Beater or Sleeper? GT6 Car of the Week Thread

[McClarenDesign]

Apparently, they caught Brad and arrested him for grand theft auto. About time.

You know it's fiction because:
1. I don't get caught.
2. I'm never that polite.

And btw, is misrepresenting me (for a second time, no less) AND telling me to F myself really the best path towards selecting the next car?

I'm glad you aren't paying for that college. I guess it's easy to write fantasy while avoiding competition on the track, but if you ever get your lady-parts fixed I'll happily provide you with yet another example of what my tail lights look like.

Now run along, little one, it's well past your bedtime.

View attachment 542601 View attachment 542602 Hey @McClarenDesign , what's up with these numbers? My Aqua has the same PP as the restrictions, but way less power. Did you accidentally put more power than you meant to?

98 is the minimum available in the regulations, it simply does not go as low as the car actually is. Nothing I can do about it, which I guess says a little something about the car.

 

[Obelisk]

You know it's fiction because:
1. I don't get caught.
2. I'm never that polite.

And btw, is misrepresenting me (for a second time, no less) AND telling me to F myself really the best path towards selecting the next car?

I'm glad you aren't paying for that college. I guess it's easy to write fantasy while avoiding competition on the track, but if you ever get your lady-parts fixed I'll happily provide you with yet another example of what my tail lights look like.

Now run along, little one, it's well past your bedtime.

1. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

2. Which is why I depict you as polite.

3. I rekt you the last time we had a race together in the Bellet warm-up runs. I think you were one position down on me.

4. Again, work of fiction I don't need to mention the small junk rule?

5. These lady guy parts are helping me lose weight and earn a brand new hatchback in a month's time.

6. I probably go to bed later than you do. Get yourself a cup of coffee or take a nap, because you're starting to sound like my grumpy old grandfather (God bless his soul).

Good banter lol

Edit: All of this was of no ill will. You guys are a fun lot to be around.

 

[Nismonath5]

98 is the minimum available in the regulations, it simply does not go as low as the car actually is. Nothing I can do about it, which I guess says a little something about the car.

Ahh, I see. Poor Toyota, can afford to put gutless cars like this in the game, but still can't afford to make the RZ Supra, Altezza, Soarer or AE86 premium...

 

[McClarenDesign]

Ask vic and baron, I don't sleep.

 

[Nismonath5]

I'm just hoping noone feels evil and decides to pick Sierra during the live races... If they do we'll be there all night!

 

[VXR]

Ahh, I see. Poor Toyota, can afford to put gutless cars like this in the game, but still can't afford to make the RZ Supra, Altezza, Soarer or AE86 premium...

I think this spoke of malaise era Toyota rather than any other influence. They were so off sports cars a few years ago that their licensing department had lost the plot.

 

[Baron Blitz Red]

I wonder who the evil twin is...

Ahhh, the C2... quite possibly the most iconic car ever to come out of America. Yes, that word has been used in other's reviews of the car, but it's true. Especially this version, the split window. And when comparing the 2 versions, split also comes to my mind in another phrase... as in split personality.

In my mind, the road car is controllable... whereas the race car isn't. Sure both can tuned to perform better, but here at COTW headquarters, that's not what we do. Now, I'm not the best at Laguna Seca... but last week I had no problem imitating Jack's shadow. Depending on where the sun was, dictated how close I was.

Hopping into the Z06 however, is like witnessing a mass-murder... of tires and control. The race car is like shooting a blunderbuss. Aim, close your eyes, and hope you made the shot count. If you miss, you're the one that's going to die. In it's stock form, the Z06 is famous... but so is Charles Manson. Deadly, but only with somebody's help. It gets a Beater status from me.

Even though the normal C2 didn't kill that little pin that stops the tach needle like almost every muscle car does, it does have enough things going against it to warrant a Neutral status in my mind. Out of the two, I'd gladly give it another chance, whereas the Z06 goes straight to the stockyard. Yes I'm glad I tried it, but I've decided I'm not into S&M.

Cheers

 

[McClarenDesign]

​

 

[Nismonath5]

Well, I was right about Murray Walker's commentary being unable to make the races interesting...

I arrived to the lobby late. The Aqua had run out of bloody charge AGAIN, so I had to wait a couple hours for it to recharge at the vegan supermarket carpark. (Aka I wasn't home from high school yet, I got home and came on immediately)

I was actually doing pretty well at High Speed Ring, until my dad called me. It was hard trying to answer a phone, put it on speakerphone, and talk to him, all the while trying to fend off the likes of Baron, Vic and McD, though my rather major distraction meant I hardly noticed them get by, let alone put up a fight.

The Aqua is terrible. It is in no way, shape or form a race car. Or even a sports car. Or even a road car that could be modified into a half decent car. The acceleration is sluggish at best, the boost is pretty good, but too short. It's further hindered by CM tyres, but then we all know the good tyres are reserved for the higher spec cars...
Lewis even made the Prius look attractive at HSR by whooping all our asses in it!!! I can tell it's only purpose in the game is to be there for you when you're just starting the game, credits are pretty low, and you basically have no better choice.

