Car of The Month: April! - Build your own Racing Modification/Touring Car!

I am not surprised the Maserati is quicker than the Beemer. That car is a beast disguised as a comfort cruiser! It will certainly give Ferrari and Lambo a run for their money at this PP range in the handling department.
Nor I if I'm honest. In GT5 it was pretty good but I've always been stunned by its performance in GT6. It just seems to tick all the boxes (even the one that says "As heavy as the sun" :lol:)
 
@shaunm80 reviews - Scirocco R SS/RH:

SS tune -
I left it candy white, but did buy the red rims :P
Fast little bugger this one, also able to compete with the Integra.
Understeer more noticable than your Golf, but it is 50pp higher with a lot more power.
Handles really well, brakes are great.
And you can have fun smoking up the front tires, without losing time. :sly:
Best lap at Trial Mountain 1:30.516

RH tune - Understeer nearly completely gone.
Less rear grip maybe, but in a good.
More fun, faster of course, and feels even faster than the time it posts.
Good tune, fun tune. And I believe it was faster than your 550pp Gran Turismo S (but that may have been on SS). Quick tune, great job.
Best lap at Trial Mountain 1:28.831

**Shotliema Black Panther BRZ**
Tested at Deep Forest Reverse
Power limiter for me was 97.7% (tested before update was posted)
Smooth - Stable - Easy to drive
Handling is just about spot on for this track.
Great trans and LSD setup.
Awesome grip level.
Best lap 1:21.325

@Otaliema Lotus Elise '11 Unlimited review:
Your tunes don't always mix well with my style, nor my tunes yours, but this tune........:sly::mischievous:
Lowered your FG to 2.750 to get use of 6th gear for this track.
This is a pure trust tune!! It can go deeper than you expect into the corner.
Just don't go too deep. You can hold your line easily, trust it, it will stick. :cool:
I found that staying on the throttle, even if only slightly, or getting back on the throttle as quick as possible (again, even if only slightly) keeps the rear in check. And keeps lap time lower.
This may be my favorite tune you've done, simply awesome. Fun to drive and quick.
Once you learn what it wants, and it does not take long, this becomes a rocket. :eek: :dopey:
This needs to be driven and appreciated by more testers. :D
Best lap at Grand Valley Speedway 1:54.180
 
@hall90 and @Bass Addict thanks for jumping in and helping with reviews, I really do appreciate it.

@Antares26 and @RacingOtaku86 you guys too.

And your lap times :eek: :drool: :crazy:

Aw, shucks, it's nothing. As I stated before, I couldn't tune anything to contribute there. Since I saw the thread from the front page, I thought that this would be fun, and so I contribute in the form of reviews from a DS3 user perspective. I don't know why I haven't heard of this before; it's just a refreshing change of pace from the other things I'm doing. I'm glad I'm part of a good group of guys who just have fun testing tuned cars.
 
@Otaliema Lotus Elise '11 at Trial Mountain Circuit review:
This tune does not fit in with my driving style for some reason, but it may suit someone else though. My best time on RH tyres is 1:27 004 it's a bit twitchy and the rear end of the car steps out and because of this it loses grip and time.
With SS tyres it is a far better car to handle but my best time is 1:26.820 and I thought it was going to be a few seconds faster than on RH tyres because it handles so well going around corners and I was surprise it was not much faster, so overall it is very nice car but I found it a bit slow, Sorry Otaliema I just could not get this car to work with me.
 
@shaunm80 reviews - Scirocco R SS/RH:

SS tune -
I left it candy white, but did buy the red rims :P
Fast little bugger this one, also able to compete with the Integra.
Understeer more noticable than your Golf, but it is 50pp higher with a lot more power.
Handles really well, brakes are great.
And you can have fun smoking up the front tires, without losing time. :sly:
Best lap at Trial Mountain 1:30.516

RH tune - Understeer nearly completely gone.
Less rear grip maybe, but in a good.
More fun, faster of course, and feels even faster than the time it posts.
Good tune, fun tune. And I believe it was faster than your 550pp Gran Turismo S (but that may have been on SS). Quick tune, great job.
Best lap at Trial Mountain 1:28.831

**Shotliema Black Panther BRZ**
Tested at Deep Forest Reverse
Power limiter for me was 97.7% (tested before update was posted)
Smooth - Stable - Easy to drive
Handling is just about spot on for this track.
Great trans and LSD setup.
Awesome grip level.
Best lap 1:21.325
Thanks for the great reviews. The Scirocco is a real sleeper car. Seriously quick and equal to the Integra in many ways. :) Great times set too so well done indeed. Glad you enjoyed the Shotaliema tune too!
@randyrockstiff Aston Martin, @shaunm80 SS and RH Aston Martin, C63 AMG SS &RH, @Dirty_Duck C63 AMG reviews will all be coming soon. They are done, but will have to post tomorrow.

