50 Years of the NMI Arrowhead: A History Lesson

50 Years of the NMI Arrowhead: A History Lesson

This post explores the 50-year history of the NMI Arrowhead, a fictional muscle car which has been in continuous production since 1968 in various guises. Among the many branded cars I have created in Automation, the Arrowhead holds a special place in my heart because it is the only model to be entered in CSR multiple times, albeit using different generations each time (with CSR 37 and 51 being contested by a fourth- and first-generation Arrowhead respectively). So without further ado, here is a brief rundown on each of the seven generations of this iconic pony car thus far. For the sake of simplicity, only the most significant new variants (not counting facelifts) will be featured here.

When National Motor Industries launched the Arrowhead in 1968, the public was stunned. For here was a pony car with a raft of advanced features for the class, such as independent rear suspension and 4-wheel disc brakes. Of course, any muscle car worth its salt needed a big, powerful V8, and the Arrowhead's displaced a whopping 7.5 litres - more than what the Big Three offered in their competitors. The result was an unqualified sales hit that would go on to terrorize the opposition for the next six years.

The Original Arrowhead: over-engined and all the better for it.

1974 saw a radical redesign, with a longer, sleeker wedge-shaped body incorporating pop-up headlights; however, the combination of catalytic converters and unleaded fuel resulted in a significant power decrease. Nevertheless, the Arrowhead II was hailed as one of the last bastions of the true muscle car at a time when they were few and far between. In a world where the Big Three had either neutered their pony car offerings or axed them entirely, NMI had the segment almost to itself. But once again, changing tastes meant that the Arrowhead II only lasted six years on the market before a new model arrived.

Longer, sleeker and sharper - that's the Arrowhead II in a nutshell.

In 1980, the Arrowhead III was released. This generation was the first to abandon the strut front/semi-trailing arm rear suspension configuration of its forebears for double A-arms all around for improved ride comfort and handling. Its angular shape was made of corrosion-resistant steel, but concealed a mildly reworked big-block engine with three small carburetors (as opposed to two large ones) that did not deliver much more power than the previous version. So, after just six years on the market, NMI embarked on yet another redesign, hoping to maintain the model's relevance in the marketplace.

Who needs curves when straight lines look this good?

The new-for-'87 Arrowhead IV introduced NMI's lighter small-block V8 to the lineup. Again, the power increase was slight, but the fitment of electronic fuel injection with individual throttle bodies dramatically improved throttle response compared to the previous model. Most obviously of all, the faceted shape of its predecessor was replaced with a much more curvaceous and aerodynamic profile. The resulting car was once again a best-seller for several years, ultimately becoming a favorite of weekend racers and highway patrol officers, the latter having been sufficiently convinced by the Arrowhead's reliability, affordability and performance to order them in large quantities for rapid response duties.

...actually, you do, and so does the Arrowhead.

After the introduction of the larger, sleeker and more aerodynamic Arrowhead V in 1993 (to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the original Arrowhead's launch) it was immediately apparent that NMI was keen on ensuring that this long-lived icon would be the best pony car on the market. Now running on premium unleaded, the 5.7L V8 developed over 300 bhp for the first time, with a less powerful 5.0L V8 also being offered, but only on the base model. It was heavier, too, but on the other hand, it was more comfortable than its forebears. In addition to new multi-link rear suspension and a Torsen LSD, the new model had an airbag for the driver and front passenger, while a six-speed manual became standard 18 months after launch.

The V stands for "velocity". That is all.

For 2003, the Arrowhead underwent a retro restyle, with styling cues that harked back to the original 1968-73 Arrowhead. Powered by an all-new all-alloy pushrod V8, this 400-horsepower muscle car was more than a match for the best imports - and much cheaper to boot. It was the first Arrowhead to be offered with sat-nav, either as standard fitment or as an option. From 2009, the flagship V8 trim was powered by a 6.2L V8, replacing the 6.0L unit used previously.

The '03 Arrowhead VI: Retro rocks!

After a decade in production, the retro craze had run its course, and the 2013 redesign brought sleeker, Euro-inspired styling, with a heavier use of alloy panels to minimize weight gain. This seventh-generation car had more standard equipment than ever before, but what really mattered was what lay under the hood: a 6.3L direct-injected V8 with variable valve timing and individual throttle bodies, a feature first used on the Arrowhead IV. 19-inch wheels wrapped in 265-section tires helped transmit all that power to the ground with minimal fuss via a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic, both of which had automatic rev matching (although only the latter came with a pair of paddles). In short, while it was now more of a budget GT than its illustrious predecessors, it was still a true sports car at its core.

