Woohoo! Pretty pleased with the top 4, I didn’t even think this was a Top 10 worthy car. Turns out that a sensible approach with expensive suspension really pays off.
Also, if anyone is interested, here are my car files.
You got the name wrong, it was GTS, not GS. 
And that is what you get when you use DCOE carbs.
im really last,far last.
Not that it changes much but my total costs show as $5499.94, I thought the cost penilty started at $5500?
Also here’s a look at the Puck’s specs
well… at least among the superior half…
[quote=“nerd”]
And that is what you get when you use DCOE carbs.[/quote]
The dual DCOEs on the Suzume eked out 31.3 MPG. 
[quote=“nialloftara”]
Not that it changes much but my total costs show as $5499.94, I thought the cost penilty started at $5500?
Also here’s a look at the Puck’s specs[/quote]
I can take a look later, but I know that when you first load a car, you have to click through the trims to get it to “settle” its costs and specifications. I had it slightly above $5500 after I did that.
nerd did you a favor by calling you out on your original 4-door submission that I missed. Your second submission was MUCH improved.
[quote=“VicVictory”]
[quote=“nerd”]
And that is what you get when you use DCOE carbs.[/quote]
The dual DCOEs on the Suzume eked out 31.3 MPG. 
[/quote]
I also used a 13.0:1 air/fuel mixture, which is just one tick off of running rich.
14th, not bad for something that was basically thrown together with no optimization. I didn’t expect to do so well due to price, though I am happy with the most reliable even though I also got the least comfortable.
Blasters, I am working on a competition where you wont be doing a recreation even though do think you do an excellent job doing so.
Romanov is happy to have built a car that is up to the capitalists standards with a price that exceeds any soviet standards. creepy laughter
However, we would like to underline, between us, that we are not actually communists and we believe that in not more than twenty years, the Soivet Union will be no more than a scary memory. Cylinders crossed.
As for the “Raketa” is excells with its speed, reaching 100 km/h in under eight seconds, while reaching a topspeed of 180 km/h. We do not consciously recommend going that fast though. The lack of power steering and the comparably low safety standards, in order to keep the weight low, will not save your life in case of an accident, only kill you faster.
We are looking forward to the next invitation to compete with all these magnificient car manufacturers.
YES. Back to form! Sportiest, probably fastest in a straight line, will probably kill your average driver with more ego than talent. All I need to know is if it’s also fastest around a track and my life is complete.
7th place! I promise, I checked the bottom four or five entries about six times to see if I overlooked the Murina XC and it placed where it belonged.
Also, I am somewhat amazed that there were so many more cars with cost penalties than with cost bonuses. Clearly the engineers at Packbat Auto Works have a truly unhealthy obsession with economy! 
(Seriously, though, I think it was 7.22 lt/100 km - and when I turbocharged the engine for the LC trim, I got that down under 7. I’ll screencap some performance statistics after I get home.)
When is the next one? I’m new around here and these look fun.
My next focus is to write the review for the winners. Beyond that… not sure. It was less than a week between the end of the last and the start of this one, but if things get busy for me it may be longer.
I’m surprised my car is in 6th place.
As for the car being slow, it’s… well, “Japan-sick”, since cars in Japan shouldn’t go over 62 mph, and 100 mph is way over that.
Okay - attached is the Packbat Auto Works Murina - both the XC trim using the PAW Sprite engine (an NA SOHC 1.6L I4) and LC trim using the PAW Wisp (a turbocharged DOHC 1.8L I6). (The former was the car that competed, naturally.) (Edit: Both cars use base-game fittings - no mods.)
