues, and sales never really took off.

Last in 1950 came the Colombri Family. Price-wise, it slotted in about midway between the cheaper Empire Motors/Kolondra pair and the more expensive Liberty. It had standard interior and a standard radio. Despite this, it had some more prestige car aspirations with its less than practical 2/2 seating arrangement and automatic gearbox. Unfortunately, these were not really what a family wagon buyer was looking for. Although it was noted that it was by far the easiest to drive of all offerings in the segment. Even with all the legroom though, it was quite an uncomfortable ride. It did have some enormous wheels and tires - 17" rims and a tire diameter of 700 mm! Just with these it did manage to achieve quite a bit of ground clearance and thus some capability to get over the rougher back-country roads of Letara. In the end though, it didn’t quite find its niche, and was mostly overlooked by buyers.

Only one car was introduced in 1951, the Sausalito Wagonette. In a market where it seemed harder and harder to slot into, the Sausalito slotted in above the Colombri price wise. It did feature two standard bench seats and a standard radio; a decent and expected equipment in this class at this price range. With its medium tires it was firmly a paved-road warrior, but here it did make its mark with solid performance thanks to its 2L boxer-4 engine. A nice feature was also the advanced safety package, making it rank in the top three in the segment. Comfort was very good too and it was quite easy to drive. It could be said that the Sausalito was the go-to wagon for those still hanging on in the middle class, and had that little bit left to make a long family trip to Somunds and beyond. However, at this time the market was really shrinking. So the Sausalito made its owners very happy, but there just weren’t that many off them left…

In 1952 the SAETA Albor 1300 Viajante made its debut. It slotted into the purchase price range above the Sausalito and just below the Liberty, so it sat near the top of the family wagon standard market. It had really good fuel economy though and reasonable service costs, so long-term the car was pretty cheap to maintain (closer to the Kolondra and Popas in fact than its nearest rivals). It had a modern monocoque chassis, premium 2/3 seating, but no radio - which many parents lamented. However, the engine octane tuning seems to have gone a little awry, so the car was sometimes prone to mild knocking with a not ideal batch of fuel. The car lacked comfort, but was quite safe. It wasn’t very off-road worthy, but fairly easy to drive. So the SAETA had some good but also some bad points. Unfortunately for it, though, it came into an already fairly saturated market and didn’t really make itself stand out from the crowd. So in the end, it didn’t quite sell all that well, but some examples still made their way into family albums posing at various vacation spots around Letara.

The other entry into the family wagon market in 1952 was the Benetsch Buhrie Kombi. The Benetsch was considerably more expensive than anything in the family wagon market so far, both in terms of purchase cost and upkeep. The Benetsch became the only representative of the family wagon premium category. It featured two standard bench seats and standard radio, and standard safety - which were already the norm in the standard category, so not at all an upgrade for the premium price tag. But you did get a galvanized monocoque chassis. And a rather large an powerful 4.2L V8. Despite this, the Benetsch still trailed the now 4 year old Liberty in raw performance. The Benetsch was quite comfortable at least, but was beaten in this regard by the much cheaper Empire Motors. It was quite safe, but again beaten by several competitors in the segment. What it really had going for it was prestige and its great looks, but that seemed to be really … it. Unfortunately for the Benetsch, this simply was not enough in this market segment in this economy, so it never even saw the limited success that its stable sibling Buhrie Fierst did in the family segment.

The last car to enter the family wagon market was the Ainsworth Athena V8 Spearhead in 1954. In so many aspects this became a very unfortunate launch of a car. It was by far the most expensive of any family wagon - firmly in the luxury price category. It was more expensive than the luxury sedans Benetsch Buhrie Fierst and P&A Sportsman Mk.II Straight 6. Its upkeep was not just more expensive than these to, it was significantly more expensive. Not quite on par with the Wraith Montezuma, but getting in the same ballpark. Add to this that both front and rear tires had to be swapped before driving off the lot to comply with Letaran road laws, and that the engine was designed for some weird unleaded gasoline, the costs just mounted. Quite simply, it was the second most expensive car to buy and own in Letara. All that in the middle of a major recession. For all this money the car did offer two luxury bench seats and a luxury radio - very much head an shoulders above anything else offered in the family wagon segment, and the car was supremely comfortable and offered quite a lot of prestige. But the family wagon market was never perceived to be anything but reliable workhorses, so such a prestigious and expensive wagon was just weird to Letarans. Add in all the other problems surrounding the car, and well… you get the picture. The Ainsworth importer probably drives the only showroom model around as the sole example of this car in Letara.


…to be continued…



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NEWS RELEASE

WOLFE MOTORS
REGINA, SK, CANADA

FOR RELEASE: Sunday papers   

REGINA, September 1949: Lewis Wolfe, President of Wolfe Motors, would like to apologize for the previous news release announcing Wolfe’s participation in the Portunis Cannonball Run. It turned out that at the official pre-race checkup, Wolfe realized that someone forgot to install the bumpers and safety glass. That person has now been sacked.

“Oops” was the official quote from the President.


NEWS RELEASE

WOLFE MOTORS
REGINA, SK, CANADA

FOR RELEASE: Sunday papers   

REGINA, September 1950: Lewis Wolfe, President of Wolfe Motors, would like to apologize again for missing out on the Portunis Cannonball Run again this year.

