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

[Onboy123]

To be honest though, only two of you have even posted a review ever, and one of them's only posted one...

See what I mean? It has always been me vs you, and you got a head start.

 

[uMadson?]

To be honest though, only two of you have even posted a review ever, and one of them's only posted one...

Sooner or later I'd be glad to join in the war and go for the one I started the thread with.

You'll see. For now, peace out homebrahs.

 

[Darren.]

The photo is here... (Laughs manically)

Now I betta get outta here before I get told off... *Runs*

 

[uMadson?]

The photo is here... (Laughs manically)

Now I betta get outta here before I get told off... *Runs*

I can has it for only $1? I want to put zipties and contribute another meme on BecauseRaceCar.com. And it'll be my baby, of course

If you don't like only $1, shall we work out a deal?

 

[Darren.]

I can has it for only $1? I want to put zipties and contribute another meme on BecauseRaceCar.com. And it'll be my baby, of course

If you don't like only $1, shall we work out a deal?

Yeah you'll can have it. I hated it anyway.

 

[uMadson?]

Yeah you'll can have it. I hated it anyway.

*Gets in car and runs over you*

No wonder why crapmobiles are good killing machines...

peace out homies, I know I'm bantering again lol.

 

[C-ZETA]

The Best of British (and an American Ambassador)​

Welcome to my Grand Tour series of reviews. I've gathered 10 cars together, for a tour together which will eventually lead us to deciding which are the best of the lot. However, we need to get the cars together first. They've been split up into three groups, all based around country. This group, the first one, includes the Jaguar XKR Coupe, the McLaren MP4-12C, Lotus Elise 111R and the Ford Mustang GT.

So, then, how shall these 4 start off like?

Right then, here we are with these 4 great cars, much liked by almost everyone around. Let's start these guys up and see what they're like.

The XKR will be the first car we take a look at, so let's see how it gets on.

It is a very heavy car indeed, but with all the weight comes a shedload of power to go with. And despite all the weight behind the car, you don't get any real understeer on the car. The FR drivetrain might have something to do with this, but I'm certainly not complaining...

The sound is kinda mixed, depending on what view you end up in. In the first three views, it really is just a drone that doesn't justify the engine of this incredible machine. However, through the chase cam, the sound is massively changed, much for the better. It gives off a truly classic sports coupe style sound, and it is a very good one. Plus, being a Jaaaaag, the looks, quite clearly, are not a disappointment. I'd go for one if I were you, it's a very rewarding car.

So now we go to the MP4-12C, which is obviously the fastest of the cars here, with a 590bhp unit that really gives the MP4 all the power you could hope for. A very low 1350kg is also a good selling point for the MP4. It is a very wonderful multi-purpose car in this game and proves that not all supercars are completely outmatched by race cars too.

The sound is also pretty good as well, a high-pitched sound that isn't entirely realistic, but is a good sound for me. The 7-speed gearbox on the car also boosts its level of speed even further, and also the car looks very slick and stylish too. To be honest though, I can't really see how there is actually a ton of traction on the car. It's not as fast through the corners as it could be in real life, but either way the MP4 does not disappoint anywhere. A worthy comeback for the McLaren boys and a deserved space in this game.

Now for the Elise. I have to say, this car surprised me when stock. Not only did it lap the track you see here faster than the XKR, which has much more than double the power - but more than double the weight of the Elise - but it wasn't as difficult to handle as other peers might know it to be.

You may know that I released a review for a modified Elise - which are of extremely high popularity on GTPlanet - named Juliet, designed by RKM and made to go ballistic by the many parts it was given. Frankly, I found it brilliant and the car was a wonderful thrill. However, the stock form of the Elise certainly does not disappoint in this regard.

The light weight makes the car famously nimble in the corners, and despite the also famous lack of power the car still accelerates like nothing else under 200hp possibly could dream of. This has less HP than a stock Integra and will still conquer it by lightyears in any race you take on with it. The sound is an also famous buzz from the mid-placed engine, being made to work with the tiny, small amount of car it has to work with, but with it working well. Obviously the looks are rather stylish, I think, even though I know it could be better. When Lotus does, or if it does, release its whole new batch of road cars sooner or later, that all of them are as good as they were before, because seeing them in GT6 would be a hugely welcome addition and would make be very proud. Heck, even get them in for DLC in GT5! ...Except that's probably not likely given the situation we've all been put in.

And to finish, the odd one out from this group, the Mustang. The Mustang isn't really that fast compared to the other cars in this group. The power is alright, but alas the weight kinda cancels most of the Mustang's power out. The stock Comfort: Soft tyres kinda also harm it a bit too, although I'm sure that it is on the borderline between the Comfort: Soft/Sports: Hard region. Though I still wonder how a Mini Cooper S can get Sports: Hards stock then.

Either way, the Mustang is more of a car for cruising among the other 3 powerful, speedy and more nimble cars it's being tested with here. It's a lot more relaxing and is a much more simple drive over the other 3, and that's good. I need a warm down sometimes, and this can give me one after testing these other 3 wildly and in anger, I can just keep myself going here just by driving much more lightly and keeping the car simply pointed where I want it.

