Reviews round 1: Crossed out
Greetings,
I have been hard at work preparing the list of possible candidates as a replacement to the previous car. The following are the ones that did not make it to the list, to start off your day. It’s a list of five cars that had design and engineering problems or are seriously ahead of their time, to which I understand you have objections to.
Without further ado, here are the ones that I had to cross out.
@SunnyZephos
// 1994 MJD K-Series K10E
(OOC notes: This car didn’t actually specify which QFC it was from; welcome to QFC [NULL]. Besides that, a very, very good entry visually for your first forum challenge.
Also no mention of the company until I looked up the ad, hence:)
Long form
Initially, I couldn’t even figure out which manufacturer this was from until I tracked down the advertisement saying it is made by a Chinese company called MJD. The engine is a 5.2 liter inline-6 turbo, making just over 400 horsepower. It uses a cast block with aluminum heads, which differs from most in this segment, who have transitioned to all-alloy engines.
What is also surprising is the fact that it uses highly advanced computer-numerically-controlled machining for its crankshaft, paired to… heavy duty cast pistons and conrods, which limit the engine’s maximum revolutions per minute to 5000. It features a turbocharger, which boosts the power from some 275 to the aforementioned 400 horsepower. The thing is, it uses manually curved steel pipes, like those used in racing engines, even though the flow requirements don’t even need such majestic headers.
The engine drives the rear wheels through a six-speed advanced automatic, where power is split through an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The tires, however, are quite undersized for the task, and despite the LSD it would still be quite squeaky on a launch.
Despite small tires, its brakes are not up to the task; in my test drive, I physically felt the brakes lose their effectiveness slowing down, and the ABS barely had to do anything, since the brakes were barely capable of locking up the tires on their own - and completely unable to do so once the brakes started to fade.
The tires also cause a side effect: Understeer. They’re staggered; 175/195mm on the front and rear respectively. It isn’t a problem normally, and for normal VIP drivers it would be of no issue, but pushing it to the limit really results in disappointing results at speeds beyond 50 miles per hour.
With those negatives, it does come with some positives, including a hand-made interior of impeccable quality, along with a compact disc player, plus a cassette player for the older classics. Along with that, it comes with a hydropneumatic suspension system; as used on the Citroën DS, and the IAS Serpent that was driven before. Additionally, it comes with active computer-controlled sway bars.
To round it off, it seems like they’ve inherited Chinese safety culture, being the least safe vehicle that made it in to my initial consideration: at a 43.4 point score in crash tests, it was less safe by 5.4 points than the next lowest. I know it is not a thing that we particularly have to be concerned about, but it is still worth a mention.
In conclusion, it was mediocre in almost all aspects except for safety where it scored dead last, and comfort, where it pulled a decent amount in front of the average, courtesy of +15 quality. It also looked very, very good for a Chinese car, really, very good generally.
P.S. They lied about traction control in the ad, it only has anti-lock brakes.
@Sosy31
// 1995 Arum Decade
(OOC Notes: Keen eye for the naming convention violation is appreciated.)
Long-form
This car is quite odd. Amun is an Egyptian manufacturer, and it appears this one is aimed straight at both the US and Gasmean markets, its styling being quite conservative, and using mock sealed-beams (though out of regulatory specifications, due to their size). Along with that, they opted for very small windows - I can see a benefit to that in protection, and needing less expensive bullet-proof glass, but it makes it look weird on the outside. What is also weird are the giant rims, paired with low-profile tyres, though they’re good enough to not hit the comfort too much.
What is more pressing to me, and perhaps you, is the brand-new chassis using aluminum panels and an advanced bonded-aluminum chassis. Yes, this reduces weight, but the new advanced chassis might raise some concern with you, and it is paramount that you feel safe and relaxed while being my passenger.
