There you have it, the March Car Pack review - now with more Umlaut!
We had a long time to get used to the fact that another off-road übertruck better suited to any of the Horizon games, in the form of the Colorado ZR2, was going to be added to FM7. But this Chevrolet's is a bit different from the other, more US-sized mud warriors already present in the game, such as the F150 Raptor, Nissan Titan and RAM Power Wagon added by last month's car pack, having something they all lack: on-track experience. The Colorado is, in fact, Holden's weapon in the new SuperUtes series, where it competes against Mazda's, Toyota's and Ford's equally-sized opponents. Of course, the ZR2 is a different beast, mostly geared towards off-road excursions, but it's nice to know that it's one tire change and a different set of shocks away from being a legit track vehicle. Besides, even in its current form its handling is not too shabby - despite its high ground clearance and knobbly tires, this Colorado doesn't feel half as dangerous as the RAM, and even manages to lap the Nordschleife in just a bit over 9 minutes, an impressive performance for any vehicle with an open cargo bay that doesn't have "SRT-10" in its name. That is not to say it's a fun ride; as a matter of fact, its sloppy handling and tendency towards understeer make it a decidedly soporific proposal, and the fact that the engine has to lug around a significant mole certainly doesn't help. Next!
Pros: so close to being Bathurst-tested...
Cons: ...but it's not.
Nürburgring laptime: 09:12.268
Since the introduction of the
140 series, Volvo's built a reputation for building practical, reliable, no-nonsense but dignified vehicles. This hasn't changed over the years, but the last decade saw the Swedish brand try to shed another part of its heritage: the brutalistic, blocky styling that made their cars stand out so much while presenting no distinguishing feature whatsoever. This went on for a while, but the second-gen XC90 finally returned the brand to its roots with chiseled, squared shapes and straight lines, challenging the onslaught of German premium SUVs with a winning personality and a commitment to safety and energy efficiency. The only petrol engine available is a turbocharged, 2-litre inline-4, producing 254 hp in the basic "T5" form; the mid-level T6 gains almost 80 horses thanks to twincharging, and the top-of-the-line T8 depicted here is pushed past 400 by an electric motor mounted on the rear axle. The result is a car that, while not being by any means "sporty", is still a solid contender in its division, possibly being competitive against the usual Porsche suspects, the Jaguar F-Pace and the surprisingly capable Dodge Durango introduced last month. And then there's the sheer levels of noise pollution the engine produces: closing off your eyes, you may even manage to convince yourself you're driving a touring car instead... At least, as long as the road's straight.
Pros: ruggedly handsome looks, and competitive performance;
Cons: I'd be a liar if I said I wouldn't have rather had a Polestar 1...
Nürburgring laptime: 08:43.615
Since it was first introduced in the 1940s, the Lincoln Continental's been one of America's most prominent luxury cars and, especially during its tenure as the Presidential limousine, a showcase of the US car industry's merits. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that in the era of Ford's international over-reach the nameplate was suppressed, and the model was first superseded in the lineup in 2002 by the disappointing
Jaguar S-Type LS and archaic Panther-body Town Car, and then replaced outright at the peak of the Great Recession by the MKS, a car so terribly inadequate for its intended role that it could only be met with critical acclaim if the manufacturer picked the opponents it was to be compared to, and cut a fat paycheck to the journalists doing the reviewing. But those dark days are long over: FoMoCo is on a roll worldwide, and the Continental's finally back after a 15 years hiatus, perhaps not bigger, but better than ever, with styling inspired by the homonymous 2015 concept and, under the front hood of the range-topers, a variation of the Ecoboost V6 (
what else?), displacing 3 litres and producing 400 horsepower that are put to the ground through all four wheels. The new "Conti" has enough grunt to reach a speed of 100 kph from a standstill in less than six seconds, an impressive figure for a car that is an unashamed heavyweight. The handling, however, is not really something worthy of praise, especially in comparison with its more performance-focused European division peers: the high mass and soft-ish springs give it a marked tendency to lean heavily on corners, and while the torque-vectoring system (which Forza seem to simulate with some level of competency) greatly mitigates the car's natural tendency towards understeering off corners, the brakes will often prove inadequate to the task of slowing sufficiently this gargantuan sedan. Compard to the XC90, the Continental offer similar power and weight figures, and in the end, their laptime is very close too... Which is a problem, considering the somewhat-significant PI difference between the two cars.
