The Braeriach’s HydroglideActive suspension makes any rough road feel like smooth tarmac and speed bumps and potholes disappear.
New for 2011, the AutoPlus trim comes with a 10-speaker multimedia system with Bluetooth connectivity, and when combined with leather seats, it’s a steal at 24,600 AMU. Being cheap to service, getting good fuel economy at 32.8 UK MPG, and with 23 years of proven reliability, it won’t break the bank after you’ve bought it either.
2011 Constellation NC320 CE
Whether it’s for a commute to work or a camping weekend, the NC3-series from Constellation offers you comfort, economy, and ruggedness in one package. The NC320 in CE trim comes well-equipped with a smooth 2.0L boxer engine that pairs with a 6-speed automatic transmission to reach highway speeds in about 10 seconds while returning fuel economy of over 36 mpg UK. A high-strength steel safety cage and full suite of advanced safety features including electronic stability control comes standard for your peace of mind. With extensive rustproofing and components tested to stand up to repeated wear and tear, the NC3 is built to go the distance. And you might be surprised to find that all of this can be yours for only $23,200.
I know I just got here but I love how diverse this group of CUVs are.
Also after seeing your ads I feel like my writing/story skills need improvement.
2012 model year Alouette Liberté
The new Liberté from Alouette. A classic French design on a thoroughly modern foundation.
For 2011 a limited run of first edition models are available in a range of classical colours as shown here
Bleu de Minuit Élégant, Gris Perle Moderne, Rouge Bordeaux Profond and Vert Olive Raffiné as shown above.
| Length | 4.21m |
| Width | 1.78m |
| Wheelbase | 2.60m |
| Weight | 1256KG |
| Chassis | AHS Steel Unibody |
| Front Suspension | Macpherson strut, mono tube dampers |
| Rear Suspension | Multilink, mono tube dampers |
| Front Brakes | 280mm vented discs, double piston caliper |
| Rear Brakes | 280mm drum brakes with single leading shoe |
| Steering | rack and pinion with variable electric assistance |
| Front Tyres | P215 55R17 99(V) radial |
| Rear Tyres | P215 55R17 99(V) radial |
| Engine | 1598cc inline four with direct injection |
| Transmission | six speed electronically controlled automatic |
| Power | 126bhp@6000rpm |
| Torque | 171NM@4500rpm |
Sport Trim keeps things sharp and engaging, featuring our 1.8L 4-cylinder engine paired with your choice of a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission —because driving should be as responsive as you are. Our lightweight AWD system , derived from our full-size models, ensures confident traction when you need it.
The 2011 Culverian proves you don’t have to compromise. It’s Hodger toughness in a smarter, more efficient size - engineered for real life, wherever it takes you.
Meet the all new, redesigned from the ground up, 2011 Axxus LandRunner Limited
More refined…high strength AHS steel chassis
More power…all new direct injected 2.5l 4cyl producing 188hp
More style…Our designers were told, make it as if you wanted to drive it.
More mature…AWD, Variable Electronic Steering (VES) and ESC keep things in check.
24 Hours Remaining
24 hours remain to submit your entries to QFC61. Please remember to post your ad here in the thread if you haven’t already.
Since my last post, I have received submissions from -
@DuceTheTruth100
@VanZandt_Breda
@Riley
@karhgath (ad, no .car file)
@George
@Ritz and @happyfireballman (.car file, no ad)
@Dog959
@oldmanbuick
@vouge
(sorry if there are some barely-visible but mildly annoying tidbits in the design, I might have 400+ hours on Automation but I still consider myself a beginner. and yes, it is inspired by a certain famous German sportscar.)
Creating a compact crossover from any of the '05 Mercy body sets is quite challenging (especially since it’s more likely to be used as the basis of a sports car or grand tourer), but it is possible. An automated manual gearbox still makes less sense than a regular manual or advanced automatic one for this kind of car, though, especially considering the era.
an auto manual is like a manual with some electronics operating the gears and clutch, right? like a DCT but with only one clutch?
there is a “wagon” variation of the body btw, thought it’d be interesting to make a cross coupe considering the BMW X6 and similar cars were just rising in popularity back then
It is. However, for the extra cost, you sacrifice sportiness and drivability for added comfort, and reliability also takes a hit. On the other hand, it shifts more quickly than a 3-pedal manual can.
And what size of the '05 Mercy did you pick for your build? My best guess is that it’s the one with a 2.6m wheelbase.
yup, it’s the 2.6m one
might have screwed up the transmission pick but let’s see how it goes
And the more I look at it, the more it resembles the answer to a question very few people (even within AMG) asked: “What if the AMG SLS was also available as a 5-door wagon?”