From the list of relevant stats to the contest:
[ul]]Prestige: XC 8.8, LC 14.9/:m]
]Practicality: XC 42.9, LC 42.25/:m]
]Utility: XC 33.9, LC 36.9/:m]
]Offroad: XC 7.44, LC 8.19/:m]
]Safety: XC 29.3, LC 29.9/:m]
]Drivability: XC 39.2, LC 39.8/:m]
]Sportiness: XC 17.0, LC 23.0/:m]
]Comfort: XC 14.5, LC 22.3/:m]
]Reliability: XC 72.3, LC 64.6/:m]
]Fuel Economy: XC 7.22 lt/100 km = 32.6 mpg, LC 6.72 lt/100 km = 35.0 mpg/:m]
]Service Costs: XC $1131.26/yr, LC $2106.55/yr/:m]
]Total Cost: XC $4294.64, LC $5302.94/:m][/ul]
For the trackday stats:
[ul]]The XC does 0-62 mph in 12.4, 62-0 mph in 41.6 m, 20.0 m skidpad at 1.03 g (31.8 mph), 250.0 m skidpad at 0.97 g (109.0 mph), and hits a top speed of 103.1 mph./:m]
]The LC does 0-62 mph in 9.3, 62-0 mph in 39.2 m, 20.0 m skidpad at 1.10 g (32.8 mph), 250.0 m skidpad at 1.03 g (112.7 mph), and hits a top speed of 117.4 mph./:m][/ul]
Do note, however, that the LC is using factory tires and brake pads - upgrading from a Medium Road compound to a Sports compound and putting more aggressive pads on would likely improve these numbers substantially.
PAW Murina.zip (38.4 KB)
I just started one, DerBayer will probably be starting another one in a couple of weeks
May 1978
[size=150]Pint-Sized Powerhouses[/size]
[size=120]Little Commuters That Are Huge Fun[/size]
Last month we covered the heavy haulers, so it was time to investigate the opposite end of the spectrum in this issue. Small commuter cars epitomize everything that the half-ton isn’t; small, efficient, easy to park, and easy to maintain. And quite boring, thanks to a decided lack of power.
But there are options to spice up your commute without breaking the bank. By no means thoroughbred sports cars, these miniscule motors pack a decent punch in a small package. Yet they don’t turn their back on their roots as capable commuters.
For this roundup, we’ve scoured the globe for the four best micro-muscle machines that won’t break the bank. It may be no surprise that the field is dominated by foreign cars, but there is one quite remarkable American competitor, and it is not your typical Detroit steel, either.
Let’s take a quick look at what we found.
[size=120]Baltazar Quark FR445[/size]
Baltazar Automoveis of Brazil is a house name throughout South America. Recently they have started importing a few models in limited quantities in the States. The Quark FR445 was designed with the purpose of importation in mind. Under the hood of the sleek liftback is something a little bigger than Baltazar normally installs in the Quark in its home market. Displacing 1440cc, the 16 valve SOHC puts out just about 80 horses at its 6200 RPM redline. This is good for 12.3 seconds to 100km/h. While that may not sound impressive, it’s more than enough to get the Quark up to speed on freeway onramps with time and speed to spare.
What qualifies the Baltazar for this review is its handling. It is an absolute blast to throw into corners. While the power assist on the steering gets a little heavy during parking maneuvers, it is crisp and predictable at speed. It is also the only one of the four to provide antilock brakes, which helps to keep the Baltazar pointed the direction you want during hard braking.
The interior of the Quark is also nicer than we expected it to be. The floor is fully carpeted, seating surfaces are covered in soft yet durable Corduroy, and other nice touches like a tachometer and low fuel warning are integrated into the gauge cluster. Music and news is provided to the cabin via an AM/FM/8-track player with a single speaker located in the dash between the vents. Interestingly, rather than having a rear center passenger straddle the driveline hump, Baltazar has eschewed the center seat belt and given the outboard rear seats a sunken feel, almost like the front buckets.
[size=120]GSI Mosquito Sport[/size]
It’s only right that the sole American entry is made in California. After all, it’s nothing like the clunky, miserable hatchbacks and sedans being pumped out for years in Detroit. The GSI Mosquito Sport is also the physically smallest of the bunch, most closely resembling Japanese “Kei-cars.” Don’t let its diminutive exterior fool you, though. Squeezed inside the engine bay is a 1.8 liter 16 valve DOHC motor. The 100 horsepower cranked out shoots this little rocket to 100km/h in just 7.9 seconds, which is easily the best in this test.