Verdict: Beater.👎👎👎 Was it really gonna be anything else? I'm keeping the car for Saturday's meetup, then bye bye Aqua!!!
Now, to pull out EVILEVO and make some clouds, something the Aqua could only dream of doing...

 

[McClarenDesign]

I found it to be more fun, enjoyable and educational than a few other cars we've driven. The PT Cruiser, for instance. The Challenger is another example.

I've also learned a few things that will carry over into future events, regardless of what car it features. It may be a beater, but it's one that rewards instead of punishes.

A solid 4 outta 5 if you know where to look and what to look for.

 

[Obelisk]

I found it to be more fun, enjoyable and educational than a few other cars we've driven. The PT Cruiser, for instance. The Challenger is another example.

I've also learned a few things that will carry over into future events, regardless of what car it features. It may be a beater, but it's one that rewards instead of punishes.

A solid 4 outta 5 if you know where to look and what to look for.

How is a hybrid beater educational?

 

[McClarenDesign]

How is a hybrid beater educational?

You'll have to do your own work.

 

[Baron Blitz Red]

How is a hybrid beater educational?

Because @McClarenDesign , @Vic Reign93 , @Lewis_Hamilton_ and others figured out what I couldn't... how to keep the boost going for the entire race versus only a couple laps. Another thing is that it kept momentum exceptionally well due to its handling, which was rather surprising to be honest.

I'll have to figure this car's secrets out before getting smoked AGAIN on Saturday. Wish me luck, cause I'm mystified.

Cheers

 

[Nismonath5]

I never did get to give the PT Cruiser a solid chance. Damn internet...
And which Challenger, @McClarenDesign? Old or new?

 

[Racer283]

Because @McClarenDesign , @Vic Reign93 , @Lewis_Hamilton_ and others figured out what I couldn't... how to keep the boost going for the entire race versus only a couple laps. Another thing is that it kept momentum exceptionally well due to its handling, which was rather surprising to be honest.

I'll have to figure this car's secrets out before getting smoked AGAIN on Saturday. Wish me luck, cause I'm mystified.

Cheers

Yeah I couldn't figure out how to keep the boost going either. I would run out by the fourth and fifth lap of the races. To me the only good hybrid from Toyota is the TS030 but thats in its league of its own. I just couldn't get into the Aqua S as some of the other cars we have driven so far. I am giving it a beater status.

 

[Nismonath5]

So, how DO you keep the boost going? My guess is you hold down the nitrous button? It sucks because I was just on GT6, but now that I'm finished up for tonight, I won't be able to experiment with it until tomorrow

Another thing I want to do to the Aqua is replace the CVT transmission with a proper gearbox and see the difference. If it's possible of course..

 

[Vic Reign93]

It's simple in retrospect, as the batteries in the Aqua and the majority of hybrids are recharged when braking and coasting.

If you watch a replay of either me Lewis at Ascari, you'll notice we sometimes come off the throttle and coast for a short distance and then hit the brakes for the turn.

Done properly, you can get more distance out of the charge, but make no mistake, it WILL run out on a long enough race.

Now when the charge is gone, you'll notice the arrow that shows the battery is discharging won't show up and only the green arrow that's showing the batteries being recharged will show up.

But here's the kicker, you have to build up enough of a charge in the battery packs for the system to activate again which you'll know when the red arrow shows up again.

Now the real fun comes in the art of balancing race pace with coasting to recharge the batteries, do you let off the throttle early and coast into the braking zone which'll charge the batteries, but also lose ground on anyone who's going full throttle where you weren't?

Now some hybrids deploy their electric power differently, the Toyota TSO30 recharges very quickly under braking, but also very quickly discharges it coming out of the turn and that's all done without player input.

Now some VGT's discharge the batteries like normal, but can be discharged quicker for more power by the player hitting the Boost button, notably examples are the Nissan GTR 2020 and the Tomahawks.

Other VGTs have hybrid systems, but I'm not sure if they are automatic or can be activated by the player.

Best test to find out is head to Fuji Speedway in free run and race down the front straight without holding the boost button and note the speed you hit before braking into the first turn, repeat the run whilst holding down the boost button.

If there's a very noticeable difference ( like 10mph+ faster) on the second run, then you have your answer. 👍

 

[Nismonath5]

Best test to find out is head to Fuji Speedway in free run and race down the front straight without holding the boost button and note the speed you hit before braking into the first turn, repeat the run whilst holding down the boost button.

Guess what I'll be doing tomorrow... alongside trying it with a proper gearbox, I'm super eager to try that out if the game allows me to do that.

 

[pretend racer]

Hey, I had a go driving the aqua because I was excited to actually have free time during the cotw race on tues - I'm not free at all on sat but the odd tues. I can make.

Well after about two laps I gave up. I'm not a fan of FF in the first place, but it's also underpowered and since it was a long track it was boring waiting to get the next turn. If it was a small tight track I might have stuck with it cause it handles ok.
Don't know if my vote counts or not but the aqua is a beater.