@hall90 and @Bass Addict thanks for jumping in and helping with reviews, I really do appreciate it.

@Antares26 and @RacingOtaku86 you guys too.

And your lap times :eek: :drool: :crazy:
Looking forward to the reviews for my Aston. I tried to give this British car some extra love and I hope it shone through when you tested it. :)
 
Thanks for the great reviews. The Scirocco is a real sleeper car. Seriously quick and equal to the Integra in many ways. :) Great times set too so well done indeed. Glad you enjoyed the Shotaliema tune too!

Looking forward to the reviews for my Aston. I tried to give this British car some extra love and I hope it shone through when you tested it. :)
Be careful what you wish for....... :sly:

:lol::lol:
 
I decided to have a Maserati, Saturday Shootout...:)

I don't think I have ever had the pleasure of driving this car and with three tunes posted, it seemed perfect for a mini shootout. All tunes tested at Trial Mountain on Racing Hard Tires with track set to real...

1:26.585 - @Bowtie-muscle Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600pp. (TCS:0 ABS:1)

I was roasting the right front & rear tires all around this track...blinding flashes of super red hot light was pouring from the lower left hand corner of my TV. This car didn't like how I was driving it...:embarrassed::eek: My first impression is that the car feels very, very heavy after driving the BMW M5. This car felt planted at all times...almost to much. I had a rough time between tunnel 1 and tunnel 3 as well as the sweeping left turn at the end of the long back straight. The car was very firm going down this back straight and I felt the ponding in my hands and arms through the steering wheel. The weird thing is that even though the car felt very stable, I had a very hard time keeping pointed straight or where I wanted the car to go. The ending chicane was an adventure on each and every lap and I never figured out an aggressive line through it.

Note: I don't understand why I struggle with some of your tunes...it really bothers me that I can't learn from you and your tunes. I will keep trying and I know the light bulb will go off at some point!


1:25.090 - @shaunm80 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 (GT3 Version) 600pp. (TCS:1 ABS:1)

I was just barely lighting up the front left & right tires a pale yellow at a couple of spots around the track...your car was more forgiving to my style of driving. The first thing I noticed was how most of the "heaviness" was gone while maintaining the grip. There was less side to side movement in this car and was much easier for me to keep in pointed where I wanted it to go. The ending chicane was still a challenge but this car handles the small out cropping from the mountain very well so I have some margin for error. I connected very easily to this car and I never wanted to stop driving it...I have much more fun driving your M5 around this track but I can see with more time in the Maserati, I would be much faster.


1:25.394 - @Thorin Cain Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 601pp (TCS:0 ABS:1)

For some reason this added up to 601 pp... This tune also took all of the heaviness out of driving the car. Very stable ride but initially, I had to be careful with corner exit and I guess it was because I spent so much time with Shaun's tune and TCS set to one. After three laps or so, I completely forgot about it and the car was very similar to Shaun's car. The only difference was that I wasn't as confident through the section of track beginning at the entrance to the first tunnel until the entrance to the third tunnel. This was a bit more work for me to drive and again I was roasting the right front & rear tires at several spots on the course. For what it is worth, I set TCS to one but I couldn't improve my time...

Here is my DC score for this mini shootout::)

Shaun - 1st place

Thorin - 2nd place

Bowtie - 3rd place

:cheers:
 
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I decided to have a Maserati, Saturday Shootout...:)

1:25.090 - @shaunm80 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 (GT3 Version) 600pp. (TCS:1 ABS:1)

I was just barely lighting up the front left & right tires a pale yellow at a couple of spots around the track...your car was more forgiving to my style of driving. The first thing I noticed was how most of the "heaviness" was gone while maintaining the grip. There was less side to side movement in this car and was much easier for me to keep in pointed where I wanted it to go. The ending chicane was still a challenge but this car handles the small out cropping from the mountain very well so I have some margin for error. I connected very easily to this car and I never wanted to stop driving it...I have much more fun driving your M5 around this track but I can see with more time in the Maserati, I would be much faster.

Here is my DC score for this mini shootout::)

Shaun - 1st place

Thorin - 2nd place

Bowtie - 3rd place

:cheers:
Thank you for the review. I am very happy with the comments made and that you took to the car quickly. Your time is very good too. Glad you had fun with all three tunes. You are doing a great job with CoTM tunes by the way. :cheers:
 
Lotus Elise '11 Unlimited review:
Your tunes don't always mix well with my style, nor my tunes yours, but this tune........:sly::mischievous:
Lowered your FG to 2.750 to get use of 6th gear for this track.
This is a pure trust tune!! It can go deeper than you expect into the corner.
Just don't go too deep. You can hold your line easily, trust it, it will stick. :cool:
I found that staying on the throttle, even if only slightly, or getting back on the throttle as quick as possible (again, even if only slightly) keeps the rear in check. And keeps lap time lower.
This may be my favorite tune you've done, simply awesome. Fun to drive and quick.
Once you learn what it wants, and it does not take long, this becomes a rocket. :eek: :dopey:
This needs to be driven and appreciated by more testers. :D
Best lap at Grand Valley Speedway 1:54.180
Great run. Glad this car is working out better than my CTR's. I see I tuned throttle steering into it with out relizing it.

