C-ZETA's car reviews - C-ZETA Awards 2012 - 21/12/12

Bring on the final part!

1241Penguin

It's his opinion...

But I would like to agree with him. The GT-R has great performance and handling despite weighing nearly 4000 lbs.

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It's also just Desperado messing around with C-ZETA, don't take things so seriously.

And I wouldn't say 'handling', but rather, cornering ability. Handling is how a car 'feels', and the R35 doesn't have any 'feel' as such, just <censored to stop this becoming a typical Onboy rant on how much he loathes the R35>

Right, it's come down to the top three of the year. All of the cars here have been reviewed before, so if you've been reading my reviews closely enough, you should really know the order already...but whatever. In short, here is my Top 3 of the Game, and of the Year.


Awards this thing could win otherwise:
Classic of the Year
Looks of the Year
Lightweight Racer of the Year

You should well and truly know my love for the Giulia TZ2 now. It's a top class, superbly brilliant racer that never fails to disappoint. Quite simply, it is one of the great gems of the game, and the decision to put this in the game via the Pebble Beach Trophy was one of the best decisions by Kaz in the game.

The engine might only produce 173bhp to begin with, but this is bolstered hugely by a simply tiny 620kg weight. Even I could lift it cleanly with just my bare hands. And the handling characteristics...my god. Simply as smooth as a button, this car is hugely easy to drive whether you're on Sports Hard, Racing Hard or anything of the like. And from a lot of angles, the Zagato built chassis gives it the look of a supermodel.

Simply put, the Giulia TZ2 is a car one must try in this game. It's a special little thing in the best way, and is one brilliant little racer to drive. The only real letdown these days is the difficulty of getting one, and also the engine isn't going to make it terribly fast. But whatever. The Giulia TZ2 is a sheer relaxation to drive and I would certainly go out and get one.

Full review here.

And for the racers...


Awards this thing could win otherwise:
Tuning Car of the Year
GTP Tuner Car of the Year (AdrenaTune)
Most Improved Player (Spec I to II)

Tuning cars are brilliant little machines in this game. So many underrated cars in this game tend to be the tuners, and there are a huge variety of them around. From simple light-mods like the Spoon CR-Z, to mid-road modifications like the Nismo Fairlady Z Z-tune, to total removal of all previous soul, like this. The HKS CT230R. The best of the breed in this game.

Famous in real life for its exploits around Tsukuba, this big-powered brilliance is not the Mitsubishi Evo VII it was once known as. So much so that unlike most tuners, the name has been completely changed - pretty much the only tuner car that does otherwise from true memory is the Amuse CarbonaRa, which was also a time attacker before the CT230R, albeit one that is not as good.

The car itself though has been truly smashed up to high levels of high-ness. With the 582bhp engine it starts with, coupled with the 4WD, 1068kg weight and super-closely geared 5-speed gearbox, the acceleration on this thing will make everything else around it cry. No 4WD has a higher p/w ratio besides the road-based Tommy kaira ZZII and the clinically insane Suzuki Escudo Dirt Trial Car.

Yet the car isn't a terror to drive. Granted, it was a huge chore to get it to turn in Spec I, but even still I loved it. And with a tune-up - the AdrenaTune CT230R - it went to heights not seen since the Burj Al Arab was completed. And Spec II fixed all of the previous problems the CT230R had stock - it became a calm, easy car to drive.

Of course, one couldn't go without mentioning the sheer sound of this thing which deserves a spot in the top 5 in the game. It's a screaming bark that starts lower and calmer, then rises well and truly into a full on scream that leaves you with your ears ringing. You'll have noticed how much I like cars with a good sound, provided they don't have the Impreza badge on them anyway. But whatever. The CT230R really is the true best tuner of the game, no matter how hard any other car could try to stop it.

Review of AdrenaTune's CT230R


Awards this thing could win otherwise:
Race Car of the Year
Veteran of the Year
Handling of the Year
PD Creation of the Year

If the whole Gran Turismo series was a movie, not a game, think of what the hero would go on to drive. Would it be a Nissan 300ZX? No. Would it be an Camaro? Not even close. Would it be a Toyota Exiv? Are you mental?

It would be this. One of the few surviving racers from the original Gran Turismo. It may have undergone changes since that original appearance in the greatest of GTs, but underneath the soul, the history, all of the great racers who drove one of these to victory in the older days, is all still there. And here it is, in GT5 form, nearly 15 years later, still going as strong as a veteran. The brilliant, wonderful, Mitsubishi FTO Super Touring Car, back in this game in probably the finest form it will ever see following its huge GT4 blip, is now my favourite car in the game, and my Car of the Year. Nothing could be worthy of a prize like that when you see what it truly is.

The 444bhp engine slapped into this machine is still a truly in form car, even if the actual number isn't quite with the 541 it could manage in its first form. The car is still light, with 980kg being the mere minimum it has to get it around the track. But yes, the original was 50kg lighter at 930kg. Regardless, the stats are still high, but these aren't even half the story as to why this thing is my Car of the Year.

Let's say, the sound. The same sound byte as that from the CT230R, which if you actually bothered to read my CT230R column will know is excellent. This effectively makes the two almost identical - and if you look at the speed these two can go, you wouldn't be surprised I say so.

Of course, there are many colours to get your FTO in so painting is not as much of a worry. Provided you can find the colour you want anyway...but even so, this dark blue is one of the colours you can get. The original green and black boys are still present obviously, and are the ones I'd like to get the most. I will always have a fetish for that green speedster that has dominated my screen since the beginning of the series. Even though mine in GT1 is black.

Better still is the handling. Forget the Giulia TZ2 and CT230R you just saw here - their efforts come to nothing against this. With this, you literally have no understeer, no oversteer, no wheelspin - this car hits the very sweet spot of handling genius that is possible. This is much helped by the ever present 4WD system that has replaced the FF on the road car. Literally, it isn't possible to describe in words. You have to find one for yourself to really know how the thing handles stock.

