automationgame.com

From the original post:

Submission deadline: Saturday Feb 20, 12:00:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-8h)

(considering extending it tho... I'd like to get more people join. But not entirely fair to those who have submitted already.)

Only have to show one car. Visually, they're identical. Under the hood, two very different beasts.

Meet the Storm Prince II. With the original Prince being from 1955, a small, semi-sporty, lightly up-class car, the new Prince II set out to do exactly that. However, we got a phone call back in the shop from Toledo Ironworks, asking if we would be interested in their line of V6 engines. Our design team looked at the engines and ordered two of their trims, setting out to do the original Prince justice with the new car.

This is when things turned interesting. One engine provided the perfect graceful power curve for an up-scale cruiser, the other provided a brutal power curve more suited for a sports car. The decision was made: Rather than sacrificing one to please the other, as the original Prince had, the Prince II was unleashed with two trim levels. Between the two cars, there are no identifying marks to tell which one is which, a devious plan from the designers.

Vic, I don't mind if you choose to extend the deadline

Also don't mind if you choose to stretch the deadline some.

Alright, in that case I will extend it to Thursday.

Expect another entry from me, I'm gonna enter a second car.

Introducing the second entrant from Erin...

The Erin Civera GT-L!
With added cheesy 70's marketing!



AutomationHub Page (for extra details): http://www.automationhub.net/company-ca ... rmodel/729

Keep 'em coming, folks! at least two in each category now! A little over 2 days left to submit.

Here is the current motor usage count, including benchmark cars:
6T33-SQS - 3 cars
6T29-STO - 2 cars
6T33-SDE - 2 cars
6T29-SDE - 5 cars
6T33-SMF - 3 cars
6T33-STO - 2 cars

Entries are now closed. We have one entrant who needs to resubmit and clarify, then I should have results shortly after that. Thanks to those who participated.

Woop! I look forward to the results.

Alright, here we go with the first round of results! Please note the winners in each category will be coming shortly in separate review posts.

Here's the final engine usage tally, including benchmark cars.
6T29-SDE - 5 cars (2.9L V6 12-valve SOHC, 2 barrel carb)
6T33-SMF - 4 cars (3.3L V6 12-valve SOHC, MFI)
6T33-SQS - 3 cars (3.3L V6 12-valve SOHC, 4 barrel carb)
6T33-STO - 3 cars (3.3L V6 12-valve SOHC, turbo MFI)
6T29-STO - 2 cars (2.9L V6 12-valve SOHC, turbo MFI)
6T33-SDE - 2 cars (3.3L V6 12-valve SOHC, 2 barrel carb)

Entry Level
5th - Bogliq Admiral GX - 6T33-SDE - Design Score 54.325 - "Squirrelier than Kentucky in the Spring."
4th - Rado Ordures - 6T33-SMF - Design Score 60.625 - "Because economy and expensive sometimes go hand in hand."
3rd - Townsend Tassel 6 - 6T29-SDE - Design Score 69.525 (Benchmark) - "Still waiting for it to cross the finish line."
2nd - CMC Padrino Bilancio - 6T29-SDE - Design Score 73.300 - "Super comfy, rather boring, and definitely expensive."

Upscale
5th - Rado Crawler Luxury - 6T33-STO - Design Score 63.325 - "Please tell me their entire marketing and engineering departments were fired."
4th - Townsend Tassel Super 6 - 6T33-SMF - Design Score 93.775 (Benchmark) - "The very definition of putting lipstick on a pig."
3rd - Storm Prince II - 6T33-SMF - Design Score 97.950 - "Seats and bitchin 8-track tunes for 6. And a weird louvered pseudo-landau roof."
2nd - Erin Civera GT-L - 6T33-SMF - Design Score 103.425 - "Super premium! Just don't have a big family, because you can't even throw more than one kid in the trunk."

Truck
3rd - Solo Orca T - 6T29-SDE - Design Score 76.375 - "Great fuel economy. Not so great at hauling stuff. Or keeping stuff in the bed from flying through the cab."
2nd - Townsend Texas - 6T33-SQS - Design Score 80.075 (Benchmark) - "Comes in only one color: Rental White."

Sport
6th - Townsend Trigger - 6T29-STO - Design Score 69.875 (Benchmark) - "This, my friends, is called a coffin."
5th - CMC Padrino Mostro - 6T33-STO - Design Score 80.775 - "Glorious, uncontrollable fun. And a big price tag."
4th - Erin Comprida SV6 - 6T9-STO - Design Score 81.625 - "Gorgeous, flashy two-seater. Lumbar pillows not included."
3rd - Kraft Haus Technik Flug concept - 6T33-SQS - Design Score 87.075 - "Cushy and reasonably sporty. Kinda too bad it's just a concept."
2nd - Bogliq Fox Sports - 6T33-SQS - Design Score 87.200 - "A kick in the pants. Just make sure they're brown before you look at the safety figures."

