QFC10: A Fresh Start

[abg7]

QFC10: A Fresh Start

Background

March 2009

Jeff is a man in his mid-thirties who lives in New York City. He lost nearly everything in the recent stock market crash, but after selling off his fancy apartment in Lower Manhattan and vast luxury SUV to pay off his debt, he still has enough money to afford a new (albeit modest) house and a car to take him, his wife, and his two children to and from his new workplace. The catch is, he doesn’t have much cash to spare for his new ride. With that in mind, here are his requirements:

Rules

• Model/family name: QFC10 – (your forum username). Trim and variant name are free.
• Trim/variant year: 2009 (model year may be older); body unlock year of 1993 or newer.
• Must be a 5-door, 5-seat hatchback (rear row must have 3 full seats, no +3) with a wheelbase between 2.4m and 2.7m (both of these are hard limits).
• Front transverse engine placement required.
• Maximum ET: 110 (for both engine and trim). This is a hard limit.
• Manual transmission (not auto manual) required - Jeff can drive stick, after all.
• A detailed interior will not be required or judged.
• Maximum price: $24,000 AMU (hard limit). This is to accommodate larger bodies.
• 91 RON/87 AKI regular unleaded fuel required (tuned fuel type should also be 91 RON), with a minimum fuel economy value of 30 US mpg (also a hard limit, as shown in trim statistics, not cruise tests).
• Minimum environmental resistance of 35 (again, a hard limit) - Jeff may want to keep his new car for quite a while.
• A 3-way catalytic converter of some sort is required, with a maximum loudness value of 35.
• No off-road (including all-terrain or utility) or semi-slick tires. Also, the last digit of tire width must be a 5.
• Advanced trim settings are allowed, but in moderation.

Major Priorities

• Running costs (service costs, fuel economy): The cheaper it is for Jeff to service his car and fill it up, the happier he will be, especially with fuel prices at an all-time high.
• Value: Jeff will prefer a cheaper car if it can do the same job as a more expensive one.
• Reliability: In general, Jeff will cover a lot of miles in his new car annually. Fewer breakdowns = more satisfaction for him.
• Drivability: Jeff does not want something that would tax his driving skills all the time.

Moderate Priorities

• Comfort: Cars of this kind may not be known for their creature comforts, but this is his daily driver, after all.
• Safety: Jeff would never accept a deathtrap; although his next car will be quite small, it should also be safe in a crash.
• Exterior design: In general, if it looks right, then it is right.
• Practicality: If Jeff can fit more of his stuff into the luggage compartment, so much the better.

Minor Priorities

• Sportiness: This class of car is hardly known for its performance – just don’t make it a total bore-fest to drive, though, and a car that’s too slow won’t be a good fit for Jeff and his family.
• Offroad: The only off-roading he’ll be doing from now on is driving on light gravel roads, not serious rock crawling.
• Prestige: (Sub)compacts are hardly the most prestigious vehicles in the world, but Jeff prefers brands with a good reputation.
• Utility: Jeff’s new job (and life) doesn’t usually involve loading his car with heavy stuff.

Entries open at 8:00 pm (UTC+7) on September 10th, 2022 and close at 8:00 pm (UTC+7) on September 17th, 2022. Please send me your submissions via forum DM, on the latest 4.2 open alpha build. No resubmissions will be allowed, however, with one exception: if the next game update drops, and you submitted your entry before then, I will allow exactly one (1) resubmission.

If you have any suggestions regarding the rules of this round, please let me know.

[conan]

2009 DOOG Nion FRT-4

At DOOG, our mission is to create small cars that Americans want to buy.
$24,000

[Caligari]

@abg7

Jeff is a man in his mid-thirties who lives in New York City. He lost nearly everything in the recent stock

Aww, and I was hoping to work on a longitudinal FWD liftback. :<

[mart1n2005]

i have a question about the vehicle types allowed. Is it strictly vehicles like in the header image or would it be more open?

Small wagon/estate

Mini MPV

Compact crossover style car

[abg7]

After careful examination of the brief for this round, I have decided that the only eligible body style is a regular hatchback, because this is all that Jeff will need for now.

[Caligari]

So only traditional hatchback are allowed. Lift back styled ones such as the one pictured are out too, even though it’s classified as a hatchback by automation, right?

Pardon the janky pic, the cat has hijacked my chair.

[mart1n2005]

When you made the rules did you make engines in the same style as what you have in the header image? It’s pretty much impossible to fit even a slightly modern aluminium 4 cylinder engine under 100et. I would suggest 110et

Also can we have some inspiration images

[Texaslav]

30 is a ridiculous max loudness value. It can be a preference, but by no means are budget hatchbacks expected to have twin reverse flows

[Maverick74]

@mart1n2005

When you made the rules did you make engines in the same style as what you have in the header image? It’s pretty much impossible to fit even a slightly modern aluminium 4 cylinder engine under 100et. I would suggest 110et

It is totally possible to make a circa 2009 engine for under 100 et, but yes, upping this limit would allow for a nicer amount of variety. The cost limit already helps put a limit on what’s going to be entered I think.

