I’ve got about 750+ in my FR car for this. I had 1100+ in the previous engine that was in it, but I couldn’t get that one under the time limit at all.
3 Likes
Knightwick catalogue for Letara in 1980
Consumer cars: Knightwick Cosmopolitan
Following on our work on the “small car for the next decade” is the brand new Cosmopolitan city car. Utilising the latest in suspension and chassis technology Cosmopolitan offers front wheel drive and four wheel independent suspension making this both a comfortable and easy to drive car.
For 1980 the sturdy Knightwick “A*” engine has been updated with strengthened block, harmonic damper for smoother running and also hypereutectic pistons on all engines for lower emissions. Along with this from 1980 going forwards all Knightwick cars in Letara will off full three-way catalytic converters which we believe will make us the cleanest car manufacturer available.
The updated “A*” engine is available in 1275 or 1093cc sizes, modern manufacturing techniques mean these engine now share a common block with two lengths of conrod offering the different sizes.
1100DL
Our starter model is the 1100 DL available as a five door hatch with a 1093cc engine. This is no back to basics car however, standard equipment includes a fully carpeted interior, adjustable cloth seats, a four speaker 8-track player, twin door mirrors and rear wash wipe
Technical Specifications
| Length | 3.52m |
| Width | 1.52m |
| Wheelbase | 2.28m |
| Weight | 769KG |
| Chassis | Steel Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Macpherson strut, twin tube dampers |
| Rear Suspension | semi-trailing arm, twin tube dampers |
| Front Brakes | 220mm solid discs, single caliper |
| Rear Brakes | 220mm single leading shoe drum |
| Steering | rack and pinion |
| Front Tyres | P135 85R12 80Q Radial |
| Rear Tyres | P135 85R12 80Q Radial |
| Engine | 1093cc i4 with two barrel carburretor |
| Transmission | four speed manual |
| Power | 49bhp@5000rpm |
| Torque | 78NM@3300rpm |
1275 Classic
For the buyer who wants the more traditional style car is the Cosmopolitan classic available as a four door sedan with the 1275cc A* engine. This upgrades the interior to full leather seat facings, head restraints on the front seats and wood trim on the dashboard and doors. On the exterior there is chrome door handles, chrome trim strip on the side, chrome headlight and grille surround. The wheels are slightly larger and have full plastic trims fitted.
Technical Specifications
| Length | 3.72m |
| Width | 1.52m |
| Wheelbase | 2.28m |
| Weight | 811KG |
| Chassis | Steel Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Macpherson strut, twin tube dampers |
| Rear Suspension | semi-trailing arm, twin tube dampers |
| Front Brakes | 220mm solid discs, single caliper |
| Rear Brakes | 220mm single leading shoe drum |
| Steering | rack and pinion |
| Front Tyres | P155 70R13 80Q Radial |
| Rear Tyres | P155 70R13 80Q Radial |
| Engine | 1275cc i4 with twin single barrel carburretors |
| Transmission | four speed manual |
| Power | 60bhp@5000rpm |
| Torque | 91NM@3300rpm |
Gt-turbo
The Cosmopolitan was updated for 1984 with a new flush fitting front end treatment and larger boot hatch opening at the rear with squared tail light design. The sedan was discontinued at this time with more focus on the hatchback. The interior was facelifted with the radio moved lower into the dashboard, vents added to the sides and on higher end models a plastic centre console with storage compartments.
Also new for 1984 was a turbocharged 1275cc model of the hatchback. This offered a strengthened variant of the A* engine along with the latest in air to air turbocharging with an intercooler. The turbo has model specific front and rear spoilers and extra venting on the bonnet and front valance.
Wide alloy wheels with softer tyres, vented front disc brakes and uprated suspension offer much improved road holding and driving experience.
The interior has two tone sports front seats, a sports steering wheel and a wood gear knob. Other standard equipment is a cassette player, electric front windows and a rev counter.
Technical Specifications
| Length | 3.52m |
| Width | 1.52m |
| Wheelbase | 2.28m |
| Weight | 811KG |
| Chassis | Steel Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Macpherson strut, mono tube dampers |
| Rear Suspension | semi-trailing arm, mono tube dampers |
| Front Brakes | 220mm vented discs, double caliper |
| Rear Brakes | 220mm single leading shoe drum |
| Steering | rack and pinion |
| Front Tyres | P155 55R13 79T Radial |
| Rear Tyres | P155 55R13 79T Radial |
| Engine | 1275cc i4 turbocharged with twin single barrel carburretors |
| Transmission | four speed manual |
| Power | 95bhp@5500rpm |
| Torque | 139NM@4300rpm |
Government entry: Knightwick S-Roadster
Police cruiser alongside standard S-Roadster sprint.
The basis for our police assignment is the S-Roadster two seater notchback coupe. The standard fitment 2.0 engine is removed and replaced with a 4415cc V8 engine built by Knightwick Australia for luxury sedans. This is also mated to a five speed manual gearbox and geared differential.
Technical Specifications
| Length | 3.94m |
| Width | 1.62m |
| Wheelbase | 2.35m |
| Weight | 950KG |
| Chassis | Steel Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Double Wishbone, gas mono tube dampers |
| Rear Suspension | Double Wishbone, gas mono tube dampers |
| Front Brakes | 250mm vented discs, double caliper |
| Rear Brakes | 250mm solid discs, single caliper |
| Steering | rack and pinion |
| Front Tyres | P195 60R14 92Z Radial |
| Rear Tyres | P195 60R14 92Z Radial |
| Engine | 4415cc V8 four barrel carburetors |
| Transmission | five speed manual |
| Power | 216bhp@5500rpm |
| Torque | 308NM@4000rpm |
12 Likes
Garland Automotive Group
1978-84 Garland Line-up
The Workhorse
1978 Garland L-500 Super Hauler
After nearly a decade without a new L-series truck introduced into Letara, Garland decided to introduce the super heavy duty L-500s.