Cornering is also exhilarating in the Mosquito, which darts and weaves with the same agility as its insect namesake. Power steering is standard on the Sport model, but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference in this 1600 pound featherweight.
Inside the Mosquito’s cabin, we find that GSI has decked it out in much nicer trim than might be expected. All four seats are comfortable yet supportive. The speaker for the 8-track radio is mounted on the top of the dash, giving clear, if not powerful, audio. The Mosquito’s glove box is also deceptively large, and its folding rear seats allow the trunk to expand for large shopping runs.
[size=120]NMC K-Type Rallye[/size]
Hailing from Australia, the NMC K-Type Rallye is the only sedan in this comparison. Decidedly sporty treatment garnishes this car’s exterior. Under the hood is a 2.2 liter pushrod 4-cylinder that puts out just shy of 86 HP at 5000 RPM. This gets the K-Type up to 100km/h in 11.3 seconds, which is respectable.
Cutting through curves is reasonably fun, though low speed turning and parking is a little bit more of a chore than others we tested due to a lack of power steering. Also, the staggered tire layout brings some interesting driving dynamics into the mix.
Inside the NMC, controls are laid out in a logical manner. Comfortable seating for four, an AM/FM/8-track radio, and full carpeting are among the features on the Rallye trim. The front passenger seat slides and tilts forward easily, allowing quick entry and egress to and from the back row. Fit and finish is up to snuff; there’s nothing really to pick apart here.
[size=120]ZM Gorizia 2.2 Sprint[/size]
Our final competitor is the ZM Gorizia 2.2 Sprint, from Italy. The 2.2 obviously refers to the displacement of the all-iron, 8 valve DOHC engine. The most powerful of the four, ZM squeezes out 124 horsepower at a screaming 6100 RPM. This lets the rather heavy Gorizia make the jaunt to 100 km/h in 11 seconds flat.
Despite being the heaviest model in this review, the Gorizia is surprisingly nimble. The power assist is decent, and not obtrusive when you dive into a hard corner. The one drawback is how fine the line is between keeping control and losing it.
ZM assembled a well-designed, reasonably appointed package for the Gorizia’s cabin. The 8-track radio feeds a single speaker, and its audio balance is pretty good. A tachometer and bevy of warning lights grace the console. Nothing on the inside seems out of place or poorly put together. The Gorizia’s trunk is spacious, but rather upright, limiting its usefulness for some purposes. Still, like most of the others, it folds down when expansion is needed.
[size=150]The Tests[/size]
[size=120]On The Inside[/size]
There are countless similarities across the board. Every one of these little commuters comes with four seats and a radio. In many cases, if the badging were taken off the steering wheels and dash boards, one could easily confuse them. That is more a testament to the consistency of this class than anything else. So how could a determination of superiority be made here? It all boils down to the details.
This works to the detriment of the NMC K-Type. While the two hatchbacks and the liftback have folding rear seats, the solitary sedan does not. While its trunk is sizeable, it can’t be expanded. Physically the GSI Mosquito is the smallest in the comparison. Space is, however, very well utilized within the cabin. The trunk, with the seats up, has a better, more usable layout than the ZM Gorizia. But for overall versatility, the Gorizia takes the crown. With the seats down, its cargo area is the largest, owing partly to the Baltazar’s long, sloping hatch.
As far as overall comfort goes, the Baltazar scores the best marks. Leg and head room up front are superior, as is rear hip room. The Gorizia and Mosquito duke it out for the middle, while the offering from NMC has some headroom issues that bring it down to the bottom of the comfort category.
Winner: ZM Gorizia. It’s not the best at any one aspect in its interior, but it’s good at everything.
Loser: NMC K-Type. Its lack of flexibility and minor comfort issues are enough to put it at the bottom of this category.
[size=120]Nuts and Bolts[/size]
Whereas the interiors are almost the same in these pocket rockets, their mechanical underpinnings have little in common. In fact, the only universal commonalities are rear wheel drive and 4-barrel carburetors.
Baltazar puts a single overhead cam in its 1.4L, then mates it to a 5-speed manual transmission. The rear end is a simple open differential, though wheel spin is only present in inclement weather conditions. Besides being unique in having 4-wheel ABS, the Quark also has a unique front disc, rear drum brakes where the drums are larger than the discs. This seems to aid brake bias somewhat, though adds a fair amount of rotational mass.
