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!

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.

My FH5 Log: British Scrap

The Winter Wonderland series update on Forza Horizon 5 brought back three British track weapons fresh from Britain's scrapyard for everyone to enjoy.

The first on the list is the Lotus 2-Eleven, obtained as a prize car in Week 1 of the Winter Wonderland playlist. Based on the Exige, the 2-Eleven is a track weapon powered by a supercharged 1.8L 2ZZ-GE engine mated to a 6-speed manual. The track version of the 2-Eleven weighs a devilish 666kg, although an optional extra made the 2-Eleven fully road-legal.

Second on the list is the Morgan Aero GT, the final edition of the Morgan Aero 8 based on a GT3-class car that won a certain race it competed. Limited to 8 units, the final edition of the Aero 8 is the last to be powered by a BMW N62 V8 engine producing 367HP of power and 370lb-ft of torque while mated to a six-speed manual. Obtained from Week 2 of the Winter Wonderland playlist.

Last on the list is the Lotus 340R, a series-limited model based on the first Lotus Elise. Limited to 340 units, the 340R is powered by a 1.8L K-series engine mated to a 5-speed close-ratio gearbox. It produces 177bhp of power output and 172Nm of torque, although an additional extra bumped the output slightly more, making it capable of going 0-60mph in four-and-a-half seconds and flat-out in 133mph.

Let's give the trio of British scrap metal a quick drive around the limited-time Winter Wonderland circuit and see if they're still as good as they were built in the first place. Let's roll the tape.

They may be scrap metal, but they still run smoothly as they were made. That's endurance to you.

The Winter Wonderland is the last FH5 series update of 2023, and as we kick off 2024, expect more junk cars to arrive in FH5 because January's Community Choice update features a dumpsite full of junk cars to obtain. Yes, Horizon Mexico's kicking off the Year of the Dragon with nothing but junk cars.

As they said, brace for impact...er...turbulence, because Forza Horizon 5's nearing its peak for 2024, I believe, but peak aside, Horizon Mexico's packing lots of surprises in store in the new year.

Our fun in Mexico's not over yet even in the next turbulent year we're facing head-on.

Good luck and Happy New Year.

My FH5 Log: Lotus New Generation

Lotus ushered the age of electrification by unveiling its all-new logo, signaling a new start for the British sports car maker now under the guardianship of the Chinese motoring giant Geely.

As Lotus enters the new generation, they've unveiled the first-ever all-electric hypercar, the Evija, and I got the chance to drive it in Forza Horizon 5.

So, what's it all about the Lotus Evija?

Developed under the "Type 130" project name, the Evija, mirrored by the word "alive", is Lotus' first-ever all-electric hypercar that spawned from the partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering. It is the first Lotus road car to feature a full carbon fiber chassis molded as a single piece and sculpted for better downforce. Aerodynamics plays a key role in the Evija so it's been given active aerodynamics in the form of a rear spoiler and an F1-style DRS, among many others.

The Evija's electric powertrain features a 2,000kW li-ion battery supplied with its management system by Williams Advanced Engineering and four electric motors producing 500HP each, giving the Evija a monstrous 2000HP of total power output, making it capable of a 0-60mph time in less than three seconds and a top speed of over 200mph.

The Evija is limited to 130 units, each costing £1.7 million plus additional costs, and production is done in Lotus' Hethel plant. All units are sold out prior to its unveiling.

I know seeing Lotus building a hypercar is total blasphemy to its tradition of making light and agile sports cars like the Elise and the Exige but for an all-electric hypercar with no door handles and a minimalist interior, the Evija is a challenging but mind-blowingly fun car that pushes you to the extremes. The harder you push the Evija, the more fun it gets, making it a zero-emission thrill ride you'll never forget.

Speaking of thrill rides, me and the Evija went for a ride in what's known to be a re-enactment of the Formula E Hong Kong E-Prix track created by a certain game master I can't tell you. Although this EventLab creation is 90% complete, I think, it's the ideal venue to experience the Evija's electrified performance that pushes beyond the limits of Lotus. Roll the tape.

What a challenge this is and although this creation's far from complete, I had a blast pushing the Evija to the extremes even when it gets through the narrow corners. It's still a Lotus. That's why.