The Better Looking Workhorse
1984 Garland L-500 Super Hauler
A facelifted version of the initial L-500, however it wasn’t just the looks that changed, the '84 L-500 upgraded to a more efficient, powerful, and reliable engine.
19 Likes
In 1958, Levante introduced a small, nimble sportscar destined to make history in Letara, becoming the most renowed light sportscar of its era, and dominating sales for an entire decade from its introduction.
THAT CAR WAS THE ORIGINAL LEVANTE GRIFO
But the second generation got complacent, becoming bigger, heavier, and more civilized. The Grifo lost its way, and the king lost its crown. The fatter, clumsy II was no match for its peers, and got lost to time.
IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE
And change it was. A totally new car, back to it’s roots. Cheap, nimble, a raw driving machine built to live on twisty road, but still competent enough to be your daily drive. A complete revolution on how we at Levante think cars. Our first…
MID. ENGINE. SPORTSCAR.
Discover Grifo
The new Grifo is the dawn of an engineering revolution for Levante. Built with a "less is more" mindset, the new platform revolutionize space management within the chassis itself, with the everyday needs of people in mind.
The front sits on new McPherson suspension, a departure from the sublime, but bulky double wishbones of a typical Levante car. The space-saving measure allows for a lighter suspension design, as well as a large front booth, for your everyday needs. A smaller, emergency pocket is found at the rear, just behind the engine compartment, for even more space for your stuff.
The interior follows a similar modular approach, with a more contemporary look as well as ample space for 2 people to drive comfortably around in our Grifo. Improved sound deafening has been employed in the engine bay region to allow for more acoustic comfort, while specific resonance tuning has helped us mantain the “voice” of the engine even trought the new sound damping materials. With the renown quality of Levante interiors, the Grifo is a surprisingly cozy place to live within.
But it’s where the booth normally resides that the true revolution starts. All-Alluminum engines live in the heart of the Grifo, ready to hit miles over miles of fun drives with no issues, with improved reliability and fuel economy, thanks to technological improvements in our new engine range. And with all our Grifos weighting well under the ton, driving dynamics are better than ever, ready to puch way above their weight on every road out there (pun intended!)
At what cost, you ask?
STARTING FROM 14000 $
No, it’s no mistake.
And with our three-year manteinance plan, you can save even more money for your important stuff. Like that nice ring you wanted to gift your fiancee…
Levante Grifo. Fun has never been so accessible!
The Range
GRIFO 2.0 S+
- 2000 cc 4C-20C carburetted engine, 107 HP at 5700 rpm, 150nm at 4300 rpm. Two-valve, single camshaft all-alluminum engine
- 15-inch alloy rims, full sports tyres set, 165/60 front, 215/50 rear
- All-around disk brakes
- Standard interior with 8-track sound system
- fun for days over days of twist road drives
- starts at 14000$
GRIFO 2.4 V6
- 2412 cc 6V-24i fuel injected engine, 140 HP at 6100 rpm, 173nm at 4400 rpm. Two-valve, single camshaft all-alluminum engine with electronic fuel injection
- 5-speed Magnastar manual transmission
- Body coloured lights assembly
- Premium interiors with leather inserts, and Gose premium sound system
- 6.6 second 0-100 time, and the privilege of humbling that one rich kid with a $30000 dollar “sportscar”
- starts at 17000$
1982 GRIFO TURBO
- EPYC 80’S REDESIGN, NOW WITH A SPOILER
- 2000 cc TURBO ENGINE, 205 HP AT 5700 RPM, 300 NM AT 4100 RPM
- POP UP HEADLIGHTS
- A GODDAMN LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL
- 0-100 IN 4.7 SECONDS. FOUR POINT SEVEN M…FKING SECONDS
- EATS SUPERCARS FOR BREAKFAST, COSTS LIKE A SUPERCAR TO MANTAIN
- 21000 $ WHICH IS TOTALLY WORTH FOR THE PURPLE PAINT ALONE
- YEAH I MIGHT BE OVERSELLING IT BUT WE BOTH KNOW YOU WANT IT
THE ALL-NEW LEVANTE GRIFO. POWERED BY PASSION.
1978 Levante Automobili, all rights reserved.
( Yeah I might be losing my mind with this post’s writing towards the end, but y’all can’t deny i’m doing it with style)
13 Likes
There, I finally got it! Seems RR was the trick after all.
I only have 480hp too, though it is on semi slicks. Could probably do a lot better with a turbo, but I worry that would sacrifice reliability too much.
Anyway, thanks ya’ll for the help! I can actually participate in racing now! :D
4 Likes
Mara goes Letara, Ep. 4-5: Rallycross!
23th May 1975
Summer Racing Team Workshop, Lerance, Letara
After the future rules for the next decade of racing in Letara were finalised and publshed, Inna Horyova, Mara’s Comrade Director of Letaran Operations, Rodyn Gumprov, Mara’s Comrade Director of Engineering (CDE), John Summer, the owner and main driver for Mara’s semi works entry in the past ten years (and as a privateer the ten years before), and John’s son Nico met in the team’s garage in Lerance. Nico looked like being in his early twenties and kept some distance to the others initially.
It was one of Rodyn’s first appointments after having just taken over the reins as CDE from Yenna Bielicka who had left her CDE position at Mara for Aljoscha Aeroplanes as head of engine development only a couple of weeks prior.
Rodyn summarized the new racing ruleset. “So the future of Letaran racing will indeed be rallycross, but not a smaller track or with lower specs as we argued for?”
John answered. “In essence, yes. There are hardly any technical restrictions in place, seemingly aimed at full works entries with limitless pockets. I wonder how can we keep up?”
Initial strategizing for the Mara rallycross entry
“How much factory backing can we expect?” John continued.
