Metropolis Street Racer Car Guide - (C) John Peat 2000 ------------------------------------------------------ Comments, Suggestions, Kudos or whatever to msr@fury161.com please! LEGAL STUFF >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Feel free to email/post/upload this anywhere but DO NOT AMEND IT IN ANY WAY!!! If you spot an error or want to suggest a change/addition, email me first... The 'master copy' is always available at http://www.fury161.com/msr/msrcarguide.txt >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WARNING - DOCUMENT CONTAINS 'SPOILERS' DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE BONUS CARS!!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Contents 1.0 - Introduction 1.1 - History 2.0 - Championship/Bonus Car List 2.1 - Cheat Car List 3.0 - The Cars 3.1 - How I tested them 3.2 - Where I tested them 3.3 - My opinions 4.0 - Saving on garage space 4.1 - Cars you really should check out 4.2 - Cars you should avoid 5.0 - Credits and Comments >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1.0 - INTRODUCTION >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Why I did this. After playing through MSR I was so impressed that each of the cars has it's own 'feel' that I decided a FAQ was required! Unlike some other games I could mention, the performance advantage of the cars is subtle - for example on one of my favourite test tracks the slowest car laps in around 26.5 secs wheras the fastest can't better 22 - not a huge gap! For the purposes of this FAQ I've 'reviewed' the cars with ABS enabled and Automatic gears, Manual mode is 'challenging' and can be fun - but you're not going to go any faster!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 1.1 - HISTORY >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 20/11/2000 v0.1 Started the 'onerous task' (!) of test-driving lots of cars and assembling some notes. This is my first attempt as something like this - so all constructive comments are welcome (see above for email address) 01/12/2000 v0.2 First version posted to USENet and FAQ sites for comments... 04/12/2000 v0.3 Added car 'aliases' - not noticed these before now!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2.0 - Championship/Bonus Car List >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Car Chapter CPF Engine/Drive Personal Rating Fiat Barchetta 1.0 F/F * Mazda MX5 1.2 F/R *** (Alias) Mazda Miata (Alias) Mazda Roadster MGF 1.0 M/R *** Opel Astra Coupe 1 2.1 F/F ** Renault Megane 2 1.9 F/F *+ Opel OPC 2.7 F/F ** Alfa Romeo Spider 3 2.5 F/F **+ Peugeot 206 4 2.7 F/F **+ Peugeot 306 cabriolet 2.4 F/F *** Peugeot 406 Coupe 5 2.7 F/F * Toyota MR2 6 3.0 M/R **+ Toyota MR-S 2.4 M/R **** Peugeot 306 7 3.1 F/F *** Mercedes Benz SLK 8 2.2 F/R **+ Mercedes Benz SL320 2.7 F/R **+ Alfa Romeo 156 9 2.8 F/F **+ Audi S3 10 2.8 F/4 **+ Audi TT Roadster 2.7 F/4 *** Alfa Romeo Gtv 11 4.0 F/F *** Audi TT Coupe 12 3.2 F/4 ***+ Renault Spider 3.3 M/R **** Toyota Celica 99 13 3.4 F/F *** Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo 14 3.5 F/F *** Toyota Celica 4.0 F/F ****+ Mitsubishi FTO 15 3.6 F/F **** Mitsubishi Eclipse 16 4.0 F/F ***+ (Alias) Mitsubishi Eclipse Spider Mitsubishi Eclipse 99 3.0 F/F ***+ Opel Speedster 17 4.2 M/R **** (Alias) Vauxhall VX220 Mitsubishi 3000GT 18 3.0 F/4 ***+ (Alias) Mitsubishi GTO Ford Mustang 3.6 F/R *** Toyota Supra 19 3.8 F/R **** Nissan Fairlady Z 20 4.0 F/R ***+ (Alias) Nissan Fairlady Z (Spider) (Alias) Nissan 300ZX MG RV8 3.3 F/R ***+ Nissan Silvia 21 3.8 F/R **** (Alias) Nissan Varieta Renault Clio V6 22 4.0 M/R ***+ Toyota Celica GT-Four 4.2 F/4 ****+ Mazda RX7 23 4.6 F/R **** TVR Chimaera 4.7 F/R ***+ Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI 24 4.6 F/4 ***** Jensen S-V8 4.3 F/R **** Nissan Skyline GTR 25 5.0 F/4 ***** + is half a * Cars without Chapter Numbers are won on Special Events... (Alias) cars are variations on a theme - they tend to be 'national' variations (Opel vs Vauxhall) or convertibles (Fairlady) but are otherwise, as far as I can tell, IDENTICAL to their peers. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2.1 - Cheat Car List >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> These are all won in Special Events and are all pretty quick! The lawnmower has a power/weight ratio which is better than an F1 car(!) but suffers rather, from having a 1m wheelbase (and therefore little handling!!) The buses are 'shrunken' in game - very odd - and the double-decker is impossible to race 3rd person as you can't see where you're going! Car CPF London Taxi 3.0 San Francisco Yellow Cab 3.0 Tokyo Takushe 3.0 Lawnmower 3.0 Red London Bus 3.0 San Francisco City Bus 3.0 Tokyo Basu (Bus) 3.0 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3.0 - The Cars >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To be read in the style of Jeremy Clarkson (or perhaps not!) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3.1 - How I tested them >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I tested all of these cars back-to-back on a number of different circuits and these are my opinions from that. I did all the testing in 'Test Drive' mode - although I have opened all these cars up, I couldn't be bothered re-challenging for them all the time!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3.1 - Where I tested them >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I chose the circuits for variety, deliberately avoiding 'tricky' tracks as I was trying to test the cars more than I was trying to test my driving skills!! Driving took place both in daylight and at night (real and virtual!). Tracks Chosen San Franciso - Fishermans Wharf - Medium - Jefferson West III 0.7 miles My fave. test track - sorts out the best handlers no problems... Fastest lap - 30.730 in a Mitsubishi Evo VI Tokyo - Asakusa - Short - Asakusa-Chuo Minami 0.5 miles A good test of how quickly you can master a car as it's quite tight Fastest Lap - 23.438 in a Celica GT-Four London - Westminster - Medium - Purely a test of raw speed, brakes and 'poise' in corners... Fastest Lap - I'm still working on that! