the english are coming!
Open Top Motoring for a New Age.
First introduced in 1986, the Garuda is Hinode’s flagship two-door coupe, fitted with the best and latest that the company has to offer. Though primarily designed for the Japanese market, Hinode decided to export the Garuda to the United States to gauge customer response on a Hinode-branded luxury grand tourer.
In an effort to further appeal to American consumers (and also experiment some more), Hinode hired BGST Design to create a convertible version of the Garuda. The resulting car, which had a powered soft-top, was launched in the US market in 1987, alongside the standard coupe version. While Japanese versions had engines ranging in size from two litres to a three litres, the American cars were only offered with a naturally aspirated three-litre engine producing 200hp. However, a handful of turbocharged models making 240hp also made it stateside for a lucky few to enjoy. A five-speed manual is standard while a 4-speed automatic is available as an option.
Being a showcase of Hinode’s latest technology, the Garuda is available with the Hinographic Touch Control Interface, an early touchscreen system that controls everything from the radio to air conditioning. In keeping with the high-tech theme, the Garuda also comes with a digital gauge cluster although analog gauges are also available. The driver is encased by the fighter jet-like dashboard, with all controls within easy reach. Cloth seats are standard and leather seats are available as a no-cost option.
Arguably one of the cars to take on a cruise in the sun-kissed roads of California, whether you are “long-term roomates” or a movie production.
© 1987 Hinode of America, Inc.
11 Likes
Ok Here’s My Submission. Not as fancy as some of you guys.
TMCC26_randomBullets_-_Luma_Sky_6.car (35.9 KB)
1987 Hirochi R80 Targa
288 KMH top speed (Automation Predictions)
4.5s 0-100 (Automation Predictions)
2 Likes
The headlight poke can be addressed by putting that fixture in 3d, rotating it down , and then putting it back in 2d
12 hours ish till deadline!
Edit:
I have recieved additional entries from
@Lanson
@Ludvig
@mart1n2005
@randomtuner
@randomBullets
AD but no submission yet
@CRZG
@Knugcab
@S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T
4 Likes
Macht Teuton Victor V12 - Strassenversion
Macht Teuton and Vector join hands to showcase the ultimate road legal supercar.
With Macht Teuton’s engineering and design, Vector’s engine and provision, we bring to you, the Victor V12 Strassenversion. Available in Aerotop form.
Unmatched ease of driving, comfort, and feel.
The ultimate supercar experience, yours for $38,800.
Specifications
- Lightweight Steel Chassis and Aluminum Panels.
- Double Wishbone suspensions all around.
- Midship V12. Vector’s signature Twinline style engine. Featuring 2x Crossplane Inline 6 engines joined and synchronized together to create a 4L V12 monster.
- 367hp @ 7600 RPM, 409nm @ 4400 RPM
- All Aluminum engine internals. Large Mid-flow intake manifold for reasonable svc costs.
- Interior and seats made of Leather, Aluminum, Woodgrain.
- 5 speed shortshifter, RWD, torque sensing LSD.
- High end Cassette player with 4 speakers.
- Large Vented Disc Brakes with maximum cooling to prevent brake fade.
- Advanced adaptive suspensions, Magnesium rims, 205 front 285 rear wheels, Sports Tyres by Falken
- 20.6 MPG Combined
6 Likes
Entries closed as of a few hours ago.
Additional entries from
@GetWrekt01
@Knugcab
@S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T
3 Likes
TMCC26
Round 1
There is a singular bin
Any resemblence to the dreams of real people is entirely unintended, if you're reading this tell me if this was an ok writeup or if I should try something different for the finals.
The producers had a set of cars arriving to test drive along a short stretch of the coastal highway. It was a warm day with a slight breeze, which according to the driver was the perfect weather for cruising down the road.
There is a singular bin
Congrats @randomBullets on that one
Price was 44800 when max price was 40k, as well as other weird engineering choices like front wheel drive, space frame and a not very compelling design. It would of finished dead last anyway.
Anyway, time for the
Reviews:
@Knugcab
The Vaughn Sirin
Initial impressions from the crew as the car arrived were murmurs of agreement, the Sirin looked like it should fit the bill.
The test driver hopped into the drivers seat and started up the Wraith CV6 engine. Getting moving onto the open road the driver noted that the car was very light which made for good agility and a sporty feeling behind the wheel, although slightly lacking in comfort it made up for it in costs and reliability.