“Oops, we did it again” was the official quote from the President.


(I am running out of puns, but you got the idea…)

4 Likes

Yo, can I join in or am I too late? I would also like to see the new set of regulations for the cars in order to make something for this challenge.

Yep, you can join the fun in round two. So probably in about two-three weeks or so.

Also, another thing is just the rules itself. I try looking through the clutter but I’m not sure what is being asked. The rules as mentioned are well made, but it’s somewhat hard to navigate at times. Nothing wrong with the rules themselves.

There’s a handy-dandy index at the bottom of the OP with links to the important posts.



Rd. 1 RESULTS

Chapter 10: Consumer segment 1946-1954 - utility


Left to right: Mara Companion 1.3 TR, Mara Companion 1.3 PR @AndiD, Ital Prima Van @TanksAreTryhards, Mitsushita T-ST 1500 @conan, Knightwick Dragonfly Pickup @mart1n2005, Kamaka Chief Van @LS_Swapped_Rx-7, Aero Move Ute @Edsel, Kolondra 1400 Van @MrdjaNikolen, Capable Hauler, Capable Heaver @Vento, Wolfe Custom Six Pickup @karhgath, and Liberty Artisian @FidleDo


UTILITY

The utility segment consists of pickup trucks and panel vans used by regular consumers or businesses to haul their goods and materials around. What they may lack in comfort they make up in transport capability. These cars should be strong enough to carry all their cargo with ease, handle the roads even in remote areas of the country, be reliable, and last but not least economical. Let’s see how the Letaran utility market shaped up.

In 1946 the cheapest utility vehicle was the Knightwick Dragonfly Pickup. It was a rather diminutive pickup with a wheelbase of 2.3 m. It was clearly based on a regular car model, not a dedicated utility platform, evidenced by the independent front suspension. It also had an open differential, but it did get fitted with utility tires. A standard bench seat and no radio were the only creature comforts in the interior. Overall, it was about what you’d expect from a small pickup, really. It was not all that cheap to maintain, though, so while the purchase price was really nice, over the long haul it might not be the most economical option. Despite its size, it did manage to haul a decent amount of cargo, and was relatively reliable and comfortable compared to the other options in 1946. A major drawback was that it was tuned for 98 octane fuel, so it never was useful in any remote areas of Letara. So for the next two years, if you wanted a pickup and didn’t mind staying in developed areas, this was your vehicle. The Knightwick did sell relatively well (compared to its two utility rivals - see below), but overall it could be said that it didn’t quite get a warm reception where it should’ve mattered: the working class in the industrial and agricultural areas of Letara.

Released in the same year the Aero Move Ute was an even smaller vehicle with a 1.8 m wheelbase. It too was based on a regular city car, this time with a galvanized chassis and aluminium panels to boot that could not really stand up to any major pounding. So don’t try to move sharp rocks in this one! With its smaller size and basic interior, even the two bucket seats didn’t manage to feel more comfortable than the Knightwick. With its tiny box it could really not haul much either. Although the Aero was more expensive to buy than the Knightwick, it was cheaper to maintain - but even this was not enough to lure buyers away from the Knightwick. Add to this that the engine was tuned to 93 octane (probably a margin-adjustment mistake by the engineers), and this car was also just restricted to the more developed areas only. In this case, it probably didn’t matter anyway, since it really seemed to be a fashion statement targeting city customers rather than a useful utility vehicle, and that is not really what Letarans were after in this segment.

Lastly, the Kolondra 1400 Van was also released in 1946. Again, a small 2.3 m wheelbase vehicle based on a city car, but this time in panel van form. Even more expensive to buy and a lot more expensive to maintain than the other two, it has an uphill battle to fight from the start. This Kolandra too had to contend with its race header issue, adding even more cost and headache for customers. Despite the Kolongra receiving an offroad skid tray, it still trailed the other two utility vehicles in offroad capability, it wasn’t particulary comfortable (better than the Aero though), nor was it particularly reliable. When customers were faced with the Kolondra, they found that buying a &Stellar 13-46 Four Door Saloon, ripping out the rear seat and making some modifications was actually a more sensible proposition if they wanted a covered van to haul their dry goods. So looking at these three options introduced in 1946, it could be said that the utility segment was not off to the greatest of starts in Letara.

In 1948 four new models were introduced in Letara - the four most expensive utility vehicles to exist between all the way to 1954 in fact. Which was just as well, because 1948 was the last year of the economic recovery before it started its decline. This gave these four a good chance at success, if they delivered the goods (pardon the pun). Let’s look at the Capable Hauler and Capable Heaver first. These two were more expensive than the Kolondra, but cheaper than the Wolfe and Liberty (next on the list). The Capable vehicles had proper coil-sprung solid axles front and rear (the only utility vehicles in the entire era!), which were lifted quite a bit, a locking differential, and all-terrain tires. The Heaver also had an offroad skid tray. These features made these two the most off-road worthy utility vehicles on the market, and their tuning to 88 octane made sure that they were reliable in all areas of Letara even if a bad batch of fuel was delivered. Although not the largest of vehicles, their 2.6 m wheelbase allowed them to have a good cargo capacity too. Reliability was very good for both too, but they were relatively hard to drive. Last but not least, these vehicles had a nice big and strong engine in the form of a 3.8L I6. So despite their questionable paint job, the Capable dealers did brisk business selling these as the first true and capable utility vehicles in the country.