The thing that hits me the most though...is the nostalgia. If this were awards for GT1...the FTO LM would be still be winning this award. The thing is, the original FTO LM was a brutally fast machine that was, unlike a huge majority of LMs in this game, a car that could handle. This is because it was still 4WD back then, and the only other LM that had that was the Mitsubishi GTO LM which was too heavy to do it much justice, even with a 7-speed gearbox. The del sol LM might have been more insane, the Cerbera LM faster and the Concept Car...a lot faster. But the FTO LM was the car to have if you actually wanted to make it around a lap alive. And given the physics of GT1, not only was it just grippy, but loose and very enjoyable in the game too. This FTO STC is actually a slight opposite of the FTO LM back then, as it still has very similar grip, but where as the FTO LM was moderately loose, the FTO STC sticks to the road like iron filings to a magnet. And either way, they're both enjoyable. Being able to drive a true great again in a great form is not something you should ever pass up in this game...ever.

I am quite doubtful I will be able to find anything that will eclipse this thing, sadly. Of all 1076 models possible in this game...chances are this might be the best I can find. The sheer speed of this car, coupled with the genuinely remarkable handling and ever-timeless history of it, can only make this newly reborn FTO Super Touring Car the true ultimate to have in this game. Car of the Year 2011, and quite possibly the greatest thing PD have ever made. Well...if you know what I mean.


Full review here.

All pictures and writing by C-ZETA

I knew the CT230R would land somewhere so high.

But before I leave off for this year's awards...
how about things I wanna see next year?​

The names here are pretty much the ones I wanna see in the game.

Renault Megane RenaultSport 250 Coupe '10


How did PD miss this one???

Instead of getting my absolute favourite hot hatch in the game, we instead got the previous one with the big arse...which wasn't bad at all. Just that this is the one you were aiming for...PD!

This is one of the award winning cars that has launched RenaultSport to fame as being easily the best hot hatch maker. On this note, this should also include the Renault Twingo 133 RenaultSport and the Renault Clio RenaultSport 200. Granted, the Twingo isn't actually as fast as one would believe and the Clio is a bit too dominant for its sector, but this isn't the most dominant nor is it slow in the slightest. I much prefer it to the Ford Focus RS, which is too powerful, and while the Golf GTI is still the best car at doing everything in the world, I will always prefer this. So, PD, get your hot hatch right next time, please.

Honda Weider Honda Racing HSV-010 #1 '11


Another no-brainer here. This is the Super GT champion of 2010, and did so in its first year. And knowing how affectionate PD is towards Super GT...why not, PD?

This HSV-010, when it managed to win the Super GT season in its first year in service of replacing the late and great NSX, got its way into my heart well, dethroning the previous champion, the Petronas Tom's SC430. Plus, the sound is basically super awesome too. Sounds like an F1 car rev-limited, but still kept loud. And judging by the way it did win the '10 season so delightfully, I would imagine it to be very fast among Super GTs in this game. As a note, this year's champion, the S Road MOLA GT-R, should also be put in the game, no questions asked.

Now, PD, this would be an actually relevant DLC to your personal interests. Go. And. Do. It.

BMW Z4 GT3 Hatsune Miku GoodSmile Racing #4 '11


Yet another Super GT champion, this time from this year. The GT300 class is nowhere near represented near well enough for me - the only one I really like in this game, and the only one I liked from the last, was the Nissan C-West Razo Silvia. But if more recent stuff was put in...oh my god, what a bunch they would be.

Things like the Mooncraft Shiden, Vemac 350R, Jimgainer Ferrari 458/430, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Corolla Axio and more are missing from this game, and all deserve to be in the game. This recent champion of the series is the one that most deserves a spot in this game.

Not only would it give BMW its first Premium racer in the game at long last, but I'm sure it would be one of the top of the pile GT300 racers in this game. And better still, it gives anime fans a reason to have a character in this game. Again though, giving the GT300 series a boost of cars in this game would be very much welcomed. Bring them, PD.

Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 '11


Any Race Touareg would do, but as long as something Rally Raid gets a feature in this game, that's great.

The only Rally Raid racers in the game are the old Mitsubishi Pajero, the new Mitsubishi Pajero, and a concept RSC Rally Raid racer. While WRC and Pikes Peak are probably a more popular race type these days, why can't we have something from rally raid?

This Touareg is the obvious choice. It has been one of the dominant forces in the Dakar Rally in recent years, and it should really deserve a place in the game to be honest. Plus the majority of VWs in the game already are pretty good - the Kubelwagen, Schwimmwagen and SambaBus are fun additions to the game, and the two Golfs aren't entirely slouchy. So adding this would certainly be very welcome.

Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special '11


The Suzuki Escudo has served its time well in the GT series as a car of nothing but complete insanity. Yet despite this, it has largely been outdated. It came from '98, which was modern in GT2. Not here it isn't. And now that this car here has actually broken the barrier of 10 minutes to set around Pikes Peak, in the hands of the great Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima, it can only be right to put such an unsung hero in motorsports into the game.

This SX4 would obviously be very insane to drive in the same way that the Escudo has been for the last 4 games and also, for those that chose it, the Cultus from GT2 as well. I could only imagine that such a car would be able to become a big hit among the GT community, and so there can be only one way to make them happy - by adding this. Calming them down with this stress reliever would be a brilliant decision from PD. And as an added note, Pikes Peak should be in the game too. As worthy a substitute Eiger K Trail might be, you need three laps to get a rough average for a Pikes Peak time in a car round there. Where as with Pikes Peak, you just drive up the hills and you'll know right there how well a car could do. Oh, and maybe power loss simulation please PD?

Ferrari FF '12


I would say this is one of the most promising road cars on sale today. It is a car that is an allrounder, for the rich man. It's fast, spacey, techy, 4WD and can go off-road, all in one package! It's the Ferrari FF, and I would love to see this thing coming to the game.

And imagine what everyone else would be doing to their copy of their Ferrari FF. Whether it be keeping it stock, making it into a truly screaming beast that will leave an RS6 Avant going lolwut, turning it into a beauty, making it look tasteless, giving it some body upgrades and so on...much could be done with a Ferrari FF in theory. It really is one of the most necessary road cars to put in this game. The Aventador well, I say that, but look where it is now would be good as well if EA hadn't booked it off like Porsche, the Huayra and the Sesto Elemento. But licensing is licensing, and if we can't have them, so be it. We can still have one of these, and I certainly want one for myself.

Nissan Oreca 01 Signatech-Nissan '11


Pretty much a shoo-in for the game. Lucas Ordonez's racer in the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, I fail to see how this could not be making it into the game soon.