Lotus Elise '11 at Trial Mountain Circuit review:
This tune does not fit in with my driving style for some reason, but it may suit someone else though. My best time on RH tyres is 1:27 004 it's a bit twitchy and the rear end of the car steps out and because of this it loses grip and time.
With SS tyres it is a far better car to handle but my best time is 1:26.820 and I thought it was going to be a few seconds faster than on RH tyres because it handles so well going around corners and I was surprise it was not much faster, so overall it is very nice car but I found it a bit slow, Sorry Otaliema I just could not get this car to work with me.
Thank you for taking it out. Just looks like this one and you didn't see eye to eye. I hear what your saying about the RH tires I couldn't stabilize it, as you found it was grip grip grip spin on RH.
 
I decided to have a Maserati, Saturday Shootout...:)

I don't think I have ever had the pleasure of driving this car and with three tunes posted, it seemed perfect for a mini shootout. All tunes tested at Trial Mountain on Racing Hard Tires with track set to real...

1:26.585 - @Bowtie-muscle Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600pp. (TCS:0 ABS:1)

I was roasting the right front & rear tires all around this track...blinding flashes of super red hot light was pouring from the lower left hand corner of my TV. This car didn't like how I was driving it...:embarrassed::eek: My first impression is that the car feels very, very heavy after driving the BMW M5. This car felt planted at all times...almost to much. I had a rough time between tunnel 1 and tunnel 3 as well as the sweeping left turn at the end of the long back straight. The car was very firm going down this back straight and I felt the ponding in my hands and arms through the steering wheel. The weird thing is that even though the car felt very stable, I had a very hard time keeping pointed straight or where I wanted the car to go. The ending chicane was an adventure on each and every lap and I never figured out an aggressive line through it.

Note: I don't understand while I struggle with some of your tunes...it really bothers me that I can't learn from you and your tunes. I will keep trying and I know the light bulb will go off at some point!


1:25.090 - @shaunm80 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 (GT3 Version) 600pp. (TCS:1 ABS:1)

I was just barely lighting up the front left & right tires a pale yellow at a couple of spots around the track...your car was more forgiving to my style of driving. The first thing I noticed was how most of the "heaviness" was gone while maintaining the grip. There was less side to side movement in this car and was much easier for me to keep in pointed where I wanted it to go. The ending chicane was still a challenge but this car handles the small out cropping from the mountain very well so I have some margin for error. I connected very easily to this car and I never wanted to stop driving it...I have much more fun driving your M5 around this track but I can see with more time in the Maserati, I would be much faster.


1:25.394 - @Thorin Cain Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 601pp (TCS:0 ABS:1)

For some reason this added up to 601 pp... This tune also took all of the heaviness out of driving the car. Very stable ride but initially, I had to be careful with corner exit and I guess it was because I spent so much time with Shaun's tune and TCS set to one. After three laps or so, I completely forgot about it and the car was very similar to Shaun's car. The only difference was that I wasn't as confident through the section of track beginning at the entrance to the first tunnel until the entrance to the third tunnel. This was a bit more work for me to drive and again I was roasting the right front & rear tires at several spots on the course. For what it is worth, I set TCS to one but I couldn't improve my time...

Here is my DC score for this mini shootout::)

Shaun - 1st place

Thorin - 2nd place

Bowtie - 3rd place

:cheers:
Wonderful review, great job again. More than enough quality feedback.👍

As for my tunes and you not getting on with them, not everyone does. Usually, a gentle approach works best and fastest. That tune, was built to mainly run on flat tracks such as Silverstone GP. I can see it not fairing well at Trial Mountain. Maybe Grand Valley might work better, but hang in there and don't let it bother you. Not all can adapt to my style, hopefully, next month's list will give you an opportunity to find one you can get along with ;).
Have a feeling, if you choose the right one, you might find one you like more. :)

Will get your quick times added a bit later, thanks for testing 👍
 
New time 1:23.657 @Thorin Cain Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600pp (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres and track set/ Real. I review this car a couple of days ago and I had a Ride Height setup wrong sorry Thorin cain, I also corrected my time in my review also, this thing handles even better around the corners than the wrong Ride Height setup but not much change to my previous review but faster :cheers:.