Leaner, meaner and greener (both figuratively and literally): the Arrowhead is back... with a vengeance!

So there you have it: the entire history of an all-American motoring icon, from the over-engined original to today's sophisticated all-conquering machine. But what does the future hold for the Arrowhead? Certainly the new model needs to be even faster and more efficient than the current one, and just as agile in the corners. Even so, a redesign is some way off in the future; until then, enjoy the Arrowhead while you still can!

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 20: Anikatian Taxis

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 20: Anikatian Taxis

CSR48 set new standards in story-writing and real-world relevance. In a nutshell, it was another period piece, and the winners of this round nailed the brief for it better than the opposition. So, without further ado, here is how it unfolded. This time, however, I will cut to the chase and briefly summarize CSR, without too many frills in the write-up.

CSR48 brought back pleasant memories for me; it had echoes of CSR27, in which the task was to submit a police cruiser for a small city's police department as a replacement for their existing fleet. To that end, CSR48 had a similar premise, except that instead of a police department, a national taxi company was requesting new vehicles for the 2001 model year. Given that the company in question was located in the newly democratic fictional country of Anikatia, the cars not only had to be durable, but also highly affordable. And with the fleet split into three divisions (general-purpose cars, large vans with more seats, and upmarket deluxe taxis), finding a business plan would possibly be more challenging than expected.

I wasted no time creating an entry, and true to form, threw the kitchen sink at it by giving it a direct-injected turbocharged engine with a water-to-air intercooler. The resulting car, the Fleet Industries Wayfarer, was a whopping 15 years ahead of its time, with its emphasis on downsizing and economy. It was cheap, too, but would it be enough?

The Wayfarer - the future of fleet vehicles? Not quite.

As it turned out, it wasn't. It was immediately rejected during the first round of cuts for being too complex in a round focused on mechanical simplicity. However, many other promising entries suffered the same fate, either for this reason alone, or for simply being too expensive, or both. Likewise, anything that wasn't comfortable enough for its business plan ended up being given the cold shoulder. By the end of the first round of cuts, just ten entries were left, but the elimination process had only just begun - and it would get even tougher from there.

The vans that didn't quite make it: the Curtis and TV1 SF-8

Of these, just three cars were deemed worthy of being suitable replacements for the national fleet; the rest were not quite as comfortable and/or affordable long-term as the fleet manager had hoped. This left a trio of vans, all of which were spacious enough to replace every regular and jumbo taxi in the fleet, along with most of the deluxe taxis. In the end, after a long, agonizing decision, the Ouarzazate (named after a Moroccan city) was declared the winner, but only just; the Curtis was more comfortable (although it was more expensive in the long run) and the TV1 SF-8 more advanced (but not too advanced). The Ouarzazate was so well-rounded in all aspects that the opposition hardly stood a chance.

The Ouarzazate - Cheap, efficient, reliable and spacious enough to be the new mainstay of the Anikatian taxi fleet.

Thus ended one of the few fleet-themed rounds in the history of CSR. But the next three rounds, also period pieces, would raise the bar even higher in all respects... A summary of those, however, will have to wait until my next post.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 19: How To Have Fun With 35 Grand, Part 1

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 19: How To Have Fun With 35 Grand, Part 1

Recently, Automationeers like us have reached a consensus that a post-markup price of $35,000 is the threshold at which a car can no longer be considered affordable. With this in mind, the creators of CSR have launched a new challenge which aims to discover how this modest budget can be utilized. Specifically, any cars entered in this highly open competition would require a trim year between 2013 and 2018 (as well as being currently on sale), have between 2 and 5 seats, not be a delivery or cargo vehicle (it was agreed beforehand that the car had to be competitive in at least one of several performance segments), and retail for between $17000 and $25000 without markups. In addition, it had to record a standing-start lap around either the Green Hell or Airfield Track faster than 8:30 and 1:25, respectively, and require premium unleaded petrol at most.