“About the same as last time”, Rodyn answered. “So quite limited. As much as I personally like engineering challenges, it’d be a hard sell at home to partake in capitalist excess on - what is admittedly - a fringe market.”
John nodded somberly but he hadn’t expected anything else. “Luckily, we are ready to re-invest a fair bit of the prize money we pocketed over the last years through our string of podium finishes.”
John pointed at the car up on the hoist and nodded at Inna. “We got the new 2.5 SSE RTH base car you provided and already got to work to replicate key things from the previous race car.”
*The reworked Mara Irena 2.5 SSE RTH which is to be the basis of the rallycross entry
“That’s great”, Inna replied. “I’d like to keep the look for the resemblance to the consumer car.”
John continued. “As you can see, we already expanded the brake and engine cooling - we might need it for the extended race duration. We also fitted a front and rear spoiler already - we figure we need them as well, but we have not tested them yet, of course.”
Suddenly, the big outer garage doors opened and Anya Mayster, one of Rodyn’s junior engine development engineers arrived. “Beware… when we bring gifts”, she stated dryly, marching into the garage.
A few of John’s mechanics pushed in two big pallettes on handcarts with one big engine crate each on them.
“Behold the 5 litre V8 from our Kavaler interceptor at home”, Anya continued. “It’s the same engine block as the 4 litre, just bored and stroked. So should be all familiar to you?”
The boxes with two development engines for the rallycross car
John nodded. “Unrestricted, this should allow then for a nice boost in power. However, I have heard that other teams are starting to explore turbochargers, something we neither know anything about not have the capacity to develop. So we probably won’t be able to compete on outright power and speed.”
“That’s what we would have needed last year, to keep Yenna interested, perhaps”, Rodyn muttered. He knew from personal conversations with her that the lack of a engine-related challenges in her job prompted her to seek greener pastures in the aircraft industry.
He continued. “We can reach out to Aljoscha Aeroplanes again to make the… spoilers work and optimize the airflow of the facelifted body. And to our Fruinian tyre supplier Tyrelli to further increase tyre grip.”
It was John’s turn again. “We still need to maximize engine power as well. I can look for local vendors to provide material and expertise in exchange for their sponsorship logos we can put on the car.”
Rodyn, Inna and Anya were all puzzled by the concept, but didn’t say anything.
John continued. “It’s a long distance race, so that’s something else to keep on mind. We’d also need a second driver, hence why I brought my son along who has been competing in the Letaran junior series.” He clapped Nico Summer on the shoulder. “Oh, and the entire off-road thing… where the existing suspension might even give us some advantages over the pure sports and supercars the others might enter…”
7 Likes
The Brick is here!
About as unkillable as one, as economical as one and as heavy as one.
14 Likes
From Malmo To Letara: AMM Joins The Fray
In Sweden, AMM (Automotive Manufacture of Malmo) is a decently respected name. The company has had quite a few successes, from the Sarek’s heavy use in the military to the often-modified Familj - let’s just not focus on their failures, at least not for now. Due to internal issues, largely stemming from an absolute farce of a luxury flop, the company was slow to enter Letara. So, what would be their first car seen in Letara? A rugged offroader? A van? Another luxury attempt? None of these. It was, of all things, a race car.
Enter Raceteam Malmo - a somewhat-supported, quasi-official racing outfit based in a shed near AMM headquarters. They got ahold of an AMM Stadsbil - Malmo’s compact, sensible city car - and turned it into a frankenstein, something decidedly un-sensible. With a diminuitive 1.9m wheelbase, a height close to its width, bumpers ripped off for weight savings and no aerodynamics due to Raceteam Malmo’s lack of sophistication, the end result is a bulldog of the circuit - buit it is, nonetheless, a bulldog that made it to the circuit. It somehow passed the homologation requirements for the race… somehow, quick enough and safe enough in spite of itself. It was not the introduction to Letara that AMM had hoped for, but it was the one they got. They just had to hope that the result did well, or at least won some hearts and minds.
OOC: I didn’t realise how close the deadline was, and had done a lot of tuning but little styling. Hence, a few-fixtured race car, with a scrappy team to explain why it’s not the best looking.
10 Likes
KHI 792
792 Pelican
Designed for the family who wants to ride in comfort and safety, no matter where they go, the Pelican offers excellent offroad performance without sacrificing ease of driving, comfort, or size. It is a compact, reasonably-priced vehicle with excellent reliability despite its hydropneumatic suspension and automatic transmission.
792 Sparrow
The Sparrow returns, as a sporty compact family vehicle. Priced well under most of its competition, it offers over 100 horsepower and good fuel economy, while still seating four, being quite reliable and comfortable for the price, and far more agile than one might expect. To boot, it’s a very easy car to drive, making it an excellent car to buy if you’re just dipping your toe into motorsports.
Blue Mist Pearl
Sea Foam Pearl
Battle Blue
Battle Red
12 Likes
How AMM Wanted To Enter Letara
The original AMM Sarek was a competent car... In post-war Sweden. Go forward a few decades, and it no longer fits much at all. What do you do? Well, you launch a new version. Introducing the AMM Sarek II Twin - the longer wheelbase version of the Sarek. Available in a van and an offroader.
The Sarek II Twin launched in 1979, with not one but two marketing campaigns to win over the people of Letara. Its selling points are fairly simple - offroad prowess, and reliability. The first slogan is as simple as the selling points. Sarek: You’ll Get There. It’s not the fastest car, or the flashiest, or the most comfortable… But you’ll get wherever you are going. The second uses a rather iconic disco hit for a TV campaign, one released close to the Sarek.
I will survive, I will survive, as long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive.