The Evija demonstrated itself that despite its electric drivetrain that delivered a bulky treason to the Lotus heritage, it's a proven road and track weapon when used efficiently, making it the electrifying force to be reckoned with. This hypercar earned the right to don the new mark of Lotus and it's a sign of things to come.

Welcome to the new world order.

Lotus Eletre

Lotus is known for its iconic sports cars such as the Elise, the Exige, and the Evora, and in the age of the new normal, the all-electric Evija hypercar and the ultimate ICE-powered Lotus sports car, the Emira. Sadly, Lotus' near-seven-and-a-half decade tradition has been broken thanks to the arrival of the first SUV, the Eletre.

2024 Lotus Eletre

Starting at 89,500 British Pounds plus additional costs, the first-ever Lotus Eletre truly is a treason to the Lotus heritage because why build a bulky SUV and call it a Lotus? Don't ask them, ask the Chinese overlords who controlled them like puppets on a string.

Geely, the Chinese company that controls not just Lotus but Volvo as well, is the main reason why the Lotus Eletre was spawned because this is the new normal, and SUVs are treated like superhero movies. Anyway, while getting bothered about Lotus's first SUV, what to expect from this "made in China" curiosity?

2024 Lotus Eletre

Beginning with the styling, the Eletre is downright futuristic for an electric crossover of this size, making the Tesla Model X look like a dozen of balut on a fruit basket. You gotta admit that such futuristic styling is the first impression the Eletre delivers even while cruising on the open road. What's also cool is the rear lights that glow green while charging, indicating battery levels, as well as the pop-up gadgetry lurking through its skin. This is what the future feels like.

2024 Lotus Eletre interior

2024 Lotus Eletre interior

The same story goes for the interior because the Eletre is like a supercomputer on wheels. On the driver's side, you can expect AR HUD, a 15.1-inch HD OLED touchscreen, ambient lighting, and jewel-grade switches on the AC and gear change. Looks like fancy living for the driver but on the passenger side, the Eletre is offered with a choice of a four or five-seater and they can be folded down for up to 1532 liters of boot space, making it more than enough to carry even the most sensitive stuff while on the go.

Although having rear seats in a Lotus is also treason for purists, you gonna love the four-seater version because of the center console gadgetry that will keep VIPs busy while driving to their destination. Although too expensive to be used as a family vehicle, the Eletre works like a luxury car while going on a trip to the world's most extravagant destinations.

Thanks to the dual motors that power it and the Geely-derived platform underneath, the Eletre is the first Lotus to have a four-wheel-drive system, another treason to the Lotus heritage. Although it doesn't behave like a Lotus, it delivers a throat-chopping experience when you put your foot down and looks like someone's driven to tears, wishing they want to experience this electric crossover someday.

The Eletre features three different configurations with the base variant producing 612PS of power and 373 miles of driving range to the ultra-powerful Eletre R with a monstrous 918PS of power output, capable of going from 0-60mph in less than three seconds and has a top speed of 165mph. As for the range, the Eletre R is good for 304 miles on one full charge.

Although speedo boys are not going to like it, the Eletre features the most sophisticated ADAS offered such as the LIDAR system, ultra-HD cameras, and millimeter-wave radar, making it equipped for fully autonomous driving. Shocker.

The Lotus Eletre is treason to the Norfolk-based sports car company's heritage but with all that power packed, this is the crossover you are itching to drive someday. Like it or not, the Eletre is Lotus' jack of all trades or should I say tirades if you prefer and it's ready to boldly go where no Lotus has gone before. Be ready when you see one.

Photo: Lotus Cars

Lotus Emira

Served as the replacement for the aging Elise, Exige, and Evora range, the Lotus Emira is a full-blown, all-new sports car that promises to be the best Lotus to drive in ages for it is known to be the last ICE-powered Lotus ever made. Times are tough because as the world braces for electrification, rest assured that Lotus's last-of-its-kind will be the best of its kind ever.

2023 Lotus Emira

2023 Lotus Emira

With prices starting at below 60K GBP, the Lotus Emira is an all-new model that competes with the likes of the Porsche 718 and the Maserati MC20. From every angle, the Emira is promising to be one of the best sportscars to drive in the age of the new normal.