For the sake of sensibility, production units and engineering time for the engine and trim were all capped at 100 each, except for trim production units, which were raised to 150. The regulations also stipulated a maximum tyre profile of 35 at zero (in other words, normal) quality, a safety rating of >45 and a loudness rating of <60, as well as a maximum fuel consumption figure of <14L/100km, and no fiberglass bodywork, thus ensuring that each entry would have some semblance of civility in daily driving conditions. Also, each user could send only one car per company, and the presence of any sort of lore for the latter was highly recommended, though not actually required. Finally, all cars would undergo extensive road and track testing at a variety of venues.

Having read the rules and double-checked them, I set about building an entry. Contrary to expectations, I put light weight ahead of raw power, and to that end built a small mid-engined sports coupe with an all-alloy structure and engine. The resulting car, the Albury CMS-20, was powered by the most common performance car powerplant of the current era - a turbocharged 2.0-litre straight-four. However, it had been fettled and fine-tuned to deliver 300 horsepower, sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential.

Albury CMS-20T: An Australian Lightweight with a Turbo Punch

Given that Albury Motors, which has a performance car heritage stretching for a half-century, is an Australian manufacturer best known for front-engined, rear-drive, V8-powered muscle cars, the CMS-20 was a pleasant surprise. Lore-wise, however, it was a logical decision considering that, by 2017, it had been several years since its predecessor was axed. But I was not content with entering just one car, and I had to change my approach for my other entry. Ironically, it would turn out to be very similar in ethos to the rear-drive V8 beasts Albury is best known for.

Thus the Harris Nimrod 5.0 Coupe, assembled in Northamptonshire, England, was born, and it couldn't be more different from the Albury. With a normally-aspirated V8 up front driving the rear wheels (again via a six-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential) it had a more brutish character, but with four seats and a suitably sized trunk. It was also heavier, but had 50% more power.

Harris Nimrod 5.0 Coupe: Big, Bold, British and Brutally Fast

The most surprising thing about it was that it could reach an incredibly high top speed, considering its weight - it could reach over 190 mph given enough room. And while the Albury was more than 25% cheaper than the Harris, it was nowhere near as practical. As such, unlike the Harris, it was strictly a weekend track toy rather than a daily driver. Nevertheless, they were designed to be highly effective in their intended roles.

With the description of the contest and my entrants for it out of the way, all that was left to do was simply wait for the test results... But they have been delayed for long enough to make me create a new post for those. In the meantime, stay tuned...

UPDATE: As planned, Part 2 of this post will be delayed until further notice due to unforeseen delays in the judging for the entries. It has not been cancelled yet, however.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 18: Yo-Yo Budgets

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 18: Yo-Yo Budgets

CSR has had a wide variety of themes and budgets since its inception. Yet over the past seven rounds, each round has consistently alternated between entry-level and high-end cars, with just one exception (CSR44) in that period; that round allowed for the submission of mid-range cars, and indeed many of the submitted entries were exactly that. So why has CSR been on a roller-coaster ride in terms of price lately?

The answer, surprisingly, lies in the basic premise of CSR. By design, it is meant to be a realistic depiction of what a car buyer goes through before purchasing a particular kind of car, from subcompacts to hypercars. Given that each sector has a different budget, going up and down the price spectrum repeatedly makes plenty of sense. The upshot is that any users participating in CSR have to calibrate their skills depending on the maximum post-markup price, engineering time and production unit limits; as such, anyone who does not will be out of their depth as soon as they try to step out of their comfort zone, and may even be disqualified for being over budget (although it is also possible, and quite common, for an entry to be rejected for being too cheap).

However, I have managed to adapt well enough over the past few rounds to deliver a highly competitive entry in each case. In fact, three of them - the Albury Crusader II 5.7 Touring from CSR47 in particular, as well as the SMG CK60 and Albury Pilbara XP6, ended up as finalists, although they were more average than I intended, to the point that they were outclassed by more capable entries. From the above experience, therefore, flexibility from round to round is a vital asset for any CSR entrant. So if you are faced with any Automation challenge that forces you to step out of your comfort zone, by all means consider the necessary steps that must be taken before taking the plunge, and if you choose to do so, be sensible with your budget as well as your engineering choices.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 17: GrandTouring.Com

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 17: GrandTouring.Com

While the UE4 version of Automation is being refined further, the previous Kee Engine version will remain in use for some time. As such, all community challenges continue to use it for now. To that end, CSR commenced its 47th installment, and in contrast to the previous round, which was all about building 2000 model year Kei cars for the Japanese market (itself the total opposite to the hulking great luxury SUVs featured in the round before that, in terms of both size and price), this latest challenge saw the entrants build fast, stylish and luxurious grand tourers in 1995, at a time when that particular sector was booming.

