What would a modern Burnside look like?

There is a Burnside logo on one of the finish lines in Johnson Valley. This implies that Burnside is still around in the modern era and is still relevant enough to be sponsoring small desert motorsport events. Obviously, they've been producing some type of vehicle for the past 70 years. What do you all think they have been up to? And when, if ever, do you think we'll see a newer Burnside in game?

There must have been a Burnside version of the Grand Marshal. Burnside is canonically owned by Gavril. It would be ridiculous to think they didn't make one. I was honestly surprised the devs didn't make one when they released the limo update. The Grand Marshal isn't really convincing in the role of a limo to me. It just gives me too many budget fleet vehicle vibes. You don't often see a Ford Crown Victoria limousine. I understand why they didn't do it, they've said they are against badge engineering, but I wish they had. Of course, they would have had to rename the Grand Marshal in the vehicle selector to a platform name and had both the Burnside and Grand Marshal under that, like the Tograc and Vivace.

As for what that would look like. It would clearly be the same basic car as the Grand Marshal. I spent like 15 minutes in MS paint trying to Turn a Gavril into a Burnside. I gave it rear fender skirts like Cadillac had on the Fleetwood, which was based on the Impala, which the Grand Marshal was partially based on. I thought that was a good way to carry a styling cue from the special. I probably should have changed the side molding, but that was too much drawing, so I didn't. I gave it a bigger grille and headlights and tried to style the grille like the one on the '53 special, but it ended up more GMC than burnside. I also covered up the rear quarter windows to give it a more formal C pillar, and gave it chrome door handles and a hood ornament. It's not the best, but I think I made it into a much more convincing luxury car.

I think everyone has pretty much the same Idea what burnside was doing in the 70s. Body on frame, way too big, tacky ornaments, giant underpowered V8. Like the Moonhawk but fancy. In the 60s it was probably a little less conventional. It likely would have had an X-frame like the Bluebuck, but I doubt it would share the same platform like it would with the Grand Marshal. Gavril would have had a bigger market share back then, and not quite as much went into engineering a car. Burnside would have had its own platform. Probably a cleaner, more slab-sided design than the Bluebuck, possibly with some subtle residual tailfins.

I doubt we'll ever see any of these versions of the burnside in game, as they are too close to cars we already have. One of them is literally a Grand Marshal with more chrome. Although that one might be possible if they ever give the Grand Marshal another refresh. The biggest gap where the game could really use a Burnside is in the 2020s The only modern luxury cars we have right now are ETKs, which are starting to look a little dated. Also beam needs more modern cars in general. NPC traffic is kinda stuck in the early 2000s. I feel like if the devs were going to add a burnside, this is where it would be most needed.

I have absolutely no idea what a 2020s Burnside would look like. I would hope for an understated but capable sedan, like the 2020 Lincoln Continental, with its 400-horsepower twin turbo V6, and all-wheel drive. Maybe they could have an electric version too? Or would a SUV be better? I'm really curious to know what everyone else thinks.

 

I would also like a Burnside sedan. Luxurios for celebrities, but also sporty with like a supercharged V6 or V8, RWD (and AWD) and a 6-Speed manual or 7-Speed Auto.
And a big grille, 21" rims and chrome trim. With a timeless design and so on.
Leather interior, sport steering wheel and these celing stars.
With luxury, sport and custom versions (maybe a Heritage Edition and stretchlimo)
The base could have a 3.0 NA V6 and the sportiest maybe a twincharged V8 with 500 HP.
The modding community would go crazy with hearse versions and skin packs.
Like a Caddilac CTS.
Is this gud?
And this is my 300th message too

 

For 2010s/2020s Burnside, I’d imagine an American competitor to ETK - sporty, semi premium but not a full on luxury car and heavily technology/engineering focused, though with more significantly more chrome and leather than ETK + some muscle car pedigree and heritage with large V8 engines
Their styling would be minimalist and understated with formal lines and chrome grilles, though also slightly muscular, looking like Americanised versions of European luxury cars and they would have a lineup ranging from compact RWD sedans and hatchbacks to 2 door grand touring/personal luxury muscle cars, large RWD sports sedans and large SUVs