There are cars, and then there’s Norðwagen. The Moði is a class-busting product that packs extraordinary engineering into a normally painfully ordinary segment, and brings with it all the quality, luxury and dependability that all Norðwagen cars are known for. With heaps of torque provided by the 1.8-liter boxer unit, real leather interior appointments and a proven chassis incorporating all-wheel-drive with full differential action, the Norðwagen Moði is, without dispute, the best small allroader on the market.
Submissions Closed
Submissions for QFC61 have now closed. I have received entries from -
@RyoMotoCo
@AKA_NOBUDDY
@AndiD
@Knugcab
@mart1n2005
@DuceTheTruth100
@VanZandt_Breda
@Riley
@karhgath
@George
@Ritz and @happyfireballman
@Dog959
@oldmanbuick
@vouge
@AudiRS4
@Texaslav and @moroza
QFC61 - Phase 0 (Instabins)
@RyoMotoCo - All-Road XT4
Binned - Exceeds maximum total techpool by 19.5m.
@George - Sorn Vast
Binned - Exceeds maximum total techpool by 9.9m.
@DuceTheTruth100 - Axxus LandRunner Limited
Binned - Engine variant year set to 2016.
@Riley - Zephorus Rossi V6 SE
Binned - only meets WES 9. Also, the engine is one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen - a 3.5L direct injected OHV V6 making a whopping 138 horsepower; not something I would have ever expected from you.
QFC61 - Phase 1 (Eliminations)
@AndiD - Mara Urban 1.6 4Trak
First up on Ella and David’s list of cars is the Mara Urban. Reading through a review of the Urban, Ella reads that while the Mara is easy to drive, expected to be both very reliable and cheap to service, and fuel efficient - it isn’t very comfortable or safe, and there was a lot of criticism levied at the design, like how slab-sided the Urban is, and the flat front and rear fascias with odd black bumperettes. Not feeling particularly moved by the Mara, Ella and David take it off their list.
End Result - Design Elimination. While the engineering is largely fine (though it falls behind in raw practicality, passenger volume, safety and environmental resistance), the Mara’s design is amateur-ish and lacks a lot of depth, with odd trim pieces like the weird bumperettes on the front not helping matters - ultimately leading to its elimination.
@VanZandt_Breda - Van Zandt Safari
Next up on Ella and David’s list is the Van Zandt Safari. Reading through a few reviews, Ella sees that the brakes tended to fade while somehow feeling a little overpowered, isn’t easy to drive, and while expected environmental resistance and offroad performance are good, expected reliability and annual service costs are among the worst in the class, and the design is noted to have odd proportions, bad wheel fitment and clearance, and just looks basic and flat. For those reasons, Ella and David take it off their list.
End Result - Design/Engineering Elimination. The Safari fails on multiple fronts - one being the design, which is oddly proportioned, has odd wheel fitment/offset, and overall lacks detail. Engineering is an issue too, with a small inline-4 making next to no power without even VVT, a semi-space frame with full aluminum panels to minmax environmental resistance and grease the offroad stat, and solid front brakes that are both too powerful and still manage to have relatively extreme utility fade. For those reasons, the Safari doesn’t move on.
@AKA_NOBUDDY - CBC Diva NX Kurtz
Coming up next on Ella and David’s list is the CBC Diva NX. Reading a review of the Diva, Ella learns that the Diva isn’t particularly nice to drive, expected reliability and service costs are poor, fuel economy is below the segment average, and mixed opinions on the NX’s practicality. However, Ella is turned off by the retro-esque design, that doesn’t seem fitting for a car in 2011, and for that reason, she and David agree to take it off their list.
End Result - Design (and to a lesser extent Engineering) Elimination. The design isn’t my favorite; it feels too simple with a lot of clashing elements on the front, but mostly it just doesn’t feel like a design that would have come out for 2011. Engineering is an issue too, though to a lesser extent; the Diva has low drivability and raw practicality, and makes a few odd engineering choices, like a fully cast iron engine with ITBs and treated steel body panels. However, design hurts it the most - and that’s why the Diva doesn’t move on.
@Dog959 - Wentworth Braeriach - AutoPlus
Next up on the list is the Wentworth Braeriach. As Ella reads on, she finds that it isn’t particularly nice to drive, it isn’t particularly practical or safe, all of which is made worse by the fact that the Wentworth is one of the most expensive cars in the segment. Ella doesn’t much care for the design either, which seems to be a mish-mosh of different eras and ideas, and ultimately doesn’t look very cohesive or well-executed. Talking it over with David, they agree that the Wentworth isn’t the car for them.