The thing is though, the LMP2 community in this game is very under represented. This might be because of their lack of popularity around the globe against classes like LMP1, GT2 and so on, but even so, the only car that is remotely close to LMP2 speed and spec is the Furai Concept. Which needs to go to Le Mans, Mazda.

So this would be a welcome addition to the game. So what about the Nissan 370Z GT4 then that Jordan Tresson, Jann Mardenborough and Bryan Heitkotter have all taken to success for themselves? When it comes to that...I think I'll pass actually. The reason I say this is because of the Nissan 370Z Tuned Car (GT Academy Version). Look at it. On paper, it can be converted into exactly the same as the real life 370Z GT4, and it's already in the game. Plus the livery is still fitting. This though, is a must. Not just for GT's sponsoring too, but to give the LMP2 class a bit of representation in the game. Come on already, PD.

Mercedes-Benz CLR '99


The CLK-LM is already present in this game. But I think this deserves its own separate spot. Think about it...to be honest, the two are not that similar. The CLR looks more shapely and a lot better too. The CLR was roughly as fast as well at Le Mans - both of the cars did very well at Le Mans before their own retirements. Speaking of which...

I want to see every single aerodynamic inefficiency that this thing had. If something about this car exists, you put it in. And in this case...I wanna see my CLR doing this every one time in a hundred when going down a straight with a hill nearby:


Model this PD. PLEASE. If you do I will love you forever even if you kill the GT series. Because I will always be there to remember the moment that I saw this thing sloooowly rising, then taking off, leaving me spinning in mid-air and with nowhere to go. Plus, then we could all know how it felt like for Mark Webber to be spinning up in the air in his CLR back in '99, with the onboard view. And of course, last year, he was up there again in his Red Bull...if we could get the Ferrari F1s in this game to do that, while simultaneously smashing through cardboard signs, GT5 will be an ultimate game. Totally.

Porsche
No.

All writing by C-ZETA

PD!! Please, we NEED the CLR!!!!! PLEASE!! I'm BEGGING you!!!!

(sad puppydog eyes)

Aaronrray

PD!! Please, we NEED the CLR!!!!! PLEASE!! I'm BEGGING you!!!!

(sad puppydog eyes)

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And the 300 SLR-722 👍

We need, along with all those, the Aventador, the Sesto Elemento (god, I love this car) and the 612 Scaglietti.

I'd love having that BMW Z4.

merry christmas and kudos for the reviews, keep them up...unless your doing gcse or the america equivelant.💡

i think the gto stc should go premium and yea lol CLR...take cover

i started playing at gt3 when i was 5-6 and i remember the gto stc being driven (badly) by my dad, i think this legend deserves an interior...

and that CLR, on my track FLIPOW!!!

ho ho ho and a merry new day i mean happy new year

BMW Z4 GT3 Hatsune Miku GoodSmile Racing #4 '11

Yes, well, any car with this design really.

otakukid96

BMW Z4 GT3 Hatsune Miku GoodSmile Racing #4 '11

Yes, well, any car with this design really.

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I thought the Porsche livery from the previous year looked better myself. But a) It's a Porsche and b) this was a champion, and that wasn't. Oh yeah, and Taniguchi-san drove it to the championship this year. The same man who is posted immortally on that CT230R window

Hell yeah for GT300 cars like taht Z4. I'm begging for itashas in GT5 lmao.

uMadson?

Hell yeah for GT300 cars like taht Z4. I'm begging for itashas in GT5 lmao.

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Can someone translate...

Aaronrray

Can someone translate...

Click to expand...

He wants some anime thing in GT5.

Aaronrray

Can someone translate...

Click to expand...

Itashas are anime liveries for your information.

Lotus Motor Sport Elise '99​

No Elise 111Rs, Sport 190s or just Elises here; this is the fastest Elise in the game!

It's the Lotus Motor Sport Elise, and boy, what a cracker it is.

It is, technically, when stock, in fact, the fastest Lotus in the whole game. It is also the only racer they make in the game, not counting their RM versions because they weren't RM when you bought them, I know.

But speed is not just what this car manages to pull off. Oh no. This thing can do far greater things than just whizz you from A to B before you've actually set off.


Because, as a matter of fact, this Elise is a very fun car to drive. It may have just 204bhp, but it weighs a miniscule 700kg. And with a mid-engine layout, you can get plenty of sliding going on without really even lightly killing yourself.

However, in fact, it isn't really that slidey at all anyway. Because it's fitted with a set of Racing Hards to start with, it is very grippy indeed, and rather than doing a ton of sliding it is instead more a car for impressive burnouts. Although you might wanna watch your tyres with the new tyre wear...

As another added bonus, the Motor Sport Elise is actually hugely customisable despite its race car branding. In fact, pretty much all it comes with to begin with is a 5 Speed Close-Ratio Transmission and an upgraded suspension. You can even fit it with a new wing (the default one has 15 downforce on it at the rear, don't know values afterwards). In fact, you can actually give it extra weight reduction. It doesn't even have an upgraded exhaust stock...not that you'd wanna be changing it though!


The sound on the Motor Sport Elise is not one for bad hearers. It is a huge, storming buzz of a noise that if you're not prepared, will probably be a) annoying and b) bad to your ears. But when you get used to it, it becomes an almost trademark of the Motor Sport Elise. You don't wanna get rid of it - it sounds like the sound it needs to have. Just a huge buzz that can be heard from every point on the track that enhances the driving experience even more. Not only that, but in automatic the car doesn't seem to be able to contain itself and will always shift past the red line, amplifying the huge buzz of its engine to the absolute maximum and best.

Then we get onto the car's looks. Now I've said that a normal Elise looks very cutesy and all nice and lovely, and makes me feel rather warm inside. This is what happens when the Elise goes to the gym, takes some extra protein pills and works out every other day.

It looks just hugely aggressive. It reminds nearby drivers that you are driving a huge lightweight weapon that will not back down from a fight easily, not ever. Even more so if said driver has modified it, and even more so if said driver had kept the stock exhaust, transmission and neglected a new wing...the sound of the car shifting that quickly could literally scare drivers away from it. There's also a ton of colours stock for this car, and I think the dark blue you see here is best for it. Light blue is good too. However, these more aggressive looks are rather overshadowed when you remember what this thing really is.


