-ride height
-chassis track width
-body z offset
-tunnel size
-rear wheelbase offset
okay?
Yes they’re fine as long as they do not deviate too much from what the car actually has
Wish I knew that, would have made the transmission tunnel smaller. At least I can lore my way out of it by having an AWD option. 
Just hide the chassis on pretty much every car, the firewall or tunnel is all over the place on most bodies
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I wasn’t aware that was allowed. :o Thanks for the tip!
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THIS POST IS BEST IN LANDSCAPE ON MOBILE DEVICES
CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH @debonair0806
1996 KOZOKUMI RYUTA VI- ENGINEERED BY VALLIORE
Lore
The Kozokumi Ryuta VI, now in its 4th generation, is a dependable, well-designed estate for the modern family, however, there was one thing it lacked; a true performance variant. Valliore, a European tuning company and subsidiary of Voltari, was employed for their engineering prowess. Providing a state-of-the-art 3.3L, all-aluminum 24-valve inline-6 producing 270 horsepower, which was mated to an electronically-controlled 5-speed automatic, routed to the rear wheels. This powertrain allowed the Ryuta VI Valliore Edition to reach 60 in a quick 6.7 seconds, and go on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 miles per hour. It was also painted in an exclusive blue paintjob, a color not shared with any other Ryuta VIs, as well as a special “Tuned By Valliore” badge.
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The last of these features seems out of place to me, and if I were brave enough to enter this competition I would not even consider fitting it to my entry. Longitudinal FWD was more common in real life in 1996 than you think, though - even the contemporary Chrysler LHS/New Yorker and Acura Legend had it.
As for the Capriolo Turismo-S, it reminds me of the Alfa 156… except that in real life, the 156 would not launch until late 1997. Regardless, it’s one of the best cars I’ve seen with the estate/wagon body style.
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SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
I have received additional entries from:
If your name is not on this (or any) list, please be sure to inform me.
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Instabins and Phase 1 Bins
May 1996
“Kanpai!” a crowd of salarymen cheered as they toasted.
“Good work on this month’s GT-R special!”, the director said, “Let’s work hard for next month’s episode! But for now, enjoy yourselves!”
The group cheered again and downed their pints of cold beer. There was laughter, there was flirting, and there was business talk. Just about the typical night out with colleagues after a long day at work.
Amidst the chaos, one of the salarymen, Takeshi, sits at the corner of the table, reads that month’s issue of Variation magazine quietly.
“Hey, Takeshi!” the director called, “C’mon, come have some fun! Your glass is still full! You can do all that that serious reading later, yeah? Just forget about work for now!”
“Haha, yes sir!” Takeshi replied, “I’ve gotten some tidbits that can be useful for our next episode, though!”
Suisei Fuji Alca S-R
“Anything from Suisei?” the director asked, “That GT-R was darn wild!”
“I wish I could drive one too.” Takeshi replied, “Now as for their sports wagon, the Fuji Alca S-R… I don’t think we’ll be able to review it.”
“Why not?” the director inquired, “I drove Ms Hoshimachi’s last year and it was amazing!”
“Well, they’re not making any this year.” Takeshi said, “A shame, but I guess even Suisei isn’t immune to our slowing economy. Sus amongus, hahaHA!”
“What?”
(Binned for 1995 trim year. Would’ve been a finalist given its superb combination of stats, styling, and performance. Sus amongus.)
Schnell N50 II 3.5 Tourer AWD
(@interior )
“Real men use three pedals.” the director said.
“Why don’t you go pedal some bitches?”
“171.63.99.177 
”
(Binned for manual gearbox, as discussed earlier in this thread. That aside, the engine isn’t very powerful for its size despite running a rich AFR, it doesn’t use all the octane available, the brakes suffer from fade, and there is a lot of camber.)
Saidenki Prez STR
(@EnCR )
“Next up is the Prez STR. This one’s really good, with a relatively low price and comfortable ride which does not compromise its sporting characteristics. It’s plenty quick and smooth for a large straight-4 engine! We should get this on the show!”
“But isn’t it a little too small?”
“That’s why your wife left. GET REAL.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh, it’s nothing, sir.”
(Binned due to having 2.47m wheelbase. Otherwise, the car offered very good value for money though it was tuned for 95 RON, which limited performance and fuel economy.)
Sakura SilverVale (SV32) ATX Wagon GTN-4
“Anyway, I’ve got some news on the Sakura SilverVale.”
“Is it a death trap?”
“Yes it is. It’s got really big wheels, 18 inches I tell you! It’s pretty wide, and as a result the car oversteers a lot. Look at this, Director-san. Peak power at redline!”
“Gachi?”
(Binned because of unrealistically big and wide tyres which caused oversteer (along with suspension tuning that encouraged said behaviour), along with the very rich AFR (though the car still managed to get good fuel economy) and the fact that peak power is at redline even though the engine could rev further. Styling also leaves much to be desired.)
