Tokyo Expressway WTC 600 (Tokyo Rain Event) Guide for Beginners

The BVLGARI VGT is another one that could be slotted in with the top 3 cars I have in the main post. Just add Sports Hard Tires and Full Computer Control reduced to 84% output. No pitstop is needed at FM1. Considering the amount of tuning required it may be the easiest one yet.

But I still believe the Lamborghini Miura may be the best option for the CRB following the tips here and Praiano's tuning. It is currently available at Hagertys so I would grab it while you can. It may take a few laps to get the hang of it, but once you do, it is a great option.
 
I never picked up that Lambo as it wasn’t a car that ever interested me. However, it’s now an instant purchase for me the next time it’s available in the Legend dealership because of your ranking of it at Tokyo.
I only gave it a shot because Praiano spoke so highly of it. I enjoyed the drive at Tokyo and didn't realize just how good it was until I had the idea for this thread and tested everything with auto transmission.
 
A couple more tips I thought of. Context; I'm a controller on AT only player, MT is way better but I've tried every button configuration on controller and it's just too clunky ( really need to get a wheel ). OP covered the hairpin really well, I would only add to remember it's a really slow corner, you are not winning the race there, but you can certainly lose it. The other part of the track worth mentioning is the fast left right esses, turns 5-6 ? A lot of speed can be carried through that section and really sets up the rest of the lap. I use that section as a benchmark for every car I test. Last tip and it's less beginner, but about race difficulty. If the goal is to get the CRB consistently, follow all the great tips in the OP, then when you can win more often than not on normal difficulty switch to HARD. For only one reason, the CRB. The AI is way more predictable in hard mode, they just do less stupid stuff. Granted the AI is a little faster in hard, but not that much and the CRB is that much easier.
 
A couple more tips I thought of. Context; I'm a controller on AT only player, MT is way better but I've tried every button configuration on controller and it's just too clunky ( really need to get a wheel ). OP covered the hairpin really well, I would only add to remember it's a really slow corner, you are not winning the race there, but you can certainly lose it. The other part of the track worth mentioning is the fast left right esses, turns 5-6 ? A lot of speed can be carried through that section and really sets up the rest of the lap. I use that section as a benchmark for every car I test. Last tip and it's less beginner, but about race difficulty. If the goal is to get the CRB consistently, follow all the great tips in the OP, then when you can win more often than not on normal difficulty switch to HARD. For only one reason, the CRB. The AI is way more predictable in hard mode, they just do less stupid stuff. Granted the AI is a little faster in hard, but not that much and the CRB is that much easier.
Great tips here! I have switched to MT on the controller, but for this guide, I revisit AT to test cars that are beginner to intermediate skills friendly. I used to feel the same way about the button config and still plan to get a wheel. But I think X for upshift, and [] for downshift ended up being easiest to learn and get the hang of. It felt clunky at first, but now it is locked in with muscle memory and a breeze for me. If you are not using L2 and R2 for gas and brake, you are missing out on the power of the PS5 controller. I feel the same way about using the motion steering. The PS5 controller motion steering provides precision to the steering that you just cannot get from a joystick. This guy presents a very detailed argument to back this up, even though his shift button mappings are different from what I just recommended. If you are on PS4 that likely changes things.

The key to switching up control schemes is the willingness to step out of your comfort zone and be prepared for hours of re-training. You may find it worth it in the long run.

I have never attempted this race on Hard but will give it a shot after your recommendation. You're not the first person I've heard say that sometimes Hard difficulty ends up benefiting you more than you would think.
 
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@KipDog so I drove both the Lamborghini Miura and the Porsche 911 GT3 (997) '09 back-to-back but in manual transmission to see what the difference in total time was. In the Lamborghini, I finished at 26:34:550. In the Porsche, I finished at 26:34.242. I feel like they both have their Pro's and Con's. Either way, I love the options. I still feel like the Lamborghini has the least amount of risk of losing the CRB since you are ahead of the pack early and the fastest car on track. But the Porsche not having to worry about fuel or having to pit stop with better-than-average speed is good too. It can be passed, but no real risk of taking 2nd. Both cars can lap at least some of the pack.
I will finally be setting up the Miura and running Tokyo this evening. Manual. Looking forward to it!

