Car of the Week | Mazda Eunos Roadster (NA Special Package) '89

[newmedia_dev]

Did you by any chance post in the wrong thread?

Oops.....yes. Doh!

 

[Obelisk]

I was going to have a huge writeup about the DBR9, but I'm too pissed off at the race I just had at Daily C to write my thoughts out properly.

Long cut review short:

Technology marches on, and the DBR9 hasn't really aged as well as I'd like it to.

Neutral.

 

[jrbabbitt]

I was going to have a huge writeup about the DBR9, but I'm too pissed off at the race I just had at Daily C to write my thoughts out properly.

Long cut review short:

Technology marches on, and the DBR9 hasn't really aged as well as I'd like it to.

Neutral.

I too taken this car to the Daily Race C and had a rough time of it. I do believe that the BoP restrictions have neutered this fine car and added weight to which it handles like a pregnant cow. I will give details....
I do not believe in quitting nor giving up on a task so I will try again tonight after I get home from work.
(Later that night....)
I got in the midnight running of race C, qualified with a 8min 50sec time. As I mentioned earlier that this car is neutered by BoP I found out I was right...

BoP added 89.3 Kg and killed off 261 horsepower and with this lack of power and added weight this car was heavy to drive and just didn't have the speed to compete, everyone was passing me!
I started in p8 and finished in p7 (due to quitters)
I honestly tried to give it a good go of it.

 

[XSquareStickIt]

"My DBR9 review will just be a link to this race's replay (at Trial Mountain)"

gran-turismo.com

Gran Turismo Official Website

www.gran-turismo.com

#cotw #aston #gt1

 

[scourgehedge]

I must say that the attendance for this weeks lobbies are pretty weak, are people not liking the car or something?

 

[Obelisk]

I must say that the attendance for this weeks lobbies are pretty weak, are people not liking the car or something?

Hey Aiko, please don't take the following comment as accusatory...

I just want to mention that your comment comes off as a little rude. We've had attendance issues every now and then, and usually bounce around a bit unless a really popular car comes along and attracts extra people. What matters to us is that the core members of COTW are still active and participating in the lobbies and thread.

I know y'all have had some issues here, so I'm just offering my thoughts as a bit of feedback, in the hopes that you guys can integrate better into the community after the dramatic few weeks we've had.

 

[Racer283]

I must say that the attendance for this weeks lobbies are pretty weak, are people not liking the car or something?

With this group it really ebbs and flows. I've been with this group since GT5 when we were doing shuffle races. I believe it was GT6 era where we had the most people in our group. Since then we've had people move on with their lives whether it be marriage, kids, starting esport team and other commitments. We still have a core crew that show up ever Tuesdays and Saturdays that just enjoy each others company and racing.

If you have any ideas to grow the group to where it was let us know.

 

[Yard_Sale]

Between doing a bit of Manu practice throughout the week, I was able to sporadically put about 100 miles on this car the past few days. Like OB said, current technology has passed this car by, but it’s going to be one of my new favorite hot lap cars. I would almost put it right up there with Square’s 08’ NSEEEEX as far as how visceral of a car it is to drive.

In VR, the sound of this race-spec, high compression V12 is just…..WOW.

Couple the motor sound with a very low roof that puts a cross member of the roll cage inches from your helmet. The roof, tight cage and a very lax windshield angle, and you can’t help but feel like you’re in a very,VERY raw race car. I didn’t research this particular aspect, but it definitely feels like they moved the drivers seat back from its homologated position, I’m assuming for mass-centralization purposes.

As most of you know, I insist on driving every car as authentically as I can, which means heel-toeing with the sequential shifter on the way down. Out of curiosity, I’m going to try paddle shifting it in the future, just to see if there’s any noteworthy pace I can pull out of it.

I actually remember this car being good in sport mode in GTS, but with the current GT7 Bop, it’s clearly outmatched.

However none of that actually matters to me, as my yardstick of judgment revolves solely around how a car makes me feel. I could care less how good, or crappy a car is from an objective standpoint. If it makes me smile, or gives me a shot of adrenaline when I get behind its respective wheel - I’ll be a fan


Definite sleeper in my book 😎

 

[lilcat89]

Here’s a little teaser for my review.😉

 

[SomePlayaDude]

SPD Writes Gran Turismo 7's Car Of The Week: Week 80 - Aston Martin DBR9 GT1

You know it's about dang time we write about an Aston Martin for however long I got to writing these SPD COTW writes...
..although it's nothing to do with how 4 of the in-game roster are on my shortlist, but regardless..


Do you like surprise writes?

I'll just assume you're nodding because if you're not, I think your role in reading this overblown post is over. But if not..

To start, let's talk briefly about the Aston Martin DB9. Heralding the name for a bit over 10 years as its main flagship GT car, the car was praised mainly for how pretty it is thanks in many parts due to Henrik Fisker's touches since the DB7. Not to mention how it was a proper successor of said DB7 and took the brand to a good standing as it entered the 21st century. Aside that, there wasn't much else to say other than it was one of thoes Aston Martin cars where James Bond didn't need a presence to make its worth.

Now, since this is the very Aston Martin, whose semi-ancient bloodline has racing oozing and rooted deep within, they of course went on to bring it to the track. For that, I can lead you to this: the freaking book about the car in its entirely. A 296 paged documentation that's going to satisfy anyone on this regard.. if they can afford the 400 dollar asking price. There was that time in Mini Mexico I had to direct to a book, what was it for.. (post edit: it was the Lola). Though, for something so niche. If I'm buying this, I expect.. oh, I dunno.. a dancing Jesus?

I can do more than spend you 400 dollars on such a book with varying degrees of expectations, so let's not assume this is the SPD marketing channel and move on.

Using a select batch from the road going car, the DBR9 was mainly penned from the guys at Prodrive: the very same bunch who produced championship winning pedigree, most notably the 959 taking on Dakar, the Subaru rally dominance of the 90s, and to more recent times have been rallying one of the Extreme E racers, and of course a MINI Countryman.

No, I'm not making this up, but you know me how it HAS to be mentioned.

Putting aside off-road, Prodrive though did have history making GT racers out of GT cars, with them handling the 550 Maranello and turn it to a race car. After that they head off to help Aston Martin with development of the DBR9, and that relationship still goes on with them handling the current Aston Martin Vantage GT3s that.. really should be in the game by now, how odd. I was going to mention the Isle of Man WRX, but when that gets nominated, I'll get into more detail on that (if I feel like writing more surprise posts here).

In the operating room, the car received a whole collection of race ready upgrades. Things like.. a readjusted V12, race shocks and spring setup by Koni, an XTrac 6-speed, a new set of carbon fibre body parts, reinforced chassis and other lightweight components, and more that buyer's remorse of a 296 paged book probably can detail. What isn't purely detailed there however are the factory numbers. 600 horsepower, 490 lb/ft of torque, with 1.1 tons. On BOP.. I figure I should detail my grievances with the car's BOP in the sole Analysis Segment.

Then, the car was ready to be shown to the public by the end of 2004, and applications to race it have been made available to teams then after. Interesting note is that if you're a factory team, the car will come with the special single digit numbers with the most prolific example being the #007. While customers will get the three digit treatment.

And how did it go? Well, in its debut race of the 2006 12 hours of Sebring, the car slaughtered the local favorites in form of the Corvette C6.R, and other victims such as the Saleen S7-R, Maserati MC12 GT1.. yup, this is preceding its reign of terror in its GT1 class for a few more years until the whole class is discontinued. What a great example of a car that helped its company come back to the racing world with a bang.

I thought about this week's little shindig real quick.. a plan I had was to revive a rival trinity I had back when making ideas on museum man slash Vulcan racing gentleman Giles Crowden's entire identity in the Sport era. And with this car's nomination, I might as well reveal it due to this very car playing a good role for it.

And what's this? A familiar face? This very Aston Martin is known to be the Signature Car of a certain Codemasters track racing franchise on its prime that's not the ZB Viper. We're at Lap 2 with using that one team from Race Driver: GRID. And unlike the S15, this one's quite available on Share. Only that..

To an.. evil egotistical SPD standard, if it's a replica, and not made by yours truly, the livery is automatically trash anyways, so I had to make a new one from scratch, with proper references and a touch of the little details. Colors are inclusive of my S15, and even a cross reference to the game itself so I get the colors right in some way.. And you can then say that's my own ego taken care of. Was my soul shattered in some form in the Wednesday lobby? Why, yes, but I did have a backup should such an occurance happen anyways Not to mention the story livery..

Umm.. it's short but the whole episode is straight outta nowhere like. The intention is more how funny can I make it without breaking any immersion of a real life like scenario.


This week's theme song:
No One Knows (UNKLE Reconstruction)
Queens Of The Stone Age
Race Driver: GRID

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

Episode: An Inquisition Like No Other: The Big 3's Group 3 Invasion Arc

Spoiler: 1. Today on Double Vision: Hendersons!

Brands Hatch Circuit
West Kingsdown, Sevenoaks, Kent, UK
Dawn


Another day, another miracle in the English summertime covers the skies of the island nation.

South of London comes Brands Hatch, a venue recognized by both local and not local race fans.

Even as early as 6 in the morning, the pit lane accumulates a select gathering of geniuses and workforces of the race world.

A brown Cayman rolls through the back, highlighting an arrival..

Inside, Scottish up-and-coming racer Paul directs the driver and owner of the aforementioned car: his sister Fiona Henderson to an open parking slot.


Paul: "Right here! Giles gone got us a slot, sister!"

Fiona: "All righty!"


As the car settles, Fiona shuts down the petite Porsche and the siblings exit the car, not keeping quiet.


Paul: "Ach. Bugger me, that Giles. Lad knows I hate early mornings. Thanks for keeping me company, sister."

Fiona: "Don't bother! It's nothing.. was hoping Carrie could come and.."


Mention of his wife got Paul to stammer as he interrupts..


Paul: "Of course she be! Just that it's exams season, and me darling can't afford another day off. Not to mention it's 6 AM!"

Fiona: "Logical. Y'know I'm here mainly because ma always wants me to keep yer molded hair clean of any mess?"


A tease from the supermodel lady didn't do his emotions justice, as he mildly argues back in grief..


Paul: "Oi, you mention me locks one more time, I.."

Fiona: "What? Can't take a little fluff, laddie?! AHAHA!"


She then struts towards the pits, followed hastily by her little brother as he continues..


Paul: "But seriously, sister.. you being here confirms that I'm in a spot of bother, and you being here makes up fer a million, honest."

Fiona: "Again, man.. I mean.. you scratch me itch, I scratch yers! It's the Henderson sibling life's agreement, Paul."


After a quick yawn and stretch, Fiona's then thought of her exertion of the early morning, querying with concern..


Fiona: "Though.. remind me why ARE we here in the wee hours? Hour out of London on sun break, and you can bet I could really go fer a quick snoozer."

Paul: "Me boss is concerned too of my well being on track, and we've only got a window this tiny to meet and hopefully get that sorted out.."


Putting her right hand under her cheek, she commented as they keep moving..


Fiona: "Fancy way of saying he's got a tight schedule?"

Paul: "Aye, pal's got a museum business to expand all o'er the Earth. I don't got much else to carry on with that.. it's not my thing."

Fiona: "No worries. So as long he's not a git or anything.."

There isn't another garage as busy as with Aston Martin, and the arrival of these Scottish siblings has them learn that statement personally.

A select roster of the crew that accompanies Paul in his race days keeps the place in order, in the expense of their own stamina.

As Paul waves hi to his mates, Fiona then ask..


Fiona: "I recognize that! That's your car?"

Paul: "That it be, next to something else.. focus for a moment, Fiona: you find this fellow that stands out? Lad's got.. dark skin, clean patches of hair, and this high class vibe offa him?"

Fiona: "Scanning.."


Before she could complete a sweep with her sights, said decription of a man did already appear, and also already came close, giving the supermodel a quick hum.


Fiona: "Mmm.. I'd say he found us, brother."


Museum owner slash Aston Martin race manager Giles then greeted..


Giles: "6 in the morning. Prompt and on time like always, are you, Paul?"

Paul: "Ehh.. I hate it when you do this, but I try me best. You alright?"


His amber eyes then turn towards the companion he knows little of..


Giles: "Good. Good. And this is.. Carrie?"


While Fiona glanced, Paul already came in between to point out, amused slightly..


Paul: "Fraid not, you goof. This is Fiona."

Fiona: "Fiona.. umm.. fashion model. On and off, actually. I'm studying to get a degree in dance. You might've seen me on Strictly Come Dancing.."


Fiona's greet was full of the character and beauty she's quite famous for, giving Paul a hint to the staring Giles..


Paul: "Don't be saying ye be off that hook, lad. I know you were thinking it, you eejit. She be my sister."


A quick slap to himself follows as Giles shakes himself silly before sincerely proclaiming..


Giles: "Oh Jesus. Developed it has, yes, but honest: that thought hadn't escaped me, honest! Please accept this blighter's apology, ma'am. Giles Crowden. Here's my card."


As he hands his museum's business card, he follows with a kiss to Fiona's hand, akin to greeting royatly.


Fiona: "Charmed. And of course."


Spoke Fiona softly as she reddens a little.

Turning back to Paul, Giles asks..


Giles: "Considering your sister's here, can I assume she's not kept up to speed on why you're here?"

Paul: "Not in detail, is it?"

Fiona: "Don't hold back the details, now."


Knowing it's time, Giles then gestured the pair to a set of arranged plastic chairs, though shamefully had to admit..


Giles: "Sit! Don't worry, I mean, it's a pit lane, not a lounge for crying out loud. It'd be different if it was my property we're on."


After they've sat and settled, Giles then questioned the lady, speaking gently..


Giles: "Now.. let's see what you already know. If you please, Miss Fiona?"

Fiona: "That.. my little brother here's the face of some racing league. That much I know. But what I also know is that he's in a rut. Again. And I play a main role in digging him out of it. AS ALWAYS.."

Giles: "My my! I'd agree on that, but.. it's going to take more than you to help this poor sod out."


He was the target, so of course he was offended, as Paul then talked back disgruntled..


Paul: "Oi! Uncalled for!"

Fiona: "HAH! But true."


Seeing an image on how much she knows, Giles decided to use those words literally in his head, and presents..


Giles: "Anyhow.. well, I can help draw that picture for you. He's in a rut because.. don't take it the other way now.."


The siblings take a quick whisper to each other as the curator pauses..


Paul: "He knows of the family rage."

Fiona: "I bet he does with that face."


Knowing he's interrupted, Giles at least paused, until now where he returns..


Giles: "..bluntly saying, he's been underperforming. Simple as that. Thing is, I've known Paul for years cause there was a time we were racing, and trust my years consulting museum pieces: this blighter can never be simple when we go and try settle his problems."


Not knowing this, Fiona then asked..


Fiona: "You. And him? You guys raced?"

Paul: "It's a past time, Fiona. When I was so angry, I'm surprised I dinna kill anyone."


Keeping order, Giles then moved on, reassuring the pair..


Giles: "We won't be worrying about killing nobody now, you blighter.. For today, he's among friends and close buddies. Max's on his way as we speak, and I think we might have a small but competitive lot to have you sorted for the future."

Fiona: "Fascinating! You're going to have a proper showdown today, it's what it is? REAL shame about Carrie.."

Paul: "Aye. True, but this all just be me needing a kick in the arse, is all. I don't even know why we haf ta bring all kinds of people about when we can just call up the lads on Goodwood or something."


Responding, Giles then stood from his seat, looking down as he declares..


Giles: "I.. well, this is all Max's idea, see. He feels that.. if we laugh together in our comfy zone, you'll eventually learn to laugh out loud when you feel like it."

Fiona: "This is a pretty s[BLEEP] analogy, would you say?"

Paul: "Agreed. Creepy uncle Max is the kind of man that knows what he says."

Giles: "Don't shoot the messenger, Jesus.. Sam, give me a hint, will you?"


Hearing mention of that, Paul looks to the side, seeing a suited up secretary, holding a paperback and noting the conversation..

Amused by the devilish secretary's now revealed presence, Fiona noted..


Fiona: "Odd, I didn't realize we're being documented."

Samantha: "Could be worse, trust me. Sir Giles, may I.."


Now off her chair, the devil walks with her pumps clacking and leaned towards her superior's ears, whispering.

With that in mind, Giles then announces to the siblings..


Giles: "Ah! Well! He wants you to.. not feel bogged down that everyone around the world is watching your exploits! Those truly are the words. Thank you, Sam."


A better analogy in play, Fiona then enthusiastically stated..


Fiona: "Paul! You really feeling the weight, or.."

Paul: "Honest to goodness.. maybe a little..ish?"

Giles: "'A little' is precedence for a lot if we don't address this now. I wish I had control of whatever cloud that casts upon that head of yours."


With mention of head, Samantha adds..


Samantha: "It explains the poor hairdo."

Giles: "I feel that's not relevant, Sam. So.. I think I need Max to be around before we can get something going. One more question. Fiona?"

Fiona: "Aye?"


Moving closer, Giles then questioned..


Giles: "Max tells me your presence always seems to work wonders if Paul's not in his groove.. care to comment?"

Fiona: "Comment? Not quite. Confirm? That's accurate to a T. If I could, I would follow my brother to every race if I could! Da' wouldn't mind seeing us both on the telly, you know?"

Paul: "Fiona! You don't haf ta! I mean.. you've got a career too, and a degree to study fer!"


Not liking this sudden raise in tone, the museum man stepped in.


Giles: "And so do we. I'd prefer we keep out careers intact. Now, how about a quick trip to the past? If you may, Sam?"


Knowing it's time, the devilish Samantha walked across the garage, and opened a light, lightening up a dark side to the room that veils..

Recognizing the car, Paul speaks in amazement.


Paul: "Well hold me down some.. It's a DBR9!"

Giles: "You like it? Bought it months ago for the museum. And after some testing last weekend, today I take that V12 out of dormancy and back to where it belongs."

Samantha: "Honestly.. Mr. Giles, the test numbers don't lie. Analysis indicates it's able for official competition."

Giles: "Why, yes, Samantha.. I was getting to it. However, we don't quite have the numbers for Group 3 BOP. That's coming in later.."


Seeing Giles's grubby hands all over the car's present, Paul thought, then exclaimed..


Paul: "How's about a request we ride the roads together, like old times?"


He couldn't hide his excitement for one moment, but regained composure as Giles then replied..


Giles: "Calm down, you blighter! Again, I have to make a request.. I am managing your team this season, so.. it might not be soon."

Samantha: "Perhaps I can prepare the proceedings for this?"

Giles: "Why of course, Sam. Actually, you compile what I need to fill and know, put it for first thing tomorrow on my desk, if you please? Cheers."


On that cue, Samantha leaves, but to herself, she mumbles with hints of lust and joy combined..


Samantha: "Capital! And tomorrow, Sam.. it's going to be.. 'oh jolly good work, you are indeed the very best, I love you, mwah mwah mwah'!"


Back to the three, Giles then had more to reveal to Paul.


Giles: "Like some good news, Paul? Old times really was on the radar, so I had to call a certain someone to bring his team over and we can measure out our.. you know."

Paul: "Honestly.. lad, I'm impressed you can even do that. I mean.. with me, it's a 50-50 at best. Probably worse."

Giles: "Having a similar aura between us, as refined gentlemen, I mean, has its benefits. I mean.. I get it, why he calls you THE brute."

Fiona: "Brute? Oh, I know the only one person with that on his frequent miles.."

Spoiler: 2. They're not supposed to be here, you know?

As Giles mingles with the crew, he then uses the power of his ears to listen out from the track..


Giles: "A Nissan V6.. I presume he has arrived."


He dismisses the men quickly, then signals his team's racer, now sitting after a quick stretch session.

Now dressed in proper racing attire, Paul gets off his seat, and then is approached by Fiona who then wondered..


Fiona: "I've only heard you buried the hatchet with that Frenchman."

Paul: "Get to know him, and you can say.. he's a solid fellow."


As they follow Giles to a nearby open garage, they then collide into him as he makes a sudden stop, eventually shouting..


Giles: "W-WHAT ON EARTH?!"


The Scottish siblings then looked ahead and saw a pit crew worker walking out, noting the largest words on his outfit..


Fiona: "Nissan? I mean, I'm not that into the car knowledge lot, but I know that's not French or anything, is it?"

Paul: "No.."


And from inside the garage comes a giant of a man, allowing two ladies to sit on his large shoulders.

One of the women however is someone the man facing this group has great hatred of.

This lady known as Peggy then shouted in joy..


Peigi: "GILESIE!"

Giles: "Good grief, Peggy, what in the blazes are you doing here?!"


The giant titan can't hide his amusement as he..


Daijiro: "Heh heh."

Peigi: "I'm getting to that, Jiro-san! Let us down?"


He then kneels, and puts the women off his shoulders..

The other woman then spoke up.


The Cinderella: "You really knocked him funny this time, ehe.. Morning, Giles."

Giles: "Ahh, morning to you too, princess. Seems you're here too? Actually, the less I know, the better."


He however wasn't ready for this, but had his manners give him the idea on what to do next, as Giles then greets the man holding these women..


Giles: "Hello there, big man."

Daijiro: "Hmph."


Before anyone could speak of what the hell is going on, Peigi broke the silence, revealing..


Peigi: "Sooo... we're here because.. Cindy, can you?"

The Cinderella: "Gotcha. FLASH.. BACK!"

Spoiler: FLASHBACK

TURBO
Tokyo Machine
Monstercat UNCAGED

A couple nights ago..

Amidst The Big 3's inner circle comes a race that includes a duel between a familiar MC20, and the hafu DJ's latest acquisition.

While not a dominating win, the bright pink GT-R would make its mark on its first night race by showing one of the Chosen what for.

At the post race gathering, Peigi, guised under her mannish Mountain God persona, shook hands as always and readies to leave with a smile behind her kitsune mask.

However, she overhears a phone call from her rival: the aristocratic Frenchman, and notes in her head the key points.


Group 3.

Brands Hatch in 2 days.

6 AM.

Day trip.


Smirking at such an opportunity, she decides to pull some strings.. which is essentially how she sees trying to contact The Messiah himself: a man we all know who also cannot stomach the crazed DJ.

Having a quick look up, the princess then added as she looked back at Week 11..


The Cinderella: "Least it's not me getting rammed, zapped or whacked or anything this time round."


With the gist of the explanation now formed, Giles then asked..


Giles: "So, you done him in a race, and you beat the marbles out of him or what?"

The Cinderella: "Actually, he made mention and didn't mean to share us about what's happening here. So, we figured we're going to come about and ruin your day."

Giles: "Peggy alone is testament to that kind of blasphemy.."


Peigi then slid close as she announces..


Peigi: "Kee.. I made contact Clark about it too, and he can't deny.. seems to me you two lads are going to have a good ol' time without me! RASCALS!"

Giles: "Not like you're going to add anything to what might come about. We run quite a tight ship, and if you think some tuned GT-R is going to roll.."


She predicts he's going to be stuck up about this, and then loudly declares..


Peigi: "BEEEEPPPPPP!!! WRONG! Think you two be nice and bring it over."

The Cinderella: "Right then.. come on now, big fella."


As her cohorts exit the scene, the pair behind Giles finds it the perfect time to enter, as Fiona wonders..


Fiona: "Mind if we cut in and.. find out what's going on?"


While Fiona wonders on what's going on, Paul however can't believe his eyes on sight of the hafu DJ, as he informs..


Paul: "Let's see.. I tell you that's DJ Peggy."

Fiona: "Hold up. Radio 6's DJ Peggy?"

Paul: "Very one."

Giles: "She's also brought her cohorts too.. including our favorite little princess."


Hopping in between, the DJ then caroled on, grimly..


Peigi: "Nyaaa~ I know this guy."

Fiona: "Eh?"

Paul: "Umm.. morning to you again.. it's been years, was it?"


Remembering a past age on when she made a quick radio interview with Paul and Boniface, a riddle of emotions fuel her next words..


Peigi: "Years? You swore you never wanted to see me ever again. But let's say I choose to forget that memory, KEEKEEE!"


The other two watch on..


Giles: "The runt's got quite a memory."

Fiona: "Or imagination. Take your pick, Mister Giles."


Hearing the Nissan V6 ready, Peigi finds it a suitable time to disclose..


Peigi: "But.. I think it's time I tell you fellas what's up!"


Moving out their garage, Daijiro then drives out..

A poorly designed GT-R GT3 race car, but not without a kabuki shout to follow..

Unable to decipher what they're seeing, Paul broke the silence as they round around the Nissan..


Paul: "Why the bloody hell are you surprised. I mean.. you did hear a Nissan V6, right?"

Giles: "If not the out of place kabuki shout, I say.. indeed I do. One that you're familiar racing against, it seems."


The mannish DJ once again steps in front..


Peigi: "KEEKEE! What'd you think, lads? I mean.. I spent my own earnings on this one! Granted, it's not the latest one, but still! Swear on my car smuggling verification eyes it's the real deal!"


A detailed look though confirmed those words, as Giles then affirms..


Giles: "It's.. the real deal alright."

Paul: "Aye. You get no arguments from us whatsoever. Nice piece of car you got here, lassie."

Daijiro: "Heh."


Now in a more planted position, Peigi smiles as she spoke..


Peigi: "Why I appreciate that, Henderson! KEEKEE! When Clark told me it's going to be a GT3 race with you lot, I figure now is the time I reveal my latest project! I mean.. I get race classes in Silverstone every Friday evenings!"

The Cinderella: "With Nissan UK. Buncha official lot."

Giles: "Aren't they going to oust you as.."

Peigi: "You thought I didn't think of that, Gilesie? KEEH! Of course I feigned innocence, ain't that so, Cindy?"

The Cinderella: "Yeah, sure.."


She spoke with a tone that would come from your usual Sunday sermon attendee, but..

As soon as she notices Peggy taking out a gun shaped electrically powered self defense object from her chest, she didn't think twice to change her tone..


The Cinderella: "YES I MEAN YES, ABSOLUTELY, NO OBJECTIONS, ALL TRUTH! 99.9% TRUUEEE!"


She ran straight to Daijiro after that panic attack, who then catches her and with haste shields her with his own body.

That whole scene had Giles wonder..


Giles: "No crap now, Peggy, but.. why is The Cinderella here?"

Peigi: "Well.. it's my turn right now, after all. But.. Brands isn't a safe house, right? Well, I want her to experience a Group 3 race in much more focus than when she should be going out on public."


Fiona, who's remained quiet for a while, then weighed in..


Fiona: "So.. how is a radio DJ this keen into racing as if she's at you level, Paul?"

The Cinderella: "Trust me, lady.. tis a long winded story, that is."

Giles: "Milady, I'm sorry, but there are going to be more questions that'll come up with the roster I'm expecting later on."


With The Cinderella on her sights, she then adds..


Fiona: "Questions? Don't fret. I mean.. looks to me you lot are handling the living definition of a question. Surely that's not nice."


Only hearing the final words of that sentence, the amnesiac princess then decided to turn Super Saiyan 2 as she holds back her fury..


The Cinderella: "Cor, what you saying? That I'm not nice?! Bugger this! I'll show you NOT NICE! AAA-"


And before she could lunge, an unexpected limb came to her throat and not long after, chokes her with great effort, breaking her link into the mortal realm.

THe scene then pauses briefly as the announcer then points out..


The Cinderella: "BLARHHAAA!"


As the lady drops down to the floor, Samantha: the street fighter who's responsible for this, spins back to her usual pose, getting noticed by her superior..


Giles: "Why, Sam! Impeccable timing, I might add."

Samantha: "It's what I do. Now, I think we'll head to the side so you bunch can have some fun. Toodles."

Daijiro: "Heh."


With the side character out of the way, carrying The Cinderella with them, Giles then notes to Paul about the star of that moment..


Giles: "They call her the devil, but her recruitment to my outfit has been all kinds of divine joy."

Paul: "If ye think it's all right with the world, I'm gonna have to refer to you for this kind of crap, Giles."


And a few meters away from all that, the ladies then meet proper..


Fiona: "She ever leap about like that without warning, or.. well, I'm Fiona by the way. His older sister."

Peigi: "Aww, yeah. Now this is a party. Call me Peggy. So.. how much older, KEEH!"


Giles then walked by and added..


Giles: "Ohh, consider that to be a part of normalcy, Miss Fiona. I suppose we can wait further on a little longer, right?"

Fiona: "So far I've been relatively amused, at least.. Well, if you say so."

Spoiler: 3. If not those stories from Week 10-13, this so far has been the longest we're in a writeup without any mention of our favorite little racer.

As Peggy shares some tips of her trade to the Scottish pair, Giles sits alone in their team's garage, bored as he checks through his phone.

One notification by Boniface that reads: 'at the pit lane, monsieur' later, the museum curator then stands, announcing loudly.


Giles: "NOW he's here. Come now, you three."


As they now leave once again, Paul reassures..


Paul: "So, sure ye know how Bon's like and all, the funny unserious stuff I'm sure ends here."

Fiona: "Ohh, Paul.. what happened to you keeping your mind open? I mean, I can also expect something else even more bizarre."


With the supermodel's superwise words at heed, the group that exits the garage then finds what looks to be Boniface dragging a wheeled pillory stock, with what looks to be a masked teenage girl on.

The group that announced normalcy to be out of the question however found themselves shocked with this, as they comment..


Peigi: "Keeh?"

Fiona: "Mmmhmm? Kink is in the building, much, lads?"

Paul: "Sometimes, I REALLY hate you with a passion, Fiona."

Giles: "Blimey, what in the world's going on NOW?!"


He tries to keep composed, but couldn't as the aristocrat then stopped his device by the group.


