TMCC40 - Celebrity In A Cheaply-Priced Automobile
Somewhere in England, 2006
For the new series of the world’s top motoring television programme – Overdrive – the producers are looking for a new car to fulfill the role of the Celebrity In A Cheaply-Priced Automobile segment, where celebrities of all kinds from all over the world take a regular, affordable car around the programme’s own test track and set a lap time to be compared with other celebrities’. Thus, this car must be cheap to purchase and run, reliable, and easy to drive, even if it’s not fun, sporty or beautiful.
Rules
- This challenge will be run on the open beta version of the game.
- Model and family years: 2000-2006.
- Trim and variant year: 2006.
- Maximum price of $15,000.
- Maximum techpool of $30 million. (The sum of the circled numbers)
- No negative techpool.
- Van (cargo), utility and two-door coupé body styles banned, as well as any convertibles.
- Wheelbase between 2.3 and 2.7 metres, rounded.
- Bodies from the Legacy Body Pack are banned.
- Four full seats (two front, two rear) minimum.
- Unleaded fuel only, Premium (95 RON) maximum, no benefit for using lower grade fuel.
- WES10 emissions must be met.
- Maximum loudness of 45.
- Must be road-legal and UK-spec (not too strict but it should have all the necessary lights, wipers in RHD configuration, fuel cap, numberplate size, etc.) if in doubt just ask.
- Manual transmissions are mandatory.
- ABS mandatory.
- Non-race radial tyres only, no sports or semi-slick compound. Tyre width must end in 5.
- Detailed interiors are appreciated but will not be judged.
- ATS can be used within reasonable limits, if in doubt just ask.
- The wheelbase can be tweaked with ATS, limited to only 5 centimetres either plus or minus (the total sum of both front and rear wheelbase offsets).
Priorities
- Quality of design execution and realism. Beautiful, svelte or muscular lines aren’t expected, but the design should look well put together and appropriate for the segment.
- Purchase cost. As the name says, this car must be affordable for the average viewer, and it also shouldn’t strain the production’s budget for initial purchase or potential replacements.
- Drivability. Any celebrity or potential buyer, regardless of background or skill level, should be able to drive it with no issue.
- Reliability. The car should hold up to the abuses of regular track driving, as well as long-term daily use.
- Service costs. Due to the increased stress on the car, the production company should easily afford to service and repair it. Likewise, since it’s meant to be an everyday, affordable car, prospective owners shouldn’t be expected to pay costly fees for regular servicing.
- Safety. While the latest, greatest and most expensive safety tech isn’t necessary or expected at this price point, drivers on the programme should be well-protected from any accidents that could happen on the track.
- Comfort. While cars aren’t expected to be luxurious cruisers in this segment, it shouldn’t be a crashy, dreadful experience for normal drivers.
- Practicality. As it’s meant to be a reasonable and affordable everyday car, outside of the programme’s requirements, it should offer practicality to potential buyers.
- Environmental resistance. While for the production’s purposes the car will be stored indoors, buyers should expect something that won’t turn into a rust bucket.
- Sportiness. Although regular buyers won’t expect a car in this segment to be a fun experience, this stat helps quantify the car’s suitability for track driving and cornering.
Submissions
- Model and family name: TMCC40 - your forum username.
- Trim and variant name: free.
- Send your .car file via Forum DMs only.
- Make a post with at least one picture of your car in this thread
- Submissions open 2025-12-01T05:59:00Z, the rules can be discussed until then.
- Submissions close December 31st, 2025, 23:59, anywhere on earth.
Changelog
- Added tyre compound and width restrictions.
- Added wheelbase restrictions.
- Changed minimum emissions to WES10.
- Reduced maximum techpool to $30m.
- Added comfort to priorities.
- Mandated ABS and manual transmissions.
- Extended submission deadline.
