Ibishu Hopper

Bluebuck would fit there nicely.

 

As this is 4x4 and not an AWD, both front and rear wheels rotate at the same speed with the same torque. AWD has a limited slip differential in the transfer case that allows different rotation speed. That's why you should drive an 4x4 in 2WD mode on tarmac to avoid damage to the transfer case or axles. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I think a better measure would be "Number currently in existence"
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Civetta is a worldwide brand. You'd probably be just as likely to find one stateside as in Italy.

However, cars like the newer Pessima (seems to be US-only) or Gavril D-15 should be more popular in the US.

 

nice job. but the crashes are different. May i suggest using the replay system and using different angles that way

 

One is a small overlap, the other is a moderate overlap...

 

I finally was able to test the Hopper, and as of now, it's a bit fragile, however, that makes sense due to how lightweight it is. It has a tendency to roll over. I may be rating this as the most unsafe car in the game. The pigeon might be safer.

 

wranglers aren't meant to be the safest cars. they are mean for rock crawling or "hopping" around

 

Explains why they're so deadly in real life.

Also, the hopper comes with a roll cage on most models, yet it's STILL super dangerous...

 

and that is a reason why they sell. one of the few vehicles you can still buy that has a sense of danger to it.

 

Doesn't look like it.

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i know. But look in the first moderate overlap. The Window broke. in the second one the window stayed intact

 

No, don't put them against each-other, put them both against the same thing! That's how you compare results!

 

Well, the lack of seat belts alone is enough to make the pigeon 200% more dangerous, not to mention that against a wall, for example, the pigeon crumples way more easily (at the same speed of course).

 

I know, but this is more fun.

 

I've been noticing that quite a few people on these forums are screaming for this vehicle to come standard with a V8 option since it "needs it so much", so here's my thought on the standard engines:

They are more then enough for the Hopper to monster over anything. While yes, a supercharged V8 would give out more power and probably more capability, it wouldn't be as much gain in capability as, say, swapping a supercharged V8 into a Gavril D-Series. This is because of a slightly more important thing that the I6 has in abundance, torque, and where it is in the rev range.

Look at these power and torque figures between the supercharged 5.5-liter V8 in the D35 Pig and the 4.0-liter I6 in the Hopper Custom:

V8 S: 497 hp and 567 lb-ft of torque
I6: 164 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque

Even though V8 has slightly over three times the power of the I6, it has only 2.64 times the torque, and with the slightly laggy nature of the supercharger, most of that torque is only available at >3000 rpm. Look at the torque curves that I have included below.

As you can see, the I6 is already making 70% of its torque at idle. Meanwhile, the V8 has only 32% of its torque at idle. Also, at 2,000 RPM, the I6 has got almost all of its torque available to use, while the V8 has got ~72% of its torque for use. The torquecurve for the Hopper also is at its peak between 2,000 and 4,000 RPM - an ideal range for rock-crawling. However, the V8 has to rev all the way up to about 3,000 RPM to get its max torque, and it loses that torque quite rapidly as its revs higher.

Also, the Hopper is already a great vehicle for off-roading as it is, with even the base XT-4 manual getting an off-road score of 59, and the Custom getting an off-road score of 83. Meanwhile, the D35 Pig cannot even match the base Hopper with an off-road score of 51, and the base D15s? They get between 34 and 46 points, depending on the model.

So, overall, does the little Hopper need a V8? No, it doesn't really need it. Not for off-roading, at least. I'm not saying that I wouldn't want a V8 option for the Hopper, but the standard engines that come with the Hopper are more than enough for it to champion off-road courses.

*Correction: The D35 Pig has an off-road score of 51. The D15 Off-Road, though, does have an off-road score of 59.

Also, the Hopper's shorter overhangs, lighter weight (it weights about the same amount as an ETK I-Series), shorter wheelbase, and standard four-wheel-drive help it make the most of the 4.0-liter inline-six's torque, whereas the big, heavy D-Series (which is about 2-3 tonnes of pure democracy) cannot make the most of the I6, despite both of their I6's having the same torque and power figures.

