The Sub5Zero Car Pack
1965 Chevrolet Corvair Corsa Turbo
Although the Chevrolet Corvair was originally intended as an economy car to battle the likes of the Volkswagen Beetle, it didn't take long for a glitzy performance model to join the lineup. The Monza Spyder, which arrived in the Corvair's third model year (1962) helped introduce American driving enthusiasts to the benefits of turbocharging; three years later, those benefits became even more apparent with the arrival of the all new second-generation Corvair. The Corvair Corsa Turbo, like all '65-'69 Corvairs, used a new fully-independent suspension system, as well as a larger rear-mounted 2.7L flat-six producing 180 horsepower with help from the single turbocharger. Unfortunately, adding boost didn't boost the model's fortunes, as the Corsa Turbo was dropped at the end of the 1966 model year, three years before all Corvair production ended. It may not have been popular, but in the right hands, it can more than hold its own on the track.
1970 Monteverdi Hai 450 SS
Swiss entrepreneur Peter Monteverdi had a relationship with Chrysler before he began development of the mid-engined Hai (which is the German word for "shark"), but it was that car took the arrangement to the next level. The shapely Trevor Fiore designed sheetmetal encased a two person cockpit that had a throbbing 426 cubic-inch (7.0L) Street Hemi V8 mounted behind (and between!) the pair of seatbacks. Sadly, a variety of circumstances prevented the planned 49-car run from stretching beyond two, but the Monteverdi Hai 450 SS (The 450 denotes the amount of horsepower the mighty "Elephant Motor" is generating.) is a sobering example of what could have been in the supercar wars of the late '60s and early '70s.
2005 Toyota Century
Think the Lexus LS has always ruled Toyota's luxury sedan roost? Think again! The Japan-only Century (which is only on its second generation, despite having been introduced in 1967) is even more exclusive than the Lexus flagship. And speaking of exclusive, the current Century, which debuted in 1997, features something no production Japanese (never mind Toyota) automobile before or since has: A V12 engine, specifically a 5.0L unit rated at 276 horsepower (which, oddly enough, was for years the maximum allowed under the Japanese manufacturers' "gentleman's agreement"...). Furthermore, the 2005 example we've modeled was the first model year to feature a new 6-speed automatic transmission. Of course, because this is a stately luxury limousine, you intend to treat it as such and not turn it into some time attack freak show or drift missile...right?
2003 MG ZT 260
When MG decided to go to war with its former owner BMW for sport sedan supremacy around the turn of the 21st century, it had a slight problem: It didn't have any rear-wheel-drive passenger car platforms. But after a lot of time, money and aggravation for both it and the company it initially hired to carry out the project, Prodrive, the transverse-engine, front-drive ZT had been transformed into the longitudinal-engine, rear-drive ZT 260. The 260 in the name, as you might have guessed, came courtesy of the 260 horsepower produced by the Ford-supplied 4.6L V8, which was transmitted through the standard 5-speed manual transmission (A 4-speed automatic was optional, as were a wagon version called the ZT-T 260 and rebadged Rover 75 versions of the sedan and wagon.) As entertaining as this four-door mutant was, it wasn't enough to keep MG-Rover afloat, and the company's new Chinese ownership group had no interest in keeping this wacky Anglo-American hot rod with limited commercial appeal in the lineup. Too bad.
1986 Lamborghini Countach QVX #22 Portman Lamborghini
Ferruccio Lamborghini, as part of his famous feud with Enzo Ferrari, was vehemently against involving his company and its products in motorsports. However, by the mid '80s, the company's founder had been out of the management and ownership pictures for almost a decade, and the new team in charge had a markedly softer stance on the subject. In light of this, the brand's UK distributor, David Jolliffe, decided to take the Countach GT racing. When race organizers told him the Countach didn't meet Group B homologation criteria, he decided to take the supercar's 5.7L V12, have the Lamborghini factory tune it to produce almost 700 horsepower, and have a new Group C sports prototype designed around it. Thus was born the Countach QVX. Despite a promising showing (5th place overall) in the hands of driver Tiff Needell on its international debut at the 1986 Kyalami 500 Kilometers in South Africa, financial woes would ensure that it would be the car's only race. Surely you'll be able to give it more outings than that!
1981 Mercedes-Benz 300TD Turbodiesel
Prior to the mid-1970s, the only way to own a Mercedes-Benz station wagon was to start with a sedan and hire an aftermarket coachbuilder like Binz to turn it into a wagon. Finally, Mercedes-Benz decided to do its first in-house station wagon, known internally by the chassis code S123. The most popular version in the North American market was the 300TD, with its 3.0L inline-five diesel engine. By 1981 the 300TD, like all of the company's U.S. market five-cylinder diesel models, had a turbocharger as standard equipment, which increased output to a more adequate 125 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft of torque. Granted, it was still no speed demon by any stretch of the imagination in stock form, but that hasn't prevented this classic German family hauler from becoming coveted for its style, versatility and durability.
1963 A.J. Watson Racecars Roadster Offenhauser #98 J.C. Agajanian Enterprises
A lot of racecar drivers will tell you that a particular car has a personality or a temperament all its own, but Parnelli Jones' account of the A.J Watson built, Offenhauser powered Indy Roadster affectionately(?) known as "Calhoun" is more believable than most. In 1961, Southern California entrepreneur, promoter and race team owner J.C. Agajanian purcased a new Roadster from master car builder A.J. Watson in nearby Glendale, California and hired local short track standout Rufus "Parnelli" Jones to drive it in that year's Indianapolis 500. Jones led the race briefly before finishing 12th and earning himself co-rookie of the year honors with Bobby Marshman. The next year, Jones and Calhoun made history by breaking the Speedway's elusive 150 mph barrier in qualifying, and again the man-and-machine team led handily before brake troubles consigned them to a seventh place finish. Finally, in 1963, car No. 98 (wearing a distinctive new air scoop in its nose) and its driver held on for the victory, but not after a nerve-wracking final handful of laps after a crack formed in the oil tank that, controversially, did not draw a black flag from race officials. Luckily, you won't have to worry about any random mechanical failures in
Forza Motorsport 6, so you can concentrate on opening up that big 255 cubic-inch (4.2L) DOHC inline-four and making some Brickyard history of your own!
Free Car: 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
It's hard to believe that Alfa Romeo hasn't built a rear-wheel-drive sedan since production of the 75 (or the Milano, as it was known here in the States) ended in 1992. That drought ends with the stunning new Giulia, an Italian junior executive express that's aiming for the German establishment's collective jugular. Don't believe us? Take a look at the specs of the highest performing model, the Giulia Quadrifoglio: Perfect 50/50 weight distribution. Carbon-ceramic brakes. A 6-speed manual transmission. And a 2.9L twin-turbo V6 rated at 503 horsepower and 440 lb.-ft of torque. If you're a high-end sport sedan with "M," "AMG" or "V" in your name and you aren't nervous, you're in for a decidedly rude awakening.
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