Beginning with the design, the Lotus Emira is somewhat a mini-me Evija from top to bottom, bearing resemblance to Lotus's first electric hypercar. Although this is not an electric car compared to the Evija, the new Lotus design DNA made the Emira an attractive-looking car that deserves to be coveted.

2023 Lotus Emira interior

Step into the Emira's interior and you'll find that most of the high-tech stuff sprinkled into the dashboard is not the Lotus way speedo boys love. In the past, the Elise and the Exige's stripped-off interiors made the cars driver-focused in every way. For the Emira, it feels more like a fancy smartphone rather than a go-kart but it's still a driver-focused car fit for two, meaning you can enjoy driving to the track on a Saturday afternoon and then take your date to the fancy restaurant on the evening. Ah, the joys of driving a fancy Lotus sportscar that was kitted with tech and ADAS on it.

2023 Lotus Emira

The cream of the crop of the Lotus Emira is its performance and this is troublesome for those who are jealous enough to want one because, with such dynamics, it's going to be too awesome to be ignored. Running on a brand-new Sports Car Architecture, the Emira features two chassis and suspension settings ranging from a comfort-oriented Tour setting and the preferable Sport setting from the optional Lotus Drivers Pack, which makes the Emira more enjoyable to drive on the road and track. Coupled with the hydraulic steering, the Emira delivers a dramatic driving feel that is worth enjoyable to drive without the drama. Best of all, it feels down-to-earth and addictive.

Speedo boys who managed to get the £75,995 V6 First Edition are lucky enough to enjoy the Toyota-derived 3.5L V6 supercharged engine that produces 400hp of power, 430Nm of torque, and mated to either a 6-speed MT or AT with the latter capable of hitting 180mph of top speed. Those who are too late for that will have to make do with the 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder sourced from the Mercedes-AMG A45, packing up to 360hp of power, over a half less than the Maserati MC20.

Although not the Lotus you would hope for because of the tech involvement in it, the Emira showcased to us that this is the peak performance of what a Lotus delivers and because being the last Lotus to be powered by an internal combustion engine, it's a light-hearted killer blow Lotus has unleashed to the world, making it too cool to be ignored.

Because this is the last ICE-powered Lotus in history, those who are expressing jealousy really wish they want to drive one someday because this is by no means the best Lotus in ages since the Elise and the Exige. Period.

Photo: Lotus Cars

My FH5 Log: Getting Away With It

The final playlist of the FH5 Series 3 update features two high-performance favorites up for grabs. There's the hardcore finale of the Jaguar XK, the XKR-S GT, and the favorite car of the Russian mob from a certain action game from a long time ago, the Vauxhall Lotus Carlton. Score enough points from the last playlist of the series and you'll get away with these two, fast and clean.

Having got away from this playlist with fast cars and clean hands, it's time to come clean with the two exclusive cars I've won from this playlist before the juice is loose.

The XKR-S GT represents the pinnacle of Jaguar's ultimate grand tourer and it has become a hardcore, track-focused version of the said model. In the North American market, only 30 units are made. The GT features enhanced aerodynamic components and suspension development for better downforce and handling. It is the first Jaguar to use carbon-ceramic brakes. Like the base XKR-S, it comes with the 5.0L V8 petrol Supercharged AJ-V8 Gen III R engine producing 550PS of power and 680Nm of torque. It will do 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed electronically limited to 186mph.

The Lotus Carlton was a modified version of the Vauxhall Carlton (Great Britain equivalent of the Opel Omega) 3.0 Si 20V and since its arrival as a 1990 model, it was a huge sensation because this was the fastest super sedan ever made with the collaboration of Vauxhall and Lotus. It uses a modified 3.6L 6-cylinder C36GET engine with twin turbos and a 6-speed manual ZF transmission sourced from the old Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, capable of hitting over 280kph of top speed, causing a major scandal for health and safety as well as the German rivals limiting their vehicles to 250kph.

With their quick introduction done, it's time to give these two monsters a quick getaway they will never forget. Roll the tape.

Fast cars, clean hands. Just the way I like.