 

[Cowboy]

The Aqua. Let's start with the name. I know this is the Prius C in America but really? There isn't much to say for the performance. EV drivetrain that gets annoying, and just no fun intended whatsoever. Simply a beater 👎

 

[Nismonath5]

Hey, I had a go driving the aqua because I was excited to actually have free time during the cotw race on tues - I'm not free at all on sat but the odd tues. I can make.

Well after about two laps I gave up. I'm not a fan of FF in the first place, but it's also underpowered and since it was a long track it was boring waiting to get the next turn. If it was a small tight track I might have stuck with it cause it handles ok.
Don't know if my vote counts or not but the aqua is a beater.

We had to run Circuit de la Sierra on Tuesday! So if you think you were bored to death, think again..
Btw lesson learned!

 

[pretend racer]

Wow, so you guys are into S&M eh? I made the right choice not to get your guy's way, I probably would have ended up rage quitting lol!

 

[Lewis_Hamilton_]

The Aqua. Let's start with the name.

Aqua sounds like a car that Barbie would drive, which is ironic when the Barbie song was done by Aqua, which there isn't nearly enough of in this thread.

I demand that microphones should be allowed on Saturday with their album put on repeat for the duration of the races.

 

[Nismonath5]

Aqua sounds like a car that Barbie would drive, which is ironic when the Barbie song was done by Aqua, which there isn't nearly enough of in this thread.

I demand that microphones should be allowed on Saturday with their album put on repeat for the duration of the races.

And all of McClaren's vids of the races should have the song playing in the background too...

 

[RacingOtaku86]

Come on Barbie, let's go party.

 

[Vic Reign93]

In fairness, saying that driving the Aqua around Sierra is like S&M is like stepping on a rake and having the handle smack you in the face.

It can be painful, but as you'll say to yourself when you see someone else step on a rake which just happens to have a live grenade taped to its handle,

'It could easily be much worse.'

We've driven slower cars around Sierra and also very unstable cars there as well.

Anyhow, Time to address something from Tuesday's racing, Lewis brought out the Prius for HSR and ran away from the group.

Obviously the Prius has more power, but after searching the web for specs, I found that despite the Aqua having 72hp from the engine and a 60hp electric motor, it only makes a maximum of 99hp combined where as the Prius makes just under that on the engine alone and with the electric motor it makes 134hp combined.

Now this is where things get interesting, considering that the electric power isn't factored into the in game specs, the fully tuned Prius makes 173hp and weighs 1105kg.

By comparison, the Aqua pulls a rabbit out its hat as it makes a Scion FR-S beating 208hp in a 903kg fully built.

Going by the numbers, the Aqua should walk the Prius, but then another curveball or two is thrown into the mix.

The Prius's PP is just over 380 and the Aqua's is 372 which would be enough by itself to raise a few eyebrows, but then I took them both to Madrid fully tuned and both running Sports Softs and here's the result.

Pretty much no difference in the times and I felt the Prius was easier to drive as the Aqua understeered more.

Is it possibly related to the real life tyre widths of both cars with the Aquas 165 section tyres all round compared to the 195 section tyres all round on the Prius?

But like M Night Shyamalan's movies, the twists keep on coming.

At SSRX, the Aqua got to the 10000M board in 2:27 going over 170mph on the downhill, whereas the Prius got there in 2:35 with a peak speed in the mid to high 150's.

So trying to sum up all this, the Aqua is cheaper, lighter, more powerful when both are fully tuned, faster in the straights, but is more prone to understeer on tighter tracks.

And the Prius is more expensive, heavier, more powerful when both are fully stock and is more easy to drive fast on the tighter tracks.

Does that make the Aqua a beater? compared to the Prius it is one because it was designed to be a cheaper, smaller and more city focused Hybrid than the Prius and was never going to beat it in speed.

But if you need a small hybrid to dominate the hybrid city car speed runs in tuned form, it's a Sleeper.

So 🤬 it, it's Neutral.

 

[Draggon]

I did a lot of coasting and braking at Sierra Tuesday, and got a good run on Vic towards the end of the lap. I blew the last few turns, but the point is that this coasting and braking really works. I closed in like the car had another 30 or so hp on tap. Keeping up momentum through the turns is of particular importance in this thing too.

 

[JackRyanWMU]

I was trying to do something similar to what Vic was describing with hard braking as well as coasting into corners and around the long sweepers, but I don't think I ever got the knack of it. Maybe it was the close racing around me that dictated to my mind that I needed to keep going harder to match the pace only to fall off in the long run.

However, thanks to me the Prius wasn't the only measuring stick we had for the Aqua on the long straights and high banking of the (in relative terms) High Speed Ring, but I'll save that for my review proper.

 

[Nismonath5]

This may be a little off topic, but what was the Prius Touring car like to drive? I saw you guys reviewed it one week, not long before I joined, so was it a beater or sleeper, and why?

I guess playing around with a hybrid this week has made me ponder, what good hybrids are there? I like the CR-Z touring car, that's quite fun to drive. The TS030 is undeniably the king of them all. If the Prius TC is worth it I'll add it to my garage too.

 

[Lewis_Hamilton_]

No Saturday races happening then? All I see is Vic online.