Zero Elevens - Karin Asterope

[Ribsey]

 

 

2010 Karin Asterope 3.5 V6 - Boredom in the Middle

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When the Asterope first launched in 2006 it had one goal. Karin heralded it as their “attainable luxury vehicle” to chop a slice of the market share from under the noses of the Germans. Later the Asterope built an unceremonious legacy as one of Japan’s blandest exports; you were more likely to see Vincent Rockford in public than an Asterope proudly displayed among enthusiast circles.

 

Despite this Karin managed to sell over 400,000 units a year to the masses.

 

How did such a car become popular? The Asterope began as the spiritual successor to the Kuruma of the 90s that represented the Japanese's steady ongoing grip on the US market. With its safe bento box-esque design the average working class suit found a spacious budget sedan that teased luxury, proved surprisingly reliable & rigid and delivered on its promise of a no-thrills, no-bullshit approach to commuting. Market values held solid until the latter years for the Asterope saw it being pushed aside by the Vapid Torrence and then cannibalized in its own class by Karin’s own revamps of both the Sultan and Kuruma. These days you can pick one up for the fraction of the cost of the a Pariah.

 

 

 

Lisbon, Magala, Palma de Mallorca; as a rental staple the Asterope has inspired little more than despondent or indifferent vacation faces over its 6 year run. Los Santos natives recognize it best as a once-common sight trundling around the Southwestern parts of the city, skipping traffic signals and painted diamond blue. While those came with Karin’s in-house pedestrian 2.0 or 2.4 (2.5 from 2009 onwards) inline-four engines and a chance of a credit card glued to a melted Butterfinger inside the glovebox, this particular grey slab is the range-topping 3.5 V6. Attractive numbers for a Japanese lunchbox with 17-inch alloys, pedals in sporty drag and faux leather (unless you paid Karin extra cash for authentic seats). The polka-dot tie-wearing rebel who added those Euro lights was likely dragged back to the mail room before he could add too much flavor to the design. A design which at a glance can be mistaken for the Declasse Premier, the Asterope’s more flamboyant yet flimsier American cousin.

 

 

Thank you Mr. Tsumaranai.

 

Being RWD should incite fun when you take it out and push it hard, but the Asterope's soft suspension is reluctant to let it loose and enjoy itself. Instead it veers from sluggish understeer with oversteer only truly occurring past 50mph (unless you're adding erratic pulls of the handbrake). Pushing the sedate V6 up to near-100 makes it drone like a disgruntled shaver, the revs build, the engine plays chicken with the transmission, promise peaks squarely in the middle, then it’s brushing the redline and the auto box throws you up a gear. Since only the 3.5 V6 models came with a 6-speed auto you can’t even select the best performance available with ideal transmission as only the lower-spec models from 2005-2010 had the option for a 5 or 6-speed manual shifter.

 

 

 It’s clear that this was a car for people who aren’t interested in either cars or driving - it is to the driving experience what Maroon 5 is to music.

 

As a car, it’s perfectly adequate.

 

As a rental it ticked every box on the mundane list.

 

For anybody still desperate to squeeze out any potential in an Asterope, register a post-2009 2.5 L4 as an Uber and call it a day.

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Alternate Drives: Declasse Asea, Vapid Stanier, 10mg adderall

 

Engine: 3.5 SGR-FE V6, 306bhp @6100rpm, 254lb-ft @ 4800rpm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Drivetrain: RWD

Years: 2006-2012

 

0-60: 7.3 seconds (Uber average)

Top Speed: 154 KMH/96 MPH

Economy: 20-25mpg

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0-11: The Zero Elevens Blog

Edited July 10, 2020 by Ribsey

[Ribsey]

(( OOC Disclaimer ))

 

Spoiler

Some features mentioned here are based on the respective vehicle's real world influence(s) which cannot be accurately portrayed with in-game models due to game limitations and Rockstar repeating several vehicle interiors.

In regards to speed the IRL milestone of 200-250 MPH is not applicable to a game where the fastest vehicles peak around 130-160MPH so expectations were adjusted to fit the context of the game engine. GTA cars of equal caliber typically manage at least 100+ MPH.