The cars had to be equipped with an automatic transmission, cost $55,000 with a 100% markup, and not be fitted with any parts that could not be mass-produced. With this in mind, I set about developing a suitable vehicle - and for the first time, I decided to adapt an existing model by creating a new trim. That car was the Albury Crusader II Touring, a plusher version of a wholly Australian-made two-seat sports car.

The Albury Crusader 5.7 Touring: For When You Have to Cross Continents Quickly And Comfortably

It was fitted with a more luxurious interior and a five-speed automatic gearbox (as stipulated by the rule set for this round), while the engine - a 5.7-litre pushrod V8 - was beefed up for improved reliability and performance. Revised suspension tuning - still with progressive springs and adaptive dampers, but nothing more complex than that - provided a more comfortable ride, while still retaining the sporty demeanor of other variants. Exterior changes were minimal: a more subdued metallic green exterior color, combined with a discreet lip spoiler on the rear, gave the car a more elegant appearance. Finally, additional quality points were used in certain trim components in an attempt to make the most of the budget I had to work with.

I chose the Crusader II out of respect for the brand's lore - before this round, Albury Motors had been represented only once in the history of CSR. To further justify my decision, I forewent the two test builds I made for this round - a hardtop coupe with an all-alloy quad-cam V8 and a convertible with a V12 - after realizing that they would be too heavy and unreliable to be as competitive as the Crusader could have been. The cost was, in fact, very similar in both cases, but otherwise it was not much of a concern.

With such a well-sorted package, it was no wonder that the Crusader passed the first round of cuts. However, anything with inadequate aesthetics, inappropriate mechanicals (such as a front-wheel drive configuration), or fitted with the wrong parts did not, especially if it looked and felt like it would be driven by a boy racer instead of a CEO. Also, cars which had been over budget, (in terms of cost, production units and/or engineering time) were immediately disqualified. One car was even rejected for being too fast, and another for looking too old! In fact, such were the demands of the customer that of the 27 cars submitted in CSR47, just 11 made the first cut; the Crusader was among them. From here on out, however, choosing a set of finalists, and eventually a winner, would be much more challenging.

Of the 11 finalists, one (the Wyvern) was immediately rejected for insufficient safety, leaving only ten cars. First to fall was the Crusader II, whose overhead-valve engine, though reliable, was simply outclassed by those found in other offerings. Next to go was the Erin Berlose, which simply had two more seats than was necessary. The Valiant, meanwhile, seemed to be a bit too fast for its own good. In addition to that, our client rejected the Sapphire and Eruption for excessive turbo lag - the boost came on too abruptly in both of these cars.

That left just five cars to consider. Of these, the first one to be cut was the Fleming Six, which felt rather dated - a deal-breaker for a man who prides himself on modernity. Surprisingly, the Spada 42 finished fourth; only the potential reliability concerns of its active suspension, and its bland styling, kept it from finishing any higher. Finally, the Ryujin and Vengeance were quickly dismissed for being too far under budget and having unusual styling, to say the least. And so, after a long, drawn-out process of elimination, there was only one car standing - the GBF Bellisa, whose quality, styling, and performance were all head and shoulders above the rest.

The GBF Bellisa, winner of CSR47. Belissima!

With the quest to find the definitive grand tourer of the 90s now over, it was time for me to relax... and make plans for the next round. What, then, will it be like? That's a question to be answered in a subsequent post.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 16: My First UE4 Build

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 16: My First UE4 Build

Now that the UE4 version of Automation has been released to the public, I am beginning to appreciate the benefits provided by the new game engine. For starters, audio/visual quality has significantly improved over the Kee engine version, while the menus are now much more streamlined. In addition, a multitude of trim and engine design options have been introduced, which allows for greater variety and realism when designing new cars, or revising existing ones. The only problem with this version is that it shipped with a limited selection of car bodies, wheel designs and exterior fixtures - but over time, this lack of diversity in exterior design choices will be fixed.

With the ups and downs of UE4 out of the way, I shall present to you my first car built in the UE4 version of Automation: the Kestrel.