AMM marketed the reliability, the offroading prowess, the safety of the Sarek II Twin Offroader. The van did make some compromises, both in favour of cost and cargo carrying, but was still solid for offroading. There are, of course, more versions of the Sarek available elsewhere - most notably, the Sarek II Solo line, a two-doored set with a 2.3m wheelbase compared to the four-door Twin’s 2.8m wheelbase. AMM, however, decided to keep the lineup small for 1979, reasoning that they could expand more easily than contract. A van and an offroader, reasonably large. Will it work? Who knows!
7 Likes
Mara goes Letara, Ep. 4-6: Interceptor!
10th April 1978
Office of Mara’s Comrade Executive Director, Mara main factory grounds, just outside the town of Mara, Archana
Rodyn Gumprov, Mara’s Comrade Director of Engineering entered his boss’s office with a stack of papers under his arm.
Fedor Piechov sat behind his big oaken desk. “Comrade Rodyn! You have the final draft for our response to the Letaran RfP for a highway interceptor?”
“Yes, Comrade Fedor”, Rodyn replied, just to be on the safe side. Despite working with him for decades now, Rodyn still was not entirely sure whether and when Fedor used ‘Comrade’ sincerely and when with disdain.
Mara's interceptor submission
“The five litre Kavaler?” Fedor’s pride about the result of his Project Helios was still audible, even several years after its completion. The Kavaler was not only well-received by the Archanan apparatchiks pillars of society, but also was named among the best cars in the 1974 Letaran auto exhibition.
“Of course.” Rodyn showed a sketch to Fedor.
An artist sketch of the Kavaler interceptor in Letaran police colours
“Odd colours”, was Fedor’s first reaction. “Any changes over our own interceptor version? The Mk2, I suppose?”
Rodyn thought for a second. “We tune for Letaran fuel, that’s about it. Otherwise, yes, it’s the Mk2 with its 4-barrel carb, 5 speed gearbox, handling-focused suspension, small rear spoiler…”
“So all the latest and greatest?”
Rodyn nodded. “Yes, and the rugged heavy duty interior, of course.”
The view from the well-secured rear seats
Rodyn continued. “And we’ll need all of it to meet their goals. From what I’ve seen and heard there are some insane cars on or about to come on the market over there.”
Fedor shrugged. “Whatever excesses they might come up with this time - I want to see the highway where you can consistently drive faster than 240 kph in regular traffic. And I should know because I have done it over there.” Of course he was referring to the 1950s Cannonball events. “And you, too, so who am I telling this to?”
“Comrade Inna over there has heard rumours that some manufacturers plan to submit versions of their own supercars as interceptors.”
Fedor shrugged again. “Just make sure to convey the benefits of our ‘one offender, one interceptor’ policy in your proposal.” The vast Archanan territory limited the available policing resources outside of the few big urban areas. Therefore, all patrol teams had to be as self-sufficient as possible, from the initial contact over the pursuit to the apprehension and the final arrest. “I want to see them put the offenders into the rear of their wedges - or whatever the most recent car design fad is.”
Rodyn nodded again, and left Fedor’s office after a curt nod by Fedor in return.
7 Likes
Benetsch enjoyed an unprecedented boom period in the late 1960s and early 1970s, propelled by its racing elan, luxury pedigree and the unrelenting prestige of the 1970-1974 model run of the Lerance 8000ZR, a huge personal luxury coupe with an 8-liter racing-derived V8 planted in its tail end. But whereas the wider world saw it as the fastest car of its day, to Benetsch it was significant for a different reason altogether: That massive engine was Benetsch’s first water-cooled powerplant, and from here on out the technology would be developed for a full-range phase in in the mid-1970s.
The midsize, steel-body Benetsch Buhrie was the poster vehicle of this generation, with the global trend towards downsizing meaning that the larger Kralewitsch wasn’t quite as fashionable. The Benetsch Lerance coupe was also double-downsized to the Buhrie platform, due to people erroneously perceiving it as more of a personal luxury barge than a GT coupe and Benetsch being keen to mend the situation.
Also standard is a fuel injection system, replacing the 2-barrel carburetors used on the engine testbeds; in Letara, the computer can also limit the fuel sent to the engine so that the car cannot get past 100 mph; without this restriction, it can reach 130 mph.
You get a very beige interior for your trouble, lined with high-quality leather and real wood. Overall, the 3400’s job is to have every quintessential luxury you could wish for in a luxury sedan liftback - a job that, as far as Benetsch is concerned, it fulfills beautifully.
The Buhrie Fierst package is a somewhat different story. It’s not about “essentials” at all; on the contrary, it’s all about excess. You get handmade crushed velour, the latest and greatest cassette audio system, hydropneumatic suspension and a scrumptious 4.6-liter engine. The Fierst is a direct response to market demand for sportier luxury vehicles, and as such takes less than 7 seconds to get to 60 mph; top speed is a staggering 154 mph.
With wider tires and 16-inch alloys, the Fierst is a true sports sedan liftback - all while, according to surveys, still out-comforting anything else Benetsch has made to date. And you get loads of ashtrays and twin cig lighters, too.
The Lerance, as previously mentioned, was downsized to the Buhrie platform - so now it can join the fun here. Aero glass hatch in the rear, shovel nose in the front, it’s certainly stylish - but style isn’t the point here. This car impresses because deep in the bowels of its rear-engined configuration lives a single-turbo derivative of their new racing V8. Over 450 horsepower is the crucial number, and despite using a 4-speed auto for transmission this car is still far faster than the earlier Lerance 8000ZR.
You can have this lethal weapon, complete with lift reduction, a helical limited-slip differential, twin throttle bodies and an 88mm turbo tuned for snapping response, in any color - so long as that color is black. Hell, even the wood in the interior has been treated with a protective film that makes it look all but black. You still get the airbag… The fabric it’s made of is black. Once again, this ZRF is a side-grade in relation to the Fierst -you won’t get the same luxury of suspension or seating, that’s too heavy and would hamper reliability. But what you do get is the most insane GT Soresia ever made.
