I'm quite a big fan of how closely balanced a lot of the cars are in EA WRC - the fact that almost all the cars in a class are usually competitive means that usually I see lots of variety in car choi...
Ideas
World Rally Car 1997-2011
In my testing C4 -10 isn't crazy so OP vs Ford -08, assuming u have tuned car setups for location etc, with default setups and in a certain locations of course difference can be bigger.
Some stage times for cars from my testing and tuning session.
- test stage: TT dry Doctors Hill 11,0km
Oceania is close to sea level altitudes(no drop effect to engine power) and quite flat, especially this stage.
Citroen C4 -10 optimally even 5:32.8 (based on my optimal Ford -08 time)
- Ford -08 optimally at least 5:33.9 = about +0.10 s/km
- Subaru -08 optimally at least 5:35.5 = about +0.24s/km
- Mini -11 optimally at least 5:36.8 = about +0.36s/km (down to 1.6L engines so a lot less torque and not best car in 2011 so maybe ok difference to C4, assuming 2011 DS3 was also bit slower like +0.20s/km than C4 2010)
- Xsara -03 optimally at least 5:36.9 = about +0.37s/km (imo slightly over performing)
- Seat -99 optimally at least 5:37.3 = about +0.41s/km (imo bit over performing)
- Subaru -01 optimally at least 5:39.0 = about +0.56s/km
- Skoda -05 optimally at least 5:40.0 = about +0.65s/km (imo very under performing)
- Ford -01 optimally at least 5:40.8 = about +0.72s/km (imo slightly under performing)
- Mitsu -99 optimally at least 5:41.2 = about +0.76s/km
- Ford -99 ONLY ESTIMATED for now 5:41.6 = about +0.80s/km (estimation but this can be wrong)
- Peugeot -02 optimally at least 5:42.0 = about +0.83s/km (imo bit under performing)
- Subaru -98 optimally at least 5:42.8 = about +0.91s/km
These are not 100% accurate differences but gives some sort of picture of them. In another location if roads is much bumpier then older cars can lose even more being overall more unstable, or if stage goes mainly uphill then older cars with less torque output lose more time (torque outputs which aren't mentioned in game at all they vary from lowest about 450Nm up to like highest at least 570Nm)
Rally cars with 2year difference in development like in Citroen C4 -10 and Ford -08 can have that 0.10s/km (or 0.16s/mile) difference in performance.
One option to level out playfield would be option to prevent selection of certain cars in clubs. This was possible in Dirt Rally 1.0 and u could even combine multiple car classes to a single club event. Since then this hasn't been possible for some reason (also dirt rally 2.0 was missing it).
Car weights: possibly set incorrectly in game for some older cars
For exmaple new dlc car H2 rwd Ford Escort RS1600 Mk1 is set to have weight of 1027kg in game. I've been told that minimum weight for Escort Mk1 classification car back then was like 785kg or so. Also Hillman Avenger is much lighter 850kg in same class than this Ford Escort Mk1.
There can be more cars with similar issues.