FAQ  •  Login

The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

<<

koolkei

User avatar

Posts: 947

Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:35 pm

Cars: a mini 2 wheeled single cyl car :D

Post Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:48 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

now now, don't jinx yourself slax :P
<<

carskick

User avatar

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 77

Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:38 pm

Cars: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3
2014 Mazda CX5 2.5 GT

Post Wed Mar 02, 2016 5:59 pm

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

14th of 20
User: DeusExMackia
Company: Erin
Car: Erwin Nardella Mk2

Image

Today began with a strong cup of black coffee after a small hiatus from reviewing. But today was the day. The day I’d be testing out the Erin Nardella Mk2.

I began by glancing over the spec sheet. An undersquare 2 liter turbo was the engine of choice for this very classic, possibly British, looking 2 seater. It claimed 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds, maxing out at 145mph. Not bad for a 45MPG coupe with a price tag of under $27k. My curiosity was sparked and I headed out for a test drive.

As I walked up to the vehicle, I was taken aback first by the color. I was sure it was black from far away, but it turned out to be very dark green; A very subdued, classy green, suiting the styling quite well; Like wearing a dark green suit to a black tie event. I was ready to hop in. Unfortunately, the classy feel did not continue inside. The interior was intentionally made to remind you this was a car under $30k. While the seats and finishes were just average, the stereo and infotainment system were sub-par. GPS was left off, the Bluetooth was flaky, and no USB port. Really? And while we’re on things you don’t get, add Traction, Stability, and Launch assists to that list. On the flip side, there are airbags everywhere and the seat belts were phenomenal!

So I was ready for a drive. I turned the key (No push button start), and the peppy engine fired right up with delight; like a labradoodle when you first walk through the door. The exhaust note was classy and throaty, matching the car’s exterior theme quite well, despite it being a turbo 4. I put the manual in first, and took off. My first thought when grabbing the shifter was how well put together it felt, short throws and tight clutch. But this shortly became a sore point. Well, the gears are so close together. Why? And the overdrive keeps the RPMs at speed way too high, also limiting top speed via gear ratios. Again, why? 3rd barely gets you to 60MPH. This does make it quite easy to burn rubber and makes this a good auto crossing car. The little turbo is fully spooled by 2300RPMs, though only provides 8.7psi of boost. While the torque curve is fairly broad and useful, there’s not a whole lot of raw output. I am guessing they were trying to compensate with the transmission?

After driving through town a bit, I got out on to the open road with some twisties. The car instantly came into it’s own. This is a great drift car! The fully adjustable active sport suspension, the low ride height, the skinny tires, the perfect amount of power and weight, the front engine/RWD layout. All of it screamed drift car. But of course, with good eco stats to please the Green Goddess. The brakes were good, but not great. They seemed to overpower the tires, then show a hint of fade, but they did the job while being fairly front/rear balanced.

So the Erin Nardella Mk2 was a mixed bag of tricks. On one side, you get a very high tech suspension, but then you get low tech brakes and skinny sticky tires. You get great gas mileage and a usable power curve, but then strange gearing for daily use. In a nutshell, it seems someone tried to hide a track car inside of an eco-friendly businessman’s coupe. It’s intoxicating like straight, black coffee. It’s bitter yet low calorie, and I want to drink it every day!

The Efficient Future Rank: 14th/20 @ 1389.1 points
Summary: Great Fuel Economy, Very Low Price, Eco-Friendlyness, and Good Track Times moved it up the ranks! But the car was held back by relatively low drivability, comfort, and prestige. While sporty, it wasn’t sporty enough to get a significant point boost here.

