Not a Bug Ships showing different stats

The problem concerns the ship you choose to play with at the start of free play (cheat mode on). The chosen ship usually shows different stats from the actual ones, as presented in the ship. file, often unrealistic, for example turn rate 90 for Flying Dutchman (instead of 36), etc. Each starting game may present its own numbers.

A similar case is the upgrade - by using s/l before the upgrade, it can give your ship different numbers of improved stats - e.g. the same Dutchman after the upgrading could result in spead 16.5 in one case and in some 18 in another (from the initial 15.5). What's with all these discrepancies? (I always use arcade mode which, as I understand, results in different stats than realistic).

There is some range of stats for a ship type and also a range of stats for the upgrades. Try upgrading a ship, deleting the upgrades, and then upgrading it again. It will be different. Arcade mode must really exaggerate the differences.

Yep, there are a lot of things that can randomize ship stats; wouldn't want them to be boring, would we?