GRAN TURISMO CAR REVIEWS
GT3 Beginner's League
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GRAN TURISMO CAR REVIEWS GT3 Beginner's League |
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Just as in GT1 and GT2, Weight to Power ratios can be dialed in for GT3. So what is a weight to
power ratio and why bother using it? Here's how it works. I'll often give info on which tires and suspension to use. Many times, it is possbile in GT3 to use tires inappropriate
for the race you're about to tackle, and making things too easy.
What's new for GT3? Well you can qualify in races again, tho this is not as strict as GT1 qualifying, nor do you win any
money for pole position. GT3 lets you run as many laps as you want...it's kind of a mix of qualifying and practice at the
same time. The really cool thing is that if your car qualifies too fast (if you're 2 seconds faster than the 2nd place car
or something) you can go detune your engine or suspension, and /or you can remove drivetrain parts or tires for a more challenging
race. Finally, in some cases, you'll find there are several weight to power (W2P) ratios for the same race. This is because I've found that heavier cars can wind up having too much of a power advantage with my system. By using logarithms, this can be fixed. Here's an example of how to use them (and where i'll lose all my non-math oriented fans). Say you've got a Chrysler PT Cruiser with Stage 1 weight reduction and are entering it into the Clubman Cup. It weighs 2,598 pounds. I currently have a range of 2,000 to 2,800 pound cars that I've raced (everything from Truenos to Chrysler PT's, basically), so you can use logarithms to find out how much power the PT should have. 2,000 Pounds=11.43 P2P 2,800 Pounds=18.46 P2P 2,800-2,000 = 800 pounds 18.46-11.43 = a difference of 7.03 pound to power points. 7.03 ÷ 800 = .00878 pounds per hp The Chrysler is 598 pounds over the 2,000 minimum so... 598 x .00878 = 5.25 p2p over the minimum of 11.43 5.25 + 11.43 = final P2P of 16.68 so...2,598 pounds ÷ 16.68 = @156 final horsepower... ...you should have about 156 horsepower to competitvely compete in the Clubman Cup. Get it?
Sunday Cup You know what you have to do here. Just like GT1 and 2, the Sunday Cup was meant for absolute beginners. Even
the name “Sunday Cup” suggests a slow, leisurely pace...like folks out for the proverbial sunday drive. You only
win $1,000 per event so do whatever you can to get this nitemare over with. If you can't afford parts for
this race don't worry, you probably won't need any unless you're driving a mini or a kei car! 14.49 (2,000 lbs.) 138 hp 18.46 (2,800 lbs.) 152 hp These are a bit more difficult, but still pretty easy to win. I've given W2P ratios here not to limit cars, but to boost them. In other words, the ratios above are the absolute minimum you'll need to win, rather than the max power to limit yourself. If you're good at math, you can even figure out logarhythmically how to set up your car as outlined above. Again, you're only winning crap money, so don't spend too much time here. Then again, racing a stock Miata LS against the
MR2 at Deep Forest is some of the BEST, most tempting early gameplay you can try! 14.43 (1,600) 111 hp 14.66 (2,100) 143 hp 17.71 (2,800) Minimum hp=158 hp Time for some understeering fun. The Star of this race is the VW Lupo ‘Cup Car’, which has a race modifyed body with fancy sponsorhip decals. Though this seems an unfair weight advantage and looks out of place, it also apppears the VW team dumped all their money into this body kit and didn't have funds for power cuz it is pretty slow. Still, you gotta watch for it. The driver has obviously spent alot of time at Deep Forest and drives this particular course well. • Use stock tires & sports suspension. Grand Valley 14.24 (2,000 lbs.) 197 hp 13.48 (2,900) 215 hp 16.99 (3,230) min=170 hp Special Stage Route 5 14.24 (2,000) 144 hp 15.20 (2,900) 190 hp 16.99 (3,230) min=167 hp Apricot Hill II 11.26 (2,000) 178 hp 14.38 (2,900) 201 hp 16.64 (3,230) 194 hp minimum
