Beater or Sleeper? GT6 Car of the Week Thread

I stole this week's Car of the Week to debunk some myths about the greatest car design of all time, then ended up debunking my mythconceptions...

So instead of the greatest car design of all time, you get the most dangerous threat currently on our roads. You're welcome.

Congratulations McClarenDesign!

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It's the 2012 Tesla Model S Signature Performance!!!!

And what better way to test the overgrown RC car than on an overgrown RC track? This week's "Playing With TTs!" is up and ready!

 
You've been rather silent as of late, @McClarenDesign... Were you just trying to survive the high life with the high Tesla? This silence is rather unsettling, at least for me it is...

Either way, it's the Model S. Not the best-performing model, not the most advanced model, basically another Tesla which is too old to be interesting in GT's long run. And from the little I drove of it, I can see why...

Hey Elton, where is the Vision GT project? At least we could've asserted whether or not your brand can manage to get Vector W8 performance with half the dead tree count...
 
Great pick this week for me personally, as the Model S is one of my personal favourite cars IRL, and because Tesla is my favourite automotive manufacturer.

Although there are many haters of the Model S, and of Tesla in general (as with most things which threaten the accepted methods) I personally strongly consider it to be, purely from a spec-for-buck point of view - one of, if not the best daily drivers ever made.

No, it's not the fastest EV (Rimac Bears that title, and is another dream car of mine), it's not necessarily the prettiest (the Aston Rapide is a far sexier limo) and it certainly isn't the cheapest. But what you do get more than makes up for any of those things. In the case of the P85 or P90 D models, you are buying into a vehicle which offers two trunks, seven seats, the most elegant and (probably) largest touch screen display in its class, crash test results that put Volvo's to shame, literally more power than a Pagani Zonda R, the launch of a Lamborghini Aventador, the top end speed of the also EV-powered Mercedes SLS Electric Drive (surprise surprise - also one of my favourites) and all for the price of a high end AMG.

Unfortunately though, we don't have the 'D' models on GT as yet, and so we have to make do with the Signature Performance model. A 'bad' car it certainly isn't, and due to the fact that the EV cars on GranTurismo retain the same top speed regardless of their power limiter, it can be built to be a stunningly effective low-PP racer (I.e. 400-450). Being capable of around 135 mph at that level is more of an advantage than you would expect, especially against AI opponents in seasonal events (which I almost always use it for).

Overall, it won't worry anything above 450PP for very long, but due to its EV powertrain, it is almost always considered to be a non-threat on GT6, and as such, I would personally most definitely classify it as somewhat niched, but nonetheless - a sleeper.
 
(Question that came to me while driving the Model S around GT Arena last night)
On an electric car... is it still considered the gas pedal? :lol:

Shower thoughts aside, the instant electric torque, RR drivetrain and tight circuit for this week's TT means only one thing... lots of tyre smoke! Mind you, the Model S is a pretty good drifter, as I found out back when I had Touring Car Lovers.. :dopey:
 
And depressing the pedal also increases the amount of gas coming out of Brad's behind.
0 emissions? Don't believe the hype, lol.



As for my silence, I've been working on a guest blog for Sauber F1, plus I've been approved to be a contributor/leader (moderator/admin?) for Drive Tribe. It's been an extremely busy month and looks like the rest of the year will only get busier. I should be on tonight, though.
 
You know, it's rather funny that Elton Musk still believes that the Model S needs more power. It can blitz Mclaren F1s as if they were standing still, but ah screw it, let's make it almost as quick as a TheFerrari just in case...

By the time he gets to the P1000Z, Tesla will market it like this; "Quicker than a Bugatti, and you won't be accused of cheating the emissions system. The new Tesla Model S P1000Z... A clean way to kick conventions to the kerb."

As for my silence, I've been working on a guest blog for Sauber F1, plus I've been approved to be a contributor/leader (moderator/admin?) for Drive Tribe. It's been an extremely busy month and looks like the rest of the year will only get busier. I should be on tonight, though.

Pardon my blunt lack of knowledge, but what's this Drive Tribe you speak of, Mr. Blogger? I am not quite up to speed on all the major and minor car blogs and/or forums which linger around the 25-year old (happy birthday!) Internet... Also, show us that Sauber F1 article, so that we can amply mock your writing and knowlege we can see what your texts look like when you blog about Sauber.
 
You know, it's rather funny that Elton Musk still believes that the Model S needs more power. It can blitz Mclaren F1s as if they were standing still, but ah screw it, let's make it almost as quick as a TheFerrari just in case...

By the time he gets to the P1000Z, Tesla will market it like this; "Quicker than a Bugatti, and you won't be accused of cheating the emissions system. The new Tesla Model S P1000Z... A clean way to kick conventions to the kerb."

I think its a silcon valley type of mental illness he suffers from. The Tesla is built down the street from me. I know how "different" it is in my town. Bigger-better-faster-more!
 
I think its a silcon valley type of mental illness he suffers from. The Tesla is built down the street from me. I know how "different" it is in my town. Bigger-better-faster-more!

