Car enthusiasts and gamers alike often appreciate the detail and realism in vehicle simulation games. BeamNG.drive is renowned for its soft-body physics and accurate vehicle representations. But how well do these in-game cars stack up against their real-world counterparts in terms of size? This analysis delves into the dimensions of various BeamNG.drive vehicles, comparing their length, wheelbase, and width to similar production cars. Let’s explore if your favorite BeamNG.drive car is realistically sized.
Compact City Cars: Autobello Piccolina
The Autobello Piccolina, BeamNG.drive’s charming little Italian car, draws inspiration from classic European city cars. When we examine its dimensions:
- Length: At 357 cm, the Piccolina’s length is surprisingly close to the Fiat 850 (357.5 cm), and longer than the smaller Fiat 600 (321 cm). It’s shorter than the Volkswagen Beetle (408 cm), placing it squarely in the compact city car category.
- Wheelbase: The 230 cm wheelbase is more akin to a VW Beetle (240 cm) than the shorter Fiat 600 (200 cm). Interestingly, it’s just slightly shorter than the wheelbase of the Fiat 1100, a slightly larger compact car.
- Width: Here’s where the Piccolina deviates. Measuring 158 cm wide, it significantly exceeds the Fiat 600 (138 cm) and is even wider than the VW Beetle (154 cm). In fact, it approaches the width of the larger and more modern Fiat 128.
Conclusion: The Autobello Piccolina is realistically proportioned in length, but its wheelbase is stretched slightly, and the car is notably wider than many of its real-world inspirations. This gives it a slightly more substantial feel on the road compared to some of the narrow European city cars of the era.
1980s Mid-Size Sedans: Bruckell LeGran
Moving into the 1980s American mid-size category, we have the Bruckell LeGran. Let’s see how its dimensions compare:
- Length: The LeGran’s 482 cm length positions it accurately within the realm of 1980s mid-size cars. It falls neatly between the sedan (478 cm) and wagon (484 cm) versions of GM’s A-Body platform cars of that era.
- Wheelbase: With a 269 cm wheelbase, the LeGran is slightly longer than the A-Body (262 cm). However, this wheelbase is identical to that of a 1986 Ford Taurus, another quintessential 80s mid-sizer.
- Width: At 177 cm wide, the LeGran is almost identical in width to the GM A-Body cars it’s being compared to, being only 1 cm wider.
Conclusion: The Bruckell LeGran is a very realistically sized representation of a typical 1980s American mid-size sedan. Its dimensions align closely with real-world vehicles from that era, capturing the essence of the segment.
1970s American Muscle: Bruckell Moonhawk
For muscle car enthusiasts, the Bruckell Moonhawk embodies the spirit of 1970s American coupes. How do its dimensions measure up?
- Length: The Moonhawk, at 530 cm long, is comparable to a 4-door 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle (533 cm) and only slightly longer than the 2-door Chevelle (523 cm). This places it comfortably within the mid-size muscle car category of the time.
- Wheelbase: The 285 cm wheelbase is precisely the same as the 1973 Chevelle, indicating a high degree of accuracy in this dimension.
- Width: The Moonhawk’s width of 203 cm is where it diverges slightly. It’s significantly wider than a 1973 Chevelle (or other A-Body cars) by about 6.7 cm. Interestingly, this width aligns more closely with the full-size 1973 GM C-Body cars like the Cadillac Coupe de Ville.
Conclusion: The Bruckell Moonhawk accurately captures the length and wheelbase of a 1970s Chevelle but leans towards the width of a larger, more luxurious car like a Cadillac Coupe de Ville. It’s essentially a fictional Chevelle with a wider, more imposing stance.
1950s American Classic: Burnside Special
The Burnside Special evokes the elegance of 1950s American mid-price cars. Let’s examine its size in comparison to real vehicles:
- Length: At 514 cm, the Burnside Special is slightly shorter than a 1953 Oldsmobile 88 (519 cm), a comparable mid-price car of the era. The difference is minimal, making its length very realistic.
- Wheelbase: The 293 cm wheelbase is shorter than expected for a mid-price car of this type. It’s closer to a 1953 Chevrolet or Ford (292 cm), which were typically in a lower price bracket.
- Width: The Burnside Special, like the Moonhawk, is wider than its mid-price counterparts. Its 202 cm width exceeds a 1953 Oldsmobile Super 88 by 6.6 cm and approaches the width of a more luxurious Cadillac 60 Special (203.5 cm).
Conclusion: The Burnside Special presents an interesting dimensional mix. It has the length of an Oldsmobile, the wheelbase of a Chevrolet or Ford, and the width of a Cadillac. This combination results in a car that’s stylistically reminiscent of the 50s but with a slightly unique dimensional footprint.
1980s Italian Supercar: Civetta Bolide
The Civetta Bolide is BeamNG.drive’s take on a classic 1980s Italian supercar. Let’s see how its dimensions compare to iconic vehicles of that era:
- Length: The Bolide’s 423 cm length is typical for a V8 Italian supercar of the 80s, being just slightly shorter than a Ferrari 328 (425.5 cm).
- Wheelbase: The 252 cm wheelbase is a bit long for its overall length. It’s surprisingly close to a Ferrari Testarossa (255.5 cm), a significantly longer car (by 26 cm), and much longer than a Ferrari 328 (235 cm).
- Width: At 190 cm wide, the Bolide is realistically sized, closely matching the Lamborghini Countach (188.7 cm).
Conclusion: The Civetta Bolide is generally dimensionally accurate for an 80s Italian supercar, particularly in length and width. However, its wheelbase is notably long, making it proportionally closer to a Testarossa in wheelbase than a 328, despite being closer in overall length to the latter.
