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The Efficient Future - Make the Best of it Competition

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robt100

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Post Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:31 am

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

squidhead wrote:The higher up the countdown, the more I dread having my car displayed next :D


Same here!! It makes me wonder if I actually did it correctly? :?
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squidhead

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Post Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:46 am

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

robt100 wrote:
squidhead wrote:The higher up the countdown, the more I dread having my car displayed next :D


Same here!! It makes me wonder if I actually did it correctly? :?


I know I didn't :D
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carskick

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Post Fri Feb 19, 2016 2:12 pm

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

16th of 20
User: Puffster
Company: ABR
Car: Rhino Nightshade

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The Rhino Nightshade definitely wins at being the most practical car in the competition! This is primarily due to the fact that it’s an SUV, and the only SUV to be entered. But ABR has made some interesting choices with this vehicle.

First off is the engine. While the emissions are pretty low for an SUV, it is quite a surprise! Why? Well, there is a 5.6 Liter 570HP V12 that revs to 8500RPM under the hood. But I didn’t realize this when I first got in the unassuming SUV.

I did notice the very truck-like utilitarian styling; and the SPORTWAGEN logo on the back. The front end is kind of love it or hate it. I really like the top part, but the bottom part wasn’t my favorite. And other than the suicide doors and chrome trim, the side is pretty standard. Stepping into the inside, the car is pretty basic. The seats are nice, and there are 3 rows, which is handy. But the electronics are borderline bare minimum in today’s world, especially when you consider the $76,300 price tag. But once you fire it up, you know why it costs that much.

The aggressively cammed V12 barely holds an idle without vibrating the whole car. If you pop the hood, you can see the engine mounts struggling to keep the massive vibrating monster in place, like a Cobra that’s about to shed its skin before it strikes. But once you pull out and get over 2k RPMs, magic happens! The engine begins to come into its own. I pulled onto the highway near the dealer, put the 6 Speed Single Clucher Sequential in 4th and rode it all the way to the way to 120MPH. The torque is incredible! Despite its size, the SUV only weighs 4200 pounds, partly in thanks to the Fiber Glass body. So it moves with urgency; and its tires aren’t huge, so you will get some tire spin in first gear, even with AWD and some really nice, sticky rubber.

What else is special about this SUV? Pushroad rear suspension. Yeah, you may wonder why the trunk floor and rear seat are so high. That’s why. Expect to only put kids and short people in the back seat. But that helps keep the back end more controlled than any production SUV, well, ever. The aggressive active suspension system makes this SUV handle better than most family cars that weigh significantly less, and is quite admirable. If you’re the kind of Dad that likes to speed up to catch and drift through a yellow left turn light with 6 kids in the back so you don’t have to wait for the light, this is your Ute!

The Efficient Future Rank: 16/20 @ 1225.7 points
Summary: Fuel Economy was the Achilles’ heel of this car. While 18.3MPG is good considering that it’s a high speed race SUV, it is a weak spot in this competition. High running costs, low comfort and prestige don’t help its case, either. High Drivability, Speed, Safety, and Practicality helped put it where it stands on the rankings.

Carskick’s Overall Subjective Score: 8.5/10
Summary: I have a lot of respect for this aggressive design in and economy competition. Despite it being a very large and relatively heavy performance machine, it still manages to be somewhat environmentally friendly. So for taking the entry to an interesting extreme and creating a car that fills a cool niche, I give extra bonus points!
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
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strop

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Post Fri Feb 19, 2016 7:26 pm

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

So I'm curious, what would the Efficient Future points index actually indicate on the metric? How well you think it would sell? What proportion of the market share it might take? How attractive it would be to the "mean (average) buyer of the future"?

For example, I know for sure that my car has good fuel economy compared to most of the ones shown so far, and far far far far more performance. But it's also far less practical, so... it would lose points?
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AirJordan

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Post Sat Feb 20, 2016 1:47 am

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

This is getting pretty tense :) Great detailed reviews.
Pushrod? Really on a SUV? hahaha nailed it :D

squidhead wrote:The higher up the countdown, the more I dread having my car displayed next :D

:lol: I'm like: "I'm noooot reeeaaady..."
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Everyone who believes in telekinesis, raise my hand.
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carskick

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Post Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:15 am

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

strop wrote:So I'm curious, what would the Efficient Future points index actually indicate on the metric? How well you think it would sell? What proportion of the market share it might take? How attractive it would be to the "mean (average) buyer of the future"?

For example, I know for sure that my car has good fuel economy compared to most of the ones shown so far, and far far far far more performance. But it's also far less practical, so... it would lose points?