Arriving back at the roadside where the other cars were gathering the driver announced “Not bad, but I’m sure there’s some cars with a little more quality to them which will feel better”
The Vaughn Sirin does not progress.
Notes
Drive was on the higher side, sport was ok as was comfort, prestige was the lowest out of any entry by a long way, safety was also the lowest. A fun cheap sports car, but a little extra would of gone a long way.
@Happyhungryhippo
The Globus Phoenix GT
This time the crew had to take a step back as the Globus Phoenix GT pulled into the stop. There was something slightly unsettling about the front of the car, the rear was much more pleasing though.
The test driver hopped into the drivers seat and started up the BV8-G570GT engine. Getting moving onto the open road the driver noted that the car was easy to drive and had a good weight behind the wheel, it was decently comfortable but lacked any feeling of speed, atleast everything was robust, it felt like it would be reliable to own and it was cheap.
Arriving back at the roadside where the other cars were gathering the driver announced “It felt like a solid car, but it needs some better handling if you want to throw it about.”
The Globus Phoenix GT does not progress.
Notes
Very high driveability, low sport, average comfort, prestige is still on the low side, highest safety, second highest reliability, it is cheap as well. I think some better tuning of the suspension (namely 0 camber?) would of helped this car. The rear was good I liked the Phoenix name in the bumper, but the front was lacking in the looks department.
@randomtuner
Storne Aesalon V8 Cabriolet
The crew took a step forward to get a better look at the Storne Aesalon V8 Cabriolet as it pulled up. The front hinted at what might lie in the engine bay.
The test driver hopped into the drivers seat and started up the 6.3 V8 engine (which is apparently a lie because it’s a 5.8). Getting moving onto the open road the driver noted that the car was harder to handle than the other two cars, but once you had tamed the 400+hp it was great at being pushed on, it was uncomfortable though, so a tradeoff for the sporty feeling. Everything looked like it belonged in the interior and it felt like it would be a solid car to own and it was still on the cheaper side.
Arriving back at the roadside where the other cars were gathering the driver announced “It’s a bit of a handful but still good fun, longer journies might be a problem though with the way the seats are.”
The Storne Aesalon V8 Cabriolet does not progress.
Notes
Low driveability, good sport but low comfort is the let down, suspension was a little stiff and it seems like there’s a few compromises throughout the car.
@Ch_Flash
The Zellhof Opus 46 GTT
The Zellhof Opus 46 GTT caught everyones eyes from a distance. The presence the car had with the dark red paint and black two-tone really made the car look like it belonged on the american roads, the rear was just as pleasing.
The test driver hopped into the drivers seat and started up the Zellhof V8 4.6i 340hp engine. Getting moving onto the open road the driver noted that the car was similar to the Storne in a lot of ways, the handling, the sporty feeling of the wheel and punch of the engine. One thing stood out, it was much more comfortable. However it was also much more expensive to buy.
Arriving back at the roadside where the other cars were gathering the driver announced “I could drive it all day if the fuel tank lasted, and it takes a bit of work but it was enjoyable”
The Zellhof Opus 46 GTT does not progress.
Notes
Ok stats across the board, expensive for what it is though, looks great front and rear, the doors are nice too, nice complementary colours.
@the-chowi
The Milano Fencie V8 Targa
The Milano Fencie V8 Targa pulled into the stop. Bright paint and bright lights, with a design that took some getting used to. Once the crew did, they could appreciate lots of the design aspects.
The test driver hopped into the drivers seat and started up the V8 4.0 NA engine. Getting moving onto the open road the driver noted that the car was unruly to drive, it was an animal once the car had been dialed in though. Again however they felt it was a tradeoff in comfort, and that’s before mentioning the cost of it all.
Arriving back at the roadside where the other cars were gathering the driver announced “A lovely car for a collection, but I’m not sure I could do lots of driving in it, or atleast the amount I would need to to justify the cost.”
The Milano Fencie V8 Targa does not progress.
Notes
Very low drive, highest sportiness, lowest comfort and the most expensive entry. A design that took some getting used to but I actually quite like now, the car seems like a tradeoff though, some questionable quality usage (tyres) and the suspension tuning could be better suited to balance things out.
@Lanson
FMC Sidewinder Turbo - Touring (Convertible)
The FMC Sidewinder Turbo - Touring (Convertible) drew eyes from all around with its futuristic styling.