Modern European Sedans: ETK I-Series & 800-Series
The ETK I-Series and 800-Series represent modern European sedans, likely inspired by BMW models. Let’s compare them:
ETK I-Series:
- Length: The I-Series, at 467 cm, is positioned between a BMW E28 (462 cm) and E34 (472 cm), two generations of the BMW 5-Series.
- Wheelbase: Its 268 cm wheelbase also falls between the E28 (262.5 cm) and E34 (276 cm).
- Width: The 171 cm width is closer to the E28 (170 cm) than the wider E34 (175 cm).
Conclusion (I-Series): The ETK I-Series dimensions accurately place it as a vehicle that could be considered a bridge between the BMW E28 and E34 5-Series models, both in terms of its design and size.
ETK 800-Series:
- Length: At 469 cm, the 800-Series is just slightly longer than a BMW F31 3-Series wagon (462 cm).
- Wheelbase: The 285 cm wheelbase is also very close to the F31 3-Series (281 cm).
- Width: The 184 cm width is only slightly wider than the real 3-Series (181 cm).
Conclusion (800-Series): The ETK 800-Series is dimensionally very similar to a BMW F31 3-Series wagon, making it a highly realistic representation of a modern European compact executive car.
Modern European Roadster: ETK K-Series
The ETK K-Series appears to be BeamNG.drive’s interpretation of a modern European roadster. Let’s examine its dimensions:
- Length: At 444 cm, the K-Series is longer than a BMW Z4 E89 (424 cm) but similar in length to a BMW 2-Series convertible (443 cm) and shorter than a Mercedes SL (458 cm).
- Wheelbase: The 264 cm wheelbase is also longer than the Z4 E89 (249 cm) but shorter than the 2-Series (269 cm) and SL (269 cm).
- Width: The K-Series is quite wide at 190 cm, exceeding even the wide Mercedes SLK R172 and being wider than the SL.
Conclusion: The ETK K-Series is dimensionally ambiguous. Its length is more in line with a larger roadster, but its width is substantial, even for that category. It’s wider than many of its potential real-world counterparts, possibly aiming for a blend of different roadster styles.
1960s/70s American Pony Car: Gavril Barstow
The Gavril Barstow captures the essence of American pony cars from the late 1960s and early 1970s. How does its size compare?
- Length: The Barstow is surprisingly long at 490 cm. This exceeds the length of a 1969 Ford Mustang (476 cm) and even a 1971 Mustang (481 cm). In fact, it’s closer in length to a mid-size 1969 Chevelle (501 cm) than a compact Mustang.
- Wheelbase: The 275 cm wheelbase falls between the 1969 Mustang (274 cm) and 1971 Mustang (277 cm), which is accurate for a pony car.
- Width: The Barstow is wide for a pony car at 192 cm. It’s wider than the 1971 “Clydesdale” Mustang (188 cm) and approaches the width of a mid-size 1970 Ford Torino.
Conclusion: The Gavril Barstow’s wheelbase is typical for a pony car, but its overall length and width are stretched, making it dimensionally closer to a larger, near-mid-size vehicle. It’s as if the bodywork was elongated and widened beyond typical pony car proportions.
1960s American Full-Size: Gavril Bluebuck
The Gavril Bluebuck represents the large American full-size cars of the 1960s. Let’s analyze its dimensions:
- Length: The Bluebuck is long, even for a full-size car, at 547 cm. This exceeds the length of 1964 Chevrolet full-size cars (533 cm) and even the Pontiac Catalina (541 cm).
- Wheelbase: The 300 cm wheelbase is more in line with a 1964 Chevrolet, which had a 302.5 cm wheelbase.
- Width: The Bluebuck is also wide, measuring 202 cm. This is wider than a 1964 Pontiac Bonneville (201.2 cm) and a 1964 Impala (198.4 cm), both known for their “Wide Track” design.
Conclusion: The Gavril Bluebuck is a large car, even by 1960s full-size standards. It combines a very long body with a wheelbase more typical of Chevrolet, resulting in a vehicle that feels substantial and imposing.
Modern Japanese Compact: Hirochi Sunburst
Finally, the Hirochi Sunburst represents a modern Japanese compact car. Let’s see how its dimensions compare to contemporary models:
- Length: The Sunburst’s 436 cm length is shorter than international market compacts like the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer or Subaru Impreza (both around 457 cm). However, it’s very close to the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) Toyota Corolla Axio (439 cm) and only slightly longer than a 2008 Toyota Yaris sedan (430 cm).
- Wheelbase: The 257 cm wheelbase is again closer to the JDM Corolla Axio (260 cm) and even closer to the Yaris sedan (255 cm) than the Lancer (264 cm) or Impreza (262 cm).
- Width: The Sunburst’s width is below the Japanese compact car limit of 170 cm, similar to the Corolla Axio. However, it’s significantly narrower than international market compacts like the Lancer (176 cm) or Impreza (174 cm).
Conclusion: The Hirochi Sunburst’s dimensions suggest it’s modeled more closely on a Japanese Domestic Market compact car, which are often narrower to comply with Japanese width regulations, rather than a globally marketed “compact” car. This explains its smaller size compared to what might be expected for a “compact” car in Western markets.
Final Thoughts on BeamNG.drive Car Dimensions
Overall, BeamNG.drive vehicles demonstrate a good degree of accuracy in their dimensions when compared to real-world cars. While some models exhibit minor deviations, particularly in width and wheelbase in certain cases, the game generally provides a realistic sense of vehicle size and proportion. This attention to detail contributes to the immersive and authentic driving experience that BeamNG.drive is known for. For car enthusiasts and simulation gamers, these dimensional comparisons highlight the level of fidelity present in the game’s vehicle representations, making the virtual driving experience even more engaging.
