QFC8 - Bubble

[S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T]

Previous round: QFC7 - A vantastic fleet

Premise: Quick-Fire Challenge

QFC8 - Bubble

Tokyo, 1988

Takeshi is a stock broker whose fortunes have multiplied exponentially in the past few years following the Plaza Accord of 1985. He is looking to purchase a luxury sedan that he can use to make a good impression on his clients and perform day-to-day duties as required by his job and personal life.

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Rules:

Trim

• Model year ≤1988
• Trim year 1988
• Max price: $40,000
• Max trim ET: 130
• Max. wheelbase: 2.8m (rounded to the nearest 0.1m)
• Min. safety: Standard 80s
• No semi slick tyres
• Must have five seats
• 4 door sedan/5 door liftback only

Engine

• Family year ≤1988
• Variant year 1988
• Max engine ET: 130 (140 for mixed material engines)
• Maximum loudness: 35
• At least one muffler required
• Catalytic converter required
• 95 RON fuel only
• No V16s

Naming Convention

• Model/engine family name: QFC8 - (your forum username)
• Trim name: name of your car
• Variant name: name of your engine

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Priorities

Style

Takeshi would want to look good in a car he spent hefty sums of cash on. That said, he does not want a car that looks ostentatious especially in a conservative country like Japan.

Comfort

It’s a luxury sedan. Comfort is paramount though it should not compromise the car’s handling ability.

Drivability

A luxury car should not actively try to kill its occupants.

Safety

Better alive and kicking than dead.

Fuel Economy

Takeshi may have lots of money for fuel but time spent at the pump is time spent away from the hustle.

Reliability

Cars in this segment are not the most reliable, but Takeshi would appreciate it if the car does not break down every 10km

Performance

Takeshi will mostly drive around Tokyo and occasionally in the outskirts of the city. He doesn’t want something slow but he doesn’t need a blisteringly fast car either. 160-200ish hp would do, though don’t take these numbers as hard limits.

Tax

Not even The Joker would want to challenge the tax man. Simply put, the bigger your engine, the more taxes you’d have to pay each year.

Takeshi does not mind paying for a larger and more powerful engine, but only up to three litres. Beyond that, the car has to be good enough to justify the extra cost. If a car with a smaller engine can match the performance of a car with a bigger engine, Takeshi might consider getting the car with the smaller engine. Paying less is better than paying more, after all.

Engine Displacement Tax Brackets

Japanese Engine Displacement Tax Brackets, in AMU (Automation Money)

Displacement	Annual Tax (in AMU, assuming that 1JPY = 0.01339AMU)
under 1-litre	395.01
1.0-litre < 1.5-litres	461.96
1.5-litres < 2.0-litres	528.91
2.0-litres < 2.5-litres	602.55
2.5-litres < 3.0-litres	682.89
3.0-litres < 3.5-litres	776.62
3.5-litres < 4.0-litres	890.44
4.0-litres < 4.5-litres	1,024.34
4.5-litres < 6.0-litres	1,178.32
Over 6-litres	1,486.29

Thus, to make more power without incurring extra tax burden, Japanese automakers would turbocharge/supercharge their smaller engines. Examples of these include Toyota’s 1G-GTE/GZE and 3S-GTE, Nissan’s RB/VG20DET, and Mazda’s Wankel engines, among others. Non-Japanese automakers tend to not follow this practice because Japan isn’t their main market, but you do you.

Value

Takeshi doesn’t mind paying a little more for much improved comfort/performance. Emphasis on much.

Service Costs

The lower, the better.

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Notes (Please Read)

• CSR-style realism is expected. If anything is too min-maxxed or out of the scope, it will be binned. If you are not sure about something, do some research and/or ask others. Look at the inspirations section to get a better idea of what I want.

• Value is important. If a $30,000 car is as good as a $35,000 car, Takeshi will obviously go for the cheaper car.

• Interiors are not required and won’t be judged.

• This round will be run on the LCV4.2 open alpha

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Inspirations

Gallery

Toyota Crown Hardtop Royal Saloon G

Honda/Acura Legend

Mazda Luce/929

Nissan Cedric/Gloria

Nissan Cima

Rover 827 Sedan/Vitesse

Citroen XM

Peugeot 605

Audi 200

Mercedes-Benz 300 E

BMW 530i

Volvo 760

Saab 9000

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Submissions

• Submissions will open on Tuesday, 16th August at 17.00 UTC. The rules will be open to deliberation and subject to change until then.