A Series 1 Elise. The problem with looks like this on a car like this is that they do not fit what the car really is. The Series 2 Elise is obviously hugely aggressive looking to begin with. (At least if it isn't a hard top.) If these modifications were done to the looks on a Series 2, it would actually eat opponents. The Series 1 Elise does not look aggressive to begin with. Making it look aggressive like this is in reality very silly. And a stock Elise is, if anything, a bit girly. Giving an originally girly car looks like this would not make you look good online. Everyone would laugh at you in reality, with you thinking you're scaring everything away when in fact they're just laughing at your efforts to look good when you don't realise what it is under the skin for real. Which is a crying shame for this thing, because it would, to be honest, be nearly flawless without it.

But regardless, fail but not fail looks don't ruin the sheer fun, adrenaline and possible pain this thing can give. This car alone makes choosing the right Elise super hard. It is the most expensive, at 100,000 Cr., but for what you get, it is rather worth it, honestly. However, the 111R and stock Elise '96 are huge challengers against it, as is the Sport 190. I find it works like this: Elise '96 for beginners (and girls), the 111R for hugely aggressive people (like me), the Sport 190 for people who want the fastest (aka noobs) and the Motor Sport Elise for those who want an illusion of being aggressive (sadly). Such a shame that the Motor Sport Elise has to fall as such, because it is such a good car, I'm almost tempted to start collecting them. And then give them out as scams for 'getting ripped in 3 weeks'.

Final Score: 15/20

Mitsubishi Eclipse GT '95​

This might not seem like a special review to you...and you'd be right.

But even so, I wanna go ahead and review this thing. Reason being, the Eclipse was probably the only car in the Mitsubishi family tree I had never owned until I found it in the UCD. Minus the Airtrek, but while that is seriously cool, I just haven't bothered to find one.

So anyway, it's the oldest Eclipse in the game, the Eclipse GT '95. Seems perfectly normal on the face of it...but look deeper and you'll see it has significance as a car in general.

In terms of FFs, it is in the top 10 in terms of stock power for road cars. And among the general crop of FFs, it also tends to be the most powerful there as well.


In GT4 as a car, it really wasn't very brilliant. It had a quite bad habit of understeer, obviously being FF, but the Eclipse seemed to take it higher than the other FFs in the game. The Honda Integra Type R felt more planted, whilst the Eclipse GT just veered straight off the road most of the time. This could have something to do with the weight of 1330kg it has, but an Alfa Romeo GTV is heavier by almost 120kg and that drove perfectly fine in GT4.

Here, it is a lot better. Understeer is still there of course, but you don't really notice it through many corners. It also manages to hold its power very, very well down straights and its speed can keep climbing rather fast even at surprisingly high speeds. This is a good thing, and keeps it from being too dull.

In terms of looks, it isn't terrifically brilliant, if I'm honest. It just doesn't look very pretty. The wheels look a bit odd, and the shape doesn't do it for me. And manages to make the car very heavy at the same time, annoyingly.


However, among FFs, the Eclipse is one of the fastest in a straight line, certainly. Other FFs will still turn more easily, but the Eclipse's extra power will help it very much on more tracks than you may think. In addition, it also has much more torque than others from the same country, namely Hondas, although European cars do beat it in this regard.

Another slight issue with the Eclipse is, actually, its following generation. The '06 version is, in fact, even faster than the '95 with a whole lot more power - it is the most powerful road-spec FF stock - and while it is a lot heavier and actually has a lower P/W ratio, it will still generally be faster. It also looks a lot, lot better too. And the price increase is not much - the '95 is a respectable 21,420 Cr., but the '06 is 25,000 Cr. and still cheaper than an Integra, Megane or Focus. Which sort of makes the '95 a little bit pointless.

Still, as the older Eclipse, it is more original, and more of a classic as well. And with the Eclipse series now gone for good, it's good to have one in your garage somewhere. And one other thing: if I chose what 2nd gen Eclipse was in the game, it would be the GSX, not this. Same engine, but 4WD and therefore just better.

Final Score: 13/20

RKM Motorsports' Lexus LFA GT​

Inside the new GTlife #3 magazine - Pages 13-18.​

Make sure you give credit to the maker, Schwadegan for all of it. All of it. If you don't, I'm reporting you for treason. All clear?

Note: Review was written back in Spec I. Though the car hadn't really changed as of Spec II

Mazda RX-7 LM Race Car​

We have one of the original LMs in the house here...one of the original men of the famed name.

It is the RX-7 LM. And, along with the Mitsubishi FTO Super Touring Car, it is one of the only LM cars that has survived all 5 versions of Gran Turismo. Except unlike the FTO STC, which has undergone a name change since 4, this has remained an LM since Day 1 of GT's existance. Not that it hasn't gone without changes...

In 1998, this was what an RX-7 LM was:


Compare that to the picture above and you can't really say they're the same thing, can you?

Indeed, the original RX-7 LM has 588hp and weighed just 960kg. There was also a second LM version based off of the A-Spec car (nothing to do with this game's main game mode, nor GT3's subtitle or anything ) which was less powerful, heavier, a prize car, and therefore a bit pointless. But it did look prettier...

Much like the FTO LM, the RX-7 underwent a body change for GT3 but largely kept its stats from the previous game, and then like the FTO LM, was downgraded for GT4. Damn.

Still, it was fast...and it still is here.


The car has been given an extra 120kg since its original form came to light, and it's had 60hp taken away from it as well. But no matter...it is still ridiculously fast. It speeds around like nothing I've ever seen like it. As a car, it doesn't necessarily look fast, but in reality, it really is.

Another thing I love about it is the sheer variation of liveries and colours you can get it in. This one here is orange, but there's green/orange, blue, silver, yellow...and more. Two notable liveries are the white/blue #202 livery, which is actually based off of a livery the original Mazda 787 used, much like the RX-8 Concept LM has a livery based off of the winning 787B from 1992. The other is the white roof, black body #00, which looks nothing like any of the other liveries and looks infinitely cool.

Perhaps the only drawback of this car is the terrible hood view it has. The bumper view is brilliant for the car, seeing as it shows how fast the damn thing really is. The standard cockpit is one of the better ones in the game. The chase cam looks normal too, but the hood view is hilariously awful. It has a stupid angle against the car that shows some weird part of the livery that just is stupidly distracting. I wanna say people with the #00 car don't suffer from this, but I haven't driven a #00 RX-7 LM so I wouldn't know.


