My FH5 Log: Sludge Wave

Forza Horizon 5’s Horizon Retrowave update has just been hit with a sludge wave bringing with it three old cars from the 1980s. It’s the same story as last time, the cars came from the salvage yard and into the game. It’s just one more thing that makes it seem like the Forza franchise is on a path to self-destruction. We’ve seen enough old cars already.

First up, the BMW M635CSi that I've salvaged from the update's Storm Season Playlist.

The BMW M635CSi was revealed at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show and is based on the E24 6-Series. The M635CSI features an upgraded six-cylinder engine that was used to power the BMW M1. This engine generates 286 PS (210 kW; 282 hp) of power, and it is mated with a Getrag 280/5 five-speed manual gearbox. 

In the United States, the M635CSi is known as the M6 and uses a catalyzed S38B35 motor engine. This engine produces 256bhp, which is less than the Euro-spec version due to stricter emissions regulations in North America. The M6 was built at BMW's Dingolfing plant from 1983 to 1989 with body shells sourced from Osnabruck-based Karmann works.

There are several versions of the M635CSi and M6. Two non-catalyst models were produced for the European market, one with left-hand drive and one with right-hand drive. There are also three distinct catalyst versions for Europe, North America, and Japan, all of which are left-hand drive.

Our second offender in this recent mess is the Lotus Esprit Series 2 that I've salvaged from the update's Dry Season Playlist.

The Lotus Esprit Series 2 is a cool sports car with a great history and a unique design. It has taillights from the Rover SD1 and an interior with Morris Marina switches. There’s even a special model that commemorates Lotus’ victory at the 1978 Formula One championship. It was originally limited to 300 units, but nearly half of it was made and sold.

In 1980, the Essex Turbo Esprit was launched. Finished in the livery of Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation, which was Team Lotus' sponsor from 1979 to 1981, the Essex Turbo Esprit is the first-ever turbocharged Esprit, powered by a 2.2L type 910 engine which produces 210hp of power and 271Nm of torque. It goes from 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds and flat-out in 150mph. It even comes with a revised chassis rear suspension setup and improved braking.

Last but not least, the Citroen BX4TC that I've salvaged from the Hot Season Playlist.

Developed for the 1985 World Rally Championship, the Citroën BX 4TC is a rally car derived from the Citroën BX production model. It was designed for Group B rallying in the World Rally Championship.

Sharing little resemblance to the normal BX, the 4TC features a longer nose due to the use of the slightly smaller 2.1L Simca Type 180 engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox sourced from the SM.

The 4TC is proven to be a difficult contender due to its weight, small power, and hydraulic suspensions causing understeer. The best result it has done is a sixth-place finish in Sweden with Jean-Claude Andruet. Citroen withdrew from the 1985 WRC to make revisions but the end of Group B racing threw a wrench to BX 4TC's debut.

Citroen produced 200 road-legal versions to comply with Group B regulations, each costing 248,500 francs. Due to its expensive price tag, only 86 were sold.

Although scarred by the corrosion of the past, I've given these three toxic wastes on wheels for a quick race across Horizon Mexico's finest just to see how much poison has left after being salvaged by the Forza producers from the scrapyard to the game. Roll the tapes.

Looks like Horizon Retrowave's very own Toxic Crusaders win the day.

The Horizon Retrowave update in Forza Horizon 5 is just another stark reminder that a racing game franchise like Forza often prefers featuring old cars rather than the latest and the hottest cars. This is a huge bummer because, while it may be a lot of fun to look at classic cars, racing games are supposed to be about having the latest and greatest vehicles, which is something that Forza is sorely lacking.

The next update is called “Modern Horizons” and I can’t help but hope that it will do the exact opposite of the current update. It would be so refreshing to see some modern-day cars coming to the game. I know I’m not the only one who thinks this, so here’s to hoping.

It’s not like there aren’t enough old cars in Forza already. How many more do we need? How long is this going to go on? I want to race in modern cars, and I want to race in them now. If Forza isn’t going to do it, I hope someone else will.

Please, please, Forza producers, bring us more modern present-day cars!

