Update 12 concludes Year 1 of Forza Motorsport and wrapping up its first year since the game's release are two midship prize cars; the Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder and the McLaren Artura.
Having obtained Year 1's last two prize cars, let's get to know our midship honors before carrying out our commencement exercises.
Beginning with the Lamborghini Huracan EVO Spyder that I won from the Update 12 Open Class Tour until the October 16, 2024 deadline.
At the start of 2019, Lamborghini unveiled the Huracan EVO, the minor change version of the Huracan that became part of the Lamborghini stable in 2014.
In addition to the revamped exterior design, the 5.2L V10 engine that powers it has been updated to produce 640 hp (470 kW) at 8,000 rpm with 600 Nm of torque delivered at 6,500 rpm. The double-clutch gearbox propels the Huracan EVO from the 0-100kph time of 2.9 seconds and flat-out in over 325kph.
The Huracan EVO is the first to feature the Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata, a new rear-wheel steering and torque vectoring system working on all wheels, controlling every aspect of the car's dynamic behavior. Functioning alongside the Lamborghini Piattaforma Inerziale and enhanced Lamborghini Dynamic Steering, it results in a more rewarding driving experience on the road and track.
The open-top Huracan EVO Spyder is the follow-up to its hardtop equivalent. Featuring the same updates as its hardtop equivalent, it comes with a foldable roof that can be opened or closed at the push of a button in just 17 seconds up to a driving speed of 50kph. It boasts improved aerodynamic efficiency compared to the previous Huracan Spyder.
Production of the Huracan lineup ended in 2024, signaling the end of the V10-powered road cars.
The last one, after clearing the Midship Tour until October 30, 2024, the McLaren Artura.
The McLaren Artura is the company's first V6-powered PHEV supercar that injects most of its motorsport know-how into the making of this unorthodox machine. The 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine is mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled Li-ion battery producing 680PS of power and 720Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed SSG, it sprints from 0-60mph in three seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. Running on electricity alone, it can go for as little as 19 miles.
Aside from the performance, the Artura has near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and specially-developed Pirelli P-ZERO tires. It even comes with a Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle.
Quick introductions dealt with, it's time to do the commencement exercises as two midship supercars will tackle Road America, the venue of the IMSA season-ender, the MOTUL Petit Le Mans. What a way to conclude the game's first year. Anyway, let's roll the tapes.
I have to admit that the new Forza Motorsport game for the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles went to a slow start when the game was launched last year, probably because of the car content packed with old cars I am not heavily interested. Let's hope Year 2 will see some much-needed improvements for the new Forza Motorsport game to reclaim its throne.
Seriously, let's hope Forza Motorsport's Year 2 updates will feature lots and lots of modern road cars and race cars because this is the world we live in. New World Order. As 2025 draws near, will Forza survive? Only time will tell.
And that is the end of this commencement exercise. See you next semester!
I can't believe it's Prime Day again! 🤯 This annual event is when you can unleash the ultimate beasts in Forza Horizon 5 and let them tear up the track.
For the third time in the game's history, the Horizon Community Choice update brought the McLaren MP4-12C to the Prime Day lineup. That means there are four ways to celebrate Prime Day in Forza Horizon 5. Time to get wild!
Ah yes, the beasts of Prime Day. They're the Jurassic menace I'm talking about because they are business and leisure without compromise. From the roaring sound of the 6.2L V8 engine of the F-150 SVT Raptor, the lightness of the Renaultsport Megane III, the track-honed performance of the MP4-12C, to the Zonda R's ultimate expression of speed, these unstoppable missiles are the heavy beasts only a few people are lucky enough to drive these while their concentration's on racing mode.
Whether it's the F-150 SVT Raptor battles against a HALO jumper, a Renaultsport Megane III battling against a Porsche Boxster, the McLaren MP4-12C surviving the Nurburgring, or the Zonda R going all-out, you can really hear these high-performance cannibals roaring to the sounds of prime. These heavy beasts really are badass. Yes!
From as far as Arizona and Rockingham, these heavy beasts come to Mexico to show that these unstoppable missiles were never past their prime, even if it was Prime Day. It's time to make these beasts roar!