Giles: "Boniface. Welcome. I see you.. have been quite busy. Ohh my goodness.."

Boniface: "Ahh, bonjour a tous."


Paul, now given a reason to feel furious about this moment, argues..


Paul: "Achh.. Bon! I don't want to be reminding you that we're here, under oath and credits due, to give me a boost in confidence, not fer yer disgusting kinky pleasure, lad!"

Boniface: "You barbarian. Don't just presume it was all my idea. Believe it or not.. it was hers. Say hello, mon petit cheu."


He then walks towards the head of his sick pleasure, and unwraps the mask, revealing..


Candy: "Oh, Paul. How rude to not say hi first! And no, this is not what it looks like."


Now ready to unlock the stocks, this loving pair then shared a moment..


Boniface: "Perhaps I should let you down for the time being?"

Candy: "Oh, sure. I need some time in the ladies room.. eventually."

Peigi: "Soo resilient! I'm falling in love for the WRONG REASONS! KEE!"


Candy, now finally here, looks about this four person group and observes..


Candy: "Let's see now.. Giles, Paul, Peggy.. and you are?"


Not liking what she sees, Fiona then gives an honest remark..


Fiona: "My, aren't you quite the someone? It's so strange.. to see a poor reflection of one's image in a mirror."

Candy: "M-mirror?"


However, the hafu DJ watched on with the stocks in mind..


Peigi: "Yah! Me so horny, me love you long time! KEEKEE!"

Boniface: "(Oh mon Dieu she IS here!!) My regrets have come to fruition.."


And before the animosity could escalate, Paul got in between and announced..


Paul: "Fiona! Bloody hell, this is the one I've told you about. Rin's new bestie."

Fiona: "Eh?"


Now placing that fact in her words, Fiona's whole image of this Candy woman shifted, as she tries to collect her words..


Fiona: "S-s[BLEEP]te! I.. umm.. screw that moment! You're Candy?! I mean.. oh man, that Rin didn't lie. She's a mop headed, poorly dressed, bite sized lassie, ain't she?"

Candy: "Hello, yes, it is I, and I can hear you perfectly fine!"


And what came from memory too has made itself relevant as the little racers realizes..


Candy: "Speaking of hear.. I heard Paul has a sister. From that white haired spectre Nash. That's you? I mean.. you're like hilariously pretty."

Fiona: "Ohh that's me! I suppose you're using Paul as some basis for beauty, huh?"

Paul: "Oi! That's like.. terribly uncalled for! And twice now!"


The gentlemen, now on the side as they dismantle the pillory stock, then looks at this meeting..


Giles: "That's another on the unannounced visitors we'll be having. Fancy telling me why she's here?"

Boniface: "Forgive me for the unexpected appearance. We knew long distance will never work, and now it's her turn to come over."


Candy then moved over, then adding..


Candy: "I actually have a race, canceled last minute. And I guess that's the picture all painted for you. You know I got that hint of how bad long distance is from Ginnie?"

Boniface: "It's expected. She's been trying with that Gary brute for years."

Candy: "Don't tell Ama abou-"


Just as that sentence came out, a crackling sound too came out, colliding with the little racer's right shoulder..


Candy: "-UUUWAAAAHHH!"


Everyone around then looked to her, noticing the presence of something nasty, French and rich.


Amadine: "OH?! Excusez-moi?! Not tell Madame Ama about WHAT NOW?!"


With 'keeping her in control' as the only thought about, Boniface replied, acting ashamed..


Boniface: "Mon dieu.. how long distance relationships are doomed to fail from the start."

Amadine: "Ohh? Do you believe that, Mir?"


The other lady walks in slowly, instructing..


Mirielle: "Ama, it's ask first, whip second. And non: I don't care what is to be believed. But look forwards.. a horde of people to whip and beat senseless await!"

Amadine: "That so.. wait.."


A quick look from the Emerald Lust's viewpoint has her imaginary in-vision HUD lock on to certain people..


Amadine: "That's Paul. Good old Forrest waiting to run and flee if not his unspoken development in play. And! And that's that little lady from an incredibly moist Fuji that day!"


Realizing who they were from Week 20, Peigi jumped and climbed behind the closest person, exclaiming in fear..


Peigi: "HISS! FOUND, AGAINN! I can't believe it! SAAVEE MEEE!! CINDY! Shield me!"

Paul: "Lassie, I am not yer Cindy! Get. Off!"


The unfortunate DJ didn't get a warning before getting tossed by Paul, straight into the mistress in green.


Peigi: "KEEEEH!! Y-YOU TRAITORRR!!"


While he's supposed to be concerned, Giles watched on this whole scene


Giles: "Blighter's brought the whole family, of course.. I don't believe Nash will be joining us, Miss Richelieu."

Mirielle: "No worries, monsieur. We're here to see Boniface and his new belle work out your team's issues, as promised. Isn't that so, Ama?"


These two would then witness a theatre of pain in the pit lane of Brands Hatch, as Amadine tried to reply..


Amadine: "Uh.. yes! Yes! Now WHO'S BEEN NAUGHTYY?! Very very VERY NAUGHTY?!"

Peigi: "WWHAAAAHAAHAAA! OWW! OWW! OWW! OWW! OOOWWWOWWOWWOWWWOOWWWOWWW!"


..as she continues to whip away Peigi with an unrelenting barrage, damaging just about everything on her, especially her..


Candy: "Any of you sick headed freaks around? Let this be the first I've seen Peggy naked without her own intent."

Mirielle: "Heeee~ I heard she enjoys to be bare of cloth, so I let Ama have at it."


A naughtly gleeful smile came from the Nuclear Baroness, but Fiona then came over to wonder..


Fiona: "I know our gripes with the Emerald Lust, but.. something is wrong with that DJ."

Giles: "If you were in my shoes, Miss Fiona, you'd truly understand."


Paul then joined the crowd of this theatre of pain, reminding everyone in concern..


Paul: "Whew. Supposedly, lad.. this was to be a nice little Group 3 sprint race to help get me back up and running.. it's turning to be quite the fiasco, this be. Lass, why were you on a stockade?"

Candy: "I'm being paid 5 thousand credits to enter this episode on a pillory stock. And we're experimenting if pain's going to help me focus for later. You should've seen how red I was yesterday.."

Mirielle: "It's mainly to please me, however you see it."

Giles: "Still causing some form of chaos is not going to get you out scot free, Miss Lam."

Fiona: "Any idea how we're going to step in and regain order?"


To answer that, the last of the expected people then arrived as he greets..


Clark: "Morni-"


..grimly, possibly even moreso as he sees the lady whipping frenzy, the small afraid crowd, and a pillory stock on wheels, deducing with disappointment..


Clark: "Did I enter the f[BLEEP]ing bondage circus, or.."

Giles: "Long story short, Max: pardon the language, but thank f[BLEEP]k you're here!"


The strangeness come into full force as not seconds later, Clark has the museum curator groveling at his feet.

Spoiler: 4. A borked up briefing

Now with the collective of racers in a briefing room, A quick presentation was to start.

As Candy comes in the room last, she finds seating by some fellow racers.

She rushes in and sits by the chair, mistakingly colliding by the other woman in the room, all brightened and wounded..


Peigi: "KEEEH! Don't touch! Don't touch or I'll KEELHAUL YOU!!! NYAAAA!"

Candy: "I.. whatever you say. (We don't have to say one of those keywords to get her in a bad mood now..)"


She may have caused a ruckus, but it hasn't the power to keep on.

With everyone in position, the man leading the whole of today's adventures began to speak on a mic..


Clark: "Alright. Let's get started. Now.. I thank you all for coming. While Giles has done a splendid job arranging a lot of what's coming today, can I address a few things first?"


Mumbling then followed, eventually quietening down enough for Clark to continue explaining..


Clark: "Supposedly, Alan and my brother are to be here with the tamed racing animal, but a last second roster swap for a race in Silverstone means they're not coming. We're short on manpower.."


By those words, he then further proclaimed upon seeing the ladies in the room..


Clark: "But I see a pair of women that shouldn't even be here. Especially you, Peggy."

Peigi: "Are you blaming me?! After all this... WHIPPING?! [sobbing]"


She shouted in anguish, still feeling the pain receptors in her body working as intended.

Not really caring, Clark had none of it, but yet had another concern..


Clark: "Though, if you and I and Giles are all here.. the Cinderella must be here too, correct?"


A silence follow again; enough to confirm this angry mastermind of the fact..


Clark: "The lack of worry also means I'm right, and we should move on. Candy, do you have a car?"

Candy: "Fortunate I was part of the last second roster swap Nash and Alan was in, so yes."

Clark: "Good. We don't have any extras right now, so let's not go into the mood of touring cars and scratch paint unless it can't be avoided."


Hearing of what came, Giles stood off his chair, explaining..


Giles: "Worst comes to worst, the Crowden Automotive finances shall cover any major costs."

Clark: "Shut your hole, Giles. That's my job."


And from the bottom of her heart, Peigi excitingly explained through her own pain..


Peigi: "Is this some potluck?! I'm in! I mean.. any funny business and I'll cover it, KEEH!"


The Big 3 came to stand, and those not in this exclusive squad watch on with interest.


Paul: "Interesting how ye Big 3 bunch come together when this whole teamwork shenanigan's not in yer vocabulary."

Candy: "It's amusing the more I see it. They're never meant to be together, was it?"

Boniface: "Gist of it, oui."


With Peigi and Giles joining Clark up front, they stand by him as he then drags in a wheeled whiteboard, and explains further..


Clark: "So, with assurance covered, let's put up some numbers. Full circuit, 10 laps. Grid start. Race time at 12:30 sharp, so if you like, we can be done here by tea time."


He then turns to notice Giles writing it all down with his usual clean handwriting..

..along with Peigi doodling away what looks to be a green figure being shot at by a well drawn giant taser that hints it should kill rather than incapacitate.

Not wanting to get in her way, he turns back and asks with Paul in center..


Clark: "[sighs] As I represent the Mythic Initiative on this all, would you like any f[BLEEP]ing other things to say?"


He's hesitant at first, but a quick peek at Candy and Boniface, besides him, got him the courage to get up and speak his heart out.


Paul: "I.. confess.. I mean, I shouldn't even need this kind of help. Come in the end, I hope what comes of this is both good and fruitful for not just me own development, but us all. I mean.. I see Clark here: fastest growing seed in the European leagues, me good rivals and friends."

Boniface: "Oh please. You won't be calling me 'friend' after I'm through with you later."

Giles: "He aims to soften us. Classic."


And after those close to him, now he speaks for those not as close..


Paul: "Those two.. I'm going to get my backside whipped into shape by some streetwise racing talent too."

Peigi: "Keeh! Don't you worry a thing, you silly golfing drunk, you! The reason why everyone about loves to be a Mountain Blazer is because our record is spiffy clean!"

Paul: "Not to mention the highest scoring lass in all of Asia.."

Candy: "Keh. Here on a whim, by the way. Don't take it the wrong way: I like these coming together moments, even unannounced."

Paul: "Aye.. contest here is tight, be it by personal reasons, or professional. I'll do my best. Aye, maybe I'll find some form of motivation from today that'll amp up my progress."


This might be all for his team, but Giles wasn't quite satisfied as he added..


Giles: "By the way.. I'd like to add something else to sweeten the pot.. no, not money. The winner of this race gets an all expenses paid one day voucher for.. this DBR9 I am going to be racing with today."

Candy: "A DBR9? You must mean the GT1 Aston Martin?"

Paul: "What other DBR9 is there in yer head, lassie?"


Not expecting more, the Messiah then asked..


Clark: "You done?"

Paul: "Nah.. I want to thank everyone here again.. but especially to me sister Fiona. I thought after I got meself sorted and Bon on our side, my role with you be more or less over. But I admit.. that's not what it looks, sister. Need ye more than ever, admittedly!"


Hearing her name, the supermodel, sitting in the back, knew in her instinct that she had to come up front.


Fiona: "Gahh, Paul! I won't ever stop having your back much I can ever help you. Besides.. I scratch yer itch.."

Paul: "Ye scratch mine."


While a mutual agreement between siblings isn't so special, for Candy, who's never had a real sibling..

..her smile proves she couldn't hide a tear her heart bled out.

Spoiler: 5. Closing in on Prodrive's alpha Aston

A long practice session in the morning follows.

A collective of various decade old GT3 cars make their names proud, with a Scottish styled Aston Martin playing with fire..

As is Clark's own Ferrari that's been blessed by the service of the entertainment show he's taken on..

The presence of a wildcard in 22 year old Peigi however is bound to unease the competitors today.

As is the Count of Sainte-Croix himself, who's luck has been gaining as is his traction in the contest.

However..

Garage 1
Ian Livingstone
GRID 2

The supposed highlight still remains in the garage.

Its driver, Giles, a former touring car savant turned to the fanciest street racer in all of the UK, has trouble collecting himself in the situation he so desires to fall into..


Giles: "Oh Lord, high and mighty.. lend me some courage into what sounds like a grand idea.. Amen."


Done with a brief prayer, he looks back, takes a breather, not realizing Fiona comes by with a look of concern.

Naturally, he puts himself aside as he goes to address her.


Giles: "Miss Fiona? May I help? Are you.. unattended?"

Fiona: "Not quite. Just coming about.. coaching my brother's on track gimmicks is stressful, y'know? I know when a man like him's stubborn, but.. you people act different in those cars, hmm?"

Giles: "Oh I do agree.. I'm his racing manager after all! On the pit lane, barking about what that ignorant blighter should be doing, and cross your fingers he gets them done. Though, one season in, and I've not a clue if he has a problem with authority."

Fiona: "Nah. I wouldn't call him or me either a rebellious sort. What's got you worried?"


Unwilling to stay put, he starts making rounds as he expresses his inner despondence..


Giles: "The fact that.. us being on track together has a tiny chance it's going to ruin him on the grand scheme of it all."

Fiona: "Care now.. it seems you're quite stressed about it. Need a hint?"

Giles: "I suppose anything is good. I blame Peggy for all this, just so you know."

Fiona: "Very well. I've an idea."


An idea did however come, as Fiona momentarily leaves the scene..


Fiona: "And.. here's my Chinese stress toy."


..and re-enters, placing what might be an incredibly detailed cutout of Candy Lam as Le Glace Pacer in front of her, complete with a squeaky sound.


Fiona: "Do with it as you see fit, while I go see how Paul's doing. Cheers."


While Fiona leaves, Giles then realizes this cut out of Candy is the real deal, which he followed with a quick shaking of his head in disbelief.


Giles: "Jesus.. Candy? It's really you, is it? You alright? I mean, of course you are. Are you not seething that she called you a toy?"

Candy: "Maybe, but I've been told she's a racist, and haven't been called a yellow skinned ching chong Asian waste of air yet. So.. I don't think that's on the script. Unless I cross her or something."

Giles: "I say don't give ME any ideas, but let's go with that."


However, Candy went into a hunting wolf mode, using its eyes to see Giles better, and deduced..


Candy: "Soo.. I can see you fiddling your fingers and stepping out of rhythm. Sophia teaches me those are some of the common signs of stress."

Giles: "You're going to use someone else's notes to lecture me? Poppycock!"

Candy: "(I haven't read a man in a while now, ohh.) That dejected response is telling me more than enough. My master plan in my head says to get you calm and give you something else to focus on.."


A quick pause then follows with the little racer's big idea..


Candy: "You know what my sweet Boniface told me? He told me you guys were on track rivals when he was on touring cars. There's like a Vauxhall, a Lotus and a Honda up front. Bon thinks they're good memories.. there are nights where we'd have replays on your highlights. The racing, the contact, the drama. I had no idea, you know?"


And Candy too finds these moments a revalation of sorts, as she moved on further..


Candy: "But one idea I have now.. well, I know why you're stressed. Let me make a guess.. You're looking at Paul with this.. fire! You want to be better than him today, like a younger you trying to be better than him then."


Dishonest with that truth, Giles argued..


Giles: "I hadn't thought of it that way, you know? I can't say I'm one to hold grudges or anything.. I've a business and the lot.. says I'm better as is."

Candy: "How about.. we say you still want to show that you're not left out of the group?"


Feeling ashamed he's being figured out, he wants to fight back, but couldn't..


Giles: "I.. deary me.. I wager Boniface must've made mention of my early exit in said rivalry, correct?"

Candy: "Where else do you think I'm going with this? Those highlights earlier aren't as much fun when one important piece of the puzzle's missing.."


And that puzzle comes down to..


Candy: "I know what's up. You're helping Paul because of you. You want in the game, and since I managed to talk Clark into getting on track as well.. let's face it, there's something in you that wants Peggy to be racing along too."


And just like a supervillain's super plan thwarted, he snapped in a mild fashion..


Giles: "Ohh hoo.. You little bitch. May I say you're quite the detective? Right.. I admit. I suppose I'll come clean. I want Paul the best he can, so he can survive being the face without me. And most importantly: with me in his way. I'm driven to get back in, with my lessons in speed compounded with my role as the Spitfire. And since I got no avenue to enter, suppose I'll be representing the museum."

Candy: "A drip of dishonesty in the cloud of purpose. Another friend's words, not mine."


He's not exactly a man who believes in divine intervention, but Giles realized he could soar the sky if he can be honest about his intentions in the future, despite his insecurities.

With a more confident tone, he then admits..


Giles: "Let me say the nerves are real. I've not been on the track for nearly a decade, y'know?"

Candy: "Talking always makes me feel good.. Something past me regrets deeply is not exhibiting that.."


She's not going to help him, she thought, and what came after was a twist in her intentions, as she declared..


Candy: "Tell you what.. want some more.. direct pointers? Give me the DBR9 for a few rounds. You'd like what I can give from someone that's been racing all kinds of the fast and the furious."

Giles: "Hmm.. indubutably, I say.. very well!"


And with that approval sealed, she excitedly begins to dash towards the DBR9..


Candy: "Oh boy!"


Feeling mildly betrayed, Giles however realizes with that request though..


Giles: "She too has a drip of dishonesty in her own cloud of purpose. Ohh goodnes, you blighter."

Candy: "As my little sis says.. guiltyy~ now OPEN UP!"


She opens the door, only to find the car's already occupied.


The Cinderella: "BRUUUMM BRUUMM!"

Candy: "BWAAH!"


Knocked down to the floor in surprise, Giles closes in on this sudden seating asking away..


Giles: "Cindy, my dear, what on earth are you doing in there?"

The Cinderella: "Well, since I've been knocked out royally again by the devil in the prada, I was told I'm in the okay to have a sit in the DBR9! Hiya, Candy!"

Candy: "Heyy.."


However, seeing she's in the way, Giles didn't relent.


Giles: "Alright, out now, princess. The FIA gets a hint of this, and mark my words: it's more than just a slap on the wrist for you license."

The Cinderella: "Slap, schmap. Alright."


As the amnesiac exits the car, the little racer clears herself as she gets up, then wondering..


Candy: "Doesn't her being around with all the Big 3 means you're a prime target for.. you know.."

Giles: "Yes. Yes. To be fair... I didn't count on Peggy coming over at all. Anything else can we add on that?"

Candy: "It might riddle how in a hurry Clark is today."


The qualified racer now the one in the car, she adjust the bucket seat, but not before some trivia comes around..


The Cinderella: "That Peggy's probably going for more than the gold medal.. probably also comedy gold. Some reason, her racing number is kanji for 'fast' or something?"

Candy: "And something IS wrong right there. To think: Paul says he's the one needing a kick in the bum.."

Spoiler: 6. Batten down the hatches (ANALYSIS SEGMENT)

A sunny shiny morning too brings out the best in what might be an old outdated Aston Martin racecar..

Candy: "A car like this.. isn't letting me think in peace!"


Passing laps gives her a familiar vibe with the track, prompting Candy to decide it's time..


Candy: "And go! Whew.. lucky for me.. I can reach that lever shifter.."


No One Knows (UNKLE Reconstruction)
Queens Of The Stone Age
Race Driver: GRID

Spoiler: ANALYSIS SEGMENT

We hardly ever get anything with a big V12 these days. I mean, of course the Miura's one of them. But as a fan of more valves than 7, I come bearing.. sort of bad news with this week's undertaking. After a drive with this car, I do want some pills alright. Ones that'll help me sleep tonight because oh boy: it's the kind of car that tests the entire spectrum of emotion in one package. At least on how it's portrayed here. That I can say it does with flying colors.

But unlike some cars that exist to spite your entire experience with hatred in every sense, the DBR9 has some good points. Sort of like last week's Volvo, it has gold stars in its presentation. The interior is nostalgic yet projects the car's effort to lose weight in a rather presentable package. As it is presentable, it's not even a car that's difficult to drive or requires a skill to survive with. For issues like this, the back of my head says the car does have power oversteer that isn't out of place for any RWD race car in this power range.

The sound is easily the best part of the car: Aston Martin sounds are top notch when done right, and this isn't something that the game doesn't muck up, even if Gran Turismo car sounds are amazing, while not top of the line. I'd even say, if not the overly dark shade in the interior, the car is presented even better here than it was in the last game I drove this: in Race Driver GRID.

The car serves as a form of precedence: for perhaps a good chunk of other GT1 cars of that era to come in the game. Now, this is a statement I say be treated as a double edged sword, because while I do not mind the likes of an MC12 or an S7.R in the game, anyone who's driven the car from when it first came out in Gran Turismo Sport has a hint on what's to come with this. I guess we forego the usual review type and drum for.. a list. A list explaining how and why is the car in its worst form, particularly as it appears in Gran Turismo?

It's a quick 3 point list. The first of this details what the game's done to the car.

This one will remember mainly for how the car is placed in Group 3. it loses 65 hp and gains 180 kilos to get it to Group 3 standards. I can't confirm why they gave it a sumo wrestler diet, but I wager the car's fuel economy and tire saving abilities are top notch enough that they have to somehow justify this obesity atrocity. But really: 180 kilos isn't even 2 SPDs (1 SPD is 85 kilograms), although for a car that starts out at just above a ton, you are going to feel that bump up in weight. And more weight means the car's handling is affected in such a way that you'd hope you're Sundowner fast, but remember you're the easiest boss in Metal Gear Rising. Generally with a loss of power, you'd have no issue putting the power down on exit: which this car does have trouble with, and while you do see a noticeable gain in the turn exit grip, the band aid solution a poor BOP isn't going to cut it, and you are going to still get power oversteer. In fact, since it's a sequential manual we have, I suggest not shifting the car at all mid turn, mainly because powerband says it's a climb from low revs.

This brings us nicely to point 2: the drive. There's a good chunk of meat here, so bear with me.

This segment uniquely covers a summary of how the car comes out of Brand Central without BOP. The DBR9's modus operandi consists of a weighty, well balanced handling profile, combined with a grand spanking V12's dosage of power oversteer. However, the main culprit being the BOP causes all that to spiral down, amplifying its many naughts in a grand fashion. But what's not touched? Well, the balanced drive, attributed to its 51:49 ratio, and the brakes are race car brakes, so any issues will be noted if there were. And the acceleration for a Group 3 car is actually one of its strong points.

As is, the car comes with a turning profile that's smooth and weighted: something like a GT car turned to a racer, because yes: there's nothing deceiving of this transformation. It turns around where you want with understeer, albeit nicely and in a planted fashion that makes you think of the streams you get in the UK wilderness: mostly pleasant and cool. Suddenly, with the BOP on, you find yourself suddenly in a flow that's meandering off the given course and bifurcating to a new path that's not where you want to go, but you find yourself unable to change course because nature is cruel. Just like how kids are cruel! Anyhow, the car has understeer built in, and without BOP, this all is just at worst a footnote.

However, with it on, said footnote turns to the meat of the essay, as the car is defined by the many high level racers as the Group 3 definition of understeer, especially in higher speeds. Not to mention trying to correct this understeer in general is a pain in the butt, so you have to get the car angled in horrendously right at every moment, and I know enough that nobody's capable of that kind of patience. Interestingly, I can find a test of input discipline in the car mid turn. When throttle braking and bouncing the revs mid corner becomes a suggestion that punishes those that don't do it perfectly, in here I'd rather you drop the idea of that on the whole, or you know.. bifurcation to the grass and probably into Barry R. So, on the whole: turn into a mid to high speed corner is safe, but so safe, understeer has joined the discussion. And don't worry much about the curbs: it's not notable enough and issue like we had with the NSX GT500.

On to the braking. Now, I have no qualms with the braking, but the big heavy fat car demands that.. usually when you do have a brake marker at the ready for Group 3, with the DBR9 you might want to play that game a wee bit earlier. Like about half a car length's back? It made me realize the brakes are perfect if the car wasn't in the sumo BOP diet it's getting that neuters it. We already have a solid package, just what's given to us to keep up with the new kids on the block is.. too much.

This has been going on quite a bit, so let's go to some comparisons in my final point: it can't compete.

First, I mentioned it's got good acceleration, right? Like with the Ford GT LM Spec II, the DBR9's gist is that it's a speed car that can't turn. But unlike with that old Ford GT, that car's got a mid engined setup and can do corners with less difficulty than the DBR9. I don't find it surprising that the car does find use in Sport mode racing too.

Not to mention.. you're going to like this: the DBR9 has a poor top end. YES, for a car with this niche to work with, it can't even stand out with it!

Just like Luke finding out who Darth Vader really is, you do think that's impossible, yes? Oh yes. It's not because it's slow on the straights.. it's acceleration is specifically placed at the earlier gears. It has a really tall final gear that it can't work with with BOP on. Yes sir, it didn't get BOP transmission ratios, and still uses the GT1 values for 'em! If you like some proof on how this is witnessed.. we did a race on Wednesday in Spa, where it duked out against the PEUGEOT VGT Gr.3. At similar exit speeds on Eau Rouge, the DBR9 reached Les Combes around 2-3 MPH behind that.. thing! Not to mention while I'm sure you all have gripes with the longboi Gr. 3 car itself, the car is still mid engined and can turn around the speedy bends of Spa exceptionally well. I remember seeing a Sport race where that car is like a whole second per lap quicker there because of how skewed the BOP is for that car in a track like this.

Quick side note: the Peugeot VGT Gr.3 is my favorite Group 3 car in both here and GT Sport, so a nomination on that thing is coming eventually.

Okay, so it's not going to be a choice car for speedy venues, and if you haven't been reading, I'm hilariously confident you never want to bring this on the tighter circuits. But the idea of running the car without BOP does come. What if we judged it purely as is?

Well, say we do get all that nice juicy power and the handling profile we get is the car as is rather than the fat guy we got in BOP racing?

Time for me to take it to a quick test: and that means a run in Yamagiwa, and.. not to keep anyone waiting with boring tables and.. times where I did Showcases in Mini Mexico, it sucked. Well, the gist of it is that I had a time in Yamagiwa with the last Group 3 car we nominated in the NSX GT500. On stock, that car's around 715 PP, and it got around the track half a second quicker than my best with the DBR9. Let's put in the Ford GT Spec II, and that car's a whole 2 seconds quicker than the DBR9, while it did have a 10 PP advantage. A fair comparison is the longboi Gr.3 car, and while it nailed similar times, that car has a 10 PP disadvantage.. see where this is heading? The DBR9's PP value is bloated, me buckos! And as you already realized: the GT500 cars are getting better treatment in the performance side of things in class.

What's the correct band aid fix for this car? Well, here's what'd I do, without changing the BOP much, that is. Because we're not so gullible to assume a little bit of weight down and power up by themselves ain't going to cut it. I'd say.. PP go down by 8-12 so less nerfs on the BOP (it's 690 now vs a newer, less nerfed 690PP is going to be a game changer, trust me), give it a more suitable braking potential (in addition to already having it bring down the lard, fatcakes). And of course tighter gear ratios on gears above second to combat the poor top end, and the turn exit oversteer. And a new default setup. This setup will consist of perhaps a substantial soft front and hard rear difference it will ever have to go through, though not as much if you're not going to give it the BOP treatment and nerf its power rather than both. Generally, any settings that touch with grip such as negative camber, toe and LSD values aren't so important to change about here; they're fine with or without BOP. If you do want to raise the weight, how about putting some of it by the back so we get some of the car's rear out: perhaps a consideration if you need to sumoweight your DBR9. Speaking of which.. if brake balance is changeable, at least +2 is going to make it more towards your usual Group 3 car. I mean.. it's also okay if you want it at +5 since the car is very stable if you don't play with the throttle funny.

Thinking of signing with Aston Martin? Well, before you consider the historic, well refined engineers of Gaydon, it might not be a good idea as of writing. The V12 Vantage somehow got shafted as it transitioned into GT7, so I can fairly say their Group 3 performance is in shambles, and the Group 4 car, while solid in almost every way (especially sound), isn't enough for even the fastest, hardcore Group 4 master out there. I have a feeling a Group 1 contender's coming over, but this is the same feeling I have with a certain British-German crossover SUV.

Truly wish the current era Aston Martin racecars would come quick: should my words and analysis not sway, you don't need them to tell it's a cry for help.

Candy: "Oh, that Giles. Now I get why he's so worried.. this car's quite a cumbersome one. It can still work, I know it!"

Spoiler: 7. We duke it out for some depressed Scotsman's benefit

As midday lands, the group of cars then put themselves on the line for a quick 10 lap skirmish.

As the light turns green, the racers punch forwards, with an exception..

Boniface: "Sacre bleu, that should not have happened!"

Spoiler: What was supposedly the notable race events

So, I've ran the 10 lap race 5 times, and there was no drama involved whatsoever.

Yes! The AI disappoints me for the first time on this! If you look at weeks with Group 3 racing, there are times where we do get some action about. But not this week I'm afraid.

There's no way I am writing people getting tense at each other for nothing. So.. quick photo shoot.

And how it ended..