Make no mistake, Benetsch is about more than supplying the rich with ego toys. The Police Interceptor model of the Buhrie features a similar engine to the 4600 (not ZRF) and Fierst models, but optimized with reinforced body panels, lights, a siren and a police livery of the department’s choosing.
With 290 horsepower and a slick gated manual, the Interceptor rockets to 60 in under 6 seconds and up to a top speed of 155 mph, all while running on regular fuel (and not too much of it: 19.4mpg is the official consumption figure) and breaking down just about never. This police cruiser also features a segregated and protected rear compartment for detainees, with potential escape points reinforced.
In the context of the Letaran police interceptor contest, the Buhrie Interceptor represents a sensible yet powerful option: capable of speeds far exceeding regular highway fare or what can be maintained even by the best-handling cars in a corner, and rapid at-speed acceleration; all without requiring specialized and expensive repair components. Due to its seating arrangement and internal space, it also belongs to a category of ‘self-sufficient’ interceptors that are capable of all routine police conflict resolution without support from regular units which, crucially, would not be able to keep up.
13 Likes
VAUGHN REVUE LETARA
The magazine that goes out to all of you Letarans driving a Vaughn, Wraith or VCV
Winter 1980
PROSPECT FOR THE POLICE
The Letaran police is looking for new high speed interceptors for the highway patrol. Vaughn’s prospect is this, based on the Silverbird Turbo.
With a 271 hp turbocharged 4.9 litre V8, 0-100 km/h is done in 6.3 seconds, it tops out at 249 km/h, and it also features some improvements to, for example, brake cooling, compared to the civilian cars. Also shown is a possible new livery design for the Letaran police.
If the government decides to choose our prospect, speeders and bandits better watch out!
15 Likes
The Aero Free
Peak smallness has passed.
Now we have to start getting bigger again. :(
About Aero in 1975
After a struggling early 60's, Aero was finally happy to have found a niche in the Letaran market. Their cars' factory and accessibility market was limited, but still there. Now, though, it was a question of holding on to it, as Aero was starting to struggle to keep their cars small; with time, more modern technologies and safety features were creeping in to make cars heavier. it was already clear to Aero that their pint-sized Free would not be able to stay as small as it was forever.
But they did have one blessing, at least at home in Japan. The kei-segment guidelines were revised to allow for engines as big as 550cc, a huge increase over what Aero had access to before. This gave them an excuse to design bigger engines that could keep up with growing weight, and keep the cars from lagging too far behind other city cars.
Spending and lobbying, meanwhile, had been a smashing success this round. Aero was able to help expand the Aluminum industry substantially, and almost every lobbying issue Aero pushed for succeeded- including their proposed cat-converter incentive.
The only lobby of Aero’s that failed was their push to save the center headlight; while not a very big loss, they’re still disappointed to see the government stubbornly act on (what Aero thinks is) such ridiculous and fallacial reasoning, and will be trying to get this decision reversed as soon as possible.
About the Second-Gen Free
Released in 1978, upgrades in technology, safety features, and consumer preference have made the Free grow a little. It’s now no longer as light as before, it can’t get as good economy, and the old party trick of driving into a building is a bit harder for it. But with this growth has also come many improvements as well.
For starters, the free now has 2 seats, instead of just the one. It now rocks a larger 550cc engine (thanks to updated Japanese kei requirements), and can now hit 100kph (though Aero still advises that the car was not built for the highway). And finally, radios are now available on all trim levels of the car.
Our commitment to accessibility has also remained. In addition to the Access trim, with improved cushioning and an automatic-transmission (now with 3 gears!), the new Free boasts hydraulic-assisted gull-wing doors that can open in much tighter spaces than a traditional door, and has wrap-around windows that granted the driver improved visibility.
Also for 1979, the Free gains a new bodystyle: introducing the Pack! For those who want more storage, the pack sacrifices a bit of economy, weight, and cooling in exchange for a much larger cargo area. The Free Pack is is offered in both of the same trims as the standard Free, and helps to address complaints about the previous model’s lack of cargo space.
(The 2nd gen Free is also built in an amphibious version, but this one will not be coming to Letara until 1980).
Aero's troubled foray into racing and government work
Aero had previously had a successful run in the Portunis Canonball run, with the slow-but-reliable Move Bullet. But since the switch to Lerance Raceway, things had only gone downhill. The racing version of the Zipp failed to replicate its predecessor’s reliability, and with the introduction of a performance cap in the late 60’s, Aero had effectively been shut out of the competition. But Aero was not ready to give up on the racing scene just yet.
Repurposing a body from their higher up models, Aero did everything they could to build a competitive racer- extreme weight shedding, a custom-tuned engine, and more -however nothing worked. Their FR, I5 prototype was just too far behind the minimum specs.
Not wanting to give up now, they sent the body to an American company called Bazard to build the engine and drivetrain for them. A while later, the body got sent back; with a custom 4.7L 500hp V8 having been stuffed in the rear. While Aero wasn’t especially fond of such a huge and expensive engine, truth was it did give them the boost they needed; and it had even maintained Aero’s signature focus on reliability.
The resulting vehicle, dubbed simply the Endurance and Reliability Testing Platform (ERT for short), was still not expected to be one of the fastest vehicles on the lot. But as its name suggested, Aero was less concerned with sometimes being at the top, and more interested in always being at the finish.
As for that I5, FR concept? A few years later, Aero heard about a government request for highway interceptors; while Aero had always monitored government requests, these most often fell way outside of Aero’s area of expertise. But fast cars? Aero could do fast; why they had a fast car right here! 5 whole cylinders, and more than twice the top speed of any other Aero- not to mention its agility too! And best of all, the old was really cheap and reliable; governments love cheap and reliable! So the failed racecar was suddenly, hastily reconfigured to become the “Interceptor concept.”