1:23.697 @Bowtie-muscle Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600PP (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres track set/ Real. This car is fast also but a bit loose like Shaun's car around the corners more than Thorin Cain car and that where I lose a little bit of the time I think, overall a very good car to have and no issues with the car :cheers:.


1:23.714 @shaunm80 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600PP (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres track set/ Real. This car is fast like the other 3 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 cars that I tested. This car handles the same as Bowie-muscle car going around the corners and that where I said it before it a bit loose and that where I lose the time than Thorin's car, but overall Shaun very good car :cheers:.

These 3 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 cars that I have tested on all 12 laps, as you can see in the 3 lap times I did they are pretty close, the only difference is going around the corners using the Maserati Gran Turismo, so :bowdown: Thorin Cain is the Winner but not by much well done Sir :cheers:.
 
New time 1:23.657 @Thorin Cain Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600pp (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres and track set/ Real. I review this car a couple of days ago and I had a Ride Height setup wrong sorry Thorin cain, I also corrected my time in my review also, this thing handles even better around the corners than the wrong Ride Height setup but not much change to my previous review but faster :cheers:.


1:23.697 @Bowtie-muscle Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600PP (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres track set/ Real. This car is fast also but a bit loose like Shaun's car around the corners more than Thorin Cain car and that where I lose a little bit of the time I think, overall a very good car to have and no issues with the car :cheers:.


1:23.714 @shaunm80 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600PP (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres track set/ Real. This car is fast like the other 3 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 cars that I tested. This car handles the same as Bowie-muscle car going around the corners and that where I said it before it a bit loose and that where I lose the time than Thorin's car, but overall Shaun very good car :cheers:.

These 3 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 cars that I have tested on all 12 laps, as you can see in the 3 lap times I did they are pretty close, the only difference is going around the corners using the Maserati Gran Turismo, so :bowdown: Thorin Cain is the Winner but not by much well done Sir :cheers:.
Whoa, thats a close field. Nice driving sir :bowdown: And thanks for the revision, I was happy enough with the first one, but at least I'm relieved that it didn't get worse when you fixed the ride height :)👍

@Bass Addict, thanks also for your review 👍 Not sure about the extra pp point, normaly I'd expect a little forgetfulness in me adding in the oil change, but not for 1pp :confused:

:cheers::gtpflag:
 
You are doing a great job with CoTM tunes by the way. :cheers:

Thank you very much...I am enjoying it as I am working on my ability to adapt to what the tuner is trying to do. :)

Wonderful review, great job again. More than enough quality feedback.👍

Thank you very much...:)

Usually, a gentle approach works best and fastest.

Nail meet hammer...I can sense this in all of your tunes but I can't adjust. I am going to find one of your tunes to bond with and help me improve as a driver. 👍

@Bass Addict, thanks also for your review 👍 Not sure about the extra pp point, normaly I'd expect a little forgetfulness in me adding in the oil change, but not for 1pp :confused:

You are very welcome...:) I am sure it is on my end as I did the oil change and double checked all of your settings but I couldn't find where the extra point came from...strange.
 
New time 1:23.657 @Thorin Cain Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600pp (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres and track set/ Real. I review this car a couple of days ago and I had a Ride Height setup wrong sorry Thorin cain, I also corrected my time in my review also, this thing handles even better around the corners than the wrong Ride Height setup but not much change to my previous review but faster :cheers:.


1:23.697 @Bowtie-muscle Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600PP (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres track set/ Real. This car is fast also but a bit loose like Shaun's car around the corners more than Thorin Cain car and that where I lose a little bit of the time I think, overall a very good car to have and no issues with the car :cheers:.


1:23.714 @shaunm80 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 600PP (TCS:1 ABS:1) at Trial Mountain Circuit on RH tyres track set/ Real. This car is fast like the other 3 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 cars that I tested. This car handles the same as Bowie-muscle car going around the corners and that where I said it before it a bit loose and that where I lose the time than Thorin's car, but overall Shaun very good car :cheers:.

These 3 Maserati Gran Turismo S '08 cars that I have tested on all 12 laps, as you can see in the 3 lap times I did they are pretty close, the only difference is going around the corners using the Maserati Gran Turismo, so :bowdown: Thorin Cain is the Winner but not by much well done Sir :cheers:.
Great reviews. Thank for the comments. Some really great times set there and all very close indeed. :)
 
Aston Martin V12 Vantage reviews:

@randyrockstiff -550pp SS
Surprisingly well handling for a heavy car, you did minimal weight reduction. :eek:
I did lower the final gear to 4.300 for this track.
Rear toe being negative helped rotation.
I expected it to be looser than it is, well done.
High LSD initial I expected to hurt rotation, but it did not.
I liked this tune.
Best lap at Grand Valley Speedway 1:58.851