The Kestrel: an enduring icon of performance and style

Being the car enthusiast that I am, my first UE4 design was never going to be anything other than a performance car, and especially a sports car. With that in mind, I used one of the new two-door coupe bodies introduced in UE4 as the basis for what would eventually become the Kestrel. The end result was a car that was very much a product of the 21st century, yet one that followed the time-honored muscle car tradition of a high-displacement, naturally-aspirated V8 engine driving the rear wheels via a (six-speed) manual gearbox. Speaking of engines...

The Kestrel is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 with individual throttle bodies, direct injection and two-stage variable valve timing. It delivers 475 horsepower at 7400 rpm, with masses of torque to go along with that, and redlines at 7700 rpm. It also requires premium unleaded petrol, but its easygoing demeanor lends itself well to the fitment of a supercharger. Such devices have not been implemented as of now, though, but I should plan on using them as soon as they become available.

Detailed specs for the Kestrel.

As an all-alloy two-seater with a premium interior and stereo, the Kestrel is clearly a high-end performance car. However, its pre-markup price of $25000 ensures that it is also a highly competitive muscle car. Even if a 20% markup is factored into the asking price, it should still be a strong seller. In short, the Kestrel is a highly tempting package for anyone looking to get plenty of bang for their buck - especially if they want something with a V8 under the hood.

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 15: A Case of Sense and Sensibility

Confessions of an Automationeer, Part 15: A Case of Sense and Sensibility

Automationeers like me have to balance capability with cost-effectiveness whenever they design a new car. As such, for most mass-market cars, it is often better to forgo more advanced items in favor of simple alternatives. Consider the common example of an entry-level, transverse-engined, (sub)compact car from 2017, aimed at buyers with limited budgets. Such a vehicle will not only require a low starting price, but must also be developed quickly enough and be cheap to produce, in addition to having low running costs. To that end, the vehicle should utilize simpler components in its construction.

The first step is usually to use a less complex suspension system. Often, this would entail fitting the car with a torsion beam or semi-trailing arm rear suspension, but there are occasions where there is enough left in the budget to install a double-wishbone or even multi-link set-up instead. In addition, the front suspension would usually be a strut-sprung configuration, allowing for the installation of wider engines. Since simpler setups also tend to be more reliable, they are often favored by budget-conscious engineers. Finally, the car itself will usually be front-wheel-drive, and as such the resulting configuration will be space-efficient and cheap to assemble. 

The engine should also be designed with sensibility in mind. As such, it will usually have cast internals, one or two throttle bodies, a standard intake, and cast-iron exhaust headers. If economy is of particular concern (which it often is), low-friction pistons can be used at the expense of a shorter redline, while the cam profile (or the initial part of it in particular, if variable valve lift is in use) should be lowered, thereby improving smoothness. The exhaust should also incorporate baffled mufflers and a standard three-way catalytic converter at minimum.

Trim choices are even more important still for low-budget applications. In the case of our everyday compact commuter, comfort is key, and so it will be fitted with an automatic transmission. However, it will only be at its most effective if it has the right number of gears (6-7, although newer models may have 8 or more), with the correct spacing and maximum speed. If the latter is set high enough, top gear can be used as an overdrive, improving economy and comfort even further.

In addition, a comfort-oriented, small-diameter wheel and tire package will be fitted, with stamped-steel or cast-alloy wheels wrapped in all-season or low-rolling-resistance tires. The latter are preferable if, as in our case, fuel efficiency is a major priority. Often, vented disc brakes will be fitted at each corner, although if budgets are particularly tight, solid rear discs may be used instead. Moreover, underbody cladding and spoilers will usually be omitted, and active cooling could also be forgone to save weight and cost.

On the inside, a standard interior and entertainment package will be fitted, sometimes even with advanced safety systems. All driving aids (except for launch control, which is frankly unnecessary in most mass-market cars) will be fitted. The suspension will be tuned mainly for comfort and incorporate progressive springs, monotube dampers and passive sway bars. Anything fancier than this will add a lot of extra cost, weight and complication that potential customers won't need, as well as reducing reliability.

That just about wraps up the steps taken when designing a small car on a small budget. In one of my next few posts I will describe another round of CSR - if not the current one, or a previously concluded round, then the one after that, or, since I haven't won any rounds yet, probably one with an as-yet unused premise. But before that, I shall show off my first car made using the first public release build of the UE4 version of Automation.