Pros: more exciting than a Kia Stinger...
Cons: ...but less than a Volvo SUV.
Nürburgring laptime: 08:41.052
Nowadays, the 8C nameplate is mostly associated with the Competizione, a terribly beautiful grand tourer that tried to pay homage to the rich heritage of Alfa Romeo, while being powered by a Maserati engine. But in the 30s, it was the name of Italy's racecar. Powered by an inline-8 engine designed by the legendary Vittorio Jano, and born of the mating of two separate 4-bangers at the crankcase, the 8C 2300 made its racing debut in the 1931 season, dominating the most prestigious events of the calendar - including the Targa Florio, the Mille Miglia, the Italian GP and the Le Mans 24 hours - with drivers like Tazio Nuvolari, Luigi Chinetti and Henry Birkin behind the wheel. Originally the 8C was intended to be a pure race car, and as such, Alfa Romeo never intended to sell it to private customers: however, when the single-seater P3 replaced it in GP racing duties the heads of the company relented, and soon rolling chassis were leaving the Portello factory to reach the workshops of the most famed coachbuilders of the time: Zagato, Carrozzeria Touring, Pininfarina, Figoni and the likes. Amongst its most notable owners were Nuvolari, and Benito Mussolini, who famously loved Alfa Romeo cars, and had one clad in a closed "coupè" body, and entered in the 1937 Mille Miglia by his historical chaffueur, Ercole Boratto. So, in its day it was good enough for Fascist tyrants and racing legends, but how is it in Forza? For a moment, let's ignore the asinine decision T10 has made to put it in the same division as the "Alfetta" 158 and V12 Maserati 250F, and focus on what's really important. The engine's basically the same unit found in the P3, so its smoothness and suitably creamy sound should come to the surprise of absolutely no one. But the handling is something else. If the earlier Bugatti T35 was surprising in its ability to keep on the road, the proficiency of this Alfa is downright
shocking. Granted, you don't really have to manage that much power - but as long as you won't look at the tachometer, you'll feel like you're going a million miles per hour. The only problem is that, with its simplistic suspension geometry and lack of a limited-slip differential, the 8C will often stress to its limits the outermost tire, causing one-tire fires that wouldn't look too bad at a Goodwood Members Meeting. Take a hint, T10?
Pros: come on! It's a pre-war Alfa! Do I need to tell you more?
Cons: yet another car that could benefit from T10 creating another division or two;
Nürburgring laptime: 09:11.637
The first-gen 300ZX was introduced as Nissan approached its golden jubilee, and was an important car in the history of the "Z" line of models. It marked a radical departure from the previous models in the styling department, and for the first time, it was offered with a vee-6 powerplant in the form of the
VG turbocharged engine, available as a 2-litre in the more basic models, and as a 3-litre in the top-of-the-line 300ZX and 300ZX Turbo. That same engine would eventually find its way in the Bob Sharp-built racers that were campaigned in the highly competitive SCCA Trans-Am and IMSA GTO series by actor-turned-racer Paul Newman. While the car was never competitive - achieving a sole victory in its entire career - that shouldn't mean you should dismiss it immediately: the V6 is a remarkable motor, that handily proved its worth in the far more successful GTP ZX Turbo, and it is not as plagued by turbo lag as you'd think; the purpose-built chassis ensures handling on par with similar cars, such as the Beta Montecarlo. This 300ZX may not be too impressive, but don't let its sponsorship fool you: it ain't peanuts, either.
