Night has fallen across Mexico as a new series of Forza Horizon 5 gets underway today: Midnights at Horizon.
This 19th Series focuses on all things dark and neon-lit, with extended night-time compared to the regular day/night cycle of the game, and a world makeover heavy on light blue and pink.
That’s most obvious down at the forest airport, Aerodromo en la Selva, which sees garishly colored, illuminated signs, gates, and crates, as well as light-up floor decorations along a similar theme. However there’s also some changes to various race events too, a new collectible item later in the series, and some interesting neon signs you’ll need to track down.
There’s four new vehicles coming this Series too, all of which are new to the Forza series (give or take a concept car), as well as a regular Evolving World Accolade for earning them all — which you’ll be able to achieve for just 20 points on each week’s Playlist.
Series 19: Midnights at Horizon
That of course means that the two Series rewards aren’t new to the game, but both are exclusive items that rarely appear and attract high prices in the Auction House. It’s well worth acquiring them, either so you don’t have to spend to get them or so you can top up your funds by selling them.
First up, and for 80 points across the Series, is the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0, which has previously appeared in Series 4 and Series 8 as a weekly reward car.
Probably the definitive version of the naturally aspirated 911 on the 997 platform, the GT3 RS 4.0 takes everything that was already great about the GT3 RS and turns it up a fair bit.
Primarily that comes by way of an enlarged, four-liter flat six, giving the car a 50hp bump over the GT3 RS. That’s no small increase, and the regular car wasn’t exactly underpowered to start with.
Porsche only made 600 examples of the RS 4.0, making it one of the most desirable 997s around.
The 160-point car is even more rare, existing as one of one. That’s the Lamborghini Aventador J, which previously appeared in Series 2 and Series 9.
Made just for the Geneva International Motor Show in 2012, the J is based on the Aventador but is notably lacking in bodywork. It has neither a roof nor any windows — apart from some small wind deflectors.
It’s certainly not lacking in power, with the same 690hp V12 as its regular sibling, so it’s very much a car for people who are fans of picking butterflies out of their teeth and who are willing to pay $2.8m for the privilege.
Series 19 Summer/Wet Season Rewards
The first brand new car pops up for 20 points this week, in the shape of the Rimac Nevera.
It’s a car that will be pretty familiar, as it’s the production version of the Concept_Two, and there’s only a handful of changes between the two models.
One area in which they’re the same is under the hood, with both cars packing a 1,914hp all-electric drivetrain that consists of four individual in-wheel motors — giving the ultimate in torque control as the electronics shuffle force around to wheels that have enough grip to deal with it.
The Nevera comes with switchable Drift/Track modes in the game though, which you can select with the same button as assigned to convertible cars or other vehicles with different driving modes.
Rack up 40 points and you’ll win the Italdesign Zerouno which, despite the looks, is a more traditional approach to speed.
In fact, under the skin it’s a Lamborghini Huracan and sports the same 5.2-liter V10 that produces 602hp to all four wheels. However it’s a much rarer beast, thus far only appearing on the Playlist once before, along with a single appearance in the Forzathon Shop.
Summer will run through to 1430UTC on Thursday April 6, with Series 19 continuing for another three weeks until the same time on Thursday April 27.
Series 19 Summer Playlist: Forzathon Events
The first Weekly Challenge of the Series takes a look at a brand rarely considered outside of its native Australia. Own and drive the HSV GTS Gen-F to get Holden On underway.
It’s a simple set of challenges thereafter. Just win any Road Racing Series event in the car, then pick up six stars at any Speed Zones you wish. Finally cruise along at 170mph or more for at least ten seconds to complete the event.
You’ll earn five points and 80FP — with the Forzathon Points doubled if you own the La Casa Solariega player house near Teotihuacan.
Weekly Challenge: Holden On
- Car: HSV Gen-F GTS ’14
- Chapter 1: Own and drive the HSV Gen-F GTS
- Chapter 2: Win a Road Race in the HSV Gen-F GTS
- Chapter 3: Earn six stars at Speed Zones in the HSV Gen-F GTS
- Chapter 4: Stay over 170mph (273.6km/h) for ten seconds in the HSV Gen-F GTS
- Reward: 5 points, 80FP
A fresh set of seven Daily Challenges awaits, coming along at one-a-day during the season and at 1430UTC each day. You have seven days to complete each one (including running into the next Series if applicable), earning one point and 10FP apiece.
Head to the Runway Lights first by visiting the decorated Aerodromo en la Selva; you won’t need to make a special effort here as there’s also a PR Stunt here this week, so it’ll pop up naturally.
Complete any Dirt Racing Series Trail event next — that’s a point-to-point race, not a circuit — to complete Light Trails.
There’ll be a Starion in the Sky, when you earn six stars at any Danger Signs in a Mitsubishi Starion ESI-R.
After that, grab an AMC Gremlin and remember: Don’t Feed After Midnight. Do, however, earn an Ultimate Wreckage Skill — for smashing a whole load of destructible objects in one Skill chain — to pass this challenge.