Entry Level Winner: Solo Toledo Beaver BM
Design Score: 92.70



Cleanliness and simplicity. Two words to describe the Solo Beaver. These words might be a turn-off without context, but thankfully we had a chance to drive this 5-door hatchback for the full scoop.

As far as basic transportation goes, the Beaver hits on all points. The fact that it's got Toledo Ironwork's 2.9 liter 6T29-SDE V6 under the hood is a little icing on the cake for those looking for just a bit more. Solo paired it with a 4-speed manual transmission putting power the rear wheels, allowing the Beaver to hit 60 MPH in just under 11 seconds, while garnering 21.7 MPG in mixed driving. Amazingly enough, Solo decided to fit the Beaver with drum brakes on all corners. Pedal feel is a bit on the firm side, but it stops well enough. Steering is power assisted, though a bit lacking at low speeds.

On the inside, the Beaver is very simple. Wall-to-wall carpeting, vinyl seats, a radio and hand window cranks. With only three gauges, the cluster is not cluttered: fuel, coolant temp, and speed. While this makes for a rather un-stimulating driving experience, it also keeps costs and issues to a minimum, as evidenced by the long life projection.

The Beaver BM is certainly the point-and-go type of car that will appeal to the masses. Its MSRP starts at $3,296.

Upscale Winner: Kraft Haus Technik Flug Stolt concept
Design Score: 119.45



Let's be up front about something. We truly hope the "concept" label is temporary.

Let's also make something else clear up front. The Flug Stolt is slow. But no one here cared about that. Kraft Haus Technik has created a wonderful luxury cruiser, utilizing an underpowered 133HP Toledo 6T29-SDE V6 motor and 4-speed automatic. This hefty rear-wheel drive boat takes over 13 seconds to get to 60, but it does so in absolute spoiling comfort. KHT put a hydropneumatic double wishbone suspension on all four corners, along with disc brakes that, frankly, are actually a bit too soft for our tastes.

Inside is where it gets truly interesting to those of discerning tastes. Both rows of seats are saddle leather-clad buckets. The rears fold forward to extend the cargo bay, and the fronts recline and have independent adjustable lumbar supports. Air conditioning, power windows with central locking, power steering, sun roof, and power driver's seat are also all standard. A high-quality quadrophonic 8-track stereo with digital presets and equalizers rounds out the lists of fun toys on the inside.

At $6128 MSRP, it's not exactly affordable to the masses. But those who can purchase one will certainly appreciate its finer points.

Truck Winner: AMM Theodoro 4x4
Design Score: 90.125



Boxy, ugly as sin, and downright great at moving people and stuff. AMM gave us the Theodoro to test, and we put it though its paces and then some.

3.3 liters of V6 fury sit under the hood in the form of a Toledo 6T33-SDE. It's matched with a rather clunky but effective 3-speed automatic transmission with a manual locking 4-wheel drive system. Meaty, staggered tires provide grip, and front disc/rear drum brakes stop the little ute. AMM felt it suitable to put power steering in the Theodoro, which is a boon at low speed.

The inside is somewhat of an enigma. Two bucket, cloth-faced seats and full carpeting are present, but there is no radio. A little odd given the brawny look and feel of the Theodoro. It was expected to be even more basic than it was.

In any case, $3,264 will buy you a Theodoro, which is a bargain for such a capable hauler and off-roader.

Sports Winner: Storm Prince II TCE
Design Score: 94.075



This is a thought that just screams "Holy Toledo!"

There may be some kids out there putting up a poster of a 4-door car on their wall, and dreaming about driving it.

While the Storm Prince II fell in the upscale category, its nasty twin, the TCE trim line, took the cake here. Powered by a turbocharged Toledo Ironworks 6T33-STO V6 putting power through a 4-speed manual, the Prince II TCE is an oddly hot sedan. Contributing to this is its pushbutton locking rear differential, four wheel disc brakes, and progressive monotube suspension. It gets up to 60 in a very respectable 7.5 seconds, can pull almost 1g in the slalom, and does it all while seating 5 people.

Speaking of seating, here we have a sports car with sueded full-cloth seats, power everything, and a quadrophonic 8-track player. Storm clearly didn't interpret "sports car" to mean "stripped car".

It does come with quite the price tag, however, at $6,949.

Please note, MSRP's are in real-world 1978 dollars. I will pick my WTF winner in a little bit, but life calls.

I am really proud of my entry level score, I wasn't expecting to come 2nd