Paul: "Look at that! P1, Giles. I'd congratulate you, but I say it's all dumb luck."

Giles: "Sod off, you blighter; it's always been my skill and elegance that trumps you. Always! (and tutelage from that Candy, of course..)"

Paul: "Thought this race was to cheer ME up! Not serve your agenda!"

Giles: "Blimey! He sees right bloody through me. W[BLEEP]er! I knew you miss me!"

Paul: "AHAHAHAHA! Like old times, lad. Aye aye, sir."

Spoiler: Ladies and gentlemen.. prepare for Porsche Carrera GT

Okay: f[BLEEP] it. I lied. It's an Alfa Romeo. What you gonna do?
actually foreshadowing next week's song

Spoiler: 8. Taking it out by tea time

As time passes, the track remains open to the public.

As Candy then notes as she awakes from a quick nap, a good chunk of today's roster gone by tea time.

Readying to check in at her favorite hotel in London, he attempts to leave was interrupted..


Fiona: "You. Sweet buns! Got a minute, little lady?"


Knowing her mental folder on Fiona Henderson being quite poor, Candy's confidence shutters down, with a quieted reply..


Candy: "Umm.. you still here?"


She however knew enough that's not her normal tone today, and thus launched a verbal assault..


Fiona: "What's wrong? That experiment in pain caused a small change in something, did it? I hear 'how dare you' is kind of the catchphrase for a wee lass like yerself."

Candy: "...that's the thing. I was so focused in the race, I forget to consider it! Infuriating. Still, that best lap means.. maybe there is some merit to pain."

Fiona: "Merit or not, I am not letting you scot free on hurting yourself for results!"


What she however saw wasn't your run of the mill supermodel, but a sister at heart, with the compassion Candy can sense under those harsh words.

The genius Fiona however read enough on the little racer's face to recognize.


Fiona: "Don't tell me I sound like Rin.. well, you know.. I never thought Rin had a sister. Uncle Alan told me she's an only child, and.."

Candy: "When she needs to describe that, she said that we're not related, but we're bonded.. then proceeded to squeeze the bones out of my tiny body."


Using Rin as a place to refer to, Fiona then commented a happening from back in Week 2.


Fiona: "She also told me not to call you cute."

Candy: "Rin-san found out the hard way what happens when I get called cute."

Fiona: "No s[BLEEP]t! Little runt like you and capable of intimidation. What a combo."

Candy: "There's a whole roster of capable in my body. And race the good race for your brother is definitely one of them. Speaking of which.."


The roar of the mighty V12 that shuddered the racing world then powered through the start line straight.

Knowing what's going on, Fiona continues, rambling on..


Fiona: "Aye, well. With everyone now gone, he be alone in that DBR9. I mean.. I didn't quite see the fuss about how he's been doing after the race, but hear me out: the fact that he's got a whole posse coming over for a quick sprint race to get his spirits up.. that fact, and that fact alone, I can tell from all his and me life together, definitely can push up his motivations."


That mental folder of Fiona Henderson has been stuffing up as the little racer applauds this superb character..


Candy: "Well said. You remind me how inspiring your brother can be.. like the day I first met him in Suzuka. Did he even.. actually, it doesn't matter."

Fiona: "Something on your mind?"

Candy: "I figured Giles was being a good race manager, but after I found he's arranged this all for himself.. actually again, never mind. Unimportant. How is it I've never seen the likes of you before?"

Fiona: "You're just an upper class stuck up, and I'm of that caliber as well, lassie. Just that.. I figure a divine force is stopping us to meet or something. No bloody way I can confirm. We're really two peas in the same pod. Sort of."

Candy: "I don't know.. you having a masters, plus that better body that makes me jealous.. it's different enough."


A bulb lights on Fiona's head as she described..


Fiona: "Oh, for sure! I figure this all be.. it explains why the hatred on the word.. cute, don't you think?"

Candy: "Oh right.. aren't you a smartass? Might it surprise it also explains my disorder on eating sweet stuff?"

Fiona: "You have a disorder that.. No. It can't b-no f[BLEEP]ing way you're named 'Candy' because you like to eat?"

Candy: "No, that's just silly. But well, he's right."


She's smart, but not able to predict the name that comes, thus the query..


Fiona: "Who?"

Candy: "Jacob. The dark one. I figure you know him too since you know Rin-san. He seems to have a stake at whatever your brother's been doing.. it's creepy."

Fiona: "You mean 'godparent' Jacob Ross?"


Those words however wasn't the one she's expecting, as she replies with a shock in her mind.


Candy: "Godparent?"

Fiona: "Paul's a father, you know? They're coming over in a bit. I'll let you meet his bairns: Amelia and Jacob."


Hearing that name again, Candy then figures they should meet, along with the stopping of her hotel plans..


Candy: "Jacob, eh.. well, I hope they'll grow up to be taller than four foot eleven of me."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

It's all so dismal, but if you ask me, the whole reasoning behind all of this is also all so unfortunate and forced upon. Due to these thoughts I'm not giving this car a rating.

It's just that.. when you're so comforted with the idea of other Group 3 cars, you just wonder.. we're really moving on, and this car is the prime example of having trouble keeping up. It's the Group C of the Gr. 3 bunch, but even where it shines, it can't quite outglow the others that can also do the same. It's such a pity, and winning Le Mans and other events en masse isn't something to pity upon.

Spoiler: Biographies for this week's episode

Interesting how I prefaced the fact nobody's going to write this car, but look at all the posts rolling in! I was feeling a bit cruel this week, y'know? Can I say I have every right to tease and do this kind of in-your-face attitude to those who decided to just keep the car done and dusted with 3 sentences. It's an insult to one of the most iconic GT1 race cars before said class's end. To say it might be more insulting than what the game's done to it.. is just me being real harsh on the situation, but not entirely false.

I'm writing next week with the Carrera GT, and.. I must be real: while I have experience with that car for over 2 years, I'm quite sure it's not going to be like the Miura where I properly slaughter the lot of you that's not Vic because major skill issues. This I assure you. If you do need a substitute car, the MC20, 430 Scuderia and the 12C are excellent candidates with a similar vibe, though not with a straight up manual.

Bah, the main complaint I have with this write up is that.. why is this episode focused on someone completely different?

I guess the whole idea is that Candy is getting WAY more screen time than that of other main character, either has been, or to be. It's mainly because of the cars I want to write are connected to story writing, with a very small bunch that are not, such as the Ford GT '17 and next week's Porsche Carrera GT.

But let's introduce yet another returning fellow. At the time I started writing in the Gran Turismo 6 era, Paul Henderson was the main character and it led to a bevy of new roster that revolves around him. Personally, the best that came from this is easily the French siblings of Sainte-Croix, considering how soon they came in the story and this writeup on the whole. What follows from that is Rodulf Sorensen, the bounty hunter in a Bugatti. And Billy Bob Marsden, who got a fastlane up the roster entry because Signature Car. The next entry now comes in the form of Paul's sister: Fiona Henderson. Now, the thing about rebooting Fiona is.. how the hell do I do it? Her whole schtick is that she's a smart beauty who seems to have trouble in her social abilities.. see the similarities between her and Candy? Just a purpose only side character I hope to flesh out and develop further, and can this be the opportunity for that? Her old car might not make it through (Range Rover Sport Evoque), but her old theme song still remains: it's one of my favorite given leitmotifs.

This week's roster wheelspin winner was Daijiro Sasaki. I know he only gets like 2 or something lines, but he won, alright?

Spoiler: MAIN CHARACTER - The infamous sweet toothed Lone Wolf: Candy Lam (Sport)

As the main character, Candy Lam is bound to appear in every segment, be it either as the lead role, or as a small mention.

The infamous Sweet Toothed Lone Wolf of Asia, or known worldwide as Le Glace Pacer. While her social presence is significantly poor, her presence on the track hasn't been short of perfection, now under the pressures of being a monetary source of higher powers, as well as her role being the most prime form of woman racers.. But don't let her hear that.

Theme Song: Def Leppard - Bad Actress
Racing Duel Music: Def Leppard - Nine Lives
Gender: Female
Nationality: Hong Kongese
Age: 30
Current occupation: Professional racecar driver
Distinct features: Long, clean, straight ashen hair tied to a ponytail via traditional red braids. A stiff, stoic Asian beauty that starts to show sign of wrinkling, covered by heavy layers of makeup. Thin, rounded diamond face, with various beauty signs of it being worked on unnaturally, especially her unblemished small snub nose, heavily lipsticked mouth and thin brown Asian eyes. Short body with small proportions.
Choice of clothing: Typical modern glossy sleveless Hong Kong dress, but 90% she will have her favorite on, that's in blood red with a white bauhinia pattern on, with matching sandals. Most of her clothes and themes come in red or white.
Cars: Toyota GR Yaris 1st Edition RZ "High Performance", MINI Cooper S, Honda NSX Type R '02, Mazda Demio XD Touring

Even though she's a proud Hong Kongese, Candy is actually born in high society Tokyo, and more exposed to living in a usual Japanese lifestyle. An only child, it was easy to find herself spoiled rotten from a young age, getting what she wants and not caring how it got there, thanks to wealth she inherits strongly. Her father notably was an executive in Toyota's racing division.

A target in her younger ages, Candy's early life was full of trouble from others that are against her being a Hong Kong native in Japan. She never made any friends as a result, and this loner habit of hers remained even after changing schools, going so far to even give her a new alias. While her parents have a strong standing in the society she lived in, she remained in their shadow, because she couldn't find comfort out of it.

Upon reaching her adult days, Candy's first 'milestone' would come when an incident in a high class event caused her to run, leading to a manic police car chase spanning several weeks before she was arrested. The victim of these events would have deep ties with various Yakuza families. While her parents retreated to Hong Kong, Candy stayed in Japanese prison, learning that if nothing needs to come her way, she needs to learn something she initially dreaded to do: manipulate the human mind, a state of thought she was once a victim of.

After her sentence, she regained her freedom, and it didn't take long that was noticed by the city's largest street racing community. Still with her inherited wealth, she started off strong in the streets. Years then pass, in which she eventually proves herself as a top competitor for racing in many top endurance races worldwide.

While her fans are out there in many parts around for being a woman dominating a man's sport, she's not exactly a great social interactor, and is a nobody outside the racing community. With many questions still left unanswered, maybe there are more ulterior motives with the unsanctioned blue MINI project..

Spoiler: A godlike musical and street racing madwoman behind a boyish guise: Peigi Daitoku (Sport)

Representing a Asian flair within The Big 3, this homebrew London based musician often alternates her dual heritage sides of crazy and insane, shaken, stirred and then blended together in a cocktail nobody wants to have a taste of.

Theme Song: Helloween - Hocus Pocus
Racing Duel Music: TOKYO MACHINE - TURBO
Gender: Female
Nationality: Half British, half Japanese
Age: 22
Current occupation: Radio DJ by day, Nightclub DJ by night
Distinct features: Paler than usual skin tone. Black short-medium bob, but with pink neon highlights. Round topped, but triangular bottomed face. Thin Asian brown eyes, stubby but subtle hooked nose and wide thin mouth. British styled freckles. Blade shaped tongue. Thin and short, but with larger proportions.
Choice of clothing: Never seen without designer wireless headphones on neck. Whatever she wears, it's often sporty and revealing, not to mention how much it emphasizes towards her chest. The most modest she can get on her upper body would be a skin tight singlet that's easy to loosen.
Cars: Nissan CONCEPT 2020 Vision GT, Nissan Silvia K's Dia Selection (S13)

Peigi's grown and still residing in her current birthplace of Hammersmith in central London. Being an only child of her British father and Japanese mother, Peigi's a wild youth who hates being alone, and to keep her company aside her family, she has two different national cultures to play with in her life. This, along with an early young age addiction to stimulating drugs and aphrodisiacs however made her unequally, as mentioned by various witnesses, hyper crazy.

Growing up in international communities, Peigi's known for being a control freak who's often found herself in trouble not for any kind of misdemeanor or rule breaking. It was her incessant, eccentric behavior that's often led her to either become the apex of trouble. She usually finds herself feigning innocence by acting funny or being quick on her thinking. She's only managed to graduate past high school, and the best skills she's acquired in her childhood include talking quick, being a show of enthusiasm, and garnering top grades in musics and drama class.

By day: she's a Radio DJ, but by night, it turns around to her taking to the turn tables at select clubs around London. Often when she's not in a gig, she's out racing in the streets, taking charge of The Mountain Blazers: the UK's top street racing crew of high octane import tuners, under alias as it's anonymous head honcho: The Yama-no-Kami, or The Mountain God. These roots of racing on the streets are unknown, but the skills she's developed stemmed from her days as a serious Junior racing series competitor. There are rumors that something else's been done artificially; being a top tier illegal street racer aged at 22 is bound to set some red flags.

Her psyche may be fragile, and considering what kind of person she is behind the mask, breaking it is a risk nobody is willing to take. Within her peers, family, crewmates and The Cinderella, there's an official list of what not to mention to Peigi, such as certain names in music, society and movies to name a few..

Spoiler: Persistent, tenacious Scotsman with a penchant to always prove himself: Paul Henderson (5)

Once a troubled drunk whose success in touring cars was washed aside, Paul gained a new sense in life after dropping the bottle and working on his family. But a new inner Scottish bloodlust arises, and he's making troublesome dealings with it going uncontrolled as his spotlight shines being the current FIA figurehead.

Theme Song: U2 - Hawkmoon 269
Racing Duel Music: U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name, Alpine Stars - Jump Jet
Gender: Male
Nationality: Scottish
Age: 34
Current occupation: Race car driver
Distinct features: Scruffy medium brown hair parted at the center. Wide, slightly tall brown eyes. Thin hooked nose with semi-thick, but narrow mouth. Non distinct marks of red all over face due to alcohol addiction in the past. Thin brown soul patch on the chin and a very discrete goatee. Oval triangular face. Thin, but with developing muscle on body, with average height over bright skin.
Choice of clothing: Always with a plaid design flatcap, but his favorite's a gray one with green accents. Attire varies, but the general look with him consists of a long sleeved polo shirt, thin jeans, and leather shoes.
Cars: Aston Martin One-77, Volkswagen Golf I GTI

Born the son of his professional golfer father, and his housewife mother, Paul was born a free spirit, the second of the family's Wembley born children. Notably in their childhood, Paul would represent the manly, more physical side of the new generation, while his older sister would pick up the books and become the brains of the family. That principle still remains today, where Paul would use his sister's advice to conquer any obstacle, and his sister would use him for her own goals.

Paul initially wanted to become a golfer like his dad, but as he grew up, the appeal of the sport didn't stick with him as he would eventually transition to racing karts in his teenage days. While various reasons came to mind such as the meeting of certain racing figures, and his interest in engineering grew, the real reason was, just like any growing man would do: impress a lady. The girl he fell in love with was into said go karting scene, and it so happens her father was The Bristol Harbinger: a famed Le Mans endurance racer from the mid 70s. Still, being close to his own father would mean his golfing skills are just as fine as his racing.

Becoming a family man at the height of his career would bring out the worst in him, as this era of Paul would end up being an overly aggressive competitor in touring cars. Worse, he went into drinking, and it would corrupt what's left of his good side, developing fits of rage and even moments where he would have a weakened spirit. But even if things got worse, the bottom of it all never seemed to develop. His family stayed, he's never gotten in big trouble, and even if he got his racing license suspended, he could still find ways to support his family. He believes in some form he's lucky, and that was exemplified when he became the lucky owner of an Aston One-77.

After a series of events involving a conspiracy, assassins, a nuclear heart, and his long time rival's heel face turn, Paul would start rooting out what was wrong with him, dropping the bottle and becoming what he calls a newer, better him. Having the most successful of comeback tours, Paul would become the face of the UK's GT racing scene, and become the standard of Group 3 racers on the whole. While this is a tall task, Paul now has a new catchphrase to keep an open mind, and so far it's not failed him yet.

Spoiler: Stiff, clean racing aristocrat slash wine connoisseur: Boniface Richelieu (6)

An aristocratic, but overall simplistic French gentleman, carrying awards in literature as well as a well versed connoisseur of wine. But his biggest achievement is none of those, but of racing in the GT leagues, most notably being a dominating recurring champion of the Supercar Festival Leagues.

Theme Song: Yes - It Can Happen (Cinema Version)
Racing Duel Music: Yes - Love Will Find A Way
Gender: Male
Nationality: French
Age: 28
Current occupation: Race car driver
Distinct features: Clean combed back black hair, with a large white stripe in the center. Baby blue eyes, almost always seem closed. Thin mustache, wide upturned nose and mouth with regular skin tone. Slightly thin build with average height.
Choice of clothing: Fine suits are his wardrobe's modus operandi. Comes in many forms, but his favorite combine a silver slim fit suit vest and matching pants. Expensive accessories from a Rolex watch, fountain pens in his pockets, golden pins of various fancy shapes, and a pinned handcrafted gold trimmed rose (doubles as a hidden knife).
Cars: KTM X-BOW R, Alpine A110 (2017), Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, Maserati MC20

Secretly referred to the as the family's little Bon Bon, Boniface is the last of 3 current generation of the infamous Richelieu of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon: a family whose wealth surpasses many that of just about anyone in Europe thanks to their stake in developing nuclear products, particularly electrical power and energy developments worldwide. While the middle child handles this business without remorse, and the eldest sister being a very well known bounty hunter for the Assassin's Guild, Boniface himself gets his family name famous in sport, notably in race cars.

Unlike his Paris born sisters, Boniface was born when they've already retreated to Sainte-Croix. But from a young age, he was often sent to the capital to be raised by relatives, schooled in the most lofty of education institutions. As he grew up, he didn't get along with others of his age well, but rather preferred to be among other adults, eventually acting and getting along with them. While his maturity rised, his manners remained sloppy and smug, thus why he usually calls similarly aged persons barbarians, brutes, or whatever synonym he can figure out.

These connections would eventually lead to two of his life's greatest passions. Race car driving, and wine. After high school, he went on to quickly pursue them. Eventually, he would become a famed touring car racer, notably as the sport's purely clean racer with a near perfect clean race record. His interest in wine would lead them to his other life as a wine connoisseur, releasing weekly reviews to his online website. An open learner whose recently graduated with a Major in English Literature, Boniface's current focus is to help his family's financial issues, with its problems stemming from his sister's newly diagnosed complications in her heart.

Thanks to burying the hatchet with his long time Scottish rival, he's found yet another path to take in being the recurring champion of the Supercar Festival. But those skills are put to the test as he inadvertently made his way into the ranks of The Prophecy as their newest Chosen.

Spoiler: The high heeled, no-nonsense corporate secretary from hell: Samantha Walsh (7)

She might look like your usual office worker, but behind this thick skinned devil is a self serving, unfaltering genius that put Crown Jewels to the top of the street racing food chain.

Theme Song: Nightwish - Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean
Racing Duel Music: Nightwish - The Poet and the Pendulum: Part 2 - Home
Gender: Female
Nationality: British
Age: 29
Current occupation: Museum secretary
Distinct features: Bunned up long orange hair. Thin triangle shaped face with sensual deep blue eyes and thin aquiline nose. Wears large wide brim glasses with a holder, often shining sinisterly. Notable shine on lips due to her addiction to reapplying lipstick. Has a few beauty marks: one under her lip, another next to her left eye. Bright pale skin surrounds this tall, slender figure with thickened limbs, even moreso her lower half.
Choice of clothing: Usually with office wear on, such as a tailored suit jacket, a blazer with matching skirt, and heels with stockings. She cares immensely towards her presentation, and keeps these clean to the best of her ability.
Cars: Mercedes-AMG GT R

Carrying double award degrees in administration, Samantha's life started off as a rustic farmhand off the lands in East Anglia. While handling potatoes, both figuratively and literally, she found herself to be the perfect duo of brawn and brains of the family, and thought well enough to pursue a higher education. A dark, pressure exhuming entrepreneur, and a bit of a self developed genius, but she assumes all this be only natural.

Her post educatIon life however hasn't been smooth. She's always a top performer in any work she finds herself into, so much so that she's never in the same job for more than a year. That's changed when she decides slowing down is the way to go, and finds herself as the top dog within the Crowden Automotive Museum, representing as an ambassador for Legend Cars, posed behind only Giles himself. Her work by day involve managing auctions and transfer of cars, with the aim of getting record profits for the museum flipping prices on expensive antiques.

However, finding out that the museum is a staging ground for Giles' desire of something more illicit, Samantha's honest views start to falter due to the amounts of money she's offered to maintain both day to day museum activities, and the logistics behind the Crown Jewels. Not to mention she's being taught how to drive, and develops a like for good racing every now and then. But all in all, she's a self reserved, dominating figure with a penchant for hard work and knowledge. But to say new age Samantha as suspicious is not unheard of.

Spoiler: The violent, all knowing radical prophet of street racing: Maximus Davies/Clark Kayne (5)

An intelligent man who's anger led to better things than just mental help. This figure would be the self recognized leader of the most exclusive and feared street racers within Europe: The Prophecy.

Theme Song: Avenged Sevenfold - Unbound (The Wild Ride)
Racing Duel Music: Slayer - Raining Blood
Gender: Male
Nationality: Welsh
Age: 37
Current occupation: If not a fanatically themed cult leader, a car show host
Distinct features: Short red hair over a short, rounded diamond face. Sharp green eyes, with a hint of red in the whites, as if fury's always present. Tearful eyes, thin nose and small mouth. Average build and height with bright skin, but with a more noticeable muscle built upper body.
Choice of clothing: Top of the line branded clothes and accessories, but nothing out of the quintessential British fashion, including a newsboy cap, long multi layered skin covered articles of fancy fashion, and climbing boots.
Cars: LaFerrari, Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary, Ferrari F430 Scuderia, Volkswagen Sambabus Typ 2

Real name: Maximus Davies. Clark Kayne is merely an alias for this Cardiff born orphan. After his abusive family's demise by his hand personally, he was raised in Manchester, and thus met an important figurehead for his life onward: the sole successor of the Kirkham Foundation, who would end up being a legendary 90's era racing youth, and his beloved brother for life.

Nowadays, he's mainly known as the only, then one of the three hosts in slowly uprising car show Sim Gear. But his real portfolio would be as the sole individual that leads The Prophecy: a London based street crew that houses strict teachings and top end performance car culture, once the sole governing entity that dominates all of the UK's street racing.

While a bit of a pugilist, has a bit of a temper and enjoys violence on a minor scale, Clark possesses a great IQ level, and strategizes often for the next move. Aside writing gospels for his exclusive club, Clark finds himself credited for writing scripts and scenarios for Sim Gear, as well as carrying it initially as the sole figurehead while the studio was still getting started.

Also with a leaning towards illegally obtained Ferraris, Clark has the talent to handle whatever car he can reach forth, infamous for running the V12 Hybrid trinity LaFerrari on the roads without incident. Despite this, his racing talents shine only away from the track, due to a past incident he won't let go from that cost him his reputation and potential partner for life.

Spoiler: The quintessential gentleman street racer: Giles Crowden (Sport)

While mostly a withdrawal and overly careful man of the track, he now rules as leader of the Crown Jewels: a London based street racing crew specializing in classy Euro flair, notably on old school and muscle. But it's mostly all about having a smashing old, illegally fast time on the road.

Theme Song: Pink Floyd - One of These Days (Soul Machine remix)
Racing Duel Music: Bloc Party - Prayer (Does It Offend You, Yeah? remix), The Prodigy - Spitfire
Gender: Male
Nationality: British
Age: 40
Current occupation: Museum curator
Distinct features: Short, combed back burgundy hair. Round, thin face. Deep-set brown eyes, average tall nose, with a small fancy mustache, and visibly has a top of the line dental plan behind his clean small lips. Overall average build and height surrounded by a pale-ish dark skin.
Choice of clothing: Classy British, usually with an argyle vest and matching 3/4 length leggings and slip ons. A longcoat can cover this for colder weathers.
Cars: Aston Martin Vulcan, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Aston Martin DB5

Having lived in London from his youth, Giles is no stranger to the gentlemen's community within. If a younger Giles was to be defined, it would be his love of many old British sports, such as polo, rugby and fox hunting. Racing would enter that equation by suggestion, and being incredibly competitive at driving old Japanese hatchbacks in Euro dominated touring cars would become a staple in his career highlights.

Done with the riff raff and the drama, Giles eventually found himself as a former touring car racer, who found the rewards behind it all wasn't worth keeping himself in. Instead of packing away in shame, he found himself reborn as soon as street racing became part of his life's equation, thanks to, once again, a suggestion by his old friend: The Messiah.

A mostly stiff but just as pleasant man whose lived the upper class British lifestyle through his family heritage. Now largely done with the track, Giles shares his interests in cars through the Crowden Automotive Museum: a small but flourishing attraction located by the outskirts of Oxford. Can come of as a bit of a pessimist due to his careful nature, but he often finds good reasons to do so.

While this is true by day, by night, Giles' successes in his years street racing causes him to win big, as he takes the mantle of The Spitfire: a member of London's The Big 3 that dominates the night races with his custom Aston Martin Vulcan. Its presence brings an orderly sign in the chaos of the high velocity night life.

Spoiler: Protective, loving giant of no words: Daijiro Sasaki (7)

A Mountain Blazer staple, internally known as The Ogre. The protector of these dangerous paths, whose proved time and time again that the mountain isn't to be climbed by unprepared adventurers.

Theme Song: Midnight Oil - Armistice Day
Racing Duel Music: Asia - Ride Easy
Gender: Male
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 45
Current occupation: Bouncer
Distinct features: Medium, flat top shined black hair. Wide, square face reinforcing his chiseled Asian look. Eyes squinted enought to say they're seemingly non-existant, but works fine. Wide chiseled nose and large wide plain mouth. Tall, large figure with muscles, in an also chubby way.
Choice of clothing: Normally in a suit with jacket combo, with jacket arms folded inwards. In casual moods, or while racing, he wears comfortable traditional Japanese clothing.
Cars: Mitsubishi GTO

An Osaka native. A once aggressive, always brash former sumo wrestler whose moment of fame in ring was taken to a halt by his terminally ill dying daughter. After her passing, Daijiro made amends with his heartbroken family, and couldn't find solace in staying at his home turf. He travelled across the world to hopefully soothe these senses, eventually finding his zen by being a grunt heavy, but overall quiet passive man.

His journeys would take him all the way to the UK, where his fellow Japanese relations within would have him witness a young Hammersmith born hafu on stage as a nightclub DJ: who he mentally identifies as a splitting image of his own daughter. With a fire in him roaring, and a determination set, he finds out of her street racing game quickly and as years passs, then proves himself to be worthy of someone like The Mountain God's protector, be it her identity, her side hustle or her life.

Despite issues getting along initially, they both willingly mature to each other, and importantly to Daijiro: it's a total win as he gets a second chance to be a father figure.

He might be more of a dormant volcano, only communicating in grunts or small pronounciations, but anyone who knows Daijiro understands that he carries a gentle heart from his rough exterior, especially the sickly thin bizarre half German poseur who's usually at his side.

Spoiler: Amnesiac herald of the next grand chapter: The Cinderella (7)

As the clock struck 12, her past became a mystery, and what's left of has been shrouded by her persistent pursuees. But as she becomes an integral member of the Big 3, she ventures on to find her hazed past, or perhaps start anew?

Theme Song: Eddie Vedder - Invincible
Racing Duel Music: not yet found
Gender: Female
Nationality: Presumably British
Age: Presumably in her mid 20s
Current occupation: Unknown
Distinct features: Medium, slightly curled burgundy red hair. Straight, angular brows. Diamond shaped face, with an attractive look consisting of a subtle aquiline nose, thin rounded eyes and small mouth. Thin application of makeup, with a notably strong appication of pale red lipstick. While pleasant to look at, her facial expressions are notably exaggerated. Average height and build over pale caucasian skin, but notably fit.
Choice of clothing: Always today's fashion. If she would wear anything usual, they would be locally sourced or given a much fancier look than usual. Normally with a blouse and long pants, wearing raised sandals.
Cars: Nissan Z Performance, Nissan Z 432

The Tales of Cinderella (planned Gran Turismo 7 based story) intends to help open her to the world as she dedicates herself to search for her past.. thus this segment is intentionally redacted.

Spoiler: Nuclear industry expert with a literal and figurative change of heart: Mirielle Richelieu (6)

Primarily known as a top running figure head for the nuclear energy industry, Mirielle's standing as a tough, merciless woman in this industry has earned her a feared moniker as the Nuclear Baroness.

Theme Song: Anthrax - Breathing Lightning
Gender: Female
Nationality: French
Age: 30
Current occupation: Industry director
Distinct features: Bleached blond, clean short ponytails, with thin application of makeup. Rounded triangular face with a much wider forehead. Always winced amber eyes. Small nose and mouth. Bleached lightly caucasian skin tone, with a slightly short height with average proportions.
Choice of clothing: As seen by the public, she's always seen with a formal suit combined with a body length dress. Has bowties all over the body, prominently her neck, left arm, hair and on her socks. Behind closed doors, Mirielle has a gothic sense of fashion, liking to dress with overblown frilly designs.
Cars: Usually has someone else drive her Porsche Taycan Turbo

A strong standing figure that's always hiding any sense of morality, Mirielle is the in-between 2nd of 3 current generation of the infamous Richelieu of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon: a family whose wealth surpasses many that of just about anyone in Europe thanks to their stake in developing nuclear products, particularly electrical power and energy developments worldwide. While the lone son dabbles in top tier road car racing, and the eldest sister working with high respects from the Assassin's Guild, Mirielle gets herself in the family business as the VVIP that handles a majority stake of the West European nuclear energy business, with her methods and merciless acts giving her the nickname 'Nuclear Baroness'.