'96 RAU Vostok Sport Wagon
“This next one is from a new company from Russia. Quite a leap forward, I must say.”
"Russia? What’s it gonna have? A solid rear axle and an engine that runs on “oolong tea”?
“Nope, quite the contrary. It’s quite a decent automobile with the same technology found in most cars today including multilink suspension, although it’s quite rough around the edges. It’s got its fair share of issues, but it is quite reliable. I don’t think that it’s good enough for the show, though.”
(The stats are quite decent, but again ITBs are unrealistic for this type of car, and cars of this era mostly have vented disc brakes instead of solid discs. The brakes also suffer from severe fade. Still, it’s not bad for your first-ever forum challenge entry. Good job!)
Rowan Fidelis TT2100
“Kei plates? Who are they trying to fool here?”
“Us, apparently. They say that the engine was designed for our market, yet it has 2.1 litres of displacement. Might was well go for 2.5 at that point.”
“That aside, everything about the car just ain’t right… The engine is a burnt pancake that spools after a millennia, and once it does spool the torque drops drastically. The TRX tyres are hard to find, and you’ll have to find them fast because this thing eats rubber like Kakuei Tanaka taking payments from Lockheed. Not to mention that it’s got wheels for a dollar menu millionaire.”
(Binned due to the reasons stated above. The engine also revs way beyond what its components are capable of, which is never a good thing. Peak power at redline, too.)
Universal Galaxy Betelgeize Dub 55
(@kalan)
“This one’s kinda like the Fidelis, in the sense that the engine frustrates me. This thing is exactly 2500cc, which gave the folks over at customs a headache so they just chucked it into the 2.5-3.0l tax bracket. It’s not a good engine either, with the turbo spooling at 3300rpm, and its excessively rich fuel mixture. The car itself looks funny too, with no cohesion between the circular lights, square indicators, and vents. Did I mention that it’s a body-on-frame, too? And a 4x4 with locking differential?”
“Calm down, Takeshi. Have a drink.”
(This car seems to have an identity crisis on whether it should be an off-roading SUV or a sports wagon. I almost got a heart attack reading the forum post which said that the car developed 253 hp at 3300RPM though fortunately that is not the case. It is also the least reliable car in the roster. Regardless, this car goes to the bin)
Wells i6 GT (J)
“Anyway, next up is, well, the Wells i6 GT.”
“This one’s got an interesting paint scheme… Do I see silver on the roof panel?”
“Yes you did. In any case, the car is decent in most aspects although the turbocharged engine is not very powerful given its large displacement. The only thing bad thing about it really is its excessive camber. And also its engine displacement which sits RIGHT on the fence at 3000cc”
“I see…”
(Binned for the reasons stated above)
EcaMobile Ace 3L5D TubaTech JDM
(@Mikonp7 )
“That bulge on the bonnet seems… interesting.”
“I’m not a big fan of it, but well they had to do what they had to do. Regardless, they say that this car is not very driver-friendly but it’s not all that powerful either, with 218hp coming from a turbocharged 2.8 6-cylinder. The suspension is about as synchronized as a middle school talent show. It’s one of the cheapest cars in the market though so that’s a plus, I suppose.”
(Binned for the aforementioned reasons)
Megocom Sepack GT Turbo v20
(@LennoxV10 )
(There is a lot wrong with this car. 232hp is a healthy power figure but it comes from a very laggy 1847cc inline 5 engine with DAOHC, which would have been obselete by 1996. The combination of a billet crank and cast rods and pistons also make no sense. The car also suffers from brake fade thanks to solid discs and overly soft pads, and will wear tyres down quickly due to its excessively high camber. For those reasons, it’s binned.)
NobuKojo Radar TS
“Next is the Radar TS, yet another newcomer. It’s quick, but I have not heard many other good things about it. The cars are shoddily built, especially at the engine. A very rich AFR also makes this car very thirsty, and the ride is quite harsh for this price point.”
(Binned due to excessive negative quality, which reduces the reliability of the car and makes it worse all around. The tyres are also very wide for a car in this segment, and the brakes suffer from fade despite having racing brake pads. Despite the engineering, the design actually looks quite nice. A good effort overall!)
Manda Prospect VS6
(@RAZR)
“Last one for now is the Prospect VS6, and man is there a lot to unpack.”
“It doesn’t look too bad, Takeshi.”
“Outside, yes. But inside, it has all sorts of issues. The engine is a spectacle. It still uses K-Jetronic fuel injection, and has two turbos that never seem to spool at all. Power? 184.6hp at redline. Did I mention that it’s poorly made? And that it can run on spirytus, too?”