The GSI Mosquito doubles the number of cams, and displaces exactly 1800cc. Power is transmitted through a 5-speed manual gearbox to a viscous limited slip diff straddling the multilink independent rear suspension. Stopping power is provided by 4-wheel solid disc brakes. Wide, low-profile tires shroud the GSI’s tiny 12” wheels.
NMC’s K-Type motor has a listed displacement of 2185cc, and utilizes simple pushrods for the valvetrain. There are 4 cogs in its unusually wide-ratio manual transmission, and its rear is open. Despite its relatively low power output, the K-Type can do a pretty impressive 1-leg burnout, even on dry roads. Front disc brakes and rear drums bring the NMC to a stop, typical of this class of cars. What’s not typical is the pedal feel; it’s rather on the firm side. There’s no questioning the brakes’ ability to bring the sedan to a halt.
The ZM Gorizia’s 2.2 liter mill has two cams but only 8 valves. The viscous limited-slip rear is fed by a wide-ratio four-speed. Its double wishbone front suspension and semi trailing arm rear is a little unusual. The front disc and rear drums on the Gorizia are absolutely huge. Locking the brakes is a little too easy.
Winner: NMC K-Type. Despite its weird transmission, it has a very solid, reliable motor and good overall package.
Loser: Baltazar Quark. This mostly boils down to the engine being the most anemic of the month. Peak power comes at redline, and the NMC gets to the same level of power over 1000 RPM sooner.
[size=120]Road Manners[/size]
Control and precision are quite important for a commuter vehicle. City roads and highways choked with traffic can pose hazards for even attentive drivers. Having a machine adding on to those worries would not be high on the list. Impractical sports cars can be as hazardous to their owners as other drivers. These small, fun cars don’t compromise on road manners.
While it can be a little squirrely under full power, the Mosquito handles itself with composure on the road. Big bumps can be felt in the cabin, but they don’t throw it around as much as might be expected for such a small car. Furthermore, parking the Mosquito is an absolute breeze, even in the smallest of spots.
The K-Type is extremely predictable. Part of this is due to its lack of power steering, which doesn’t help its marks for parking. However, handling under normal conditions is very even, and rutted roads are easily handled. Visibility around the sides is also very good.
ZM’s Gorizia also fares well as far as visibility and general handling, though pushing the Gorizia to its edge can result in rather sudden loss of control. It is also the hardest to park of the four due to its weight and size. That’s all relative, however; there’s no shortage of spaces that the ZM can fit in.
The Quark also handles very well, and is only minimally disturbed by uneven roads. The thick C-pillar makes for a bit of a blind spot, but otherwise visibility is good. Transition between low and high speed maneuver is absolutely flawless.
Winner: Baltazar Quark. Overall, control of this car is the easiest of the group.
Loser: GSI Mosquito. Short wheelbase and slightly twitchy handling over rough roads gives it the lowest marks in this category.
[size=120]Safety[/size]
With how many miles pile up on commuter cars every year, accidents are bound to happen. Survival of such incidents may be on the minds of prospective buyers. There are clear differences here between our four cheap thrill rides.
GSI has the shortest list of standard safety features. The most basic federally required seat belts and 5 MPH crash bumpers and tempered glass. That’s about it. Between that and the GSI’s small stature, it is no wonder that it tested far below the others.
NMC and Baltazar add seatbelt pretensioners, door intrusion beams, and collision fuel cut-off to that list. Not surprisingly, they score pretty much the same as far as injury chance.
Highest marks were given to the ZM Gorizia, which on top of the others adds a driver’s airbag, which is a class-exclusive.
Winner: ZM Gorizia. With the longest list of advanced safety features, this was the clear winner.
Loser: GSI Mosquito. It gets away with being sold because it meets federal standards. And nothing more.
