**CAR OF THE WEEK! Friday 21/09/12**

[McClarenDesign]

Announcing the 33rd installment of the Car of the Week series.

A chance for everyone on GTPlanet to get behind the wheel of the same car and give it a thorough going over. The aim is to get people driving what they wouldn't usually drive, or cars that may have been overlooked. They may be great, they may be terrible, but as part of GT5 they deserve discussion right here.

People can show off their amazing photos, trade tuning tips, race one another and review that weeks nominated car. Lap times can be posted, top speeds and acceleration times compared and tips on handling discussed.

We are starting to develop a brilliant bunch of regular contributors but I very much encourage everyone to get involved and have their say. Every week (almost!) a poster will be picked for their contribution in that weeks thread to pick the star car for the following week. Ask anyone that has so far been chosen to pick and I am sure they will tell you what an honor it is! So get involved and it could be you!

Car of the Week - What do YOU think of the car?

So, without further ado, this weeks star car of the week...

This week we welcome a newcomer, both to Car of the Week and GTPlanet. For his participation in last week's thread, we've given this week's choice to none other than Highrev.

Highrev has chosen the perfect car, one that's rarely driven... well, I haven't driven it... yet it's still on the online Recommended list. Look for it in a certain nightly online spec race soon (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, saynomore). This week...

Image Source​

1989 Isuzu 4200R

Yeah, you laugh now... but what if I told you that underneath, it's secretly a Lotus? Go get your Kimi on!

​

 

[MustangManiac]

Well, this one looks pretty wild. If she is a Lotus lets hope she has more grip than the Elise

 

[Dean]

It looks like the designer sneezed when he/she drew the front.

 

[Snake55wildcat]

Oh yes finally this car will get the recognition it desperately deserved! this is a stunning car, very enjoyable to drive and quite the underdog which can be capable of winning races as well.
Cant wait for more people to experience this beauty!

and its a 4 seater MR sports car with lotus engineering and japanese heritage, how an earth can you go wrong there?

 

[Baron Blitz Red]

Another car I've yet to drive... nice pick Highrev!

It doesn't surprise me that this model had dealings with Lotus. I remember another model, the Impulse if I recall correctly, had Lotus tuned suspension as well. I'm pretty sure it was even marked on one of the badges on the car. Should be interesting...

Have a good one

 

[MustangManiac]

1989 Isuzu 4200-R​

I found her at the back of the garage collecting dust, she was rated at 305hp/461pp. There was no need for an oil change as she was practically brand new showing only five miles on the clock. With my usual mild tune: close raotio gearbox, intake/exhaust, drive train and tires she came to 382hp/492pp.

Her numbers at the test track:

.............stock....tune
1/4 mi...13.784 / 12.294
1.0 mi...33.754 / 30.762
0 to 60..05.285 / 03.845
to 100...12.035 / 09.105
max G....00.760 / 01.000
max spd..170.40 / 167.50

Best of ten laps at Grand Valley Speedway:
stock - 2:10.622 5th overall, 2nd of stock cars, .206 behind the Spirra we tested awhile back.
tuned - 1:59.503 1st overall just ahead of the tuned Spirra.

the pass for 3rd at Nurburbring GP/D

Looking for some competition I chose the A-Spec challenge #3, a 3 lap event for 500pp cars at Nurburgring GP/D
stock - P2 best lap of 1:46.346
tuned - P1 best lap of 1:36.729

the pass for 2nd where I would finish

taking P1 at the Ring GP/D with the tuned ride

She was fast, had a great sound and seemed to be in a constant state of four wheel slide at the track. That slide was surprisingly controllable however given that the brakes would grab evenly on all four corners at speed. I did find them a bit touchy at low speed though. The gearing was a bit tall, but otherwise well mated to the car. She had no trouble burning through a set of SH tires in less than six laps at Grand Valley.
Then I jumped into the tuned ride...holy cow is she fast! The slide is somewhat tamed due to the better rubber and suspension tune, but still present. The brakes are excellent, coaxing one ever deeper into the corners before applying them and maintaining stability under hard pressure. This car is very well balanced. I think I have found myself a new 500pp seasonal rocketship 👍

As a nod to Lotus I chose a green and gold color scheme for the tuned ride.

 

[McClarenDesign]

 

[Woodski_427]

1989 Isuzu 4200R Concept

Not many people loving this weeks' offering: they are missing out!

Its looks have grown on me. Originally I wasn't too sure but I think it looks pretty good for an '80s concept car - the nose is slighlty stunted and the rear elongated to accomodate the MR layout. It's not overtly conceptual and you could easily imagine something like it being made, perhaps with changes to the front end, an NSX perhaps. It was built with a meaty Lotus-tweaked V8, Lotus-tuned active suspension and indispensable 80's technology: a fax.

I had to go and buy this from the dealership, the numbers: 306BHP, 1500Kg, 462pp. Having absolutely no idea what to expect, I hit Trial Mountain. It accelerates well, with a fairly wide five speed 'box utilising the torque of the V8, but could be improved for the track. Into the first s-bend after the start-finish straight and it just grips - this will be fun!

I ended up doing 10 laps of Trial Mountain, and it just got better. Handling is superb, and if you get out of shape you can bring it back together without too much drama. Unlike the unholy Spirra - I didn't get into spins or tank-slappers. Despite this being mid-engined, I didn't have too much trouble braking into corners without ABS.

Trial Mountain Sports Hard: 1:43.832
(for comparison - Spirra, 335bhp 1205Kg 491pp, Sports Hard: 1:45.06)

It did take me a couple of laps to get over the distraction of the sound. It makes a most peculiar noise - there is definitely pipe organ in the mix. I just could not get the idea of a 'Phantom of the Opera' Stig driving in a cape and half mask helmet out of my head.

Organ pipes for an exhaust

Sadly I have yet to tune one up, but in a fit of desparation to beat the Tsukuba 80s Japanese Seasonal, I got a second and tuned it down to 420pp with ballast and limiter. I painted this in "Smokin' Asphalt" and added black wheels, to go with the sinister church organ sound effects. I like it in the black, almost evil looking.

I did win the Seasonal event, taking a Honda Prelude on the very last corner (luckily no Cappuccino this time).

Another great Car of the Week: I liked this a lot. Looking forward to doing some tuning up - maybe a different exhaust stops it playing Toccata and Fugue in D minor as you work the gears.

 

[jedikeeper]

:tup:I love this thread

 

[Connoissuer]

Looks like a car straight out of Hot Wheels.

 

[iainn]