However, for the Mazda RX-7 LM, there is a moderate problem on the horizon. This comes in the form of the DLC Mazda RX-7 TC, and it is not a happy sight to see for the old RX-7 LM.

This is because the RX-7 TC in some ways obsoletes the RX-7 LM. Their power figures are very close to each other, at least before break in, but the RX-7 TC is lighter - a lot lighter - and is therefore supposedly faster. It is trying to return to the days of the original LM, but it is not the LM we know and love. It is merely an imposter of the RX-7 LM, trying to impersonate a name like the FTO STC does, except that is truly the LM we know and love under the skin. The TC and the LM are both separate things here, and that creates a dilemma.

But you know what? That RX-7 TC can just go and die in a fire. This RX-7 LM, to me, feels so much faster, steers so much better, and while the RX-7 TC may be Premium, it really doesn't matter. The RX-7 LM will always be the true LM, and no other car will be trying to take its title for sure.


And one last thing to say about the RX-7 LM. The sound. Obviously, as a rotary engine, it will sound good with the racing exhaust, but how good is it? Especially next to the rival it now has, the RX-7 TC. Well, I can tell you, all is well there. Despite the figures nearly being identical for the two of them, they have different sounds, and while the RX-7 TC is a huge scream that leaves you deafened (I concede the start sound is a lot better), the RX-7 LM is a lower, much calmer but still buzzy sound. I like it more, it is much more peaceful. And in a way, is peaceful enough to send you off to sleep. Zzzzz...

So then, the RX-7 LM. Glued to the road by its superb handling, built in with super speedy acceleration and with a much calmer sound than the rotary engine would have you believe, this, as an original LM, has done a brilliant job to survive nearly 15 years since its first appearance. And while the TC might be doing a good job of trying to consign this to the bin, this is still winning. And by a long way. No TCs here, I'm afraid. This is the LM I'm talking about.


Final Score: 16/20

Quickie*:
DLC Car Pack 2​

*The new title for any quick reviews. My views on the DLC Car Pack 1 cars have been put down as such in the OP.

So, we have some new DLC in the works for Christmas time and I suppose what I've got to do is go and review the new cars that have showed up as a result.​

As a reminder, the cars in the DLC pack are the Nissan GT-R Black Edition '12 (for people who actually want more of them 'because it's the 2012 version'), the Volkswagen Scirocco R '10 (for people who actually wanted something fully new), the Volkswagen Golf VI R '10 (for people who wanted the new Golf in some form, which is a good call and why it's my favourite addition) and the Mini Cooper S '11 (for no reason at all, other than having better specs and stripes on the bonnet). I will also be including the Toyota FT86-II Concept '11, the Toyota 86 GT '12 and the Gran Turismo Racing Kart 125 SPL. that are new additions to this game through Update 2.02 and don't come from the new DLC (the FT86-II comes more from the old DLC, as does the SPL kart). So, here we go:

86 GT: Boring. It is fast in a straight line, but the handling is just not interesting at all. It's fine, but boring. It should be noted that it does look good stock though, and with a bodykit it looks even better. Modification doesn't do a whole lot to it though. I recommend if you are going to buy it (at least you can sell it unlike everything else here), get it in silver. Otherwise, red or orange or even white. Darker colours don't look so right on it, but oh well. Mine came in Crystal Black Silica, but since then I have painted it silver and modified it to these specifications.

FT86-II: Very mixed. In terms of driving, it is terrible - hopeless, in fact. It isn't very fast in a straight line, and in the corners it somehow understeers - and sometimes you get a little bit of oversteer on the exits too where you simply don't want it. Also has no interior design despite being Premium (does have an interior view though). It does look good though, at the rear anyway - I painted mine silver and it looked odd in GT Auto at first, but out of GT Auto it really does have a beautiful rear end. (It's too easy to get carried away by saying such things...) Mine came in black, but I have painted it silver, although I can repaint it for anyone who does want to claim it I've only driven it online, and as a result I'm not sure if it has any changes...right, now, let's move away from the Marketplace foruming now.

GT-R: Like the FT86-II, but the problem is worse. It has quite bad understeer in corners, then oversteers quite a lot the exit of some. For a 4WD, that isn't normal, especially given how stock, its torque distribution is 30/70. And no, when I tested it, it did 0-60 in about 3.4 seconds, not 3. It gets through 1st quickly though...quite possibly the only other redemption is it is very quick at the top end. But apart from that, there is no real reason to have this truly pointless edition to the GT-R table in this game. Next please!

By the way, there is a GT-R I want in this game, that GT-R being the S Road MOLA GT-R that won the Super GT500 this year. After that, PD...please, no more!

Scirocco: Sounds like a goddamn diesel. Nooo. 👎 Also seems to have the DSG gearbox, and also has pretty good consistent top end speed. Despite what the Scirocco support thread has to believe, the handling isn't brilliant - it's alright for FF, you don't feel much understeer, but it is there. Quite a meh car, but alright for a new addition to the game. Now, please PD, Renault. Megane. RS. 250!!!

Golf: Literally completely identical to the Scirocco above but with slightly better handling (4WD, but extra weight might take away some of that advantage) and a slightly meatier sound (which still sounds like a diesel, and also is misfitting given the two engines are identical). So then...the Scirocco looks super cool and has an insane wing to fit onto the back of it, whilst the Golf looks more boring, has essentially no wing options (but it does - just it changes the colour and somehow gives it downforce ) but has a rather good looking place for the exhausts and does drive a little better...a draw perhaps? Well I called the Golf a little bit better at first...but yeah. These two have nothing to separate them apart from perhaps the extra colours you can get a Golf R in, but then you shouldn't buy one because you won't be able to sell the one you have nor the one you might have just bought. Also, 4WD does not make a difference to the acceleration at all. So, is this DLC then a big flop then really?