As she was born and raised in high society, Mirielle was never your usually normal spoiled rich girl. She had strange hobbies, odd interests and is generally seen as a sociopath even in her young days. When an incident that involves a few rich families cause a forceful shape in her personality to something twisted and cruel, the family retreated all the way south to Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon. She never recovered from this, but this eventually gotten her the footing she needed to be for the future: to be better than those she saw as part of the Parisian rich and wealthy.

It didn't quite stop anyone from seeing her passions: engineering. Initially going for space travel, Mirielle realized that it's all a huge gamble, dropping it as soon as she sees the state of the world. By the time women were to find interest in fashion or men, Mirielle's interests was to make sure her family's on the top of the food chain, and takes a huge gamble in taking stakes in the nuclear energy business as soon as her parents passed down their inheritance. However, this move made her a target, and led to her hiring certain members of the Assassin's Guild to protect her, adopting one known as the Killer of Killers to be her right hand lady.

While their successes came to be with her iron fist, it didn't come without any repercussions. Mirielle's heart started to decay due to the exposure to radiation on a periodical basis and needed replacing fairly frequently. Unable to cope with this financially over time, and seeing the struggles of her siblings, Mirielle had no choice and made a deal with the Kirkham Foundation. Now as one of the many shareholders, Mirielle's possibly decaying health gave her the push to change her ways, beginning with supporting her little brother's role as the newest member of the Mythic Initiative.

Spoiler: A lover, giver and innovator of pain in a green clad package: Amadine Richelieu (6)

Ama's entire life has been behind a shadow, always being second place. But this lustful devil puts herself at a prominent position as a killer and a bounty hunter on the rise, thanks to opportunities arising that work well with her renewed, sexy business plans.

Theme Song: Pearl Jam - Why Go
Gender: Female
Nationality: French
Age: 33
Current occupation: Bounty hunter
Distinct features: Dyed dark green long straight hair, with heavy makeup. Rounded triangular facial features. Overall face gives off a masculine Nordic vibes, with green heavily lashed almond shaped eyes, thick nose and mouth. Tall, caucasian figure with a large voluptuous body with bare hint of muscles.
Choice of clothing: Depending on the moment, the outside clothing varies, from needing a thick jacket or not. There's always a tight body fitted combat suit with sharp heels under all of that.
Cars: Porsche 911 Carrera RS (964)

A lustful passionate emerald, Amadine is the first of 3 current generation of the infamous Richelieu of Sainte-Croix-du-Vernon: a family whose wealth surpasses many that of just about anyone in Europe thanks to their stake in developing nuclear products, particularly electrical power and energy developments worldwide. While the middle child handles this business without remorse, and the youngest son dabbles in top level racing, Ama finds herself in the business of bounty hunting, also within the shadows of her many nemeses.

If there's one thing anyone knows about this family, it's that money never is an issue for the Richelieu. Before the family retreated to the south east edge of the country, she was born and raised in the elite classes of France's rich within Paris city borders, Amadine soon found her calling in life thanks to many part in her physical prowess, dexterity and strength. Her affinity for green stems when she was playfully called She-Hulk by her peers as she grew more built and more savage like in her teenage days, even though she gained a more associative and an opportunistic way of thinking then. It wasn't an issue for her; rather it's her way of remembering what she likes of her past. Upon reaching adulthood, she would dabble into various medium catered for adults: a passion she shares with her little brother, though it got her to that personality she's always clinged toward today.

With her first kill from an individual that has been heavily abusing his wealth against her own family's, Ama learned said thrill firsthand, and became a self taught killer, assisted by her family and wealth. Working as a private hire BDSM by day, her unique flair slowly reveals, especially with the use of calling cards. While not exactly famous, Ama's also the only known survivor from a one on one battle against the most feared assassin in the world: one of the Trinita L'Assassina known as the Killer of Killers. She's serious about her work, but she's also known to toy around her victims, challengers.. perhaps anyone she's keen to meet with her own two eyes.

Spoiler: NEW - Super model, super smart, super sexy, and super supportive. The perfect companion in a super sturdy Scottish package: Fiona Henderson (6)

To the outside world, she is one of the strictest fashion models to grace the planet, credited to her hard knocks beginning to current. But behind that snooty, perhaps cruel face is a warm heart willing to progress further to the greater good.. of her own small group of friends and family.

Theme Song: Cher - One By One
Gender: Female
Nationality: Scottish
Age: 36
Current occupation: Runway model
Distinct features: Long wavy orange hair, parted at the side. Wide, narrow brown eyes. Thin hooked nose. Regular sized close pointed lips. Always under heavy layers of makeup under her eyes, cheeks and mouth. Various beauty marks by the ends of her cheeks. Oval shaped diamond face. Tall body, with well developed features. Has a tattoo of a dragon on her left arm.
Choice of clothing: There is no way anyone in the public's seen her without her gigantic thistle blue hair clip, a shiny designer dress and tall pumps. In less formal situations, she takes from her little brother and can be found wearing designer tank top and jeans combo with sporty shoes.
Cars: Porsche 718 Cayman GT4

While Paul may be a Londoner from birth, Fiona started off life a couple years earlier when the family still resided in Aberdeen. However, unlike Paul who was a great force physically, Fiona was an instant case of the perfect but a notably snooty and arrogant little girl. Homeschooled by a select bunch by her parents, the result of this came in her teens, identifying herself an overachiever in anything she's done. Though, behind that is a secret: not many know the fact of Fiona's early days drowned into the rebellious child that would steal, take drugs, and possibly worse. However, while the clashing of various other multiracial groups grew an inner racist that still remained in her to this day, she remained bright, athletic and talented; surprising traits for her renown as a high school bully.

Upon hearing Paul's youth being hardened due to this lifestyle, a higher education bound Fiona would drop this all just before she would leave school, predicting her reputation will hurt him. Initially afraid this would oust her to her own parents, she would lie her way into the nearby prestigious institutes to keep Paul at bay until he's met The Bristol Harbinger. Worried one such threat can come to ruin her stride, she would swear, before leaving for Aberdeen, that she would protect her brother from these forces. And while that fear never came to today, it resulted in her unwavering support for her brother and by proxy: his family and closely related.

Using her gifts and gab, she finds herself eventually aiming for a doctorate in psychology. It sounded all too good, until Fiona however found her fate to be on the world of fashion, as she was noticed due to her similarities to other models then. She then entered this chance, and behind another visage, she acted with grace and took advantage of her beauty. Praise followed, now with her hoping to use this as a memory that helps forget her more savage delinquent past. While the news was shocking, her decision was better for everyone, now able to sustain and also make her own living. Outside the runway, she has appeared as competitors for dancing competitions, particularly for more traditional dances. What drove this desire however isn't clear yet.

After a series of events involving a conspiracy, assassins, a nuclear heart, and her brother's long time rival's heel face turn, Fiona would come in the face of the Assassin's Guild after barely surviving a vicious attack by the Hel Walker. While not part of them, she makes use of their services, while straying away from the killing, proof she's at least morally sound, and not unpredictable.

 

[XSquareStickIt]

Shoutout to Obe for attempting a Daily Race with the DBR9 GT1! Lobby goers will know exactly just how big an ask it is to make the big Aston keep up with more modern machinery in Gr.3!

And speaking of Obe... he has a good segue to introducing this week's car...

An invitation-only car? Perish the thought!

---

This week's car is perhaps the most notorious car in the game, or perhaps even in real life.

Reserved by SPD since August of last year, it's finally time for the fearsome Porsche Carrera GT '04 to take centre stage at COTW!

If you want an idea of how a Carrera GT drives, well... just know that Porsche has issued a recall on all 1,300 Carrera GTs ever made to fix a potential suspension issue, and were all fitted with new tyres, with the recall just wrapping up just this month. Just know that you can't send in your digital version of the car for those fixes, so watch your right foot with this one!

Spoiler: Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Weekly Lobbies​

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing bone stock Carrera GTs under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby​

• Tuesday. 29th October, 10 P.M. CST
• Host: Victory_Reign93

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

• Saturday, 2nd November, 4 P.M. Singapore Time
• Host: XSquareStickIt

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~10 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 625PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Sports Hard

~Single–Player Challenge!~​

Since we GT7 players and our digital Carrera GTs are left neglected with regards to the recall, this week's Single–Player Challenge tasks you to become Bob the Builder, and the question is, "can you fix it?"

You're to improve on the CGT's driving characteristics by only changing its suspension settings, wearing only Sports Medium tyres. Fastest total race time around Kyoto's Hypercar Parade wins!

---

Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the thread!

 

[Yard_Sale]

….a few more words on the DBR9 GT1

Out of curiosity, I put another 50 or so miles on it this evening, and decided the best way to test it, would be to run some TT on the Green Hell before daily C changed for next week. After learning its handling quirks, I put in a very clunky, but clean 8:25 eventually. There’s definitely some more time in it, but I would have to put in a ton more miles to learn how to push it.

A couple other tidbits. This has to be the hardest Group 3 car to see out of with maybe the old Ford LM GT twins from the same era, able to give it a run for its money. In hindsight, that’s probably one of the biggest reasons I had trouble pushing it - was that I couldn’t see outta the damn thing. Very cool for immersion, but I couldn’t imagine actually having to race one. The only other race cars I can think of that are harder to see out of, are the modern LMP variants


This car has 6 gears, but only 5 seem to be usable. Actually, only four gears. 1st is waaaaay to low to be practical. And 6th is waaaaaay too tall. In fact, on the Hefeweizenschnitzeldoppenlagerwayfrigginlongstraight at the Nordschleife, clicking into 6th gear only slowed me down. Not only does this car have tall gears, it’s V12 absolutely revs to the moon.

I never looked at the spec sheet and its weight distribution, but it seems to like negative brake bias

It’s extremely stiff, and the FFB cues from my DD1 turned up to toxic masculinity strength, prove it. As does my arm pump. It eats the massive kerbs of NBG for breakfast, but like every other car from general era, you feel every bit of it

There’s lots of good NASCAR liveries for this


…oh yeah, my best run was an 8:25


///




Decided to TT it against the current GR3 meta, the Toyota Supra. It took a number of restarts at different portions of the GP course to feel out its handling characteristics. But I was able to wail out a rather dirty 8:17 on my first full lap pull. No wonder everyone uses this car. It’s a ****ing cheat code.



//////



Anyone here has known for a very long while, that the Ferrari 458 is my BEY. Went out for a 1-lap-pull, and hit a very sloppy 8:13. The biggest thing I gathered from this particular comparison, is what I eluded to before. Race cars from this era all the way to the current crop of GT7 homologated cars all the way down to the Castrol Supra, are just….stiff. I wonder if it has anything to do with the updates in technology with how they engineer flex into chassis on modern cars, to make them more compliant?

 

[RX8 Racer]

In fact, on the Hefeweizenschnitzeldoppenlagerwayfrigginlongstraight at the Nordschleife

It’s the Döttinger Höhe you utter heathen! I can’t name almost all the corners on the Nordschleife, but I can at least get that one straight right!

HOW DARE YOU!

 

[lilcat89]

The decision of what vehicle to nominate for Car of the Week is not an easy one for someone who loves many of the cars in GT7. In my process, I looked at the previous week's Volvo wagon and just shook my head in disgust. After the aforementioned Volvo, I narrowed it down to a race car. Then, I started thinking about which of those is the subtle one, hiding in the shadows of the limelight of that week's preferred flavor. The Aston Martin DBR9 is that shadowy character, under a cover in the corner, seemingly forgotten about.

One of my favorite eras of Sportscar racing was from the 1994 BPR Global series to the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship. Ironically, there is one person constant throughout that entire era, Stephane Ratel. Ratel created and maintained the GT regulations that allowed GT1 and GT2 to become THE place for manufacturers to race their latest Supercars. The Prodrive-built DBR9 joined the GT1 ranks beginning in 2005 and continued up until the demise of GT1 at the end of 2011. The Aston came out of the gates swinging against the likes of the ever-present Corvettes and Saleen S7Rs. My love for all things GT1, especially the mid-to-late 2000s machines, reached the heights that they did due to the video games of the time, like Forza 3 and GRiD. GRiD especially helped with the 2006 Le Mans Series and 24 Hours of Le Mans implementation. I'm not here to talk about the best PS3-generation racing game ever, though, so let's get to the DBR9 GT1.

At the beginning of the week, I asked the question, "Can this GT1 brute from 15 years ago keep up with the newest GT3 machinery available at the moment?" To test this claim, I needed a benchmark to test alongside the DBR9. Gran Turismo 7 is pretty limited in that department, with only 3 currently racing as of 2024. The 2020 AMG GT3, the Lexus RC-F GT3, and Audi R8 LMS Evo. The R8 LMS will no longer be supported by Audi in 2025 and the RC-F has been long in the tooth for at least a year now. That left the AMG GT3 as the only real option against the DBR9. So, with the target acquired, I headed to the track.

I took them both to my usual stomping ground of Road Atlanta to answer the question. i will point out that both cars featured were absolutely stock, no setup, and on Hard tires. First, I jusmped in the AMG to set the mark for the Aston to chase. Right away, I knew the DBR9 was screwed without a tune. The AMG was planted on exit, went where you pointed the nose, and not at all slow down th eback straight. After about 5 laps, I was able to pull a 1:17.4 out without much drama. Immediately I jumped into the DBR9 to go chase that time.

On to the spotlight, the moment you start going for a lap time, the understeer at turn-in tells you to brake early, stop being aggressive, and float the beast in like a FWD car. The key to a good lap is patience at corner entry, use every curb to help the car turn and blast out of the apex with that V12 howl. I could only do a lap 1:18.8 with the GT1 Aston. It is a brute of a thing, to be honest. Even though the AMG GT3 feels like a brute compared to something like the Porsche 911 RSR, the DBR9 GT1 takes the brutishness up a level with that 6.0 liter V12 in front of you and the sequential gear level next to you. There is no mistaking it for the road going DB9.

So, after the failure on single lap pace, I decided to try something different. Can I keep the AMG GT3 behind me for 2 laps? I, then, set up a custom race with the DBR9 starting half a second behind on the Professional difficulty. I did a practice race with a grid start to figure out what laps the AI could do with the AMG. I worked out that it would take 2 perfect laps I had done to hold off the AI controlled AMG. I knew the AMG was better everywhere that wasn't straight, so I needed to hold him of until the exit of Turn 5, where I could use the V12 acceleration to pull a gap around to Turn 10a and Turn 11. Getting the straightest shot out of Turn 7 was critical to stretch out what I could down the back straight before the AMG's top end started reeling me in down into the braking zone for Turn 10. Sounds pretty simple, right?

The Main Event: 2 laps, Road Atlanta, and the knowledge that I had a Max Verstappen-like AI behind me ready to punt me off if I missed an apex. With the Casino Royale Bond theme in my head, I got ready to go. The start was clean, with all my focus on carrying whatever speed i could muster into T1 and using the inside curb to help rotate the behemoth. I was able to pull slightly away through the esses down into Turn 5 and up to Turn 6 & 7.

I managed a gap of about a second and a quarter from the back straight and through the rest of the lap. So far, so good, no mistakes and a relatively unchanged gap going into the last lap. I definitely dont like being the hunted! One single lap to go, hit my marks, roll the DBR9 through the apex, get on the power early, no mistakes. All that was going through my head, trying to maintain the 1.5 second gap to the AMG. Only after I got the DBR9 out of Turn 10 cleanly and under the bridge did I recognize that I had actually held off the blood-thirsty AMG GT3 in this shootout.

To conclude this week with the only GT1 car in GT7(I'm waiting patiently for the C6R and S7R PD), it is still my favorite racing car of all time. No amount of technology will ever take that away from the obsurdly high mantle that the DBR9 is on in my mind. It will never be a beater, so my verdict is NEUTRAL. I will leave you with some photos from the week and a couple of quotes from Darren Turner, the original test driver and also piloted both its first and last contemporary victories.

“So yeah, I remember those days early days of the Aston and it was it was really special because to be part of the marque, to be part of Aston Martin and to be helping to develop what ended up being a Le Mans winner and ultimately an iconic car it’s certainly a highlight of my career.” -DailySportscar.com, May 2020

"It's still the DBR9 but it has been adapted to fit the 2010 GT1 regulations. We now have a plank under the car, a smaller aero package all around and more weight. All of this could have been detrimental to the performance and balance of the car but although we have lost lap time, which was the whole point, we haven't lost the general character of the DBR9. It is still a fantastic car to drive." Aston Martin Racing, March 2010

Postscript: That quote from 2010 might explain why the DBR9 is so off the pace in GT7, considering the car in game is the 2010 car. I only just found that quote as I'm writing this.

 

[CarreraGT]

The Carrera GT is my favourite car in the world (hence my username lol). PD did a great job of recreating it in PD, although I have two gripes:
1. The car in game was clearly recorded from a straight-piped car, so it misses the iconic wail of the stock exhaust; and
2. Not specific to the CGT, but the driver keeps his hand on the gearstick too much in all manual cars in interior view, meaning you feel like you're driving half the track with one hand on the wheel (including while catching a slide)!

I really wish they would re-record the car to resolve point 1, but point 2 is just silly.

 

[JDMKING13]

PGTR
Presents
Porsche Carrera GT
Quick Drive Review
​

 

[Obelisk]

A 991 GT3 RS, 992 GT3 RS, or even the new RUF RGT would be more accessible and driver friendly options than the CGT. That's all I gotta say on it.

 

[SomePlayaDude]

SPD Writes Gran Turismo 7's Car Of The Week: Week 81 - Porsche Carrera GT

A question frequented by those who make decisions on automotive performance is that should the car be influenced mainly by their accolades in Le Mans, or Formula 1?

Early 2000s Porsche had the gall to make use of both that did fail, only to cough up something else.

Ahh, yes. Analog supercar. The term that separates those who loves cars to be either manly, or not quite so manly, or morbidly even: was as manly. And this week, we take on what combines as my favorite Porsche, and an easy top 5 car of all time for me.

I've always wondered what would people say is the formula of Porsche's successes, and the most frequent answer I can get off that is easily the 911. Being a long running model since the late 60s, 'there's no way they can bork that up' is probably what many people have been thinking of the car, while not stopping the idea that what came after they come is banger, after banger, after banger. While these days they've been getting fat, it doesn't stop that it's gained a reputation of longetivity: one that gathers the older you get?

What if I said one of their most iconic special models wasn't a 911? And it too garnered a reputation of longetivity? That's the gist of what I can say with the Carrera GT.

Back in the early 90s, despite Dakar wins, Porsche was still reeling in from losses that they put in with the 959's costs that Group B was supposed to get sorted. Seeing what kind of financial damage these non-911 supercar specials Porsche would chuck out, Porsche would instead stick with their guns with the 911 from there on out as well as give ideology changes that then birthed the likes of Porsche's iconic Boxster: a more modest addition to their collection. With them juggling financial benefit and racing pedigree, they had some bonus ventures about, including some less direct ventures to their racing.

One such notable venture would be how they supplied engines to Arrows Grand Prix: a UK based Formula 1 team. As 1992 came over, they developed a new V10 to support this team forwards, but the bunch at Arrows, now named Footwork, decided to make use of Honda engines then on. Which means Porsche has a newly developed V10 just sitting there.

Fast forwards to 1998: Porsche has found themselves winning Le Mans again with the help of the 911 GT1. Thus, in terms of motorsport pedigree and finances, they were on a roll, and decided to bring in their other failed LMP1 up to spec. They had that Arrows developed V10 laying about, and had an idea. Taking it out their closet, they upped the displacement, and had great plans with it.. only to end up not racing their LMP1 car. Which means back to the closet, Mr. Arrows V10 Mk2.

So far, the writeup's only just involving a V10. Car's coming up, don't you worry.

Coming into the millenium, Porsche was going good in the motorsport and financial standings. So they wanted to celebrate. How they did it was revealed in the Paris Motor Show of 2000, where rallying legend Walter Röhrl would parade through the city with an unnamed, roofless Porsche supercar alongside an entourage of police in the wee hours of the morning.

Officially revealed on those very streets, the car was a glimpse to the people of the world what Porsche had an idea on the future. The car was the Carrera GT, and for a concept at the time, people wanted it like SpongeBob desperately wants water in his first entry into the Treedome. Details then came through, where Porsche would reveal it being the first car using CFRP to hold its entire weight, alongside components. This came to be mainly because of its race engineers from their developments of the scrapped LMP1 project. And in the back came a familiar face in the Arrows developed V10, this time developing 605 horsepower that'll do a banshee's cry under a 1.4 ton body.

For something touted as a road going race car, the car was made for both comfort and performance in mind, meaning you get elements from these two disciplines ingrained in the whole car's DNA. One the one hand, you get race car like features, such as the stunningly beautiful whole body shaped with aerodynamic holes, a carbon fibre underbody with road legal race car airflow levels, lightweight race brakes, the engine covers surrounded by hole riddled stainless steel, that rear diffuser, and let's not forget my favorite feature that made 12 year old SPD fall in love: the automatic rear wing that activates at 75 MPH. And you have this with a car with working stereo, leather interior, a 6 speed manual controlled by a smooth wooden gear knob, and the roof that you have to decide you want on or off physically when it's not being driven.

Skip ahead to 2003, and Porsche unveiled the V8 powered Cayenne SUV to the public. Now, that's nice and all for what is probably a controversial addition into the Stuttgart brand's roster, but not far later, they also announced the Carrera GT would go on production, then be sold with a 1000 model limited run. Getting sold out to 1270 of these is one thing, but what came after was the car being driven by wealthy people that found it to be rather hazardous if you're not focused. Still, this wake of something nasty didn't lead to the car devaluing: today, a 2 million sum is expected for any transaction this car is involved in.

Then comes the moment it's now well known for: the danger. Remember Walter Röhrl? Rally racer who's made famous for facing danger on 4 wheels? As the first man behind it in the public, he then stated the Carrera GT is, as he quotes: 'the first car in my life that I drive and I feel scared'. And he's not wrong. The car has no driver safety aids, and thus would attribute to 3 notably known incidents the car's garnered an infamy for, and it involves the CRIMSON CHIN Jay Leno, Fast series actor Paul Walker, and supercar collector Ben Chen. Of all the three, while Paul's death shook the world most prominently, Leno's case was the one with depth involved with the car's engineering. It eventually came down to human error (indirectly in the late Paul Walker's case), giving the idea of the car being dangerous as we know today.

But to me, it's still a V10 supercar that put shivers in the spines of those included, be it the driver and its competitors. The last analog supercar is quite a statement to make, and it really can make it, huh? Like something more negative for me to say to what might be my favorite German car of all time (HAHA EAT THAT MINI COUNTRYMAN)? Well, it has one of the best sounds of any car ever, but to me, it places second on my top V10 sounding road cars, the first being the Viper.. incoming ordinance!

Bit of a shame the car's locked behind Invitations: a feature worse than the war economy that I really don't quite agree in every way it is implemented and presented. I mean, give war a chance!

Now for story. Umm.. I've no real plans on how I'm going to present this car, even though it has been a year in waiting. Just a song that exhibits danger like the car has.

This week's theme song:
Blood Sugar
Pendulum
Hold Your Colour

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

Episode: The Art of Driving

Spoiler: 1. Dug a mid-engined sports car hole, have you, Miss Lam?

Trial Mountain Circuit
Sierra Nevada, Nevada
Morning

Today, in this long lasting circuit spanning generations in the deep forests of Nevada, crisis isn't quite what's the plan.

Within one of the garages of the semi-packed venue, a little lady discusses with a group of rag tag mechanics, listening to their leader..


"Good news: the parts are salvageable. My crew's got some spares a couple hours away, and we can the show on the road. Bad news? If I can call it that, that is. Well, you're going to have to wait until.. past midday before you can drive it."

Candy: "WHAT?!"


Exclaimed the little racer in distraught.

She then decides not to stress herself in a foreign land, and continued the discussion rationally, reassuring..


Candy: "Ughh, I must remain calm. Are you positive there's no way you can get it ready by, I don't know.. just before noon? Because.. you know what I'm doing then.."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Miss Candy. Besides.."

Candy: "It's fine.. I'll have to see if there's someone else's mid engined sports car I can borrow for the opening event."


She turned her back, hiding her weakened sad face from these professionals.

They knew she'd be emotional considering what's happened, as they reply..


"Well, best of luck, darling. We'll get things going here."

Candy: "Umm, thanks. I'll be back to check soon."

As a golden Citroen comes over to settle itself by the just-opening bar, the lone patron of the store slumps by the bar counter, watching the arrival of a well made iced Picon Punch stop by her.


Candy: "Ready to drink your worries away, Candy? Uhh, what a terrible day to have a curse."


Holding on to the cold glass, she then rambles on.


Candy: "Another day to test my abnormal tolerance for alcohol, huh? I guess drinking my worries isn't what's going to help me with this crisis. But nobody's here to judge me, so.."


Just as she was ready to take the first sip, she then notices the door behind her ring its bell, seeing a familiar fellow come in, and instantly greets..


Kirk: "Hola, Miss Candy."

Candy: "Hola.. who can that be.."


Having not seen him in a while, she then realizes the plump man entering is someone she knows, as she inquires..


Candy: "This looks like Sonny's best bro. Kirk? Tell me it's you?"


With a thought developing on those words, she realized, slapped her moping face silly, and clarified in a slight daze..


Candy: "That's you, alright. Why am I even.. I haven't even had a sip."



He kept quiet until reaching the seat besides her.

Now comfortable by the bar counter, he then finds himself getting asked..


Candy: "You here to get wasted, or.."

Kirk: "Naww. Later maybe.."

Candy: "I see.. well, unless you have something for me, I suggest you back off before I get violent and drunk."

Kirk: "Matter of fact, I do. Let me pay your tab first, then you come along now."


Leaving a ten dollar note at the untouched drink, Kirk then gets off and leaves.

As Candy gazes on momentarily, the little racer decides now isn't the time for a drink, and leaves the drink alone, following the man outside.

Noting the presence of a golden Citroen, she immediately questions with an assertion..


Candy: "This isn't your A70, or your supermod Camaro.. alright: Where's that pompous ass Sonny?"

Kirk: "He be coming. Just that, he's using the skies again, you know what I mean?"


The idea that he's skydiving on track again develops, as she calmly replies.


Candy: "That.. I do. You went to the airfield next to Nessie's, right?"

Kirk: "Right. That's where he took skydiving classes by the way. And that was an hour ago, so I reckon he be coming over any sec.."


He's not Sonny who's a pioneer with timing, but for that moment, he is, as the small public presence hears the speakers roar with a recurring theme song, and thus began to chant Sonny again and again.

The pair then looks towards the sun, noticing the man parachuting in the scene.

She's not one for tricks today, but she eventually asks..


Candy: "And I say that's him?"

Kirk: "Who else could it be at this time?"


Replied Kirk with a rhetorical question as this man lands on his feet.

Said man, now unpacking his skydiving gear, gladly wipes a sweat as he speaks to his right hand bro..


Sonny: "Phew. Hey, Kirk, my prompt jum-bro."

Kirk: "Yo."

Sonny: "Least this time hiring a crew to clear out the chute is working to your advantage lah."

Kirk: "Yup."

Sonny: "You can thank me later, lard man."


And after a quick deep breath, he reveals, brimming with optimism..


Sonny: "And I smell.. no hint of tobacco. That hag of hags is not present today! Yessir, I know it's going to be a good day!"

Kirk: "Absolutely."

Sonny: "Well, what'd you think? My Citroen all ready, I bet?"

Kirk: "You bet! Had a quick final check and I say you owe it a race."

Sonny: "Course I do! [teeth shines]"


However, these men did leave someone in a bad mood standing idle..


Candy: "[clears throat]"

Sonny: "Wa-hey! I see you're here already, Candy baby. Don't get mad now, but One Step Ahead right now tells me you're in a bit of a bind right now, lor.."

Candy: "I'm already past that part where I would break every single bone in you for insisting. Too bad I'm not Lulu."

Sonny: "Yeah, sure. Kirk has something in his pocket; now it's not the solution you ever wanted, but we got something to show you, ain't that so, fatguy?"


As if he rehearsed, the chubby right hand man takes out a piece of paper off his jeans pocket and hands it straight to Candy.


Kirk: "Yes sir, we do. Here you go."


She's not so keen to play along, however, looking at it with intrigue instead.

The handsome rogue however clarifies impatiently..


Sonny: "Well, what are you waiting for, sis? Go and read it.."


Following those orders, she reads..


Candy: "Umm.. some say he's earned victory royales in every game he's played with a melee weapon, and that the reason truffles are so rare is because he found them before the pigs. All we know is.. he's called The Guts!"


Before she knew it, a cargo plane flies high above the track and shadows the three.

They don't quite see it, but a blackened figure jumps out the rear hatch and dives down.

While clouds cover the sky, it provides a background for the sudden fireworks exploding in the sky.


Candy: "Now what's going on?"


As the sky fills up with these distractions, and an iconic song plays, the man that jumped out is clearly sighted, wearing a special suit made of some tough metal.

With a trail of heat from his hands and legs, this man flies down, dodging the exploding fireworks on his way towards Trial Mountain.

Those standing under make noise in excitement, and the three specifically comment as he makes his way down..


Candy: "Well, alright. Calling The Guts was indeed gratifying to a degree."

Sonny: "You thought I was a showoff, well take a lookie here, people! I don't want to imagine the budget."

Candy: "Yeah.. any chance I'm getting my power armor back anytime soon?"

Sonny: "Not a chance, slick."

Candy: "Darn it."


And before they knew it, he performs a superhero landing at an emptied area, surrounded by sparkling explosions, lights flashing, and women dancing about infront of a giant screen, with words THE GUTS presented in an electrifying fashion.

