I do hope everything is all right with President Ndweke! There hasn’t been a sudden military coup or assassination has there?
Thank you for your concern. The President is well, he has been supervising the construction of a five hundred foot marble statue of himself atop a volcano overlooking the capitol city. He is hoping to have the results in the next few days, and appreciates your patience.
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I thought president Nwedeke was supervising the transfer of his freshly acquired gold bullion as part of the kickbacks from their latest Surprise Inheritance scheme 
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GUARDS, SEIZE HIM!
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My toes have gone beyond wrinkly…
Can I get out of the pool yet?
What’s up
I’ve already PMd Strop about this, I was away from my computer for several days and with so many entries reviews are taking longer than I expected. I know you guys are anxious, I’ll try to get them banged out tonight.
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I’ve got no problem waiting.
1 Like
Yep, confirming this is true. I should have alerted everybody about this on the thread, of course.
meh such is life its still alive theres still contact meh let it be
Thank you to the automakers whom have submitted vehicles for testing! We apologize for any unexpected delays. The assessment process will consist of two parts:
First, the prototype cars will be subjected to a thorough engineering review. As Mumbojumbo has no native automobile engineers, the vehicles have been loaded onto a military cargo aircraft and flown to a highly experienced team in Japan for analysis. There they will be torn down, scrutinized and reassembled.
Second, the cars will shipped by truck to Tsukuba Circuit where I, President Ndweke, will judge each subjectively based on driving experience, appearance and overall quality. In addition to being geographically convenient, as a compact technical circuit it seems particularly well suited to evaluating lightweight, low powered cars such as these.
Without further ado, and in order of submission…
Smooth Cracker Wagon 70H - $7920
@AirJordan
5 Door Wagon - 5 Seats - FWD - 4MT - 1837 LBS - 72 HP
Running Cost $1066 - 26.4 MPG - Reliability 69.9 - Offroad 17.5 - Comfort 17.4
Tsukuba 1:22.82 - ¼ Mile 18.4 @ 76 MPH - Top Speed 100 MPH
Engineering Report:
Redline set slightly too high for pistons and conrods. Somewhat rich fuel mixture. Unnecessary two piston front calipers. Well tuned suspension with mild understeer bias.
Presidential Test Drive:
The Cracker features classic European styling, even if it’s a bit inelegant around back. Inside, the interior is spacious and of decent quality. On track, the four gear ratios are well spaced and the dampers feel perfectly tuned, with no wallowing over curbs or road imperfections. Although not overtly sporty, it is nonetheless a comfortable car to drive quickly.
Corleone Savanna Special - $7920
@CadillacDave
5 Door Hatchback - 5 Seats - FWD - 4MT - 1936 LBS - 70 HP
Running Cost $1080 - 30.9 MPG - Reliability 71.8 - Offroad 20.0 - Comfort 9.8
Tsukuba 1:25.01 - ¼ Mile 18.8 @ 72 MPH - Top Speed 104 MPH
Engineering Report:
Under tuned engine, could have easily run more compression and/or spark advance. Conservative redline. Race compound brake pads all around with extreme rear brake bias.
Presidential Test Drive:
The Savanna’s main selling point is it’s modern, crisp pseudo-Italian looking exterior. The uncomfortable interior, on the other hand, has more in common with a medieval dungeon. Short gearing makes the car feel somewhat zippy off the line, but braking into the first corner results in a hard spin as the rear brakes lock up early. Coasting around the track the suspension tuning doesn’t feel terrible, but ultimately it doesn’t quite deliver the driving experience that the sophisticated wrapper suggests.
ANZ Kiwi Africa - $7920
@Darkshine5
3 Door Hatchback - 5 Seats - 4x4 - 4MT - 1957 LBS - 70 HP
Running Cost $1063 - 26.0 MPG - Reliability 75.3 - Offroad 53.6 - Comfort 9.6
Tsukuba 1:26.95 - ¼ Mile 19.3 @ 71 MPH - Top Speed 95 MPH
Engineering Report:
Chunky tires, resulting in best-in-test offroad stats. Unique V6 engine, but very poorly optimized. Expensive tubular headers rendered useless by undersized exhaust. Performance intake not ideal for dusty climate. Redline limited to 3800 RPM when engine is capable of making power to almost 6000. Suspension balance is neutral, but out of character for the car.