Finding truly enjoyable cars to run that race (not just fastest like the miserable to wrangle Cappuccino), so it’s both a big reward in credits (825,000), and my time spent, is among my favorite things to do in GT7. It’s not remotely a “grind” running it with a 959, F40, NSX, etc.

I genuinely like the actual race, hated as it is by most. It’s got real technical challenge with a wet track that features long, very high speed straights ending in sharp corners as you’re surrounded by a pack of idiot AI drivers knowing the CRB requires that you touch none of them, nor they touch you!

I actually listen to audiobooks ½ the time running Sardenga, Le Mans, and Spa for the credits as, once you’ve run them a few times, they’re nearly autopilot. Tokyo is never that when trying to run it clean, no wall riding.
 
I'm not sure if I mentioned it here or not. I was able to win with the stock BVLGARI on CS tires with the CRB on Hard difficulty.
The only car I've won with and needed to wall ride was the Honda RA272. I've won with that, with a modded Murceilago, and with an engine swapped '02 RX-7, and an engine swapped Suzuki Cappuccino on easy. The Cappuccino and the RX-7 are a handful. The others aren't. The Murceilago is the most stable, followed by the BVLGARI, then the Honda.
If I can win this on hard mode with some practice, it's definitely winnable on easy with a bit of practice. Grab a few CE bronzes or win one of the other grind races, then grab the Aluminum, and win this thing twice to make up for the million you spent on the car. Won a couple more times and you can set cars up the way I did.
I find the faster the AI drive, the easier it is to avoid hitting them and losing the CRB.
 
I have never attempted this race on Hard but will give it a shot after your recommendation.
Faster AI will allow for better drafting oppurtunities.
Faster AI will not as much slow you down when lapping them.
Faster AI will not be as slow in corners.
Faster AI propably needs more pitstops (unverified, joke).

And if nothing else and you are equally fast as them, it is more fun for the challenge (as long as you do race instead of run away).

And of course tinkering around with tunes because someone on the boards said something is also fun.
Like "traction alone wont win this race" - well of course this is true. If you dont have enough power to overstep your traction, then the flaw is very obvious. But I have won this race with my Stratos down to just 230hp in power with all high aero setup and sport soft tyres.
Yes, as I said this is much slower than a proper setup, but just having fun, messing around, then it doesnt feel like grinding at all.

I cant even tell from memory which is my easiest or fastest car, I simply dont care and just do whatever I feel like.
Currently the Miata engine swap is incredibly fast for a car that is available at all times, the Cappucino is faster and easier but needs to be bought from the UCD.
 
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Faster AI will allow for better drafting oppurtunities.
Faster AI will not as much slow you down when lapping them.
Faster AI will not be as slow in corners.
Faster AI propably needs more pitstops (unverified, joke).

And if nothing else and you are equally fast as them, it is more fun for the challenge (as long as you do race instead of run away).

And of course tinkering around with tunes because someone on the boards said something is also fun.
Like "traction alone wont win this race" - well of course this is true. If you dont have enough power to overstep your traction, then the flaw is very obvious. But I have won this race with my Stratos down to just 230hp in power with all high aero setup and sport soft tyres.
Yes, as I said this is much slower than a proper setup, but just having fun, messing around, then it doesnt feel like grinding at all.

I cant even tell from memory which is my easiest or fastest car, I simply dont care and just do whatever I feel like.
Currently the Miata engine swap is incredibly fast for a car that is available at all times, the Cappucino is faster and easier but needs to be bought from the UCD.
This is somewhat true. If you get into a real battle with the RX-7 towards the end of the race (its almost always 2nd place) the driver will up its pace so much (I've seen it run 2:08.x) that it needs another pit due to excessive tire wear, and will then come in like 4th or 5th. I've never run 2:08 in that race with any car, but I've seen others run that time or faster consistently. I'd be curious to know if the proximity to certain drivers causes them to increase their pace.
 
I too have witnessed Coq au vin turn a 2:08 the last 2 laps on his worn out SS, and not pit.. Cheating bastard :) Side note, ran out and bought a wheel today, MT here I come!
 