Enjoy your new rides!

Project CARS 3: Electric Revolution

Lotus jumps into the electric bandwagon with their first ever pure electric hypercar known as the Evija, their first all-new machine after over a decade, and signals the start of Lotus' new era. Project CARS 3 has the keys to the Evija and I'm checking it out what's what.

So, what's it all about the Lotus Evija, you may ask?

The Evija, mirrored by the word "alive", is Lotus' first-ever all-electric hypercar that signals the start of the British sportscar maker's new era since joining the ranks of China's Geely, judging from the fact that it's the first to don Lotus' new logo. While staying true to the Lotus tradition, the Evija is the first Lotus road car to feature a full carbon fiber chassis molded as a single piece and sculpted for better downforce. Aerodynamics plays a key role in the Evija so it's been given active aerodynamics in the form of a rear spoiler and an F1-style DRS, among many others.

With the electric powertrain equipped with the 2,000kW li-ion battery supplied with its management system by Williams Advanced Engineering and a target power of 500PS per e-motor, aiming for a 2K power output and 1700Nm of torque, the Evija is the most powerful Lotus ever made, making it capable of a 0-60mph time in less than three seconds and a top speed of over 200mph. That sounds hyper in hypercar standards but that's just the start because with 1,680kg of weight, it's the lightest.

The Evija has the ability to accept an 800kW charge (not yet commercially available to the public) which makes it capable of getting fully charged in less than nine minutes. In 350kW charge, the Evija can be fully charged in 18 minutes and it has a range of 250 miles by WLTP Combined Cycle standards.

Only 130 of these will be made from its Hethel home plant, each costing 1.7 million pounds plus additional costs, and all have been asked for.

The Evija we got at Project CARS 3 was set to over a thousand horses rather than two thousand as the release notes said but given the chance to get a hold of the Evija in-game, I have a lot of explanations about Lotus' first electric hypercar. Is it good? Is this the hypercar worth living up to the hype? Will this be Lotus' new success story? Of all the questions I came, one drive with the Evija explains it all. Yes, it's good but only just because while it feels a bit grippy for an electric hypercar, it feels so balanced and well-poised for an electric hypercar but it can be a lot tricky to behave despite being four-wheel drive. Man, torque vectoring really toys the Evija a lot, but despite that, I had a lot of fun getting my grips on the Evija any way I could and looks like it demands a serious challenge with some electric hypercar that has more hype than this;

This is the Rimac C_Two. Following the success of its maiden car, the CONCEPT_ONE, the C_Two is the CONCEPT_ONE's little brother that comes with the 120kWh liquid-cooled battery pack and four electric motors bolted in all four wheels, making it capable of unleashing 1,914hp of power and 2,300Nm of torque, hitting 0-100kph in less than two seconds and onwards to 412kph of top speed. Apart from the electric powertrain, the sleek aerodynamic design made it capable of hitting 0.28 cD in low-drag mode and it has a full carbon fiber monocoque with bonded carbon roof, integrated structural battery pack, and rear carbon subframe. It even comes with R-AWTV which replaces ESP and TCS and enables infinitely variable dynamic responses by feathering the torque to each wheel.

The Evija prepares to take on the C_Two for a quick lap around the GP section of the Dubai Autodrome, which makes it the perfect time to experiment with these two electric monsters.

On paper, the Rimac is surprisingly faster than the Evija but because the Evija weighs less than the Rimac, this can get very one-sided. Anyway, enough with the chit-chat because it's time to get the comparison going.

And now the lap times;

C Two - 2:01.896

Evija - 2:02.795

The Rimac C_Two wins but only just because the Evija managed to catch up at the rate of less than a second, which is surprisingly remarkable for an electric hypercar made in Britain.

Like the Rimac, the Evija is the future turned reality and in the event that the world moves on from petrol-powered hypercars, the Lotus Evija is the starting line for the new era of hypercars. Of course, it wasn't really the starting line because there are others before it that signaled this new era, but nevertheless, this new era we live in might sound like crazy but it shouldn't be because you couldn't hear a thing or two while enjoying this new kind of performance it possess. As they said, if you want to move forward, electricity is the way forward, and that is the bottom line.