Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 149: The Entrant That Wasn't

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 149: The Entrant That Wasn't

Although I entered the SVM Savant in CSR 154 recently, it wasn't my first attempt at an entry for that particular challenge. My first attempt at a build for that purpose was a RWD sedan of similar size (and in its initial form, with a smaller wheelbase) with a longitudinally mounted straight-six, in contrast to the Savant's FWD layout and V6 engine. However, the straight-six in question was not an overhead-valve unit, but a single-overhead-cam engine (albeit with only two valves per cylinder). The result was cheaper than the Savant (by $1500 AMU), but lagged behind in drivability and reliability - both of which were key judging criteria for CSR 154, which prompted me to opt for the Savant instead as my submission. However, after committing to the Savant, I realized that the unused idea it replaced was too good to waste, and adapted it for a stand-alone build - the 1984 KMA K4.

For this build, I set the model, trim, family, and variant years to 1984, since I realized that the body set it was based on may be a bit too futuristic for 1980. Also, the engine was a dual-overhead-cam unit with four valves per cylinder - a setup that was becoming more common as the decade progressed. This was a more expensive option compared to the original SOHC unit (hence the car's higher price of $19,500 AMU as shown in the markets tab), but yielded a more powerful (180bhp) and efficient engine (23.8 US mpg combined, as shown on the trim statistics table). The rest of the car remained mostly unchanged, except for a slightly revised front end.

This is the 1984 KMA K4 in its current form, powered by a 3.0L twin-cam 24-valve straight six. Originally it was intended for CSR154, but that plan was axed on reliability grounds.

In its current state, the K4 platform has plenty of potential; a higher-spec trim, possibly a high-performance one, could utilize a larger, more highly tuned straight-six, or even a V8. Lesser trims, on the other hand, could use a smaller, less highly strung version of the six-cylinder engine. This could open the door to the K4 line being extended to encompass a whole range of mid-size executive cars, catering to a wider variety of buyers and budgets.

Overall, I enjoyed adapting this build for a stand-alone car after regrettably rejecting it for CSR154, before salvaging and improving it as I saw fit. Also, since tomorrow is Easter Sunday, I have two words on which to end this post: Happy Easter!