@shaunm80 - 600pp SS
Had to be gentle on slow corner exit, it will light up the rear wheels.
Don't brake too late, easy in-fast out works best (but gentle on throttle please).
Get exit right, and it powers down the straights nicely.
Had 3 laps within 2 tenths.
best lap at Grand Vally Speedway 1:54.364

600pp RH
Better, still just a tick loose on exit though and over curbs.
Easier to get the power down
Semi-Racing exhaust gives off a nice note :drool:
Again, most of my laps were super consistent. Most were within less than 2 tenths.
Both tunes were fun and fast, though slightly tight in the faster sweeping corners.
Best lap at Grand Valley Speedway 1:52.658
 
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Mercedez Benz C63 AMG reviews:

***My disclaimer**
I m not a big fan of Mercedez, and really do not like this car. It has never worked for me and I tried (briefly) to tune one with a flat floor months back. I gave up real quick. That said, I applaud the effort by both tuners. But my reviews may be slightly biased. So take it as it comes and from who it's coming from.

@shaunm80 - 600pp SS
Had to be very gently with the throttle on exit regardless of slow or medium speed corners.
Rear struggled to hook up and grab grip. Would just jump sideways and slide. Using TC1 would certainly be beneficial. I struggled with this tune most laps, which is quite surprising since I generally get along with your tunes. But I blame the car and PD for that. Applying throttle while going straight seemed to be the only way I could manage a quick lap, and even then it was not so quick.
Best lap at Grand Valley 1:59.007

600pp RH
Better, but still understeers and causes patience before getting back on the throttle.
Again, when I did on most corners the rear lost traction. :banghead:
Better with grippier tires, and faster. But feels heavy.
Best lap Grand Valley Speedway 1:55.039

@Dirty_Duck 600pp RH
You slammed this one, which helped mainly driveability......slightly,
Had good responsiveness, but skittish.
Brakes felt twitchy.
Would break loose when getting on throttle while even slightly steering, selecting a higher gear helped.
Not bad once I began to learn the tune, and after putting in laps in shaun's, but it does have a long learning curve.
An old tune built to run on RS, might be better on those.
Best lap at Grand Valley Speedway 1:54.731
 
During tuning my Elise Unlimited was pulling 1:25's at Trial Mountain and @hall90 is a bit faster than myself so would be curious how fast one of you aliens/semi-alien drivers could do with it.

Well...your time in the 1:25.xxx qualifies you as an alien in my books! 👍

@Otaliema Lotus Elise '11 Unlimited review:This needs to be driven and appreciated by more testers.
I completely agree and thanks for the driving tips at GV...:bowdown:


I had an Elise Unlimited Day at the tracks...Track set to Real, ABS:1 & TCS:0

01:27.050 - @Otaliema Elise Unlimited 573pp - Sports Soft Tires - Trial Mountain

I have always struggled with the Elise and MR cars in general...this is a bit perplexing as I drive a MR car in real life ( 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder ). This is an amazing tune and so fun to drive. It is firmly planted and easy to keep pointed in the direction of my choice. The braking is
fabulous and this tune appears built to take deeper into the entry of the corner. Very, very good rotation and I don't think I had a single red lap! My lap times seemed to fall with every lap which adds to the fun factor...I never wanted to get out of the car! I guess I no longer struggle with the Elise!! 👍

01:28.135 - @Otaliema Elise Unlimited 573pp - Racing Hard Tires - Trail Mountain

WOW...what a difference "upgrading" tires can make. Now I am back to all of the issues I have with MR cars. I can't believe how different the car feels with RH tires...it behaves like a COMPLETELY different car. I had to start over again and change my approach to this track...nothing about the SS tire car carried forward for me. I did start to understand it (a little) and had several laps within a 1/2 second of my SS tire time but I could never finish the lap. I am VERY inconsistent with this car with more red laps than white laps...needless to say, the Elise will never see RH tires...EVER! :boggled:

1.53:535 - @Otaliema Elise Unlimited 573pp - Sports Soft Tires - Grand Valley Speedway

I forgot how much I LOVE Grand Valley Speedway. This car felt so at home here like it was at its "home" track. Everything was spot on...great quickness, nimble handling and a great level of grip but could change directions on a dime. The low speed corners were a pleasure and once again, I could go deeper into the entry of the corner before braking. Your tune produces a sublime experience here and @Bowtie-muscle is 100% correct, more people need to drive this remarkable car!!! :bowdown:

Otaliema, thanks for all the hard work and thanks for giving me an AWESOME morning of driving!!!