The test driver hopped into the drivers seat and started up the DOHC 2.5L Turbo - 235HP engine. Getting moving onto the open road the driver noted that the car was difficult to drive, and had poor feeling through the wheel Atleast it was very comfortble, and it was on the cheaper side too.
Arriving back at the roadside where the other cars were gathering the driver announced “Being able to have the roof up or down automatically is great, the turbo is fun but can be difficult to handle at times”
The FMC Sidewinder Turbo - Touring (Convertible) does not progress.
Notes
Heyyy it’s a convertible finally, and it has a turbo! Lower than average stats pretty much everywhere apart from comfort which is second highest by 0.1
Having (the best) Convertible option definitely saved it from being lower down. I’m not a huge fan of the looks, mainly those front middle lights, but I can say it looks very American. Oh it’s also the least reliable of all the entries.
Any resemblence to the dreams of real people is entirely unintended, if you're reading this tell me if this was an ok writeup or if I should try something different for the finals.
Finals next, soon 
10 Likes
I’m just glad my entry isn’t on the list of cars that did not progress to the final round - but I didn’t expect the Milano (which looked like the most formidable contender early on) to fall at the first hurdle, as you eloquently told us:
I was as concerned about comfort as I was about sportiness, hence my decision to fit a proper luxury interior and CD player (the latter of which was only possible due to the requirement for having +5 tech pool everywhere, as per the default settings) - I’m not sure if any of the other entrants used this combination, but a CD player is always more prestigious than an equivalent cassette player.
At any rate, whoever wins this round will clearly deserve it - but the other finalists will all be able to hold their heads up high just for progressing beyond the first round of judging.
Also, the fact that this round’s entry list was populated by a healthy mix of supercars, in addition to lesser sports cars, brings to mind the real-life supercar craze of the late 80s/early 90s:
I also feel that some of the entries here seem to blur the line between mere sports cars and true supercars, so here is an intriguing opinion piece on how the latter is defined:
2 Likes
Going with a hidden top convertible destroyed my stats, like reliability. Making it comfort-focused over strict performance only made things worse. I think it might look good if I drop the pop ups and go with composite headlights
Exactly as I suspected. A hidden convertible top is more complex because it also incorporates a mechanism to conceal the roof when it is stowed, thereby adding weight and cost, while also reducing reliability and performance even further than a regular automatic soft top. However, if prestige is of utmost importance, the hidden automatic soft top option is generally worth using.
You may have a point. More specifically, the pop-ups appear to be mounted too high off the ground.
TMCC26
Finals
(continued on)
There was only a couple more cars to try out, and daylight was starting to disappear.
@S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T
Hinode Garuda 3.0GT Cabriolet
“This one looks classy, let’s see if it’s as refined as it looks”
The test driver opted for roof down as it was a proper convertible, firing up the 211hp 7M-GE engine it was a little down on being as punchy as the rest, and weighing close to 1600kgs certainly didn’t help the feel of the Hinode Garuda 3.0GT Cabriolet.
“It was great for casually driving, comfortable enough and had good miles per gallon, just needs more smiles per gallon if you get me”
Notes
Lowest sport rating of all the legal entries, high driveability and high comfort, cheap to run cheap to buy. It is more of a proper coupe than a super coupe style, I think it could of been higher had it got more performance. A good looking car but didn’t quite fit what I was going for, could of if it was a sportier version.
@mart1n2005
Courageux Visage 2.9T targa X-GT
“Another convertible! Roof down thank you very much.”
The Courageux Visage 2.9T targa X-GT was as rowdy as it looked, proving quite a handful, but once you had control of the 253hp C-V6 (2849cc) (1981-1990) it was a lot of fun.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t too comfortable, but despite the drawbacks it was a convertible you could have fun in, with the wind in your hair”
Notes
Lowest Driveability of the entire field by a long way, average sport and low comfort, most of this was overlooked in favour of it being a good looking convertible and hitting it on the head with the price not being too high, good fuel economy and ok reliability.
@abg7
KMA KX12 GT Spider
“Red, popups… Surely it’s not a Ferrari?”
True enough it’s not. The KMA KX12 GT Spider certainly acted like one, and handled like one too. It also pretty expensive like a Ferrari too.
“Nice to drive, easily one of the quickest cars here. The KMA KF412-420 Engine is wonderful”
Notes
Average Driveability, second highest sportiness, average comfort, highest prestige. If it was slightly cheaper it would of done very well, and potentially better reliability could help.