4th-Generation Citroen C3

The all-new, fourth-generation Citroen C3 marks the true beginning of the French carmaker's new era in the age of electrification, and being a back-to-basic hatchback with budget-friendly pricing, it's a good compact to start with.

2024 Citroen e-C3

Starting at 14,990 Euros plus additional costs, the all-new fourth-generation Citroen C3 brings Citroen back to being a humble French carmaker even under the thumb of Stellantis. Being the first model to proudly wear the new Citroen logo from the OLI Concept, it truly is a new start.

2024 Citroen C3

The fourth-generation Citroen C3 is the first model to bear the new Citroen logo. However, its design conveys a different message. With styling inspired by the OLI Concept, the C3 resembles a crossover more than a city car, especially with its black cladding on the side and rear. The C-shaped headlamps make the car look like a Rubik's cube, which seems to be a French expression of style. Mind you, the all-new C3 uses most of the bits and bobs from today's Peugeot 208 and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa rather than the new platforms Stellantis introduced a long time ago because it's too early to tell.

2024 Citroen C3 interior

The all-new Citroen C3 has a completely redesigned interior layout that adopts the brand's C-Zen lounge concept. It features a squarish steering wheel, a head-up display (HUD), a sat-nav touchscreen, and automatic air conditioning in MAX variants. The low-cost YOU variant has conventional climate control knobs and a smartphone holder, which is useful for those in the Gig Economy. In terms of space, the C3 has 310 liters of boot space, which is more than adequate for today's thrift store purchases.

2024 Citroen C3

The fourth-generation Citroen C3 is available in petrol and electric versions. The petrol version provides the most enjoyable driving experience, owing to its 1.2L HN09 PureTech engine, which generates 101 PS of power and 205 Nm of torque. When paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox, this engine propels the C3 from 0 to 100 kph in 10.6 seconds and achieves a top speed of 183 kph. In terms of fuel economy, the petrol-powered C3 achieves 5.6 L/100 km combined based on WLTP standards.

The e-C3's electric powertrain has a 44kWh Lithium iron phosphate battery and an electric motor that powers the front wheels. It produces 113PS of power and 120Nm of torque, which enables it to go from 0 to 100kph in 11 seconds and reach a top speed of 135kph. The e-C3 has a range of 326km and takes less than 30 minutes to charge to 80% at a 100kw public charging station.

Although not the most fun to drive on the straights, its city-friendly handling and the signature Citroen Advanced Comfort suspension made the all-new C3 civilized and user-friendly in the real world. As for safety, the all-new C3 features a wide range of safety tech such as rear parking assist, Active Safety Brake, Active Unintentional Line Crossing Alert, speed sign recognition, and the MAX-exclusive reversing camera.

From its OLI-inspired exterior design, minimalist interior, a choice of petrol and electric, user-friendly driving feel, and loads of safety tech, the all-new fourth-generation Citroen C3 truly is the new start for the French carmaker and has the right to wear the new Citroen logo. Welcome to the subtle side.

Photo: Citroen

My FH5 Log: Euro Trash

Would you look at that? The European Automotive update of Forza Horizon 5 is constantly littered with European junk cars out from the junkyard and into the ever-growing FH5 car roster. The cesspool of junk cars keeps on growing.

First up is the Lancia Fulvia from the Hot Season Playlist. Powered by a 1.3L V4 engine, it's the car that made Lancia win its first World Rally Championship. Not bad for a front-wheel-drive coupe that costs more than the Jaguar E-Type when it was new.

Next up is the Citroen DS 23 from the Storm Season Playlist. This is the iconic hatchback that first introduced Citroen's signature hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension system which uses liquid hydraulic and gas-pressured suspension instead of springs, giving it a comfy ride on all kinds of road surfaces. It was the first to use disc brakes.

Fresh from the Dry Season Playlist is the Series 4 Lotus Esprit, the last V8-powered Lotus ever made and one of the last production cars with pop-up headlights.