Alas, the Mustang won't help you as much in races when your speed is down on the other three (modifications will do a lot of good for the Mustang though, so I'd do that for it). Either way, as a beginners car, it's a very easy drive and will help you get used to more powerful, yet still heavy, American cars that are harder to conquer, including the Challenger SRT8, the Camaro SS, the Art Morrison Corvette, the Trans-Cammer, maybe even the NASCARs could be good to work towards after trying this.

And so, we come to the end of the first part of out grand tour, with our first four competitors, and we now move on to some Italian breeds, which should be maybe even more fun than the British breeds. Yet, probably more break-downable. I don't know, we'll have to wait and see.

Pictures and writing - C-ZETA

 

[Onboy123]

Copying Top Gear Magazine, are we?

 

[C-ZETA]

Copying Top Gear Magazine, are we?

Um...what? You know what inspired me to do that? Top Gear Magazine. Damn you, Onboy.

 

[Onboy123]

Um...what? You know what inspired me to do that? Top Gear Magazine. Damn you, Onboy.

Trolololololololol I knew it the moment I saw the contents of the grand tour. great impersonation of it though.

 

[C-ZETA]

The Italian Duet​

Now then, we come up to our two Italian cars in this grand tour which will prove the worth of some of the best street cars around. The Italian cars here are the Pagani Zonda R, a pseudo-race car of sorts, built as a hommage to Pagani's Zonda, whilst the other car here is a Ferrari F40, the original and one of the true supercars, from the late 80's to early 90's. Now then, let's see how these bad boys get on in my hands.

Now, I think we should start off with the Zonda R. Now, as Pagani's last true great Zonda, before replacing it with the Huayra, or to me, the Hueeeeeeeeer. That's because no one can really pronounce it.

The Zonda R though, really is a true rocketship of epic proportions. This 780hp car is not to be taken lightly at all. It is superbly fast, and while it doesn't get the fairest of oppositions in Arcade Mode (though it is suitable for owning Amuse S2k's when necessary ), it is still a joy to drive regardless of what you decide to do with it.

Clearly Gran Turismo finds this as an important car too, seeing how it's a prize for the GT World Championship in B-Spec. Getting one of these for free at a much earlier point than you would normally is properly good.

The sound isn't really up to the true standards it's at with real life though. The Zonda R, in real life, is so loud it is actually banned from almost all circuits due to its sound limits. However in this game they...aren't really that noticeable. I know for a fact that my LFA, with a semi-racing exhaust, is actually louder than what this thing is in this game. And that's not right. It isn't a bad sound at all, but if a sound like that got you banned from racing circuits through sound limits, then obviously there wouldn't really be such a thing as 'racing' today. Not good. 👎

Either way, I do still enjoy this Zonda. It's an exciting powerful machine that deserves its rights as a proper Pagani. It's really not quite at a true, hardcore, definite speed machine level - it's not close enough to LMP's to do that - but it is still a phenomenal car. Good job Pagani, you've done it right. Now get the Hueeeeeer out before it's too late.

The F40, meanwhile, is a very different car to the Pagani. In fact, it's almost the complete opposite of, say, even modern Ferraris. A modern Ferrari is full of tech, keeps you in control, has a spirited NA engine and usually is quick to get to work. The F40, meanwhile, has no tech, is very wild, is turbocharged and is kinda a bit down compared to the modern age of supercars. However, this doesn't make it anything like a slouch at all.

The car itself, to be honest, isn't a particularly fast one to begin with. For instance, the gear ratios are phenomenally long. You will still be in 2nd by the time you hit 100 with the stock ratios. As a matter of fact, with the F40, it is almost essentially possible to win a race using nothing but 2nd. 3rd is probably a safer option to be honest - I won a race with a Viper GTS-R Concept once using nothing but 3rd. The gears on that a very tall too, and to be honest the speed of the Viper GTS-R can be very much considered in the same league as that of the F40.

However, the F40 is certainly not a slow car at all. It's just outclassed by other supercars and then as a result, a bit left in the dark. However, it is still a good thing to drive. To be honest, to get the best feel out of the F40, you need to drive it with absolutely no aids on at all. The F40 is a very techless car in real life, so you will want to try it with nothing on, so you can really feel the car. I haven't done so yet, but I wonder how it will be.

Either way, with actual aids on, it isn't a bad thing to drive. It can still take corners pretty well, and even despite the 7'9" gear ratios, it actually gets off the line at a remarkably bleeding fast speed. Alas, the lack of downforce availability is a slight killer, but even so the F40 is truly a good thing to drive. You will win one for free too, and if it's your sort of thing, it is the highest value car in the game that you can actually sell. Although F40's are best used in the La Festa Cavallino where you can actually get money by using them.

And that concludes the Italian leg of our trip around Europe's cars. Now we move onto the German side of the car industry, and therefore many many horsepowers. Particularly from a certain car.

Pictures and writing - C-ZETA

 

[Onboy123]

Damn...I'll have some catching up to do now...

Not to worry...I should have 25 in 3 reviews if things go well...