OOC: I didn’t have as much time to work on these last 2 cars as I’d hoped to, but I’m still happy to be able to participate in these categories this round!
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THE WOLFE DYNASTY
History of Wolfe Motors, Chapter III
Lore alert! Beware.
December 1974 - Tokyo, Japan
(narrator) The land of the rising sun and of the awakening son. Noel was still quite jetlagged after 2 days, still barely awake. It was already afternoon.
In addition to overseeing the Letaran market, he was now in charge of all expansion project overseas. His dad was getting older, as was his children. Hid oldest son was 8 years old, but that was just a fact for him, he cared more about the company than them. If they are lucky tho, they’ll take over some day.
He was much more interested in the age of his father. He was already 64 years old, there were talks of him retiring. While Lewis remained president, the board became very powerful and was controlling the company with an iron fist. That is why he was in this strange country, against his wishes.
He fell in love with Letara and wish he was back there. He even bought a beach house there.
Noel - “Back to the harsh reality…” he said to himself, taking a sip from a stainless flask.
He was to meet with a struggling car and previously aircraft company. Wolfe was mostly looking for oversea assets like factories and the like. They decided to get back in the premium and sport markets and needed competitive advantages with all kinds of different regulations popping everywhere.
Their first Letaran Factory was to be unveiled in January - it would allow to build and assemble cars locally and dodge many import restrictions. With the Wolfe Letaran expansion being a huge success, now was time to acquire or build factories in strategic markets.
This Japanese company was hit the hardest by the oil crisis this years and price plumetting. Not the most well known company, even locally, but they have many interesting assets Noel was to appraise. They failed to be acquired about 10 years ago, and barely survived since.
He got up and did his away-from-home routine. He had trouble finding good coffee around, he was lucky to have a Tim Hortons near the Wolfe HQ back in Canada, but here he had to follow his interpreter to some weird youth cafe to get a good sip of coffee if he did not want some canned stuff.
He got downstair and his interpreter was waiting for him.
Interpreter - “Konnichiwa” he said, bowing slightly.
Noel bowed back. Let’s get some business done he thought, as they were driving to the Suginami ward. This will be quite a challenge.
BACK TO PRESENT - February 2023, the great white north*
She woke up suddently and jumped out of the bed.
Husband - “Get back to bed honey, it’s just your dad… Zzzzzz”
She ignored him and went down the stairs to find her dad rummaging through the bookshelves.
Granddad - “Where is it, I remember it was here…” he muttered to himself.
Mother - “Dad, are you ok? What are you doing at this hour, you’ll wake him up.”
Granddad - “Just looking for that damn photo album… ah! there it is”
He took out an old crusty photo album. JAPAN was writtent on it. He sat on the sofa and ignored her for a while.
After a few minutes…
Granddad - “This was the beginning of the end you know. Back when the name meant something great here.”
Mother - “I know dad, I know, those damn japanese…”
The old man looked at his daughter with lucid eyes.
Granddad - “No. It was that damn board. And him.” he paused, a glint of sadness in his eyes. “My father fought them for so many years. He lost the last half of his life in this useless battle… he did not even care about us, it was always about the company.”
She got up, sat down next to him and put her head on his shoulder.
Mother - “I know dad.” she kissed him on his forehead.
Granddad - “I miss him you know… Noel did such a great job expanding to Letara that it would be his downfall… the late 60s and 70s were a renaissance for Wolfe. They correctly assertained that the premium market was going to stay low, and went full luxury. The roadster proved to be the best selling car for Wolfe over there and was going to come back in 78 with what they hoped was another success. You remember I was still driving one when you were little?”
Mother - “Dad, I was 3 years old.”
Granddad - “You were so cute when you were young…”, he smiled at her. “Wolfe and Benetsch were at the top of their games back them, a great rivalry in Letara - on the track and on the street. My dad really thought he could outmaneuver them and focus on the more premium luxury market and high value affordable cars… That is why he expanded agressively with local factory and expanded the dealerships… I mean, I mean…”
He was lost in thoughts and started muttering to himself. She knew what that meant.
Mother - “Good night dad, I love you” she said softly as she left the room, a tear running down on her cheek. He did not even look up, rambling to himself.
Granddad - “I remember at the racetrack, the Razor speeding by, the weather was so hot, but the woman beside me was not well, she had tw daughter you know, I told you this before…”
No one was there to answer.
THE END
Letara 1977 - Wolfe Racing Razor GTR
The last decade was the golden age for Wolfe on the Lerance Raceway. They won 4 races and were extremely successful with the Razor. Thanks to all the R&D investment and focus on racing.
Now the second generation of Razor was to drive accross the dirt on the brand new rallycross section. The GTR, for GT Rally, was and much improved machine with a higher stance, specially built tires, some basic offroad component and a lot of power - nearly 760 HP thanks to a twin turbo that was added to the original 60 degrees V8 used for the last era.
It was more driveable, had much improved aero, was more comfortable and was much, much more reliable this time around, as this was now an endurance rallycross event! Slightly slower than its predecessor, and a bit less agile, Wolfe was hoping it was going to be a rallycross monster.
Wolfe had high hopes and needed to show it can repeat it’s last era’s successes.
Letara 1978 - Wolfe E320 2+2 Roadster
It’s back!! Due to popular demand, the E320 Roadster was back with an all new model in 1978. The best seller from Wolfe was much improved this time around. It started with the Cerberus but was not firmly entrenched as the 2+2 Roadster.
Now, however, the cars would be built and assemble here, in Letara. Wolfe massively invested and opened a brand new factory this time around.
The platform was quite similar as last era, Wolfe still deciding to build their cars on a ladder frame as it was their coachbuilding roots that brought them success. Some were skeptical of this choice as most manufacturers in Letara moved to unibody a while ago. Investors were stressed.