Well the Tesla can be quite the role model for those who massage their property you-know-what, so I can imagine having more power being used as a fantastic ego-showcasing gimmick at fancy bars and restaurants that the owners might attend...

At least that's one thing Tesla owners can do, which is more than what can be said about, I dunno, Prius owners. :sly: :lol:
 
Pictures from Tuesday night's action!

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Well, from the two races I managed to attend, anyways. My internet kept booting me out juuusst before a race, and as a result I missed out most of the action. :banghead:
Thanks to @Draggon @Vic Reign93 and @RobboGTAddict for sticking around and giving me another race, 'preciate it! 👍
The Tesla, well it's certainly a technical innovation. Instant torque and the pace to worry even the supercars of the world, it's certainly a force to be reckoned with! It dances around the circuit with amazing agility, given the somewhat tank-like 2018kgs (And we complained the Maserati was too heavy!)

Hopefully we get a good turnout on Saturday, I'm itching for some good fast racing, been a long week! Thankfully I have the next four days off... :sly:
 
Sorry I couldn't make it tonight. I couldn't find the disc which typically stays in the PS3 as I'm usually the only one who plays it but I guess my brother and a friend moved it. At first I though my brother had taken it with him to college but after a while I found it with the rest of the PS3 games we have. Hopping to join you guys next week.
 
TBH, someone has to post the server ID here, I want to race with you guys!! :(
The club ID is 1059539, and to join in add McClaren or me on PSN (McD typically hosts Tuesday nights, I typically host Saturday nights) and we'll invite you to the lobby on the night! :)
 
Question!

Can i play with the TT´s too? :sly::D I still have no internet :grumpy: but i would like to participate in the TT´s :indiff: I guess it´s not possible offline right?

Cheers

It might be possible to try an offline arcade mode version if the week's track was available to you and not a custom user made track... which we sometimes use. I would ask for a pic of said screen shot showing the time and car used, that way it would show proof (in a way) of said time. In arcade mode time trials, it shows the lap records for that track, the car used and the date the record was set.

The above is just an opinion, and unofficial as I'm not the MC... Master of Ceremony for COTW. That would be Mc... aka @McClarenDesign and I'm sure he might provide an opinion one way or another. I might be chatting with him later on tonight, so if he hasn't seen this by then, I'll be sure to mention it.

Cheers
 
Offline and online physics are different, with offline physics providing the faster times.
Wasn't it the opposite? Well anyway that was the point i was refing to and why i ask. Sucks for me and y'all but sadly i have no other opportunity at the moment... :(
It might be possible to try an offline arcade mode version if the week's track was available to you and not a custom user made track... which we sometimes use. I would ask for a pic of said screen shot showing the time and car used, that way it would show proof (in a way) of said time. In arcade mode time trials, it shows the lap records for that track, the car used and the date the record was set.

The above is just an opinion, and unofficial as I'm not the MC... Master of Ceremony for COTW. That would be Mc... aka @McClarenDesign and I'm sure he might provide an opinion one way or another. I might be chatting with him later on tonight, so if he hasn't seen this by then, I'll be sure to mention it.

Cheers
That would be great! Appreciate it! :cheers:
 
Nismo's COTW Reviews!!!
Episode 31: 2012 Tesla Model S


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"Zero Emissions".... Unless you have no TCS!

Oooh, goody! A Tesla! The manufacturer that now boasts the pace to outdo even the ultimate hypercars! My girlfriend and her family love Teslas, mainly for their technical innovation and rapid acceleration. She even got a ride in the first Tesla in New Zealand this week, so from her raving I had pretty high hopes for the Model S...

I only got a couple of races in on Tuesday, and I pretty much wasted them sliding around with Vic. Still, his amazing reverse entry at Madrid...

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Back it in!

...and aggressive Corkscrew slide...

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Two storey drop... sideways!

...were truley sights to behold!
Anyways, I was a tad more serious on Saturday. I wanted to really give the Tesla a solid run, maybe a longer race to mix things up...

For starters, Vic and I were the only ones in the lobby. So we duelled at Apricot Hill. My Tesla however, was a lot slower than Vic's, I had trouble keeping in on the track, and generally fell off the pace like a newb. It's RR and over 2 tonnes, neither of these facts helping me exactly.

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This wasn't a great start to my night...

All night I just couldn't get to grips with the Model S. I was always either getting caught easy as, or embarrassingly far behind. :mad: And I couldn't blame it on not having an oil change, because it's a EV. I seemed to be the only one experiencing these problems, as Baron, Vic, Ash and the rest of the lobby seemed to have no real issues with it. (Or if they did, they were far less obvious than mine!) Straight line performance was fine, but as soon as I hit a corner... Off the track, bye bye everyone!!!

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This wasn't a great middle to my night...

The only times I got decent results were when I finally ditched my stupid Tesla and went back to good old ICE's! (Internal Combustion Engines) I found a Honda S2000 LM Race Car that had the exact same PP as the Tesla, and duelled with Vic again at Laguna Seca..
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Ha-haaa, you're not gonna shake me this time!