Ah the joys of reading and typing massive walls of text

 

[Michelin]

seriously that the Zonda R got banned from racing circuits? That's... not normal, for sure.

 

[Onboy123]

seriously that the Zonda R got banned from racing circuits? That's... not normal, for sure.

It's too loud, so it breaks the noise limits that tracks have……I think. Anyways, when's the next super review section? Or are you being nice and letting me catch up with my super reviews?

 

[C-ZETA]

The Power Hauses
It's now time for the German cars of our grand tour, including one French car, although it is technically Audi/VW owned. So, give it up for, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, the BMW M3 Coupe, the Volkswagen Golf V GTI and the RUF CTR YellowBird!

However...we suffered problems before beginning this test. Firstly, the Veyron delivered to us had actually been hugely modified up, not to 1000hp, but rather to 1256bhp. The car had also been hugely lightened and had been given racing parts, and therefore we had to find a tune for it. So therefore, this Veyron is not a normal Veyron, but rather, Dr Slump's Veyron.

The second problem came with the Yellow Bird. In that...it never actually arrived. As it turned out, the man delivering the car to us was trying to drive along, but with the car's hugely erratic cornering, he slid wide, off a mountain cliff and was found out to have died at the scene. Along with the car. Yeah...

We quickly filed in a replacement, and so, rather than us reviewing the Yellow Bird, we instead drafted in a replacement, in the form of a special Mercedes 300SL, liveried and slightly modified up. So...here are the German power hauses!

​

And we shall start with Dr Slump's customised Veyron! And as you can tell almost immediately it is completely out of place on twisty mountain roads like this.

The Veyron, no matter how it is tuned, will always be a straight line car. And while the cornering on this has been much improved compared to the stock Veyron, the car still suffers from its syndrome of simply not being able to slow down fast enough to get itself to avoid the many fences and trees around here. Still, at least it is a marked improvement over a normal tuned Veyron, and that's good.

The thing is though...every Veyron gets used online. Every one. And as a result, every one of them gets modified, like this one. As a result, I am very surprised to find only 6 tunes for this car on GTP ATM. Mind you, it's not like the stupid people who always use the Veyron would necessarily pay attention to such tunes...if anything, I could have made this a SuperSport without the weight reductions.

This is me on one wheel in the Veyron after a jump. And you thought the Cobra couldn't be beaten! But yeah, it doesn't like the jumps here...​

Now we move to the simplistic Golf. And it's good. Simply because driving it is so simple I could buy a dog and train it fully to drive one here in this game. Actually playing golf is another dimension entirely, but it'll happen. Trust me.

Anyway, the Golf is a beautifully simplistic car that is a welcome addition among some of the slower cars in this game. No one seems to like them, always going for Koenigseggs and Porsches and Gumperts and Porsches and Radicals and...Porsches and...

Anyway, the Golf is just a very relaxing car that is simple to drive. Tuning it is not so easy, and you can easily make it quite a comedy tribute, as proven by me, but it is a very good car to have early on in the game. Trust me when I say there's more enjoyable Volkswagens though...they're all to the left of the Golf in the dealerships. And the Golf IV RM is pretty fun too.

Haha, look at me, poppin' a wheelie in the Veyron! Actually, no. I'm just getting tricked out by another jump again ​

The next car we come to is the late call-up Mercedes 300SL. And I have to say, judging by the circumstances, it is a lot calmer than what the RUF CTR Yellow Bird would have been if it hadn't been fatally killed before being delivered to us.

The 300SL is very much almost exactly like the Golf in that it's smooth, refined, and a very easy drive. It's just a little bit slower, that's all. Also better looking, much more pricey, much older and also available in a limited edition. Like this one, for instance.

The Chrome Line version of this 300SL seems hardly much different to the normal version, but under the hood the car has been given some slight weight reduction, a sports exhaust for the extra power and a sports suspension kit. That's the only difference from the normal 300SL except for the shiny livery you get with it. But the car is genuinely good, and if you can be bothered to fork over 237,690 Cr. (or an actual £100+) for it, then you can have yourself a great piece of car history. You can even make yourself an Uhlenhaut Coupe!

Lastly we come to the M3. And it really is as you would expect it to be: a simple, speedy, working super saloon. Or in this case, super coupe, as that's what it says it is.

The M3 is simply a very speedy car, and modified up is a beast. Like the 300SL, there is a Chrome Line edition available, and much like the 300SL, its Chrome Line version is upgraded up slightly.

Of course, many M3's in this game are turned into replicas of the fearsome M3 GTS, like this one. I myself have the Chrome Line, which is of course basically a pseudo-M3 GTS in itself, and have also even built up a normal M3 and painted it orange. Except it's more powerful and heavier and is actually an 'Alpina' and has a much bigger wing and parts that probably don't exist. Basically, it's a more powerful Chrome Line for those who can't get it. But anyway, the M3 is a very versatile car that I really recommend you try, as it will give you a good result.

And now we've finished up with our German boys, so now we shall bring all ten of the cars from the past 3 reviews together! For a proper comparo between them all. All of them. Hahahaha...

