Saturday, February 1, 2014

Gran Turismo 6: X2014 Standard vs. X2014 Fan



Finally, the two of the four new cars added on Gran Turismo 6's UPDATE 1.04, now in commision, is the last two models of the new Red Bull X2014 range. You can refer to them as the king and queen or the Rubidium and Cesium when mixed with water, yeah yeah, I get it all messed up but hey, it's all in the name of Gran Turismo science, if you know what I mean?

UPDATE 1.04 sees Part Two of the Red Bull X Challenge and for this second installment, in case you cleared the Junior Championship, you can get access to the Standard Championship. In here you can master the X2014 Standard, the mid-range of the lineup, and if you win, not only you can keep the X2014 Standard but also access to the grand finale: SEBASTIAN VETTEL X CHALLENGE.

This final challenge consists of three driving missions in which you can set a lap time while taking on S. Vettel himself. Beat him or not, it's the Gold Target Time you'll be focusing. Stay cool and don't be afraid to take on the risks. Finish all three in gold and you can keep the flagship X2014 Fan Car in your collection.

Now that I have both of them, it's time to figure out how does these two differ and to find out, I used the Ascari Race Resort in Spain as the basis for this experiment.



The X2014 Standard is a "venturi car" with normal suspension and aerodynamics as found in any racing car. With no rear fan and ground-effect skirt on sight, this mid-range model's downforce follows the laws of aerodynamics and for a precaution as shown in the description: THE DRIVER MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT THE DOWNFORCE AVAILABLE DURING CORNERING CHANGES GREATLY AS SPEED INCREASES AND DECREASES.

In high-speeds and in braking through the corners, it's difficult to slingshot past through the curves because of the remaining downforce, meaning that I can get too much understeering no matter how hard I corner this. On the plus side, you can see some sparks coming out at the back for some spectacular light show, making this racer a show off. I lapped this car round the Ascari at 1:37.289. That seems quick but what about the Fan Car? The emperor of the range?



The X2014 Fan Car is the ultimate of the X2014 range because of its thousand horsepower output similar to the previous X models. But, here's a catch: the engine that powers it was toned down from 1479 to 1183HP. Quite a downfall for this model but hey, the aerodynamics are top-notch compared to the Standard model. Thanks to the rear fan and the biblical aerodynamic updates, it's the best handling racecar for thrill-seekers.

Having managed to brave through this machine, I posted a 1:23.503, making it one of the quickest car to run through this track...in my mind. I have to say, I'm very glad I take all of these machines for a spin from entry-level to flagship.

Unfortunately, I find them to be rather useless because for some Single Races, the maximum PP allowed is 750PP and toning them down to meet its regulations is a bit of a hassle, which means...there's no use for those...I should better wait until an update regarding QUICK MATCH where I can jump through an online race without the lobby. It's worth the wait...

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