Good question. The point calculator isn't perfect, but the idea is that it would calculate how popular the model would be in a particular market niche, not necessarily the whole market. I don't want to give too many details yet, but this part of the intro covers it to the point that I want to reveal for now:

"your car company focuses on the average to above average income consumer which is the market this competition will focus on"

so the points are based on this premise
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
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Puffster

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Post Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:14 am

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

Good drive on the reviews, fantastic work so far carskick! Suprised the Rhino even got this high considering I almost completely neglected the main premise of fuel economy. Great fun, best of luck to the remaining contenders :D
ABR (ambitious but rubbish) Designs, freshly founded car company in 5th floor apartment, looking for more suitable workshop
Will be updated soon... ish... perhaps... hopefully
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carskick

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Post Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:09 pm

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

Puffster wrote:Good drive on the reviews, fantastic work so far carskick! Suprised the Rhino even got this high considering I almost completely neglected the main premise of fuel economy. Great fun, best of luck to the remaining contenders :D


Thanks! It's a lot of fun.

Not COMPLETELY neglected. Heck, most real SUVs with V6's get 18.5MPG. You did that with a 500+ HP V12.
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
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carskick

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Post Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:31 am

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

15th of 20
User: Squidhead
Company: Kraft Haust Technic
Car: EconoLiner

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Do you want the ultimate family car around $50,000? The Kraft-Haust EconoLiner may be the car for you! Today, we are going to find out what this ‘Liner’ is all about.

First, let’s get in and drive it! While walking up to the Kraft, I did notice the interesting headlight design which will certainly turn a few heads. They are so dark, surrounded by a distinctive chrome outline. There is a matching vent above the front wheel wells, too. The body has definitely been crafted and stylized. But there’s no hiding the size of this guy, it’s big! So will this monster be sporty and fun? How will it fair in government eco tests? Let’s find out!

We started on the track with ours. The traditional Front Engine RWD layout and stiff suspension give this car tremendous handling capabilities, despite its immense 4100 pound weight. But the active suspension keeps everything in check so the ride is stiff yet comfy. This makes it a great family car that can be thrown around in the turns and stick like none other!

The acceleration and power delivery were more than adequate. While not mind blowing, the turbo V6 3.0 liter with an eco-tune gives a good balance of usable torque while sipping gas. Well, at least considering its weight and performance. But it does excel at low emissions and fuel burn efficiency, so it solves the problem without breaking the bank. So while 0 to 100KPH in 6.3 seconds isn’t overly impressive, the acceleration continues even through higher speeds, bringing the ‘Liner’ to over 175MPH!

The interior is quite nice, with a premium feel and lots of gadgets. It’s a very cozy and safe place to be, and your family will appreciate that.
The Kraft-Haust EconoLiner is a great family car! It’s a large 5 seater with a good balance of everything. Being Easy to Drive, Large, Practical, Safe, and Comfortable are some of the many great things about this car. The balance is very exacting, and I really like it!

The Efficient Future Rank: 15/20 @ 1325.0 points
Summary: While the EconoLiner is very well balanced, it didn’t stand out in any particular way, which the scoring metric favored. Its large size/weight hurt its fuel efficiency, despite the engine’s efficiency.

Carskick’s Overall Subjective Score: 9.0/10
Summary: While aesthetically it wasn’t my favorite, I really liked the blend of luxury, sport, and practicality this car provided. It will do anything you ask of it quite well, and I am sure this will be a great seller!
Last edited by carskick on Thu Feb 25, 2016 12:17 pm, edited 1 time 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
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squidhead

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Post Thu Feb 25, 2016 5:51 am

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

I should've specialized, not generalized, it seems. :) Well, still, not a bad experience gain for me. :)
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asdren

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Post Thu Feb 25, 2016 11:26 am

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

Cant wait for the next reviews :-)

Btw since this is a competition about efficency, could you please always mention the power and economy figures or a small stat table?

I really would like to know what others have achieved.
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carskick

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Post Thu Feb 25, 2016 12:16 pm

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

asdren wrote:Cant wait for the next reviews :-)

Btw since this is a competition about efficency, could you please always mention the power and economy figures or a small stat table?

I really would like to know what others have achieved.


There will be a full detailed chart after all reviews are posted :D
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
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carskick

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Post Sun Feb 28, 2016 2:31 pm

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

Sorry for the delay in the reviews...

I will be doing 14th through 10th in the next few days. Then I will be out of town, and likely not to do another for about a week. When I return, we will look at the top 10 cars!

Thanks for your patience!
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
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DeusExMackia

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Post Sun Feb 28, 2016 10:05 pm

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

No worries. The level of detail you go into is fantastic, really makes them worthwhile.
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Slax

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Post Tue Mar 01, 2016 1:34 am

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

Oh dang, I was really expecting to be listed by now. Guess a huge economy V12 wasn't that bad of an idea. :D
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