Pictures and writing - C-ZETA

 

[photonrider]

Good going C-Zeta! LOL! First chuckle I had for the day. Reviews are spot on and confirm some of my thoughts on these vehicles, too.
Text, Illustrations and Layout get better with every review - practise makes perfect, eh?
You made me miss my Zonda - haven't driven it in months . . . Kaz has me by the throat with so many cars to play with . . .
Cheers, man - and watch those grades!

Darren - apologies, if I sounded too grumpy - just wanted to clarify that I wasn't being pushy. We're cool, ok? Thanks.

 

[C-ZETA]

And now...for the full Monty.​

Yes. Here we are on this dark mountain road here with all 10 cars you just saw me reviewing, and now I'm going to be comparing all 10 of them at once. Not even the tuner comparo we did overhauls this, and chances are there won't be another comparo like this here. So...let's go!

​

Performance
Veyron: Quite frankly epic. The car still isn't on a suitable track to show its power on, but it is at least a lot better than it was on the previous mountain track. Even despite the fact the start/finish straight is hardly that long on this track, the Veyron would still hit 200+ by the end of it. That's 1256bhp for you. Alas the speed is still too much for the braking at some points on this course but it is still a remarkably fast car here.
MP4-12C: Likewise very fast. The cornering here is still very slick and the car is still planted down the straights too. As I said before with the car, it's a brilliant all rounder.
F40: Not as fast as the last two, especially with the bizarre gear ratios, and the handling isn't quite up there with some of the others here. But either way, it is not bad at all, even if almost 95% of the time you're stuck in 2nd doing 60-100mph here. At least manual users won't be constantly having to press the gear change and messing up the timing with this
Golf: Slower than most here, but as a Golf you don't expect it to be fast. Mind you, VW themselves have given the Golf quite a stupidity in the past... but either way this is just as simple as it need be. Likewise with the handling, nothing more, nothing less than what's needed.
Mustang: Little bit slow given the name of the car but not entirely yawning speed. Handling is still alright on the car, even despite that weight figure. Power doesn't feel as high as it actually is, sadly...
Elise: Very nippy speeds. Complete opposite of the Mustang, where as the Mustang doesn't feel like it has as much power as it does, the Elise feels like it has far more power than it really does. The very light weight is the obvious reasoning behind this, and it does make the car very speedy. The handling is sharp, although a bit inconsistent with the engine positioning...
M3: Speedy indeed. The power is huge with this thing and while the weight might be there it doesn't bog the car down at all. Therefore makes a super speedy saloon with all the properties of a sports car.
Zonda: Speedy obviously given the high power numbers and lower weight numbers, and certainly a top car in the handling books. Very fast, a weapon against almost anything and certainly a 'best' car in the game.
300SL: As before, it's a lot like the Golf. Just slower. Very relaxed, simple, and not unforgiving in any way. You almost have to try to be unable to drive this thing.
XKR: Again a very speedy car. Power is plentiful with this thing and the handling, much like the M3, isn't compromised despite even more weight than anything else here. Much like the MP4-12C, the XKR is a very good all-rounder for all of the right reasons.

Price
Veyron: High. 2 million credits is what you will need to actually buy one of these, but of course the obvious way to get a Veyron is none other than the Gran Turismo World Championship itself in A-Spec. If you haven't done this yet, you obviously aren't entirely that great at the game. But yeah, the Veyron is essentially a free car through this technique and just needs another good enough car to be won.
MP4-12C: Actually not that expensive, but can also be won for free, albeit through much harder purposes. You win this one for free at the Nurburgring 24h - in B-Spec. Which is a tall order. Still, I've done it perfectly fine and also had the PS3 on for 27 hours not 24 because I fell asleep before the race finished (I started it at midnight). I sold it immediately of course, and to be honest doing the Nurburgring 24h is not worth this car at all, so buy it instead.
F40: Again, a free win from the La Festa Cavallino in B-Spec. Whether the car is worth more than that compared to 450,000 Cr. is up to you.
Golf: Obviously a cheap buy, being 32,750 Cr.
Mustang: Another relatively easy buy at just 48,500 Cr.
Elise: Slightly more expensive, but a still very in-reach buy. 54,400 Cr. and an RM option to go with.
M3: Again, more expensive for sure, but certainly not too overpriced. 92,400 Cr. this one is.
Zonda: 2.6 million Cr. Or a win in the Gran Turismo World Championship, in B-Spec. Simply choose which one is best for you...
300SL: My god is this one overpriced. 237,690 Cr. is quite a lot too much for something of this caliber. The 1954 date doesn't help contribute to such a high price and makes the car much more avoided than other cars of its class. This Chrome Line took an actual £100+ in itself to get, and that's more valuable than in-game credits, to be honest.
XKR: Pretty big price but again nothing unreachable. 155,000 Cr. is what you need for this.