Carskick’s Overall Subjective Score: 7.5/10
Summary: I’m a sucker for small roadsters for fun. I also love that you can have a great time in this car while being eco friendly. But the quirky infotainment system, mediocre interior, wonky gears, and low practicality limit this to more of a weekend car than a daily driver. For those who want a true traditional driving experience with modern efficiency and low cost, this is your car!
Name of Car Company: Kirk Automotive
Website or Forum thread: Initial announcement of first car: 1984 Kirk C130T
Company ID: 2015519
Current Compeititon: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it
<<

DeusExMackia

User avatar

Posts: 362

Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2015 1:11 am

Location: Whatlington, Battle, UK

Cars: '04 Seat Arosa 1.0 S

Post Wed Mar 02, 2016 8:20 pm

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

Excellent review @carskick! Thanks!
ImageImageImageImage
Company ID: 1959771

The Great Automation Badge Grid - Get your company on the grid

"Spending warm summer days indoors, writing frightening verse to a bucktooth girl in Luxembourg"
<<

robt100

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 96

Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 6:26 am

Cars: Capri 2.0 laser

Post Wed Mar 16, 2016 6:12 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

Think the wait is going to kill me at this rate, I want to know how rubbish mine was :D
<<

carskick

User avatar

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 77

Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:38 pm

Cars: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3
2014 Mazda CX5 2.5 GT

Post Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:39 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

I am so sorry for the delay, guys. I am going to get back on track, here. I have the next review coming up tonight!

As a disclaimer, after my Open Beta updated, I get an error message when trying to run the previous build. Strange.

At any rate, I already calculated the scores, so most, if not all the numbers will be based on the previous build, so the ranks have not changed. However, any stats I pull that I did not previously save may be different.

Enjoy!
Name of Car Company: Kirk Automotive
Website or Forum thread: Initial announcement of first car: 1984 Kirk C130T
Company ID: 2015519
Current Compeititon: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it
<<

carskick

User avatar

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 77

Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:38 pm

Cars: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3
2014 Mazda CX5 2.5 GT

Post Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:24 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

13th of 20
User: VicVictory
Company: Ardent Motors Corporation
Car: Kestrel LS-T

Image

Another day, another car. This is the day I became intimately familiar with the Ardent’s Kestrel LS-T. So what’s this one all about? Well, I grabbed the keys and walked up to the dark green 5-door tester to find out.

First off, the styling is very conservative. I don’t think anyone would find it offensive and few would call it stylish. However, once you enter the cabin, you’ll see the designers spent much of their time here; it’s gorgeous! The premium seats and very high quality infotainment system are class leading! The beauty is in the details; such as the green stitching and accents that match the exterior. Techies will also appreciate all the electronic gadgets and features this car has. The stereo is mind blowing and the HUD is a nice touch. This is definitely for those who like to be surrounded by creature comforts. This is good news, as it will NOT capture the performance market.

While this is not the slowest and least sporty car out of the 20, it is 2nd worst. This means 0 to 100KPH takes over 12 seconds, and the quarter mile barely breaks 19 seconds. The suspension is mostly comfort tuned, so track times are not great, either. Not to say handling is bad, don’t get me wrong. It’s actually well balanced and predictable. When I first drove of the lot, I was surprised how well the non-active suspension absorbed road imperfections, even bad ones. I immediately decided to throw it into a turn at high speed, which took a few tries before I realized how truly under powered this car was. It stayed quite level, though understeer did become prevalent with speed, as expected with a comfortable and relatively heavy Front Driver. The 195mm eco tires don’t help with the handling, but they do keep comfort in check.

So I cruised around for quite a while, enjoying the pollen and humidity where I live, and I started thinking about this engine. So we have a 1.2 Liter Turbo 4 Cylinder pulling around 3300lbs. What’s wrong here? As best as I can figure, the engine is just…too…well…small… The Fuel Economy is good, but not great. Could this car have benefited from a larger 1.4-1.8 liter turbo, gotten far more torque and power while achieving similar, if not better fuel economy? I think so. The engine feels like it has to try so hard and the 7 speed auto has to downshift so often. It just don’t think it’s maximizing its economy in this way. In a lighter car, this engine would make a lot of sense. But more displacement would be beneficial.

That being said, this is a great eco-family car. It is fuel efficient. It is very practical and comfortable. It has low enough emissions to qualify for tax kickbacks. But at a $35,000, I think there might be better options out there for most people.

The Efficient Future Rank: 13/20 @ 1430.2 points
Summary: Comfort, practicality, reliability, economy, and relatively low initial and running costs placed this car in the 13th spot. But it’s very underpowered engine and heavy weight hurt it’s economy and sport figures quite a bit.