The engine is unremarkable, being a 5.5-liter V12, putting out 437 horsepower. Forged internals, multi-point manifold injection and individual throttle bodies. The exhaust appears to be skillfully crafted with high-quality materials and very skilled workers, producing a nice, but quiet sound, which is unlike the rest of the engine, made from standard components, as far as my research is concerned.
Unlike the MJD, the Amun drives all four wheels, though it has a similar 6-speed computer-controlled automatic transmission. It does have a traditional geared limited-slip differential, with them being slightly rear-biased. Again, unlike the MJD, the Amun has wide enough tires to handle the power, being 235/245mm. It also has less stagger, which is an additional benefit, resulting in good handling up to 80mph, where it starts to understeer.
The brakes are also very satisfactory, with me not noticing any fade regardless of how fast I was going. They’re quite sporty brakes, but that is to be expected for a vehicle that goes 170 miles per hour.
The interior is nice, being hand-crafted, and of good quality. It also features a satellite navigation system, though the operations security agent told me that it may be a disadvantage to your safety. Regardless, it is a very advanced and luxurious feature to have, even though I will not be relying on it.
Speaking of safety, it comes with electronic stability control, meaning that a computer automatically applies the brakes to certain wheels to try and keep the vehicle stable in certain situations, like skids. I understand you may be hesitant of this technology, but so far, it has been good in the situations I have tested it in. Additionally, it has advanced safety technologies and scored 58 points in crash tests.
Finally, it comes with hydropneumatic suspension, and like the MJD, it also features computer-controlled sway bars.
In conclusion; a statistically very average entry, being perhaps too technologically advanced for your tastes, though I am not the judge of that (I, the writer am :D). If it weren’t for the extremely pioneering design, it could have been in consideration, along with the looks, though the rims are a shame.
@Djadania
// 1995 BetterDeals Mosaiko
(OOC Notes: I mean… you saw this coming. Congratulations on being the only person with a styling score of zero! 
)
I’m not sure who decided to put this in the list, but with customer reports for being very comfortable, I decided to take it out for a spin.
I’ll let the picture speak for itself.
@Guerra
// 1995 Unmyeong Chairman Coupe
(OOC Notes: I can get glued aluminum chassis, but why use steel panels along with them? Negates most weight savings you get from them, and also a dislike from boss.)
Long form
The Unmyeong Chairman is a Korean design, and unfortunately, comes with problems. As with the Amun Decade, this vehicle also uses a pioneering bonded-aluminum chassis, but unlike the Decade, it uses conventional steel panels. One could imagine that repair costs would be significantly lessened with steel panels, due to their increased strength and lesser tendency to permanently deform, but on a vehicle as prestigious as the Chairman, it makes little sense.
It features an all-aluminum V12 engine, cast internals and individual throttle bodies, with the injection and exhaust being of good quality. Producing 448hp from the 6 liters it has, the oomph is definitely noticeable, though it is gearing-limited, unlike most of the competition, which are electronically limited.
The wheels are driven through a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system coupled to a six-speed computer controlled transmission. Along with that, it features viscous limited-slip differentials.
The rims are made from magnesium, and the vehicle is driven on 205/235mm tires, which, combined with downforce on the rear and lift force on the front, cause it to understeer at higher speeds. Like the MJD, not an issue for the regular driver, but for my driving it will be a problem.
The brakes are questionable. While they are fine normally, brake fade quickly results in the front wheels no longer having the force required to lock up, while the rear brakes are fine and can still lock up, weren’t it for the anti-lock brakes. This results in unpredictable braking behavior.
The interior is very nice, being hand-made and of very high quality. It is, however, a two-seater, which made little sense to me. At some point, it simply doesn’t make sense to have more room for two people, which is the case for the Chairman - it’s already so spacious that just adding more cabin volume doesn’t make a difference. As such, it makes much more sense for it to be a sedan, and having seen pictures of a sedan variant of this, it would be preferable to the coupe.