You’ll be entering the Twilight Zone next, earning five stars at any Drift Zones in any Volvo.
Head into any Horizon Story Chapter (and really almost any will do) for a Bedtime Story by reaching 100mph (161km/h) in the event.
Finally get with the Rhythm of the Night by winning a Street Racing Series event in the Nissan Pulsar GTI-R.
Daily Challenges
- March 30 – Runway Lights: Visit the Aerodromo en la Selva
- March 31 – Light Trails: Complete any Dirt Racing Trail event
- April 1 – Starion In The Sky: Earn six stars at Danger Signs in the Mitsubishi Starion
- April 2 – Don’t Feed After Midnight: Earn an Ultimate Wreckage Skill in the AMC Gremlin X
- April 3 – Twilight Zone: Earn five stars at Drift Zones in a Volvo
- April 4 – Bedtime Story: Reach 100mph (161km/h) in any Horizon Story Chapter
- April 5 – Rhythm of the Night: Win a Street Race in the Nissan Pulsar GTI-R
Series 19 Summer Playlist: Season Events
There’s eight events up on the solo Playlist this week, consisting of three PR Stunts, two EventLabs, two Seasonal Championships, and Horizon Arcade.
Arcade is its usual style, requiring only that you complete three rounds of any theme — Air, Chaos, Drift, Speed, and Wreckage — to pick up three points with no bonus items.
The PR Stunts remain open category as we’ve seen recently, with S2 Class (901-998PI) limits — though you can also use lower category vehicles — and two points and a Super Wheelspin for completing each.
This week it’s a Danger Sign, Speed Trap, and Speed Zone, and all are relatively gentle affairs. The Runway Danger Sign has a 600m target which you should be able to achieve with ease, as is also the case with Pequeno Puente’s 177mph target. You may need to work a little more for a 175mph pass of the Airfield Speed Zone though.
The two Seasonal Championships — each running against Highly Skilled AI — require you to top the final points table, and each gives five points to your season total.
Cloudy After Midnight is an event for S1 Class (801-900PI) Rally Monsters, running on three Dirt Racing Series tracks for an Audi RS3. You’ll need a B Class (601-700PI) Hot Hatch for the Love at First Night Street Racing event, which awards a 2012 MINI John Cooper Works.
The two EventLab challenges this week give extensive makeovers to their locations, and each is worth the usual three points.
Miami Vice Riverside Drive transforms the Mulege river into Miami’s inshore waterways — complete with luxury yacht — for a two lap trial in A Class (701-800PI) Retro Supercars. There’s a Super Wheelspin for completion.
Parametric Night gives a similar treatement to the volcano’s peak, with a dazzling array of shapes and lighting colors that are probably better for photography than racing. You’ll need an S1 Class (801-900PI) Hypercar, and the reward is a Maserati Gran Turismo S
EventLab: Miami Vice Riverside Drive
- Car: A Class, Retro Supercars
- Location: Mulege, Arch of Mulege Circuit
- Challenge: Finish the race
- Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin
EventLab: Parametric Night
- Car: S1 Class, Hypercars
- Location: La Gran Caldera, El Descenso Cross Country
- Challenge: Finish the race
- Reward: 3 points, Maserati Gran Turismo S
Horizon Arcade: Mini Games
- Car: Any
- Location: Horizon Arcade (any)
- Challenge: Finish Horizon Arcade
- Reward: 3 points
Danger Sign: Runway
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Aerodromo en la Selva, Runway Danger Sign
- Challenge: 600m
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Trap: Pequeno Puente
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Mulege, Pequeno Punete Speed Trap
- Challenge: 177mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Zone: Airfield Speed Zone
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: La Selva, Airfield Zone
- Challenge: 175mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Seasonal Championship: Cloudy After Midnight
- Car: S1 Class, Rally Monsters
- Location: Cordillera, Cordillera Trail
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Audi RS3
Seasonal Championship: Love at First Night
- Car: B Class, Super Hot Hatch
- Location: Gran Pantano, Bosque Del Sur
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, MINI JCW ’12
There’s just one multiplayer event in the season events this week, for which you’ll need an Xbox Live Gold subscription — unless you play on PC — in order to access.
Naturally that’s The Trial, which has returned to the Stock Showdown format. You’ll need a totally standard BMW M5 2018 (well, you can paint it) for the event, which consists of a best-of-three-race championship for a team of up to six humans against six “Unbeatable” AI.
Each player on each team earns 100 points for each opponent they beat, but there’s no reward for beating team-mates. That means you’ll need to help each other out as much as possible while hindering the ‘bots.