Released in the same year, the Wolfe Custom Special Six Pickup was even more expensive to buyu, but a tiny bit cheaper to maintain. It was also based on a regular car. Similar to the Capable cars, it featured a standard interior and no radio, but it had two buckets seats instead of a bench. It had an open differential but was fitted with an offroad skid tray, and was all-terrain tire shod. The Wolfe also had a strong engine, in this case a 3.7L I6, so performance was about on par with the Capable vehicles. It had a nice big bed to haul a lot of cargo too. It was more comfortable, more realiable, and easier to drive than the Capable cars. Fuel was tuned to 91, so also quite safe in all areas of Letara. With its nice and distinctive looks and longer 2.8 m wheelbase it was a more imposing vehicle that exuded some strength and prestige. So in the end it was quite well received, and split the market about evenly with the Capable Heaver in the pickup market.

The most expensive utility vehicle to be introduced in this year was the Liberty Artisian, also a nice looking 2.8 m pickup truck. This vehicle also had independent front suspension and was quite low to the ground, but it did receive a segment-only (!) 4x4 drivetrain and a locking differential. Traction was provided by utility tires, and the lack of undertray hurt its offroad prowess though. So while the basics were there, the truck did need some aftermarket modifications to achieve its true potential. For its purchase price - almost bordering on premium territory - it did offer the only V8 in the utility segment providing it more power than any other utility vehicle. So it was pretty fast. Comfort was adequate too in its standard bench, even though this truck also didn’t offer a radio. Overall, the Liberty was indeed capable of hauling quite a load, but it seemed to have a little bit of an identity crisis - was it a sports pickup (perhaps even a bit of a sleeper), or was it an offroader? It sort-of fell in between. Nevertheless, what it offered stock, the Capable and Wolfe trucks could do the truck duties better and cheaper. And while it had the potential to be a class-beating sports or off-road truck, to get the true potential out of it, customers had to make their own modifications. So it was only sold in limited numbers to the truly dedicated who didn’t mind the extra work and expense, but those few who made the commitment, did get a really great truck to unlock its potential.

Right at the start of the economic downturn two of the cheaper utility vehicles were introduced in 1949. First was the small (again 2.3m wheelbase) Ital Prima Van. It was quite cheap to buy and maintain, similar to the Ital Prima city cars this tiny van was based on. So in that sense it was a sensible and attractive proposition for a city roundabout delivery van. It had two standard bucket seats, and despite not having any offroad aspirations, it still managed to be more capable in this regard than some of the tiny vans of '46. Comfort was decent, and in general it didn’t suffer from any of the issues that plagued the three utility vehicles introduced in '46. So the Prima was the first real small delivery van option available to Letarans, and because it was also so cheap and reliable they jumped at the opportunity. The Prima became a common sight delivering various small goods in city centres of Letara.

The second utility vehicle of 1949 was the Mitsushita T-ST 1500. This vehicle was also a small 2.3m wheelbase, but a pickup. Cheaper than the previous offerings to buy and maintain, it was also immediately on interested customers’ radar. This vehicle also had two bucket seats like the Prima, but this time of a more basic variety. With independent front and rear suspension and no other offroad features whatsoever (it had utility tires), it has a pretty poor capability in that regard. So it was quite restricted to paved roads and well-maintained gravel. It was not very comfortable, but it was quite reliable. So in the end, it was similar to the Ital in that it didn’t really have any major flaws - except that it was just too small. See, while there is a good market case to be made for small delivery vans such as the Ital, and the fact that the market only had one other good van available (the Capable Hauler), the pickup market demanded larger and more capable vehicles - and this market was already filled by several other models including the Capable Heaver, Wolfe, and to a lesser extent the Liberty. So the Mitsushita was a good vehicle, and everyone who had two wheelbarrow’s worth of dirt to move bought one, the tiny pickup market was just quite small.

1950 saw the introduction of two even smaller utility vehicles: the Mara Companion 1.3 TR and the Mara Companion 1.3 PR. They were also derived from their 2.2 m wheelbase city car sibling. Both vehicles had a two-seat basic interior. The TR van was a pure city delivery van without any extras or frills, just hard long life tires and its 1.3L I4 engine. The PR pickup model had some offroad aspirations with a lockign differential, offroad skid tray, and all-terrain tires - and actually achieved a surprisingly pretty good capability indeed in this regard! Both were tuned for low quality fuel, so at least for the PR it was no issue going anywhere in Letara. Reliability was great for both vehicles. The Maras were also superbly cheap to buy and maintain, which in 1950 started to matter more and more. However, two main issues remained for both: they were both back-breakingly uncomfortable. Definitely not vehicles you wanted to spend any amount of time driving in. The second was size. Neither really had the capacity to haul goods that Letarans expected, and the other vehicles on the market already had exceeded what the Maras were capable of. So just because of their price some Letarans were forced into buying these, but they did so rather reluctantly.

