LFS Forum - BAVARIA A39 Series

Hello everybody, after 9 months of development, I am very proud to present you with our work!

Disclaimers: although the inspiration for this mod is of a circa 2002 model BMW E39, it is not intended to be an exact replica.

Please understand this is currently a Work in Progress, it is not yet finished, and there is a list below reflecting known-issues and items that need fixing or adjustment.

Your constructive feedback and support is welcome Smile

Please be kind and respectful if you have feedback to share, there have been hundreds of hours put into this, and you all are getting it for free, and it is public. Please be respectful.

BAVARIA A39

With three versions:

BAVARIA A39 - 3.0L Petrol Inline 6
BAVARIA D39 - 3.0L Turbocharged "Diesel" Inline 6
BAVARIA N39 - 4.9L Petrol V8

CREDITS:

Jere - LFSW: Kanker_aap - was commissioned to build a brand new 3D model in Blender, from scratch. This includes:

Full 3D model of interior and exterior
Two wheel rims models
Separate bumpers and trims for the "N" model
Support with the model, as needed
Provided some textures, captured from reference photos, such as the door card texture in interior

TheStigUSA - mod construction, texture generation, further 3D modeling, sounds, refinements, frame, handling.

Ensured proper model dimensions, in comparison to real-world values. Re-sizing was necessary.
Added various sub-objects including: brake rotors, gauge models, logo objects including setting them into the model, seat belts and buckles along with modeling them into the B-pillars, airbag cutout on dash, the model badges on the boot, bonnet, and on steering wheel, exterior door lock model, lightbar models are made by me as well.
Texture work, including: various interior textures made from scratch, gauge textures made from scratch. Role-play (COP,TOW,MED) textures created by me as well

Autohouse Performance Project - https://discord.gg/RsjPBHgF - for Brake Caliper 3D model

Additional credits:

SeanProdTV (LFSW: sean_drifter) for sourcing a video with sounds of a diesel variant. These are incorporated into the mod for eng .wav, intake sound, and starter. Same starter sound on all versions.
CocaineCowboy (LFSW: yuylol) for project inspiration, and for providing reference materials and knowledge.

Project Timeline:

Jere begins work on the model: December 2024
Jere delivers model to Stig: March 2025
Stig begins work on construction - March 2025
Constructing the model, performing initial texturing - March through June 2025
Extra detail work (seat belts, logos, placing rims and wheel sub-objects, setting up configs) - June through Early July 2025
Brief hiatus - most of July 2025
Final touches - Role-play skins, sound work, final model additions, quality assurance - end of July through start of August 2025
WIP release: August 1, 2025

Known Issues:

The rear suspension arms appear positioned low when looking near the bottom of the inner side of the wheel. I am not sure how to fix this at the moment, and may have to leave it as it is, but I will look at this in the future.
Currently, have not tackled trying to make this right-hand-drive swappable, but I will take a look at this in the future.
The steering wheel buttons don't look particularly great. I would like to make those appear more like they do in the real world, and reflect that by having separate buttons. The icons also come through kind of poorly, those can be modeled out in the future.
I regard the steering animation as 'OK', but it is not perfect. This will see refinement when I have some time.
The 'N' series mirrors could do with some extra subdividing, to make them appear more rounded.
I have received feedback that the exterior logos are "small". We did measure mine versus one somebody in the community has. Mine is a radius of 2.7cm, and the real world example is 3.3cm radius. I will correct this as soon as I have time.

Planned features:

Model out the gauges, so that we can illuminate them. Other interior components might also get modeled.
Add headlight washers, by popular request
Not making a promise here, but I plan on taking a look at doing some basic model work for the underside of the car.

Other technical discussion:
Downforce calculation:

Formula (informed by: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/drag-coefficient-d_627.html):


Fd = Cd * 1/2( (density of fluid) * (flow velocity^2) * (frontal area of the body) )

Fd = Downforce (Newtons) (all of the below multiplied together.)
cd = 0.27 (known drag coefficient value for the reference car)
p = 1.2 (kg/m^3) (air at standard pressure & temperature)
v = 27.8 (m/s)
A = 2.17 (m/s^2) (informed by: https://www.m5board.com/posts/1859540/ and
)

For 100kmh
0.27 * (1/2 ( 1.2 * 27.8^2 * 2.17) = 271.684 N

For 1kmh
0.27 * (1/2 ( 1.2 * 1^2 * 2.17) = 2.71684 N

And these values are reflected as such (rounded) if you test them with the downforce slider.