As the figure then opens his arms wide, his flight suit then gets dismantled by some high tech robot arms and claws, revealing the tamed racing animal's return to the story after a LONG hiatus.

The little racer didn't take long to walk through the perceptive mess and reaches out her burner phone specifically for The Guts.


Candy: "Been a while, huh? Here."


And while that happens, Sonny instructs towards his bro..


Sonny: "Bro, might I suggest you go get it? Our nice little surprise, it's in truck number 3.."

Kirk: "Was thinking about it, too.. well, I'll be right back."


As Kirk leaves, Sonny steps up and comes together to this uncanny group of top scoring Group 3 racers.

He then reveals, with interest..


Sonny: "You know that these days, Gutseroni here hasn't had an ambassador out and about with him? I know, it's strange."

Candy: "From me, it's rather sweet. Can't you say he's developing or something? Be independent, oh fellow top tier racing mystery!"


The Guts however didn't budge much aside his crossed arms.

However, the other man in the scene inspected the little racer, revealing..


Sonny: "Actually, give it to me."

Candy: "Give what?"

Sonny: "Sis, I can tell from a mile away you're being a sour gummy lah. Don't hold back, baby. I can take a hit, just so you know."


She can't help but fill her head with so much doubt on how that was figured so soon, but she has no reason to hide, expressing..


Candy: "Well, it's my car for today. My NA2 NSX. I suspect.. on the way here, some debris ended up in the engine, clogged the cooling, and first thing I knew, it blew on me."


And without warning, Kirk appears, and relates with an..


Kirk: "Ouch.."

Sonny: "Well, aren't you fast? Correct me, but.. at best, that's a day's work, right?"

Kirk: "Half a day, considering stock outta the nearest GT Auto.."

Sonny: "Yeahh.. knew I recognized that small squad over there. Those kick-ass lot aren't miracle workers, but you tell them to fix something, they WILL fix it. Puts Kirk's handiwork to shame sometimes."

Kirk: "Sure."


Kirk's unsure reaction was followed with The Guts standing with his shoulders up, and a fist raised up to his chest, and then shaken.

The charming man got the memo, replying..


Sonny: "Oh, look. I know what you mean, inverse stug."

Candy: "What?"

Sonny: "Guts here got something to show you. Our little surprise from Blue Moon. It's right here, is it?"

Kirk: "Right behind you, little miss."


Hearing, she complied, turned about and notices a familiar face..

It's not her car, but she registers its presence like an old friend..


Candy: "Hooo! Pinky!"


..and swiftly heads over to comfort herself with the car, rubbing it as she mumbles..


Candy: "You beautiful beautiful thing, you. I don't know why, but ohh I missed you so."


The men watching left her to rub the car like a giant cat, but Sonny whispered nearby, counting..


Sonny: "Psst, 3.. 2.. 1.. aaand.."

Candy: "Hold on a minute: why's Pinky here?"


Realized Candy with wonder, to which Sonny did the talking..


Sonny: "Yeah, see? You see, sis, it's for The Guts to drive for our little event later."

Candy: "You know I'm about to ask how he got ahold of Pinky."

Sonny: "Course I do! Well.. you remember Sophia? She actually bought the car not long ago.."


The words describing this helpful Italian racing therapist slash advisor did give Candy some concern..


Candy: "Sophia.. uhh, lady has to pay off an Assassin's Contract, and here she goes spending on other unwanted devices.. so, isn't she not the ambassador anymore?"

Sonny: "Nope. But! But but but.. Clark told me she wanted to make peace with SimGear, and this is what that offering comes in the form of. And today's the perfect day for it to get some miles in.. in style."


The little lady notices The Guts in great agreement with speedy nods, then comments..


Candy: "Nods of approval. Those indeed are the right words."


Hearing this all go down, Kirk then queries..


Kirk: "Excuse me as I ask, but.. I know we have Supercar Festival on and all, but what's the special event this time?"

Candy: "Select invitees come over in rear powered mid-engined cars only. Which is why I don't mind if I had to borrow some local's McLaren or something."

Sonny: "That plan's gone to s[BLEEP]t since Candy's not quite hot around here, no offense, baby."

Candy: "You're fine."


And in his noggin, he wonders further..


Kirk: "Don't think we can get Nemesis over in time?"

Sonny: "Here back to the penthouse is 3-4 hours.. add in traffic and.. honestly, you're not going to make it."

Candy: "Thanks for counting. Guess unless Bon has a backup, I'm not racing."


In such dire straits, the pompous ass steps in with a side that isn't all him to show..


Sonny: "Haiyaa, such a shame.. I mean, this is like the moment, baby. THE moment the top seeding Group 3 racers are on track again, though in midships, rear powered sports cars. You sure you're going to retire?"

Candy: "No, no. No need. It's my choice. Guess I'll have no car until after the opening ceremony. Talk about the worst luck of the week.."


Those words however gave her an idea, as she faced the charming Asian to ask..


Candy: "Actually, can I ask??"

Sonny: "Go for it, baby. What's on your mind?"

Candy: "Dimma Scott told me of the existence of this.. Car Of The Week bunch. Think you have a clue who these people are?"

Kirk: "Wager the sticker on Pinky's what she on about."

Sonny: "I can see that, lard knight. Means these guys have a following of some form. But.. who they are, no.. tell you what, I think I have seen these punks once."

Candy: "Boastful.. This'll be good."


Stretching his neck with sideways head motions, the pompous ass then explained briefly..


Sonny: "They had a quick Group 3 race in Daytona. Was there for practice, and I was like.. what the hell, I give it a go, bro."

Candy: "And.."

Sonny: "I won; what did you think was gonna happen? But not because I was fast or something, though me at that time was like.. 'so easy ma' like always. I keep telling myself, sis: no way I can say that in their faces, even though we're top scoring in Group 3. Here: something from my unofficial fan club I have every right to steal from.."


Browsing his special smart phone, he then scrolls to the gallery, showing to the group a picture..

While The Guts isn't one to react, Candy shows a sweetened response, eyes open as she spoke out with excitement..


Candy: "Wow. Sweet new livery! Really got the SRT groove in those colors.."

Sonny: "Thanks, baby. By the way, I notice they have the same car, like all of them. Must mean money's not a problem for these cats, lor."


And with the phone done, he puts it in his leather jeans, explaining his thoughts..


Sonny: "Soo, from what I wager, the name means there's a car they test every week, then they just share their opinions on the darkest side of the web."

Candy: "No social media presence is exactly how that story is going to go."


He nods, then follows with his cheeky smile..


Sonny: "Agreed. By the way.. you know I don't have a social media?"

Candy: "The fact that I looked up your name on the web and found archived posts and only fan pages does tell me something."

Sonny: "It tells you it's a mistake, especially with guys like me!"


Back to cheering up the little lady, the charming Asian then asked..


Sonny: "By the way, are you hungry sis?"

Candy: "Good day or not, I'm always hungry. You can say I have 7 other stomachs in me."

Sonny: "Wanna put that to the test? I hear Nessie's brought a food truck over to cater hungry racers. Since you're in such a downer, I belanja you, OK?"


And as the men move on, Candy, left behind and puzzled, then asked..


Candy: "Hey! Umm.. what's 'belanja'?"

Spoiler: 2. This is belanja

Now settled on chairs and tables of an outside eating establishment, the pair, hoping they aren't being spied upon, get to know the concept of South East Asian hospitality.

However, as the man's already done with his meal, the lady speaks otherwise, raising her plate as she shouts..


Candy: "Excuse me! Another one, please!"

Sonny: "You engorge yourself in scotch pancakes this often?"

Candy: "Usually with twice as much as what I've already eaten so far.. and since you insist 'belanja' means you're paying.."


Wounded mentally, he reassures..


Sonny: "Haiyaa.. gotta stay in character, baby.."

Candy: "Max usually complains that I eat a lot for my weight. Nothing wrong with me having a huge appetite.."

Sonny: "It's a blessing and a curse, lor. By the way, speaking of weight, I sent Kirk to do some reconnaissance, and look here: I have here a leaked list of.."


He moves about to reach his pocket when he can, and grabs his phone.

Quickly sliding away, he shows a private chatroom, and a list presents itself, prompting the Asian to..


Sonny: "The roster doing the Special Event! And a good chunk of familiar names!"

Candy: "Oh, so.. it's you, me, Guts, Bon.."

Sonny: "Murph, Paul, old Al and, of course I saved the best for last.."


They didn't need to look at the list to reveal..


Both: "JAAKE!"


And his appearance soon would be discussed..


Candy: "That does mean big sis is coming! She'll help brighten up my day, for sure!"

Sonny: "Not to mention the big boy being the big favorite to the contest. It means the public's eyes and ears are on standby."

Candy: "You're really looking forwards to, as you say, kicking his ass?"

Sonny: "You know me, baby. [teeth shines]"


Sonny's all confident smile however didn't do the little lady any favors, reminding him that..


Candy: "I have the same idea, but then.."

Sonny: "There, I'm sure there's a fan out there that's keen to help you with this trouble."


He's consoling her, but optimism isn't going to be the solution, she thought, as she sulks away..


Candy: "I'm not counting on it. Let's not forget someone like you can't help me."

Sonny: "I know, but I'm me. Just one guy. One incredibly talented, handsome and strong guy, but alas: just one guy."

Candy: "You know what: you got a good point going on there."

Sonny: "When is it not?"


As Sonny was to project another imaginary explosion, he then receives a message, and puts his phone up front at an instant.

The glad look he's giving hints of what he's to say..


Sonny: "Ohh. I think I have some good news. I had Kirk contact Dimma, and he's willing to borrow you his Tributo. They're in San Fran, so I'm sure they'll get here in time."


The mere mention of that monstrous Ferrari however had Candy express poorly..


Candy: "Yuck! I prefer we NOT talk about that overpriced hunk of mass."

Sonny: "Finding another car's the only way out of this one, sis."


As truths come, so does another freshly plated pancake placed by Candy's side of the table, as she requests..


Candy: "Yeahh.. let me eat in peace now."


Sonny however looked behind her, and notes a certain aristocrat arriving, sharing quickly..


Sonny: "Afraid that's just a fever dream now."

Candy: "Oh? Why's that?"


As she stuffs her face with food, she turns to see a familiar introduction..


Boniface: "So, this is where you are?"

Sonny: "Bonny boy! What's good, bro?"


The French gentleman then replied with a wave..


Boniface: "Ah, bonjour, monsieur. It seems eating is the most relevant nature of all men in this dreadful country?"

Sonny: "Yeah, you can say that again! I can't race with an empty stomach lor."


Displeased with that optimistic outcome, he turns to the little racer, and instead..


Boniface: "And I see you're getting your nutrition up, ma cherie?"

Candy: "Nessie's pancakes are the genuine article, after all, darling."


His mental game however worked, as Sonny then stood and questioned that shift in tone..


Sonny: "Eh? What's this, ah? You attack me, and she gets the slap on the wrist?"

Boniface: "Oh, that is the whistle of the trees nearby, huh?"

Candy: "I guess."


Putting him in front again, Sonny boasts..


Sonny: "Yeah, feign your innocence. I'm gonna win this special event of ours, and then we'll see who's laughing... speaking of which, does he?"

Candy: "What do YOU think, mister One Step Ahead?"

Sonny: "I don't know, please sen-Of course he does. Sweetheart here's told you she needs wheels."


It wasn't a riddle to cure cancer, but Boniface puts on his impressed look..


Boniface: "Sacre bleu, he's good."

Candy: "No, it's luck! Don't give in so easy!"

Sonny: "She can't use my own tool against me! You ah. Cheeky lady one."


He however, despite not in a favorable light in this argument, is right, as Candy admitted..


Candy: "Oh well, I tried."


As Boniface gets himself comfortable and joins the party, he then follows up on this..


Boniface: "In any case, I'm afraid I don't have a car for you, ma cherie. Considering how specific the event organizers want it to be."

Sonny: "Yeah, if you were thinking of getting something like common like.. I don't know: a Fiero, it's not going to cut it, unless it's got a killer engine or something."

Candy: "Thankfully, the Scott brothers deliver yet again. Dimma's coming with his Ferrari."


Boniface did also look back to when Candy was test driving that car in Goodwood, reminding her..


Boniface: "But you hated driving the Tributo!"

Candy: "I'm afraid it'll have to do."


Displeased of his darling's situation, the aristocrat turned to Sonny, then stood to make his point..


Boniface: "How brutish the occassion! This makes me wish I brought more than one car. You should've seen this one coming, you brutish goof!"

Sonny: "Bro, One Step Ahead is just a really damn good way of saying I have a top tier psychological prediction game. It's not one of those psychic medium witchery!"


As she finishes her meal, Candy though didn't want to proceed this potential fight..


Candy: "Alright, break it up, you two. The last I want to see is us bickering off track."


As he goes back down, he then revealed..


Boniface: "Well, I suppose I must admit I too am feeling famished. What do you think is worth trying, paired with.."


And follows with a bottle of wine placed on the table, now noticed by his friends, continuing..


Boniface: "..this 12 year old, crimson pleasure Merlot, elegantly bottled from the blessed hands of local Nevada farmers?"


Following that, he then receives some feedback..


Sonny: "Oh, you're asking the wrong guy. I hope you know I don't drink, bro."

Boniface: "You're not Paul, so surely your excuse is better than his."

Sonny: "I just don't drink. Even on podium, the wine is for bathing. And my parents are against it. Professional bodyguard father says it dwindles his focus, crazy biker mom says it gets her into wanting more sex more times than she wants, lor."

Boniface: "And what is wrong with extra sex?"


With this line of talk going nowhere, Sonny readies an escape and prepares to leave, but not without words to part with..


Sonny: "Aik, I'm not having this talk with you! I'll just get something weird.. how's a lobster roll for you?"

Boniface: "Que? This should be interesting. Go on then. We shall test your wisdom."

Candy: "And two more scotch pancakes!"

Sonny: "T-two more.. oh the horror! Do you see how small she is, maa?!"


However true that request is, the self proclaimed badass then left with shivers down his backside.

It however didn't come unnoticed, as those left remark..


Candy: "Looks to me he's afraid. Like, really: what's going to happen? Am I going to blow up?"

Boniface: "Non, it'll go right to your thighs.. and then you'll blow up."

Candy: "Ahahaha!"

Boniface: "Hohohoho!"


After a quick laugh, Boniface then takes the nearest untouched cup and starts pouring a small sip, insisting..


Boniface: "But despite what he thinks about drinking, I would say I am nothing without my pre-race sips of great flavour."

Candy: "We just have to accept people see and think different, right?"

Boniface: "Right."


However, if there's something established last week, Boniface has another curious nag in his head..


Boniface: "I do wonder where Paul is. It is not in his nature to be late."

Candy: "Maybe he took a wrong turn, or had to grab some fuel."

Boniface: "Perhaps."

Spoiler: 3. Take me out of here (ANALYSIS SEGMENT)

Not far away, a white Aston Martin plows through an unhabited road to Trial Mountain.


Paul: "Alright. Back on, after this detour to me last refuel before Trial Mountain."

What's supposed to be a 20 miles breaking of Paul's prized One-77 however wasn't to be, as he looks behind..

Paul: "Eh?"


Exclaimed Paul as he spots a car that's said to be more valauble than his own.

And seemingly how it looks, the cars position themselves for a wild showdown in the cloudy early morning.


Paul: "Aye, 2 million pounds of 2000s Le Mans tech crept up to me backside, is it? Let's rumble then, lad."

Watercolour
Pendulum
Immersion

Spoiler: ANALYSIS SEGMENT

You know, I have been waiting a whole year for this moment, and to be honest: it might be the very final request of mine I'll be doing that isn't a designated nomination. I pretty much told myself: 'write about the Porsche Carrera GT' and I can say that's the green light for me to retire satisfied should that time come about. But to say I'm done here is a complete lie.. unless there comes a time where you don't need me.. or want me.. or say something that's akin to having outlived your usefulness because you found a better me. One who can race perfectly clean and spit out part of their character in such goofy but charming fashion. Like me.. but better. MAN THIS IS DEPRESSING! Out there, there is a better SPD than SPD himself, and I refuse to believe that is a lie.

I.. don't want to think about this future. It's the thoughts that involves the realm of negativity that's killing what's good of me. And said killing is going to take some time.
Slow.. and PAINful.

Excited? Well, I finally get to write what looks to be a V10 Porsche that's like no other: a childhood icon of mine that I, for some reason, didn't get much of a fanfare of whe it was teased in the first trailer of Gran Turismo 7. Innocent young me seeing and driving this car in Hot Pursuit 2 was birth of something special: perhaps my love for analog supercars came from there. Speaking of innocent.. that is the correct word that describes what you see: it's another Porsche without a turbo or a narrowed look. But that perforated steel engine bay is the first sign that tells you: you gotta be -this- badass, because if you want to come back to the car over and over, you have to lure in trouble, and that's the modus operandi of what it means to be a badass; something I yoinked from the book of my own Author Avatar Sonny Meng. Sort of like the bro code.

So, the main point of this address is to figure out why the car's a whole heap of trouble, eh?

Trouble indeed what you're getting with your limited time 2 million credits expenditure. I will cover power later, because that's the most obvious gripe this car has. All the issues that include in my 'danger' paragraph is attributed by that and human error. Speaking of human error, there's a quick list of things you don't want to do with the Carrera GT in general. Things like braking while turning. The springs in general are soft enough to say that when you do this.. poor man's attempt to trail brake, the power of the brakes turns miniscule and you meet either the Shadow Realm or Barry R. Always get to thinking of braking in a straight line: something you do when you drive rear heavy cars. Aside this, the brakes are a tad bit weak, but luckily serve very well, coming in with Sports ranked brakes so you don't have to spend extra if the racing disks are not your cup of tea. If there's something to merit, the brakes, while barely sufficient to keep the car stopped, serves excellent should you want to throttle brake the car a lot. But you gotta do it right.

Speaking of which, the car's engine braking ability is surprisingly quite great. Perhaps not short shifting, even though it's very very tempting. The main reason is because of the powerband: it shows in low revs that it has to climb. Meaning you get a revving of the car that's heavy and powerful, giving the idea of that 603 horsepower carrying an 'oomph' of sorts, if not the screaming Formula 1 engine tone it has. This climb also means that when you exit a turn from this low rev range, you're going to get power oversteer, no questions. One day, I've brought the car down to 500 PP, and it still exhibits this rear happy mad climb to a proper scream. This also means you rev it all the way, but the game really helps with that if you have the shift lights on: it won't go any further past when it blinks.

But this does add a level of depth the car has when it comes to this.. mid-turn choice of gearing. Would you like to have it turn much better in a lower gear, but have you play its rear happy fishtailing game, or keep it high, which makes it more manageable but you lose out on turn exit acceleration. That latter is what you want to start with. I'm in that stage where I always want to power oversteer the car. It's mainly due to how the car handles power oversteer. It does have it, and hoo boy it is nasty, requiring twitch reactions or two stages of smoothened power input to correct. But it's more manageable than these words let on, so much so that you feel you can use this loss of grip rather than let it happen: my secret to going around the bends unnaturally fast. I did mention the incidents of this care that's made infamous are due to human error, correct? I've inspected a few of you on the Wednesday lobby that put the car's sexy backside out on turn exit, and it never fails to amuse me, and impress me. The car knew it's coming, and instead of trying to prevent, it goes with the more.. wild alternative to have you experience this negative trait in a positive way. Strange? Yes. Also rather uneeded on the track. That's what tuner's is going to help you with later anyways.

When it comes to the handling, let's say we ignore the power oversteer. You mastered the nasty rear grip that's spun and killed people. Let's say.. use a softer compound on the rear, then notice what the car exhibits in this. The car feels.. safe? If it were up to me on explaining this, it's easily a race car without the massive downforce values. Which means you get understeer (on its stock Sports Hards compounds). Putting a bit of power is one way to solve this; easily my way of taking this, but usually this happens when you're a gear too high up: which is normal because I said earlier about the mid-turn choice of gearing, that the car is perfectly stable when the gear is upped a little on the turn. You eventually want to give development to yourself that.. the car wants you to level up so you can handle its wave of pain. But who said development had to be easy?

Now for something this car shares with other race cars. Due to its low slung nature, and the funny damper settings, the car hates curbs. It hates taking them. It hates going on them, and it hates managing them. You want to do your best to try keep away from any edge of Dragon's Trail, for instance. It also means no Chicane of Death. And if you compound this with its power output, you can see why its so sketchy to go about your usual corner cutting business in the car.

So with all these flaws, you can sense this is like.. ehh, maturity! You lose sense of what the car is offering you by using your aged senses in trying to challenge these flaws. "That's dangerous". Power oversteer this, dodge curbs that. Your inner kid, you can mold. Manipulate into performing all kinds of stunts, and there's nothing like a good stunt to keep the fun in racing going. And if you don't seem to see the bigger picture.. not every car has to be driven with grip and lap times in mind. It has its flaws, but you can fight back. But do beware: they can be.. cruel.

None of you probably realize this is probably the most peak my inner Sundowner will ever go. But let's move on before I say something about skyrocketing demands for PMCs. You can say a lot of what this car is known for and can do can be attributed to the skyrocketing demands for analog supercars, like the good old days after 9-11!

Oh..
Oh noo..
I am not worried about moments that relate to the MINI Countryman, it's more on how more do I turn into the Desperado LLC COO known as the Californian wildfire!
NanomachinesBack to the words, son!

Perhaps the biggest advantage this Porsche has over most other road going Porsches in the game is the power. It's a wholly raw experience: no AWD or hybrids like its succeeding 918 Spyder, and no turbos from other well performing 911 models. The car's acceleration is the sort that makes you wonder how disfigured your face is should you remove every element of wind resistance there is. It is quick. But of course with quick comes caveats, mainly that to make this quick come out fast, you have to learn this Dante Must Die like complexity and difficulty on its corner exit. One wrong move, and Dante probably is dead. It's also got a manual, so that's even more points in its already first class presentation score. The car did influence a lot of road going Porsches in the future. The Cayman comes to mind.

Maybe I talked too much. In terms of comparisons.. well, for some reason, my favorite comparison in the Aston Martin One-77 has been elevated in PP to make sure I particularly don't find out what car is the better choice in The Art of Driving (it's the Aston by a long shot, but it's too obvious). I also can't test the Ford GT '17, and the supercars it is compared to in real life is far and beyond in both directions. The SLR McLaren is a lumpy fat boy that's obviously not as capable, and probably needs that 722 Edition for it to keep up. And the Enzo is just on a whole different wavelength. The most notable rival the car has is both the soulless, track monster car robot hybrid that is the 12C, and the Blue Devil: the Corvette C6 ZR1, which is a supercharged maniac of a Corvette that puts the car's money on the line, especially in the straights. That brings me to the Dodge Viper GTS (VX) from Week 36: a car with 10 PP under, but is able to stay a good pace back of the Carrera GT on the more twisty, hilly venues. There are more beasts out there which can challenge it in a handling's perspective like the BAC Mono and the 991.1 GT3 RS, but unless we're on Tsukuba, I won't speak further of these.

For a car that's the most appropriate exhibition of danger, Danger High Voltage is reserved for when the Ford GT '17 gets nominated. If you're not going to treat it with respect, say it's like the grumpy, grouchy teacher in school you don't like: he's a grump and for what he does to you and the class, he might be the worst person you've ever met, but the lessons he teaches you are undeniably correct and is what gets you along the troubles life gets you. Learning is a process, not a solution. Not to mention grumpy teachers are the best people to help teach you how kids are cruel.

Yeah, there's no way future SPD can trump this degree of presence from this guy who's f[BLEEP]ing invincible.

As these white knights zoom towards the track entry point, the heat against each other hasn't dissipated..

Paul: "Aye.. driving's nice and clean. Mate, I like you already."

Spoiler: 4. 3 million dollars zoom into the valley of speed

Back to the food trucks, a crowd gathers, cheering on NOT Sonny Meng (hahah!), but to the Hong Kongese flower that's just finished yet another plate, angrily declaring..


Candy: "Whew! And that's NINE!"


From a distance away, the Burbank based duo then commented..


Kirk: "Goodness! That's like 4 more I can stomach, Son."

Sonny: "Yeah! We can bet on her going on some Asian spinoff of Man VS Food if she chooses to retire. Imagine the internet comments: how this cute girl can eat so much, aah?! There's that one YouTube channel, actually.."


This all foreshadows the streaks of naturally aspirated white machines to charge the tunnel..

As Candy tries to handle the extra load in her belly, she looks towards the mute racing pioneer, sitting by a table and sampling one of these sweet treats


Candy: "Oh, how bothersome. This is the worst I've ever felt. How are you doing, Guts?"


She noticed another man eating his food, but the racesuit insists her that it's the same man.

As it happens, the challenge charges on to the tunnel exit..

Candy though, mystified by this discovery, notes what's obvious to her..


Candy: "Oh.. That's the first time I've seen him without his helmet on. You really do sort of look like the dark one."


And beside him, Boniface responds as he sips away..


Boniface: "It's uncanny he met Jacob long before we did."

Candy: "Yeah, as if he's some.. clone. Could it be?"


Before that agenda be further delved into, the pit lane murmurs gets car sounds overwritten..

And not just murmurs, but the attention as well..


Candy: "You hear that? Interesting. I can feel this.. rumble on the streets.."

Boniface: "Ah. I know that sound.. my favorite barbarian's One-77."

Kirk: "Doubt it! Ain't no Aston Martin got that scream.. that's a V10 scream! Reckon it's a Porsche. THE Porsche."

Sonny: "Enough theorycrafting maa, come check it, gang!"


And as the squad climbs up to the pit wall, they see it come down..

As their energetic arrival comes to a close, it translates straight to the crowds rumbling of this moment..


Sonny: "Look at those automotive art forms! The credits I would pay to go behind one of those puppies!"

Boniface: "Qu'est-ce que c'est? Paul has found himself a better rival than myself? How brutish of him to break our sacred pact."

Kirk: "It's like they say: the ballad of a screaming V12 and V10 in matrimony. Damn, I love being a supercar fan."

Candy: "Who that in the Porsche? That is one driver with guts.. no reference to you of course, Guts."

In a secluded private area, the expensive cars rest after their long high velocity trip to the venue.

On the side of the Aston Martin..


Paul: "Morning, fellas."

Sonny: "Yo, what's good, bro? You really raced a Carrera GT on the streets?"

Paul: "Aye. He wanted it fer some reason. Had to oblige, or what are me talents fer?"

Boniface: "Perhaps you wish to shake on it first?"

Paul: "Of course! What, you think I'm not on it, eh?"


And on the side of the Porsche..


Atlas: "Pardon me.. it's you! Candy?"

Candy: "Whoa? Mr. Fowler! Greetings! I.. I like your car. A dangerous one.."

Atlas: "I've flown planes faster, but.. she's right: car's a complete nightmare."

Candy: "So, you've not only braved this piece of art, but in an intense situation."

Atlas: "This car isn't mine, nor is it as quick as my Aventador.. but let's ignore that for a moment. Feels like a.. whole year we haven't seen each other, Candy."

Candy: "Likewise."

Atlas: "I see Guts is here. Interesting."


And as The Guts looks on with his usual stoic style, the power hungry pilot then reveals..


Atlas: "I know why you two are here."

Candy: "Eh? I'm sure you do.."

Atlas: "Shall we talk later? Catch up."

Candy: "Alright.."


The leader of these two groups then converge, meeting by the cars..


Atlas: "Paul Henderson, is it? They're right about you: you drive fast."

Paul: "I can say the same for you, lad. Nice ride. Monster like you can tame a man killer Porsche. I mean.. Le Mans and Formula 1 combined, in a deadly package."

Atlas: "I've been training."


As a shake of hands follow, their tense talk does too..


Paul: "Presuming you're here for the Supercar Festival.. I say best of luck fer ya."

Atlas: "Appreciated, but.. let me prove to you later I don't need luck."


The aristocratic Frenchman however, after registering this other man that's replaced him, watches on with caution in his eyes and concern in his thoughts.

Spoiler: 5. Fowler, and a foul move

Heeding his request, the little racer comes by the garage he's taken over, still at awe at such a car as she begins to take sight of it.

Atlas however stopped his intense round of sit ups, and got up.

Exhausted, he let Candy have the first word..


Candy: "What brings you to this side of America?"

Atlas: "Usual. Still on my quest, for you-know-who."

Candy: "Right.. looks to me you didn't bring your gang of crooks about, eh? What if.. well."

Atlas: "Trust me when I say a lot of them don't quite have a passport. They'd rather stay in home turf, that's what. I'm taking a chance."

Candy: "Some people are like that. All about keeping comfy back home. I'm not quite like that. Though.. you'd figure she'd be here, because.."

Atlas: "I.. I don't know. I'm shooting in the dark with every trip I take, so I figure.. when you're here, I might have a clue."


Remembering The Cinderella playing about inside the seat of the Crowden Museum's DBR9 last week, Candy had to think about what to say, and luckily got it out before needing an elaboration..


Candy: "Even if I told you where, I.. can't quite guarantee you're going to get her."


He's disappointed, but not unprepared for such an outcome, as he explains..


Atlas: "Darn it, that's quite logically sensible. Perhaps I do need a break."

Candy: "A break is what you're not having with a car like that Carrera GT."


He sees this little Hong Kongese racer eyeing on the prize, and he then describes..


Atlas: "Right you are, ma'am. That's not my car. It's one of my boss's cars."

Candy: "Which one?"

Atlas: "You know I can't reveal that, right? Just know it's not mine."

Candy: "And I probably don't want to dig that hole."

Atlas: "You do that, and I'll pull the mud you dug out right back in, I'm dead serious."