Mini: Well...not quite. Because this Mini, despite being the most pointless addition, actually saves it by being a great car to drive. Alas, painting it gets rid of the cool black roof and the epic stripes, and the only way to get them back is by buying another one, which isn't happening until PD lets us sell DLC cars in game. (It looks best in British Racing Green II Metallic, FYI, though mine is white from before knowing it would remove the stripes/roof). But joy of joys, it is actually a good drive. It is fast, has good handling (better than the others here anyway) and can hold its speed well. Plus it looks rather good too. And it is more powerful and lighter than the other 3 Cooper S's in this game, and it has stripes and a roof...so maybe the Cooper S does have a point after all. Except it really doesn't sadly. But it still doesn't stop it from being the Best in Pack for me. 👍

Kart: The problem with karts is that they can't really be reviewed in a normal manner since they're so specialised. This is exactly like the new, cool 125 kart with a display on the wheel, and a new engine sound, but it doesn't have a headlamp, not to mention special paint. Mine came in purple, which I've since changed to orange w/black stripes because that looks awesome. So basically, it's a 125 kart. Which is alright I guess, with it being changed from other previous karts...

So then:
Best in Pack: Mini Cooper S '11
Worst in Pack: Nissan GT-R Black Edition '12...which'll make one fan very excited
Worst Sounding in Pack: Volkswagen Scirocco R '10
Most Important in Pack: Volkswagen Golf VI R '10
Best Looking in Pack: Toyota FT86-II Concept '11
Most Boring in Pack: Toyota 86 GT '12

And that concludes my review of this DLC and the new cars in Update 2.02. Thank you for reading, good night!

Clueless Tunes' Dodge SRT4 "The Runt"​

​

FF cars don't do 600hp. But if they did...

...well, this is one here.

Meet the Dodge SRT4 "The Runt", made by Clueless Tunes' ever friendly and funny krenkme, which is a name that made me think he was Belgian at first. But regardless, as a tuner, he is a great sport, always knowing when he'll be defeated, yet still fighting brilliantly. I mean, who would actually be sane enough to enter in a Chrysler 300C into a 600PP shootout?!

But really, krenkme is in truth actually not a bad tuner. I know this because, in my ZedTunes Rally Shootout I hosted a while back, his Evo V, on snow, beat everything for the sheer thrill of driving, and I loved it. I hope he's still kept it...I'd love to drive that thing again! He also helps out very much with proceedings in the FITT organization, and supposedly, is going to be holding a 500PP pre-'75 car shootout soon. And I love cars from that time, so I'm sure I'd be going for that perhaps...

In terms of his actual tuning works, he makes many a crazy car, going by his true comic relief characterness among the tuning field. He recently tuned up a variety of cars all based around Santa's reindeer, with quite the most impossible combos for some of them - Rudolph as a Suzuki Cervo as an example - which finished up with Santa's sleigh being an Aston DB9. Err...not sure if it's as attractive, but whatever.

So anyway, now moving to reviewing one of his cars - his Dodge SRT4 "The Runt". This one, which he had on share, had red wheels for this occasion - possibly for Christmas theming (green and red 'n' all) I presume. This car is perfect for someone of krenkme's style, as it is the only FF in the whole game that can reach in excess of 600hp.


Of course, combining those two together normally would result in the driver becoming part of a death statistic without a conversion. But GT5...doesn't really do conversions. So as a result, seeing as I'm driving this, it will be completely impossible for me to emerge from a drive without resulting in a slightly enormous death for me. But krenkme, having given this SRT4 the full monty of 614bhp, 588pp, 634ft-lb of torque (which is also another insane figure) and a PWR of 1.80, has given the car modifications that hopefully mean I will be able to go around a corner without causing a light death in the process. I thought it was a very stupid idea myself at first and thought that no amount of tuning would force an SRT4 like this into control.

Well, I was wrong. Because this thing drives brilliantly.


Since it has 614bhp it obviously would be ridiculously fast normally, even if the FF drivetrain held it back but it really is a lot faster than it would truly allow you to believe. But what about the handling?

Well, it is actually not just not going to cause deaths. It is in fact, very spot on. Yes, the RS tyres do give you a remotely false illusion of speed but still it is hella good at making turns. And that's all the SRT4 really needs to be brilliant. No other parts really matter, no matter how they do affect it. Though I will say the sound is just meh with the racing exhaust, and the car also looks very good and aggressive. Though the green paint krenkme's given it doesn't do it justice. If I were tuning it, I'd have kept it yellow.


So yes, krenkme has done a very good job with this SRT4 with this tune. I haven't tried an SRT4 with the same specs but no settings, but I'm willing to bet if I had, I wouldn't be here to write this. I didn't, so this SRT4 is a big recommendation for me. 👍 to krenkme for this. Keep delivering us some big crazy things for us to try.

Final Score: 16/20

Pictures and writing by C-ZETA

Nice reviews. 👍

I disagree with your verdict on the R35 Black Edition though.

DK

I disagree with your verdict on the R35 Black Edition though.

Click to expand...

Suddenly, name change

Fair enough if you do. Have your say.

I am going to get pelted with rocks though Not even the S2000 GT1 Turbo thread will cause as much controversy

Thank you sooooooooo much for the review!!!! The colors were for the holidays and the stars and stripes seasonal. I tuned it on sport soft if you'd like to try I just put on racing soft to have FUN

Yes I still have the Evo. and I'll be happy to give it or put on share if you want to drive it again.

I can't thank you enough for the review. Thank you.

It's the GT by Citroen Race Car, the latest work of race car by PD, adding fictionality to an already remotely fictional car. I know what you might be thinking already, but we'll get to that later.

Let's start with the drawbacks first, since it would be better to get them out of the way for this first.

Firstly, the price. This costs a very ridiculous 5,600,000 Cr., which is all too much for its performance. Much like the GT Road Car then. This is compounded by it being a prize car in the Dream Car Championship in B-Spec, which isn't hard, but still, you can get better for free.


Then we come up to one of the most glaring issues of the Citroen GT series - as a whole - onboard view. In the GT Road Cars and Concepts, this is bad enough already. You have a huge steering wheel perfectly getting in your way and ruining your possible attempts to drive onboard with them. It's the same basis with this Race Car - except it actually manages to add to the problem by putting a head-up display...right on the windscreen. This creates one of the most genuinely useless onboard views of all time and you would be forgiven for switching out from it as a usual view to use one of the other three, much better views in this case. Not a good start for the Citroen GT Race Car then.

However, it does make up for it with some good performance...albeit not great performance. You get a 7-speed gearbox in this thing, much like the Road Car, but with shortened ratios obviously. It will get through 1st and 2nd with remarkable speed...then the speed sort of dies and it just goes to gaining speed. It's a bit of a disappointment, alas, but it does make it a good choice on twisty tracks.