Presidential Test Drive:
Clearly inspired by the recent hit Star Wars films, the Africa looks set to blast off into space. Mechanically it’s much more down to earth, being optimized for rock crawling above all else, including comfort. Despite having two more cylinders than most of the field, it’s performance is below average, and knobby tires combined with knife edge suspension tuning results in spooky handling when pushed hard on regular roads. With some extra time spent tuning, this could have been a much more well-rounded offering.
Storm Minerva - $7920
@Madrias
5 Door Wagon - 5 Seats - 4x4 - 4MT - 1960 LBS - 41 HP
Running Cost $892 - 34.1 MPG - Reliability 76 - Offroad 34.3 - Comfort 12.0
Tsukuba 1:32.18 - ¼ Mile 24.5 @ 62 MPH - Top Speed 82 MPH
Engineering Report:
Extreme valve float. Tall gearing for the amount of power. Tires are staggered for no apparent reason, increasing understeer and making replacement difficult. Untuned four wheel drum brakes, but surprisingly low fade.
Presidential Test Drive:
How did you know I like gold? Although anything shiny and yellow has hypnotic powers over me, it’s not enough to distract from how unfortunate the Minerva is to drive. The tiny pushrod motor groans like an asthmatic hamster and delivers the worst acceleration in the test, by far. In fact, by the end of the track test it was spitting chunks of intake valves out of the tailpipe and was retired from competition. Although the cost of operation is low, reliability (at low revs) is good and fuel economy is decent, it takes more than that to be a strong competitor.
Prince - $7770
@Sillyworld
5 Door Wagon - 4 Seats - FWD - 4MT - 1570 LBS - 57 HP
Running Cost $1149 - 27.0MPG - Reliability 69.6 - Offroad 18.5 - Comfort 20.4
Tsukuba 1:23.45 - ¼ Mile 18.8 @ 73 MPH - Top Speed 92 MPH
Engineering Report:
Overly rich fuel mix. Unnecessary two piston front calipers and aggressive brake tuning.
Presidential Test Drive:
Imagine a happy little orange pug dog on wheels and you have the Prince. Inside, it has one of the best interiors in the test as well as above average safety equipment. Being relatively light weight with good gearing and decent suspension makes it reasonably fun to toss around, although the grabby brakes mean it’s easy to flat spot the tires if you’re not smooth. On the downside, the slightly under budget selling price is more than offset by subpar fuel economy for the amount of power, high running costs and mediocre reliability. Although lovable, it’s ultimately not a very good value.
Bogliq Mouse Savanna - $7590
@HighOctaneLove
3 Door Hatchback - 4 Seats - FWD - 5MT - 1686 LBS - 58 HP
Running Cost $951 - 34.4 MPG - Reliability 71.4 - Offroad 19.1 - Comfort 16.1
Tsukuba 1:23.89 - ¼ Mile 18.9 @ 73 MPH - Top Speed 94 MPH
Engineering Report:
Engine could benefit from more compression and less spark advance. Insanely stiff suspension.
Presidential Test Drive:
Here we have the lowed priced car in the test. Okay, so the Mouse isn’t a looker, what with it’s Eastern Bloc inspired minimalist exterior. But is it better behind the wheel? In some ways, yes. The close ratio five speed keeps the engine in it’s sweet spot, the brakes are very good and fade free and the mid-level interior is perfectly livable. However, the absurdly hard suspension springs seem to have been pulled directly from an eighteen wheeler. Forget rough roads, even driving it on a smooth race track rattles your eyeballs out of their sockets. Even worse, it’s underdamped, meaning every little pebble sets the car bobbing down the road like a buoy in rough seas. Shame, as the rest of car is really not that bad at all.
Petosky Rebel Sedan - $7920
@BobLoblaw
4 Door Sedan - 5 Seats - FWD - 3AT - 2124 LBS - 79 HP
Running Cost $1170 - 23.3 MPG - Reliability 69.3 - Offroad 15.0 - Comfort 15.4
Tsukuba 1:29.26 - ¼ Mile 20.6 @ 72 MPH - Top Speed 99 MPH
Engineering Report:
Highly restrictive log manifold and small diameter exhaust limit power. Wide ratio three speed automatic hinders performance. Largest and heaviest entry. Extreme understeer, zero sportiness.