Feel
Veyron: I'll say with this one...scary? Driving something at 1256hp, plus 4WD makes for some scary acceleration, and the not-as-good cornering can give you a scare sometimes as well. Either way, the car feels as powerful as it is, just a bit more powerful I think.
MP4-12C: Definitely a fast feel. You feel in control of the car and you can keep it on the road certainly very well. Again, you know the power is there to use, so you tend to use it and it pays dividends.
F40: Even despite how hard to get to drive fast it is, the F40 still feels like a good car, certainly. The car isn't sophisticated, it's not supposed to handle like total perfection, so you know that it'll be quite a joyous ride. Certainly not as bad as other Ferrari's around really are.
Golf: You know you don't have to push the car to get it to work, so in the end you get a pretty good drive. I myself, in real life, consider the Golf GTI the 'best' car on sale today (best and favourite is different by the way), although not just because of how fast it goes. Practicality sadly doesn't matter in this game
Mustang: Sadly not as brilliant as other cars here but still good. It doesn't feel like a true Mustang to me, the greatness of the oldie is still missing for me. Nevertheless, the car here still is hardly bad, but the Mustang hasn't really been the complete same as it was in its original state.
Elise: Much speedier than one would expect, and also a good car to get to grips with in terms of MRs. The car ends up being very slidey and very fun to try and tame and it just seems like a properly good drivers' car. Try the Elise 111R one day, you really won't regret it.
M3: Being a good old M3, it's only right that this car would be a good feeling one. Like the Elise, it is very much a car that everyone should try, as this car can fit almost every driving style. I know for a fact that my more aggressive style seems to fit the car more - I did a one make online race with it here before with the Fun Racers Club and managed to get some good results. Conclusion = M3 works with many styles of driving.
Zonda: Terrifying in a similar way to the Veyron, only not as fast and so much better handling. The scream of the engine is always there with you and the car feels speedy through the corners always, plus very fast down straights too.
300SL: Since you're in such a classic car, the feel is again a lot more strong than what you would get in a normal car of this caliber. You wanna handle it with care because you know the invisible cost of repairing such a car...
XKR: Proper British good feel here, with all of the quintessential style of a Brit car as well. Plus, as it is remarkably driveable, you could drive this thing endlessly without killing yourself entirely. Plus the sound in chase cam is a wonder too.

Overall Verdict
Veyron: A great improvement to the Veyron's normal super lousiness and still keeps the remarkable speed of the car. Well done to you Slumpy. Final Score: 15/20
MP4-12C: A simply superb revival from McLaren, represented superbly in the game. Try one out and you definitely will not regret it slightly. Final Score: 16/20
F40: Not the best Ferrari in this game, but still a very worthy addition to the game. Outclassed by other Ferrari's but not completely outdone. Final Score: 13/20
Golf: As a simplistic car it succeeds very well. Worth trying at the end of the game and very good for giving any beginners to the game a lesson at how to drive in the game. Final Score: 15/20
Mustang: Not at the true level of the Mustang in this game, but hardly a disappointment. Likewise with the Golf, one for the beginners. Just it's FR, that's all. Final Score: 13/20
Elise: Much faster than most of the stats would really have you believe, and worthedly so. Not as much of a beginners' car, but very good for learning the style of MRs, because it is a true MR. Final Score: 14/20
M3: The M3 here is a very good car, with all the ingredients for a good drive in this game. Enough performance, speed, handling and driveability to make it a great car in almost any situation. Final Score: 15/20
Zonda: As would be expected of a car like this, remarkable speed is the key to making this a superb car. It doesn't get enough justice and use in the game as it should but even so it's still a wonderful car. Final Score: 17/20
300SL: A classic, a timeless classic this one. Like the Golf, but slower, harder to get and if anything, probably easier to drive with the FR configuration. A pretty unsung car in this game, if you ask me. Final Score: 14/20
XKR: True Brit grit with all the wonder of an average sports saloon. Very easy to drive, a true wonder when stock and a car that, to be honest, would be pretty hard done to get old of. Final Score: 15/20

And so with that, that concludes the grand tour of C-ZETA's car reviews. Hope you enjoyed it, and hope you picked up an idea on some of these cars with this. Thank you very much for reading, good night!

Pictures and writing - C-ZETA

 

[Onboy123]

Jesus, you could have put some 'enter's to make it easier to read, can't you?! And now, I feel an idiot cuz I has writers block so I can't do my era thing…

 

[C-ZETA]

Jesus, you could have put some 'enter's to make it easier to read, can't you?! And now, I feel an idiot cuz I has writers block so I can't do my era thing…

It's my style. Also, in activities like this, writer's block is what I like to refer too as 'clinical depression'. And that's not like you

 

[Onboy123]

It's my style. Also, in activities like this, writer's block is what I like to refer too as 'clinical depression'. And that's not like you

You have no idea…just ask Andre what happened the last time we raced when I had a </3, I stuffed the car into a wall and couldn't even crawl to the finish line cuz I burnt out the tyres I was so pissed off and sad…

Anyways, nice job, now, where's the Lambo?

 

[C-ZETA]

But wait! There's more!​

Oh no, we aren't finished yet. There was another competitor, that, in fashionable Italian style, has turned up late for this meeting. It is...the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4!​

Right then...how will our late Italian speedster get on in this simple, 1 to 1 test?