End Result - Design and Engineering Elimination. Design is a big issue here, with a weirdly proportioned front fascia that looks 10 years newer than the rest of the car, a side design that’s flat and odd with the sloped side trim, tiny door handles and fuel cap, plus a rear that looks older than the rest of the car. Engineering is an issue too - though reliability, offroad, comfort and interior cargo space are all okay, it scores poorly elsewhere, and combined with a fairly high price it just isn’t very competitive here.
@oldmanbuick - Constellation NC320 CE
Next on the list is the Constellation NC320. Reading through the review, Ella and David find that while it’s nice to drive, expected to be very reliable, cheap to fix, and very practical - it isn’t the most fuel efficient, nor is it the most comfortable. However, Ella and David both aren’t fans of the design, looking more like a nan’s MPV with the high roof and narrow body, and they don’t really find it very interesting to look at, and with that they agree to take it off their list.
End Result - Design Elimination. Engineering is solid, with great drivability, reliability, service costs, passenger and cargo space, but fuel economy and comfort are somewhat below average. The bigger issue here though is the design, which lacks depth and detailing, and with a narrow body and high roof it looks more like an MPV, rather than an SUV. With a few small tweaks it could have made it into the final, but it just gets pushed out by the top entries.
@AudiRS4 - EAM uxC23ix :plus
Last up on their list is the EAM uxC23ix. Reading a review, Ella and David find that it’s one of the worst driving cars in the segment, expected reliability and service costs are the worst in class, has poor fuel economy, low practicality relative to other cars in the segment, and some owners have reported rust and issues with build quality on relatively new cars. If all that wasn’t enough, the design is too simple, has odd scalloped vents on the side that don’t do anything visually, and for those reasons, Ella and David take the EAM off their list.
End Result - Design and Engineering Elimination. Design isn’t great, the front and rear fascias are too modern and don’t really go together, the vents on the side don’t do anything and look weird, and the ride height is too high, with odd wheel clearance horizontally. Engineering is the biggest issue here, with the worst drivability and reliability in the entire challenge, the highest service costs in the entire challenge, poor fuel economy, raw practicality and environmental resistance are bad too. Additionally, active springs and adaptive dampers are completely unnecessary here, and eat reliability and budget. For those reasons, it’s out.
Phase 1.5
@Ritz and @happyfireballman - Norrsken Hyjir
Ella scrolls onto a preview of the Norrsken Hyjjir, and reading on she sees praise for the driving experience, very high projected reliability, class-leading safety technology, and solid fuel economy and real-world usability - but there’s one major issue - Ella, David, and every automotive writer all agree that the Hyjjir is one of the worst looking cars in the segment, with an odd front fascia that doesn’t flow together at all, a complete lack of depth and surfacing, and a rear that doesn’t do anything to redeem the other aspects of the design. As good as the Hyjjir might be as a car, Ella nor David would choose it due to the design, and thus they strike it off their list.
End Result - Explicitly a Design Elimination. I want to be 100% clear - engineering is not and has not been the issue here. Engineering was solid, among the highest scoring in the challenge, with the highest drivability and safety overall, the second highest reliability, and the third highest fuel economy, comfort, and practicality. All of that being said - design lets the Hyjir down hard. The entire design is flat, shapeless, the front and rear fascias lack focus and creativity - I could go on but I believe you get the point. I put this one it’s own phase, because the engineering is Phase 2 worthy, but the design is right up there with the Phase 1 cars, and it’s hard for me to make a case for it on engineering alone.
Finalists
@Knugcab
@mart1n2005
@vouge
@karhgath
@Texaslav and @moroza
QFC61 - Phase 2 - Finals
Kent, UK - March 2011
Waking up early on a rainy Monday, Ella and David load into the car to head to London, where they’re going to test the last few cars on their list, and choose one to take home. First stop - the Nordwagen dealership..
@Texaslav and @moroza - Nordwagen Modi
Arriving at the Nordwagen dealership around 9:15am, Ella and David were greeted by a saleswoman, who led them over to a blue-grey Modi. Taking the key from the saleswoman, Ella and David loaded into the leather-trimmed cabin of the Modi, and slotted the key into the ignition. Rolling out onto the street, Ella notes that even with the Modi’s manual gearbox, it’s very easy to drive, and far more comfortable than they expected. David also remarks that it has plenty of space for people, but cargo space does feel smaller than some of the cars they’ll be looking at later in the day. He also points out the potential off-road capabilities of the Modi - more than many of the other cars they’ll be looking at. However, for all of the good qualities that the Modi has - it has a few issues, one being that it’s the most expensive car on their shortlist at £24,500, and the other being that it isn’t as fuel efficient as some of the other cars on their list, but it’s far from the worst. Returning to the dealership, Ella and David discuss the design, both agreeing that while it looks nice from some angles, it isn’t their favorite design that they’ve seen, looking a little weird from the rear, and the flat white wheels on their test car were also not to their liking. Passing the keys back to the saleswoman, Ella and David came away intrigued by the Nordwagen, but they still have a few other cars to get through.