I'd be curious to know if the proximity to certain drivers causes them to increase their pace.
AI works on conditions.
For a racing game these very likely are

Cruise (when on your own and no pit required)
Combat (when trying to overtake. I dont see the AI knowing any defensive moves, but simply using 100 of the engine power)
and propably
Preserve (when pitting is required to make the most of the ressources)

At some points in the game, you can see driving error when it changes from cruise into combat, and it will happen to 100% of the time whenever you try to repeat it (Lake Maggiore benched hairpin corner for example).


During "Race Together" similar was also happening with Sophy in the early events according to a deveveloper.
 
I too have witnessed Coq au vin turn a 2:08 the last 2 laps on his worn out SS, and not pit.. Cheating bastard :) Side note, ran out and bought a wheel today, MT here I come!
Welp that solved that problem and no need to read that article about why motion steering is better on the controller. :lol:

I wish I had the funds to get a wheel right now but that will have to wait. For anyone who is already driving with a wheel and VR, I have one additional accessory that I will not drive without. So I can highly recommend it.

I mean I have entered a race without the accessory maybe 10 times, but it sucked not having it. I ordered it before I decided to buy the PSVR2. My entire history with Gran Turismo is because of PSVR2 so this product is an equal part of my experience.

I did mention it once in the thread. It is the Woojer Vest 3. It's a haptic vest that works with any stereo audio you feed to it and is essentially a wearable subwoofer. It is perfect for Gran Turismo because it compliments the sound settings well. Similar to how you can balance the audio between race sounds and background music, you can set the vest to focus and react more to either type of audio. The same torque and feedback you feel in the wheel and PS5 controller is accompanied by the exact low frequency sounds that the Vest responds to and sends all throughout your core. I prefer to just leave it on the default music setting and anytime I take a vehicle for its first drive I don't play any music so I can feel the engine and torque in all its glory. But after 10-30 minutes of that, I fire up Spotify and it feels like I'm racing a powerful car with an equally powerful sound system bumping my music. I think if GT7 had a spotter for VR it might kill the whole fun of listening to the music, but currently, there is no such feature. One other awesome feature of the Vest is its built-in headphone amp that upgrades the sound of any well-designed pair of headphones.

I have no connection with the company but I do have a history with closely following the development of the technology that dates back over a decade. I had no hand in the development of the technology, but one of my lifelong friends had a short-lived but important role with a startup that invented a haptic vest called Kor-FX back in the early 2010s. That product pre-dates the Subpac and Woojer and laid the groundwork for those products to be able to target both the gaming and audio industries. My friend was able to drag me and my girlfriend at the time with him to the E3 Gaming convention in LA to hang out at the Kor-Fx booth on an all-expenses paid gaming weekend. The booth rental was a half a million dollars so they were fine with a couple of tagalongs.

So over the years I have followed the development of the Subpac and Woojer brands and finally pulled the trigger on the Vest 3 after getting to demo the Vest 2 back in 2022. I had no idea when I ordered the Vest that GT7 was going to be the primary reason I would get so much value and time spent with the product. 15 months later and rarely missed a day of using it and I can say it was money well spent. But now I also feel FOMO when it comes to purchasing a wheel, pedals, and cockpit. The Woojer Vest helps ease my pain. One could argue it massages away the pain. :lol:
 
When I consider a car for this guide there are a few simple requirements and questions to be answered about the tuning.

When using Auto Transmission can you stay in Fuel Map 1 for the whole race needing no more than 1 pit stop?
Does it have good straight-line speed and is not easily passed on the long straight?
After wall-riding the first turn on lap 1 are you in a top 5 position in the race?

If a car can answer yes to those questions, then I will test it and run the whole race to see if it was easy to grab the win and CRB. I'm now testing them on Hard Difficulty. When I created the guide all testing was done on Normal Difficulty.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV GSR '96 - 600PP - Sport Hard tires - Tokyo - 1.43 - Tested this tonight and I would rank it as a Tier 1 and top 5 car for beginners in this race. I was in 1st place after the first corner of lap 3. Never lost position and obtained the CRB. One pit stop to refuel with no tire change after lap 7.

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It's not the easiest to drive in the wet, but I was able to run fairly consistently 2:09s and win this handily on a one-stopper with a completely stock, straight out of the UCD Mercedes Mclaren SLR. It's a fun car to drive and the sound of the supercharged V8 is beautiful. Just watch the throttle application out of the last corner and manage the fuel. It will do around 205mph on the main straight.
 