Well, let's say that it is hardly a slow machine at all. 560bhp and 4WD make the car beautifully fast and also make the car a pretty diverse ground for tuning as well. I did have one tune I was planning to release for the car - a tune I used to win the Suzuka 1000km in B-Spec - but it never got to the line before I sold it. Of course, I do have one Lambo residing in my garage for racing, the TerminalVeloce-ity...but that's not what we're here for. As good as the Murcielago LP670-4 is, this is all Gallardo, so none of that here.

One thing I will note about early in this review is the sound of the Gallardo. Now, in my opinion, the Gallardo's sound to be honest isn't all that good for me. However, two things make it stand out for me over other sounds in this game.

1) It provides the base for the Murcielago LP670-4 (and I think the LP640's as well?) absolutely superb sound
2) The realism inside the sound is beyond believing.

Obviously, while the Murcielago is a V12, not a V10 like the Gallardo, I'm not sure I care, because the sound on that is brilliant. However, the realism part is what I'm looking at. Compare, if you will...also observe the mask of horror that is Forza's sound



Yeah, I'd say that's very close.

Anyway, the handling of the car is also a hit, and isn't bad at all. It is a good car to drive, and the 4WD doesn't seem to do much to it apart from give it some extra grip to help the car stay in its spot.

Of course, buying a Gallardo will be an absolute requirement to beat the game at all, no matter how much you may hate it, you will need to buy one to get to 100% in this game through the Gallardo Trophy. Of course, this also opens the door to using one for the Lamborghini Exclusive event (I have a Murcielago LP640 Chrome Line for that though...). The price of a Gallardo is 253,300 Cr., which is cheaper than a 458, and hardly much more than an MP4-12C. Of course the SLS is quite a bit cheaper, but it only has a German, mechanical heart in it. The Gallardo is an Italian flair-filled car (despite Audi actually owning it), and knows what you want to do with it.

The looks are obviously going to be a top score on the Gallardo, being Italian and all. The car is beautifully curved and has plenty of good looks elsewhere on it too. In addition, you can get many, many parts to put onto your Gallardo, to enhance its look even further. But I would definitely keep its yellow paint. Yes, this one's white but...look, just- get on.

The Gallardo's modification areas are not limited in the slightest. As aforementioned, the car has several parts to put on it, enough colour combinations to not ruin the car's looks, and can max out at 760bhp+. Making it a LP760-4. Also the car gets better handling through an absolutely crucial 2 front downforce level, which is better than at least some can manage. Except the 458 goes to 10 front downforce, along with the ACR and Murcielago LP670, and the GT by Citroen has tons of downforce on it to begin with, along with the R390 and NSX-R Proto, and things like Nissan GT-R's are totally different stories for this thing too. But it does outdo the SLS! By having some front downforce anyway. But that has a Stealth Model to cancel that out, so yeah...the Gallardo is kinda outclassed when getting tuned up next to other cars of its caliber. And the Corvette ZR1...well, it has an RM. There. And the Z06 too. Still, it is fast...certainly very fast, despite being a bit behind its rivals in modification terms. Plus you can actually give the car some pretty large amount of enhancements anyway

So anyway, the Lamborghini Gallardo is certainly a very good car indeed, with good power, realistic sound, sweet handling, plenty of uses, striking looks, superb...ish modification levels, and the Lamborghini badge. It's a good one this. Well done, Lambo. I'll have an LP670-4, please.

Final Score: 15/20

Pictures and writing - C-ZETA

 

[ghskilla]

BMW M5 '08 Nurburgring Tune by Deutsche Rennsport Tuning?
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=150626

 

[C-ZETA]

BMW M5 '08 Nurburgring Tune by Deutsche Rennsport Tuning?
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=150626

Not taking requests now.

 

[ghskilla]

Not taking requests now.

Alright, sorry.

 

[C-ZETA]

Jaguar XKR Coupe
You've already seen the XKR in my grand tour I recently did, but now I'm gonna give a more in-depth look into the XKR. So, enjoy.

Now then, the XKR. One of the best all-round cars in the real world and a 512bhp power house of a huge 1810kg. How well does the XKR really do here?

I will start with the sound. In the first three views, the sound is remarkably meh. It's no more than a mere drone. The onboard view itself is also very odd, being zoomed in seemingly all too much. On the chase cam though, the sound of the XKR is hugely improved and turns into a snorting V8 style sound. Sort of like the new F10 M5 really: bad at the front, awesome at the back.

The looks of the car are certainly a hit. They're really striking for me. Very swoopy, and like a typical super coupe pretty bulky as well, but with all sorts of chunks taken out to enhance the looks further. It's a pretty big hit, and has been for me since the car came out in '06.

The performance of this thing is pretty good, even despite all the weight. While the car does feel like it has less than 512bhp, the handling certainly doesn't say it has 1810kg on board. This makes the car pretty fast, and with the huge weight comes massive possibilities for weight reduction to make the car even faster in the bends. XKR's have been tuned before - JG, RKM and Praiano all have their versions for the car. I haven't necessarily tried any of them myself - the only real Jaguar I have right now are both the XJ13's - but tuning up the XKR will make a huge benefit.

Due to its wide range of power the XKR can have its moments in the main game too. Obvious choices for the car are the Grand Valley 300km and Laguna 200 miles. With a power up the Tuning Car Grand Prix is another event it can win, likewise the Supercar Festival and Polyphony Digital Cup races. These are only examples as well...

