Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 275: The Fourth Crusade

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 275: The Fourth Crusade

I was initially happy with my reimagining of the 1992 AAA Crusader (built on the '92 Evade with a 2.53m wheelbase) for the Al-Rilma update, until I realized that I could do even better on a different body set (specifically, the '87 Bossa Nova in front-engined configuration with a 2.4m wheelbase), so here it is:

Above, from top: If the AAA Crusader of the 1990s was based on the '87 Bossa Nova in front-engined configuration with a 2.4m wheelbase instead of the '92 Evade (2.53m wheelbase), this would've been the result. It's cheaper and simpler, but no less alluring. If anything, it may be an even more attractive proposition than the larger, heavier previous version.

Admittedly, the Bossa Nova is quite awkward to work with due to a lack of vertical engine bay space, and the limited number of morphing zones don't help, either. I did a better job than expected with it, though, and the result is a much leaner, meaner offering (320 horsepower and 325 foot-pounds of torque from a 5.0-liter all-alloy overhead-valve V8 with a 7000-rpm redline, hooked up to a 6-speed manual transmission, and all wrapped up in a galvanized steel body/chassis with alloy hood and doors for a lean 1285-kg kerb weight, distributed evenly across both axles) with a fully detailed interior (a personal first for this body set). The result is a 175-mph top speed and a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds - very quick for 1992, and enough to trade blows with actual supercars of the era in the hands of a skilled driver, even on a challenging road or race track.

In addition to this, race-bred suspension (dual-wishbone front and a multilink rear) and brakes (13-inch 2-piston vented discs up front and 12-inch 1-piston vented discs at the rear, with ABS assistance for both axles), combined with 17-inch forged wheels wrapped in high-performance tires (225/45ZR17 front and rear), provide a blend of class-leading ride, handling, steering, and braking when combined with variable-ratio hydraulic power steering. And even with a premium interior and CD/cassette stereo sound system, along with dual front airbags and switchable traction control, it's still very affordable for its time, with a base price of $30,000 AMU in 1992 - which would've made it an incredible bargain.

In short, this build took a lot of work to get right on the outside (primarily due to its 1.7m width and 4.0-meter length that almost messed up the proportions of the exterior - until I chose the front-end design shown above), but was much easier to finish on the inside, especially engineering-wise, and shows that even a relatively awkward body set like the Bossa Nova can still yield decent results at the very least if you know what you're doing.

Update 1 (2:30 pm, UTC+7, November 7th, 2026): I tried shrinking the wheel diameter at both axles to 16 inches (instead of 17 inches), and made the front brake discs an inch (25.4mm) smaller in diameter, in addition to moving the weight distribution as far aft as possible (49% front/ 51% rear) with the leftover budget, creating a separate trim to accommodate these changes. The result looks like this:

Above: A 16-inch wheel fitment on the reimagined Crusader IV actually looks even better than a 17-inch one - in addition to increasing the tire profile from 45 to 50, it also saves 5kg when combined with the decrease in front brake rotor diameter from 13 inches to 12.

The result is a more lighter (by 5kg) and more comfortable car (in terms of ride quality) that still retains its ability to provide big thrills for a relatively low price -  a combination few can resist.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 274: Reflections of Redemption

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 274: Reflections of Redemption

I will be off to Shanghai tomorrow, and spend a few days there before heading to Beijing for a few more days after that, before finally returning home, so I won't be able to continue this series while I'm away. Until then, enjoy this four-wheeled story of redemption, courtesy of a fellow Automationeer:

Above: A fellow Automationeer provided me with a link to one of his cars, but after I downloaded it, I found it to be such a mess that I cloned the car and its engine at once to ensure that it would undergo a total transformation for the sake of realism - and performance.

Long story short: In this post on one of the countless threads in the Discourse car design subforums, I found a download link to a car (which in this case was the 2007 GCX Reflection) that looked unassuming on the outside, but according to my assumption, had a lot of hidden potential on the inside. Unfortunately, whoever created it had disregarded realism to such an extent that there was too much wrong with it for me to simply clone the trim and variant, revise the new trim/variant combination and call it a day; instead, I did a full clone (which involved creating a new model alongside a new engine family) and, after some tinkering on the exterior and mechanicals, ended up with the Redemption trim shown above. You can find out more about it by clicking on the following link to this post.