• Use sports tires and sports suspension. A limited slip differential (1-way, 1.5-way
or 2-way) is highly recommended for some cars if they get squishy when trying to exit turns *cough* *Corolla* ahem, scuse
me. Remember all those cool, low-powered, mid-engine cars in GT2? Well most of them are gone, now. What's left for
those on a budget are a handful of MR2s. I didn't include a P2P ratio for these because they are incredibly EASY races, impossible
to lose if you've got some experience. I won all 3 races in a stock MR2 G-limited with a close ratio box, then i did it again
in a stock MR-S. Deep Forest=14.37
It's ironic they call this a ‘Sports Car’ cup...it is anything but. All races P2P=12.38 Seattle & Super Speedway: min hp: 226 Laguna Seca: min hp=225 Seattle reversed: min hp=268 It may seem unfair that Vipers & Cobras are competing against you in the Beginner's League, but really these drivers are kinda wimpy. During hte replay, switch on the accel / brake meter and you can see that they never even use full throttle. • Use sports tires & suspension unless you qualify too well, then you can switch to stock parts. At Seattle reversed, the AI is really aggressive and for some cars you may need racing slicks during hte race, but you should still qualify on sports. Most of the cars that can be entered in this series can be driven totally stock with no qualifying. The PT Cruiser and
Integra are 2 exceptions. Deep Forest: 14.72
• Use a sports suspension & stock tires.You will need a full-racing transmission
at the Test Track if you use the Clubman Miata since it only has 5 stock gears and can't go as fast as the
others here. Special Stage Route 5: 14.24
• Use a sports tires and suspension. Like totallaaaaay. Apricot Hill 15.28 Min=141 hp Grand Valley Speedway14.84 Min =148 hp Apricot Hill reversed 11.65 Min =184 hp The nice thing about these races is you finally start earning some decent money. No, it's nowhere near GT2 cash (50 grand per win + prize car) but $5,000 is definately better than the $1000 to $2500 you've been winning thus far. • Sports tires and suspension recommended, tho you can get away with using stock tires at those
first 2 races in a lighter car. Midfield Raceway reversed = 11.46 (2,000 pounds) to 14.15 (2,900 pounds) Test Course= 10.96 Min hp=190 (2,000) to 14.15 (2,900) Special Stage Route 11= 8.72 (2,000) to 12.33 (2,900 pounds) to 13.0 (3,500)
• Use sports or semi-racing suspension and sports tires. In the last race, use medium slick
tires (T4 i think). You may want fully-modifyable gears in the 2nd and 3rd race for some cars. If the Mitsubishi
GTO doesn't appear, your race will be significantly easier. You shouldn't need any mods to win these, they're so frickin' easy. It seems the AI here are a group of drivers who just started racing school last week; they generally take turns
way too cautiously and brake when they don't need to... but if you get caught in traffic in the midst of them, they'll
do their best to piss you off. This is the only set of races in which you're guarunteed NOT to net a profit. In fact, open your mind to the fact that
you're about to lose serious credits to win these...just like you would in most of the manufacturer's events of GT2.
