Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 36: Untouchable

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 36: Untouchable

CSR70 is likely to be one of those competitions I will remember for a very long time, and for the right reasons. For starters, its rule set, despite a somewhat eccentric backstory, was very open to interpretation. Moreover, the entry list contained an incredibly diverse array of cars, including several wildcard entries. Finally, when I was developing my submission for this round, I found the build to be more enjoyable than it was in the last few rounds in which I participated.

As for the premise, it was quite simple and to the point, but there was much more leeway than the rules suggested. A shady getaway driver, known only as "S", wanted a car that could easily blend in with traffic and still have decent performance, while also having enough space to carry his friends and all of their gear. It also had to be popular enough in Fruinia; S didn't want a product whose manufacturer had a poor reputation. And he had just $18,000 (not including markups) to spend on his next car, which didn't seem like a lot.

After double-checking the rule set, I set about building my entry. It did not take me very long to realize that offering the client a big, bulky van, though possible and even desirable, would not actually be necessary. So I chose to build a small, light yet efficient wagon, and thus the DiMarino Cuneo Turbo was born.

Need a dose of performance and handling to go with your practical daily driver? Then the Cuneo Turbo is for you.

I deliberately tuned the Cuneo Turbo to be very sporty on the handling front, given that the getaway car had to be as nimble as it was fast. The fact that I chose a body with nearly 50/50 weight distribution helped massively, although I had to use staggered tire fitments to avoid excessive oversteer. Another factor was my choice of engine: an undersquare turbocharged inline-four developing just over 200 horsepower - enough to give it the straight-line thrust necessary for a clean getaway from a standing start. And with so little weight over its nose, it was little wonder the Cuneo Turbo could turn on a dime.

Time went by and as other entrants submitted their vehicles for judging, I began to question whether or not my strategy of prioritizing maneuverability and light weight over sheer speed and size was the right one. Sure enough, many of the entries in this round were indeed big, bulky vans or SUVs, designed with practicality in mind. There were also a few wildcard entries as well, but I remained confident as the deadline approached.

Eventually the first round of judging began, and I was delighted to see my entry make the cut with ease. As for the ones that didn't, either they could not keep up with the opposition, weren't safe enough, or both. Just ten entries were left by the time the next round of judging began, and partway through it was whittled down to five. Ultimately, the Cuneo Turbo finished fourth - it was fast, but not fast enough - but I held my held high knowing that I had beaten quite a lot of faster, safer and/or more practical entries.

The top two candidates for a getaway car - the Excelsior Pulmino Veloce (top) and the Evgenis Valkyrie 2.0T XLine (bottom)

The final decision was a close one indeed. The Evgenis Valkyrie 2.0T XLine made a strong case for itself with solid performance, excellent economy and was highly competitive in the Fruinian market, with decent off-road capability to boot. Only its lack of cargo space and capacity held it back. In the end, the winning entry was the Excelsior Pulmino Veloce. This blue minivan was incredibly fast and agile, yet surprisingly economical for something of its type. Combine that with its very high level of competitiveness in Fruinia, and you've got a winner.

And so yet another enthralling round of CSR comes to an end. Stay tuned for my next post.