In short, the Reflection was a textbook case of "caveat emptor" in that the product I got didn't look too bad initially, but neeeded so much work on the inside that a near total reimagining of its running gear and powertrain was virtually a necessity to make it viable. To be fair, I didn't need to create a high-performance variant of it, but my heart preferred that I make one, so I took the plunge and wound up being more satisfied by the resulting tale of... erm, redemption, than I had ever expected.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 273: Jekyll and Hyde

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 273: Jekyll and Hyde

Creating a hardcore track-focused variant of the all-alloy Loryx Lynx (whose larger, all-steel alternate universe self turned out to be too heavy for the task, but not by as much as you'd think) might have seemed like a no-brainer, but given that the donor car was already quite light due to its all-aluminum construction, I had to make the engine lighter. To that end, it received individual throttle bodies and a high-flow exhaust with longer tubular headers, a high-flow catalytic converter, and a pair of straight-through mufflers, thus yielding 425 horsepower and 380 foot-pounds of torque - 50 and 30 more, respectively, than the base model. In addition, the redline was now 500 rpm higher, thanks to lighter forged internals. An increased compression ratio and cam profile also helped, but it still produced the bulk of its torque in the middle of the rev range, which kept it highly tractable even at lower speeds.

All this power would've been useless without some chassis tweaks to more easily harness it. This included lowered, stiffened suspension (without sacrificing too much comfort, even with a ride height 15mm lower), larger wheels and brakes (18 inches front and rear for the former, and a 1-inch increase in diameter for the latter, with more aggressive pads to boot), and a staggered tire fitment in place of the square fitment of the base model (245/40ZR18 up front and 285/35ZR18 at the rear, instead of 245/45ZR17 at both axles). Further weight savings were achieved with the use of a lightweight sports interior in place of the premium fittings of the donor car. Finally, downforce levels were increased and a few extra air intakes were placed up front for better cooling - a necessity for prolonged track driving or even fast road use.

The resulting car demands more respect from its driver compared to the standard version, but is even more rewarding when driven on (or closer to) the limit, especially on track. Its more uncompromising nature is reflected in a 0-60 mph time that's at least 0.2 seconds faster, with 5-6 mph of extra top speed. It also has even more grip and braking power (both of which are as useful on the road as they are at the track), but is less well-suited to being an everyday proposition as a result. It does, however, retain enough space for a roll cage if the owner wishes to fit one.

Above, from top: Trading some of the base model's creature comforts (and 80kg of its weight) for 50 extra horsepower and a more track-focused suspension, brakes, and wheel/tire fitment has made the '95 Loryx Lynx 5.0 GTS (solid blue) even more focused than the GT - but it's still a looker from every angle.

In short, it may not be for everyone, but those who prefer something more focused would be better served by the sharper GTS than the regular GT, which was no slouch itself. However, the GTS has an easier time leveraging its performance-oriented aesthetics, marketing and focus to deliver a take-no-prisoners driving experience for anyone who can handle its more race-bred performance and feel.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 272: A Fiercer Feline

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 272: A Fiercer Feline

Seeing as this post will be released on Halloween, I have decided to describe a more extreme (and scarier) version of the long-tailed, all-steel Loryx Lynx GT shown in the previous post, this time bearing the LM suffix. Here it is:

Above, from top: Turning the Loryx Lynx (in its definitive all-steel, long-tailed guise) into a fierce track monster didn't just involve fitting a more highly tuned engine, lower and stiffer suspension, wider tires/wheels, and bigger brakes - I had to cut out a lot of weight (almost 200kg of it, in fact) and crank up the downforce as much as possible, with subtle but distinct exterior changes (and an all-Alcantara/carbon-fiber interior) to reflect this.

The end result is no longer a grand tourer with a secondary role of being a sports car; instead, it's an uncompromising out-and-out supercar, with 480 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque (up 105 and 50, respectively, on the original) thanks to individual throttle bodies, lightweight internals, long-tube headers, straight-through mufflers, high-flow catalytic converters, and individual throttle bodies breathing through high-performance intakes. This cuts 0.4 seconds from the 0-60 mph time (4.3 vs. 4.7 seconds) and adds 13 mph (196 vs. 183 mph) to its top speed.