@GetWrekt01
Macht Teuton Victor V12 Strassenversion
“Well this one isn’t a Ferrari despite the popups, it’s blue”
from behind the barriers
“It is German, probably”
The Macht Teuton Victor V12 Strassenversion certainly had a big name, it was also easy to have a big amount of fun. The 2x2I6D4NA Engine screamed from behind the driver.
“Despite the noise and the aggressive stance the car went where it was supposed to, it was also surprisingly comfortable but could of used some extra feeling from the suspension.”
Notes
High Driveability, high sport, high comfort seems like the recipe for the perfect car, just if it wasn’t so expensive. It’s almost there, a small tradeoff for more sportiness and slightly less comfort would of gone well. I really liked the front, and the rear was a disappointment in comparison.
@Ludvig
Swanson 937OP
“Well this looks rad”
Starting the 37B6D4AlAl320-395-21 engine the test driver took the Swanson 937OP onto the road, roof down, each gearshift satisfyingly clicking into position, the roar of the engine and wind in their hair, they easily forgot about the uncomfortable seats and felt like they belonged to the road.
Bringing the car back around to the stop the crew started to pack up their belongings.
“That’s it then is it? one of those cars?”
“Yeah I think we’ll get one of them, you’ll like it I’m sure”
Notes
Highest Driveability, high sport, low comfort, good reliability and good cost, hit the nail on the head for the calculator. I do really like the rear, even if the rest of the car is a bit simple. It’s out there, in a quirky 80s way.
RESULTS
-
@Ludvig Swanson 937OP
You can see the rest of the results and how my calculator ended up fairing here: Copy of TMCC26 Hosting - Google Sheets
General notes about the competition
I certainly had a time hosting this. As a first time solo host it was fun enough and I enjoyed putting it all together, I hope you lot did as well, 11 entries isn’t bad! I tried to balance out the calculator as much as I could, but I’m sure someone could always do it better. The Swanson ended up being quite far ahead, the kicker to the rest of the competition was that this was a convertible, so an extra boost to the points it scored pushed it far out of reach over everything else. Maybe I could have given a bit more warning about higher costs, but from my testing it was all fairly equal which you’ll see in the sheet. Ah well, thanks all! Onto the next.
15 Likes
I’ll gladly take second place for a car I threw down in roughly a few hours, right before deadline. The Swanson’s victory is deserved with those rad looks anyway!
Great round, brief and reviews overall, Riley. I honestly think we don’t get enough 80s rad stuff so this was refreshing.
6 Likes
I’m a little biased but I fully agree, good round. And nice photography too. High level competition, they were all Rad in their own special way.
I’m glad the little cleanup and buttlift worked out.
After careful consideration I’ve decided to pass on hosting to @GetWrekt01 (I did see had a lot going on already)
5 Likes
I will host the next TMCC if @GetWrekt01 passes on (and with him hosting JOC3B, that’s looking increasingly likely).
Also, I cloned my entry (engine and all) for this round to really unlock the true potential of the platform, creating the 1992 KF12, as you’ll see here.
Some pics and text for those who forgot about the link
For this build, I set the model/trim/family/variant year to 1992, installed a sports interior w/premium CD player, and significantly revised its styling for the new decade, among other changes.
Most significantly of all, the body and chassis are now made of carbon-fiber, with the suspension being pushrod-actuated, and the engine makes 20 more horsepower than before, in addition to having an aluminum/silicon block and heads.
To paraphrase a quote from an earlier TMCC which I hosted, the Swanson, with its stark white paintjob and relatively understated styling, was the Stephanie to my KX12’s C. J. This time, however, it did well enough to take a well-deserved overall win - especially since it was built on an actual convertible variant, and not on a coupe body that was made to resemble a convertible.
1 Like
Here to announce I’ll be taking the helms of TMCC27 as well despite already having to host JOC3B. This is a terrible decision with my sense of dogshit time management, and the ensuing moving from one place to another that I’ll have to get done within next week.
But bring it the fuck on anyway I suppose.
7 Likes
That’s a brave move for you to make, but it’s not without precedent. Not too long ago, I decided to host QFC21 and LAC2, with both challenges running simultaneously at around the same time, after realizing that the combined workload was sufficiently manageable. It turned out quite well in the end, though.