Compared to rivals, the XKR is priced decently enough. An M5 is almost 20,000 Cr. cheaper, a Lexus IS F is more than half the price of this and gets RM, a Corvette Z06 C5 is close to 1/3 of the price and the SL 55 AMG and Viper GTS undercut it as well. However, there are cars the XKR does beat in the price range - a DB9 is more expensive, for one, a Miura is far more expensive (and a GT-R Proto), the R8 4.2 and RS6 Avant are beaten by it and the California is also more expensive too, leaving the XKR roughly in the middle of its rivals for price.

Against its rivals it also comes in the middle-ish for power. A California is less powerful by a distance but gets 150kg less. An RS6 has hugely more power but also even more weight - though not as much as you would have yourself believe. The R8 4.2 is the polar opposite of the RS6 versus the XKR, with the Viper weighing in very similarly, but with more power and hugely more torque than an R8 and more even than the XKR's big number of 469 ft-lb. Among these though, the XKR does outnumber the M5 in power and undercut it in weight, has tons more power than the Miura (but not far off double the weight), the IS F's stats seem kinda weak against it too. An SL 55 is completely ousted - not only is it outpowered but has far more weight, although 552 ft-lb of torque is worth a mention, not to mention its close on 1000hp potential. Z06's and DB9's tend to get beaten pretty handedly by the XKR as well, and the GT-R Proto's stats also tend to get it beaten by the XKR.

So in the end, the XKR certainly is a car to get eventually. It is very well balanced, with plenty of power, despite plenty of weight which does tend to go unnoticed. It tends to be very well mixed among its rivals and also looks awesome too. So, make sure you get yourself one of Jaguar's finest arts soon.

Final Score: 14/20

Pictures and writing - C-ZETA

 

[Onboy123]

Damn it&#8230;why must I have both 'writers block' and 'Andre Syndrome' now&#8230;&#8230;??? But correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the XKR was always a supercharged V8? Since when was it a V10?

 

[C-ZETA]

Caterham Seven Fireblade​

Now for the Caterham Seven Fireblade, a car which has recently shown up in my fanfic, Grand PriX. Obviously this has shown up in Dark Green rather than Orange, so let's see the truth about this car.

So, the Fireblade. What can this car really do? Such little power, but such little weight - a complete contrast to the XKR in my last review.

Well...it's disappointing. I will start with the sound which is essentially identical to that of an S2k Turbo, which we already know sounds like it's running on frogs. This isn't so bad because it is hugely higher pitched, so it just sounds it runs on frogs that haven't hit puberty yet. If that's even possible. Racing exhausts change this sound to...something I can't remember, but it's better. But still annoying.

I'll say here one of the big disappointments with this car - its real life comparison. Most of the smaller engined Caterhams tend to be calm but still relatively fast accelerating. This is a more powerful Caterham, technically speaking - about R300 level, I believe, but the R300 in real life is so much faster than what we have here. The car here feels more like low Roadsport spec - which this car is not. Bear in mind also, the R500 version is faster than a Veyron on a track...try to drive a Caterham here like that and you'll be veering off the circuit.

The power level itself is simply not good enough. 165bhp in this car is not a lot, but then you remember the car weights a scant 369kg. However, even so, the car feels like it has about only 130 of those horses with that. The engine only has 93 ft-lb of torque, which seems to contribute to the slower speed of the car, but the gear ratios are all too long for the car. This is also the car that gets screwed over by the PP system more than any other car in the game, no matter what state it's in. Stock it claims to have 552PP, but with the actual speed of the car in a 'fair' (according to PP) race you will be completely ousted. Fully tuned the car has 626PP and 255bhp, but the car still does not feel anything like a 626PP one. 626PP, for your info, is more than what a Chaparral 2D has stock, and almost equivalent to what an S2k Turbo will get fully modded. What a sad case.

And if you thought the 369kg of the car would make for blitzkrieg cornering, you're wrong. In fact, the cornering still feels the same as any other Ferrari, Lamborghini or Mercedes when stock, and that's worrying and once again demotes hugely from its real life style where as a pure lightweight it will speed through corners like nothing else can.

Obviously, against its rivals (PP wise) it is completely ousted in performance, but at least the price for the Caterham is a bit better. Where as, say, a Murcielago LP640, would cost 385,600 Cr., the Caterham is a rough 60,000 Cr. to purchase. You can also win your own Caterham - albeit in the hugely grueling FGT Championship in A-Spec - the only non-endurance I still haven't done yet (the championship saves thing by the way is all wrong, quick saves suck beyond comparison). Besides which, if I had 60,000 Cr., there is another option that actually squashes the Caterham from rollcage to wheel cover.

If there is one thing good about the Caterham, it's that the looks are pretty old school. The Seven has been in concept since the 60's so it's only right that it would be at least rather retro. I would say that it does look rather good like this, since you can see much of what you can't in other cars. I like that. Seems pretty informative.