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3.1 - My Opinions >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cars Fiat Barchetta Slow, slow and slow - NO! Mazda MX5 Quite nice - there's not much between this and the MGF MGF Also quite nice! Opel Astra Coupe Too much wheelspin and a lack of finesse means it's not as quick as the MGF or MX5. Renault Megane Slow and Understeery - avoid. Opel OPC More powerful then the Opel Coupe but more wheelspin too and less finesse. Alfa Romeo Spider Better handling than the Opels and quite quick. Peugeot 206 Also quick, but there's too much understeer and a 'hole' between 1st and 2nd gear which cripples it in slow corners. Peugeot 306 cabriolet Nice - faster than what's gone before - recommended. Peugeot 406 Coupe Understeer or Oversteer - little feel - 'holes' in the gear ratios - avoid. Toyota MR2 Almost as nice as the 306 Cabrio, but it's prone to oversteer which makes it tricky at times. Toyota MR-S Super car - quite a bit faster than anything before it and many of the cars after it! - HIGHLY Recommended. Peugeot 306 On a par with the 306 Cabrio, perhaps a bit quicker no match for the MR-S though... Mercedes Benz SLK Trick Roofs count for nothing here - quick but not that 'sorted'. Mercedes Benz SL320 Nicer than the SLK but the 306/MR-S are better again... Alfa Romeo 156 Not bad at all - not as fast as the MR-S but nice nevertheless. Audi S3 Quick but rather 'twitchy' for a front-wheel drive... Audi TT Roadster Quicker than the S3, particularly good in the wet and on tight circuits, but not as much fun as the MR-S perhaps... Alfa Romeo Gtv Quicker than the TT Roadster on fast circuits - not so good on tight circuits. (See Note in 4.2 below) Audi TT Coupe Slightly quicker than the Roadster and about on a par with the MR-S (if still not quite as much fun to drive!) Renault Spider Quicker than the MR-S if you can master the slightly too-grippy cornering (handbrake!) - also has slightly 'naff' gearing which can prove irritating in slower corners... Toyota Celica 99 The only disappointing Toyota in the game - nothing special here so stick to the MR-S or Gtv Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo Again nothing special here - neither as quick nor as fluent as the MR-S or Gtv Toyota Celica AWESOME for an FWD car - a bit faster than the MR-S but much more predictable and nothing like as tricky in the wet! Mitsubishi FTO Not quite a quick as the Celica but not bad - worth a try... Mitsubishi Eclipse A little quicker than the FTO but not as nice in corners... Mitsubishi Eclipse 99 Much the same as the 'regular' Eclipse... Opel Speedster A very quick car but it's too grippy which means the handbrake is your best friend. Master it and it's FAST though. Mitsubishi 3000GT Quick and very easy to drive but it's not the bext car for tight circuits... Ford Mustang Handles better than it's 'muscle car' image suggests - but it's no match for the Speedster Toyota Supra Very Quick and VERY good in corners - but a little prone to oversteer so you've got to master it ... Nissan Fairlady Z About half-way between the ease of the 3000GT and the pace of the Supra - so try either of those instead! MG RV8 Not as quick as the Supra/Fairlady but a lovely 'drifter' Nissan Silvia Well sorted in corners if not quite as fast as the Supra Renault Clio V6 Not quite quick enough and not quite good enough in corners - disappointing Toyota Celica GT-Four Very Nice - umbeleivably well sorted in corners - you can brake later and corner faster than anything else you've driven upto now... Mazda RX7 Fast and a a bit 'tail happy at times ' - about on a par with the Supra. TVR Chimaera Quick and not as 'hairy' as it's reputation suggests. Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI Quite often this is the fastest thing in the game... Jensen S-V8 Brutal Speed, BRUTAL Brakes, good handling but lacks 'that certain something', still worth a blast though! Nissan Skyline GTR The only thing wrong with this car is that when you've got it - there's nothing left to do with it!! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4.0 - Saving on Garage Space >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Want to save on those Garage bills? Try these for size - they'll get you through all 250 races no problems... Mazda MX5 or MGF Toyota MR-S Toyota Celica Toyota Celica GT-FOUR >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4.1 - Cars you really should check out >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> These are all outstanding cars in their own ways... Toyota MR-S Renault Spider Toyota Celica Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Opel Speedster Mitsubishi Evo VI >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4.2 - Cars you can avoid >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> These cars really deliver little to make them worth challenging for (IMHO!) Fiat Barchetta Renault Megane Peugeot 406 Coupe Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo (Fiat obviously didn't send any freebies to SEGA!!) In addition, the Alfa Gtv is IMPOSSIBLE to win (in the original UK PAL version) 31 secs is the target and the fastest I've heard of is 37 (DOH!!!!). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5.0 - Credits and Comments >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks to Bizarre Creations for a good (if flawed) game - I'm not planning to return to Gran Turismo anytime soon! Thanks to Angela, without whom I would have to travel to the refrigerator for my own refreshments more often ;-) All trademarks and copyrights observed - HONEST! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>