:gtpflag: :cheers: :gtpflag:
 
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Aston Martin V12 Vantage reviews:

@shaunm80 - 600pp SS
Had to be gentle on slow corner exit, it will light up the rear wheels.
Don't brake too late, easy in-fast out works best (but gentle on throttle please).
Get exit right, and it powers down the straights nicely.
Had 3 laps within 2 tenths.
best lap at Grand Vally Speedway 1:54.364

600pp RH
Better, still just a tick loose on exit though and over curbs.
Easier to get the power down
Semi-Racing exhaust gives off a nice note :drool:
Again, most of my laps were super consistent. Most were within less than 2 tenths.
Both tunes were fun and fast, though slightly tight in the faster sweeping corners.
Best lap at Grand Valley Speedway 1:52.658
Thank you for the great reviews. As I mentioned previously, I gave this car extra love because of the British connection. Great times set and consistent too. :)
Mercedez Benz C63 AMG reviews:

***My disclaimer**
I m not a big fan of Mercedez, and really do not like this car. It has never worked for me and I tried (briefly) to tune one with a flat floor months back. I gave up real quick. That said, I applaud the effort by both tuners. But my reviews may be slightly biased. So take it as it comes and from who it's coming from.

@shaunm80 - 600pp SS
Had to be very gently with the throttle on exit regardless of slow or medium speed corners.
Rear struggled to hook up and grab grip. Would just jump sideways and slide. Using TC1 would certainly be beneficial. I struggled with this tune most laps, which is quite surprising since I generally get along with your tunes. But I blame the car and PD for that. Applying throttle while going straight seemed to be the only way I could manage a quick lap, and even then it was not so quick.
Best lap at Grand Valley 1:59.007

600pp RH
Better, but still understeers and causes patience before getting back on the throttle.
Again, when I did on most corners the rear lost traction. :banghead:
Better with grippier tires, and faster. But feels heavy.
Best lap Grand Valley Speedway 1:55.039
Thanks for giving this car a good go. It is not the easiest of cars to adjust to and you really do have to be gentle on the throttle at times. Well done for persevering with this one. :cheers:
 
Thank you for the great reviews. As I mentioned previously, I gave this car extra love because of the British connection. Great times set and consistent too. :)

Thanks for giving this car a good go. It is not the easiest of cars to adjust to and you really do have to be gentle on the throttle at times. Well done for persevering with this one. :cheers:
I tried, but me and Mr. Daimler don't see eye to eye. Hence, my disclaimer.
 
I have FINALLY found a tune from @Bowtie-muscle that have bonded with and we merged as one around the Grand Valley Speedway. I can have a good night of sleep tonight...:lol:

I am preparing for a Lexus IS F '07 review / comparison and I was trying to find Bowtie's tune (Note to Bowtie, I still can't find your Lexus tune :confused:) and found his Elise '11 tune on the last page of his garage thread and wonder why I missed it when planning the Elise morning earlier today. I needed to test this car right away! 💡

1:54.431 - @Bowtie-muscle - Elise '11 550pp Sports Soft Tires @ Grand Valley Speedway (Track:Real TCS:0 ABS:1)

This was like rediscovering an old, lost friend...where have you been for so long! I took off with this car and never looked back. Yes, glued and planted to the track indeed but it is nimble and "light" and just wants to run. I was in complete harmony with this car and bonded so perfectly that I never roasted any tires...they stayed cool blue for the entire time on the course! I could drive this car all day and it is never leaving my sight occupying a special place in my garage right next to Otaliema's Elise Unlimited.

Now this begs the questions, what if I raised the pp to 573 and tweak final gear so I can see 6th gear?? I removed the ballast weight and changed FG to 3300 and headed back to the track...

1:52.973 - @Bowtie-muscle - Elise '11 573pp Sports Soft Tires @ GVS (Track:Real TCS:0 ABS:1)

Whooa...This car is now on fire with all of the same drivability of the original tune but with that little tiny bit of sliding or looseness that I like (I can not drift to save my life so this is just a bit of oversteer I am feeling...I think). I loved Otaliema's Elise Unlimited tune but I am naming this car the Elise Ultimate! Super job Bowtie...:bowdown: :cheers:

Final note: not a chance of me slapping on Racing Hard Tires for the Elise Ultimate and spoiling all the fun...:scared:
 
Well...your time in the 1:25.xxx qualifies you as an alien in my books! 👍


I completely agree and thanks for the driving tips at GV...:bowdown:


I had an Elise Unlimited Day at the tracks...Track set to Real, ABS:1 & TCS:0

01:27.050 - @Otaliema Elise Unlimited 573pp - Sports Soft Tires - Trial Mountain

I have always struggled with the Elise and MR cars in general...this is a bit perplexing as I drive a MR car in real life ( 2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder ). This is an amazing tune and so fun to drive. It is firmly planted and easy to keep pointed in the direction of my choice. The braking is
fabulous and this tune appears built to take deeper into the entry of the corner. Very, very good rotation and I don't think I had a single red lap! My lap times seemed to fall with every lap which adds to the fun factor...I never wanted to get out of the car! I guess I no longer struggle with the Elise!! 👍