However, to be honest, that's where the only good lies with the Seven. It really shouldn't be as bad as this, but PD managed to 🤬 it up royally with this. The stats are much overrated to what the car actually is, and it really ruins the car as a whole. In real life, these specs would be super fast. In this game, they're far too slow.

And why did I use one in my fanfic? Well...because of how crazy it is in real life...so at least it makes it look crazy. The truth is though...it isn't. And despite the score I'm giving it, I will not be trashing it, because it isn't rubbish - just a completely missed opportunity. Now PD, give us an R500, and make it FAST. Now.

Final Score: 4/20

Pictures and writing by C-ZETA

 

[Darren.]

4/20?? Its one of my favourite cars, and one I want to see converted into premium. 👍

 

[C-ZETA]

NASCAR​

NASCAR, one of the most popular sporting events in America, and the most popular racing event there at all. In this game, the 2010 cars make an appearance, and make the game much more different. The support could have been bigger, for sure, but it is there, and not many have been all that disappointed.

NASCAR racing is always a thrill on certain tracks. When the racing is as equal as can be it always proves to be much more fun that you would normally expect. Many people dislike the Superspeedways and how boring and round they are, but the truth is that when racing in cars as equal as these NASCARs is that the racing on them does tend to be pretty fast, furious and close. Even with GT5's AI they will put up a fight in such cars, and that's good, because close racing is a slight rarity at times in GT5.

Obviously there are some drawbacks to such close racing, chief among which is the AI's behaviour in such conditions, and also the reason why I cannot finish any higher than 12th in the Daytona Superspeedway race in the NASCAR series. They will always stick to one specific line, and you have to make sure you don't trip onto it, because if you do, you hit the AI, and if you do it too hard, you'll spin out into what will almost certainly be a cataclysmic accident. The AI isn't kind like that here.

The NASCARs themselves tend to be very odd to race. On a speedway they will obviously come down to good slipstreaming to win and will do pretty well on the fast speedway corners, but they are very bizarre on actual race tracks. An 850bhp car with 1565kg on board would normally make for the worst track experience known to man, but because downforce is such a factor in this game, and they have a good deal here, the cornering is actually not half bad with these. In real life though...they just tend to go wrong.

The sound of the NASCARs, when together, also tends to be pretty rip-roaring. It's up to 16 high-revving huge 850bhp+ V8's together, just breezing by and leaving behind 16 huge, grumbly, powerful sounds. Even a restrictor couldn't make these NASCARs sound worse together...and speaking of which, going without a limiter at Daytona is pretty awesome. Normally you'd not do much more than 200 - on this game you will hit 230 in a slipstream. And it doesn't do much...NASCAR, are you listening?!

Also, the price of the NASCARs is pretty well done (you should definitely have one for sure). For the actual speed they go at, 500,000 Cr. is not a lot. While the price is literally a whole 1 Cr. away from being able to be sold, for something that does actually work on infields the price is very good. Consider, if you will, it going against a Ford GT LM II Test Car, which costs 3.6 million as opposed to 1/2 a million. The NASCARs aren't really entirely 'bargains', but for the class they're in, they're cheap.

Again though, I will say, that the realism of these NASCARs is not entirely big. Obviously you can go in to the speedways with no restrictors, and the cornering is a lot better than what it really should be - though that is mainly down to the physics rather than just the performance - again, downforce tends to make a noticeable difference in ability. If you don't know what I mean, look at the time trials. The reason you always see the R390 GT1s? 80 rear downforce after a wing...and they already had 65 there to begin with.

Obviously many people will say that the NASCAR license was 'wasted' by only including 11 of the NASCARs, a special event and an A-Spec series. I've picked my words here pretty carefully to avoid the traditional GT...uh...ex-fans from coming in here and turning this into a 1-billion argument long 'GT is bad, Forza will own it' thread (I hate those with a passion). I'm happy with them just being in the game myself, and if there isn't enough (and there is for me), then Nascar 2011 is still on sale in the shops.

But anyway, NASCAR racing as a whole is a very good form. Many say it's just driving in a circle for x00 number of miles, but the truth is that much strategy is involved. Of course, in this game, it's not strategy but rather staying away from AI contact that wins you close races here, but either way it can still be fun when you actually have the AI very angrily breathing down your neck lap after lap. If you can find an online series for it (not a dirty one, they're just ridiculous), then maybe give it a try and see how it works.

And ooh, look, Carl Edwards has just come over the line to win this race. Meh, always preferred Jimmie Johnson...better than Denny Hamlin at least. I've also heard Kyle Busch is really hated too...meh, I'm not an expert, I haven't bought a pure NASCAR game since '08 anyway, so whatever. Toodles.

Pictures and writing by C-ZETA

 

[C-ZETA]

Damn it…why must I have both 'writers block' and 'Andre Syndrome' now……??? But correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the XKR was always a supercharged V8? Since when was it a V10?

Checked, and it is a V8. Fixed now.

4/20?? Its one of my favourite cars, and one I want to see converted into premium. 👍

Don't blame the car, blame PD's hugely lousy attempt to put it in this game. Instead of making it a super lightweight nipper, it's instead a stat-overrated, unfairly matched, not that great cornering car. The R500 in real life is a pure opposite...