The Hot Season Playlist featured a double bill of German garbage; the Volkswagen Double Cab Pick-up and the Mercedes-Benz 500 E. The Doka is basically the pickup variant of the Volkswagen Type 2 minibus while the 500 E is the V8-powered variant of the W124 E-Class made from a Porsche factory.

Let's give the quintuplet of European garbage a good dirty driving, and showcase just how good these rusty beaters from the Old Continent were. Roll the tapes.

These rusty beaters proved their point but as it turned out, they were nothing compared to the worst European toxic waste of the pack; the AMG Hammer Wagon from the European Automotive DLC Pack.

The AMG Hammer Wagon is a one-off W214 wagon built for a client from the USA. Started out in life as a diesel-powered W214 wagon until the original owner commissioned AMG to convert it into a super wagon, armed with a 6.0L V8 engine producing 375hp of power while mated to a 4-speed AT. It even comes with a locking differential to help the rear axle endure the punishment from the V8 engine, among others.

Want to see how the AMG Hammer Wagon roars? You're in luck because let's get the tape rolling.

The latest batch of toxic waste dump proves that the cesspool of rusty beaters never stops growing, giving Gen Z players uncontrollable anxiety, complaining about why the Forza producers keep dumping junk cars in such a wonderful racing game.

Are we seeing more junk cars in the next FH5 series update next week? Yes, there will be junk cars next week so brace yourselves for more rusty beaters ruining your FH5 experience.

Citroen C4 X

The first-ever Citroen C4 X can be considered the baby brother of the C5 X but unlike its big brother, it's an all-electric crossover saloon with almost little to show for it. So, what's it all about the C4 X?

2023 Citroen e-C4 X

Starting at 27,650 Euros plus additional costs, the first-ever e-C4 X is cheaper to own than its big brother, but like all good cars, it's complicated to explain what's that car for as we will observe what's it all about from top to bottom.

2023 Citroen e-C4 X

To differentiate the C4 X from the normal C4 crossover hatchback, it's been given the impression of a coupe crossover, think BMW's X4 but with a pinch of ratatouille on it. It may look like a jacked-up saloon but in reality, it's all common sense. Of course, you can expect typical Citroen styling all over, especially the signature cross-face most models had. If you're feeling cross-eyed, then this is what this car looks like for you. Classic Citroen vibe.

2023 Citroen e-C4 X interior

Asking about the interior, the C4 X works and feels like a normal C4. meaning you can expect the available sat-nav with smartphone connectivity, a high-tech instrumental cluster, and seating for five people, just like in the normal C4. However, the boot space is greater than the normal C4 because it has up to 1360 liters of boot space for the e-C4 X variant with the rear seats folded down. With such space, you have room for extras on your next weekend trip in a quiet French landmark or possibly a nearby thrift shop if you're into that.

2023 Citroen e-C4 X

The choice of powertrains for the C4 X consists of a PureTech S&S petrol engine (with up to 130PS of power) mated to either a 6-speed MT or an 8-speed AT, a 130PS BlueHDi diesel engine, and for the e-C4 X, a 136PS electric motor capable of hitting a 0-100kph in less than ten seconds, 150kph of top speed, and up to 360km of driving range.

Although not exciting to drive as expected, the C4 X puts its emphasis on comfort, a classic Citroen tradition, and with that, it comes with a unique suspension setup with progressive hydraulic stops. Thanks to such suspension, driving on a rocky road feels like there's nothing underneath. You can really drive one on a rough road without leaving someone's drink getting spilled and that's how Citroen's signature suspension works.

In terms of safety, the C4 X comes with over 20 safety and driver assistance systems including Active Safety Brake, collision risk alert and Post Collision Safety Brake, Highway Driver Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, HUD, reversing camera with Top Rear Vision, and many others.

Although not a worthy favorite for speedo boys, the C4 X behaves pretty much like its big brother, the C5 X, and because it's got more to show for than the normal C4, it's a hard bargain worth checking out. Like it or not, this crossover saloon is out there to play smart, not hard.