Carskick’s Overall Subjective Score: 6.0 /10
Summary: Very conservative looks and lackluster performance are mood killers for me. I appreciate the quality interior and comfortable ride, but it’s not enough to make up for the boredom! The fuel economy and emissions were good, but nothing mind blowing. Comfort and practicality is the selling point here.
Name of Car Company: Kirk Automotive
Website or Forum thread: Initial announcement of first car: 1984 Kirk C130T
Company ID: 2015519
Current Compeititon: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it
<<

thecarlover

User avatar

Posts: 653

Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2015 2:50 am

Location: Ottawa, Canada

Cars: Not the 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet in the photo.

Post Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:24 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

About the error message, deleting the files in the "brands" and "engineering" folders might allow the previous build to run. It's fixed it for me once, so it could be worth a try if you still want to opt out of the beta for the stats :)
Car showcase thread: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=8227
Mods thread: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=8552

Image
<<

carskick

User avatar

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 77

Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:38 pm

Cars: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3
2014 Mazda CX5 2.5 GT

Post Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:30 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

thecarlover wrote:About the error message, deleting the files in the "brands" and "engineering" folders might allow the previous build to run. It's fixed it for me once, so it could be worth a try if you still want to opt out of the beta for the stats :)


Gave it a try, no luck. Still gives an error message. It's ok, though. The reviews will continue!
Name of Car Company: Kirk Automotive
Website or Forum thread: Initial announcement of first car: 1984 Kirk C130T
Company ID: 2015519
Current Compeititon: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it
<<

carskick

User avatar

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 77

Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:38 pm

Cars: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3
2014 Mazda CX5 2.5 GT

Post Thu Mar 17, 2016 3:16 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

12th of 20
User: HighOctaneLove
Company: Bogliq Automotive
Car: Slyde

Image

Today I finished my test drive on the cheapest car in the roundup! Er… I mean least expensive!

Walking up to the budget machine, I was relatively impressed with its looks. Simple yet elegant. The little budget sedan had a bit of sporty flair with it’s prominent black front lip and matching spoiler, which very well could be the same part number to save money in manufacturing. I was intrigued. Then I opened the door…

I think I just rented a 99’ Dodge Neon. This interior is awful! Cheap plastics, chintzy seat belts, and an assortment of unimpressive ‘features’ litter the cabin. Auto A/C? No. Decent Stereo? No. Bluetooth? Yes, but the interface is garbage. Only 2 air bags. Is that still legal? So I directed my attention towards the driver area. Not too bad. Instrumentation is ok, but it does have dedicated Traction and Stability Control. Will this eco car even need these?

As it turns out, yes. I started the engine and was impressed the baffled, throaty sound of a 2.5 liter turbo 4 cylinder engine. I put the manual 6 speed in gear and took off. And I couldn’t help but get this massive, cheesy grin on my face. Why?

First, I hadn’t realized the car was Rear Wheel Drive. Interesting choice for a cheap eco car. Then I felt the turbo spool at 3100RPM. A little late, but the torque is phenomenal! So I pulled up to street light and decided to go all out with TCS off. Well, lets just say I didn’t ease in as much as I should have, because the turbo caused the tires to just peel out as the tach redlined in first gear and I was hardly moving! No one was behind me, so I decided to launch again, a little more carefully. I was rewarded…With a careful launch and short shifting into second, I was able to better utilize the massive amount of power and the wide powerband this engine gave me. I loved every second of it!

The next day I took it out on the track. The conclusion is this is actually a budget sports car, not an eco car. It flies around the track, and the thin sticky tires give you nice controlled drifts in the corners. The closely geared are perfect for the track as well. But it isn’t the most driver friendly car. It’s kind of a monster, but it fits what it truly is. You even get small Carbon Ceramic brakes! Now that’s a surprise.

But here’s the thing… We’re looking for a mid ranged to above average ranged efficient car to herald in the future of the green party. Yes, it gets decent gas mileage, and emissions are low. But is this really it? Are people okay with the lack of safety features? Are they okay with an interior that could be bested by the 2020 Kia Rio? I’m just not sold in that regard. Is it fun? Yes. And the basic interior and safety keep the car light, which improves performance, handling, and economy immensely. But at what cost? Probably a lot of actual sales, unfortunately. Even at only $22,300, the cheapest car we tested, I still see it as more a of a niche car in our market.

