We've never had one person in the office betting pool nail the USCC's podium finishing order, but the years of competition and carnage give us a good idea of the winners and losers from each competition. It's how you score throughout the event though, and not which events you win that ultimately make or break a USCC champion. So we'll go through each event and try to see who wins, who eats it, and why.
Base Price
Winner: Impreza L
Loser: NSX or GT-R
This is an easy one, The Impreza L has to win it on account of its econobox pricing while the loser should be the GT-R or the NSX. Had it been the late-model NSX we were originally looking for, then the six figure MSRP would have easily tipped the scales giving just about everyone a significant lead out of the box.
Car Show
Winner: 350Z or Impreza L
Loser: GT-R or BMW E30
We're not really show car lovers, but it's an important part of a street car, so looks count. And as far as cosmetics go, the 350Z is the closest to a show car, even though a couple other cars are showroom clean. Even with its exotic looks, the GT-R might lose points just for its bone-stock demeanor. But some judges might fall for clean looks and ding the E30-chassis BMW for its aged ultra-sleeper ensemble.
Engineering Guru Panel
Winner: Mazda3
Loser: R32 Skyline GT-R
Based on what we know that the Bergenholtz brothers are up to, the Mazda3 should be the car that wows the judges with World Challenge and OEM level technology. Despite the car's origins, it will be fast, even in this field of USCC contenders. The loser will probably be the old Skyline GT-R with its high-dollar bolt-on madness solutions.
The Girlfriend Test
Winner: Audi Quattro or GT-R
Loser: NSX
The Girlfriend likes air conditioning, leather, and a smooth ride. What she doesn't like are cars that are equipped with sonic boom exhausts, solid suspensions, or are ridiculously difficult to get in and out of. Although, nothing will quite top the Ariel Atom from last year's USCC and the bug that flew into The Girlfriend's eye during that fateful drive.
Driveability
Winner: GT-R
Loser: WRX STI
Of course, the stock car with the automatic transmission will be the easiest to drive, but that doesn't mean the rest are bad in any way. In fact, we have more driveable cars this year and no gutted interiors at all. Why will the Subaru be the worst? It's called 1,600cc/min injectors and a Tilton triple-plate clutch.
Peak Power
Winner: WRX STI
Loser: NSX
When it comes to power, the turbo cars will win. But this year, our bets are on the Cosworth block-equipped STI to come out on top, even though Subarus have always had a hard time taking top marks for peak power at the USCC. The supersized twin-scroll turbo and Motec tuning might just outgun Nissan's RB26-powered Skyline for once. On the bottom end, the NSX and its intake flow limitations will probably cap the total power output to the 300s.
Torque Delivery
Winner: BMW E30
Loser: Mazda3
We've revised our torque curve calculation methods and, this year, the most bottom end grunt will win. That's a contradiction when it comes to a mostly turbocharged field, but the supercharged BWM V-8 should set the par. On the flip side, a 2.3L Mazda will have to have a pretty laggy turbo in order to support 400 whp, which means almost no bottom end torque.
Emissions
Winner: NSX
Loser: WRX STI
Even with a punched-out stroked engine and more aggressive cams, the NSX should still reign supreme when it comes to the sniffer. It's a Honda! But a lot of it comes down to the quality of the catalyst used. The Subaru will probably be the dirtiest with its massive injectors that spew fuel.
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