I’d like the return of the PP system for general-purpose performance balancing (primarily for road cars), but I think I’d also like an adjusted version of the N-classification system to return for Sport mode performance brackets. I’d want the N-bracket ranges to be determined by power to weight rather than just power, and really just have the classification function more as a performance/pace level indicator than anything else. Anything within an N-bracket (ideally) would be BoP’d to itself. I don’t know how it would work if tuning parts are re-introduced, but maybe that could come into play with BoP or pushing slower cars into higher brackets.
So for example, a theoretical GT7 00’s BMW road car would have maybe 450-480pp and be placed in N400 when entered into Sport mode or BoP. You could also slap a turbo, exhaust, and weight reduction kit and make it it eligible for N500. A theoretical GT7 Nissan GTR GT3 could be ~6-700PP, but placed in the Gr. 3 designation when entered into Sport mode/BoP.
Having both these performance classification systems as options would open up a lot of customization potential for custom races or lobbies. You could either set PP range parameters like in the past, or a set class (or classes) like we can now. PP would allow users to use their specific tuning layouts (assuming all that returns) and odd mixups i.e. top supercars vs race cars like in the lobbies in the PS3 era, and BoP would allow for (ideally) tried-and-tested pre-balanced sets of cars, albeit maybe stock or locked/partially locked part configurations/setups.
Essentially on event setup you could have something like “Performance Restrictions>BoP/Custom”, where selecting BoP then gives a drop down list of the classes you want to make eligible or ineligible, and selecting Custom would give a drop down menu where you can restrict min max values for PP, HP, torque, weight, size, etc., just like you can in lobbies now.
This would be the ideal way to go about it IMO.