The handling on it, as a race car is, obviously, very good. The added thing with this is that you do get very little wheelspin, which means this is one of the more controllable cars in the game all around. Why this is, we don't know, because while it does have a drivetrain, it's a secret, previously unknown drivetrain to anyone, known as "---". No one knows how it works, but apparently, it seems to work rather good on this thing...


You might have seen though, in these pictures I've posted, one certain thing about this car though.

If you look, very, very carefully around the whole thing...


..you'll notice...


...there isn't one...


...bad angle...


...on this car.

Yes. That's right. This really is a car that, despite it not being the most successful to drive ever, wins you over with some stunning and gorgeous looks not seen since...well, I do know one person actually that looks better, but that's SEEECREET!

The looks on this car are stunning. If Renault has the Megane RS250 (PDputingameplease) and Peugeot has...nothing at all- oh wait! 905 , then this is certainly the idea of Citroen's best looking car in...er...ever.

At the front, you have the the painted on badge, then the box wedges around that lead to the lights, with that big front splitter there.

On the side, you have the lovely swooping shape surrounding the all-black cockpit, with the side skirts and the silver plating swooshing down the side too.

Then at the back, you have the superb looking tail-lights, the grille, more badging, more aerodynamic art and, of course, the space station wing on the back - complete with wedge to hold it.

Everywhere you look with this thing, you see beauty. It is what makes you wanna drive the damn thing. Because, while there are cheaper, better drive alternatives that you can actually see out of, everything else will intentionally pause when they see you - just to get a look at your whole damn Citroen GT. And they'll think "Wish my car looked as good as that".

Its looks have even led to it being nicknamed the 'Batmobile' but I can't see it. Probably because the only colour that works with this thing - the only colour - is the red metallic it comes in. Any other red doesn't cut it. Orange looks too spicy, yellow doesn't look good enough, green looks just dull, black looks too dark, blue isn't right on it...in fact, anything other than the red metallic paint you can get this thing in makes it look worse. Which is why, when I bought another one of these, I bought it in this colour. And you should too. Bad luck if you didn't get it: get yourself a Chaparral 2J, some B-Spec Bobs, an online connection, do a seasonal, get 6 million, and buy one of these. You won't be able to get past it.

Final Score: 17/20

Pictures and writing by C-ZETA

I made the mistake of buying the car before winning it for free.. lucky me, Now I have 2 cars that i despise .. 👍

Good review as always C

Top Tech Tuners Super Smashing Shootout
Number 2​

Previously...on Top Tech Tuners Super Smashing Shootout...

A car with a PS3 in it...

...a car with a too high price tag...

...a car that doesn't drift...

...and a car that owns all.

But now, we have four new challengers stepping up to the plate:

another Skyline...

...something German...

...something American...

...and something that isn't either of those.

Who could they be?​

Mine's:

Well...it's quite quick. Sure you can't argue with that. 602bhp makes it more powerful that the HKS CT230R and makes it the second most powerful tuner in the game, only behind...itself, only in N1 '00 Standard format. That's not as good.

602bhp is almost dangerous in this thing. Except it has 4WD, so it isn't. Granted, it is a heavy car, but it's not exactly a slow car is it? And, because it has 4WD, it's also got good handling.

The price isn't high too. Most tuners give off exceptional performance for exceptional value, and this isn't much different. 200,000 Cr. for something like this is not a lot. And you can get it in a slightly more variable configuration than the old N1, with colours such as white, white, blue, black and...jade, apparently. It's good. 👍

I would want it to be wilder though. I want a bigger wing, a more racy look, an engine that will get me from 0 to 60 in negative seconds, and the ability to actually slide. The Mine's has none of those things, and so, it's more of a Skyline with the fast forward button pressed. Still quick though, and a good car to drive.


HPA:

Well it's a...suitable substitute to the TT RS, I guess. While it comes in only orange at first, and it is very, very, over orange, you can paint it, which is a good thing. In fact, putting it in white is actually pretty cool and refreshing, like a Coors Light beer. (It even looks alright in a non-chrome gold, too.)

There are a few problems though with the HPA. While it is remarkably fast from a standing start, thanks to 4WD (again), and can charge up to remotely aircraft-style speeds, when you get to a corner, there is a technical explanation ahead of you.

Back in Spec I, when DLC didn't exist, Standards didn't have onboard views...sort of and the physics hadn't changed (they haven't changed that much really ), one car that had a case of rather bad understeer was my near-all-time favourite, the HKS CT230R. Without a tune, you would probably be better off if you tried to take corners on a bear. Fortunately, Spec II cured this horrible problem, saving the CT230R's life in the process.

Unfortunately, the CT230R appears to have had a bit of light messing around with this HPA and transmitted the virus it got to the TT. Because it simply Does. Not. Turn Anymore. Last time I tried it prior to this run, in Spec I, I was online at the Nurburgring and it was a brilliant thing to drive. Yes, I was on RS, but then a CT230R handled as badly as this does now on RS as well without an AdrenaTune...uh, tune.

It really is a crying shame for this thing, because without the understeer it now gets, it would be a great, fast car to drive. Seems like if you want one of these, you're gonna have to go back to Spec I...or get a tune for it. Is this the new way of the HPA?


Art Morrison:

Yes, here it is, sliding into the action with huge prowess! Eeeeeeexcept it isn't really sliding properly. What I've actually done is hit the handbrake on this thing because...uh...it can't slide properly.

This is good if you look at the Corvette without its history - it makes it rather grippy and OK to handle. But because it's a Corvette, it's rubbish without sliding.

But whatever. This car is good without the Corvette badge. It is very powerful, and, like its nearest challenger, the Grand Touring Garage Mustang, very heavy. The car doesn't live up to its stats (I nearly beat an AI one in a Giulia TZ2, for christ's sake) but it is still not bad.

The looks are probably the best thing really about this car, but really they're more mixed than cookie dough. The front end is much what you'd expect it to be when driving it: hopeless. The lights look OK, the grille does too, but for god's sake, why are those arch things extended? It doesn't look good. The bonnet would be OK without them...the rest of the car looks good though. The side looks pretty sweet, the rear end () looks stylish too and the interior looks red. But good. Especially given the cool steering wheel with its rev-o-meter up the top and the railbars on the back. And, of course, it is topless.