Unlike the cars I mentioned previously, the Chairman instead uses computer-controlled suspension. Not as comfortable as a hydropneumatic setup, but still very advanced and very nice. However, I can get that you may not be entirely at ease with the thing, being very new and computerized.
In conclusion; extremely comfortable, very prestigious, extremely good looking (save for the paint, which can be described as “unfinished clay model brown”), and average in the rest, let down by some unfortunate consequences of some design decisions.
@Vento
// 1994 Xf Beltiro
(OOC Note: Probably the oddest styling entered. It looks kind of too modern and too dated at the same time, along with a strange dip in the bonnet where it reaches the front fascia. Along with that, two trim lines, one of which goes all crazy, and giant chrome bumper bars.)
Long form
The Xf Beltiro also entered my list. It’s a strange car, but customer reports showed an extremely high average comfort rating, which got me to testing the vehicle. I couldn’t exactly piece together which company made this, because seemingly “Xf” isn’t the most recognizable or greatest of company names. However, that is besides the point.
The Beltiro is powered by a cast iron/aluminum inline-6, of 3.4 liters. It features a turbocharger, and has a forged crank, lightweight forged pistons and heavy-duty forged conrods, even though it does not require heavy-duty forged. The turbocharger is very, very large, resulting in it not spooling until 5900 rpm, at which point the redline is 1100 rpm away. It does make good power - near redline at least - but below 5000 rpm it sits below 300 horsepower, jumping up to 510 once the boost kicks in, dangerous to say the least. The engine is constructed out of mostly high-quality materials, at least, so it’s a good quality engine killing me and you.
All wheels are driven through a five-speed computer controlled transmission and open differentials - which caused a fair amount of squealing when I launched it, further exacerbated by the 185/185mm tires; definitely not equipped to handle over 500 horsepower. The tires sit on magnesium rims, and are of high quality by the factory. As a result, it handles fine, but is a bit on the understeer-y side, despite a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system.
The brakes are okay; they fade a bit, and suffer from similar front fading problems as the Chairman, resulting in high rear brake force and lower front brake force, though not as pronounced as in the Chairman.
As with the Chairman, it feels more fit to be a sedan than a coupe, and is also furnished in the inside with a hand-made interior of good quality. Unlike the Unmyeong, it gives the non-existent rear passengers even more room by extending out the rear window and C-pillar even further out than the Chairman had, which really doesn’t do anything besides a possible improvement in aerodynamics, and even then, it’s slight at best.
And to top it off, unlike the Unmyeong, it rides on a traditional hydropneumatic suspension system, being dampened by traditional twin-tubes.
In conclusion, the vehicle is similarly extremely comfortable, very prestigious, and basically almost the same as the Unmyeong Chairman, though it severely undercuts the price of the Chairman, coming in at 31800AMU. I assume you do not want to be seen in a car this cheap, though, though I doubt people would stop and stare at the car, judging by its looks more closely resembling the average car than a prestigious luxury car.
Additional notes
I wanted to say additionally that none of these cars are bad / completely failed to meet the brief. In fact, they all scored very well in the main priorities. They’re mostly victims to my own mistakes on writing a partially unclear brief, to which I am increasingly aware of as I try to judge these cars objectively, but run in to nuances and ‘hidden’ priorities I either didn’t mention strongly enough or completely failed to mention at all; I will go in to greater detail about my mistakes and failings in a post-round reflection post, but to be entirely clear:
I’m not great at objectively judging the vehicles on the ruleset I laid out, because I didn’t take the time to really write out EVERY priority. (Keen-eyed viewers might have noticed the mere 7 hours between QFC22 and 23.)
Someone already mentioned in DMs to me that I’m not being the greatest on judging the things that I put priorities on in the brief, and instead am putting my own perception of realism in to the situation. I’m aware - and I apologise to those inconvenienced or unfairly scored down because of my subconscious decisions to judge Y instead of X.
Thanks for your understanding, and please feel free to provide your own take. Have a nice day!