01:28.135 - @Otaliema Elise Unlimited 573pp - Racing Hard Tires - Trail Mountain

WOW...what a difference "upgrading" tires can make. Now I am back to all of the issues I have with MR cars. I can't believe how different the car feels with RH tires...it behaves like a COMPLETELY different car. I had to start over again and change my approach to this track...nothing about the SS tire car carried forward for me. I did start to understand it (a little) and had several laps within a 1/2 second of my SS tire time but I could never finish the lap. I am VERY inconsistent with this car with more red laps than white laps...needless to say, the Elise will never see RH tires...EVER! :boggled:

1.53:535 - @Otaliema Elise Unlimited 573pp - Sports Soft Tires - Grand Valley Speedway

I forgot how much I LOVE Grand Valley Speedway. This car felt so at home here like it was at its "home" track. Everything was spot on...great quickness, nimble handling and a great level of grip but could change directions on a dime. The low speed corners were a pleasure and once again, I could go deeper into the entry of the corner before braking. Your tune produces a sublime experience here and @Bowtie-muscle is 100% correct, more people need to drive this remarkable car!!! :bowdown:

Otaliema, thanks for all the hard work and thanks for giving me an AWESOME morning of driving!!!

:gtpflag: :cheers: :gtpflag:
Wow great job. Great to hear you had so much fun in it.
Maybe I should put use RH at your own risk on the tuning page :lol:
As for the 1:25 time I'll see if I have it saved if not I'll run one again and post it, the key to finding that extra time is the turn at the end of the hill, the three after it, and how brave you are on the final chicane so basically the back half of the track, you can ditch a couple seconds or add a couple on those 7 turns.
Time take bowtie's Elise out and see what he did to it.
 
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Well....I guess I am ready to start reviewing some tunes. While my times are still a bit off, I have started getting a little consistency. I hope everyone remembers that while reading my reviews.
@Thorin Cain got the call to be first, with his NSX R '02. The rave reviews this car was getting I just couldn't stay out of it any longer. I think I will start with a general review, then a few specific comments while at each track. The car didn't meet advertised specs till I changed the oil. Interestingly enough I had already ran 2 tracks, then made the change. The track times didn't change by hundredths, but a lot of the raw edges smoothed up a bit. The gear package was fine for all three tracks and the car exited the corners very well. Great power and it applied smoothly with very few problems. Fast at this PP level and shattered the leader board on the 600PP cars I have been tuning on. However....all was not perfect... the brakes caused no end of nightmares and headaches. The car would tolerate almost no brake while turning the wheel. I did find a few places where I could use it to an advantage, but I do think it was holding it back. I will be keeping this car in my garage, but will be softening the brake oversteer. Over all great job and a great car. I have test ran a few others that are un-driveable at this point for me. Makes this car seem that much more unreal !!

All tests done RH tires

Deep Forest Reverse 1:15.119
Kept loosing time at the second underpass. (that not breaking in a corner thing) Great turn in and keeps its composure on those little airborne moments. :) Great grip with just the right amount of slide. 👍

Trial Mountain 1:27.342
Know I am leaving some time here. Was able to make the brake over steer work to a greater advantage. Really did use brakes very little. The car scrubs off speed well. Nice balance.

Grand Valley 1:53.659
Left a lot of time on the first right hand corner. Hate this track, but love this car on it. Nice job. Wish I could have trail braked a little, times may have improved a bit.

Fun drive and great car my friend.
 
I have FINALLY found a tune from @Bowtie-muscle that have bonded with and we merged as one around the Grand Valley Speedway. I can have a good night of sleep tonight...:lol:

I am preparing for a Lexus IS F '07 review / comparison and I was trying to find Bowtie's tune (Note to Bowtie, I still can't find your Lexus tune :confused:) and found his Elise '11 tune on the last page of his garage thread and wonder why I missed it when planning the Elise morning earlier today. I needed to test this car right away! 💡

1:54.431 - @Bowtie-muscle - Elise '11 550pp Sports Soft Tires @ Grand Valley Speedway (Track:Real TCS:0 ABS:1)

This was like rediscovering an old, lost friend...where have you been for so long! I took off with this car and never looked back. Yes, glued and planted to the track indeed but it is nimble and "light" and just wants to run. I was in complete harmony with this car and bonded so perfectly that I never roasted any tires...they stayed cool blue for the entire time on the course! I could drive this car all day and it is never leaving my sight occupying a special place in my garage right next to Otaliema's Elise Unlimited.

Now this begs the questions, what if I raised the pp to 573 and tweak final gear so I can see 6th gear?? I removed the ballast weight and changed FG to 3300 and headed back to the track...