“I-I see”
“But there’s more. Power is sent to all four wheels via a purely mechanical automatic transmission, has solid disc brakes fore and aft, and yet they somehow managed to fit an active suspension system. Not that it does any good, since the entire thing is poorly built.”
(Yeah this car is full of issues left and right, and it’s one of the least reliable cars here. Needless to say it’s binned.)
SportFam 2.5 Premium J-Spec
(@Lanson)
“Next is the SportFam. It’s not bad of a car, actually but it’s nothing to write home about either. Anyway…”
(The engineering of the car isn’t bad, apart from the excessive rear camber and long gears. The engine isn’t bad either apart from the ITBs but overall, not much is appealing about the car. Still, not bad for your first challenge entry.)
Turosi TRS3000
“Last one for now is the TRS3000. While it is very powerful, power is sent to the front wheels through an open differential, so you can imagine how much wheelspin this has. It’s got a luxurious interior, but the manufacturer cut corners in other parts like the body. This one gets a pass.”
(Binned for the aforementioned reasons. 321hp is simply overkill for this segment, too.)
“I think that’s enough car reviews for now, Takeshi.” the director said, closing Takeshi’s magazine, “Come and have some fun with the others. We’ll discuss work later, on Monday.”
“Yes, sir.” Takeshi replied, holding his mug up, “Kanpai!”
Takeshi and the director toasted and downed their beers, as the party raged into the night. Takeshi eventually missed the last train home and went for even more drinks in Kamurocho. Such is the life of the Japanese salaryman.
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I’ll graciously accept the bin, and thank you for your kind words! 
I thought I might be pushing it with the headers: tried to lean into a parts bin special feel from their new parent company and I think I took it too far.
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Didn’t want to minmax the shit out of it plus I am still getting familiar with the new turbo tuning.
oh come on
Japanese cars are known for cheap bodies and poor rust protection
Audi and Honda had large cars with Longitudinal FWD and decent power
An Audi in that segment with this much power would’ve surely been a quattro tho.
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The problem wasn’t the longitudinal fwd, it was the excessively high power output (comparable to the Supra) and excessive wheelspin caused by sending all that power to the front wheels via an open different. As pen15 mentioned, Audis with that much power would’ve sent power to all four wheels via a limited slip differential.
Did you expect to gain any competitive advantage by deliberately making your car cheap and poor quality?
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Yes that IS silver on the roof panel lol. There’s also silver on the outer rim, AND on the door handles(I think)…IRL I believe it would be beautiful lol.
The silver roof idea came from the '83 Eldorado I had with the silver aluminum lookin roof back in the day.
Mine was like this but metallic baby blue with light Grey interior
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Hmmm…did you DRIVE the SportFam? I ask because your comments are, while constructive, not necessarily correct in the real world. The intake is not ITB, it is period-correct and matches my sporty 90’s cars I’ve owned. ITB’s are race parts. MPI is NOT ITB.
Secondly, the rear camber is not excessive in actual use. In other wagons I’ve owned, the rear camber was right at -1.8 to 2.0 degrees, stock. It’s how you keep a wagon from rolling excessively in the corners and still keep the swaybars decently-sized for comfort.
Moving on, the long-ish gears were chosen to allow the Flat 6 to rev throughout the powerband, and if you drive it you’ll see from gear to gear (S-mode auto) it pulls and pulls with no sign of flat spots. Long gears are fine if you engineer for it.
I went through 4 engines before settling on the 2.5 flat 6 in this one. All turbo 4’s and 6’s with over 240HP were getting abysmal economy, which is not real-world. Once I realized I could meet the needs with a highly tuned N/A engine, I spent a few hours in that direction and I’m extremely happy with the result. I suppose a non-sporting variant would still be decent in this wagon but you asked for some punch.
Now, all that said, if you did drive it (assuming you tone down the steering angle at speed with beam settings or use a wheel) and carved corners in a soft drift in sport mode ESC (or traction control off with a careful hand)
… and still binned it…assuming all that I accept your bin. Otherwise I have to say it’s a bummer to put several days into something to be so carelessly “judged”.
I loved driving this car in beam. I later built a “me” version and stuck wider sports tires and bumped the displacement to 3.0L, and AWD to manage the wheel spin (beam cars always have wheelspin).
I’d also like to compare the “winner” of the competition with a .CAR file for back to back comparison. Maybe everyone else’s cars drive better, or get better mpg, or something. Then again, I do believe I have engineered a good car.
Why you think my car is wrong? First, billet crank is one my reason to lightweight on engine and make better weight distribution. That maybe odd way but is not necessary to be binned even it’s wasted of MRSP. SOHC is old but could very useful for many other thing, that boost improver reliability, lighter than DOHC, and much cheaper (1000$+), So I can spend other quality. Besides, if smart engineering use SOHC for good reason and binned because of it?
Not to be a neatnik, but is there a mistake here?
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