Previously when testing the Suzuki Escudo Pikes Peak Special I was attempting Praiano's 600pp tune at 570hp. It wasn't a top car for this guide. But I discovered this tuning which is 1186hp after I copied the settings. 1st car I've seen that is in P1 after the first wall ride. So CRB is an easy task once you learn a little throttle management. FM1 with one stop after lap 7 or 8. I think this was my fastest time yet with auto transmission. I did the wall ride on turns 1 and 2 on this tune. I saw a comment from someone recommending wallriding corners 1,2,5,6,7,8, and 9. It would be best if you were easy on speed and acceleration on the final hairpin.
 
Is the Ford GT '06 still good for this race ?

I used praino's tune (minus the Level 5 Weight reduction as I'm not level 50 yet) to check for myself but I found the car very understeery. The car is slow to turn on tight corners and fast corners alike.

Either the tune is too old, or the Level 50 upgrade changes everything, or I just need to get better.
 
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TLDR: I know there are multiple 80+ page threads on this race. But I wanted to make a thread specifically for beginners who are struggling to place 1st in this race and/or get the Clean Race Bonus (CRB). I thought it was nearly impossible to complete this with auto transmission and previously was unable to place 1st before learning to drive with shifting. This was the guide I needed before learning to drive a manual. My top 3 car recommendations are included with tuning suggestions so that you can easily pass this race and the CRB with an automatic.​


To be more clear this event is found under the Asia-Oceanic World Circuit at the Tokyo Expressway in Japan. This circuit appears after you Complete Menu Book 8. It is the World Touring Car 600 race that is PP600 / 12 Lap(s) with a 550,000 credit reward not including the CRB. The 600pp is not suggested but the maximum PP allowed. You can use any car in your collection as long as it is under the 600pp limit and does not have nitrous enabled. You can have nitrous installed, but must disable it in the car settings to race the car in this event. It is a race that will wear your tires down and cause you to expend fuel, so most cars will require you to manage the fuel map settings and also require you to make at least one pit stop. Because of the fuel management, it rules out any electric vehicles. This race is known for being the best race in the game when it comes to credits per hour without exploiting any current glitches. But for it to be the most efficient credit grind, you must also get the CRB.

  • Players refer to it as the Tokyo Rain event because you start the race with the course wet from recent rain.
  • It will not rain during the race and the track starts to dry up within the first few laps.
  • The quicker you get into 1st place without ramming or clipping another car, the easier it is to maintain the CRB.
  • There are 3 places you will lose the most time or position. The first turn, the last turn, and the long straight between them. The 2 cars recommended here do not have a weakness in the long straight. The car I see recommended the most for this race, the Aston Martin DP-100 VGT, struggles in the long straight when using auto transmission. That car also sucks for VR which is my preferred way to experience GT7.
  • There are plenty of threads here recommending numerous vehicles and strategies for this race, most of the recommendations I have found require you to have intermediate to advanced skills and drive with a manual transmission.
  • Both cars recommended here require a simple Fuel Map 1 setting (the default) that doesn't ever need to be changed. But you must match all the suspension settings, body kits, racing parts, engine tuning parts, and custom gearbox settings found in these posts for the cars to work as intended for this race.