@vouge - Hodger Culverian Sport AWD
Arriving at the Hodger dealership at 10:00am, Ella and David walk into the dealership, where they’re greeted by a smartly dressed saleswoman, who leads them over to a yellow Culverian Sport. Slotting the key into the ignition and starting the Culverian up, Ella rolls out onto the streets of London. She likes that it feels easier to drive than the Nordwagen, and David notes that it feels just as spacious on the inside for passengers as the Nordwagen, but like the Nordwagen, it isn’t the best for cargo space. They both agree that it’s about as comfortable as the Nordwagen as well, and looking over the specifications, the Culverian has newer safety technologies, and performed better in crash testing. On the way back to the dealership, Ella and David both discuss the off-road performance, which is behind the Nordwagen, but still good for the segment, and the price - £22,200 - tied for the lowest in the group of cars Ella and David planned on testing out today. Coming away from the drive, Ella and David like a lot of what the Hodger offers, but it’s still too soon to call a winner.
@karhgath - Régal Panorama 2.0L
Arriving at the Régal dealership around 11:10am, Ella and David walk over to a white Panorama with the 2.0L engine. Speaking with the saleswoman, Ella takes the key to the Panorama, and slots it into the dash. Pulling out onto the streets, Ella notes that despite being an automatic, it doesn’t feel any nicer or easier to drive than the Modi, and feels significantly worse in that regard when compared to the Hodger. David likes that the Panorama has more cargo space than either the Modi or the Hodger, but it feels oddly less spacious for passengers. Ella also notes that it feels significantly less comfortable than either of the other cars they had driven so far, but is impressed with the amount of safety technology it has. Doubling back to the dealership, Ella and David discuss the Panorama further, liking the price of £22,200 - same as the Hodger - and that despite being FWD, it has better off-road performance than the AWD Hodger, but worse than the Modi. Ella also points out that the Panorama is very fuel efficient, slightly better than the Hodger and significantly better than the Modi. They also discuss the design, with both Ella and David agreeing that while it isn’t ugly or badly designed, it isn’t particularly exciting up against some of the other cars they’d driven and seen. Passing the keys back to the saleswoman, Ella and David like some of what the Panorama has to offer, but they still have 2 cars left to test.
@Knugcab - Saarland Laya 2.4 AWD
Arriving at the Saarland dealership at 12:15pm, Ella and David meet with the salesperson, who walks them over to a pale blue Laya. Taking the keys from the salesperson, Ella fires the Laya’s engine up, and rolls out onto the street. Pulling onto the road, Ella remarks that the Saarland feels easier to drive than the Panorama or the Modi, but a little behind the Hodger. David points out that the Saarland is the most spacious when it comes to cargo, but for passengers it feels significantly less spacious than any of the other cars they’ve driven. Ella and David both agree that the Saarland is far from the most comfortable car they’ve driven, and in terms of footprint, it’s the largest car they plan to drive today. Ella likes that it offers a similar level of safety to the Hodger, but points out that the Saarland is still behind the Panorama safety-wise. David notes that the Saarland is about as capable offroad as the Panorama, but still behind the Modi. Returning to the dealership, Ella and David discuss the fuel economy - the worst in this final group of cars, the price, which at £23,000 it isn’t the most expensive, but it’s still more expensive than some of the other cars they’ve driven today. Finally, they discuss the design, and both Ella and David have issues with it, not liking the front fascia very much, finding the single patch of plastic cladding on the side a little odd, and mostly feeling that it’s a little simple compared to a few of the other cars they’re looking at. Unsure about the Saarland, Ella and David hand the keys back to the salesperson, and they head off to their final test drive.