He's dead serious indeed, thought Candy as she feels this energy he gives out, replying unsettled.


Candy: "Urk.. There's something unsettling being threatened by you when.. I've faced death's door in times before."

Atlas: "Don't take it that way. Only if you stand in my way should be when you find worry. Lighten up, please."


With that assurance set, she stays her sights on the car, insisting..


Candy: "Alright. So, I was thinking.."

Atlas: "Of?"


..and then developing words in her head for what might be her next master plan..


Candy: "Long story short.. my car's a bust for the day, and I am requesting simply: I'd like a drive in the Carrera GT for my special event. Don't ask now: I'm using that favor."

Atlas: "Golly, She still remembers that favor, is it? Speaking of which.. what happened to Augur?"


Not wanting to keep her thoughts on this shady group, she replies with a vague hint..


Candy: "They.. Someone darker and more evil forced their hand to go back to whence they came.. is the best thing I can say about those bunch."

Atlas: "Not quite a fan of poetry, but I understand what you mean."

Candy: "Hey, at least they're out of my hair."

Atlas: "Yes.. your.. nicely kept granny hair."


Offended she may be, but she hasn't the need to lash it out.

Instead, she exclaims..


Candy: "It doesn't matter what color of hair I have! Rude!"


..then feels remorse about standing up to a man she can look as twice her size, even though he isn't..


Candy: "I.. umm.."

Atlas: "There's no need. I mean.. nothing is wrong, Candy."

Candy: "But I still feel guilty. Just out of nowhere, I've asked for your help, and.. I know you owe me, but.."

Atlas: "Nonsense! I do owe you.


With that all settled, Atlas then asked..


Atlas: "Just one thing: don't scratch it."

Candy: "Oh.. I think.. no. Thank you."


As he readies to exit through the front, he bids his farewell..


Atlas: "I hope to see you on the special event. Show them the might of Atlas."

Candy: "Didn't you say it's not your car?"

Atlas: "Aren't you a cheeky bugger. Show them you can do better than I, so I can do you one later on."

Candy: "Touchy. Well, I like that agreement."

Atlas: "Suppose I need some rest now. That car really can wear me down. You take care now."

Candy: "You too."


As he leaves, the little racer too gets out, and quietly murmurs..


Candy: "Something isn't right about him, or my name is Bootsocks McNoshoes. And it's not."


As she plans to check on her car, a booming clap echoes from the back of the garage.

Spooked, she asks..


Candy: "W-who's there?"


A plan to run develops, but hasn't been implemented..


Candy: "Paul? Sonny? Bro.. that better be you."


And as that was to happen, it didn't come, as a figure emerges from the shadows..


Jake Ross: "So THAT'S Atlas Fowler.."

Candy: "The dark one.. you scared me.."


Relieved that it's someone else, the dark one then explains, not wanting to say again and again..


Jake Ross: "It ain't in me to say hello.. you of all people know that, right?"

Candy: "Sheesh.."


But all this comfort however leads to something unexpected, as a mad dash followed..


Candy: "Huh?! W-wait!"


..and his powerful arms then lunge out, grabbing the lady by her neck..


Candy: "GRRRK!! Y-you!"

Jake Ross: "I know a man who hears that very man's a very threat to the ecosystem we're nurturing in the UK."


..and slowly raised off the ground, she begins to struggle.


Candy: "ERRR-W-What are you talking a-about?!"

Jake Ross: "TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW OF FOWLER!"


Not wanting any of this from someone she can lean on, she implores, afraid of this unexpected act.


Candy: "Heeee! I-I.. don't know why you have to bring yourself to do this, please.. what happened to having another lady to lean on?! U-uhh, you're not going to hurt me, right??"

Jake Ross: "It's all a matter of choice.. thing is.."


His next act has him reach out from inside his jacket, taking out a familiarly deadly machete, and points it to her face..


Jake Ross: "For today, I wanna hear you squirm.."


Without any warning, he swipes the air, colliding only with a small chunk of her hair.

Seeing it fall, she began to lose composure of all her senses, going straight into panic..


Candy: "WUAAAAAAAHUUAAAAA!!! UUWAAAAAAHHHAAAHHAA!!"

Jake Ross: "Ain't breaking bones, but I suppose lopping the ear off will do nicely."


She's not exposed to mix number 4, but despite all the flailing, she feels to be just as helpless to this sudden chokehold.

Shouting and making strike after strike from her peculiar position, she finds out the man is reacting akin to an unbreakable wall, as she shrieks..


Candy: "WAAAA! W-why isn't anything working?!!"

Jake Ross: "Wolfmother Mark 2. Weaker, less strenuous variant I can hold on easy."

Candy: "C-can ANYONE! Even! AARRGHH!"


However, she hasn't a realization that this exercise of fear causes her upset stomach to reach critical levels of unease, causing her to puke out the food she's ate earlier.

The dark one didn't expect it, wiping his face as he fearfully expresses his fury.


Jake Ross: "That. Will cost you dearly."


Dropping her to the floor, she drops down, nauseated and weak, as she looks to find this darkened soul ready to cut her up.

However, before that was to be, someone else leapt in.


Rin: "WAAAA!! JAKE WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Did you.. DID YOU KILL HER?!"

Jake Ross: "Curses, Jess.. calm down.."


Not liking the smell of death, the agent of chaos then lowers down, inspecting her little sis..


Candy: "Urggg... [sniffling] help me, big sis.."


Hearing a response, she then stood up for her, furiously remarking..


Rin: "OH! MY! GOSH! I told you to scare her. Just a little spook,, not strike unending terrors into her cute little heart! It was just a nice little Halloween prank! GUHH, you better say you're sorry."

Jake Ross: "I-"

Rin: "I don't care if it [imitation] 'ain't in you'. I'll do my part, you do yours."

Jake Ross: "Fine.."


Taking off his tainted clothing, Jacob puts aside this scary phase as the interpol officer explains as she comforts his latest victim..


Rin: "Hang in there, buddy.."


Now without a shirt on, Jacob then teases..


Jake Ross: "What's wrong? Thought you'd be made of sterner stuff, but.. guess that ain't the case."

Candy: "..n-not funny.. HUPPP.. BLEAAHHH.."


This Church-like death scene got the agent of chaos to however react unfavorably, as she begins to panic further..


Rin: "WWWAAAAAHHH! S-STAY WITH ME!!"

Now alone on a bed within the track infirmary, a treated racing queen notes her conciousness coming back, hearing her guests chattering..


Murph: "Track doc says, wuzzit now.. she needs rest and water. Ay, I think a few breathing exercises can help her get back into action, boss. She stressed or something?"

Jake Ross: "Nirvana told me once.. she reckons the little lady has high blood pressure.."

Murph: "So, that's what these pills are for.."


Wonders the Irish thief as he shakes the pill bottle, but then he sees a disgruntled face from his superior..


Murph: "Boss? You alright?"

Jake Ross: "Little lady puked on me. It's washed, but.. it left a mark. Blood and guts have come, but that never happened to anyone I push hard on."

Murph: "Ay, you got a proper 'ardcore outlook as always, but you better make sure you don't let the lady hear you say that, boss."

Jake Ross: "I know. She's even gone to record it all happen on video. How she plans to use it against me, I ain't keen on seeing."


She feels now is the time to get up..


Candy: "Umm.."


Realizing an IV drip inserted on her arm, she gets her energy back, and the men greet her back..


Murph: "Oi oi."

Jake Ross: "How was your nice little scare? I assume you didn't enjoy it, but regardless.."


She sees these people right now, and to one of them: he's a villain, and has to be put down.


Candy: "...YOU!"


With this burst of energy, anything attached to her comes loose as she takes off her bed, enraged as she boomed..


Candy: "H-HOW DARE YOUU! I THOUGHT I TRUSTED YOU!"


Running to the side, she finds a cabinet full of items, and starts tossing them..

Still under his experimental drug, Jacob retorted with a less than amused look.


Jake Ross: "Trust? Me? Don't be ridiculous. Anyhow, let me be clear on what I say.. you seem to know Atlas Fowler. I intend to extract as much as I can."

Candy: "GURR (nothing is working?!)"


She hasn't any idea what left to attack him with, but the bed she was on was an idea..


Candy: "This is for.. MY HAIR!"


And without warning, she flips it over, at such strength and speed, that launches it straight into her targets.


Murph: "M-M-mother of Mary, watch out, ay!"

Jake Ross: "Son of a-"


CRUSH!!


With the men now under a couple thousand dollars worth of medical appliances, unusually the little lady left standing finds herself relieved of rage..


Candy: "And that's for ruining my fifty dollar haircut! None of that is funny!"


And realizing her current situation, she mumbles on..


Candy: "Phew.. but it is relieving. Screw therapy. That's how I'm going to get rid of my stress."


Finding the exit, she then also sees someone just arriving..


Rin: "Umm.. little sis.."

Candy: "B-big sis? I.. can explain?"


Before she could, the light headed officer than went on her knees and bawled her eyes out, expressing a whole valley's worth of guilt.


Rin: "AAAAHHH! I-I didn't mean to, I mean.. It's Hallow's Eve, and I was hoping what was a nice little prank would come out as nice, but Jake at this time frame is never nice! I love him, but he is no-"


Not wanting to further discord between this couple, Candy didn't want to hear more of it, halting her..


Candy: "Enough blabbering. After a quick crush with the hospital bed, I say all is forgiven."


Still stressed, she then asks..


Candy: "And I need a drive.. How would you like to run shotgun in the craziest Porsche to ever exist?"


With the moment passed, Rin's instant mood swings shifts into curiosity.


Rin: "Umm.. let me guess: a 959? Rally is crazy.."

Candy: "No, silly, but that's not bad. Carrera GT. That Atlas man handed me the keys for the day. Shall we?"

Rin: "Another V10 screamer like mine?! Absolutely!"

Candy: "Alright! Give me time to change first, alright?"


As the ladies walked out, readying themselves for a dangerous drive..


Rin: "So.. I hope you don't mind, but.. are you also having an upset stomach, or.."

Candy: "No.. I took advantage of our favorite pompous ass's generosity. 9 pancakes, all in a short time of 25 minutes.. I was stuffed like a korokke.."

Rin: "That explains it.. what's your secret, little sis?"


..the men, while in some degree of hurt, started to talk under all that rubble..


Murph: "Boss?"

Jake Ross: "Murph."

Murph: "She's a strong little lady, ain't she?"

Jake Ross: "No s[BLEEP]t."

Murph: "Ay, so.. anything broken?"

Jake Ross: "I'm good. Wolfmother Mark 2 did us a favor it seems."


And while they remain stuck, a brief pause follows, which then is followed by..


Murph: "Y'know.. it really is quite nice getting to touch you for the time being.."

Jake Ross: "You do know I'm married, Murph? Happily, even."

Spoiler: 6. Welcome to the stage, oh aged one, and a superb one

As the Carrera GT comes to new management until the Special Event's end, the women in the car push hard on track to learn its many intricacies, with little to no iss-.

sigh, never mind..


Candy: "I got it.. UNDER CONTROLL!!"

Rin: "AIII! And that's the fifth time this lap you nearly spun the car out."

Candy: "Don't go there, big sis. Pushing the limits of this car is killing me.. mentally, I mean."

Rin: "In my shoes, this car will already be a wreck."


They're not sisters in formality, but they bicker together like they've lived for life.

Rin: "You're racing later, by the way."

Candy: "I.. know. I need a time out."


Eventually, the little lady's stamina, along with that terrifying experience earlier, was strained to the core, giving her an excuse to move on in.

However, another set of cars came to view that pique these women's interests..


Rin: "Gifu is here!"

Candy: "What?"

Moving the Porsche ahead of this small crowd, Candy finds herself joyed, while exhausted.


Candy: "It's an XJ220! I wonder what kind of strings do I have to pull to drive that lovely piece of engineering!"

Rin: "Actually.."


As the ladies head out, they do see a pair of Scots hanging about, with the man of the two then pointing to the car in earnest..


Paul: "This very one."

Alan: "Goodness me, that's what I call a killer car."


The lady however found herself in mild surprise, greeting with a question..


Fiona: "Candy? What the devil are you doing in it?"

Candy: "Oh. It's you, Fiona. You're here too, huh? Well, the owner of the car decided to settle a debt by lending me the car for the day."


She then turned to the aged mister and realized..


Candy: "I see you're the one babysitting The Guts today, right?"

Alan: "With no ambassador available, that is spot on, my dear."


The little Asian then looked at the blue speed demon on show, asking away..


Candy: "It's been mentioned a few times, but.. I forgot you have an XJ220."

Paul: "Never seeing it in person ought to do that fer ya, lassie."

Candy: "Indeed."


The underdog then put his eyes towards his fellow Mythic racer, greeting.


Paul: "Mornin', lassie."

Rin: "Ohaiyou."

Alan: "I wager Jacob is around somewhere.. where could he be?"

Candy: "Check the infirmary. He's.. having a moment."


She's being vague, he thought, but had no intention to pursue further, as he replied simply..


Alan: "I see."

Paul: "Candy, seems to me you're taking control of that Porsche that's been bugging me the past hour. How'd you do it?"


Asked Paul, to which he gets a reply..


Candy: "I helped Atlas escape from Augur, and he owes me. I get to use it, and now we're even. That's the gist of it."

Rin: "Oooh, my little sis is such a hero! But not quite as.."


At a poor standing with that man, she interrupts without hesitation..


Candy: "Not another word about that man of treachery.."

Rin: "Well, if you say so, but.."


As if she was set up, the crowd around her then discusses..


Fiona: "I don't know. Jacob's the kind of man to put his agenda aside for somebody else's."

Paul: "Aye."

Alan: "You heard the time he decided to leap into action in saving this.. forgive me, a mochi shop, was it?"

Paul: "No, but I doubt it's the kind of crap he can lie about now, is it?"


Obviously it frustrates her, getting the little racer to assert..


Candy: "Ugh! I really really hope the Jacob we have in future meetings can still seep out to this Jacob you all love so much."

Rin: "Haha. I know him so well. It's easier said than done, you know?"


Quick look about, and Candy turns to Fiona: the woman who she once considered her mirror image, and wonders..


Candy: "I understand the few of you, but why are you here, Fiona?"

Fiona: "Somebody needed not just support, but a mid engined sports car for later.. can you figure who that is?"

Paul: "Not to mention she's going to stick around for a while, are ye?"

Fiona: "Aye, sir. That car, keeping up with the likes of this Jaguar and it's super expensive older brother? I want to see it."


With the Cayman's presence explained, Candy receives a reminder..


Paul: "I'll make it look good. But we come to the fact I'm also racing Bon in his KTM. I think you know this one, lassie."

Candy: "The car that introduced me to him. To say 'Yikes' is to put it very mildly."


She may love him, and vice versa, but Boniface's Signature Car is one she has a nightmare about thanks to Week 7.

Checking her phone, Rin then sets out a reminder..


Rin: "Speaking of which, it's.. 10.. you have a few hours before.."

Candy: "Yup. Gotta master the car in less than 2 hours. I better be off."


Spoke Candy as she hurriedly dashes into the Carrera GT, and readies for more practice..

..while leaving her big sis with these UK citizens..


Rin: "Little sis! Wait! Who's going to count your slip ups?!"

Alan: "Incoming.. 3, 2, 1.."


As the countdown finishes, the group of English people watches The Guts perform yet another sleight of hand towards the interpol newbie's phone..


Rin: "EHH?!"


..and makes a quick exit like he always has.

Furious that the recurring joke has come once again, she steams as she begins to yell..


Rin: "N-NANIII!! He's here too?! DOOOOO-I'm going to gut you, GUTS!"


While the others..


Paul: "[wheezing] BUH HAAH HAHAHAHA!"

Fiona: "Ohh ho ho, HO HO HOO! Fellas, I DINNA see that one coming!!"

Alan: "Interpol agent, ladies and gentlemen.. NGGHEH HEH HEH!"

Spoiler: 7. The sonic recreation of the end of the world (TUNER'S ANALYSIS)

Blood Sugar
Pendulum
Hold Your Colour


Moving on the morning, the Special Event then is set to begin.

As the racers wait for the inevitable green, they hear local commentators at work, describing to the crowds the attraction these cars share together..


"We are a dying breed. Combustion merged with engineering, resonate in a harmonic bliss!"

"Transform great power of these engines, placed strategically to alleviate any issues in handling."

"Ladies and Gentlemen: start your engines!"


As the lights then count down to go, the cars launch off for a quick 5 minute sprint, but to those that manages the whole event: they would hope its action will make it feel timeless.

Spoiler: TUNER'S ANALYSIS SEGMENT

It's a well known fact that, while the McLaren F1 is the pinnacle of perfection of any 4 wheeled automobile, does it raise the question that can any car not have issues?

Usually when a car's not dangerous, it's not being pushed to the limit. And when it is, we have to exhibit an adaptation of limitations that is appropriate. That latter is exactly what we need to do with the Carrera GT. So, perhaps the worst power oversteer in a modern car, funny reaction to curbs, and a tall overall gearing setup that isn't doing anyone any favors.

First up: here's my suspension settings for the challenge this week. I'm not doing Hypercar Parade with this on road going tires, man. Not that I'm afraid: I already expressed that I withheld using the car on the weekly lobbies because of my talent with it; like with the Miura. But I'm not that much better, unlike with the Miura.

Maybe you're educated enough to tell what I'm aiming for with these numbers. But first: let me say first that the setup is made for Sports Medium. On the stock tires, the fact I can feel the rear just barely wanting out means it might not work. You're welcome to try make do with this as a base, and work with it to your own liking of tires. There is no LSD settings, and transmission settings too. These two play big roles in keeping your F1 powered Le Mans engineered supercar in check.

Though you too can add on to your Carrera GT more than just those from the inside. With the outside, you too can add a custom wing and add some carbon flair to the front, side and the whole body. Now, there are many times I don't want you using aero, even though I'm not forcing you to use these or not, but on a car with an automatic wing this is something I don't want on. Still, if you can't tame it, just take it.

Perhaps the most obvious hint is that the Carrera GT, thanks to its massive power climb, would benefit quite well from using the power restrictor akin to quite a few cars so you have a more smooth power band. It's exactly what I did to my Seal Gray Carrera GT that I won 2 years ago by beating the base career mode of the game. To this day, no physics change has cursed the car: the most recent one actually buffed it by reducing the PP. A smoother power delivery can help keep the car stable, and while I'm at it, so does an improved transmission: why not sacrifice some power for a racing clutch and transmission?

Now, on suspension.. the main gripe I have is the strange setting on the car's dampers. A traditional setting where both compression and expansion being 10 percent apart is what I placed. And as long as it isn't too little, the car's issues with curbs should be minimized. Get the rear to be a tad bit harder than the front to get that racecar understeer sorted, but not by much, of course!

Other settings to consider here is the roll bars, and the negative camber. The rest you can play with what you find applicable to your needs, because the main issue is in the power, and that's not here.

In fact, it would be here: at the LSD settings. This one's easy. All of them are to be set quite low. A 5-10-5 is what I roll with. The deceleration in particular is going to get that weighted racey handling down to something more nimble.

Lastly: the gearing. Welcome to yet another car that's comfortable in the higher rev range, as I've detailed. This one you can decide on two styles: you can have a generally shortened setup that's less problematic and flexible, although not a big overall fix, and probably bad for speedier venues. Or you can opt for the Formula one setting: widen the first gear (or two), then shorten the rest, which means you're keeping the car's first gear for tight corners, and the other gears are for speed. Up to me, it seems? Well, I'm down for the latter, as it is the one I ran on the 2 year old Seal Gray car.

That 2 year old Seal Gray car however makes me think.. the learning process in this car is incredible: said car runs 600 PP on SH: my favorite combination for any road car. That car earns the honor of being my second tuned car in this game (first is the Viper GTS VX), and after more than 30 months of fine tuning, it drives perfect for my twitchy fingers. it's not an easy car to tune, but when you managed the perfect tune of the car, if you've done it and deserve that self high five. A perfect Carrera GT is a weapon to be feared.. not by you, by your enemies. Turn the danger and fear around, it's worth it.

Spoiler: Notable Race Events

Sonny: "YEAH! Perfect start into the lead! What you got NOW, bitches?!"

Alan: "Of all the 20 years I've raced here in the past.. I still admit reverse layout is an abomination."

Paul: "Get offa me, Bon!"

Boniface: "Always in my way, be it in the One-77 or not. Typical barbarian strategem."

Alan: "Hmm.."

Paul: "Jesus, that thing's a bloody quick one."

Alan: "Whooop! Look at the difference on this back straight, dear me."

Murph: "Knowing the boss, he's hungry for my spot now."

Jake Ross: "Bacon isn't going to be the answer this time, Murph."

Candy: "At third.. they can't call me Le Glace Pacer if I'm not gunning for first!"

Jake Ross: "Into fifth."

Murph: "Ay, positive that CarsenTech's not on in that thing.. but he took me out so bleedin' easy.."

Boniface: "Alan is aged, but wise. His experience to keep up is.. astounding!"

Alan: "Goodness, that was a close one. Just need to keep going til the back straight.."

Sonny: "Guts is up to something."

Sonny: "A picture perfect overtake?! I'll get you back on that one, you mute monster."

Alan: "They're setting up these pins.."

Alan: "Only to come crashing down!"

Murph: "Eh? What's this Renault racecar here for? This'll be easy pickings!"

Paul: "That's a BVLGARI? Never thought it'd come in car form."

Boniface: "With that old man on a roll, I figure the competition the next few days will be incredible. Time for me to step up! Allez!"

Candy: "Slow? That Guts! Doing me a favor.. the pompous ass's ego's been touched! If he can bleed, I can kill him!"

Alan: "It's that time of year, lads. Back straight country!"

Candy: "Yatta! FINALLY! I've been trying to catch you all season!"

Sonny: "Aiyoh, this hasn't gone well for me!"

Jake Ross: "The old man still got it? We need to meet in a more formal competition scenario, Alan."

"And the Wolfpack comes out strong with a 1-2-3 run in this exciting gauntlet!"

Boniface: "This is the same Murph of The List.. the madman who's bound by no code.. unless he's on track. Interesting.."

Murph: "That Renault's something else, ay"

Alan: "Jacob, my boy.. There's another in my league of speed? Preposterous!"

Paul: "I can push hard, take Bon out.."

Fiona: "Race control says if ye scratch my car, ye are f[BLEEP]ing D-E-A-[shuts off]"

Paul: "And.. radio silence."

"FINAL LAP!"

Paul: "Is something holding us up? Swear those lads up ahead aren't the lot that's known to be faffing about.."

Boniface: "Sacre bleu, that was close!"

Paul: "Am I in trouble? Naah."

"And the C8 Corvette carries on, through the final corners.."

"Across the chequered flag! Pinky and The Guts wins the Special Event!!"

Candy: "An excellent finish. Hoo.. you are indeed pushing me to my limits, Carrera GT. Whew."

"And let's give it up to The Bristol Harbinger: 60 years of age and we can safely say age has not slowed you down one bit!"

Alan: "Kept you waiting, huh?"

Murph: "Much too bad this ain't street rules, but.. that indeed is a fast Renault."

Spoiler: 8. They know more about him other than just a handsome face

After the festivities ends, Candy, called to a certain place, arrives, and sees..

..her specially tuned NSX up and running.

The leader of the local workshop then confronts her, announcing with a hint of satisfaction..


"I say we're done. Come take her for a spin before we close up shop."

Candy: "You work fast! I.. wow. I am at a loss for words. Impressive!"

"There's the matter of our fee.."

Candy: "Oh, let me drive it first. Then you'll get your dues.. and more? How about some extra exposure for your troubles?"

"That'll be swell. Off you go then."


As he leaves, she turns to see the super strong pilot awaiting service.

Waving, she then approaches and greets.


Candy: "Don't tell me.. did I push too hard?"

Atlas: "Well, uhh.. you scratched some paint about, but it's nothing these men can't fix. All in all, you did exceptionally well, Miss Candy. Second place! More credits to fix tiny scratches for a lifetime!"

Candy: "What, is it not good enough?"

Atlas: "I'm not expecting you to master such a tremendously challenging car in a single day. Your effort is much more than just commendable; perhaps that.. is what you want to hear?"

Candy: "It could be worse, but I can take that as a compliment. Your social skills need some work."

Atlas: "As do you, milady."


As he walks in to inspect his borrowed car, Candy however didn't like the idea of his objectives, and insisted instead..


Candy: "So, you going to be around tomorrow for some racing?"

Atlas: "We'll see. Your struggle made me realize that.. well, I better take the first step, but not straight into the fire, you know what I mean? I'll have my Aventador about and.. maybe show them what I'm capable of.. gradually, of course."

Candy: "I guess I do. But now that my car's all ready, would you like, don't mind the lingo, a wingman?"

Atlas: "Hmm.. well, not really. But since you insist, I guess I should. Tomorrow, morning was it for preliminary rounds?"

Candy: "Yeah. Well, I'll see you."

Waiting by the pit lane, the track, now open to the public, slowly fills up with racers going about on practice.

On her earbuds, the little racer's readying for her high speed run, but not before some Def Leppard through her ears.


Candy: "Hmm hmm hmm hmmmm.. I got the fear that I'm gone; turn to duuuusstt.."


However, before she could leave, she notices through her rear view mirror a set of men that granted her concern thanks to earlier..

Watching from inside her car, she spies on these individuals as they pass by..


Sonny: "You think I don't know they'd be able to beat me?! Stop presuming lah! But you know I was robbed, right?"

Jake Ross: "No, not quite. They raced with cars more suited to the venue. You lost, fair and square. As did I for bringing the high powered setup."

Sonny: "It's my fault, lah, of course. Teaches me next time, I bring Nemesis. In that, it's going to be a slaughter, maa."

Murph: "Yeah. Right. Perhaps when the boss brings his GT40, and I take Night Moves out for a spin. Going to be quite the mess, ay."

Sonny: "You know it, bro. You guys did worse than I, but I wager you had a better race?"

Jake Ross: "I figure there's some good in not reaching the podium against you top Group 3 racers. Jess is going to enjoy the relentless amounts of teasing the coming days that I don't amount to you bunch. She still.."

Murph: "That Guts fellow hasn't returned her prized handphone all day, so she's still on the prowl, ay."


Just as she thought they passed through, she peeks out and notices them standing by, ready for her.

Furious in particular towards the legacy fuelled cowboy, she angrily remarks..


Candy: "Ah ah ahh! Not one step!"


While Sonny remains still, the other two elicit a more sudden response, as Murph cowers behind, proclaiming while afraid..


Murph: "Sweet Lord! It's that hag!"

Jake Ross: "What, you thought we'd stop for nothing? You dare doubt me already, Murph. I'll take point then."


The dark one then stepped up, declaring without remorse..


Jake Ross: "My little Asian prick.. I'm sure Jess has expressed my love for Halloween with a degree of seriousness that's.. scary."

Candy: "Halloween or not, I refuse to be your plaything for one more minute!"


Wanting to keep the air pure, Sonny steps in and predicts in his usual smug fashion..


Sonny: "Unless there are credits available. Am I right, sis?"

Candy: "Umm.. I guess?"


She's somewhat defused, but Jacob wants to rid this ghast haunting her short term memory.

He makes the next move, calmly speaking..


Jake Ross: "Well, I suppose what comes tomorrow might be good for our wallets if we race hard and clean. But may I consider the man you just talked to? Murph?"


She's still in a violent phase, but orders remain as orders, as the insane Irishman reveals..


Murph: "Ay. That's me cue, innit? Feller there be one Atlas Fowler. When I was in with the Harbingers lot, that man's family was a red flag, like serious red flag. And then rumors speak that he plans to take over street racing in the UK. Got any idea what it means, love?"

Candy: "He.. hasn't hinted that at all to me. Only that he wants The Cinderella. The Big 3's greatest treasure they call Cindy."

Jake Ross: "That's her, right?"

Sonny: "As Gary would describe: young lady, red head, drives a Nissan Z?"


Her darkness starting to light up, she confirms..


Candy: "Yes, yes, and very much yes. Can you guys fill me in?"


The group settles for this long talk, as cars speed by the track..


Jake Ross: "I suppose so. We, The List, plan to invade the UK, show us we're better than those rotten toothed people.."

Murph: "Like me, ay."

Sonny: "Alaa, you can't say the UK is just a group of Murphs?"

Jake Ross: "Of course not. But we show them we have the capability to dominate. Isamu in Eiger Nordwand that day, for starters.."

Sonny: "Good kid. Paying dividends already with Boxzilla, lah. I like that car, y'know."

Candy: "Do I tell you he hates the name Boxzilla?"

Jake Ross: "Ain't important. But.. but then this.. rumor about Murph seeing him about in the racing scene makes us nervous. What is a racing scene to conquer if there isn't a scene to conquer at all?"

Murph: "Me intuition's saying that he got this here plan to do more than get the girl and bugger off. Can't risk it. Might involve the lot in The Big 3 and further as collateral. Won't be needing an explanation to say it's bad, ay."


Not quite getting this in her head, the little lady requests..


Candy: "I'm.. not sure where I want in to this. Give me context. Why even go in to these affairs?"


If this was a challenge, it'd be a shame these men were prepared.


Sonny: "I owe my everlasting talent and skill to the man leading The Big 3, and so does your big sis. It'd be preferred if.. say.. we keep the road clear."

Murph: "I'm in it mainly for the money. Bunch of good dosh heading my way but the scene's got to thrive. I don't see Atlas allowing that if he takes it all, ay."


But Jacob, with his demonic resolve, reveals the biggest domino to fall..