The last utility vehicle to be introduced in Letara was the 1953 Kamaka Chief Van. Introduced during the deepening depression, it was more expensive than the Knightwick and slotted in right at the top of the budget category. It was another small, 2.3 m wheelbase panel van. The Kamaka had a standard bench seat and - unique for the whole segment - a standard radio! This provided much creature comfort, and despite its small size, it was the most comfortable utility vehicle to spend time in. It was fitted with a locking differential, but otherwise its engineering was pretty bare bones. Despite this, it did have a very decent offroad capability, so most gravel and dirt roads shouldn’t be a problem. It did have a decently capable 1.6L I6 engine giving it better performance than similar and even more expensive offerings (such as the Aero and Kolondra). It could carry about as much as the Ital, and slightly faster too. It was also tuned very safely to 87.6 octane, so could also go anywhere in Letara without any fear of encountering a bad batch of fuel. So in the end it was a bit more expensive than the Ital and didn’t offer all that much more for inner-city deliveries, so the Ital remained the most popular option in that market. But the Kamaka did offer the added capability that made it a much more viable option for longer-distance deliveries to the farther corners of Letara - and this became the real niche for the Kamaka and was more often seen in rural areas and zooming along highways with their small but precious cargo.


…to be continued…



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Rd. 1 RESULTS

Chapter 11: Consumer segment 1946-1954 - sport


Left to right: Colombri Coupe @Admiral_Obvious, Zephorus Espion Roadster, Zephorus Espion @Riley, Walkenhorst Autohaus 3s2, Walkenhorst Autohaus 3p2 @Fayeding_Spray, Wolfram Wanderer 3.0 @abg7, Walkenhorst Autohaus 3p2 Roadster, Benetsch Buhrie SK @Texaslav, and Capital K12 Carroza Pegaso @Prium


SPORT

Last but not least, the sport segment in Letara. Sport cars are loosely qualified as 2 or 2/+2 seater coupes with a powerful engine and good handling. This is just a generic description of course, and as always, lines can be blurred. Sometimes sports cars have two full benches, or are sedans, or don’t actually have much power, or they don’t handle all that well. So it’s a bit fuzzy. It could then be said that the sports category is more esoteric, something about the “feel” or “spirit” of the car that makes it sporty. In any case, let’s see what sports cars were available in Letara between 1946 1948-'54,

Interestingly and despite the success of the Portunis Cannonball Run (and all the previous illegal road racing that lead up to the Cannonball), the first real sport car in Letara wasn’t introduced until 1948. Before this time there were some “sporty” city and family cars such as the Stellar 21-80 Convertible or the Vizzuri Special, but nothing specifically dedicated to the art of automotive sport.

But then in 1948 the Capital K12 Carroza Pegaso hit the market to great fanfare. It was expensive, very expensive indeed, costing even more than the luxury sedans Benetsch Buhrie and P&A Sportsman. Upkeep too was up there in price. So this was a properly expensive car that only the upper echelons of society could afford. Luckily in 1948 it still came in time to take advantage of the temporary economic upturn. But back to the car, what did you get for all this money? Well, it had a very nice flake-paint job, a hand-made 2/+2 interior with luxury radio, really nice advanced safety package, medium tires and the only V12 engine available in Letara. It was a magnificent 5.6L beast propelling the Capital to an unprecedented top speed of 185 km/h, which will not be broken in this time period by any other car. With all this equipment on board the car wasn’t the fastest off the line, but once it got going it was unstoppable. It was also not very nimble with its ladder frame, so the bragging rights were solidly tied to the top speed and the number of cylinders under the hood. The car was very comfortable too. It did have its own flaws though. It was engineered for some “unleaded gasoline” that Letarans haven’t heard of, and running it with regular leaded fuel did cause some long-term reliability issues. But for the few people who could afford the Capital, this hardly mattered. In the end, the Capital became a legend in its own right and its posters ended up on many a bedroom and garage wall, but was out of reach of most Letarans. And the few that did sell were mostly show pieces for balding middle-aged men who finally could afford a dream car and tried to relive their false second youth. Thus started the concept of the “midlife-crisis car”.

Letara had to wait two more years until the next sports cars arrived on the scene, but then all of a sudden the market got flooded by six new entries! It was a real explosion on and of the market, and with this sudden abundance of choice into a virtual vacuum meant that competition was immediately intense and fierce. The cheapest of the new arrivals - and cheapest overall sports car for the entire time period - was the Colombri Coupe, pricing it as the only car in the sports standard category. It was the only sports car with a live rear axle; its ladder chassis further underlined its more utilitarian nature. It did have a nice sports interior with 2/+2 seating and standard radio. Rounding out its sporty nature were the sports tires. It’s 4L I4 was one of the most “pedestrian” engines in the sports segment, so top speed and acceleration weren’t all that impressive. It did have decent cornering ability though, so it had a decent compromise between just straight line speed and nimbleness. It was by far the least comfortable sports car option though. Its saving grace was its price, however. In the shrinking economy this was the entry model into the sports market, and anyone who wanted a coupe but couldn’t afford a more capable car had to settle for the Colombri. At least you could stand out with its bright yellow paint colour - to a certain extent at least, because it might be confused with the regular Colombri Sedan family model.

