That's something furlim has been trying and looking into as of late. Like using Manual over automatic to increase the top speed of the cars and improving it's acceleration.

When we first run the game, the timing was RTA, which meant that Computer times where a huge deal for the run. Because of that, we chose the white car solely because the other cars are faster, and that way the Computer/AI would have better times. If we used the red car and the computer picked the white one, it would take a lot more time for AI to finish the race than if we used the white car and the AI used something else.

Besides that, using the white car could make us skip pit-stopping in some Levels, like Chitchen Itza (the 3rd level on South America) and the second level on Italy, for example. You also don't have to pit stop twice on London if you drive well.

But on shorter tracks the faster cars seems to be more interesting choices, but we haven't tested enough. Now that we use IGT timing, it shifts the focus from RNG to skill, so the other cars could be viable choices for IGT timing.

I think using Manual will be always better, if you can use it perfectly. The fifth gear is only to save fuel. In the fourth gear you still accelerate at high tempo. Yeah and with Ingame comparisions it will be better. The choice of the car is really hard to decide for the reasons smosism gave.

I've been testing new strats with red car. We started just running for fun, so the white car was the most beneficial. Basically it's what smosism said.

I'll do runs with the red car in manual soon. I got pretty much ways to do 1 pit strats in every track besides London, so I think it'll be a huge timesave from the white one. The only problem is spending too much time in 4th gear, because fuel will decrease a lot faster. When I get them tested enough, I'll write a guide about them.