THIS...IS...PRIME DAY!!!
The Jurassic menace from these four prime specimens made PRIME DAY the Jurassic menace you don't want to mess with. Life couldn't get even more exciting when you have the rare opportunity to drive these heavy beasts mixing business and leisure without compromise.
The McLaren Sports Series, ranging from the 570S to the 620R, showed off its amazing capabilities on the track and the road. I'm excited to try out the best of this series in Forza Horizon 5.
Every great story has its beginning so it's best to start with the first of the Sports Series, the 570S.
Premiered at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, the McLaren 570S, the first of the British sportscar company's Sports Series, marks its entry into the luxury sports car market. As the smallest in the McLaren range, it slots below the larger 650S. Even though it is the smallest McLaren in the range, it still comes with the same 3.8L V8 Twin Turbo engine as the McLaren family tree but true to its name, it produces 570PS of power and 442lb-ft of torque. Apart from the performance, the 570S features a full carbon fiber chassis, resulting in a dry weight of 1,313kg and a power-to-weight ratio of 434PS per tonne. Following its launch, the Sports Series features additional variants aside from the 570S such as the less-powerful 540C coupe and the more cruise-worthy 570GT, which comes with road-tuned dynamics and a glass roof.
Throughout its half-decade lifespan, the McLaren Sports Series has spawned its hardcore versions such as the 600LT and its final salvo, the 620R.
The McLaren 600LT is a special car that has been designed to be both track-focused and road-legal. It's the third Longtail McLaren since the legendary F1 GTR and the 675LT. It's based on the 650S and is built with an engine capable of producing 592HP of power and 457lb-ft of torque. The 3.8L V8 Twin Turbo engine makes it capable of going from 0-60mph in less than 3 seconds and on to 204mph. Apart from the performance, the 600LT is 220 lbs lighter than the 570S. Some of the weight-saving measures employed include the addition of the signature Ultra-Lightweight Forged Alloy Wheel, Carbon Fiber Racing Seats, and a fixed rear wing. The luxury amenities of the 570S have been stripped out in the 600LT.
The McLaren 620R is the swan song of the McLaren Sports Series. Only 350 units of this street-legal beast were ever made, but sadly, one of them was destroyed by the Philippine government. This is a shame because this car was a beast. The 620R was made to be a more powerful version of the 570S GT4 racecar. It has a 3.8L V8 twin-turbo engine tuned to output 620PS, which allows it to reach a top speed of 200mph. This car is an absolute monster, and it's a shame that one of them was destroyed. What a waste.
With the streets of Guanajuato becoming my personal laboratory, it's time to see how much progress the McLaren Sports Series has made from the 570S to the 620R. Roll the tape.
And now the results...
570S - 1m04.114s
600LT - 1m01.445s
620R - 1m01.028s
Although a close shave, the 620R is the alpha of the Sports Series range.
The 620R is the ultimate McLaren Sports Series car. It's a track-focused beast with a lot of motorsport-inspired dynamics. It's the best of the best, but the story isn't over yet. We still need to see how the 620R matches up against the McLaren GT, the Sports Series' replacement. Let's see what happens.
The McLaren GT is a 2019 replacement for the 570GT, and it’s completely unlike any other McLaren supercar because it uses a new monocoque body developed specifically for it. It’s a hundred kilograms lighter than its closest rival, and it even has enough boot space to fit a golf bag. Add in a 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces 620PS of power, and you have one impressive ride.
Both the 620R and the McLaren GT have the same power output but because the 620R is lighter and more agile compared to the road-oriented McLaren GT, I'd expect to be easy work in this little experiment I'm conducting at the Playa Azul village. Anyway, let's get on with it.
And now the results...
620R - 1m14.825s
McLaren GT - 1m18.629s
Swish. Nothing but counter.
From the 570S to the 620R, the McLaren Sports Series showed off its Black Swan Moments on the road and on the track. There's no doubt that the 620R is the ultimate McLaren Sports Series car. It's a track-focused beast with a lot of motorsport-inspired dynamics. It's the best of the best, and although the story has ended, it's worth revisiting every time.