Photo: Citroen

Citroen C5 X

Citroen revived the C5 moniker in the form of a sport utility wagon known as the C5 X. Billed as the decent rival to the Subaru Legacy Outback, the first-ever Citroen C5 X continues the carmaker's tradition of delivering the most comfortable ride for French motorists in a new and questionable way to spend your everyday life working and traveling in the middle of your day off. Let's fire it up.

2022 Citroen C5 X

Priced at 32,900 Euros plus additional costs, which makes it cheaper to own than the Subaru Outback, the first-ever Citroen C5 X is made for a typical European motorist who would like a sport utility wagon that caters to the driver's whims of life. Whether it's for a typical work schedule or for a quiet Sunday drive, the C5 X is built for almost everything.

In typical French car standards, the styling of the C5 X can be downright questionable judging by its high ground clearance, a sloping roofline, and the modern Citroen front face that looks cross-eyed like a Kabuki. Talk whatever you want but this is what the French called the "new normal" because that's how French cars look like these days.

2022 Citroen C5 X interior

2022 Citroen C5 X interior

Inside, the C5 X's dashboard can be highly mistaken for a BMW because of the similar layout. Despite having a long touchscreen that controls the navigation, media, and smartphone connectivity, there are buttons and switches that control the volume and air conditioning, which is pretty nice for a Citroen. As for the passenger space, meanwhile, despite being shorter and less spacious compared to the Outback, the boot space is roomier than the old C5 Tourer from several decades ago even with the rear seats present. Good or bad, it doesn't matter for the C5 X anyway.

2022 Citroen C5 X

Performance-wise, the C5 X features a choice of PureTech petrol and Hybrid powertrains mated exclusively with an 8-speed AT. The latter is basically a PHEV where the 1.6L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is connected to an electric motor and a Li-ion battery, generating up to 225PS of power and 360Nm of torque. It does 0-100kph in 7.9 seconds and has a 233kph top speed, meaning you can kiss your Outback goodbye. As for the fuel economy, meanwhile, it's a rather impressive 1.3L/100km combined.

Because Citroen is well-known for creating the most comfortable vehicles ever driven since the 2CV, the C5 X features the Citroen Advanced Comfort suspension, which makes it capable of handling through bumpy roads without spilling a cup of coffee. The comfortable driving goes a lot further in PHEV variants, making the journey as smooth as sitting on memory foam.

While basking through the C5 X's impressive comfort on the road, the most advanced safety features are in play, making motorists notice while on the go courtesy of its Highway Driver Assist that grants the C5 X level 2 driving, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Lane Keeping Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Top 360 Vision Surround View Camera, and more.

The Citroen C5 X may be the most questionable vehicle ever to emerge from France but with levels of comfort staying true to the Citroen tradition, it truly is a sport utility wagon fit for the new normal and a proper rival to the Subaru Outback despite being shorter and less spacious than its Japanese competitor. This crossover wagon, like it or not, is ready to take on whatever life throws at it and looks like you're in for a good time with this one.

Photo: Citroen

Forza Horizon 4: Let's review Series 35 cars!

The Jeep Gladiator, Citroen DS, and the Porsche 928 are the cars Forza Horizon 4 players worked hard to obtain throughout the course of the Series 35 update, and as new challenges await, let's take a quick pause to review the trio of Series 35 cars obtained throughout the update.

The Jeep Gladiator that you've obtained from the Summer Playlist, so what is it? Well, the Gladiator name has been revived by Jeep for their first-ever pickup truck since the Comanche and it's based on the Wrangler JL. You can think of it as a Wrangler JL with a rear bed to store some raw American stuff only Cowboy Charlie can think of. Despite the rear bed space, the Gladiator works and feels just like the Wrangler and so are the choice of engines with the range-topper bearing the Pentastar 3.6L V6 engine.

Next up is the Citroen DS 23 Pallas that you've obtained from the Winter Playlist. This is the iconic hatchback that first introduced Citroen's signature hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension system which uses liquid hydraulic and gas-pressured suspension instead of springs, giving it a comfy ride on all kinds of road surfaces. It was the first to use disc brakes. There was a well-known trivia that because of the Citroen DS's durability, it managed to keep the French president Charles De Gaulle safe from a failed assassination attempt, putting his loyalty to the car company behind this car.