Second are the Zephorus stable siblings, the Espion and the Espion Roadster. Both gorgeous vehicles for a little bit more money than the Colombri. Under the skin both cars were proper dedicated sports cars with space frame chassis and a larger 3.6L I6 engine that had proper power output, making these quite fast cars - well the Espion at least. The Espion Roadster was a little slower, expecially in acceleration tests it was quite disappointing, as the heavier car had a tougher time getting up to speed. The Espion Roadster - being a convertible with a detachable top - lacked the Espion’s two jumper seats in the back, and only had standard safety features compared to the more advanced package of the Espion. Despite the fever seats and smaller safety package, it still was 200 kg heavier, explaining its more lacklustre performance. It was also the slightly cheaper option, so despite its performance deficit, it did become the more popular of the two. Considering all the options on the Letaran market, being a convertible was something unique, something to brag about, so naturally people were proud to display their Espion Roadster. And what could beat driving down the road in the summer with the top down in a great sounding sports car? So, bolstered by their success in the Cannonball Run, the Zephorus managed to get a large chunk of the sports car pie, especially the Roadster.

Next up in price, and moving toward the middle and upper part of the ‘sports premium’ category, were the Walkenhurst siblings - the 3s2, 3p2 and 3p2 Roadster. These cars had a more utilitarian ladder frame, but nice double-wishbone suspension front and rear. Their 2L I6 engine wasn’t the most powerful by any means, so they were no speed monsters. However, their suspensions were set up for cornering, their sports tires provided excellent grip, and their aluminium panels reduced their weight considerably, so they were very nimble cars indeed! All three cars had 2 buckets seats, firmly anchoring them in the sports coupe market. While fairly close in price, they did have some markedly different features and thus appeal. The 3s2 was targeted toward a more pure-blood sports-loving audience with its sports interior and premium radio. This was a fantastic car that could drive really well on twisty roads - if only the switchbacks up and around Mt. Mordred were paved!. It did unfortunately have to contend with several market factors. First was the cheaper and faster Zephorus, which had proven that you can go much faster in a straight line than the Walkenhurst. This was really the perception most Letarans had about racing, as that is what they saw in the Cannonball Run. Second was the continuously slumping economy, so people were looking for the most economical way to have their fun, so again the Zephorus won out. But there were of course the die-hard fans of more exotic race categories heard about from foreign countries, where nimbleness was key. These people favoured the 3s2. Moving to the 3p2: this was a more upscale model with luxury interior and luxury radio. It proved to be the most comfortable sports car of the entire era, even eclipsing the Capital K12. Other than that, itw as the same car as the 3s2, albeit a little more expensive (but surprisingly, not that much). So just based on this alone it managed to carve out a small niche for itself, enticing some would-be Capital customers away to buy the much cheaper and more comfortable sports car instead. Lastly, the 3p2 Roadster also had the luxury/luxury interior, but this car was another convertible with a manual soft top, with the trade-off some comfort that goes along with the wind noise. So while quite a bit more expensive, it was actually the stronger seller of the two more luxurious offerings by Walkenhurst. In fact, it was the only real rival to the Capital, making rich people choose between a more expensive car with a rich flake paint-job and V12, or a cheaper but more comfortable car with a drop-top. A hard choice indeed.

Introduced in 1952, the Benetsch Buhrie SK was the first monocoque sports car in Letara. With its aluminium panels, it was a rather light car too considering its size. The powerful 4.2L V8 made this the second fastest sports car of the era, and it had excellent cornering characteristics too. It was simply a pleasure to drive if you were an accomplished pilot. Yes, it did take a little bit of skill to really master the car and unlock its potential, but then it was simply unbeatable among its peers. Considering it had a luxury price tag, it only had a premium interior, but a luxury radio. Slightly belying its sporty nature, it did have a full family-car-esque 2/3 seating arrangement, making it more of a hybrid between a pure sports car and a sporty family sedan. But in the end, the sports-tire shod car was received more as a sports car than anything else. It was the only sports car tuned to 98 octane, but given its price bracket and where it would likely travel in Letara, this was a solid choice. But how did it fit into the market? Considering its price tag, it came onto the market at a very unfortunate time. Really only the richest people could afford one. Its main competition was really its sibling, the Benetsch Buhrie Fierst, and the four-year-old Capital K12. Given rich Letaran’s drive to be unique and different, many Capital owners who didn’t already succumb to temptation (or the economy) and bought themselves a Zephorus or Walkenhorst, were lured toward the Benetsch. But even so, it never managed too many sales. Even though the Buhrie SK was faster than the regular Buhrie, the latter was roomier and more comfortable, and suited the ‘sports sedan’ buyer just as much as the SK model.

Last on the market was the 1954 Wolfram Wandered 3.0. Price-wise, the Wolfram slotted in between the Walkenhorst 3p2 and 3p2 Roadster. Like the Benetsch, the Wolfram also had a monocoque chassis, but it had heavier steel panels. Similar to the Zephorus Espion Roadster, it had a 2-seater premium interior with premium radio and medium compound tires. With a 3L I6 engine it was relatively fast - not the fastest, but quite quick in a straight line. However, it was not a nimble car, nor was it especially comfortable considering its price tag: only the Colombri and Walkenhorst 3s2 were less comfortable than the Wolfram. So between the unfortunate timing of the Wolfram’s arrival in the ever deepening economic slump, the already saturated sports car segment, and it not bringing anything really new or better to the table, it unfortunately never really took off - even despite its great looks…


And that concludes the consumer car reviews for Letara 1946-195.