So then, this Corvette is a sort of good, but sort of not, car that can do jobs nicely. It has good looks, a good badge, an alright driving feel and...that's it. Still a good car, regardless. Oh, did I forget to mention it's 725,000 Cr.?


Amuse/Nismo/SuperLeggera! :

The least powerful of the four cars here. And by an enormous margin. Still, power shouldn't matter that much, seeing as it is a SuperLeggera!

Except it isn't. 1120kg might well be reasonably light, but it isn't really that SuperLeggera.

Still, it is a moderately...well, relaxing car actually. Unlike that other buggery idiotic stupid sickening terrible disgusting challenge pissing motherf:censored: Amuse known as the S2000 GT1 Turbo.

Right, enough of that. Back to the 380ARS. Catchy nickname.

So yeah, the car might feel a bit more relaxing than your average super tuner car designed to create a million horsepower at once and suck half the world into its exhausts in 15 seconds, but still...you could do worse.

It's also worth noting that because this is a SuperLeggera it also looks extremely sexy. The top part, ie the roof, doesn't look great, but below that you've got a world of adventure. A slick hood, lots of aero kit and a fattened arse, complete with wing for extension, makes the 380RS look like one good car.

What surprises me though is the fact you can actually get this thing into tail-slides without using the handbrake. This actually makes the car fun to drive as well as relaxing, and also shows the Corvette a couple of fingers too for its inability to act as such. So it's good to drive, has good looks and is also pretty cheap too. It could be sped up a little, and I won't recommend modification, 'cause that's just unnatural, and it only ever looks good in that white you see it in here. But for sheer beginner's learning, it's almost impossible to do much better if you're looking for tuners. The only thing that comes close is a Spoon CR-Z. And that's not fast. Just easy. This is fast-ish and easy, yet slidey. Good. 👍


So then, which of these four fabled tuners will take the win in my second Top Tech Tuners Super Smashing Shootout?

The Mine's?

The HPA?

The Corvette?

Or the 380RS?

Well I give the win to...none of them. They're all rubbish.

...In comparison to other tuners, anyway. Haha! Got you there for a second, didn't I?

In truth though, all of the cars have faults that do kind of show a little. The Mine's is hugely fast, hugely good to drive and, if you know the art, probably a hugely good drifter in the end as well. But, as a car at this level, it does not look good enough. Compare it to the CT230R and while that has huge bodykits, masses of vinyls all over it and a huge presence, the Mine's has none of these things. It's just a Skyline with Mine's written on the side of it. And that's not good enough.

The HPA, well, we have all sorts of problems there. It is fast off the line, yes, but when you're done from there...it isn't. Understeer is a catastrophic problem in this now, and it also doesn't help that is costs a staggering 640,000 Cr., something I haven't mentioned until now. It does give Canada some representation in the game, but not much else. Sad.

The Vette has a similar problem, really. It doesn't drive like a Vette, it's too expensive for a Vette, and in terms of tuner cars, it isn't fast enough. Shame, because it is a decent car otherwise. But I can't see much hope for it, I'm afraid.

The 380RS is excellent, mostly. It has great looks, a good drive and a slidey one too. And a rather cheap price too. But it isn't fast enough. And modifying it is like modifying the Eiffel Tower's looks - it just doesn't work. So it isn't particularly point...ful either. And despite the name, it is not very SuperLeggera. It needs to be at least 799kg for that to work.

So I'm afraid we can only come to one conclusion: the winner of the Top Tech Tuners Super Smashing Shootout Number 2 is something that wasn't even in it to begin with: the HKS CT230R, again. The only tuner without any fine faults.

Sorry.

Pictures and writing by C-ZETA

But...should I give these guys scores? Yes, yes, I should. It would be unfair to leave them without one.

Mine's: 15/20
HPA: 6/20
Vette: 10/20
380RS: 15/20

And now, for real, Pictures and writing by C-ZETA.

Mad FinnTuners Co.&#8482;'s Pagani Zonda CRS'02​

This was a bad decision. Because, while companies like RKM, Praiano and...nothing else now, come to think of it, have come to light, in GT4, where events were a very common sight, understeer was a very common sight and stupid AI was a very common sight, MFT were the ones who came out on top in the GT4 tuning age. Except I didn't really review much they did there...either. (Partially because I only ever really saw them soon after I joined, and judging by my posts back then, I wasn't completely sane ) But now, with the release of GT5...which was a year ago, I now have one of their two very axe-wielding tuners, Leonidae (@MFT) in contact (thanks, chat room! ) and I have managed to get the keys to his sweet Pagani Zonda CRS tune. Where he necessarily got the name from, I don't know, unless he's following the Pagani Random Name Scheme That Keeps This car Alive Thing.

But whatever, enough of introducing MFT to you and time to introduce you to what they can do. What it is...is quite a lot.

This thing is fuuun.


Yeah, that's it. Really, that's all there is too it. No, really. Nah, I'm kidding. There is more to talk about.

This thing has so much power it could choke someone. And what it also means is, of course, very fast acceleration. It's an 850bhp powerplant that's more powerful than almost any Zonda around (only a Zonda R gets that much when fully modded). And while it isn't what you'd call completely light, it does have a lot of torque. 1000 newton-meters of it.

This is because it is an AMG engine, and they are crazy.


However, don't think because it's electronically made by the Germans it's gonna go and drive like it's glued to the surface. Because this thing slides so much that the average pot of jelly would be completely ousted. And if you were to drive this thing in real life, I bet you would be too.

This constant ability to slide for infinite periods of time makes this a very good car to try and try out. Especially on a track like this Autumn Ring Reverse, which is twisty, it is, unbelievably, even more fun. But yet despite all this slide and dance routine going on, it is all very controllable. This is probably because it is on Racing Soft Tyres, but if it slides on those anyway I'm not complaining.

It is based on the ultimate, ultimate roadgoing Zonda in this game, the C12S 7.3, and as a result, you should not think this is cheap. To buy one of these stock, you will need a million pounds. That is a lot. However, once you've given it this complete tune-up, it's worth every penny you put into it. But keep it Silver, trust me. And I would love to see a C12 tune one of these days with the stock exhaust, but this is still brilliant. I recommend. 👍

Final Score: 16/20

Pictures and writing by C-ZETA

I see you located a '95 Eclipse then