Lastly, the one that you've obtained from the Spring Playlist, the Porsche 928. It's one of the infamous trio used on the Top Gear Patagonia Special alongside the Mustang Mach 1 and the Lotus Esprit. Unlike most Porsches derived from other vehicles, the 928 is all-original and it's the first V8 FR Porsche that caused quite a controversy from purists everywhere and so is the price tag.

Now that we got to know about those Series 35 cars, let's give this trio a quick spin just to find out what's like to be in one of these sweet rides. Roll the tape!

Enjoy your new rides!

Citroen C4 III

At first glance, it looks like Citroen created a coupe crossover that is too much to bear for today's roads but when you turn around, it probably says C4 in it and you said "it can't be" in a shocked face. As a matter of fact, it is. THIS IS THE CITROEN C4.

The third-generation Citroen C4 is now morphed into a coupe crossover for all the wrong barrels and although the design is anything but questionable, the new C4 puts its strong emphasis to its tech, economy, and safety that will put everyone behind the wheel on notice.

What's the word on the styling, you may ask? The new Citroen C4 carries the brand's new X-faced design first applied on the C3 minor change and for bystanders, that new face is worth upsetting because it has the expression of the kabuki ready to strike, or rather your favorite cartoon character got slapped with X-eyes, the cute and hilarious expression of death. Striking the menacing new face it maybe, the switch to coupe-crossover styling is a radical departure from the previous model and while it sounds questionable, it feels like it's in tune with the times.

On the inside, the new C4 features a rather futuristic dashboard that feels like you're in a French cyberpunk movie without the punk in it. Although it features a touch screen sat-nav in it as well as other show-off features such as the head-up display, there are buttons in it where you can adjust the volume and room temperature. Happy days for the hipster-type speedo boys behind the wheel.

Convenience aside, the new C4 comes with numerous places to store with and for the first time ever in the world of motoring, it features Smart Pad Support Citroen, a retractable system made for holding iPads or any tablet computers you had in your arsenal. That's pretty neat for a car like this and while it was built for drivers from all walks of life, it fits up to five people on board and has a boot volume of 380-litres, which is shockingly less than the previous model it replaces, probably due to the sloping roofline but it still carries almost everything for work or for play.

Driving behind the wheel of this 20,900 Euro high-riding fastback, you will experience its clever dynamics and comfort that has championed Citroen for ages since the original C4 of 1928. That's because the new model's signature suspension setup comes with the Progressive Hydraulic Cushion that gives this car the most comfortable driving experience that is uniquely Citroen in every way. Ask everyone who drove the new model and this is the end result.

Under the hood, the new C4 offers a wide range of petrol and diesel engines with the most powerful bearing a 131PS 1.2L petrol engine that can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or 8-speed Auto.

For the first time, the C4 is offered in electric which features a 100kw electric motor and 50kWh battery pack good for 352km in one full charge based on WLTP standards. It does 0-100kph in 9.7 seconds and top speed of 150kph, which is 20kph slower than a normal Japanese car. Plugged at a 100kW public charging station, it gets recharged to 80% in half an hour.

Of course, because tech is the main focus for most modern cars, the new C4 features a wide array of safety features such as Active Safety Brake, Blind Spot Monitoring System, Active Lane Departure Warning System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, Highway Driver Assist, Coffee Break Alert, Driver Attention Alert, Extended traffic sign recognition, and intelligent beam headlights.

The new Citroen C4 may have became a coupe crossover that cuts space from the previous model but it's surprisingly as comfortable as most Citroens should be and it has lots of tech to toy around. Like it or not, this is the Citroen built for the new normal.

Photo: Citroen

Citroen C5 Aircross

Citroen's newest C-segment crossover, the C5 Aircross, is now on European roads after its success in the Chinese market, and while most people complain that this is just another wannabe SUV that only works on urban roads, the C5 Aircross is an ideal multipurpose crossover fit for anyone who had their hands full on today's hectic lifestyles. Let's investigate this new model hand in hand on what's it all about the C5 Aircross.