@mart1n2005 - Alouette Liberte
Arriving at the Alouette dealership at 1:25pm, Ella and David are greeted by a salesman who leads them over to a green Liberte. Taking the key from the salesman, Ella and David load into the final car they’re testing today, start the engine, and roll out into the street. Driving down the busier streets of London, Ella remarks that the Liberte feels better to drive than the Modi or the Panorama, but not as good as the Saarland or the Hodger. David likes how much space there is for passengers, feeling larger than any of the other cars they’ve tested in that regard, but points out that while it has more cargo space than the Modi or the Hodger, it’s still smaller than the Panorama or the Saarland. Both Ella and David like how comfortable it is, but agree it feels just average in that regard. David isn’t impressed by the Liberte’s off-road capabilities, which are among the worst of all the cars they’ve driven today, and Ella points out that while it has more safety equipment than the Modi, it’s still behind every other car they had looked at. Heading back to the dealership, Ella and David agree that they like the modern design, but they’re not fans of the canvas roof on the car they tester, and liked that the Liberte is the most fuel efficient car they’d looked at all day. However, the Liberte is expensive, coming in at £24,100, with only the Modi being more expensive. With plenty to consider, Ella and David hand the Liberte’s keys back to the salesman, and go off to lunch to discuss the day.
Sitting down at the restaurant, Ella and David start to discuss what they’d driven and come to a decision. Starting with the Nordwagen, Ella and David agree that it was nice to drive, comfortable, the best offroad, and liked that it’s expected to be the most reliable. Despite all that, Ella and David both had reservations about the Nordwagen’s design, the lack of safety equipment, and the highest price of £24,500. Moving to the Hodger, Ella likes that it was the best and easiest to drive, a little more comfortable than the Nordwagen, and much safer. David points out that it isn’t as good off-road, expected to be less reliable, and more expensive to fix, but Ella counters with the price, which at £22,200, makes the Hodger very tempting.
Going on to the Panorama, Ella wasn’t particularly impressed by the driving experience, feeling basically the same as the Nordwagen, nor was she impressed by the comfort - but she does appreciate that it’s the best equipped when it comes to safety. David agrees, and notes that it’s expected to be quite reliable, affordable to service, and is solid offroad, despite being FWD. Moving to the Saarland, Ella and David both agree that while it was easy to drive, safe, and had the best cargo space, it was the smallest on the inside for passengers, the least fuel efficient, and design-wise it wasn’t their favorite. Last to discuss is the Alouette, with both Ella and David liking the driving experience, the fuel efficiency, the high expected reliability, the huge cabin for passengers, and the comfort. However, neither one liked the Alouette’s off-road performance, level of safety equipment, the high price, and while most of the design was fine, they weren’t fans of the canvas top roof on the car they drove.
After a lengthy discussion over lunch, Ella and David finally came to an agreement, and loaded back into the car, off to make a little trek to the dealership for their final choice..
1st - @vouge - The Hodger was the design winner this round, and it took clear victories in drivability, comfort, safety, raw practicality, and it was tied for the cheapest car in the finals at just $22,200. It wasn’t without its flaws, particularly low reliability, low off-road, and high service costs - but taking the places where it succeeds into account - it takes the win this round.
2nd - @Texaslav and @moroza - The Nordwagen comes in second in this round, with a solid design that’s slightly odd from certain angles, solid engineering with the highest reliability of all the finalists, the second highest comfort of the finalists (despite having a manual), below average service costs, and the highest off-road of all the finalists. However, compared to Vouge’s entry, the Nordwagen is less efficient, has a significantly lower safety score, and is the most expensive car in the finals, so for those reasons - it just misses the top spot.
3rd - @karhgath - Another solidly engineered entry, with the second highest reliability of all the finalists, the lowest service costs, good drivability (but i’d expect better for something with a CVT, FWD or otherwise), the highest safety of all the finalists, the second best cargo capacity, and an impressively high off-road stat for a FWD entry. However, if it has a weak spot on the tuning, comfort is below average. Design is fine, but compared to the top 2 finishers (and mart1n’s) designs - it’s a little simple and lacking. For those reasons, the Regal takes 3rd this round.
4th - @mart1n2005 - A nice looking (if a little modern) compact crossover, with solid drivability, reliability, the best fuel efficiency out of all the finalists, and solid raw practicality, the Alouette does a lot of good, but it scores the worst on off-road out of all the finalists, safety is below average, service costs are the third highest, and the second highest purchase price. For those reasons, the Alouette takes up 4th this round.
5th - @Knugcab - Last but certainly not least, the Saarland unfortunately scores the worst aesthetically, with plastic cladding on the side sills but nowhere else, some oddly placed moulding on the front fascia that isn’t really accentuating anything, and rear wheel fitment is a little odd. On the engineering front, the Saarland does put up good stats - with the second highest drivability, the best cargo capacity of all the finalists, solid safety, and a good off-road score. Despite this, it’s the least fuel efficient car in the finals, has the second lowest reliability, the second highest service costs, the largest footprint, and a fairly high purchase price. For those reasons, the Saarland comes in 5th.