…Race and Government reviews…
…to be continued…



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Rd. 1 RESULTS

Chapter 12: “Passenger transport” - part 3 (finale)


1948

The Procurement Services Office’s Evaluation Division reduced the number of applicants to four vehicles for final consideration:


Left to right, back row: Mitsushita, Wolfe, Kessel, Mara.

The four proposals were summarized and sent up to the Senior Directorate of the State Security Department, where the acquisition of passenger transport vehicles for this most secretive project would be approved.


By the time government RFP submissions make it to the directorate, they have been thoroughly vetted and narrowed down to just the strongest, most promising candidates. Usually a range of options are sent up with different strengths and weaknesses to give the broadest possible overview of the best proposals. In this case too, a broad selection was presented in terms of price and features. Overseen by the Procurement Office to ensure impartiality and prevent corruption, the Senior Delegates set to work to evaluate the four proposals. They worked according to a strict rubric to keep the results fair. The results were based on the car’s raw statistics, but also how well the car fit the RFP’s wording and how well the car fulfilled the government’s needs. Additional scores were awarded to cars that went the extra mile to fulfill one or more of the needs outlined in the RFP and addressed the main concerns outlined.

Final results

Congratulations to @GassTiresandOil! The Government of Letara will be in contact soon to arrange the procurement contract for the Kessel K20. Although more expensive than the other finalists, it was still within the budget. It offered good stats across the board, especially where it mattered. The brilliant disguise idea certainly helped with the final decision too!

@karhgath, the Wolfe was a strong contender. It was at a decent price, solid stats, and very good “extra” features too including the good build quality and extra thick panels. However some stats prevented it from claiming top spot, such as divability, comfort, and safety as key components.

@AndiD, the Mara had two main strong points: its cost of dirt dirt cheap, and the thick steel panels. But comfort was in the end its downfall dragging it down to where it simply became a liability.

@conan, the Mitsushita was also a very strong showing with overall good stats. It was relatively high cost among this top group, but for this added cost it didn’t quite deliver the same level of performance as the others. So while not a bad car by any means, it just didn’t have the same value for money as the others.


That concludes the Letara Government assignment of 1948.
PS: Letarans would’ve been delighted to receive many of these propsals as consumer options in the general market (either as people movers or as vans)! Alas, these vehicles never did make it to consumer markets, leaving a bit of a void to be filled…

…to be continued with the final Race results…



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Rd. 1 RESULTS

Chapter 13: Portunis Cannonball Run 1952-1954

@Madrias @Edsel @Aruna @voiddoesnotknow @FidleDo @SheikhMansour @AndiD @TanksAreTryhards @Riley @Lupus @karhgath @Mikonp7 @Maverick74 @Petakabras @Texaslav @Ludvig @ChemaTheMexican @Prium @Knugcab @LS_Swapped_Rx-7 @abg7


1952

Despite the continued economic downturn, six (!) hopeful manufacturers put in their participation slips in for the 1952 Portunis Cannonball Run.


From left to right: Torshalla, Saeta, Benetsch, Swanson, Garland, and Capital.

The first order of business is as always scrutineering: a detailed look at each car to make sure that they meet entry requirements. Torshalla, Seata, Benetsch, and Swanson pass with flying colours. However, Garland and Capital are found to be in breach of regulations. The Garland is a bit of a weird story. First, the manufacturer swapped shipping boxes, and sent the clay model mock-up of the car! After being alerted of their error, they shipped a new car, but in their panic they shipped a car with some experimental parts, including a rather futuristic engine and tires. While the Capital’s story isn’t quite as wild or remarkable, it just turns out to be a little too ‘stripped down’ - it doesn’t have rear blinkers or the required windshield wiper. It also has those futuristic tires that Letara is not quite ready for yet. Speaking of wipers, looking at the Saeta the organizers realized that there are still loopholes in the regulations, because that windshield and wiper combo - while technically legal - will receive further scrutiny over the next few years…

With four new manufacturers joining the racing ranks, the total number of teams is now up to 45. The bookies immediately got to work and made new rankings including the new entrants. On raw pace, only one manufacturer stood out: the Benetsch. It was just as fast at the Mocabey, and nearly as fast as the Zephorus, making it tied for second fastest car in the race. It also had better reliability than the former two, so it had a very good chance at a very good result indeed. The Swanson was the next fastest car, but it still slotted in at the rear end of the mid-pack - behind the Ainsworth, and a ways off from say the Mons, Minerva, and Liberty. The Saeta and Torshalla entries were even slower still, firmly in the rear of the midfield joining the Ital.

1952 was a lot more relaxed year for Letara. Although in a continued economic downturn, it almost became the norm. Having mostly overcome the natural disasters that the country suffered in '49 and '51, people were ready for some diversion again. So the Portunis Cannonball Run was once again well-attended, and the masses lined the roads along the entire course. This enthusiasm was also attributable to the new teams added to the roster, which not only allowed people to see new cars, but also place valuable bets on them!

