Update Speculation thread

Well, it has to be said the thing is a bit slab sided. Also the interior is pretty much GTA V grade. Steering ratios are all a bit too modern and the body control a bit too good for the car of this vintage. Ronin chase gives some reference. The amount of roll on e34 m5 is really quite shocking. I’d say I-series deserves more love.

On the other hand I believe devs has done an incredible job on remastered 200bx’s handling making it realistic. Still I observe a fair amount of criticism on that matter online. Some people say they prefer the old one which frankly boggles my mind. After all it seems like beam community isn’t that interested in realism, preferring stability, controlled slides and overall ease of use.

 

I just hope they keep the Audi 80 inspiration when they remaster the I-series.

 

Agreed. The refresh should add a Group B based rally car for I-Series

 

A lot of the BeamNG cars from that era of the game give me the same uncanny valley feeling. Maybe it's the slabsided thing or the lack of detail compared to the newer cars in game, but a lot of them never really felt right. For example, the original SBR had proportions that were a bit odd, but IMO it became a fairly attractive car once they redid the proportions and gave it a new roof that added some detail (and is very attractive with some of the mod facelifts/body kits on the repository). The Miramar and Barstow are also in firmly in this boat, with the 1988 Pessima not as bad but still a bit "off" to me.

• Styling wise the ETK is closest to the prior gen Audi with inspiration from the contemporary BMW. Looking at the real life vehicles from this segment I don't think having inspiration from 2 generations like that is a problem since the design language of Audi/Mercedes/BMW at this time was all transitioning from the boxy design of the I-Series to something more modern, though pushing the model years back a bit wouldn't hurt (USDM pre-1984 would need different lights). Pushing the model years back would also put it firmly into Group B territory instead of just the slight overlap as it currently has. Emphasizing the existing shoulder line on the I-Series more and giving the front end more detail probably would help a fair bit too.
• Everyone always mentions how the name doesn't make sense compared to the modern ETK's. While I still think it can be explained away easily enough with "ETK changed their nomenclature sometime between 1993 and 2013", a name change wouldn't hurt either.
• Engine options definitely need a lot of attention. All 3 counterpart manufacturers had several displacement i4 options, all 3 had diesel straight block options (2 of which offered both NA and turbo diesels), 2 had i5 engines, and 1 had V8 options. Compare all that to the 2 engine options the I-Series already has... Personally I'd give her the long fabled 1800i config, at least one diesel with NA and turbo variations, and a Rennspect with something unique under the hood
• Body style options are pretty much the usual for cars of this era. 2 door, 2 door sport coupe, wagon, or convertible. Looking at the precedents already set we can only expect one new body style. A convertible would be unprecedented and a standard 2 door wouldn't be unique enough, which leaves a 2 door sport coupe or a wagon. Personally I'd prefer to see a wagon, though the large community I assume would want a sport coupe.
  • Facelifts and market variations get more complicated. Currently we have a minor facelift and no market variations and it's already a high config vehicle. I've already spoken my mind enough on my thoughts of market variations... The relatively minor facelift does seem to be a theme from IRL counterparts and should have a place in game. Some of the trim levels could be cut, as we have a lot of similar trims currently
• For racing configs... The existing race car could just be brought to modern game standards as a DTM stand in. Personally I'd like to see a mid and high tier rally car, which wouldn't be unprecedented. Something rational and a Group B stand in. And of course a demo derby car, since we have been sometimes getting those great realistic configs lately. We could see similar treatment as the BX did with a engine swap that's a bit too much engine for the platform which could be used in drift and drag configs.

 

It wouldn’t be unrealistic to have both.

 

I think it's possible for the ETK I-Series to have a wagon. The I-Series is based off the BMW 5-Series (E34), and it has a wagon version.

 

The issue is there's no precedent for that in game, so we shouldn't be expecting it.

The Bluebuck is the only passenger car with more than 2 body styles, but the 4 it has are all very similar and don't change the roofline.

 

There already is a wagon mod for the community to use
https://www.beamng.com/resources/etk-i-wagon-diesel-engine.24620/

 

Aight. But it would be great if the official BeamNG devs implemented the I-Series wagon.

 

If I had to choose I’d prefer sports coupe body style as it would be more suitable for group b variant

 

Honestly that completely slipped my mind, a Group B sedan wouldn't make sense... Though now I want to make a Group B wagon

Edit: Citreon had a Group B sedan. Still, they're French so what can you say there...

 

Like this?

 

That was a BTTC car, so it would've competed against cars like the 1996 Pessima touring car. A Group B I-Series would be competing with the rally Bolide and MR Covet. Hoonigan built up a 1983 Subaru GL wagon for Travis Pastrana's 2022 Gymkhana video which kind of shows what a ETK I-Series Wagon built for rally racing would look like. Of course the Hoonigan car is a modern build for Gymkhana, but the general idea is close enough... Well not really, but it's closer than any other IRL wagon builds I know of.

 

The rally Bolide is a Group 4 car actually...
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Actually, according to Wikipedia the Audi quattro first raced in Group 4, so it racing against the Bolide would be fairly accurate

(but honestly, who cares, the devs can just make up all the categories they want)
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Sorry for being pendantic, but it's BTCC actually
British Touring Car Championship

 

I really wouldn't mind a two door version of the I-Series, that would fit that era's European sports car really well

 

A two door I-Series could look like this

There’s also two mods that have a two door I-Series coupe.
ETK I-Series Expanded
https://www.beamng.com/resources/etk-i-series-expanded.22363/
ETK I-Series Coupe
https://www.beamng.com/resources/etk-i-series-coupe.9755/

 

I'm so excited
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You mean more than two? Is there anything in there besides a sedan and a coupe?
Is it possible to remove the roof? If so, it's a revelation to me.

 

The 4 body styles are the 4-door and 2-door, with sedan and hardtop versions

 

If the hardtop can't be removed then I wouldn't consider it as another body, in essence the hardtop isn't real....

 

I think you just don't know what a hardtop is. It's not a hardtop convertible, it's just a two- or four-door hardtop.