Pros: a very diligent silhouette GT racer;
Cons: there is no practical reason you should choose it over any of the cars present in the base game;
Nürburgring laptime: 07:02.020
The late 1970s were a time of crazy experimentation in the world of F1. The 1976 season, especially, saw the introduction of two cars that looked unlike any other: on one hand, the small outfit of Ken Tyrrel, which had somehow managed to position itself as one of the most competitive manufacturers on the grid, debuted during the season the six-wheeled P34. But on the other, over at Brabham - another
garagiste that had managed to clinch a World Title in the past - young engineering maverick Gordon Murray was toying around with some new, radical aerodynamic concepts, such as sideskirts mounted underneath the floorpan: the BT45 was, in essence, a precursor to the ground effect cars of the 80s. Parked next to its more conventional competitors, it looks like something straight from the future, or from the fantasy of a Japanese
mangaka. But despite its
avant-garde looks, its performance failed to impress, and in a three-year career, it only managed to bring home a few podiums. The insuccess of the car can be partly blamed on its beating heart, a flat-12 engine provided by Alfa Romeo, eager to rejoin the F1 circus after abruptly leaving at the height of success in the 1950s, in a lucrative deal conjured by team manager Bernie Ecclestone: despite its similarity to the powerplant of the successful Ferrari 312T, and its good performance in sportscar racing, the type 155-12 proved too heavy and unreliable. In 1977, a "B" variant was introduced, featuring several revisions to the suspension and aerodynamics layout and improvements to reduce its weight; however, the most prominent issues with the car weren't fixed, and the tragic death of the team's ace driver, the talented Brazilian Carlos Pace, only further complicated things. Regardless, during the season the BT45B managed to score a second place in the hands of John Watson, and two additional podium finishes thanks to Hans-Joachim Stuck. Unfortunately for Brabham, a true ground effect car would have to wait - the width of the flat-12, which may have been advantageous in previous years by pushing the centre of mass downwards, now prevented the adoption of this technical solution; the workaround devised by Murray, a "fan car" similar to the Chaparral 2J that had made a splash at the beginning of the decade in the Can-Am Series, was soon banned by the FISA. In-game, the Brabham is a fast car, capable of competing with the Ferrari, McLaren and Lotus already present in Forza's car roster; however, there is a distinct lack of grip at lower speed: a sign of a stronger reliance on aerodynamic grip, which means that you'll have to do your best to keep that air flowing on the angular surfaces of its body. Thankfully, the BT45 comes with a six-speed gearbox (as opposed to the five-speeds of all other F1 racers), and the engine not only produces a fitting soundtrack to the experience of barreling past corners in this disco-era GP machine, but is also tremendously responsive, being even more pliant and docile than the Cosworth DFV. The only issue to be had with Forza's rendition of one of the most iconic F1 cars ever is, perhaps, their decision to not feature the infamous Martini stripes in its livery. Oh, well - I'm sure
@JorgePinto is already working on it!
Pros: it has a steeper learning curve than its peers, but it's a maddeningly fast car once you learn its quirks;
Cons: no Martini, no party!
Nürburgring laptime: 06:36.716
The first new 1980s prototype to come to FM7 via DLC is the delightful Jaguar XJR-5. Developed by Bob Tullius' Group 44 outfit in the early days of the IMSA GTP regulations, it looks awfully conventional compared to later entries in the category. But the design penned by Lee Dykstra, one of the unsung heroes of the aerodynamic development of the time, was anything but: its performance in the New World, where it debuted in 1983 to much success, convinced Jaguar's management to greenlight an attack on the 1984 running of the Le Mans 24 hours, the race in which the British brand had established its racing credentials almost 30 years prior. While the two cars entered in the French endurance race failed to cross the finish line, their performance was sufficiently impressive to persuade the mother company of the potential of the 6-litre V12 against Porsche's turbocharged flat-sixes, and that led to the development of the much more advanced XJR-9 that would win the prestigious race in 1988. As for the 8C, the engine's a known factor: the naturally-aspirated V12 is as impressive as it is in the later Castrol and Silk Cut sponsored cars, offering a less nerve-wracking experience than the turbocharged Nissans, Porsches and Sauber-Mercedeses of the time. Handling's also very good, with seemingly infinite amounts of grip available and a deft response to steering inputs that allows any decent driver to blitz the corners. As a matter of fact, I find the fact that the car only has 940 PP worrying - while I am yet to test out this theory, I'm afraid that once homologated, it may become a serious LB car, or whatever is the closest equivalent in the brave new world of division-based racing...
Pros: as good as any other group C car in the game;
Cons: a March-Chevrolet would've perhaps been more useful...
Nürburgring laptime: 06:20.680