Break-downs, malfuntions, and headaches:

Stage 1 saw ten teams retire from the race: Mons Paragons, Minerva’s The Spirit of Crugandr, Ainsworth Factory and Rally teams, Liberty’s Team Philly and Free Birds, Mocabey 3, Zephorus Green, Empire Motors SC, Benetsch’s Slask. Minor malfunctions were overcome by Mons’ Marauders, Mocabey 2, and Zephorus White. Moderate issues set back: Saeta’s Ducados Racing and Ibérica Motor teams. Vizzuri’'s V8 Magnifique had a major problem on the road, but after considerable time loss managed to continue.

Stage 2’s retirements included: Minerva’s The Pride of Valraad, Vizzuri’s Highway Outlaws, Ainsworth Racing Team, Mocabey 1 and 2, and Saeta’s Ibérica Motor. Other than these retirements, there was only one moderate break-down for the Zephorus White team.

In the last stage Mons’ Marauders, Vizzuri’'s V8 Magnifique, Liberty Racing Team, Empire Motors NYM, and Benetsch’s Prusy team retired. The Mons Titans had a minor issue, and the Zephorus White team had a major issue; despite overcoming issues in all three stages, they still managed to make the finish line, which is quite a feat!

Race results:

1952 was finally redemption for Zephorus clinching a relatively dominant victory - and that with some strong competition added to the roster of racing teams. The Maras continue to show their strength of combined speed and reliability. Benetsch, despite being plagued by some reliability woes, manages to show speed and clinch overall second place. Once again, all Ital and Aero vehicles finish the race, but this time the Ital teams are mixed in with the newcomers Saeta, providing some interesting and close racing in the lower half of the mid-pack.


1953

Two more teams entered the Portunis Cannonball Run in 1953: Vaughn and Kamaka.


Left: Vaughn; Right: Kamaka.

Scrutineering was a quick affair this year as it was quickly determined that both new entries passed the prescribed regulations and were allowed to enter the race.

The bookies were particularly enthusiastic about the new entries! Both the Vaughn and the Kamaka were on paper exceptionally good teams with a good combination of speed and reliablitity. The Vaughn was about the equal of the Mara, and nearly as reliable. The Kamaka wwas about as fast at the Mocabey and Benetsch teams, but significantly more reliable than both - almost as reliable as the Vaughn and Mara in fact! So this year promised to have some real exciting racing ahead with potentially unpredictable and mixed results - which made betting a very lucrative business (for the bookies that is).

1953 was an interesting year in Letaran history. After several mandates, the ruling parties were replaced in the democratic elections. So while the economic woes continued, there was some optimism brewing in the country. The throngs were out in full force again to see the Cannonball Run - this time with the largest and fastest field ever!

Break-downs, malfuntions, and headaches:

Stage 1 retirements: all three Minerva teams (!), Ainsworth Rally Team, Liberty’s Team Philly, Mocabey 2, Ital’s Scuderia Levante, Zephorus Red, Empire Motors EM, and Benetsch’s Prusy. There was a minor malfunction for Zephorus White; moderate malfunctions for Ainsworth Racing Team, Mocabey 1, and Ital’s Scuderia Z.A.R.T.; Saeta’s Ducados Racing dealt with a major break-down.

Stage 2 retirements: Ainsworth Factory and Racing teams, Liberty Racing Team and Free Birds, Zephorus White, Empire Motors NYM, and Benetsch Slask. Saeta’s Ducados had a minor issue; Benetsch Pomor had a moderate issue; and Scuderia Vizzuri overcame a major break-down.

Stage 3 retirements: Ital’s gentelmen driver Johan Jurgensen, and Empire Motors SC. Minor break-downs for: Official Aero Company Racing Team (Car 1), Escudería SAETA, Benetsch Pomor, adn Kamaka’s Hotrodders 3. Moderate issues for: Mons Paragons, Little Missile Racing (Sponsored by Aero Co.), Ital’s Scuderia Z.A.R.T., and Vaughn factory team A. Major break-down and time loss for: Mons Marauders and Vizzuri V8 Magnifique.

Race results:

Despite promising entry statistics, neither Kamaka or Vaughn could really capitalize on their promised speed. Perhaps it was experience at this point, but Mara continues their domination at the top, joined by Zephorus and Mocabey. The Mons Titans had a surprising result among the top teams. Swanson had a strong showing in the midfield, and Vizzuri finished with all three cars. In fact many teams could pride themselves this time for finishing with all three teams: Mara, Mons, Vaughn, Vizzuri, Swanson, Saeta, Torshalla, and Aero all got their full squad to the finish. Perhaps the most successful race edition thus far! Ital then seems especially unlucky not to join this group despite their previously unshakable reliability.


1954

Only one new manufacturer joined for the last year of racing: Wolfram.


Wolfram

Indeed, the Wolfram was deemed a legal entry, and joined the other cars on the grid. So with the last entry entered we now have a full line-up of cars. The field, then, could be broken down as such. Lead pack: Mocabey, Mara, Zephorus, Benetsch, Vaughn, Kamaka. Upper midfield: Mons, Minerva, Liberty, Empire Motors, Wolfram. Lower midfield: Ainsworth, Ital, Saeta, Torshalla, Swanson. And then there is good old reliable Aero arriving at some point after the champagne has been drunk.