Less power, but substantially less weight meant I was right on top of him the whole way. Didn't get past him, but I didn't fall away either. Which leads me to my next problem with the Tesla. After driving it, the game switches your transmission to Automatic. I had to do that race in auto, which is a problem for me because I use my gears in a way very different to the game's A.I. Anyways, my switch to ICEs sparked an "EV vs ICE" battle. There would always be at least one EV and one ICE in the race to see who was supreme.

For the next race, I decided to use a GT300 spec RX-7, which won that race, tying the score at 1-1.
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Whaatt, Barrooonn!!! I can't hear you over the sound of my screaming rotary!!! :lol:

Eventually, others started ditching the Tesla and trying out other ICE cars, all but Vic, who was defending the Tesla all the way, and doing a solid job, too...
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A variety of contenders to go up against the Model S

The final score when I left was EVs: 4 ICEs: 2
Which proved that it wasn't the Tesla at fault for its shoddy performances in my hands, it was me. :(
Which is fine, everyone has cars that they struggle to get to grips with. But as Brad mentioned in the intro to this week, it's essentially an oversized gokart. You'd think it'd be easy to drive fast...

But this is not the case. May I remind you that this Model S was built for saving the planet while doing your city runabouts. This means a soft, comfortable suspension setup instead of a track tuned, firm type. Sure, it can drag race with supercars, but it's not really built for lap records. It's also got under average brakes, although I suppose when the car weighs 2 tonnes, any kind of brakes would struggle!

The battery runs out quite quickly, even quicker if you're racing at night or in the rain and require headlights or windscreen wipers. (Or both...) Which was no biggie for us COTW drivers, but anyone who for some reason wants to take it and enter it into the 24 minutes of Le Mans, (Why would you even do such a thing?!) might want to take note.

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The Tesla keeps up with the GT300 RX-7, but has too much weight to keep up with it through corners.

It does have good power. And off the line, it's torque is instant. So it does have some merits. It's also on sport hard tyres, a trait that is quite simply the easiest to address, so if you're able to bolt on the RS tyres (You know you can!) then the Tesla becomes quite fun! Still heavy, but at least the grip helps in clinging to the track when you really need it!

However my main purpose for my Tesla isn't racing as such.. it is, in fact, drifting!
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The torque, the weight, the drivetrain, all of that screams out "DRIFT!!!" to me, and that's the reason I bought my Tesla, all those months ago (Yes, the Tesla I used this week was the same one I used back in Touring Car Lovers).
Oh, and the fact that my girlfriend loves them. That too.

All this has me thinking though, GT needs to add the ultimate EV... The Rimac Concept One! THEN you'll see what an EV can really do! :sly:
The Tesla, however, I'm calling it Neutral. 👎👍
It is a brilliant drifter, I'll give it that! It may be heavy, it may have treated me poorly this week, it may have been deserving of a beater status, but noone can deny it's drift-ability. Case closed.

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"So, Jeff, who's driving your Tesla in this race?"
"Itself!"
 
Can I play with the TT´s too? I still have no internet but I would like to participate in the TT´s.

We'd rather be inclusive instead of exclusive, so although the differences in physics (due to internet lag/latency issues) won't provide a direct comparison, there's no reason not to share a screen shot (using a smartphone, if needs be) or a video of your best run.

For anyone else interested in participating that doesn't have GT6, we're looking to expand to Driveclub, Assetto Corsa, Project CARS, Forza... If you have the Car of the Week in some other game, feel free to join in the discussion/debate/brawl with what you've got, all are welcome even if the model year or options aren't precisely the same.

As for this week's winner... it's been hectic. I've tried my hardest to stay on target, but my wife planned my daughter's birthday (coincidentally, she shares the same birthday as Bruce McLaren) at the last possible second, and in the madness I had neglected to notify the winner. On that note...

Congratulations Yasmine McClaren!
Pay attention, this is how Daddy breaks the rules and gets away with it.

Last week I wanted to use the ultimate in automotive design, then debunked myself and we ended up with the Tesla as our choice (utterly useless!). For this week, we'll be going in the exact opposite direction by testing the worst pickup truck in existence while providing evidence of what may be the moments before the first murder in Gran Turismo....

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It's the 2003 Chevrolet SSR! The moment retro styling died, and proof that American pie is best left without the male extension inserted.

Wait, did he say "murder?" Yes, and I'm not talking about the infamous "Flock of Regals" either. Please keep in mind that it wasn't until I went through the photos, after the event, that I noticed what I'm about to present. The appropriate authorities were immediately notified.

Exhibit A:

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Considering the posture, I doubt that she was attempting to justify Mika Hakkinen's quote...

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"When You Were Born Into A Neutral Country But Are Actually Shady As ..."

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That said, if you don't mind the risk of being murdered, the Time Trial event is up and ready.

-ALSO-

With Assetto Corsa, Drive Tribe, the Sauber blog and the Google+ USGP event all in quick succession,
@Nismonath5 has agreed to take the helm for the next 2-4 weeks as needed. If I miss some races/deadlines, I truly apologize, but I'm also confident in Nate's skills to the point that... well... you'll see. Please show him the same respect and kindness that you've shown me...

...waitaminute...
 
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