Jake Ross: "Your good friend Cierra is one of the brightest lights in this scene. I saved her from Augur, and if I don't see you backing her friends from this.. Fowler person, what good of a friend are you?"


..and it fell hard on Candy's thoughts..


Candy: "She.. lives as part of The Prophecy.. darn it!"


With her allegiance secure, one more thought remained as Candy negotiated..


Candy: "I am going to need more than just macarons. And credits."

Jake Ross: "We at Mythic can arrange that. How about other bonuses? Maybe I can have Jess teach you how to play dress up?"

Candy: "Sure, sure. And since you had me go through s[BLEEP], can I ask for one more thing?"

Jake Ross: "This will be interesting."


Seeing The Guts in the background making his escape with his Iron Man suit, she then knows what to demand..


Candy: "My power armor. Back on the priority list."

Jake Ross: "She's specifically looking at you on this one, Son."

Sonny: "I said no, and that's final, beh!"


At that moment, despite her absence, this self proclaimed badass senses her cruel, unnerving laugh, caused mainly of his expense.

Shaking himself free of that nightmare of his own, he puts his smile back on and activates his go-go gadget moment of heart warming, answering in style..


Sonny: "But you entertained us with a little fear fuelled regurgitation.. Okay lah. Shell out the credits, and I'll consider it done, Candy baby."


While it all seems dandy for her, a confused Candy though then thought of recent events..


Candy: "Also.. Mr. Ross, I.."

Jake Ross: "Think you still have my trust? Trust's just a fickle concept, don you agree? Well, you know me THIS close to ripping your nose a second time's due to the season, my little Asian flower."


Without his signature leather jacket, Candy sees the man as the same with or without, but it seems he's a different person than when she was threatened earlier.

Not heeding her heart's chaos, the dark man continued..


Jake Ross: "You trusted me enough to play the game of death.. near death, that is. Suppose I have to admit trust is still on the table."

Candy: "So, y-you were.. f[BLEEP]ing with me.. not literally, I mean?"

Jake Ross: "Course. You don't strike as the dishonest type. That's my job."


While it was a relief he's never meant to betray her, she couldn't stop weeping out tears, silently showing a happy face.

But as if a devil told her in her ear, a request follows..


Candy: "I want.. to get back at big sis for that whole experience. How dare she'd do that to me.. can I?"

Jake Ross: "..I have served; I will be of service."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

With a drive that elicits only the strongest of wills to just barely survive, a good chunk of alternative cars to consider, and especially with the horrendous Invitations system placing a gate for anyone to get the car, there's not much good for the casual sort.

It might be one of my favorite cars of all time, period, I must put aside the bias, and thus can't call it a Sleeper. But there is no way you can call this a Beater. I would not only disown you, but also sexually violate anyone with that kind of thought. And if that needs to happen, I need your IP address. Say it's for Parsec.

Well, it's Neutral.. or I'll just say Neutral-Sleeper. It's tough to manage, but man I love cars with oversteering learning curves, be it as gruesome and unholy as the Carrera GT, or not. Now to set up plans to justify nominating the Miura again.

Spoiler: Biographies for this week's episode

I just love how this week, it's with the Miura: my familiarity with the car has paid dividends. There are a few more cars on this list I wouldn't mind bringing out.

Story seems short for a car I wanted in and one I especially knew was coming since it's been a whole year coming.

Short.
Haha why you so funny?

Compare this to an upload from last year, and you tell me what is short. Considering that, you're lucky I'm still wanting to write despite my schedule not going well with it for sure.

I think I'm settling the fact that should Paul be around, Fiona will now keep him in check everywhere. It'll justify the character. Not to mention I like her around now.

Now to Atlas. While I don't have a black and white morality roaming about, he's the designated villain of whenever I decide to write up Gran Turismo 7's story. The entire web's been mapped out on that story, and you don't even get half the characters I've already revealed in play in this sub-series. He was meant to appear in the Week we did the latter half of Mazda month last year: which is why he didn't get any special treatment like Fiona did last week.

Not to mention there is a lot of me throwing back. I'm getting used to making characters act the way they should, right? Perhaps if they are the ones with their own moments in the writeup, that is.

Thank goodness the racing this week is great, with overtakes and general show of car characteristics and pace. I'm establishing some new grouping of the roster, and today is what might be the first of what I call the Wolfpack: consisting of the in story Group 3 points leaders that I established back in Week 3 (Candy, Sonny and The Guts).

Speaking of Week 3: the superstar of said week has returned, and I have great plans for Pinky to appear depending on the given scenario. I was actually surprised it won today's skirmish. I'm especially glad it came with a suitable in-story reason. The C8 is quite the car, huh?

This week's roster wheelspin winner was The Guts, with what might be the most ridiculous entry I've ever written for him. It is a Marvel Cinematic Universe reference that's not from Thor Ragnarok, who knew past SPD had it in him?

Spoiler: MAIN CHARACTER - The infamous sweet toothed Lone Wolf: Candy Lam (Sport)

As the main character, Candy Lam is bound to appear in every segment, be it either as the lead role, or as a small mention.

The infamous Sweet Toothed Lone Wolf of Asia, or known worldwide as Le Glace Pacer. While her social presence is significantly poor, her presence on the track hasn't been short of perfection, now under the pressures of being a monetary source of higher powers, as well as her role being the most prime form of woman racers.. But don't let her hear that.

Theme Song: Def Leppard - Bad Actress
Racing Duel Music: Def Leppard - Nine Lives
Gender: Female
Nationality: Hong Kongese
Age: 30
Current occupation: Professional racecar driver
Distinct features: Long, clean, straight ashen hair tied to a ponytail via traditional red braids. A stiff, stoic Asian beauty that starts to show sign of wrinkling, covered by heavy layers of makeup. Thin, rounded diamond face, with various beauty signs of it being worked on unnaturally, especially her unblemished small snub nose, heavily lipsticked mouth and thin brown Asian eyes. Short body with small proportions.
Choice of clothing: Typical modern glossy sleveless Hong Kong dress, but 90% she will have her favorite on, that's in blood red with a white bauhinia pattern on, with matching sandals. Most of her clothes and themes come in red or white.
Cars: Toyota GR Yaris 1st Edition RZ "High Performance", MINI Cooper S, Honda NSX Type R '02, Mazda Demio XD Touring

Even though she's a proud Hong Kongese, Candy is actually born in high society Tokyo, and more exposed to living in a usual Japanese lifestyle. An only child, it was easy to find herself spoiled rotten from a young age, getting what she wants and not caring how it got there, thanks to wealth she inherits strongly. Her father notably was an executive in Toyota's racing division.

A target in her younger ages, Candy's early life was full of trouble from others that are against her being a Hong Kong native in Japan. She never made any friends as a result, and this loner habit of hers remained even after changing schools, going so far to even give her a new alias. While her parents have a strong standing in the society she lived in, she remained in their shadow, because she couldn't find comfort out of it.

Upon reaching her adult days, Candy's first 'milestone' would come when an incident in a high class event caused her to run, leading to a manic police car chase spanning several weeks before she was arrested. The victim of these events would have deep ties with various Yakuza families. While her parents retreated to Hong Kong, Candy stayed in Japanese prison, learning that if nothing needs to come her way, she needs to learn something she initially dreaded to do: manipulate the human mind, a state of thought she was once a victim of.

After her sentence, she regained her freedom, and it didn't take long that was noticed by the city's largest street racing community. Still with her inherited wealth, she started off strong in the streets. Years then pass, in which she eventually proves herself as a top competitor for racing in many top endurance races worldwide.

While her fans are out there in many parts around for being a woman dominating a man's sport, she's not exactly a great social interactor, and is a nobody outside the racing community. With many questions still left unanswered, maybe there are more ulterior motives with the unsanctioned blue MINI project..

Spoiler: Chaotic burning heart that lights up the darkness: Rin Nishimura/Jessica Ross (5)

Tech savvy geek with a forte in extreme sports. While her chaotic nature always gets her into situations unwanted, her overall innocent and kind upbringing gets her to be responsible of being the only one capable of lighting up the complete darkness in her husband's inner struggles for a final identity.

Theme Song: Muse - Guiding Light
Racing Duel Music: Eurythmics - Would I Lie To You?
Gender: Female
Nationality: Japanese
Age: 29
Current occupation: Interpol special operative
Distinct features: Medium, layered bob burgundy hair. Athletic, slightly wide diamond face. Brown hooded eyes, thin almond nose and a small mouth. A natural beauty with a small layer of makeup that exists only to hide her eyebags. Thin profile with an average height, and above average proportions.
Choice of clothing: Always wears a bespoke pair of sporty earphones. Never with a distinct fashion style due to her clinging as a master of disguise, even though she's more of a master of imitation. Most of a time she's with a sporty crop top, denim skirt with tight sporty arm socks, leggings and sports shoes.
Cars: Lexus LFA, Lexus RC F, Daihatsu Copen

Rin started off life in Tochigi. Not even years in, she has been diagnosed with a minor mental defect which hampered her thought processes. While it didn't get in the way of her everyday living, it prompted her parents to remain her a single child. It did get her to do the occasional odd and unusual behaviour. Aspiring to be the family's model child, she didn't let her setbacks bring her down. A top grading student with impressive feats in athleticism, and to remain incredibly pretty; you can say all these good things about her, it's supposedly impossible.

With her mother, love was unconditional, but her father seems held back. Further on in her teen life, she would find out aside his day job that he's a well known, on and off street racer. The relationship would sour further, but that changed in the aftermath of when she decided it's time to see if she can do better. Acing her driver's test was one thing, but immediately sneaking out and winning a Clubman Cup event in Motegi was the next.

Rin would head to the UK instead of local institutes for higher education, but it was a guise as her father wanted to protect her from local troubles stirred by his actions. Away from home, this would be a pivotal era for her development. An old friend became her starting point in racing. She would meet certain individuals, including her husband to be. But also came a criminal group that wanted to exploit her near perfect genetics, with these events causing mental damage, and giving way to her chaotic shifts in mood.

She would make her escape in marriage, prompting her to stay in California. The paranoia didn't stop there. On the first chance she could, she started working as a police officer, even deciding to adopt identities and learn imitation. But her fears did arrive. They staged an accident, and before she got taken away, she escaped, leaving everything behind for a long 7 years. This time was used for her to anonymously hone her racing to a whole new high, protected by Interpol.

And gladly, that time is over. But a lot has changed. Most importantly: her father has died. Initially succeeding him by joining FIA GT racing, she failed to inquire an investigation on how he left a legacy behind in the form of Candy..

Spoiler: Once hailed a hero, now drowned in shadow: Jacob Ross (5)

They said if there was a God in the worldwide street racing scene, Jacob Ross' moniker as The Outlaw was the very thing He and anyone else in said scene would be unequivocally afraid of.

Theme Song: Metallica - Disposable Heroes (Remastered)
Racing Duel Music: Gary Numan - I Am Dust
Gender: Male
Nationality: American
Age: 33
Current occupation: Rookie racer, in guise of his top street racer moniker
Distinct features: Balding marked, medium swept up brown hair. Roughened up with a few cut scars, but smooth, thin chiseled, and somewhat attractive diamond face. Aggressive, azure down turned eyes, thick grecian nose and serious, semi-thick lips. Tall build, with a fit build carrying developed muscles. Those muscles would artificially expand further when he becomes The Outlaw.
Choice of clothing: Black is the name of the game, usually with a custom tailored suit vest under a dark long wool jacket. Never seen without a black bespoke pinch front cowboy hat, with an engraving: 'Oderint dum metuant'. As The Outlaw, he would add on a thick special bulletproof attire, and a breathing apparatus that steams out an unusual drug should he need it.
Cars: Ford GT '06, Ford Mustang Boss 429, Ford Mustang Gr. 3 Road Car (as The Outlaw)

As the firstborn of a rich Californian racing legend, racing was definitely in his blood and Jacob had that opportunity for succeeding his father, joyous and determined this is the future for him.

But in his youth, something happened to his young psyche, and to say it changed him would seriously put it mildly.

The details remain sketchy, and it remained a sensitive topic within his family even to today. It drove a wedge between him and his parents far enough that he wouldn't be the same after his teens. These events harbors the influence of him becoming a fearless, serious somber man with said fear as a weapon of his own.

Now that the weight of succession is beared to someone else, Jacob carved his own destiny. Mixing his passions of the past with his more darkened methods, he toughed through the many grueling years to become the self proclaimed, undisputed fastest street racer of the US, through being a founding member of The List, aliased as The Outlaw: a drug enhanced, nigh unbeatable driver with a penchant for deceit, destruction, disrespect and fire, usually all combined. It's said that there are unspeakable tales of terror that happens to those who oppose The Outlaw: the identity he protects dearly, so much that over time, he's developed a vengeance to those that threaten this visage and those close to him.

Eventually, he married someone: a youthful Japanese girl who would be the greatest ray of sunshine he could ever get. But even that was a marriage that wouldn't last, as both became a target from greater powers. After a long 7 years, that threat now extinguished, he resumed the bumpy, happy life, hoping to outrun the past he knew wouldn't catch up. These days, Jacob has recently registered as a rookie FIA racer, with initial plans in his head saying to take it slow. All seems dandy, until certain events including the rise of his wife's old enemies resurface, enveloping him in the darkness where he then believes is the only place he belongs.

And if his fans and followers are familiar with his talents that developed his legacy, know that his history with a clenching darkness has caught up to him. It's unsure whether his known heroic side has fallen, merged, or even co-exists with his persevering dark side.

Spoiler: The greatest beast of the racetrack: Tamed Racing Animal - The Guts (Sport)

Some say he has an unmistakeable alternate take on the origins of shoelaces, and that he's campaigning a drive to ensure mandatory use of condoms outside of pleasure. All we know is.. he might be a parody of something more legendary, but he sure is one racing animal.

Theme Song: Finger Eleven - Gods of Speed
Racing Duel Music: Celldweller - Unshakeable (BT & SeamlessR remix)
Gender: Male.. and boy are we glad this is known
Nationality: oh crap
Age: definitely around his 20s? 30s, I guess
Current occupation: Speed
Distinct features: Has no hair, and has a mildly chiseled face of a.. unknown if it's Caucasian or Asian look and skin tone. Sharp wide brown eyes, thick grecian nose and unpronounced mouth. Hard to say under his clothing, but its speculated he has a well built body with developed muscles.
Choice of clothing: His signature racing helmet is always on him, but very rarely can be seen without it. Aside from that, he wears whatever the situation desires, usually in shades of carbon black.
Cars: Genesis G70 3.3T, Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Vision Gran Turismo, Hyundai N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo Group 1, Toyota 86, Chevrolet Corvette (C8)

A mute, socially awkward man of unknown origin and information. All the people know about him is his mythical exploits on the track, being one of the fastest beings on the planet behind any type of car. Not knowing where he came from, some say he was a child of a sinister experiment gone bad. Others say he's the resurrected spirit of a legendary racing driver and brought to the world to show how it's done.

Whatever naysay is related, The Guts' unequal presence on the track is by far the single most dominant feeling of 'Nobody but him is winning this race', and with the rise of talents behind his flag, it's been a proven fact. Usually followed by an ambassador to help communicate, The Guts only speaks through body language, or occasionally with sign language. And if those don't work, he often snatches smartphones and somehow get away with it.

Now under the British car show Sim Gear, The Guts non-racing days have been all about testing cars and showing his ego. But some time ago, since the show's discontinuation, there have been rumors of The Guts being related to The List, but not even group veterans and founders aside the big boss can prove this. Although, the indirect proof of his signature Genesis G70 winning top level street races with his name on it has been circulating.

Spoiler: The omnipotent Asian American Badass that needs no introduction: Sonny Meng Xian Zhen (5)

Bohemian Like You plays

Once part of the greatest street racing crew in the UK, Sonny's now a key player in The List's day to day finances. While these days, he's started a long running racing career, leading to a gigantic bounty of success. This egotistical, proven all around badass comes forward as the most divisive top racing figure in the USA.

Theme Song: Rush - Vapor Trail, The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
Racing Duel Music: A Silent Truth - Chariot (Daycore)
Gender: Male
Nationality: Half Singaporean, half American
Age: 32
Current occupation: As he would state it: a mother[BLEEP]ing racing celebrity
Distinct features: Curled, black medium long hair, always semi-shiny. Handsome, diamond Asian like face and skin tone, with a long stubble combined with a Zappa. Narrow angled grey eyes that shine when he wants to, subtle upturned nose, and hair surrounded mouth. Overcompensating perfect teeth that glares when he wants to. Slightly taller, semi slim build, with mild developed muscle.. also that gleam when he wants to.
Choice of clothing: Usually in biker style clothing, including leather all around with an undershirt.
Cars: Dodge SRT Viper GTS, Chevrolet Camaro Z28, Ferrari 288 GTO, GT By Citroen Road Car

While he might have a Singaporean father, his work as a presidential bodyguard means Sonny's an all American citizen. Birthed in Washington, he moved to California when he was still very young. There, he would meet the eventual leader of The List, and befriend him, being his social contact that would relate with him as that man would darken. On the contrary, Sonny remained as optimistic as he always has been.

But his optimism didn't carry over to his education, where he was often the main culprit of racism as an issue there. It was then he would learn, then utilize his famous mantra of always being one step ahead. By using his birthday gift: a 69 Camaro, he would cause what he would dub as the best graduation day ever: getting just about every nemeses in his school driver license suspensions, while he gets away scot free. Due to this epic win, his egoist side would rise from then onwards, possibly never reaching a ceiling.

It wouldn't stop there. Applying to study in London found itself to be a costly move, and he would bring said Camaro over the Atlantic to begin street racing in those streets just to break even. And past that, UK's top street racing crew known as the Prophecy would take attention, and adopt him as the first ever mentored student, known as a Chosen. Even though Sonny did graduate with middling honours and is ready for adult life, he chose to spend his earnings to chase his hobbies, and to everyone's surprise: it would end up being his life's work, with his unshakeable ego and skill would put him in the podium spot of any racing field he touches.

In addition to his successful racing career, he took on the role as The List's main income source, internally codenamed "Chimera". In recent years, Sonny's momentum has been halted when his mother passed, and now has a mission to find the Mrs. Meng to succeed even further than just his wealth and fame. These days, while he might be the badass he claims, he's also bound to lure in all sorts of trouble, such as the bad luck he's known for among his divisive peers, alongside his, what he dubs: 'favorite hostile secret admirer' in Nirvana.

Spoiler: Persistent, tenacious Scotsman with a penchant to always prove himself: Paul Henderson (5)

Once a troubled drunk whose success in touring cars was washed aside, Paul gained a new sense in life after dropping the bottle and working on his family. But a new inner Scottish bloodlust arises, and he's making troublesome dealings with it going uncontrolled as his spotlight shines being the current FIA figurehead.

Theme Song: U2 - Hawkmoon 269
Racing Duel Music: U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name, Alpine Stars - Jump Jet
Gender: Male
Nationality: Scottish
Age: 34
Current occupation: Race car driver
Distinct features: Scruffy medium brown hair parted at the center. Wide, slightly tall brown eyes. Thin hooked nose with semi-thick, but narrow mouth. Non distinct marks of red all over face due to alcohol addiction in the past. Thin brown soul patch on the chin and a very discrete goatee. Oval triangular face. Thin, but with developing muscle on body, with average height over bright skin.
Choice of clothing: Always with a plaid design flatcap, but his favorite's a gray one with green accents. Attire varies, but the general look with him consists of a long sleeved polo shirt, thin jeans, and leather shoes.
Cars: Aston Martin One-77, Volkswagen Golf I GTI

Born the son of his professional golfer father, and his housewife mother, Paul was born a free spirit, the second of the family's Wembley born children. Notably in their childhood, Paul would represent the manly, more physical side of the new generation, while his older sister would pick up the books and become the brains of the family. That principle still remains today, where Paul would use his sister's advice to conquer any obstacle, and his sister would use him for her own goals.

Paul initially wanted to become a golfer like his dad, but as he grew up, the appeal of the sport didn't stick with him as he would eventually transition to racing karts in his teenage days. While various reasons came to mind such as the meeting of certain racing figures, and his interest in engineering grew, the real reason was, just like any growing man would do: impress a lady. The girl he fell in love with was into said go karting scene, and it so happens her father was The Bristol Harbinger: a famed Le Mans endurance racer from the mid 70s. Still, being close to his own father would mean his golfing skills are just as fine as his racing.

Becoming a family man at the height of his career would bring out the worst in him, as this era of Paul would end up being an overly aggressive competitor in touring cars. Worse, he went into drinking, and it would corrupt what's left of his good side, developing fits of rage and even moments where he would have a weakened spirit. But even if things got worse, the bottom of it all never seemed to develop. His family stayed, he's never gotten in big trouble, and even if he got his racing license suspended, he could still find ways to support his family. He believes in some form he's lucky, and that was exemplified when he became the lucky owner of an Aston One-77.

After a series of events involving a conspiracy, assassins, a nuclear heart, and his long time rival's heel face turn, Paul would start rooting out what was wrong with him, dropping the bottle and becoming what he calls a newer, better him. Having the most successful of comeback tours, Paul would become the face of the UK's GT racing scene, and become the standard of Group 3 racers on the whole. While this is a tall task, Paul now has a new catchphrase to keep an open mind, and so far it's not failed him yet.

Spoiler: A sneaky daredevil with a sixth sense for the insa-not so insane: Murphy 'Murph' Barrington (5)

One of the founding members of the infamous, vastly exclusive American street crew with an international cast known mainly as The List. This gruff in general, semi Irishman is never seen slow thanks to his all-around sense, reliance, and secret sixth sense on insa-not so insane stunts.

Theme Song: Ash - Arcadia, Dropkick Murphys - The Last Letter Home
Racing Duel Music: Dropkick Murphys - The Battle Rages On
Gender: Male
Nationality: Half British, half Irish
Age: 30
Current occupation: Car thief
Distinct features: Buzz shaved blonde hair. Chubby, rounded diamond face, surrounded by reddish tinted pale skin. Narrow droopy green eyes, freckles under the eyes, short pointed nose, and wide dried mouth. Notably carries a badass baritone. Average build and height.
Choice of clothing: Casual looks incline towards his love of British sports. Frequently with a sports shirt, slim slacks and sneakers. You're either going to see him in colors of Aston Villa FC, colors of the English white and red, or just red all over.
Cars: Many due to his ever growing collection, but he's often seen with either McLaren 12C or Radical SR3

A high value serviceman of petty American crime. UK born Murph was born in a smaller town: Milton-Keynes and grew up raised, then raising a church after his parents disowned him. The way he sees it, it's just another way to break free of the chains that bind him. The crazy driving of his started there, where he usually finds himself in a pinch upon doing some robbery work. In relation to the illegal duties he carries out, his overall goal is to ensure the clergy and the children they keep will never go hungry or sad. After years of this activity, Murph moved on while keeping his donations steady from the shadows. While he's never been caught entirely, getaway seems to be his forte, and that fact slowly cements itself over time.

However, his notable rise to fame would come in his penchant for using risk for massive rewards. He would find himself using lightweight sports cars in contact heavy street races, using every trick he learned in his mental book. This in turn would help him gain international infamy on the streets. With intent of clearing his heat, he lays low in America, meeting a giant and his superior in form of The Outlaw. This chance meet, also with being ahead of the pack in general racing got him a spot in The List as one of its founders, even though ulterior motives arose revealing he's to stop this uprising altogether. That suspect allegiance changed as soon as he knew the pain of a machete's deep cut to the gut, but this change of heart got him to become the official right hand man of the big boss.

Now, with his newly christened nickname as "Murph", he revels as everyone who's anyone in the worldwide street racing scene calls him insane, but he's not dumb, and so far nothing's going to stop him. Murph usually finds himself doing his racing and general thief work in the States, but he often makes his way back to the UK to catch up on the local news, check on his old stomping grounds, keep track of his car smuggling connections with his growing car collection in Surrey, or test his mettle in the growing street scenes that's been clamoring a chance at a truly insane racing machine.

Spoiler: Stiff, clean racing aristocrat slash wine connoisseur: Boniface Richelieu (6)

An aristocratic, but overall simplistic French gentleman, carrying awards in literature as well as a well versed connoisseur of wine. But his biggest achievement is none of those, but of racing in the GT leagues, most notably being a dominating recurring champion of the Supercar Festival Leagues.

Theme Song: Yes - It Can Happen (Cinema Version)
Racing Duel Music: Yes - Love Will Find A Way
Gender: Male
Nationality: French
Age: 28
Current occupation: Race car driver
Distinct features: Clean combed back black hair, with a large white stripe in the center. Baby blue eyes, almost always seem closed. Thin mustache, wide upturned nose and mouth with regular skin tone. Slightly thin build with average height.
Choice of clothing: Fine suits are his wardrobe's modus operandi. Comes in many forms, but his favorite combine a silver slim fit suit vest and matching pants. Expensive accessories from a Rolex watch, fountain pens in his pockets, golden pins of various fancy shapes, and a pinned handcrafted gold trimmed rose (doubles as a hidden knife).
Cars: KTM X-BOW R, Alpine A110 (2017), Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, Maserati MC20

Secretly referred to the as the family's little Bon Bon, Boniface is the last of 3 current generation of the infamous Richelieu of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon: a family whose wealth surpasses many that of just about anyone in Europe thanks to their stake in developing nuclear products, particularly electrical power and energy developments worldwide. While the middle child handles this business without remorse, and the eldest sister being a very well known bounty hunter for the Assassin's Guild, Boniface himself gets his family name famous in sport, notably in race cars.

Unlike his Paris born sisters, Boniface was born when they've already retreated to Sainte-Croix. But from a young age, he was often sent to the capital to be raised by relatives, schooled in the most lofty of education institutions. As he grew up, he didn't get along with others of his age well, but rather preferred to be among other adults, eventually acting and getting along with them. While his maturity rised, his manners remained sloppy and smug, thus why he usually calls similarly aged persons barbarians, brutes, or whatever synonym he can figure out.

These connections would eventually lead to two of his life's greatest passions. Race car driving, and wine. After high school, he went on to quickly pursue them. Eventually, he would become a famed touring car racer, notably as the sport's purely clean racer with a near perfect clean race record. His interest in wine would lead them to his other life as a wine connoisseur, releasing weekly reviews to his online website. An open learner whose recently graduated with a Major in English Literature, Boniface's current focus is to help his family's financial issues, with its problems stemming from his sister's newly diagnosed complications in her heart.

Thanks to burying the hatchet with his long time Scottish rival, he's found yet another path to take in being the recurring champion of the Supercar Festival. But those skills are put to the test as he inadvertently made his way into the ranks of The Prophecy as their newest Chosen.

Spoiler: Wisened aged champion of past, ready to part with wisdom: Alan Robinson (5)

A legend of the past generation. Alan's time as The Bristol Harbinger echoes on into his terrible parenting and the contrary of such when it comes to mentoring. A classy charismatic figure who craves at the chance to push hard a racing machine again.

Theme Song: Queen - You Take My Breath Away
Racing Duel Music: The Cure - Wrong Number (acoustic)
Gender: Male
Nationality: British
Age: 59
Current occupation: Retired racer
Distinct features: Short, combed back, clean greyed chestnut hair. Heart shaped face. Similarly colored goatee on top of a stubble. Thin hooded blue eyes, thick but shallow funnel nose, and thin, wide peach mouth. Average height and slightly less weight.
Choice of clothing: Strictly a cardigan over a suit vest, fine pants and just as fine slip ons and woolen gloves. Never without his specially engraved pendant, engraved AR-CR.
Cars: Jaguar XJ220, Aston Martin DB11

Once known as the Bristol Harbinger, it's no surprise Alan's humble origins were within Bristol, specifically behind the heritage of a metalworking industry heavy family. Aspiring to make a living in one of the larger engineering factories producing ships and planes, Alan's dreams took a turn when his father: the foreman of a prominent steel milling factory, got the factory involved in producing various machinations for Jaguar. At his younger ages, he's greatly exposed to the hard works in the mills and the foundries, but never found himself in serious dedication to it, despite humbling towards its peoples.

Amassing wealth, Alan and his sole sister eventually was personally exposed to the racing world in form of their wealthy father's collection of classic cars, notably those made iconic within the gentlemen racers era. By the time they reached adulthood and are proven able to drive, they've been handed down one car of their choosing. Both went for Germans, as Alan's first car would come in the eventually rare BMW 507. Unaware of why his peers and relatives start to distance away from him, he's never been made aware that the car's value reflected to his person: something future Alan found out.

His calling for the track came when the foundry workers started organizing quick, but overall grueling rally events around the industrial areas they worked in. There, not only would this younger Alan find his calling by being the quickest in the tiny classics raced, but also found he wants to earn his glory, not be handed down them. Respect for this form of him is gained, and he would gain a catchphrase, stating that "What's once hard can be bested with self improvement, and we keep getting on with it until it's all a chore.". That all would move on to his greatest age in his career: handling Group C Jaguars.

Eventually wedded a lady and raised a daughter, the wife's sudden death by an accident put a rift between this pair, blaming one another for the cause of this separation. It was then he's made an abrupt retirement to the racing game. Wealth was never an issue then, thanks to his past and then work's role as a racing school instructor. Usually not straying further ahead open wheel racing, Alan's problems started to fade upon meeting his daughter's sweetheart: a young Scottish enthusiast. The bond they created as mentor and pupil also cast away the social barriers between him and his daughter. Now with a keenness on helping others, he didn't hesitate when a German racing family asked him personally for his services.

Age might've slowed his senses, but this current Sim Gear host's always on the lookout for fresh talent, or even a way back into the game.