Even in the afterlife, the black swan's dance is eternal.
Forza Horizon 5's Horizon Race-Off series update saw a clash between Team Mustang and Team F-150, a heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, and whoever side gets first, wins one of the hero cars of the update.
Behind the heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, an unexpected visitor appeared and that's okay because this is the McLaren Forza fans waited for since the car's debut three years ago.
This is the McLaren Artura, the hybrid supercar that I won from the Horizon Race-Off Wet Season Playlist. We've been pleading for this car to arrive here and now that it's here, it's time for a little word with McLaren's hybrid supercar.
The McLaren Artura is the company's first V6-powered PHEV supercar that injects most of its motorsport know-how into the making of this unorthodox machine. The 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine is mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled Li-ion battery producing 680PS of power and 720Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed SSG, it sprints from 0-60mph in three seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. Running on electricity alone, it can go for as little as 19 miles.
Aside from the performance, the Artura has near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and specially-developed Pirelli P-ZERO tires. It even comes with a Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle.
The Artura may be a show-off in the middle of a heated debate but being the ideal gentleman disruptor, it sure knows how to flex its muscles well. Although it feels different compared to most McLarens offered in the game, it feels moderately good to drive on asphalt terms, and for the fun of it, addicting. It's all about making a great statement in the name of McLaren-ism.
Still, I've waited long enough to drive the Artura in the world of Forza, and in honor of its arrival, it's time for a leisurely street race against tough drivers to prove if I'm either Lando Norris enough or Oscar Piastri enough to be with the Artura. Roll the tape.
Yes, it was a tough challenge but the Artura survived and won.
Forza players like me have waited three years since McLaren debuted the Artura supercar and now that it's here, we found great reasons to enjoy it, even while disrupting the heated debate between Team Mustang and Team F-150 we're on. This is performance, amplified.
Gosh, I wanted to conclude my little impression with the Artura but...I'm working on a little surprise for the Artura so...watch this space.
Being around for three years, the hybrid McLaren supercar called the Artura is now made even better for the 2025 model year. It's not just the power increase to its V6 hybrid powertrain but the addition of the new Spider variant makes sense.
2025 McLaren Artura Spider
2025 McLaren Artura Spider
Starting at 221,500 Pounds plus additional costs, the first-ever Artura Spider delivers the open-air experience to the Artura you know while blessed with numerous improvements to get hooked with it for longer.
At first glance, it looks just like the Artura but with a retractable hardtop that can be opened or closed at the touch of a button. It's hard to differentiate it from the normal hardtop Artura, but expect the added weight compared to the normal Artura because the Spider adds 137lbs of weight, Spider's 3212 vs Artura's 3075.
Despite the weight penalty, the performance is almost intact. Thanks to its updated PHEV powertrain with its 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled 7.4kWh Li-ion battery producing 700PS of power output, it does 0-62mph in three seconds and a top speed of 205mph (330km/h). Like the hardtop equivalent, the Spider is mated to an 8-speed SSG.
In terms of efficiency, the Spider, like its hardtop equivalent, has a fuel economy of 58.9mpg (4.8L/100km) based on EU WLTP standards and running on electric power alone, it's good for 21 miles (33km), good while you're in the suburbs or in streets of London.
For speedo boys channeling their inner Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, the Artura Spider, like its hardtop equivalent, is McLaren at its best on the road and on the track because of its near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and Pirelli Cyber Tyres that provide real-time data on temperature and pressure to the car and driver, crucial for safety on and off the track. It even has Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle as well.
With the upgraded hybrid power and the new Spider variant, the first-ever McLaren Artura is now made even better than when it was new three years ago. Be ready for it.
The McLaren Senna and the Aston Martin Valkyrie are British hypercars performing exceptionally well not just on the road, but also on the track. With its track-only equivalents roaring in the Forza Motorsport game, it's time to exploit them further.
How do these two hypercar-turned-track weapons differentiate themselves? Let's begin with the McLaren Senna GTR, the track-only version of the King of McLaren Ultimate Series.