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross

One careful look on the new C5 Aircross and you know that the French really done it by turning the Aircross Concept from the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show into a production model, which is something no other carmaker done it in their lifetime, especially the ones I know. For some, the front of the new C5 Aircross can be easily mistaken for a Nissan Elgrand while the rear view is reminiscent of you-know-what. I said this due to search query reasons but the C5 Aircross wasn't really a bad crossover for looks and when you step inside...

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross interior

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross interior

The interior of the C5 Aircross is surprisingly high-tech and surprisingly comfortable for a crossover of that size and because it only has five seats, there are plenty of reasons why its sweet spot will always belong to you, except for the middle. It has a class-leading boot space so you have a lot of space to fill in from grocery shopping items to today's thrift store hauls that can annoy your sons on the way home. For work or for play, the C5 Aircross ticks all of the boxes of what a practical crossover should be and that's just the start of it.

2019 Citroen C5 Aircross

Under the hood, the C5 Aircross offers a choice of two PureTech petrol engines and two BlueHDi clean diesel engines, which you can ignore the latter due to Europe's vile hatred on diesel engines since the Dieselgate crisis. The 1.6L PureTech 180 engine has some spark to get through today's schedule and mated to an 8-speed AT, it does 0-100kph in 8.2 seconds and onwards to 219kph.

Although not exciting to drive, the C5 Aircross is made solely to become the most comfortable and modular SUV in its class courtesy of its EMP2 modular platform and Progressive Hydraulic Cushions on its suspension, which is surprisingly an evolution to Citroen's signature hydraulic suspensions that donned from the likes of the Xantia and the old C5, among many others. This suspension setup is very clever to get through rough spots as well as potholes without waking the passengers up. Now that's the Citroen magic in the making and to make the journey home more safe and secure, the C5 Aircross comes with a wide array of driver assistance technologies courtesy of its camera on the upper part of the windscreen and a radar sensor built into the front bumper. 

There are over twenty latest generation driver assistance technologies offered on the C5 Aircross and while most of the tech are surprisingly fine for a well-behaved Regular Joe, it's not friendly for speedo boys spending the rest of their time getting their cellphones and take a picture of their speedos while driving on the highway. There's your warning shot over here, speedo boy.

The C5 Aircross starts at 24,700 Euros TTC, making it one of the most reasonably priced crossovers in its class and an ideal car to start with.

Photo: Groupe PSA

Forza Horizon 4: Double Winter Treats

If you managed to get the Hudson Hornet and the DS3 Racing through the last minute of the winter season of Forza Horizon 4, then congratulations. You finally get to keep those two machines that made a comeback in the world of Forza since their XBOX 360 years. They maybe long forgotten but here you are, finally got yourselves some remnants of Forza's glorious pasts.



Beginning with the Hudson Hornet, this machine raked 40 out of 48 wins because of its straight-six Twin-H power engine, making it truly an innovator and race champion. It even has a role in Disney-Pixar's cars as Doc Hudson.



Next up is the DS3 Racing and looks like we have a case of wrong car blues here because while Forza Horizon 4 introduced DS Automobiles for the first time, they brought in the wrong car to the range and this is basically a Citroen DS3 Racing and it was emerged by the time it was called the Citroen DS3 before it was called the DS Automobiles DS3 years later. Never mind about that but anyway, the DS3 Racing is the special limited edition model made in honor of its involvement in the World Rally Championship. Its specially-developed 1.6L THP engine produces 207hp of power and 275Nm of torque. It was extensively tuned by Citroen Racing to deliver motorsports knowhow to this hot hatch.





Now that we get to know about these prize cars, let's take these two cars for a spin round Britain to see what it's like on the winter wonderland.



These cars worked perfectly as they are meant to be but since I'm in a middle of my Fortune Island journey...





Let's hit the "one more" button on these two cars and see if the Hornet and the DS3 Racing have the guts to take on the Fortune Island challenge. Bring it on.


Fortune Island may be unforgiving but these two cars gave it a good show to the whole world to see.

Enjoy driving your two new additions to your Horizon garage!