Spoiler: Dominating high flying, giant with big ambitions as the undisputed king of speed: Atlas Fowler (7)

Dashing and burly, but in no ways dumb or lacking in intelligence, Atlas lived a hard life in his younger days and eventually earned big. He wants to convince the world that's how life should work: the strong will rule. One of the four heads that would set the foundation of EU based criminal enterprise known as the Fowler Boys.

Theme Song: Depeche Mode - Walking in My Shoes
Racing Duel Music: Judas Priest - Grinder
Gender: Male
Nationality: British
Age: 33
Current occupation: RAF Pilot
Distinct features: Short spiky black hair with a swath of grey hair down the middle in a triangle shape. Clean 5 o'clock shadow. Sharp, attractive rectangular face, with cuts on eyebrows, rectangular hooded blue eyes, strong thick nose and thick pointy mouth. Needs glasses, but usally has contacts on. Tall, carrying an slightly wide build, with built muscles. World War II memorial tattoos on his right shoulder, depicting D-day.
Choice of clothing: Always with a type of jacket, but depends on weather. Smaller blazers for warmer days, and parkas for colder ones. Always with buttoned up shirts and jeans under, with designer shoes.
Cars: Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4

A large man whose name is inherited upon his initial takeover to the Fowler Boys. Hailing from a family of sportsmen in Southampton, Atlas was once a child with insecurities, backed by his social weakness and being an easy target for bigger people to take advantage of. After investing himself into the family sport of rugby, he saw that his once lower seed family run team would completely upset the league in the short span of a year by winning it against many odds.

And thus, Atlas learned that if he were to be better than all those people, he needs to put in the work, and let nothing distract him. He would achieve this by putting in the muscle, the looks and the books, but at the cost of his own betterment as a person, which helps develop his prideful and somewhat selfish nature. He wouldn't be a proud user of underhanded tactics as a means, but his.

Graduating with high honors was one thing, but Atlas wanted to find a real way to tell everyone he's better. He would hop into the airforce, using his physique to rise the ranks, and eventually years pass, allowing him to take to the skies, rising high and mighty through the cockpit of a fighter jet. But all isn't honest; his association to the underworld also began through strong involvment in his job patrolling the skies, playing both the government and also assisting his criminal friends in an out of the army.

When word came out that a few of the UK's biggest gangs were disbanded and in need of a new leader, he stepped in, and would develop the current standing of a new and ruthless era controlled by the Fowler Boys. Even now his desire to show his gains still remains.

His racing history may be blank, but he's no slouch on the streets, while also a drag racer by heart. It's not strange to see him taking his modified Lamborghini through the airfields in excess of 220 MPH.

Spoiler: The best kind of bro a guy ever needed in a mechanically adept, overweight introvert package: Kirk Ackepoke (6)

Shy, unfocused, but a straight forward, kind hearted fellow with a penchant for helping out the best he can. The definite Yin to Sonny's Yang, Kirk is no slouch in anything he does, developed into this automotive jack of all trades thanks to the friends and support he's fostered after a life alone.

Theme Song: ZZ Top - I Gotsta Get Paid
Racing Duel Music: Rush - Secret Touch
Gender: Male
Nationality: American
Age: 31
Current occupation: A lot, but racing mechanic is what he usually puts forwards
Distinct features: Short, combed back black ponytail. Puffed up round face. Narrow rounded navy eyes, thick narrow snub nose and thick lipped mouth. Pronounced muscular wrinkling on cheeks and face. Average height, with a mix of fat and muscle within a well weighted body.
Choice of clothing: It's never not a tight tank top and well fit blue denim jeans, along with his signature pair of work gloves and safety boots.. unless it's cold, which a longcoat enters the equation.
Cars: Roadster Shop Rampage, Chris Holstrom Concepts 1967 Chevy Nova, Toyota Supra 3.0GT Turbo A

Kirk's past was mostly undocumented and not left pursued, strangely as if this past, and his desire to pursue it was tampered with by higher forces. Needless to say, the only things he remember of his past is that he's born in one of the lesser cities within California. What he does know stems from his time as a young adult, where he awoken in the middle of the warm California desert, only with his name intact. Going in and out of smaller work, he has no place to call home, usually forcing himself to be useful to remain alive. However, the experience allows him to learn the appropriate skills he would make great use of today, particularly in culinary and engineering.

However, he soon found a great first venture that not only got him a place to stay, but money to earn, and that is facilitating motoring events in a small town within Orange County. A gentle soul by nature, his great decision making by prioritizing growth over violence earned him the respect of the community, up until a clashing with some degenerate racing crews caused a rift, extorting money from him and the community. He keeps on hoping that one day this would end. And those hopes came one day when he would take a look at a certain classic Chevrolet Camaro. Said car would be the ride of the then rising celebrity race driver known as the Asian-American Badass, and from then they bonded.

After a final clashing ensued with the help of his new friend, he would be forced out of Orange County due to these crews organizing a headhunt for him. Making their escape into his new friend's stomping grounds within Burbank, California, Kirk knew he would end up in a prison, unwavering and in undying gratitude to his new friend for life. However, that initially hellish life would be, in eventuality, a form of heaven for him, living it out with a small biker gang that had similar incidents that precede their meeting. Now leading as the Vice Captain of Sonny Meng's private biker gang, he would also delve further into his own interests in life at his own casual snail's pace.

One day, he would find out that the groups that organized his bounty would be dissolved and completely disappeared without warning. Taking no heed of it, little did he know there are interested parties looking for a man like him..

Spoiler: Super model, super smart, super sexy, and super supportive. The perfect companion in a super sturdy Scottish package: Fiona Henderson (6)

To the outside world, she is one of the strictest fashion models to grace the planet, credited to her hard knocks beginning to current. But behind that snooty, perhaps cruel face is a warm heart willing to progress further to the greater good.. of her own small group of friends and family.

Theme Song: Cher - One By One
Gender: Female
Nationality: Scottish
Age: 36
Current occupation: Runway model
Distinct features: Long wavy orange hair, parted at the side. Wide, narrow brown eyes. Thin hooked nose. Regular sized close pointed lips. Always under heavy layers of makeup under her eyes, cheeks and mouth. Various beauty marks by the ends of her cheeks. Oval shaped diamond face. Tall body, with well developed features. Has a tattoo of a dragon on her left arm.
Choice of clothing: There is no way anyone in the public's seen her without her gigantic thistle blue hair clip, a shiny designer dress and tall pumps. In less formal situations, she takes from her little brother and can be found wearing designer tank top and jeans combo with sporty shoes.
Cars: Porsche 718 Cayman GT4

While Paul may be a Londoner from birth, Fiona started off life a couple years earlier when the family still resided in Aberdeen. However, unlike Paul who was a great force physically, Fiona was an instant case of the perfect but a notably snooty and arrogant little girl. Homeschooled by a select bunch by her parents, the result of this came in her teens, identifying herself an overachiever in anything she's done. Though, behind that is a secret: not many know the fact of Fiona's early days drowned into the rebellious child that would steal, take drugs, and possibly worse. However, while the clashing of various other multiracial groups grew an inner racist that still remained in her to this day, she remained bright, athletic and talented; surprising traits for her renown as a high school bully.

Upon hearing Paul's youth being hardened due to this lifestyle, a higher education bound Fiona would drop this all just before she would leave school, predicting her reputation will hurt him. Initially afraid this would oust her to her own parents, she would lie her way into the nearby prestigious institutes to keep Paul at bay until he's met The Bristol Harbinger. Worried one such threat can come to ruin her stride, she would swear, before leaving for Aberdeen, that she would protect her brother from these forces. And while that fear never came to today, it resulted in her unwavering support for her brother and by proxy: his family and closely related.

Using her gifts and gab, she finds herself eventually aiming for a doctorate in psychology. It sounded all too good, until Fiona however found her fate to be on the world of fashion, as she was noticed due to her similarities to other models then. She then entered this chance, and behind another visage, she acted with grace and took advantage of her beauty. Praise followed, now with her hoping to use this as a memory that helps forget her more savage delinquent past. While the news was shocking, her decision was better for everyone, now able to sustain and also make her own living. Outside the runway, she has appeared as competitors for dancing competitions, particularly for more traditional dances. What drove this desire however isn't clear yet.

After a series of events involving a conspiracy, assassins, a nuclear heart, and her brother's long time rival's heel face turn, Fiona would come in the face of the Assassin's Guild after barely surviving a vicious attack by the Hel Walker. While not part of them, she makes use of their services, while straying away from the killing, proof she's at least morally sound, and not unpredictable.

Quick dump on cars I didn't give a score yet


BMW M3 Coupe (E46)

Song: Styles of Beyond - Superstars
— The quintessential German sports sedan is an oversteery mess that can't stay straight compared to its many rivals about. Another candidate that's destined for the 'saved by the tune' jurisdiction, but it would've been shelved on Neutral if not for how effective this mentality is birthed for this car, as well as how the whole drive it offers is exceptionally fun to learn and master.
Sleeper.


NISMO 400R

Song: Dio - Shivers
— Eliminating the R33's notable negative traits for a leveled up car is a double edged sword in the 400R. The boost in power isn't too great, and the whole drive, while just effective and consistent, is nulled by its lack of character and general joy to try extracting whatever juices this prickly cactus carries.
Neutral.


Volvo V40 T5 R-Design

Song: Roxette - Opportunity Nox
— Volvo's current leading hatch is beloved for its presentation and its value, and how it represents the brand rather well. But take it to the track, and all that luster seems to dull with a run of the mill, rather bogged down hot hatch that has trouble levelling up as is, and in the ranges ahead.
Neutral.

 

[XSquareStickIt]

what came after they come is banger, after banger, after banger. While these days they've been getting fat (...)

​

Congrats to Vic for his banger time of 10:02.345 around Yamagiwa + Miyabi around Hypercar Parade traffic! Shoutout to SPD too, for sharing his tune!

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This week, we just might have the handling to match the power, and the car may actually define the category it's in, rather than being shoehorned into a category in which it clearly doesn't belong. Chosen by @05XR8 , we're putting into the spotlight the Honda NSX CONCEPT-GT '16!

05XR8​

Since it’s Super GT weekend at Motegi, I’ll go with the NSX CONCEPT-GT 2016.

Replacing perhaps Honda's Strangest Vehicle, the HSV-10, in the GT500 class of Super GT, the NSX Concept-GT reverted to the ideal rear–midship engine layout in a class that stipulates that only FR cars may compete. As its name may also give away, the NSX Concept-GT was fielded before the road car was ever made available in showrooms, bending yet another rule of GT500 that stipulates that only cars based on production models may race.

But for all its rule breaking shenanigans, how good is the NSX Concept-GT in GT7? Join us in our weekly lobbies to find out with us!

PLEASE NOTE: America has shifted their clocks back an hour from Daylight Savings Time, and so our Tuesday Lobby will occur ONE HOUR LATER for those of us in sensible parts of the world! The Saturday lobby is unaffected by DST. Anyone in DST regions looking to join our Saturday lobbies, please show up an hour earlier than usual!

Spoiler: Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Weekly Lobbies​

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing NSX Concept-GTs under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby​

• Tuesday. 5th November, 10 P.M. CST
• Host: Victory_Reign93

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

• Saturday, 9th November, 4 P.M. Singapore Time
• Host: XSquareStickIt

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~10 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 875PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Racing Hard

~Single–Player Challenge!~​

We're going to try and replicate reality again with this week's Single–Player Challenge, only this time, there's no tinkering, just driving.

With stock settings, use whichever tyre compound gets you closest to the real life qualifying times of the #15 Drago Modulo NSX CONCEPT-GT driven by Hideki Mutoh and Oliver Turvey around Suzuka Circuit! Closest time to either wins!

Driver​	Qualifying Time​
Hideki Mutoh​	1'47.456
Oliver Turvey​	1'47.638

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Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the thrSavings

 

[Racer283]

PLEASE NOTE: America has shifted their clocks back an hour due to Daylight Savings, and so our Tuesday Lobby will occur ONE HOUR LATER for those of us in sensible parts of the world!

We set our clocks back an hour which we are now on Standard Time than Daylight Savings Time. In March we will jump ahead to DST time. Just clearing that up.

 

[XSquareStickIt]

We set our clocks back an hour which we are now on Standard Time than Daylight Savings Time. In March we will jump ahead to DST time. Just clearing that up.

Wait, you mean to tell me that for most of the year, you guys are running on displaced time?!

WHY??? (I know this doesn't make sense to you either, I just want to complain. Thanks for correcting me!)

 

[SomePlayaDude]

 

[Racer283]

Wait, you mean to tell me that for most of the year, you guys are running on displaced time?!

WHY??? (I know this doesn't make sense to you either, I just want to complain. Thanks for correcting me!)

With the whole Daylight Savings time and Standard time it goes back to when the US was using candles and oil burners for light. It also has to do with the farmers of way back when. It's a little tricky because in the spring time we lose an hour of sleep but when we fall back in the fall we gain an hour of sleep. There are only a handful of states that do not switch to daylight time because the sunlight stays about the same year round.

 

[Yard_Sale]

In California, we voted for an initiative that would 86’ DST - in an upcoming election, TBD…


I think that was 8 years ago. Still waiting to vote on s**t canning DST

 

[XSquareStickIt]

Gran Turismo 7's large and varied fanbase often bicker and debate on what the game should be, but one thing that is NEVER disputed even among this often divided fanbase is that the Invite system sucks and needs to go die in a fire, and whoever decided to implement it in the game should be kicked into a volcano. Okay, maybe that's exaggerating things (just a tiny bit), but you hopefully get the idea.

Assuming you find yourself in a position with both a Porsche Invite and the 2.3 million Credits on hand to make the purchase, should you really buy a Carrera GT? After all, the real car has been involved in some high profile incidents, with a reputation for being a deadly drive that may well even overshadow that of the once–notorious 911. In GT7 v1.52, it's one hell of a tricky customer to handle, just as its real world reputation would suggest. The most immediate thing one has to watch out for is power oversteer, as the car lets go VERY quickly at its limit—almost instantaneously—after a very progressive buildup to said limit. That is to say, this is a car that will earn the trust of its driver, solely to stab them in the back with it with nearly zero warning. Even under braking, the driver will very much have to be on their toes, as the ABS intervenes so minimally under braking that it feels almost placebo, even on the strongest setting of Default. Stomping on the brakes fully sends the tyres into a screeching hysteria, robbing the car almost entirely of its ability to turn. Having the steering wheel even minutely off–centre extends braking distances to disastrous levels, and hitting a puddle with the brake pedal depressed is just an instant death sentence without trial. It's a car that very much has to be driven, feared, and respected as though it doesn't have ABS, and like any high–powered car without aids, the Carrera GT rightly demands of its driver to be very present and in the moment to feel every nuance of the drive, perhaps at a level that simply isn't possible to translate across the digital divide. But yet at the same time, it also fiendishly feeds a quick forming addiction when the driver exhibits bravery that should really only be possible in a video game. I can just about keep the CGT roughly pointed in the direction I want to go; I haven't spun it in the 12 or so races we ran during the week, but I can only keep it straight by under–driving the car. I know gunning for a hundredth of a second out of a corner could cost me 10 seconds if I spin it, and I don't like my odds with the CGT. In other words, driving the CGT feels like a gamble, and those who have an understanding—and dare I say, "trusting"—relationship with the car seem to have better odds with it.

That said, as one of the very last analogue supercars, the CGT may well and truly be the ultimate drivers' car. I would wax poetry and claim that the CGT's looks have aged like fine wine, but that would be implying that its looks have aged at all. I genuinely love the way it somehow blends self–assuredness in its design, while having the supercar requisite "HEY LOOK AT ME!" effect in a parking lot. It's just one of those cars that get prettier and prettier the more I look at it. And of course, it has a screamer of a Naturally Aspirated 5.7L V10 that revs to 8,600rpm, and it might just be in the conversation for the top 10 engine noises in the game, racecars included. Its suspension is so rock–solid that it genuinely feels like putting grooved road tyres onto some sort of a Le Mans racecar. That obviously isn't a good idea, but it feels to me like Porsche engineers have just made the bare minimum of begrudging sacrifices to overlap the two very different worlds, and the shared area in the Venn Diagram has been tailor–made to just perfectly fit one Carrera GT with absurdly little tolerance. It has near racecar levels of immediacy and response, so much so that sometimes I catch myself subconsciously falling into racecar instincts to drive it, like trying to carry more speed into a corner for more downforce and grip, completely forgetting that I'm on Sports tyres that can't handle those loads. It's THAT close to a racecar feel, and I genuinely think it could pull off wearing racing slicks with no mods whatsoever.

The invitation system in GT7 is indisputably idiotic, but if there's ever a car that justifies itself for being locked behind an Invite, the Carrera GT is it. A casual player will have no use nor want for it, and given how disastrous it can be to drive, I think the chance to even encounter it should be gate kept. A dedicated player will have to endure a long, consistent grind to perhaps one day find themselves face–to–face with it, hopefully polishing their skills along the way. The Carrera GT feels like a secret, post–game final boss that's absurdly tough to handle, requiring of its challenger every nuance and skill of the long and arduous journey there to meet it, well above the skill ceiling of what can be reasonably expected of your average Joe. But therein also lies its appeal: a car with its reputation and handling characteristics inherently challenges the most dedicated and perfectionistic of players to own it and OWN it, and if they do succeed, they'll be rewarded with a stupefyingly quick car with styling that looks frozen in a time when supercars are at their zenith, and can belt out an opera like no other. The secret final boss is its own reward, and the only reward higher than that has to be found outside the confines of code and common sense; perhaps maybe an animalistic bragging right of being able to say, "I made the deadly Carrera GT yield to and serve me. (Therefore, I am more fearsome than the Carrera GT.)"

Spoiler

Whenever we feature a car that has been covered by Jason Cammisa in his stellar YouTube series, I am morally obligated to share that video here:

​

I have an FD3S painted in Fayence Yellow, and it took until this week for me to realise it's a colour that originally came with the Carrera GT. I guess that ought to jack up the value of my FD...?

 

[JDMKING13]

When I tell yall I’m so upset.. I was going to post my article yesterday… went to put in the final touches… and boom my laptop won’t come on like ughhh… been trying to get it on all day..

 

[XSquareStickIt]

It's @Obelisk 's turn to pick the next car to feature! And if you've followed his FH5 COTW thread, you might already know that Miata Is (almost) Always The Answer for him when posed the question of which car to feature. Makes sense; he's the proud owner of an NC2 Miata after all!

And so, Week 83 of GT7 COTW will feature the Mazda Eunos Roadster (NA Special Package) '89!

Obelisk​

1989 Mazda Eunos Roadster, because I am baffled that no one thought of giving a modern classic a shot, and it should be an interesting to see how well it's aged.

Now, normally, this is where I give a brief overview of the car, but you can't possibly be here on this car–centric forum without knowing at least that much! But what you might not know is that the Roadster is celebrating its 35th birthday this year!

The car is currently on sale in the Used Car Dealer for 35k as a Special Pick, so grab one while you can if you don't already have an eligible Roadster to join us!

Spoiler: Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Weekly Lobbies​

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing stock NA Roadsters under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby​

• Tuesday. 12th November, 10 P.M. CST
• Host: Victory_Reign93

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

• Saturday, 16th November, 4 P.M. Singapore Time
• Host: XSquareStickIt

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~10 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 391PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Comfort Medium

~Single–Player Challenge!~​

What car is best for money–making at the Tokyo WTC600 grind race? In this week's SPC, we attempt to brute force the Miata as the answer.

Obelisk​

Beat the Tokyo WTC 600 race with either factory or engine swap on an Eunos Roadster. Must be a clean race bonus without any wall riding. No restrictions on modifications, but bonus points for being as non-intrusive as possible (narrow body, no engine swap). miots are a very highly moddable platform and were designed as such, but there's something about a clean NA that just cleanses the soul.

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Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the the thread!

 

[XSquareStickIt]

Ever since Super GT's regulations for its top class of racecars, GT500, unified with those of DTM's in 2014, I've come to really dislike the category. What was once an international clash of methodologies and ideologies has now been reduced to just the "Big Three" manufacturers of Japan battling it out in a hollow condom measuring contest; underneath the barely recognisable silhouettes of Toyota, Nissan, and Honda's flagship cars were the same 2L turbo 4–cylinders nestled in the same FR chassis, with the only difference between them being the rubber that shoe the cars and the meat in the middle commandeering them, and I just find that incredibly difficult to get emotionally invested into. As a petrolhead, I genuinely find more personality in the race queens posing beside these GT500 machines than the cars themselves, and that's just sad.

Image: Sakura Hayashi Official Blog​

One of the last holdouts of individuality in GT500 was, of course, Honda's NSX, easily the most rebellious GT500 entrant of the typically polite Japanese. Despite singing the same turbocharged 2L Inline–4 tune, the NSX Concept-GT has its heart in a very different place: aft the cockpit, immediately violating the rule in GT500 which stipulates that only FR cars may compete. As if having a Super Formula engine slung midships wasn't enough of a middle finger on its own, the NSX Concept-GT lined up on the top ten slots of the grid alongside its FR competitors as early as 2014, when the production NC1 NSX only debuted in showrooms mid 2016, meaning that the NSX Concept-GT had to be specially exempted from the rule that stipulates that cars in Super GT must be based (however loosely) on a models the general public can buy, hence why its known as the "NSX-P" instead of "NC1" like the road car. And just to stick it to the man, NSX-Ps also ran hybrid assistance; the only GT500 model to ever do so, though Team Kunimitsu, the team fielding the #100 Raybrig car we have in the game, opted to ditch the hybrid system for the 2016 season due to reliability concerns, meaning we GT7 players don't get to reap its benefits. For its blatant disregard for etiquette and rules, race officials slapped all NSX-Ps in the 2016 round of Super GT with a 29kg (64lbs) mass handicap, resulting in the rebellious Ronin weighing in at 1,049kg (2,313lbs) in comparison to the Lexus' and Nissans' 1,020kg (2,249lbs).

Of course, that mass deficit is more malleable here in GT7, where the game's Balance of Performance can arbitrarily add or subtract power and mass from a car from time to time. Now residing in Gr.2, the NSX-P weighs in at 1,175kg (2,590lbs) as of v1.52. A substantial increase over the car's original mass for sure, but at the same time, it's not the only one that has put on mass; it now only weighs 25kg (55lbs) more than the Lexus RC F and Nissan GT-R across all three BoP settings, meaning that its mass deficit over its FR compatriots got closed by a minuscule amount. The kicker however, is that, while the NSX-P normally has the least power of the three, under v1.52 BoP, it now has the most power among the three 2016 GT500 racecars: 545PS in comparison to the RC F's 542PS and GT-R's 540PS (401kW, 399kW, 397kW). If Super GT officials in 2016 have balanced all three cars to be roughly equal in pace, imagine what shrinking the mass deficit and completely reversing its power hierarchy does to the balance of the three. Hint: there is no balance

推しの子　星野アイ　RC F GT500 by kankan0208
#oshinoko #anime #hoshinoai​

Full disclosure: Even by my subpar standards, I'm not very good with high–downforce cars. However, despite my shortcomings, the NSX-P is just so easy to drive to my hands, and nothing else in the category even comes close. Yes, the engine revs to an astonishing 9,500rpm, and yes, it does make over 300PS per litre, but contrary to common sense, the HR-414E engine has healthy, usable torque from as middling as 5k, from which the power curves gradually build, reaching a crescendo at 9k, where the in–game HUD flashes the rev bar for a shift. Intuitively, that's where the NSX-P wants to be shifted, but trust me when I say that it's not an engine picky about shift points, and its Anti–Lag System, set to Weak by default, keeps the engine on its toes when off–throttle. It's just such a malleable, intuitive, and cooperative engine in spite of its bloodcurdling figures! As one of the only four cars in Gr.2 that I consider modern, the NSX-P displays startling immediacy in response to its driver's inputs, easily making the rest of Gr.2 feel like utter laggards and hazards to drive. But while it's one of the only four modern cars in Gr.2, it is the ONLY rear mid–engined car among the four, meaning that the NSX-P makes even its elite group of modern peers—who themselves already make other cars in Gr.2 feel slow and unwieldy—feel like sloppy pigs in the corners! In short, not only is the NSX-P the fastest Gr.2 car under current BoP, it's also the easiest to drive!

But of course, as with any GT500 car from the past decade, the NSX-P only truly comes alive when air starts rushing past its aggressive bodywork, at which point, the sheer, immense downforce that these cars are capable of so thoroughly dominates the experience that hardly anything else about the car registers. The grip that this thing produces at speed, alongside the drag said downforce generates, means that the NSX-P can get so stupidly close to the corner before needing to brake for it—even from top gear—that I don't much use brake markers alongside the track to judge when I need to stomp on the left pedal, instead rather just eyeballing the apex. It's mind boggling, even thinking back at it now! Not that the NSX-P really wants to slow down, because it incentivises and rewards slightly odd, wider entry lines into high speed turns that allow the car to bring more speed into the corner entry, and from there, the driver will just have to trust that the car will bite into a sharper line seeking the apex. This I think is where the NSX-P truly differentiates itself from and outshines its FR competition, because none of them can carve out a line as sharp as the NSX-P can, with their heavy engines up front. Downforce may make overtaking unnecessarily difficult, but because the midship NSX-P likes taking wider lines into high–speed turns, it's good both at attacking and defending around the outside of a turn, and it's SUCH a thrill when someone lines up on my inside, and I place that blind faith in the NSX-P to just send it round the outside, my nose still ahead and therefore retaining the right to the corner, and it's just... ooh! Chef's kiss. The speeds the midship NSX-P can carry through corners is so obscene that, with BoP off, a pair of NSX-Ps spanked a 787B silly around Tokyo East in our Wednesday lobby, even going as far as to harass a record setting AWD EV time attack machine in the ID. R. While sussing out the limits of the Racing Medium tyres in conjunction with the downforce is a matter of blind trust, dumb courage, and trial and error like any other high–downforce racer, once it does click, that adrenaline rush is one of the most addicting feelings I've felt. It's a bit like listening to a commentary video at 2x speed; if you can catch and process everything at 2x speed, suddenly losing that efficiency by going to 1x speed just feels so painfully slow—uncanny, even. That is to say, the NSX-P makes the entirety of Gr.2 feel inefficient, uncanny, and a downright chore. It can even mix it up with cars a category above on the right tracks! That is a scary thought, and I think we should just stop restricting categories in our lobbies when we feature racecars, and dabble more in turning off BoP entirely, too, just to see if more cars like the NSX-P are out there.

Honda Audio-Technica by wowbagger_84
#honda #audio #technica​

Of course, like any other car, the NSX-P is not without its flaws. But because it is simply untouchable in Gr.2, the criticisms against the NSX-P are less of me saying, "the car is bad", but moreso, "this is just what Gr.2 is like", especially when its modern competitors in Gr.2 share the same foibles. As with all high–downforce cars with suspension stiff enough to withstand the crushing forces, the NSX-P can be a little sketchy in low speed corners where the aero is of no help and the suspension permits pitifully little weight transfer, and even with a hefty detune from BoP, the safety net of TC1 is something I inadvertently find my back pressed against from time to time, with full acknowledgement that the real GT500 cars never came with TCS or even ABS. That said, the rear end of the NSX-P lets go so linearly, with such tactile warning through my T300 wheel, that it almost feels malleable enough to play with. Because of said stiffness in the springs, raised rumble strips are to be taken with extreme caution, if not avoided entirely.

The speeds that high–downforce affords may be addictive, but the same high speed turns that make these aero–reliant cars so stupidly fun to yeet through also place a humongous strain on the tyres, so much so that, even on plain ol' 1x wear during our Saturday lobby, the default Racing Medium tyres hit their peak on LAP 2 of Yamagiwa, after which the tyres just fall off. I suspect that the cause of this rapid wear is due to the tyres getting too hot and melting themselves as though the road were lava. World Tour Driver Tidgney has excellent videos about tyre temperatures, how they affect racecars, and how to better manage them, and in these high–downforce cars, tyre temps are an essential part of driving (and preserving!) the cars, so much so that a player who uses 3rd party apps to monitor tyre temps in real time ought to glean pertinent information and gain a huge advantage, and I really dislike that GT7 doesn't display the tyre temps for that reason. Whatever the causes may be, tyre degradation makes the same blind faith the car demands of its driver ever more precarious, because there's nothing gradual or communicative about taking corners at those speeds; you just have to yank it hard into a corner, and you'll find out just how worn the tyres are only until after you carry too much speed into a turn, expecting the car to stick, and it just doesn't. At that point, there's really not much the driver can do but pray.

Look, the NA NSXes were my childhood heroes, and the 2008 Epson NSX GT500 still ranks among my top 10 favourite cars of the game, to look at and especially to listen to. I think it's one of the last "authentic" and "genuine" GT500 cars ever made. In those areas, the 2016 NSX-P can never hold a candle to the old NSXes, and the NC1 "nsx" will never be a real NSX to me. But while modern GT500 cars may not have much of a personality, their raw speeds are at such a high level that I genuinely think personality would just be plain dangerous; these cars have to be perfect and immediate at the speeds they ask of their drivers, and offer no surprises. That said, over the course of the week, I think I've miraculously found some personality in the category that seemingly forbids it: the NSX-P's personality is that it's simply heads and shoulders better than anything else in its category, be it GT500 or Gr.2, and it just goes to show just how much of a shame that it's the rebel, not the norm. If Toyota and Nissan haven't the balls to make a proper mid–engine sports car, why should Honda have to bend over backwards and pay the price? Why should Honda run an FR "Civic" in GT500, when paying customers can't even buy a Civic that drives its rear wheels, even partially? The NSX-P and NC1 NSX, simply by virtue of it being rear mid–engined, may just prove to be the peak of GT500 cars for a very, very long time.