The Efficient Future Rank: 12/20 @ 1460.4 points
Summary: Great performance, handling, braking, low costs to own and operate, and good economy/emissions stats put this car where it is on the chart. But it’s low drivability, safety, comfort, etc. keep it out of the top 10. If they make a $30 to 50k trim without loosing too much of the performance side, they may have a winner on their hands!

Carskick’s Overall Subjective Score: 6.5/10
Summary: I loved the way it drives. It’s fast and it’s fun. But almost everything else about it is below average or bad. It’s other saving grace is that it’s dirt cheap. I think 80% of the cost of the car goes into the engine and brakes.
Last edited by carskick on Thu Mar 17, 2016 6:24 am, edited 2 times in total.
Name of Car Company: Kirk Automotive
Website or Forum thread: Initial announcement of first car: 1984 Kirk C130T
Company ID: 2015519
Current Compeititon: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it
<<

koolkei

User avatar

Posts: 947

Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 10:35 pm

Cars: a mini 2 wheeled single cyl car :D

Post Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:21 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

nice review carskick :)

just 1 thing. well, 2.

i think the words you want to use are
'Litters' (means in the range of 'shit' everywhere) instead of 'liter' (a measurement of liquid)
and
'Decent' (means adequate/enough/okay-ish) instead of descent (means, going down, like 'descending a mountain')
<<

carskick

User avatar

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 77

Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 1:38 pm

Cars: 2009 Mazdaspeed 3
2014 Mazda CX5 2.5 GT

Post Thu Mar 17, 2016 6:24 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

koolkei wrote:nice review carskick :)

just 1 thing. well, 2.

i think the words you want to use are
'Litters' (means in the range of 'shit' everywhere) instead of 'liter' (a measurement of liquid)
and
'Decent' (means adequate/enough/okay-ish) instead of descent (means, going down, like 'descending a mountain')


Thank you for the corrections, both have been fixed.

Much appreciated!
Name of Car Company: Kirk Automotive
Website or Forum thread: Initial announcement of first car: 1984 Kirk C130T
Company ID: 2015519
Current Compeititon: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it
<<

CadillacDave

User avatar

Posts: 108

Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2016 7:33 am

Location: Somewhere in England

Cars: 1993 Vauxhall Cavalier Turbo 4x4

Post Thu Mar 17, 2016 6:54 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

The further down the list we go the more anxious I get :lol:
<<

Boksi

Posts: 4

Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2016 2:09 am

Cars: A bunch of Lego.

Post Fri Mar 18, 2016 4:29 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

I'm just surprised I haven't seen my car yet. Did I get bonus points for the paintjob or something?
<<

VicVictory

User avatar

2-Star Beta Tester
2-Star Beta Tester

Posts: 1113

Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:32 am

Cars: A MURRICAN truck and a turbo grocery getter.

Post Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:06 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

carskick wrote:
thecarlover wrote:About the error message, deleting the files in the "brands" and "engineering" folders might allow the previous build to run. It's fixed it for me once, so it could be worth a try if you still want to opt out of the beta for the stats :)


Gave it a try, no luck. Still gives an error message. It's ok, though. The reviews will continue!


You also have to delete the LUA files for any/all cars you have created in the new open beta version before you can go back to the old version, because their mere presence generates the brands and engineering folders that cause problems.

As for the Ardent's performance... Yeah, I was totally going for a premium hatch. (As for aestheteics... I'm limited to vanilla content only, and can never get crap to align properly when I try to do complex fixtures like everyone else. Sorry. Trust me, what I made looks better than if I spent 3 hours screwing with fixtures to make it "pretty".)
Ardent Motors Corporation
Company ID: 1934101
http://www.automationhub.net/company-catalog&companyID=40

Suzume Motor Manufacturing Industries
Company ID: 1975102
http://www.automationhub.net/company-catalog&companyID=60
<<

Slax

User avatar

Posts: 34

Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:42 pm

Post Tue Mar 29, 2016 12:33 am

Re: The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

This thing still alive?
PreviousNext

Return to Community Challenges & Competitions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests