GRAN TURISMO CAR REVIEWS

Spot Races













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SPOT RACES


Description: Spot races are the way most drivers & racers start GT1. These are held at five original tracks most of us know well. Payment is low, so it's not easy to build a brand-new car with the 10,000 credits we start the game with. However, it's easy to win these events right away if you've got the right ride.

I'm recommending two sets of power: Qualifying and Race. Qualifying power is significantly more than what's suggested for each race (except at Autumn Ring Mini) and this is because our opponents typically crush qualifying rounds, knocking us back to last place almost every time. 

My opinion is it's impossible for them to do this with the power being displayed during the ENTRY LIST page, which ranges anywhere from 120 hp to just over 270. They must be getting some sort of boost, right?

During each race, power has been knocked way down. Don't worry. Spot Races are pretty easy. Qualifying earns extra cash, but for anyone who wants more of a challenge, qualifying can be skipped. On the other hand, I have tried to allow just enough power so that it's possible to make Pole Position, without guaranteeing we'll get there.   

Parts:
Tires: Normal
Brake Type: Normal (use Racing for those with poor stopping ability)

Suspension: Normal or Sports
Stabilizers: Soft or Medium

Gear Type: Normal or Close (depends on track)
Flywheel: as needed
Clutch: Single

Payment:
Pole Position: 500 cr.
First Place: 1,000 cr.

Math: divide your car's weight by whatever number is shown below; a different calculation will be needed for Qualifying and the actual race. I used a '93 Honda Civic sedan with its default weight of 2,243 lbs. Minimum power in the STARTING LINE UP was 151, though the engine dyno'd slightly higher at 154. 

If your car can't make the exact numbers shown, don't stress, these are low-paying events. However, it helps to be within the ballpark if you're interested in a closer race.

Qualifying: As an extra guideline, if a car is overqualified for the race, if its power can't be reduced below the numbers on our calculator by 5 hp, exempt it from doing a qualifying lap. So if the calculator says we need 147 but minimal power is 155, no qualifying!  

Chances are it'll blow away the competition, even if it starts in last place.      

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Autumn Ring Mini

Qualify: 15.33
Racing: 15.92

Autumn Ring Mini is a very easy track once you get the hang of its constant bends, switchbacks, and hairpins. Most cars will blow away the competition, even from the economy level, and it's hard to find something with power low enough to fairly compete. The Mazda Demio is one of the few!  

To even things up, remove some parts as well as power for the race. Seems our opponents are all using firmer suspensions & stabilizers. Notice how little they lean at this first track.

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High Speed Ring

Qualify: 10.20
Racing: 13.93      

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Grand Valley East

Qualifying: 9.62
Racing:   14.11

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Deep Forest

Qualifying: 10.48
Racing: 14.56

In latter games, GT3 through GT6, the AI always brakes too heavily into the final high-speed bend, slowing way down sometimes into the 70s. Not in the first game. They're usually in the high 80s/90s with their speed, just like I am.

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Trial Mountain

Qualifying: 8.92
Racing: 11.82 (no Corvette)
            11.02 (if Corvette shows up) 

Trial Mountain, all the sudden the game throws a significantly faster set of automobiles onto the track! Honda NSX, not Honda Civic, which is fine. Just means we get to use more power.  

The '67 Corvette is the one that's most dangerous. Though the car handles & brakes terribly, often sliding into walls and rocks, its power allows it to steamroll towards the front during straight sections almost every time.



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OPPONENT CARS

In general, challengers who have a lot of power (which seems unfair) also pack more pounds than those which don't. Which tells us that the makers of this game were  aware of power-to-weight ratios. PD attempted some balance in their first GT game!  

'66 Chevrolet Corvette               FR // 427 hp // 3,348 lbs.
'96 Honda Accord Wagon           FF // 181 hp // 3,151 lbs. 
'93 Honda Civic sedan                FF // 151 hp // 2,243 lbs.  
'?? Honda del Sol SiR                 FF // 161 hp // 2,391 lbs.  
'?? Honda del Sol VGi                 FF // 127 hp // 2,260 lbs.
'?? Honda Integra GS-R              FF // 171 hp // 2,630 lbs.
'97 Honda Integra Type R            FF // 189 hp // 2,558 lbs.
'93 Honda NSX                           MR //
'?? Honda NSX Type S                MR // 285 hp // 2,869                    
'?? Honda Prelude                        FF // 188 hp // 2,913 lbs.
'?? Mazda Cosmo 13B Type SCCS FR // 220 hp // 3,303 lbs.  
'?? Mazda Demio GL                    FF // 94 hp // 2,086 lbs.
'?? Mazda Lantis Coupe Type R    FF // 169 hp // 2,695 lbs.
'90 Mazda Roadster V-Special     FR // 127 hp // 2,151 lbs.
'?? Mazda RX-7 Efini III             FR // 204 hp // 2,608 lbs.
'?? Mazda RX-7 Type RZ            FR // 256 hp // 2,716 lbs.
'?? Mitsubishi Eclipse GT             FF //
'94 Mitsubishi FTO GR               FF // 171 hp // 2,500 lbs.
'?? Mitsubishi FTO Version R     FF // 189 hp // 2,500 lbs.
'96? Mitsubishi Galant VR-4     AWD // 272 hp // 3,216 lbs.
'95 Mitsubishi GTO SR              AWD // 214 hp // 3,500 lbs.
'95 Mitsubishi GTO MR             AWD // 311 hp // 3,651 lbs.
'?? Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg R     FF // 167 hp // 2,260 lbs.
'94 Nissan 180SX Type S            FR // 133 hp // 2,608 lbs. 
'?? Nissan Fairlady Z 2seater        FR // 225 hp // 3,108 lbs.
'?? Nissan Fairlady Z 2str turbo   FR // 272 hp // 3,326 lbs.
'91 Nissan Pulsar GTI-R              AWD // 222 hp // 2,651 lbs.  
'88 Nissan Silvia Q's (S13)          FR // 129 hp //2,369 lbs.         
'88 Nissan Silvia K's (S13)          FR // 168 hp // 2,434 lbs.
'95 Nissan Silvia Q's (S14)          FR //
'?? Nissan Skyline GTS 4  (R32)    FR // 208 hp // 3,086 lbs.
'?? Nissan Skyline GTS25 Type S    FR // 181 hp // 2,738 lbs.
'95 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R33)       AWD // 310 hp // 3,326 lbs.
'?? Nismo Skyline GT-R (R32)     
'95 Subaru Impreza STi Ver. II (wagon) AWD // 250 hp // 2,782 lbs.
'96 Subaru Impreza WRX (sedan)       AWD // 268 hp // 2,716 lbs.
'93 Subaru Legacy RS (sedan)           AWD // 239 hp // 2,978 lbs.  
'?? Subaru SVX S4                          AWD // 227 hp // 3,456 lbs.
'?? Toyota Celica SS-II                   FF // 177 hp // 2,608 lbs.
' Toyota Celica GT-FOUR               AWD // 245 hp // 3,000 lbs.
'?? Toyota Chaser 2.5 Tourer S      FR // 192 hp  // 3,043 lbs.
'?? Toyota Chaser S                     FR // 192 hp //   3,043 lbs.
'?? Toyota EXIV 200GT                FF // 177 hp // 2,608 lbs.  
'92 Toyota Mark II S                   FR // 175 hp // 2,978 lbs.
'?? Toyota MR2 G-Limited          MR // 167 hp // 2,695 lbs.
'88 Toyota Supra GT 3.0           FR // 230 hp // 3,369 lbs.
'95 Toyota Supra SZ-R             FR // 213 hp // 3,108 lbs.  
'?? Toyota Starlet Glanza V       FF// 131 hp // 2,000 lbs.
'?? Toyota Trueno BZG             FF // 158 hp // 2,238 lbs


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CARS DRIVEN

'93 Honda Civic sedan            (2,142 lbs)
'91 Honda CR-X Si                 (1,928 lbs {weight reduction 1})
'85 Toyota Corolla Levin GT-APEX (2,039 lbs)  
















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