1:52.973 - @Bowtie-muscle - Elise '11 573pp Sports Soft Tires @ GVS (Track:Real TCS:0 ABS:1)

Whooa...This car is now on fire with all of the same drivability of the original tune but with that little tiny bit of sliding or looseness that I like (I can not drift to save my life so this is just a bit of oversteer I am feeling...I think). I loved Otaliema's Elise Unlimited tune but I am naming this car the Elise Ultimate! Super job Bowtie...:bowdown: :cheers:

Final note: not a chance of me slapping on Racing Hard Tires for the Elise Ultimate and spoiling all the fun...:scared:
Great to hear you found one of my tunes to be more to your liking. That car is AWESOME, and the perfect little sleeper. Great time you got too, not sure what RH would do to be honest, but I do know it makes it fast at Brands GP.
As for my Lexus, I've been meaning to post but have simply been to busy to do so. Might not be all that great anyway, but will try and get it posted this week. Have an S2000 and a Miata to post as well.
Well....I guess I am ready to start reviewing some tunes. While my times are still a bit off, I have started getting a little consistency. I hope everyone remembers that while reading my reviews.
@Thorin Cain got the call to be first, with his NSX R '02. The rave reviews this car was getting I just couldn't stay out of it any longer. I think I will start with a general review, then a few specific comments while at each track. The car didn't meet advertised specs till I changed the oil. Interestingly enough I had already ran 2 tracks, then made the change. The track times didn't change by hundredths, but a lot of the raw edges smoothed up a bit. The gear package was fine for all three tracks and the car exited the corners very well. Great power and it applied smoothly with very few problems. Fast at this PP level and shattered the leader board on the 600PP cars I have been tuning on. However....all was not perfect... the brakes caused no end of nightmares and headaches. The car would tolerate almost no brake while turning the wheel. I did find a few places where I could use it to an advantage, but I do think it was holding it back. I will be keeping this car in my garage, but will be softening the brake oversteer. Over all great job and a great car. I have test ran a few others that are un-driveable at this point for me. Makes this car seem that much more unreal !!

All tests done RH tires

Deep Forest Reverse 1:15.119
Kept loosing time at the second underpass. (that not breaking in a corner thing) Great turn in and keeps its composure on those little airborne moments. :) Great grip with just the right amount of slide. 👍

Trial Mountain 1:27.342
Know I am leaving some time here. Was able to make the brake over steer work to a greater advantage. Really did use brakes very little. The car scrubs off speed well. Nice balance.

Grand Valley 1:53.659
Left a lot of time on the first right hand corner. Hate this track, but love this car on it. Nice job. Wish I could have trail braked a little, times may have improved a bit.

Fun drive and great car my friend.
Welcome to the party my friend, I see you are adapting rather well to that wheel :crazy:, those are some fast times you have there. Will get them linked up soon. Thanks for testing, hope you enjoyed 👍
 
I have FINALLY found a tune from @Bowtie-muscle that have bonded with and we merged as one around the Grand Valley Speedway. I can have a good night of sleep tonight...:lol:

I am preparing for a Lexus IS F '07 review / comparison and I was trying to find Bowtie's tune (Note to Bowtie, I still can't find your Lexus tune :confused:) and found his Elise '11 tune on the last page of his garage thread and wonder why I missed it when planning the Elise morning earlier today. I needed to test this car right away! :idea:ll1:54.431 - @Bowtie-muscle - Elise '11 550pp Sports Soft Tires @ Grand Valley Speedway (Track:Real TCS:0 ABS:1)
Hu
This was like rediscovering an old, lost friend...where have you been for so long! I took off with this car and never looked back. Yes, glued and planted to the track indeed but it is nimble and "light" and just wants to run. I was in complete harmony with this car and bonded so perfectly that I never roasted any tires...they stayed cool blue for the entire time on the course! I could drive this car all day and it is never leaving my sight occupying a special place in my garage right next to Otaliema's Elise Unlimited.

Now this begs the questions, what if I raised the pp to 573 and tweak final gear so I can see 6th gear?? I removed the ballast weight and changed FG to 3300 and headed back to the track...

1:52.973 - @Bowtie-muscle - Elise '11 573pp Sports Soft Tires @ GVS (Track:Real TCS:0 ABS:1)

Whooa...This car is now on fire with all of the same drivability of the original tune but with that little tiny bit of sliding or looseness that I like (I can not drift to save my life so this is just a bit of oversteer I am feeling...I think). I loved Otaliema's Elise Unlimited tune but I am naming this car the Elise Ultimate! Super job Bowtie...:bowdown: :cheers:

Final note: not a chance of me slapping on Racing Hard Tires for the Elise Ultimate and spoiling all the fun...:scared:
Lexus IS '07 is in the January COTM 👍.
 
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