Presidential Test Drive:
Without a doubt the most expensive looking car here, the Rebel wouldn’t look out of place among my presidential motorcade. As with the Savanna, however, the driving experience does not match the ritzy exterior. Besides the bare bones interior and snooze-inducing performance, it’s also expensive to operate and features poor fuel economy. Although the standard automatic transmission could have been popular with the many inexperienced drivers in Mumbojumbo, the negatives seem to outweigh the positives in this case.
Mensemotor Ndweke - $7920
@TR8R
5 Door Hatchback - 4 Seats - 4x4 - 5MT - 1733 LBS - 69 HP
Running Cost $988 - 30.5 MPG - Reliability 72.9 - Offroad 38.0 - Comfort 13.3
Tsukuba 1:24.69 - ¼ Mile 19.0 @ 73 MPH - Top Speed 95 MPH
Engineering Report:
Conservative redline. Could benefit from more compression and less spark advance. Money spent on mechanical injection could have bought multi-port EFI instead. Unnecessarily staggered tires.
Presidential Test Drive:
How far will flattery get you? Well, it can’t hurt. Another funky box-like entry, the unique high mounted exhaust seems like a clever feature for fording rivers. Although not overly engaging around the track, the gearing, brakes and suspension don’t suffer from any deal-breaking flaws, except for staggered tires which once again result in unnecessary understeer. Mensemotor says the Ndweke name would be reserved for a more upmarket trim level, which is good, because this one seems just a little unworthy of such a magnificent name.
Elephant - $7920
@Ornate
5 Door Hatchback - 4 Seats - AWD - 3AT - 1485 LBS - 65 HP
Running Cost $863 - 38.1 MPG - Reliability 73.3 - Offroad 24.6 - Comfort 18.1
Tsukuba 1:28.58 - ¼ Mile 19.9 @ 66 MPH - Top Speed 83 MPH
Engineering Report:
Lightest car in the test. Skinny, low profile tires are simultaneously a poor choice for both good and bad roads alike. Conservative redline. Performance intake not ideal for dusty climate. Wide ratio three speed automatic hinders performance. Drum brakes all around , but decently optimized. High quality suspension with nice damping, albeit with heavy understeer. Zero sportiness.
Presidential Test Drive:
The Elephant features excellent fuel economy and low operating costs, but unfortunately doesn’t stand out in too many other areas. The odd “wagon wheels” look like they will bend easily on poor roads give the fairly good suspension very little grip to work with. Like the Rebel, the tall ratio three speed automatic seems to create more problems than benefits. And although comfort is surprisingly high given the bare interior, the lack of basic seat belts is disconcerting.
Antelope BM 4x4 - $7700
@thecarlover
3 Door Hatchback - 5 Seats - 4x4 - 3MT - 1893 LBS - 53 HP
Running Cost $937 - 30.2 MPG - Reliability 73.2 - Offroad 38.3 - Comfort 15.3
Tsukuba 1:29.71 - ¼ Mile 21.15 @ 66 MPH - Top Speed 91 MPH
Engineering Report:
Conservative redline. Could benefit from more compression and less spark advance. Catalytic converter means good emissions at the cost of mileage and performance. Three speed manual could use an extra gear. Good suspension tuning with nice balance between sportiness and drivability. Slightly under budget.
Presidential Test Drive:
For being named after a swift grassland animal, the Antelope is a tad on the slow side. Luckily, the well tuned suspension means it’s not totally uninspiring to drive. The inclusion a a catalytic converter is unique, although I’m not sure it’s right choice for this market. The rest of the package seems to land in the middle of the range, making it difficult to stand out in this crowd.
Hollot Sky - $7920
@koolkei
5 Door Hatchback - 4 Seats - FWD - 4MT - 1555 LBS - 67 HP
Running Cost $993 - 40.5 MPG - Reliability 71.1 - Offroad 18.4 - Comfort 19.7
Tsukuba 1:21.58 - ¼ Mile 18.8 @ 77 MPH - Top Speed 99 MPH
Engineering Report:
Good engine tuning, although the performance intake is not ideal for a dusty climate. Medium compound tires, although skinny and low profile. Good brake balance, if a bit fade prone. High quality and well tuned but slightly soft suspension.
