ETK 2400i

6- speed manual from the factory just wasn't a thing back in the 80s. The homologation cars and the Knallhart use race transmission. The 5-speed's 1st gear doesn't have the same ratio as the reverse gear, the 1st is 3.72, the reverse is 3.45.

 

Pretty sure nothing in Beam is entirely based on IRL lore, its whatever they decide the lore is. So in BeamNG lore, there was indeed factory 6 manuals in the 80s

 

There've been (very limited) production cars with six-speed manuals as far back as the 1960s IRL, with the original Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale (18 produced). 6-speeds started becoming more common in cars in the early-1990s, with cars like the BMW 8-Series (1990), Ferrari 456 (1992), and Toyota Supra Mk4 Turbo (1993). So, it's entirely possible for a racing homologation version of a car built in the late-1980s (like the I-Series Evo) to receive a 6-speed manual.

 

And more importantly, a 6-speed transmission swapped in would have a different shift pattern, even if the shifter itself looked the same outwardly.

 

The I-Series need a refresh, as it is illegal in the US, the market it was intended for. Since the early 80s, side marker lights were mandatory. Either separate lights that can be used as turn signal repeaters (in the EU style), or with flush headlights, where the turn signal would light with the meeting beam (like the Grand Marshal, or even the Ford Taurus that was the first to have flush headlights).
As we can see, the I-Series currently have none of these solutions.

 

Does anyone else think that the naming convention of this car is weird? The model name is called the I-series, yet there's trim levels that don't have an "i" at the end at them, such as the 2400. So is the car model the "i" or does the "i" denote fuel injection? This naming convention would only work is this was the only car ETK was making from 1985-1993, which would be incredibly restrictive in terms of lore.

 

I think the "i" is meant to mean "injection". The description in the official documentation says "USDM variant of a German executive sedan, with facelift variants from 1990. Powered by fuel injected 2.4L and 3.0L I6 engines, turbocharged on sport trims."
However, "i" is the high-end luxe package, and all models have F-I, even without the "i". I think it should be added to the list of things that need to be reviewed in the car's refresh.

 

That’s my point, it doesn’t make any sense unless the I-Series was the only car that ETK produced during that time, and even then it wouldn’t make sense since it would be referred to by its model code (e.g. Mercedes-Benz W124).

 

To be fair, this was the only ETK at the time of its conception in 2012/2013, so, I reckon Gabester probably just called it whatever came to his mind first (mixing Mercedes-style lettering (E-Class, C-Class, S-Class) with BMW's "-Series" designations (3-Series, 5-Series, 7-Series). The 800/K came much later, in 2016.

But yeah, wouldn't mind seeing this get renamed at some point, or at least, its trim structure changed. I think that the base-trims could be the "2400i", while the 2.4L ones with the chin spoiler and RWD could be the "2400is" (and the RWD 3.0L versions, the "3000is", for consistency).

 

Also, it would be nice to have alternative smaller bumpers for European-specs models

 

Since you are part of the Beamng team, can you make there be options for dual exhaust coming out both sides of the bumper instead of just in the middle because it looks kind of odd for exhaust to come out the middle of the car.

 

remaster when?

 

i noticed theres a few issues with the AO of the i series


theres also this texture thats streched on the buton here


and the rear seat clips witht the doorcard

the engine also doesnt have any ao baked (and is still materials v1) and has a lot of compression artifacts


i also think the turbo is massive compared to the downpipe and header

 

maybe that is how it is in germany, but they should make a usdm version

 

The ETK in-game is already US spec, mind the thick bumpers (though I'm aware 5mph bumper restrictions were loose after 82' yet this is model was built in 85' and beyond) and speedometer set in MPH.

 

it is not a us spec
it does not feature sealed beams on the pre 1986 models as would legally be required

 

Sealed beams were legalized in the US in 1983/84, with the first car to use them being the 1984 Lincoln Mark VII - the I-Series started production in 1985, so it would be completely fine on that front.

 

THANK YOU!‍

 

Honestly, the I-Series is fine in terms of lighting and bumper regulations for a US-spec car of its era. Here's a 1985 Audi 4000S Quattro (US-spec, sold new in California) from the front.


Here's the same car from the rear. The only major differences in lighting between it and the I-Series are the reverse light positions, the lack of a CHMSL on the 4000, and the different front bumper turn signal positions (the higher-trim I-Series versions have their front bumper turn signals moved into the chin spoiler, with the fog lights in the bumper).


However, some vehicles (like this 1976 Buick Riviera, the 1971-'78 Olds Toronado, and 1968-'71 Ford Thunderbird) had high-mount stop lamps as either options (on the T-Bird) or standard equipment (on the Toro/Riv) pre-1986. So, perhaps CHMSLs were made mandatory in the US in 1985 or earlier in the Beamverse - this is supported by the LeGran (which started production in 1984) and the USDM Bolide (1981) both having CHMSLs. It likely would've been after 1978, though, as that's when the Moonhawk went out of production (and it doesn't have a CHMSL or optional high-mount stop lamps). Honestly, high-mount stop lamps would be a neat thing to add as an option for the Moonhawk (or a Soliad version of it).


As for the tailpipe placement between Euro- and US-spec versions of vehicles, those don't tend to change that often - the GTE version of the Audi 80 (which was what the 4000 was called in Europe) has the tailpipe in roughly the same place as the 4000. And its bumpers are of roughly similar size to the 4000 (although the pre-facelift 4000s had large bumpers).


Another example is the BMW E24, which had center-mount exhausts in both its Euro- and US-specs (US-spec in red, Euro-spec in white).



And the I-Series also has MPH speedos on all factory trims, even the Evolutions (which I thought would've been a Euro-exclusive version, like the 190E Evo II (the regular 2.3 Cosworth was sold in the US in detuned spec)).

One thing I do think the I-Series could use when it comes to lighting is fender indicators for the facelift versions, since those started to become a thing around 1990 (1992-95 Euro-spec Audi 80 as an example). (Another neat thing to see would be an option to remove the CHMSL, as those weren't legally required IRL on European cars until 1998 and US cars until 1986. It's a thing you can do on the LeGran and Bolide - I don't see why it can't be a thing on this car.)