[size=120]Down To Business[/size]
A sporty, fun commuter is a fine balancing act. Too much power could lead to drivability problems or poor fuel economy. Too little and it’s just another boring bucket of metal rolling down the road. Costs are an important factor as well, though those considerations will be broken down in the next section. Here we concentrate solely on usability versus the fun factor.
The Baltazar is an absolute kick to drive. While its straight-line performance isn’t great when compared to its competitors, its ability to handle corners is fantastic. Coupled with a comfortable interior and good cargo space, and the Baltazar makes sense as far as sporty alternatives go. After all, life isn’t always lived in a straight line.
Though if straight lines are your thing, the GSI Mosquito is the car to watch. With the fastest off-the-line acceleration and a top speed of over 100 MPH, this sprightly little devil offers a lot of fun for not a lot of money. It can still carry around four people and park in very tight spaces, making it a very versatile city car as well.
The NMC K-Type isn’t as nimble around corners as the others, but it’s no slouch. It doesn’t have to wind up as far as the Baltazar to hit prime power, either. It’s a good overall compromise as far as usefulness and fun, but just not up to snuff with the others.
Somewhere in the middle of it all falls the ZM Gorizia. Able to carve corners better than the NMC but not as well as the Baltazar. Faster off the line than the Baltazar but nowhere near as quick as the GSI. And yet, as far as day-to-day usefulness, undeniably wonderful.
Winner: Baltazar Quark. Only by the slimmest of margins did it beat its two closest competitors here.
Loser: NMC K-Type. It’s no boring sedan, but just not at the same level as the others.
[size=120]Cost To Own[/size]
A little bit of penny-pinching behavior is expected from owners of these types of car. Initial cost, reliability, and economy are all great considerations. There’s a bit of a difference between our four pocket rockets when it comes down to balancing the ledger.
The Baltazar Quark ends up being about middle of the road as far as purchase price. Maintenance is inexpensive, however. It manages to fall short of the 30 MPG mark, attaining 29.7. That’s no small feat, but not best in class. Projected reliability is average.
GSI’s offering is a hair less expensive than the Baltazar. It also gets best-in-class fuel economy of 32.3 MPG. Its maintenance costs are the highest of the group, but there’s a pretty small spread, so that shouldn’t deter anyone from looking at one. Expected reliability is reasonable to good.
NMC’s K-Type has the lowest sticker price out of them all, as well as the least expensive maintenance. It gets just over the magic fuel economy mark, at 30.1 MPG. It is also predicted to be the best of the bunch as far as reliability, with a “good” score.
The ZM Gorizia gave us a bit of sticker shock. It’s as expensive as some of the cheapest purpose-built sports cars. It should hold up well, however, and it cheap to maintain. Not so much to fuel; it got the worst economy of the group at 24.9 MPG.
Winner: NMC K-Type. Good economy, good reliability, low price, cheap maintenance. Everything a pocketbook could ask.
Loser: ZM Gorizia. While it’s not ungodly expensive to own, it’s definitely the highest of the group.
[size=150]Overall[/size]
Fourth: NMC K-Type Rallye. It probably qualifies more as an economy car than a sporty commuter, though it makes the cut because of decent handling and a big enough engine to motivate it properly. This would probably also make for a nice spicy little family car that won’t give everyone a heart attack.
Third: GSI Mosquito Sport. Peppy as hell. Corners like a mosquito, even if it’s a bit twitchy. Can park anywhere and run for a couple weeks on a tank of gas. Well utilized spaces, but just not as much as the others. Also, quite possibly a death trap if you get in a collision.
Second: ZM Gorizia 2.2 Sprint. Definitely the best blend of comfort, usability, and speed. It handles quite well, despite being the heaviest of the group. Its big engine drinks a lot of fuel, so for commuters who drive a lot of miles, probably not the best choice. Also the only choice if safety is your main concern.
First: Baltazar Quark FR445. With fantastic handling abilities, good fuel economy, and respectable safety and reliability, this entry starts off well in many aspects that a fun commuter car needs to have. Top it off with being easy on the wallet and having the most comfortable interior, and you’ve got yourself a winner.\o/ 2nd! Great work for the perfect sized reviews and congratulation to Leo for the excellent Baltazar Quark.