Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 112: Quick Fired Up

 Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 112: Quick Fired Up

The recent debut of the Quick Fire Challenge on the Automation Discourse forums was a breath of fresh air. This was primarily due to it being similar to the long-running CSR, but with one important difference: reviews for each entrant were limited to 140 words (plus one picture at most), and each round would have a submission period lasting 7 to 10 days, with hosts having a similar amount of time to judge all entries. In addition, creating a fully detailed interior was optional - this feature would never be judged. All in all, it seemed like the makings of a beginner-friendly CSR alternative - and so it proved to be exactly that.

For the first QFC, the brief called for a lightweight and (relatively) affordable sports car from the second half of the 1990s. Intent on fulfilling it, I submitted a small front-engined, rear-wheel-drive coupe - the AMS Shadowcrow. It was not a completely new design - I cloned an existing model and created a new engine (an all-alloy normally aspirated straight-six with a maximum capacity of 3.0 liters) to suit - but I revised the exterior styling to make it more period-correct.

The AMS Shadowcrow line around the time of submission of QFC1. The trims are as follows: 3.0 (blue, top left), 3.0 Lightweight (yellow, top right), 3.0 Premium (center, red), 2.8 (bottom left, purple) and 2.5 (bottom right, green). The standard 3.0 was the only trim I submitted for the first QFC.

The Shadowcrow finished a honorable third in QFC1 for offering plenty of performance for its price and having sleek, distinctive exterior styling. Keen to ride the momentum from my successful QFC debut, I set about developing an entry for the next round shortly after it was announced. This time, it would be about mid-1970s luxury cars, and I designed the AMS Starjet to fulfill that brief.

The AMS Starjet as originally submitted for QFC2.

For a car aimed at the luxury segment, the Starjet had a few cost-saving measures, such as strut front suspension and a six-cylinder engine instead of the expected V8 or V12. However, the engine was smooth and efficient, with a decent amount of torque throughout the rev range. Even so, the Starjet wasn't very fast, but given its positioning, it didn't need to be. Again, I finished third (of eight entrants, whereas the first QFC had dozens of entries), but this time neither of the top two entrants for this round were able to host the next one, giving me a chance to take the reins - and I did just that.

The third QFC was about mid-2000s muscle and pony cars. I decided on this theme after building a few test mules to examine the viability of such a premise. I received 17 entries by the time the deadline was reached, and true to my promises, I kept the reviews for each of them as clear and concise as I had wanted them to be. There were quite a few duds, but eventually I discovered that there were several top contenders. After some deliberation, I decided on the Contester Five-Six as the winner of QFC 3, and prepared for the next one.

The Contester Five-Six - the winner of QFC 3, and deservedly so.

QFC 4 was a nice change of pace compared to its predecessor - the brief was now about making premium SUVs for the 2015 model year, with the added requirement of three rows of seats. This time I went all out with the KST KX8 3.0 - an 8-seater luxury SUV with all the standard equipment anyone could ask for, and powered by a turbocharged 3-liter straight-six engine, this time with a different bore/stroke ratio and advanced alloys (an aluminum/silicon mix instead of a simpler pure aluminum alloy) for the block and heads.

The KST KX8 as entered in QFC 4.

The only reason why such a luxurious vehicle could be entered was because of the very high budget cap, one that was based solely on approximate cost - there was no limit on production unit and engineering time values for the trim and/or engine. Of course, such a large, lavishly equipped vehicle would never be cheap or light - it weighed 2.3 metric tons and cost $60k AMU (the highest price permitted by the rules of this particular round) - but then again, a heavier car is not necessarily inferior in the context of QFC 4, nor is a more expensive one in general (as long as it offers enough extra capability over a less expensive one).

On the subject of price, I had also planned a cheaper entry with an identical seating configuration, but powered by a larger naturally aspirated overhead-valve V8 and built on a ladder frame instead of unitary construction, with a cheaper premium interior/infotainment suite instead of a full luxury set. However, it proved to be less viable in terms of raw stats, and as such I chose not to enter it. Ultimately, my decision to aim for the top end of the market for QFC 4 was vindicated; although it did not win, my entry acquitted itself well, with the exterior styling being one of its strong points.

All in all, the first few rounds of QFC have proven that this new series of challenges has a unique appeal - relatively simple rule sets and quick turnarounds - that makes it stand out. Here's hoping that it carries on for a long time and remains as enjoyable as it was upon its debut.