Been awhile eh Vic?
Let’s catch back up with some rapid fire quick reviews.
The Autobianchi A112 Abarth: A slightly heavier, but more powerful Italian version of the Mini Cooper.
Easy to drive, perfect for
very close quarters racing and could be had for just over 30k at the UCD.
Verdict: Sleeper 😉👍
Speaking of Mini’s…
The 2005 Mini Cooper S: A COTY winner on GT Sport, under 29k to buy, under 170hp from its supercharged 1600cc engine.
Lacks a proper differential for transferring power under heavy cornering at low speeds, but is a solid and fun car to drive and throw around.
Verdict: Sleeper😉👍
Next up is the Evo version of the car that was a decent rival for the first car we tested on GT7.
The BMW M3 Sport Evolution: Step 1, Take the regular E30 M3. Step 2, improve it slightly in all sectors of performance.
Step 3 ????
Step 4: Win & profit.
Even against its biggest rival in the Mercedes 190E Evo 2, its got a notable edge over it.
But the 190E does have an ace up its sleeve in the tuning department, the M3 Sport Evo maxes out at 394hp which is roughly 30hp more than what the 190E makes naturally aspirated, But the 190E can accept a turbo which can take its power to nearly 600hp.
So yeah, the M3 is the better stock car, but the 190E has a higher tuning limit.
Nevertheless, the M3 Evo is a wonderful car to drive.
Verdict: Sleeper 😉👍
Time to Exorcise a Demon, a Dodge Challenger Demon to be exact.
Running on race fuel for its 840hp max output, it completely smokes its SH tyres with zero effort and requires a very steady right foot to manage it all.
Despite its near 2 tons of weight, it’s got very good stopping power, but at 200k, it’s 60k more than this week’s pick in the Viper GTS.
Not one for lead feet or beginners or even amateurs, but it’s riot to drive even when you’re fooling around with it.
Verdict: Neutral(But do pick one up.👍)
From the big and shouty, to the pint sized smile makers that are Kei Cars.
The Honda S660: The youngest Kei Car and capable of the most power on the stock engine compared to its fellow Kei cars.
Nicely balanced, decent handling, a great car to learn how to tame MR layout machines without writing off anything too expensive and it’s only less than 20k to get.
Of course it suddenly becomes the most expensive Kei Car when you factor in the engine swap from the Honda 2&4, but that’s just a minor detail.
Verdict: Sleeper 😉👍
Next up is a double header, the FD Mazda RX-7 and the tuned version built by RE Amemiya.
The RE Seven costs 100k from BC, the OG RX7 costs 250k from BC, but can be had for around 220k in the UCD depending on mileage.
Both have swaps available, the Rampage V8 for the RE Seven and the 4 Rotor for the OG RX-7.
Both are solid cars, But if you ask
@XSquareStickIt which is better, he’ll tell you that the slower, more expensive RX-7 is the better pick and I can’t say that he’s wrong on that.
While the RE Seven is the better option for price and out of the box performance, it’s quite nervous on the rear axle compared to the stock RX-7 and despite both capable of accepting Ultra High Turbo’s, the stock RX-7 benefits more from it.
So in summary, the RE RX-7 is good, but it takes away the overall balance the stock RX-7 was well known for.
Verdicts: RE Seven: Neutral, Stock RX-7: Sleeper 😉👍
Now for the other half of what turned out to be the month of Mazda, the Mazda 787B and the MX-5 NR-A.
Pretty sure I did a review of the 787B on GTS and honestly, It could pretty much apply here too, not a bad thing either as it was a Neutral Icon on there.
The MX-5 NR-A at first glance may seem like a pointless addition, especially with the Roadster S being slightly cheaper, having a engine swap option and with a decent set of hands at the wheel, capable of matching its performance.
But that would be looking at it the wrong way, while all true, it does improve on the MX-5’s main ethos of a good drivers car, only it’s also ready to go MX-5 Cup racing as well.
And besides, if/when the MX-5 NR-A gets a decent swap of its own, the main plus point of picking the Roadster S over the NR-A will be minimised.
Overall, It’s a nice upgrade for the MX-5.
Verdict: Sleeper 😉👍
Last two cars are completely different, the Toyota Himedic and the Dodge Viper GTS.
‘But Vic’ I hear you cry, ‘What about the 930 911 Turbo?’
Truthfully, I want to do that one justice so I’m holding back on that one.
So the Dodge Viper GTS, 140k price tag, 640hp from its 8.4 litre V10 and with the recent update, one of a few cars to get the Chiron’s 8.0 W16 as a swap option.
The Toyota Himedic, packs a 2.7 4 cylinder making 157hp, weighs nearly 3 tons and costs you a grand total of..
Nothing.
Yep, The Himedic is a genuine freebie, no other car has that perk so I could say it’s a Sleeper just on that basis, it could be absolutely trash and still be a Sleeper as you literally lose nothing get one.
Happily, it’s not trash, it’s a riot to drive against other ambulances, but at the end of the day, it’s a stock ambulance, you’d be lucky to hit 90mph due to the long 4th gear and it’s brick aerodynamics.
But that 157hp engine does like some boost, throw everything and the kitchen sink at it and it’s good for over 500hp.
The Viper GTS has been tested before and like I’ve said in the past, you’re only one slip up away from getting bitten by any Dodge Viper.
I didn’t get that impression this time, it felt compliant, responsive, eager to go sideways, but only because I asked it too.
Sure the brakes were a tad on the weaker side as Rick was struggling with them all night, but on the whole it felt like there was some unspoken understanding between me and the Viper.
Best way I can describe it is like this, it’s staring me down with its fangs primed, I’m staring right back with a bowie knife in hand, Both of us capable of ruining the others day, but instead we decide to work with each other instead of against each other.
Overall, It’s still a Viper, but a more capable and compliant one that if respected, can let you have some fun AND still chase lap records.
Verdicts: Sleeper😉👍
It was a happy coincidence, though the stripes are different from the FH1 cover car.
), so I have some experience with the car. Not an easy car to drive, but leaps and bounds better than any Challenger or Charger.
Which is why we also have a Special Challenge this week!