  1. Porsche 911 GT3 (997) '09 - 600 PP - Sport Hard Tires - Tokyo Rain - SWAP - 1.39 - Collector Level 50 Required
    Credit to @KipDog for testing and discovering this vehicle to be one of if not the best options for beginners using an Automatic transmission. You can complete the entire race utilizing the default Fuel Map 1 and no pit stop is necessary. All the other vehicles here require one pit stop after laps 6 or 7. The DP-100 VGT is a vehicle that others might recommend for a no-pit stop run but you need to use manual transmission for that and this vehicle is faster regardless if you have learned to use shifting. Plus you can drive in the Cockpit view if that is your preference and that view is unavailable for the DP-100. The only issue is this tuning does require an engine swap. To open up the ability to buy any Engine Swap you need to reach Collector Level 50. Unless you happen to win the M97/80-911 with a roulette ticket. That is the only way before reaching Collector Level 50 that you can tune this car in the manner required for it to perform as a top vehicle here.
  2. Lamborghini Miura P400 Bertone '67 - 600PP - Sport Hard Tires - Tokyo Rain event - 1.39 - Collector Level 6 and Menu Book 17 Required
    @praiano63 describes it as "In my opinion the best option for this event, speed x driving pleasure x easy to manage x wonderful drivable cockpit view and sound." I agree and this has been one of my favorites for this event and was happy to discover it provides an easy win with automatic transmission following the strategy tips below. The only issue is its cost and limited availability in the Legend Car Dealership. Legend Car Dealership opens up after Menu Book 17 and not all cars are available all the time. They rotate on a 2-3 month schedule. I provided the Porsche below for this reason, but you should do everything to buy this car as soon as you see it available.
  3. Porsche 911 GT3 (996) '01- 600PP - Sport Hard tires - All Track / Tokyo - 1.32 - Collector Level 6 required
    Praiano describes this as a very performant and pleasant drive in Tokyo. I agree and it is less than a VGT car including all the upgrades and available at any time in the Porsche Brand Dealership. I still prefer the Lamborghini whether driving manual or automatic, but this is a great early-game alternate option if you can't purchase that car yet.

    * Tested these vehicles again on 2/19/2024 for the entire race to ensure Update 1.42 didn't nerf them. They are still the best options for this guide.
    ** More vehicles have been suggested throughout the thread if you are having any issues with these. I have also tested and added 6 additional vehicles below in this main post. The guide is also here to help you add this race to your credit grind so you have more variety instead of only grinding Sardegna over and over again with the same vehicle every time. Eventually, you should be learning to drive with manual transmission and checking the other longer threads for this race where advanced players are suggesting even more vehicles.

  • For Assist Settings I recommend Traction Control 1, ABS Weak, Auto-Drive Off, Active Stability Management (ASM) Off, and Countersteering Assistance Off. The other assist settings are up to your preference.
  • You should go full throttle from the start of the race into the first turn. Stay to the left of the traffic and get close to the left wall when you enter the recommended braking area. DO NOT brake, instead, you will scrape the wall or wall-ride into the first corner. You can wait until the last second to touch the wall. Coming out of the first corner you should be down to 2nd gear and then you can follow the driving assist line. You do not need to wall-ride the 2nd corner.
  • You should manage your throttle and braking throughout the main turning sections until you start to go downhill into the last turn. If you start to spin out you are using too much throttle. After each time on the brakes, you should not slam on the throttle but ease into it.
  • The only other wall you should consider wall riding is closer to the end of the lap. It is the upward right turn into left turn combination before the final hairpin (Thanks to @Meythia for that tip). So you would ignore the braking zone on that turn and go full throttle and touch the wall at the last possible moment before it turns. Other than the 2 walls mentioned you should avoid hitting walls as they will slow you down. However, hitting any other walls by mistake though is not a reason to panic and start over. You can still win with the occasional wall tap or mistake. There are multiple times in the middle part of the race where you can and should go full throttle, but just as many points where you should be using less than full throttle.
  • (From @KAlex122 ) Don't get hasty on your first lap. I am testing cars in Tokyo at the moment and after the first corner, I am normally not better than 10th and still win relatively easily. Just try to be relatively close to the top 3 (Kokobun, Gallo, Suswillo) after the first couple of laps. Gallo pits twice and especially Suswillo seems to get slower over the race length.
  • The last turn's braking start point can vary from vehicle to vehicle. With the Lamborghini and the Porsche (997) '09, you can start braking after the recommended start point. But with the Porsche (996) '01, I would start braking where it recommends. In that last hairpin turn, you will slow down enough that you should be in 1st gear during the hairpin turn. Go easy on the throttle coming out of the turn and gradually start to increase it. This is where you are most vulnerable to spinning out with too much throttle, especially in the first few laps. Going slow through this turn is always better than screeching your tires or sliding off the track. You can lose the CRB if you hit the cones so be careful of that as well.
  • You can see how wet the track is at any point by looking at the gauge to the left of where you see your tire wear. Specifically just to the left of your back left tire.
  • With the Lamborghini, you should be able to be in 1st place straight after wall-riding that first corner. If you fall back a few positions on the last turn after being in first on lap 1, don't panic and restart. You're still OK. You should pit stop after Lap 6 and do not change tires. I refuel for 1 lap beyond what is recommended to finish the race. Then you can stop refueling for a quicker pit stop. If you somehow mess up and miss the pit stop, it is fine, you don't need to quit and restart. You can technically pit stop after lap 7 or 8 as you have plenty of fuel before then.
  • With the Porsche (996) '01, you should be able to grab 1st place easily in lap 2 after wall-riding that first corner in Laps 1 and 2. You should pit stop after Lap 6 and same tire and fuel suggestions as with the Lamborghini. Technically you can get 7 laps without a pit stop if you are not full throttle the whole race. But forgetting to pit before lap 8 and you may run out of gas.
  • With the Porsche (997) '09, it may take a few laps to grab 1st from wall riding, but typically by lap 5 you should be able to grab 1st and maintain that with no pit-stop. The other racers will all pit stop at least once but some will do it multiple times. If you get passed in the long straight don't panic because you can grab P1 right back at the wall ride towards the start of each lap.