• In the CLK, all you'll need is a sports suspension to get a bit of an edge at Trail Mountain and
Rome II. A close-ratio gearbox is recommended but not necessary at these 2 tracks, too. The race at Rome will be tough if
you don't qualify. Buy a slew of drivetrain parts (clutch, shaft, limited-slip etc.) if you choose not to
qualify to give yourself a slight edge. • Suggested parts at Rome and Laguna Seca: Weight Redux 1, Stage 1 NA tuning, sports muffler, computer, sports suspension & transmission. Single-plate clutch, 1-way diff. and sports flywheel recommended but not necessary. • At Tokyo R 246 use all the parts above but add a Stage 1 Turbo. At Trail Mountain and SSR5, remove
the computer and sports muffler. Some players may want to go on sports tires for these last 3 races, but i can do them with
stock tires. Midfield: @208 hp Oddly, these races are incredibly competitive for the Beginner's League + you don't earn much dough. Why are all the other make & model races so easy? I did the Altezza series in a Lexus IS200 and used a combination of Stage 1 turbo, sports, semi-racing, or racing muffler, and computer to acheive the power above but you can use either car, as long as the power falls within the guildelines above. The Altezza winds up being more cost-effective here, tho it's initially pricier: you'll only need semi-racing muffler,
computer, & stage 1 NA tune to acheive what's up above. I also recommend sports suspension in
all races and sports tires in all races except Midfield--you can use stock there. A 1.5 LSD
is good to limit spins (these cars love to spin in tight corners. Agh) Recommended but not necessary: sports flywheel and
single-plate clutch. P2P= +13.78 all races Maybe it's me but i found these races extremely easy in a totally stock Honda Integra Type R 98. It was like visiting the Sunday Cup all over again. • I used a sports suspension & tranny in some races, just for the fun of it, but they weren't
necessary. Driving the Civic Type R guarantees the most challenge from the AI at Super Speedway..but the other 4 races will
still be easy. Laguna Seca: @274
• Use stock tires & suspension, and a combination of Stage 1 turbo, sports muffler,
and/or computer to attain the hp above, depending on which Lancer you use. Rome: 223 hp This series is a bit retarded: why is the competition a bunch of race-modified cars? Unless you're rich, you'll of course be in a normal New Beetle 2.0, not a Cup car. No worries, tho...it's totally possible to win with a New Beetle from the dealership. • Stage 2 NA tune, sports muffler, computer, sports suspension & tires, and Stage 1 weight reduction
needed here if you're not in a Cup car. Use a racing transmission at the Test Track to keep up with the others
and medium-slick tires (T4) at Seattle and Cöte d'Azur. NDF=No DownForce Route 246 & Super Speedway= 8.82 max hp: 330 (2,300) [NDF] 9.28 (2,700) [DF] Trail Mountain= 5.58 max hp: 425 (2,300 NDF) 7.97 (2,700 / DF) Midfield= 6.44 max hp: 387 (2,300 NDF) 7.97 (2,700 DF) Laguna Seca= 6.26 max hp: 406 (2,300 NDF) 7.97 (2,700 DF) Seattle & Route 11= 6.44 max: 387 & 372 (2,300 NDF) 9.28 (2,700 DF) Apricot & Trail reversed= 6.26 max: 390 & 425 (2,300 NDF) 9.28 (2,700 DF) Grand Valley= 6.26 (Qual) 6.26+ (Race) max: 390 9.28 (2,700 DF) The final bang! Each of these 10 races pays handsomely at $10,000-> and if you win all of them, you're finally gonna earn some REAL crackola: random prize car AND another $50,000. If this is your 1st time finishing simulation mode, you'll also win yet another Mitsubishi Lancer--keep it if you have to so you can enter the Evo races later on in the Amateurs. The fancy cars with wings and advertizing you're up against are just a decoy...all you need is something in the 260 to 450 horsepower range, although downforce really comes in handy at tracks like Trail Mountain, Laguna Seca, and Seattle. It is possible to win at such tracks in a regular car without downforce, but not recommended if you're not so good with brakes & cornering. Non-downforce cars will be relying on loads of horsepower after that 2nd race. I did these races in a Viper, and Silvia K's 1800. The Viper had too much power, but i've included P2P ratios up above for the Silvia, which weighed in at 2,294 pounds. So far as downforce is concerned: I recently did these in a Ford Focus WRC. You won't have to change your power much if you're using downforce. The difference is astounding. The SuperBacs Toyota MR-S is hands down the tough guy to beat and the C-West Silvia follows in close second. Racing without either of these usually makes for an easier time since all the other cars are rally vehicles (odd). • So far as tires are concerned, sports are recommended for the 1st 4 races (R246 thru Midfield) if your car has downforce. Try using something a bit stickier (anything from T3 slicks to T7 racing soft) at Laguna Seca and any other races in which you can't slightly edge the MR-S when qualifying. If you're more than a second ahead of the MR-S, change your tires to a harder grade.
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