@Texaslav

30 is a ridiculous max loudness value. It can be a preference, but by no means are budget hatchbacks expected to have twin reverse flows

You can hit 30 max loudness without two reverse flows, but I agree. 30 would have been fine back in 4.1, but the sound limits are higher now, so the rules should reflect that. I’d say at the very least raise it to 35.

[Restomod]

He must be a horrible parent. /s

But seriously, if I were him I would go used and get something bigger, considering he has multiple children.

[Texaslav]

@Maverick74

You can hit 30 max loudness without two reverse flows, but I agree. 30 would have been fine back in 4.1, but the sound limits are higher now, so the rules should reflect that. I’d say at the very least raise it to 35.

Screw that, 45+ or bust. The only real thing a noise limit can represent is a customer imperative or a government mandate, and neither of the two apply to anything in the 30-40 range at all.

[AndiD]

Should env. resistance play a role since NYC has considerable winter snow?

[Lanson]

Makes sense to me, amortize the cost of a more expensive car by expecting it to survive longer. Also, our client should take what little money he has left now and put it in Bitcoin (BTC/crypto became a thing in 2009), that way he has Lambo+ funds for the next QFC11.

Also Q for the client… are we doing strictly FWD here, or is AWD an option? And if so, how stiff are we on the transverse engine idea? Most of my hatchies are flat 4, AWD because I can do it better than Subaru, apparently. AWD for the snow.

[abg7]

Regarding other users’ suggestions so far:

@Caligari

So only traditional hatchback are allowed. Lift back styled ones such as the one pictured are out too, even though it’s classified as a hatchback by automation, right?

The OP stated hatchback, not liftback, but I’ll make an exception for liftbacks morphed to look like hatchbacks. SUVs and minivans are out, though, even if those have been morphed accordingly in places.

@mart1n2005

It’s pretty much impossible to fit even a slightly modern aluminium 4 cylinder engine under 100et. I would suggest 110et

@Maverick74

It is totally possible to make a circa 2009 engine for under 100 et, but yes, upping this limit would allow for a nicer amount of variety. The cost limit already helps put a limit on what’s going to be entered I think.

I was able to build a viable engine that sneaked in under that limit, and with an aluminum/silicon block and heads to boot. However, in recognition of the difficulty of doing so, I am increasing both the maximum trim and engine ET by 10% (to 110).

In addition to this, with the maximum wheelbase limit set at exactly 2.70m (to accommodate some larger compact/C-segment bodies), as well as the increase in ET limits mentioned above, I am also (reluctantly) increasing the maximum price by 20%, to $24,000 AMU.

@Maverick74

You can hit 30 max loudness without two reverse flows, but I agree. 30 would have been fine back in 4.1, but the sound limits are higher now, so the rules should reflect that. I’d say at the very least raise it to 35.

With the loudness calculations the way they are right now, I am increasing the maximum loudness to 35, although lower is still better.

@AndiD

Should env. resistance play a role since NYC has considerable winter snow?

Almost forgot this one, but I will set a minimum value of 35. And semi-slick and off-road tires (including all-terrain and utility) will not be allowed.

@Lanson

are we doing strictly FWD here, or is AWD an option? And if so, how stiff are we on the transverse engine idea?

Jeff doesn’t need AWD, instead preferring to buy a set of dedicated winter tires, so I am sticking with transverse FWD only.

As for fuel economy: I will now mandate a minimum value of 30 US mpg (but still on 91 RON/87 AKI) as shown in the trim statistics tab (not the cruise test average). And the reason why Jeff only wants to use regular unleaded fuel is that he doesn’t want to pay more for a higher octane fuel type.

On the subject of tires: Tires must be radial, and the last digit of tire size must be a 5, not a 0 (as is the case for TRX and race car tires).

Also, advanced trim settings are allowed, but please make sure to use them in moderation.

I will now update the OP to reflect these changes.

[Knugcab]

2009 IP COLIBRI 1.5 DX

Since 1970, the IP Colibri has been the choice for drivers that value nimble driving dynamics and excellent overall economy.

Now, you have the chance to get a good price on this brand new 2009 model in “Starfire black metallic” at your nearest IP dealer. But hurry up, it’s the only one left in stock.

[abg7]

Submissions are open!

Good luck, double-check the rules and have fun!

[Ch_Flash]

2009 Fanella Pollux

Fanella Motors just released their new platform for smaller economy hatchbacks and MPVs. The Pollux is the first ever MPV from Fanella, it offers plenty of space inside, a modern direct injected engine with good prestanda and economy.

A modern car for a modern family!

[Caligari]

2009 Edo Ureshii EcoSport 2.2

Edo are proud to present the Ureshii EcoSport, all new for 2009 model year.

Edo, a sub-brand of the venerable Fuji motor group, have paired their nimble city car B platform with a peppy 2.2 inline 4 for cheap and cheerful driving pleasure.

Having already hit the showrooms, the Ureshii EcoSport can be yours for 22900 AMU.

[Hilbert]

base model goodness

2008 Dongsun AC-1, now with 1.4L engine.

And spoiler.

[mart1n2005]

2009 Dafeng ZZ love