Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 108: New Hardware, New Builds

A few weeks ago, I received a completely new PC, and promptly installed Automation and Sea of Stars on it. The first time I booted up both games, the effect was obvious: both of them ran far faster and more smoothly, what with the new PC being even more powerful than the previous one. Not long afterwards, I heard that there would be a spiritual successor to the much-loved Cult of Personality II, but focused on the European market and running from 1945 to 2005. Unsurprisingly, I was quick to jump into the challenge.

This time, I created a new company - an Asian one, with Japanese and South Korean influences, - with the name of KAI, and I showcased one of its cars in each of the six rounds, as stipulated by the rules. Each one of the vehicles I submitted ended up being quite well-regarded, but special mention goes to the K180 Turbo, a small, light and agile rear-drive coupe powered by a turbocharged inline-four developing between 180 and 230 horsepower depending on market and trim level - all at a relatively low price. 

A modern classic in its own right - that's the K180 Turbo in a nutshell.

I submitted the K180 Turbo in the fourth round, and the host described it as "a modern classic in its own right", and for good reason: it became a cornerstone of the tuner culture, especially in the 2000s when seemingly every enthusiast worth their salt wanted to get their hands on them, just to unlock its full potential. But according to lore, as the tuner culture slowly died out later in the decade, stock examples became increasingly highly prized, and are now appreciating in value.

My penultimate submission for this challenge, the K3 RS-T, was also quite well-received. Yes, it was a lot more expensive, mainly because of it being designed as a Group A homologation special (as the lore stated), but with 20 more horsepower than a non-catalyzed K200 Turbo (an updated variant of the K180 Turbo with a larger engine), a six-speed manual gearbox and an AWD system, it was even faster still across the ground. Unsurprisingly, it became even more highly prized than the K180 or K200 ever were, as reflected in its rising second-hand prices (as stated in the fluff).

The K3 RS-T - more expensive than a K200 Turbo, but well worth it in hindsight.

And as my last submission for the challenge, I decided to come up with the K300 Turbo, a larger rear-drive sports car that replaced the K180 and K200. Specifically, I chose the facelifted 1997 model, not just to meet eligibility requirements, but also for its mechanical improvements. Predictably, it too was well-received, and marked a fitting conclusion to the saga. Interestingly, it was the only one of my submissions to be powered by a six-cylinder engine - specifically, a straight-six. I also created factory tuned versions of both the pre- and post-facelift K300, but it's the standard versions that I remember most fondly, for being genuinely good sports cars in base form.

A post-facelift 1997 K300 Turbo in an attractive metallic green.

Thus ended another one of my many lore-building exercises. But this was only the beginning of my Automation experience on the new machine - there would be a lot more to come in the months ahead.