Still, much was to be liked about the car. A much more boxy stance at the dawn of the 80s, a very classical styling based on the last model, plus a brand new modern interior, were all great seling points. The 244 all aluminium V8 was smaller than last generation by much improved, still running on mechanical fuel injection and producing around 200hp in a smaller package.
Some cost cutting was down, and the hidden top down, which was often breaking down, was replaced by a simpler manual soft top - With Letara’s climate, it was rare the rain would come unexpectedly. This was the start of Letara specific models as they could now custom build them locally.
It was also sportier than last generation, but you could not really say it was a sport car. Still, with 0 to 100 in under 9 seconds with a 4-speed auto transmission and a top speed still limited to 160km/h, it was super fun to drive.
Hopefully this generation will be as successful as the last one. While the 2 jump seats (now with more room) are back, this is their first model since the late 50s that was not considered a luxury offering.
Letara 1980 - Wolfe E450 4TRAC 3.2
Now this is different - Wolfe goes offroad.
This is the first 4TRAC model that Wolfe released to any markets. This allroad wagon was not just a family utility vehicle, it was a posh luxury offering seating 5 that could handle nearly all types of roads in Letera, short of goinf offroad.
With all the luxury components and amenities, it was also heralded as an incredibly rugged and reliable beast - only time will tell. It was also the only 5-speed manual offering from Wolfe this generation.
The 4TRAC all-wheel drive system with geared LSD, offroad capabilities and wagon model were not the only firsts for Wolfe. They built a specially rugged engine just for this lineup - a 5 cylinder 3-valves OHC. While not as powerful as the typical Wolfe alu V8, it was close to the E320 with nearly 180hp on 3.2L. It had plenty of torque as well, being incredibly undersquared (86x110mm). This made it very competitive despire only being 5-cylinders, thanks to the first introduction of MP EFI on a Wolfe engine.
This model was the brainchild of Noel Wolfe and his future leading the overseas expansion of Wolfe was at stake. Was this a good gamble, or are Letaran so used to see wagon as purely cheap utilitarian vehicles?
Only time will tell.
Letara 1980 - Wolfe ESi Pursuit
Answering Letara’s call for a new lineup of highway interceptor, Wolfe decided to use a model they had under development and make an interceptor model out of it.
This is how the E-Series interceptor (ESi) was born. With the same engine that would be released with the ESX later, but slightly tuned, this quick brick could reach a top speed of 280km/h, reach 100 km/h in under 6 seconds but also accelerates on the highway from 80 to 120 in under 2.5 seconds. With some handling, this made it a sight in any high speed chase.
This letaran edition came with power steering, advanced safety feature, the rear seats removed for some extra performance, a 5-speed manual and 390hp. Everything you need to catch bad guys on the highway.
Letara 1981 - Wolfe ESX
Unfortunately, the renowned V12 from past generation of Wolfe did not make it back to Letara this time, neither did the flagship trim line of the E5 class.
Instead, Wolfe released something different - a fully muscled up family car, the E-Series eXperimental.
With a bored out 307 ci all alu V8, based on the same E320 V8, this powerplant produced 360hp with a 6,600 rpm redline. The high tech V8 now used multipoint EFI and had a 12:1 compression ratio.
This was not a malaise era engine for sure, despite coming with a 3-way cat. It was everything a speed freak would want in a car - under 5.5s 0-100 time on a 4-speed automatic, over 280 km/h top speed, vented discs all around, and over 1g of cornering prowess, this was truly the first sport-worthy car Wolfe built for the street.
But it is not just built for speed - entirely practical and safe, it seats 5 despite its two doors, and provides enough trunk space for them. With reasonable fuel economy and not supercar-level service costs, it even comes with a price tag well under 40k - quite a departure from the typical 60k+ flagship Wolfe luxury car.
While not directly a successor to the 2-seater E4 GT line, this premium muscle is its spiritual successor but is offering so, so much more, while still being comfortable enough for the whole family at even lower prices.
Wolfe - it is your birthright.
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Torshalla during the 70's
With the improving Letaran economy and warm welcome of the Kattunge models, things seemed to be going well for the small Swedish based company and the 70’s were looking prosperous. But for Torshalla, this silver lining had a touch of grey. In 1973, CEO Lukas Oberg announced his retirement. Lukas’ last official move was to call VP of Sales, 35 year old Rikard Lindroth, as company president. This caused a bit of a shake up in the management, with many doubting the former CEO’s foresight and wondering over Rikard’s ability to run the company.
Nonetheless, it seemed that Torshalla’s future would depend on modernizing it’s lineup, most of which used chassis and other components that were rather long in the tooth. Torshalla’s engineers set to work to bring a new image for the brand for the next decade.
Torshalla Industrial gets revamped
Torshalla’s heavy utility subsidiary, TIV, was in dire need of new product by the 70’s in Letara’s market. The Tegal van dated back to the 1950’s and the most modern vehicle in it’s lineup was the Kattunge based Mungo light delivery which was now a decade old. So work began on a new large van. So in 1975, the Asna made it’s debut.
An all new design, featuring a unique truck monoque chassis to allow good passenger comfort and safety while also higher load complicity and easier half cab truck conversions. The engine was all new as well, a 2.3 liter inline OHC four with mechanical fuel injection putting out 91 horsepower and 135 pound feet of torque on regular 91 RON fuel.
Equipped with a four speed automatic, 8 track radio cassette, power steering, and advanced safety features as standard, prices start at $13,720 after taxes.
As with the Tegal it is replacing, a four wheel drive version is also offered, called the Asna All Terrain.
Available as either a five or eight passenger van (five passenger shown), the All Terrain adds a dedicated four wheel drive with manual locking differentials, off road tires, under-body skid trays, increased ride height, and revised gearing. Prices start at $15,582.