As for 80s, 90s and early 2000s Burnside, I’d imagine bland rebadged Gavrils with cheap chrome and leather slapped on much like what Fords Mercury brand was in those days and I like to think that instead of killing them off like what Ford did to Mercury, Gavril pivoted Burnside into a premium ETK competitor in the modern era

 

Something like this

 

Congratulations on your 300th message! :3 That sounds like a very cool car. I'm not sure it's what we really need in the game though. It sounds too much like a fancy bastion. I was thinking something more understated and subtle. It would definitely be a luxurious high-end car with acres of leather and chrome. But it should be something like Lincoln or Volvo. A car that doesn't scream for attention and blends into traffic but gets solid respect from people who know what it is.

The 2020 Lincoln Continental is a V6 with FWD in the base model, all-wheel drive in the nicer trims. Nothing that seems all that exciting. But it can do 0-60 in five seconds, 0-100 in twelve seconds, and tops out around an electronically limited 170 mph. I didn't even know what kind of engine was in the Volvo S90. They don't advertise it all over the place like Mercedes or BMW. They don't need too. Volvo buyers don't care how many cylinders are under the hood. They just expect it to be competent by any measure. After some googling, apparently the Volvo has a 455 horsepower 2-liter four cylinder.

We already have the ETK for people who want "The ultimate driving machine" because they think they are better than everyone, even though they don't know what turn signals are. We have the Bastion for the people who do street takeovers, rev their engines at stoplights, and do doughnuts in parking lots. We have the Cherrier for people who want to stand out and have all the latest styles and vibrant trends. I think the Burnside should be a quiet stately respectable car, for people who appreciate comfort and quality but aren't trying to show off.

And if by sheer happenstance the quiet, unassuming, four or six cylinder Burnside has what it takes to embarrass the loud obnoxious Bastion with its massive V8, then that would just be perfect.

Hamster, your image is broken for me, and I am very curious what it is.

 

Roughly like this possibly. View attachment 1284977

 

I like it. The sides and rear are very formal and elegant without being too ostentatious. The front end might be a bit too complicated and aggressive looking through and kinda looks like a kia. Even still it's a nice concept.

 

I can't really see much Burnside in this, probably because it's an AI and can't really take many cues from a fictional vehicle so it just made a "modern car"

Though in my opinion, I see a 2020s or 2010s Burnside being something equivalent to something a bit lesser than a Cadillac or Lincoln as those were WAY more prestigious than the Burnside presents as. I don't recall Cadillac or Lincoln having stripped down fleet specs of their cars with an inline six and no rear seats, so maybe Burnside could be along the lines of Oldsmobile or Mercury?

 

I would say its an Oldsmobile type thing

 

Yeah, the six cylinder caught me a little off guard with the remaster. I had always considered Burnside to be more of a luxury car. The new models made me rethink that. To be fair though, Packard was making some very cheap six cylinder cars in the same era as Burnside. And they never stopped calling themselves a luxury brand.

From a game perspective, do we think the devs wanted to make Burnside less prestigious? Or was this a byproduct of there being only one car from the 50s, and the devs needing it to fill every role at once, kinda like the Crown Victoria limo thing we have with the Grand Marshal?

In terms of what roles they might want it to fill in the modern era, the game already has plenty of low-priced options. We already have Soliad for the compromised budget premium brands like what Buick is today. They could make a Gavril if they wanted a cheap boring car. While I don't think a burnside badge would be a good fit for some flashy Rolls-Royce Maybach type thing, A respectable luxury car like Lincoln doesn't seem like a stretch.

 

The game does need more modern cars, after all every vehicle in the game has been out of production since 2024

 

Looks like we're getting a chinese EV next if the weird panda van is meant to be a teaser. So much for the Burnside idea. Maybe we'll get one in 0.4 or 0.41 I hope we get another Burnside someday.

 

@SimulatorAdventures also said there is a Chinese skin for the Scintilla.