Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 147: Brick Blaster

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 147: Brick Blaster

As promised in the previous post, I have chosen to show off another recent build for a forum challenge. This time, however, instead of a sports car or even a supercar, it's something much slower - and cheaper. To that end, here is the 1980 SVM Savant, shown here in 3.0 trim.

The SVM Savant is a slow but comfortable and reliable land barge, albeit a downsized one.

For this build, I settled on a transversely mounted, all-iron, overhead-valve, 90-degree V6 engine with multipoint electronic fuel injection, sending 115 horsepower to the front wheels via a 3-speed automatic transmission. Suspension is fully independent at all four wheels (struts up front and semi-trailing arms at the back). Brakes are solid discs up front and drums at the rear. As for the interior, it's a premium-grade unit with a premium stereo and cassette tape player. All told, the Savant had an estimated price of $16,500 AMU (as shown in the markets section of the in-game overview tab).

Who cares about a lack of power when you're isolated from all the troubles of the outside world?

I did not make a detailed interior for this build, but the rules of CSR 154 didn't require me to do so.  However, I could still give it a 3D interior if I wanted to. In addition to the 3.0 trim shown above, I also made a decontented version of the Savant, powered by a 2.5L straight-four developing 90 horsepower, and with the interior and entertainment downgraded to standard spec, with narrower steel wheels in place of the original's alloy items. The resulting trim is cheaper, at just $13,000 AMU, but I felt it was too bare-bones for the requirements of the challenge.

All in all, in contrast to the two mid-engined supercars shown in the previous post in this series, the SVM Savant makes for a nice contrast - and a fitting change of pace that's focused purely on comfort and drivability over sportiness and performance.