Currently there was no guaranteed contract for a continuation of the Portunis Cannonball Run, and with a new government focused on austerity, the future of the race series was uncertain. So with the looming cancellation of the Cannonball the crowds were particularly large this year, in places many people deep along the more popular stretches of the route. Each destination town was packed, none more so than Portunis of course. Festivities were planned throughout the event’s three days, and drivers had to be determined no to get too distracted and focus on the race.

Break-downs, malfuntions, and headaches:

I’ll try something else…

Stage 1: Mons Paragons (terminal), Minerva The Pride of Valraad (moderate), Official Aero Company Racing Team (Car 2) (major), all three Ainsworth (terminal), Liberty Racing Team (terminal), Liberty Team Philly (major), Mocabey 2 (major), Mocabey 3 (terminal), TEAM MARA / GUMPROV (minor), Ital’s gentelmen driver Johan Jurgensen (major), Scuderia Z.A.R.T. (minor), Zephorus Red and White (terminal), Empire Motors EM and NYM (moderate), Saeta Ducados Racing (moderate), Vaughn factory team B (moderate), Kamaka Hotrodders 3 (major), Wolfram Carlson Concessionaires (terminal).

Stage 2: Minerva The Spirit of Crugandr (major), Liberty’s Team Philly and Free Birds (terminal), Ital’s gentelmen driver Johan Jurgensen (minor), all three Empire Motors teams (terminal), Escudería SAETA (minor), Benetsch Prusy (terminal), Swanson Privateer, mr. Richard Johnson (major), Wolfram Motorsport Developments and Wolfram Dealers North America (major).

Stage 3: Official Aero Company Racing Team (Car 2) (terminal), Little Missile Racing (Sponsored by Aero Co.) (terminal), Ital Scuderia Z.A.R.T. (minor), Zephorus Green (terminal), Vaughn factory team C (minor).

Race results:

For its (potentially) last year of racing the Portunis Cannonball Run certainly delivered quite the spectacle! It had the largest field of finishers, quite a lot of surprises, and a lot of really good, fast, tight racing up and down the field! With the Kamaka Hotrodders 2 there was a new manufacturer on top of the podium, and the entire top of the field was properly mixed up with all the top teams - with Mara this time markedly finishing only at the top of the midfield in a close race with themselves. And for those who bet on Aero finishing all races with all teams, alas, they saw their first two retirement in all of the eight years of the official Portunis Cannonball Run.


This concludes the final Portunis Cannonball Run. The organizers and the fans would like to thank all the teams who participated. It has been a privilege to witness some great racing on our roads, and we hope your companies learned a lot from the experience and can come back with some great technological innovations! We are ready for them. What will happen to the Portunis Cannonball Run? Will it remain an annual event? Will a different racing event take its place? Only time will tell. Destiny is (partially) in your hands…



This concludes all the results of Letara 1946-1954. I’ll take a few days rest now and allow you all to catch up on RP if you so wish. See you soon in the Preface of Round 2!



17 Likes

An adequate result for Immortale Automotive.

Initially a profitable endeavor followed up by a predictable downtrend of sales and interest. We were pleasantly surprised to see the investment to result ratio exceeded our expectation on the coupe.

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The roof being visible and the front looking weird makes me believe that the export messed up the morphs of the Vaughn?

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To the Letaran Government:

We at Kessel are overjoyed to have earned a contract for use of our K20 vans in your government. We know that the competition was fierce, and we are quite thankful our van was chosen. We can assure you that only the highest quality standards will be tolerated on our assembly line, and we hope our product continues to meet your needs.

Regards, Kessel Werks

4 Likes

Nooo! We were so close! And it happened at the last section of the race, too!

(I mean, I guess that’s not too surprising if you’re running the same 3 cars for 9 years straight. Or hey, maybe there was no breakdown, and they just crashed into each other or something… :P )

Either way, I’ll call Aero’s first round a success overall. The cars ended up being more upscale than I originally meant for, the engines fell victim to the oddities and instability of the new designer, and the Lentaran market for kei cars was not very big it turns out. But they had their strengths, and it seems at least the coupe cars found themselves some love- Which is good, 'cause that’s the most similar to what I had planned for next round!

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A redemption spree for Zephorus and then a cold end in the racing catagories, but im sure it did help sell cars on the weekdays! Good to see it was a popular choice for the people. Great write up, I did punch the air with the P1 finish for the 1952 race :smile:

On a side note, I have no idea how the convertible weighed so much I have never seen such a difference, even without the extra safety and extra seats.

Lots of interesting points to take into the next round, can’t wait to carry this momentum forward.

3 Likes

Ah shoot, I’m not sure what happened. I remember the car behaving as it should before in the editor, and didn’t notice when I took this quick snap. I’ll investigate and replace the pic if I can get it to work. Might’ve been one of the updates that messed with it - but rest assured the dice rolls were done right after submissions closed, so the results are legit.

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To Letara, if cars from Portugal are given a 2% tax exemption. We at the Mokhastu-Rhania(A Japanese and Portuguese company mutually collaborated) will provide high quality military vehicles at a low cost.

Revision: Is it possible to get military contracts for some kind of exchange?

Got to get those military contracts :running_man: :dash:

  1. Please read the rules - better yet, read the entire thread - to see how this all actually works before proposing nonsense ideas.
  2. Please don’t spam the thread with repeat posts. You can edit a previous post if you want to add something to it.
6 Likes