Beginning in 1981, a new model was added to the lineup: The Asna Turbo.
Utilizing Torshalla’s familiarity with pressurized induction, the Asna’s 2.3l is fitted with a turbocharger putting out a mild 6.5 psi. This bumps up output to 116hp and 180ft-lbs torque, a 25 and 45 increase, respectfully, while also allowing for range top fuel economy.
To help split the differance between the standard model and All Terrain, the Turbo also features another innovation: all wheel drive. A special viscous transfer case allows power to be diverted to the front wheels when traction is needed without affecting driveability. This top of the range model is fitted with a more upscale premium interior, stylized steel wheels, and sporty side decals. Prices come to $18130 after taxes.
The third generation Griffin sports car hits the dirt
With Torshalla’s modest successes at Lerance Raceway, it seemed prudent to continue development in the motorsport program. For the Griffin III, testing shown that moving the engine rearward would likely work better for the upcoming changes to Lerance Raceway. With the Griffin’s longitudinal engine and transmission move behind the seats, better traction and cornering abilities were possible.
Motivation was to once again come from an all aluminum DOHC 24v boxer six, displacing 3.2 liters. With twin turbocharging, mechanical fuel injection, E100 129 RON fuel, and extensive blueprinting, it produced 513 horsepower and 409 pound feet of torque.
This was wrapped up in a feather light, pint sized body that broke away from Torshalla’s traditional design language. Performance is quite impressive for the era. 174 mph top speed, over 1 g of cornering force, 3.2 second 0-60, and a quarter mile time of less than 11 seconds. It is rumored to lap the new rallycross track in under 4:25.
Torshalla's proposal for catching speeders
With the noticeable size gap between the subcompact Kattunge and luxurious Naktergal, the decision was made to introduce a new midsize model, christened the Snoka. Powered by either a 2.0l boxer four or a 2.5 six, it featured a new monoque chassis with galvanized panels, McPherson struts up front and trailing arms in the rear. The design was quite unlike any Torshalla before it, with a strong emphasis on clean, aerodynamic lines.
For Letara’s call for a police interceptor to crack down on speeders, the Snoka seemed the right car for the task. For the Snoka Turbo Police Special, Torshalla’s engineers were able to shoehorn in a detuned variant of the 3.2L from the Griffin III race car.
With 10 psi of boost and a new throttle body EFI, it makes 303 horsepower and 346 pound feet of torque. Power is routed through a four speed automatic and an all wheel drive system for ease of control.
Performance for the Police Special? 6 second 0-60, 14 second quarter mile, and a top speed of 160 mph. With a price tag of $25,000, Torshalla hopes to hear what Letara’s police force thinks of it.
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Mara goes Letara, TL;DR Ep4-1 to 4-6
Another summary post, as usual.
Consumer car line-up (left to right): Mara Irena 2.5 SSE RTH 2-door sedan, 2.0 LK 5-door liftback, 2.0 PR 2-door pickup
(The Radial Tuned Handling part would be quietly dropped after the first two years on the market and the decals replaced with SSE.)
Interiors: Regular, Komfort, Sport Extra
Final rallycross race car with some sponsors who helped out in engine development
Interceptor submission: Mara Kavaler 5.0 MS
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Race submission from Van Zandt Motor Co in the future series Lerance race:
A car based on the Van Zandt Vitruvian, currently dubbed the VR. Van Zandt is excited for the competitive challenge.
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From Niichi of Letara…
Niichi Dynema Utility
Dependability and capability at a bargain price
Niichi Dynema Estate
Efficiency, practicality, comfort - made possible by Niichi’s N-Point EFI and N-Matic computerized automatic transmission
Niichi Dynema Aquila Sportswagon
Designed in conjunction with Niichi Racing Team: featuring all-wheel drive, intercooled turbocharger induction, and Niichi N-Point EFI - all with five doors and four full-sized seats
Niichi of Letara: Technology for Today, Legacy for Tomorrow
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TIO MOTORS ENTERS LETARA
For 1977 TIO motors decides to enter the Letaran market with the newly improved 1978 TIO Hawk, Offering 2 trims for 1978 both named The GT-12 and the LX-12. We expect these cars to be for the high class of Letara. Offering speed and comfort respectively depending on which trim is chosen, the Hawk is the ultimate supercar for the Letaran Public.
The 1978 TIO Hawk GT-12
Offering as the “base” model for the Hawk, this trim features a 297hp 4.9l V12 engine mated to a 5spd manual transmission,170mph Top speed and 4.7 second 0-60 this car is speed but not for cheap.
The 1978 TIO Hawk LX-12
The LX-12 is the Luxury variant. Featuring the same V12 but instead with 281hp, a 4spd automatic transmission, 158mph top speed, and 6.30 second 0-60. Although this one features Hydropneumatic Suspension, which offers a smooth ride inside of the plush leather interior of the Hawk
1980’s ADDITIONS TO THE TIO MOTORS LINEUP
The 1980 TIO Hawk MFR-12 TT R730
In 1980 TIO released a new trim to the Hawk. Deemed the MFR-12 TT R730, This car redefines the word Insane. The MFR-12 takes the GT-12 and Slaps 2 turbochargers on it, rocketing it up to 220mph (estimated) and 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. The car was also improved with an Aero Kit, wider wheels, fixed headlights, and 718hp. More than TIO’s racing cars of the time
The 1980 TIO Hawk MFR-12 TT R730 (Interceptor)
Literally an MFR-12 TT R730 with lights and a livery
RACECAR
TIO-Mocabey RT214
A partnership between TIO and Mocabey, the RT214 is the pinnacle of racing. With exceptional tuning by Mocabey (@SheikhMansour) this car is a monster, producing 649hp and with a 3.10 0-60 it’s a monster on the track.
TIO Motors, From The Track, To Your Garage.
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