Presidential Test Drive:
This little blue box is a genuinely solid all-around contender. The interior is among the best in the test, fuel economy is superb, and even if it’s not fast it’s still properly enjoyable to drive. Customers demanding rock crawling prowess might look elsewhere, but this little blue box lacks any of the major flaws typical of cars of this price. Not bad, gentlemen.
Aguila 1900S 4x4- $7920
@asdren
4 Door Sedan - 4 Seats - 4x4 - 5MT - 1959 LBS - 100 HP
Running Cost $1062 - 25.7 MPG - Reliability 70.5 - Offroad 38.8 - Comfort 14.5
Tsukuba 1:19.05 - ¼ Mile 16.9 @ 83 MPH - Top Speed 112 MPH
Engineering Report:
Well tuned and powerful engine, although the exhaust is slightly restrictive. Perfectly geared five speed manual. Brakes could be better optimized with less rear bias. Neutral handling balance and spot-on damper tuning.
Presidential Test Drive:
Now this is more like it. With a relatively large 1.9 liter four cylinder pumping out a healthy 100 horsepower, the Aguila is a comparative muscle car in this group. The close ratio five speed makes it easy to keep the power on boil, and very well sorted suspension means it’s even possible to hurl the car into an easily controlled drift. Better yet, it even works well offroad. Downsides? The fuel economy isn’t great and the interior is merely average, but that seems a small price to pay for something that might actually be salable in a first world country. Well done.
Mott Works Primera - $7920
@rcracer11m
3 Door Wagon - 5 Seats - AWD - 4MT - 1967 LBS - 88 HP
Running Cost $1021 - 26.9 MPG - Reliability 74.1 - Offroad 21.9 - Comfort 9.9
Tsukuba 1:21.24 - ¼ Mile 18.2 @ 78 MPH - Top Speed 100 MPH
Engineering Report:
Decent power, conservative redline, slightly rich fuel mix, performance intake not good for dust. Gearing could be better. Good brakes and soft but very well tuned suspension.
Presidential Test Drive:
I’ll be blunt, this is not a beautiful car. Luckily, it drives much better than it looks, putting in above average performance numbers and generally working like a cohesive package. Unluckily, the inside is just as bad as outside and terribly uncomfortable. A little more rounded approach could have easily moved the Primera up a few spots in the ranking.
FSD Afrosport - $8250 (Over budget, disqualified)
@The_Dziuras
3 Door Hatchback - 4 Seats - RWD - 5MT - 1767 LBS - 145 HP
Running Cost $1423 - 16.9 MPG - Reliability 70.1 - Offroad 20.8 - Comfort 10.7
Tsukuba 1:13.12 - ¼ Mile 16.4 @ 94 MPH - Top Speed 122 MPH
Engineering Report:
Extreme turbo lag. Odd reverse staggered tires with rear wheel drive results in uncontrollable oversteer. Chin spoiler works as a plow. Generally poor engineering choices for intended application.
Presidential Test Drive:
This is not a car. It is a very clever assassination attempt against President Ndweke. There is no other explanation for submitting an entry so completely dangerous and undrivable, and without seatbelts to boot! The perpetrators have been sentenced to a lifetime of hand cutting marble blocks for use in giant statues.
Cemara Hatchback - $7920
@Denta
5 Door Hatchback - 5 Seats - 4x4 - 4MT - 1946 LBS - 88 HP
Running Cost $1096 - 24.6 MPG - Reliability 68.0 - Offroad 28.6 - Comfort 13.0
Tsukuba 1:21.40 - ¼ Mile 18.1 @ 79 MPH - Top Speed 104 MPH
Engineering Report:
Redline set too high for pistons and conrods. Performance intake not ideal for dusty climate. Good brake bias but mild fade. Good suspension balance, if a bit soft.
Presidential Test Drive:
If you’ve wanted a car which resembles a blob of Silly Putty, this for you. Overall, the Cemara has much in common with the Primera, both aesthetically and behind the wheel. Although it puts in a respectable performance on the track and suffers from few dynamic shortcomings, below average economy and reliability conspire against it.