• Submissions will close on Tuesday, 23rd August at 17.00 UTC.

Countdown Timer

• Due to the unstable nature of 4.2, resubmissions will be allowed should there be an update that tampers with the cars’ stats and/or design. If no such updates happen, however, there will be no resubmissions.

Good luck, have fun, and may the best car win.

[abg7]

@S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T

Catalytic converter required

Must this item be of the three-way variety?

[S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T]

No, but I don’t see why anyone would go for anything other than that

[Vento]

Is there reason to use a 3-Way catalytic converter instead of a 2-way?

[Hshan]

Yes, it’s not as much of a plug clogging up your exhaust. Switch one to the other and compare the power.

[RN99]

Are Japanese cars preferred, or will European or even American cars work for this round

Is there a preference for RWD, or will FWD cars work too?

Lastly, is there a tax on larger displacement engines like in real life Japan? Most of these cars have 3 liter engines or less, but if someone sent in say a 5 liter V8 would it be penalized because of that?

[S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T]

@RN99

Are Japanese cars preferred, or will European or even American cars work for this round

There is no preference for nationality. You can submit German, American, Korean, whatever you want as long as it’s good.

@RN99

Is there a preference for RWD, or will FWD cars work too?

There is also no preference for RWD/FWD or even AWD, just use whatever you think is best for your car.

@RN99

Lastly, is there a tax on larger displacement engines like in real life Japan? Most of these cars have 3 liter engines or less, but if someone sent in say a 5 liter V8 would it be penalized because of that?

I will consider adding adding engine displacement tax to the ruleset to (hopefully) avoid big engine minmax cheese

[Hshan]

@S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T

I will consider adding adding engine displacement tax to the ruleset to (hopefully) avoid big engine minmax cheese

The most obvious and realistic would be copying Japanese “compact” car regulations - max 1,7x4,7 m external dimensions and max 2 litre engine.

[S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T]

While it is the most obvious and realistic choice, Automation bodies (especially luxury sedans) tend to be larger than 1.7x4.7m so applying those rules would be unfeasible imo

[Vento]

@S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T

Must have at five seats

Is this ‘at most’ or ‘at least’?

[S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T]

It was supposed to say “Must have five seats”, my bad

[Texaslav]

I think the judging method here is not in line with the QFC concept. Cars should be realistic but strict “CSR realism” shouldn’t be enforced in a quick-turnaround, new people-friendly challenge; and if your heartstrings can’t handle a car without an interior, you should take them out of the equation. Same for that whole tax system business; we’ve had numerous challenges hosted by you with this feature already, no need to introduce it to the simple quick-fire challenge.

[Restomod]

I agree with this except that tax bracket isn’t that hard to follow, and it’s a fun gimmick. Also helps prepare new users for CSRs with weird rules.

[Hilbert]

@S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T

He is looking to purchase a luxury sedan that he can use to make a good impression on his clients and perform day-to-day duties as required by his job and personal life.

It does say he is looking for a luxury sedan, and all of the inspirations are sedans, but are luxury SUVs allowed? What about 5-door liftback design? Something like Sterling 827 hatchback or Honda Concerto?

[Vento]

I am wondering, is it ok to receive advice and stuff like that when you’re building your car? I have only about one thing I want to ask about but idk if that’s allowed

[Texaslav]

Literally totally fine. Most competitions that aren’t run by the developers literally allow several people to make a car together

[RN99]

Would a two door personal luxury coupe like a Soarer work or is it too impractical? On that note, does the buyer have a family who he would be carrying around in the car?

Last question for now. Would a turbo 4 cylinder, like some larger sedans did have in 1988, be considered at all? Or any turbo engine at all?

[Fayeding_Spray]

[donutsnail]

It’s ok people, the point of QFC is quick turnaround and I don’t see how a displacement tax and discouragement of minmax will make this take longer. The submission period is still short, and I have no reason to believe the reviews will take longer because of these parameters.

Interiors, well, they are tedious but optional and I won’t be doing one, take that for what you will. You can at least take comfort that there’s at least one competitor that won’t have one.

[SheikhMansour]

The displacement tax feature is alright, though given the segment we’re building for I doubt the customer cares much. “CSR realism” for QFC, however, is a sin.