Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 199: Junior Sports Showdown

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 199: Junior Sports Showdown

Now that QFC55 has finally concluded, I would like to tell you about how it went down - if you want a more detailed explanation about the backstory, rule set, and results, just click on the link above. As for my actual hosting experience, let's just say that it went down very well indeed - I got all the results out on time. And part from a minor mix-up regarding the deadline announcement (which I quickly rectified), there were no mishaps. But I received 27 entries (mainly due to how popular the rule set was with other users) this time, so I had to sort them into three groups of nine, as shown below.

Above, from top: The 27 entries I received in QFC55 were split into three groups of nine cars each - but I had to choose exactly one car from each of these groups to examine further in the final round of judging.

It did not take me long to pick a winner from each group after examining each entry's pros and cons. The top three therefore consisted of the Nanahoshi ReViZe, Zephorus Amida V6, and Tevian Tyros. The ReVize was the sportiest, thanks to a manual transmission, but also the most expensive, and trailed the other three finalists in drivability. The Amida was the best-looking and had the most powerful engine, but was also the heaviest, and its advanced automatic transmission compromised its sportiness score. That left the Tyros, which had the least powerful engine, but was the lightest, and struck the best balance between usability and excitement.

Above: The top three from each group gathered together for judging of the final round - from left to right, in the order I placed them.

The Tyros' substantially greater efficiency also helped it seal the win, especially considering that it was also the least reliable of the three (though not by much). And while it couldn't match the Amida for sheer drama, it wasn't a bad-looking car either.

Above, from top: The Tevian Tyros as submitted to me for QFC55, which it won. Other exterior colors are available, but this bright blue is my favorite.

And so I can proclaim that my latest attempt at hosting a QFC was a smashing success. The next post will be about something that's as crazy as it is unusual - so stay tuned for that one!