  • EDIT: I suggest doing the Circuit Experience for the Tokyo Expressway before doing this credit grind. At least the East Clockwise one. Also for each sector you get a Bronze in, it increases your reward in custom races by 2%. For each sector you get Gold in, it increases your reward by 8%. Plus it teaches you how to be faster on the track. Not to mention all the credits earned just from the Circuit Experience.
  • As much as I could have used this guide before, I am grateful the repeated failed attempts at this race forced me to learn to drive a manual transmission. My first P1 win on this race was with the Aston Martin DP-100 VGT, but only after being able to short-shift and do a no-pit stop race. I think the Lamborghini above is a much better vehicle for this race even with it requiring the 1 pit stop. Before creating this guide and discovering the Miura, I was battling from behind too much of the race and it was much harder to get the CRB. I highly recommend biting the bullet and learning to drive manually once you have conquered this race. It opens you up to a wider variety of cars and strategies to include in your credit grinding. Grinding the same race and the same car every day can get boring quickly.
  • If you are struggling to match the PP from Praiano's tuning, make sure you have matched the racing parts and rim suggestions at the top of the post. Also, make sure you have the right tuning parts like the Racing Transmission instead of the Manual Transmission or Vice Versa.
Fantastic guide, I was starting to think this race was bugged, couldn't get higher than 10th and had it hanging around for months. I doff my cap to you good sir!

I had the 997 already, but think I'd done too much to it already to make it competitive, but still managed to drive it to 5th stealing some of your setup and riding the wall in turn 1.
Bought a new 997 to start again and mostly followed your upgrades, I never bothered with any weight reduction though, figured that was counter productive if just adding balast to get the PP back down. Left the gearing as standard at first, but after a 3rd place, dropped the final ratio down to give a 300kph top speed and improve acceleration elsewhere, that seemed to do the trick, won with just shy of a 10 second lead.
I tried riding the wall in the second bit you suggested, but never had much luck with that, I think I was quicker driving it clean.
 
Fantastic guide, I was starting to think this race was bugged, couldn't get higher than 10th and had it hanging around for months. I doff my cap to you good sir!

I had the 997 already, but think I'd done too much to it already to make it competitive, but still managed to drive it to 5th stealing some of your setup and riding the wall in turn 1.
Bought a new 997 to start again and mostly followed your upgrades, I never bothered with any weight reduction though, figured that was counter productive if just adding balast to get the PP back down. Left the gearing as standard at first, but after a 3rd place, dropped the final ratio down to give a 300kph top speed and improve acceleration elsewhere, that seemed to do the trick, won with just shy of a 10 second lead.
I tried riding the wall in the second bit you suggested, but never had much luck with that, I think I was quicker driving it clean.
Did you wall ride first turn mate?

That is definitely quicker than taking it clean.
 
A 13b-swapped Cappuccino with a good tune will annihilate this race. I was running consistent 2:04s and lapped almost the entire field with no pit stops.
 
Yes, but only the first turn, definitely a game changer though.

Yeah, that's the only one in bother with tbh. The others make negligible difference, plus doesn't feel like turning the race/drive into a complete farce :D
 
@onedjyoulike .Have a look on YT at JeffreyGT97.He has a wide selection of different cars that he has used for Tokyo 12 laps.Most are simple tunes,some are engine swaps.I like his channel and think its are worth a look,might give you some more ideas what to use.👍
 
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