 

So, after 2 weeks behind the wheel of the Hopper, here's what I think of BeamNG's first ever jeep-like vehicle:

Compared to the three other off-road-oriented vehicles in this game (Roamer, D-Series, and H-Series to a point), the Hopper is by far a more versatile vehicle. Even in stock I-4 form, it can climb over obstacles which would scare off more powerful vehicles, and in full-on Custom form, this becomes a mighty mouse of a trucklet.

In racing, its lighter weight and lower-quality tires means that it can do proper braking drifts into turns (Initial D hype), and its standard four-wheel-drive helps in acceleration. While no, it's not going to set any records for lap times (it averages about 41 seconds/lap around the Industrial Racetrack Perimeter layout in reverse in the standard variants), the Hopper IS a very good car for **learning basic racing skills** with. I especially like the feel that I get that I'm in what is essentially a smaller, better-looking, higher-powered ETK 2400ix with more off-road capability. Finally, when swapped into 2WD, the I6 variants become absolute drift monsters (despite having only 164 horsepower).

In off-roading...well...what can I say? Couple the engines' great low-end torque and decent power with its light weight and small size, with some larger tires, and the Hopper makes quick work of the Gridmap off-road sections. In the mud and sand strips, *the Custom was able to accelerate from a standing start to 35 and 40 mph, respectively. That may not seem particularly fast compared to the D35 Pig (~50 mph on the sand and 40 mph in the mud)*, but it sure is a lot quicker than most other vehicles. Also, in rock-crawling, this thing is a BEAST. Seriously. Pretty much any Hopper with large enough tires and a big enough lift can make it through the rocks, while the Gavrils need more extensive modification to clear that section.

As a vehicle in a chase, this actually can be quite good. Because it has so much ground clearance, the radiator on the Hopper is quite well-protected from impacts, and around something like VR City, I can quite easily follow the AI in the faster K's, SBR4s, or 1988 Pessimas. Also, its durability ensures its survival over long and hardcore chases.

As a vehicle to just have fun and explore, the Hopper works so well. I don't have as much fear of wild and wacky obstacles in the little Ibishu as I do in something like a Roamer or *cough* K-Series *cough*. The Hopper inspires confidence in its abilities where no other vehicle would, and it's actually the first vehicle which has inspired me to try out proper off-roading.

Overall, I think of the Hopper in comparison to its Gavril rivals like this:

Gavril D-Series = Chuck Norris
Gavril Roamer = Dwayne Johnson
Gavril H-Series = John Cena

All three of the Gavrils have stupendous power (almost 500 horsepower in off-road form) and are incredibly strong. They let their presence be felt through their massive size and supercharged V-8s.

Ibishu Hopper = Bruce Lee

But then, there's the Hopper, a little Japanese car which just does outrageously well with what little power it has. It's not super-loud about its talent; it just does and lets the whole world watch.

That's not to say that the Gavrils aren't bad (oh, no - they're great for what they can do), but the Hopper is so much more impressive in my opinion.

*Correction about the mud/sand strip speeds: The Hopper Custom can hit about 40 miles per hour through both strips, while the D35 Pig can achieve about the same speeds. I was taking wheel speed, not air speed, and it turns out that the Hopper is MUCH more efficient at plowing through mud and sand than the wheel-spinning D-Series (which is another bonus of the torquey I6 and light weight).

**Second correction: The Hopper isn't a particularly good substitute for true all-wheel-drive vehicles, as it has both a heavy transfer case and the physics of four-wheel-drive to abide by.

 

Four wheel drive, not all wheel drive, and technically you shouldn't be in 4wd on pavement, but is only game.

 

I was implying with that that the Hopper could be a viable substitute to something like the Hirochi Sunburst Sport RS or the ETK 2400tix TTSport, but you are correct on this point. I'll revise my post to reflect this.