Revealed as a concept in 2018 and spawned into a limited-production model moments later, the Senna GTR transforms the already track-proven hypercar with even more potential.
The 4.0L V8 twin-turbo engine from its road-going equivalent remains the same, meaning it still produces 814hp of power, but it's mated to a racing transmission McLaren says it's faster in a straight line compared to the normal Senna.
In addition to its race-tuned aerodynamics that generate 1000kg of downforce, the Senna GT-R comes with a revised double wishbone suspension and slick Pirelli tires for improved grip.
The track-only Senna GT-R is limited to 75 units sold.
Now, let's get to know the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, the closest thing you can get from a Formula 1 car.
Based on the Valkyrie hypercar, the AMR Pro is a track-only version that delivers the same performance and dynamics just like a Formula 1 car.
In addition to its more aggressive aerodynamic upgrades that add more dimension compared to the normal Valkyrie, making it capable of achieving lateral acceleration of more than 3G, the AMR Pro ditches the Valkyrie's hybrid system, trading power for weight loss. The 6.5L Cosworth V12 NA engine remains, producing over 1000PS of power.
During testing, the Valkyrie AMR Pro lapped the Le Mans circuit in 3 minutes 20 seconds, delivering the same performance as an LMP1-class race car.
Only 40 were made and sold. Customers who bought the Valkyrie AMR Pro have gained access to a bespoke track day experience at select FIA-approved circuits worldwide as well as other privileges.
To bring out the anger of the beast from these two track versions of British hypercars, I'm heading to Silverstone and find out which of them is the superior king. Let's roll the tapes.
And now, the results...
Senna GTR - 2m11.792s
Valkyrie AMR Pro - 1m52.599s
Thanks to its F1 know-how carried over from its road-legal equivalent as well as other track-based improvements, the Valkyrie AMR Pro massively sliced the Senna GTR into bits around Silverstone.
Regardless of today's result, I'm extremely satisfied that the Senna GTR and the Valkyrie AMR Pro are truly at home in the new Forza Motorsport game because this game served as a chance to demonstrate their de-restricted track capabilities against the world's most demanding race tracks.
Come try Britain's most extreme track weapons in Forza Motorsport if you're brave enough. You're welcome to do so.
Having fought Update 3.0's Open Tour Series until the January 17th deadline, I got my hands on the McLaren 650S, an instant classic that made its way back to the new Forza Motorsport game.
McLaren Automotive presented the 650S, in coupe and spider variants, at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show and promises that this new model will be their fastest, most engaging, best equipped, and most beautiful series-production supercar yet.
Although some components came from the MP4-12C, McLaren says that the 650S is not the direct replacement for the 12C, even though production of the 12C halted due to the 650S' high demand. It also comes with some components from the now-sold-out McLaren P1 hypercar. The engine, as usual, comes with the same 3.8L Twin Turbo V8 engine, but the power output is a titular 650PS of power output and 500lb-ft of torque, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It will do 0-100kph in under three seconds and a top speed of over 333kph.
The 650S was replaced by the 720S in 2017.
It's time to have a one-lap time attack around Silverstone with the 650S and see if it's still as good as it was made.
It may be a 12C bearing the P1's front but the 650S got what it demanded; the demonstration of its track-honed capabilities you would expect from a McLaren.
The Community Choice series update in Forza Horizon 5, running through the whole month of January, features fan-voted events and challenges as well as a cesspool of returning cars from past installments. What a way to kick off the new year with a blast from Horizon's pasts.
So, the Hot Season Playlist of the FH5 Community Choice series update features an old McLaren supercar and a Bond car. What are these, you may ask?
First up is the McLaren MP4-12C, which can be yours after hitting 20 points on the Community Choice Hot Season Playlist. It's the first all-new McLaren model since the F1. Purely McLaren inside and out, the 12C is powered by a 3.8L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces 592hp and 442ft-lb of torque while mated to a 7-speed SSG. Apart from the engine, the 12C features Carbon MonoCell, a first in a segment, as well as a Proactive Chassis Control system, double wishbone suspension with coil springs, a Brake Steer, and many others. If you have seven and a half minutes to spare while taking a break at the Ring, this is the McLaren for you.