It handles a lot better and stops much sooner, too, thanks to wider tires/wheels (265/40ZR18 front and 305/35ZR18 rear) and brake discs that are an inch larger in diameter at both axles. In addition, the spring/damper and anti-roll bar stiffness have been increased accordingly, and the ride height is 10mm lower. The trade-off for such uncompromising body control, however, is a stiffer ride, but this isn't a problem for its intended demographic, which would rather have preferred a more visceral experience in place of the gentler, more cossetting one found in the donor car. They'll also have had to pay a lot more for the privilege ($60,000 AMU - a 50% increase over the stock variant) - but at least they would've gotten their money's worth.

In short, the Lynx LM would've been a textbook example of an aftermarket package done right - one that takes no prisoners and requires a lot more skill and bravery to extract its full potential (lest you get bitten - hard!), but better equipped to face actual supercars from the era. It may not be for the faint of heart, but it's much more rewarding for those who can handle it.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 271: A More Realistic Lynx

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 271: A More Realistic Lynx

After testing multiple proposals for the Loryx Lynx, I came to the conclusion that the stubby, short-tailed, and aluminum-bodied original design, as innovative and light as it was, wouldn't quite be as realistic of a production proposition in the real world as I thought it would. So, I cloned the long-tailed, long-nosed version of it, gave it all-steel construction (high-strength steel for the chassis with treated outer panels), and downgraded to the premium interior/sound system and square-fitment 245mm-wide tires (with 17-inch forged wheels) found in the original, to get the best of both worlds. In addition, I reverted to the 375-horsepower version of the Lynx's V8 and tweaked the mechanicals accordingly. Finally, I dialed back the quality usage slightly to cut the price to a more affordable $40,000 AMU instead of the $50k or even $60k that some proposals had. The resulting car not only had a shorter engineering time (at 110 compared to the 120 or more found in the other proposals), but had lower service and production unit costs.

Above, from top: In scaling back the price of the Loryx Lynx to $40,000 AMU, I had to make some compromises, but not too many of them - and they weren't as detrimental as I'd feared. The long-tailed, long-nosed, Coke-bottle notchback proposal actually looks even better than the shorter fastback original - especially with widened fenders to allow for a wider track.

This larger (4.61m long by 1.87m wide) and heavier (1500kg) body, despite (or due to) its longer overhangs, would've been even more suitable for production - and functional, too, considering that a longer body is more aerodynamically efficient than a shorter one, assuming everything else stays the same. It's also more practical, since the long-tailed version has a larger, more capacious trunk. Finally, its revised proportions (especially in side profile) remind me of the now-obsolete Morton Kestrel that I made as my first car in any UE4 Automation game build (4.17, if you're wondering - we're on 4.27 now, and nothing from earlier UE4 releases can be carried over into that one), or rather, a predecessor to it.

Above, from top: It was inevitable that the premium interior of the original Lynx had to be retained virtually as-is on this cheaper, more realistic build, rear luggage parcel shelf and all.

In short, while not quite as capable or prestigious as any of my earlier proposals for the Loryx Lynx, this more affordable version almost matches them for pure performance, and is a far more realistic and affordable production proposition - while still retaining the elegance and comfort the Lynx is known for. However, the short-tailed version is too good for me to let go of, and I could use its proportions for a limited-run coachbuilt special based on the Lynx, if I indeed feel like making such a thing.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 270: A Matter of Proportions

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 270: A Matter of Proportions

With the Loryx Lynx's design and engineering finalized, I decided to compare it with my only other fully detailed 3D roof fixture build, the Trieste GT from an aesthetic standpoint - specifically, their proportions.

Above, from top: A side-by-side comparison of the Loryx Lynx and Trieste GT from three angles (side, front, and rear, respectively).

Glancing at both designs from the side, their short-tailed, long-nosed profiles (which resemble fastback coupes from the side, although they are still notchback coupes in-game, rather than liftbacks) are exactly what big, powerful front-engined, rear-drive sports cars and grand tourers need. However, the Lynx is 8cm shorter than the Trieste (4.45m vs. 4.53m), mainly due to the former having its front and rear overhang morphing zones at their shortest settings (as far inward as possible), with both the upper and lower front bumper morphing zones at 50% of their respective maximum lengths. The Trieste GT, on the other hand, has a wheelbase that is 16cm longer, and front and rear overhangs at their longest settings (as far outward as possible), but is considerably wider (around 10-12cm), due to its body width morphing zone being given the widest possible setting.

