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?
Well...I'm about to reveal them right now. They are:
The Mine's Skyline...
...the HPA TT...
...the Art Morrison Corvette...
...and the Amuse Nismo 380RS
SuperLeggera!
Now, let's get cracking.
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.