Lastly is the Aston Martin DBS, which can be yours after hitting 40 points on the Community Choice Hot Season Playlist. Based on the DB9, the DBS is the replacement of the V12 Vanquish that is powered by a six-liter V12 engine producing 510hp and 420ft-lb of torque while mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Inside the world of 007, the V12-powered DBS appeared in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond.
Let's give these classic supercars a quick spin with the 12C battling against other modern supercars in a re-enactment of the streets of Cairo, Egypt, while the Aston Martin DBS drives through the touge roads at the dead of night without rolling over just like what happened in Casino Royale. Let's roll the tapes.
Job well done to these two, that's all I can say.
Next week, let's tackle the Koenigsegg CCX and the Lykan HyperSport at the Storm Season Playlist of the Community Choice update. Insert Fast and Furious joke at the latter, please.
The McLaren 750S may be a minor change version of the old 720S but this will mark the last McLaren to run purely on an internal combustion engine before heading to its electrified future.
2024 McLaren 750S
2024 McLaren 750S Spider
Costing 250,000 pounds plus additional costs, the 750S, in coupe and Spider configurations, is the improved version of the 720S that crosses the line in terms of performance and dynamics fitting for McLaren's swansong for the pure internal combustion engine era as it's heading towards electrification soon.
2024 McLaren 750S interior
As the styling is broadly similar to its 720S predecessor, the 750S saw most of the black stuff from the 720S exterior design colored while featuring a new rear design that differentiates it. As for the interior, the instrumental display as well as the powertrain and handling mode controls have been repositioned for easy access behind the wheel. It even comes with a McLaren Control Launcher and a new Central Information Screen.
The familiar 4.0L V8 biturbo engine inherited from the 720S has been boosted to the titular 750PS of power output and 800Nm of torque. When mated to a 7-speed gearbox, it sprints from 0 to 62mph in 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 206mph, in coupe or Spider configurations. More than the 720S but less than the 765LT so it's a welcoming development for a rear-wheel-drive hypercar from the UK.
Apart from the performance, the 750S features a reworked suspension setup, revised signature valve stack, wider front track width, electro-hydraulic steering assistance system, available track brake upgrade, and the improved Proactive Chassis Control, giving it dynamics only Lando Norris can truly understand because it handles like every McLaren should and thanks to being rear-wheel-drive, you have to be brave enough to take advantage of its Variable Drift Control if you want to make it out alive.
The McLaren 750S may be a minor change version of the old 720S but for a swansong for the pure internal combustion engine era, this is the ultimate driver's car full-stop and if you're as good as either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, spark this. It's about as addictive as exotics can be.
Let's get to know about the legendary cars that are hard to get in Gran Turismo 7's Legend Cars not only because of their extreme rarity that appears once in a blue moon but also their outrageous price tag that takes almost forever to save one. Today, let's get to know the McLaren MP4/4, arguably one of the greatest F1 cars of all time.
Arguably one of the most dominant F1 cars of all time, the McLaren MP4/4 was known for winning 15 out of 16 races in the 1988 season. The #11 was piloted by Alain Prost while the legendary #12 was piloted by the legendary Ayrton Senna. The McLaren Formula One team scored 199 points to garner the constructor's champion title but it was Senna's performance of eight wins garnered him his world champion status for the 1988 season. Designed by Steve Nichols and Gordon Murray, the MP4/4 features a carbon fiber honeycomb monocoque for the chassis, double wishbones with pull-rod actuated coil springs and dampers for the suspension, a Weismann-McLaren 6-speed manual gearbox, and a 1.5L Honda RA168-E V6 turbo engine, one of the most powerful Formula One engines of all time.
Time to take a quick drive with the real Formula 1 legend around the Goodwood Motor Circuit and find out if the legend is real with this one.
It did it in 1:04.074 seconds and although not the quickest as such with me behind the wheel, it's proof that the MP4/4's legendary performance truly lives up to its reputation as the F1's GOAT. The Greatest Of All Time.
What other hard-to-get legendary cars should I drive next? Stay tuned for more.
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