A closer inspection at their underlying body sets reveals that while the '96 Kompact (which underpins the Trieste GT) has a wider track (thus allowing for the fitment of wider tires at both axles) and shorter overhangs (yielding less weight and more drivability), the '92 Evade (on which the Loryx Lynx is based) has a wider engine bay. This gives the Kompact a squarer footprint compared to a similarly sized Evade. Also, the latter has fewer body types than the former, but I've been perfectly content with those, whereas the plethora of body styles on the Kompact can be confusing at first. Finally, the Evade, unlike the Kompact, has additional variants besides 2-door sports cars in various sizes; it has sedan, wagon, and even minivan variants in a multitude of wheelbases (none of which are shared with the sports car variants).

To conclude this post, here's what the original Lynx looks like compared to a long-tailed, wide-bodied version of itself:

Above, from top: A long-tailed Loryx Lynx wouldn't just have been longer, but also wider (if its front and rear fender morphing zones were at their widest settings), and would've lost its pert, fastback profile in favor of a longer-nosed notchback one that, in some ways, would've been even more graceful and aerodynamically efficient - but at the expense of being heavier, with a larger footprint and higher polar moment of inertia, although it would've also allowed for more storage space at the rear.

In short, with or without lengthened overhangs and/or widened fenders, the Lynx represents a refinement of my skills in combining fully detailed interiors with 3D roof fixtures - it took me dozens of attempts to get right, but it was even more rewarding than with the Trieste GT that represented my first foray into this Automation design technique. In fact, the short- and long-tailed proposals for it have left me with a dilemma as to which one(s) I should canonize - one possibility is to make the long-tailed version the base model and have the short-tailed one form the basis of a coachbuilt special, or vice versa. Either option would be preferable to keeping only one design while rejecting the other.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 269: A Lazier Lynx

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 269: A Lazier Lynx

Having added Beam cameras to the full-fat, all-steel, 450-horsepower version of the Loryx Lynx, I decided to create a lesser trim of it, with a more luxury-orientated focus. To that end, I swapped the individual throttle bodies and long-tube headers of that variant's engine with a compact single-throttle intake and compact cast-iron headers, as well as a shortened stroke for 4.0 liters instead of 5.0 as had been previously used. Also, to ensure its positioning as a grand tourer, I fitted a 5-speed advanced automatic transmission and viscous LSD in place of the 6-speed manual gearbox and helical LSD I'd fitted previously. Finally, along with higher-profile medium-compound tires surrounding smaller cast-alloy wheels (with a profile of 225/50ZR17 at each axle for the former) the brakes and suspension were softened up (smaller single-piston discs for the former, milder spring/damper and anti-roll bar rates for the latter, along with adaptive dampers and air springs for the latter), and a 2+2 interior was fitted to capture the highly lucrative Grand Touring demographic.

Above, from top: If the all-steel alternate-universe Loryx Lynx 5.0 GTS was derived from a softer base model, I would've based it on this, the GT 4.0 - except I made this 2+2 after the harder-edged two-seater variant, rather than vice versa.

The end result is more of a luxury coupe with sportiness on the side, rather than vice versa as the 5.0 was, but it can still reach 60 mph from a dead stop in 5.8 seconds and top out at over 165 mph given enough room. Even so, its softer side is dominant in this trim level, so it may not take as kindly to being pushed too hard. On the other hand, it's better suited to daily use, and would be more in its element when driven gently over road trips spanning hundreds or even thousands of miles. Apart from narrower fenders due to not being as dependent on a widened track for stability, however, exterior changes are minimal, amounting to different badging, a different scoop fixture, and a single exhaust pipe instead of a pair on each side.

In short, this hypothetical softer base model may be a gentler proposition (on the eye and the senses) than the flagship, but it's still capable of drawing a crowd for all the right reasons. Also, both it and the 5.0 have a pair of hidden Beam export cameras - a handy tool for BeamNG testing if necessary.