EcoSport 8 - $7920
@t3rr0rm4n
4 Door Sedan - 4 Seats - RWD - 5MT - 1804 LBS - 116 HP
Running Cost $1038 - 26.3 MPG - Reliability 72.8 - Offroad 20.3 - Comfort 10.2
Tsukuba 1:16.51 - ¼ Mile 16.50 @ 86 MPH - Top Speed 111 MPH
Engineering Report:
Four wheel double wishbone suspension. Unique and powerful 2.0L V8. Conservative redline. Slightly rich fuel mix. Five speed manual could be geared better. Okay brakes with slight rear bias. Handling balance is good, but suspension is far, far too soft.
Presidential Test Drive:
The EcoSport 8 certainly lives up to it’s name, handily turning in the best performance of any valid contestant. With a rowdy little V8, rear wheel drive and double wishbone suspension you’d be forgiven for thinking of it as a tiny four door Corvette. The outside lets you know of it’s intent, too, with a wedgey aerodynamic front end, rear wing and dual exhaust. Gunning it down the front straight at Tsukuba, it sounds simply fantastic. Diving into the first corner, however, you realize it still needs some polishing. With almost eight degrees of body roll you can see the ground rushing past the side window and begin wondering if the door handles will start scraping. Nonetheless, grip is good and it will go around the corner regardless. Considering the performance, running cost, fuel economy and reliability are quite acceptable. If there is a real objective shortcoming, it’s the stripped out basic interior. Yet as much as I enjoyed driving the EcoSport, I’m still left wondering if this is the right type of car for the people of Mumbojumbo.
Gnoo Mbudiwudi - $7920
@HowlerAutomotive
5 Door Wagon - 5 Seats - 4x4 - 4MT - 1791 LBS - 67 HP
Running Cost $1047 - 30.0 MPG - Reliability 65.8 - Offroad 53.1 - Comfort 15.4
Tsukuba 1:31.80 - ¼ Mile 19.50 @ 74 MPH - Top Speed 94 MPH
Engineering Report:
Engine is literally self destructing. Narrow, chunky tires result in good offroad performance.
Presidential Test Drive:
The Mbudiwudi managed two timed laps of Tsukuba before ejecting the entire rotating assembly though the hood of the car. While it was still functioning, it impressed with it’s offroad capability but not too much else. Performance was near the back of the pack and most other stats were average, but that bulbous lime green and chrome exterior alone would likely have meant defeat anyway.
Adenine Asante I6 - $7920
@phale
5 Door Hatchback - 4 Seats - 4x4 - 5MT - 1610 LBS - 76 HP
Running Cost $837 - 43.2MPG - Reliability 69.7 - Offroad 40.5 - Comfort 25.8
Tsukuba 1:24.06 - ¼ Mile 17.82 @ 80 MPH - Top Speed 100 MPH
Engineering Report:
Unique 1.1L turbo inline six cylinder. Very well tuned, highly efficient, low turbo lag and flat torque curve. Well geared five speed manual with overdrive. Tires slightly narrow. Good brake balance with no fade. Odd suspension tuning with overly hard front springs.
Presidential Test Drive:
Inside this somewhat bland looking econobox lurks some sort of voodoo witchcraft. How else do you explain an unreal 43 MPG and lowest operating costs in the most comfortable vehicle in the test? Better yet, it’s totally capable off the beaten path and still performs decently on pavement. The tiny turbo six is smooth and progressive, making full boost from 2500 RPM and pulling all the way to redline, and the five speed is geared to keep it on boost while keeping revs down on the highway. Reliability is slightly below average, likely due to the turbo, but in this case it seems like a fair trade off. The suspension tuning seems to the car’s real weak point, with the unnecessarily firm front end bobbing over bumps and creating a bit of push in tight corners. So a sports car it is not, but is a sports car what Mumbojumbo really needs?
In the end, I have narrowed the selection down to four finalists:
Fourth Place: EcoSport 8 - Immense fun to drive, but not quite what my people are looking for.
Third Place: Hollot Sky - A simple but well designed hatchback that’s more than the sum of it’s parts.
Second Place: Aguila 1900S 4x4 - An amazing all-rounder with many great strengths and very few weaknesses.
First Place: Adenine Asante I6 - A magic hat trick of a car that delivers exactly what my country truly needs.
Congratulations to @Phale!
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This looks like it was a tough gig with a lot of challenge in it. Very nice reporting. Also:
Is one of the funniest lines I have read in this thread so far. 
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oh wow, it doesn’t look like Bell Automotive will be selling cars in Mumbojumbo, maybe the Corleone wasn’t the best choice and the Bell Saver (our budget hatchback with cart springs) would’ve done the job better
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I don’t think I was going to win but you reviewed the wrong car I sent you, the Elephant was a mistake, you were suppose to get the Desert Mouse
I don’t know if it’s because you used the same file name for both, but when I download your second file it still opens as the Elephant. Sorry. I guess I should have cross referenced with what was posted in the thread.
Edit: If you can send me a working file I’ll add a late entry review.
Woohoo! Economy and comfort are what Adenine excels at. (DOHC, MPEFI, and low-pressure turbocharging are a big help!) Off-road capability was quite new to us but we were able to figure that out decently. Suspension continues to elude us…
I’ll get the next round up in the next few hours. I’m planning on bringing some new body styles to the car shopping round! 
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yup. got ninja’d by phale.
as soon as i saw the ad for you car, i knew it’s superior to my car in every single possible way.
i wanted to resubmit but it was too late.
congrats. good build.
as to how you managed to fit a dohc turbo inline6 with a 4x4 drivetrain and 5 gears within the budget really is an excellent hat trick. i was already pushing it with 3valves sohc
and thx for hosting this @oppositelock
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About what I expected. 8k sales price and me are not friends, not at all. Plus, if I’d have known the 5th seat would be worth so little, I’d have used the little micro-box as well, and then probably had money to DOHC the engine instead of being forced down to pushrods.
Well, the nice thing about turbos is that they allow you to run a much smaller engine. I’m pretty sure my 1.1L was the smallest engine in the competition. Smaller engine means less material cost and more clearance means lower service costs
The Car Shopping Round 13: The Efficient Utility Challenge
The year is 2009. I got laid off last year from my job at Inline Designs because of the recession and have spent the past few months unsuccessfully looking for work. I recently decided to start my own home repair business and I need a new car to haul my tools to and from each job. Luckily I have enough money saved to invest in a lightly used vehicle, but with gas prices at over $4 per gallon I really can’t be blowing all my revenue on fuel.
Stable release, no beta.
Trim year 2005-2008. No price adjustments for different years. Model year can be anything.
Maximum price of $20000 with 20% markup. That is estimated price, don’t do anything with factory tabs. I will be looking for the car with the best overall value, so lower is better.
91RON fuel, catalytic converter required.
Mufflers are required, I don’t want to annoy my customers when I pull up to their house. 50 loudness maximum, but lower would be better.
No limited production parts.
Utility is the most important factor. I need to be able to carry plenty of cargo and equipment, and I need to have the power to haul all of that without getting bogged down. NOTE: Monocoque and spaceframe chassis will get a 20% bonus to their utility score, to somewhat offset the large utility advantage that ladder chassis gets.
Fuel efficiency is very important. Besides that, low running costs will be a plus as well.
Drivability and safety matter. I’m smart enough to know that big vehicles aren’t necessarily safer.
More comfort is good, I’m going to be driving this daily and I may need to make some long trips. Most of the time it will just be me in the car, but having extra seats for my kids or potential customers would be a plus.
Sportiness doesn’t matter, but the faster I can get to my destination the better.
Off-road capability isn’t a must, but some places don’t have the most well-paved roads so I’d like some capability if possible.
Reliability is very important, this car is literally my job so if it goes down I’m going to be losing out on potential revenue.
Looks are important to me, this car is going to be the first thing my customers see. I want my vehicle to make a statement - not too impolite, but tough, hardworking, and 'Murican.
Mods: I have the high quality essentials pack and most of the custom car bodies. Let me know if you’re using any mods outside of the HQE.
Submission format:
Model: CSR13 - Username
Trim: Car Name
Engine: CSR13 - Username
Variant: Engine Name
DEADLINE: Friday May 20th @ Noon EST.
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