It’s a Road Racing event this week, and the relatively even field might make things tricky if your team-mates aren’t entirely aware of the need to not crash each other. However the car and surface have plenty of grip, so even lightly competent teams should win in two races for ten points and a McLaren 570S
Horizon Tour occupies the other spot. It’s a similar event, with the same points set-up, but it’s open format and the AI are turned down to Highly Skilled. One twist is the need to drive between races rather than teleporting, but there’s no extra incentive for doing so or being first to reach the goal. Nor is there for completing the event, with just three points and no bonuses.
The Trial: Stock Showdown BMW M5 ’18
- Car: A Class, BMW M5 ’18
- Location: La Selva, Sierra Verde Sprint
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 10 points, McLaren 570S
Series 19 Summer Playlist: Challenges
There’s three Challenges this week, with the regular Photo Challenge and a Treasure Hunt to start the Series alongside Horizon Open. You will need access to multiplayer — via PC or with Xbox Live Gold on console — for that.
For Horizon Open you only need to complete any Street Racing event in Horizon Open Custom. There’s no car restrictions aside from whichever hopper you land in, and you don’t need to win. You’ll earn two points and Horizon Race Gloves for sticking it out.
The Photo Challenge is the first to feature the neon “Tank” — FH5’s mascot. You’ll need to locate him on the yellow building opposite the player house in Mulege, which is easier at night but not necessary, and photograph any Modern Muscle car alongside him to complete #NeonNights, and earn two points and a Haunted House horn.
Finally there’s the Treasure Hunt, Shelby Coming Down the Mountain. The name, image, and clue — “She’s a beauty to behold, you must drift sideways to win gold” — should suggest to you that you need to head to the Cara Este Drift Zone on the eastern slope of the volcano in a Shelby Cobra 427.
Get just one star, which is easily done inside two corners here, and you’ll earn the treasure hint: a red, circular zone drawn on the map to show you roughly where the treasure is. This week it’s almost in the center of the stadium, so not a chore to find. Smash it to earn three points and 100FP.
Horizon Open: The Street Goes On
- Cars: Any
- Location: Horizon Open Custom Street Racing
- Challenge: Complete a Street Racing event in Horizon Open Custom
- Reward: 2 points, Horizon Race Gloves
Photo Challenge: #NeonNights
- Cars: Modern Muscle
- Location: Mulege
- Challenge: Photograph any Modern Muscle car at the Neon Tank in Mulege
- Reward: 2 points, Haunted House Horn
Treasure Hunt: Shelby Coming Down the Mountain
- Cars: Shelby Cobra 427
- Location: La Gran Caldera, Cara Este Drift Zone
- Challenge: Score one star at the Cara Este Drift Zone in the Shelby Cobra; find and smash the Treasure Chest
- Reward: 3 points, 100FP
Two new Rivals challenges await for the month. Each offers four points for completion, giving one point to each of the four seasons in the series regardless of when you complete them — so you can chalk it off early or, if you’re taking clean screenshots for season change articles, on the last day of the 28-day series…
In each case you’ll need a clean laptime at the tracks indicated, using the vehicles provided to you. There’s no need to beat any times, just keep it clean to pass the challenge.
Forza EV returns this month, with the new Rimac Nevera taking on the fast coastal circuit at Bahia de Plano. The Lexus LC500 occupies the Monthly Rivals spot at the difficult and compact Bola Ocho Circuit in Guanajuato.
Forza EV: Bahia de Plano
- Cars: Rimac Nevera (Provided)
- Location: Bahia de Plano, Bahia de Plano Circuit
- Challenge: Post a Clean Lap
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Monthly Rivals: Bola Ocho
- Cars: Lexus LC500 (Provided)
- Location: Guanajuato, Bola Ocho Circuit
- Challenge: Post a Clean Lap
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Series 19 Summer Bonus DLC Events
With the second DLC now available there’s four extra events on the Playlist for DLC owners — but beware you’ll need to have completed The Goliath in Rally Adventure to access the second set. These are not required for 100% Playlist completion, but give a little boost towards your goals.
There’s one PR Stunt in each location, with a Speed Trap in Hot Wheels and a Drift Zone in Rally Adventure. Again in each case you’ll need an S2 Class (901-998PI) car, for two points and a Super Wheelspin.
Neither is particularly awkward, although the 132,000pt required for the Drift Zone is well above the three-star mark. 250mph at the Dragon’s Autumn Speed Trap will simply be a case of using your preferred speedster.
Both DLCs host three-race Seasonal Championships too, worth five points apiece. You’ll need an A Class (801-900PI) Sports Utility Hero for the Hot Wheels event, Night in Shining Car, which offers an International Scout as a reward. Take your B Class (701-800PI) Pickups & SUVs machine for Rally, Set, Go in Rally Adventure, to win an Apex Predators Tee.
Hot Wheels Speed Trap: Dragon’s Autumn
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Hot Wheels Ice Cauldron, Dragon’s Autumn Speed Trap
- Challenge: 250mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Hot Wheels Seasonal Championship: Night in Shining Car
- Car: A Class, Sports Utility Heroes
- Location: Hot Wheels Ice Cauldron, Volcano Pass Hazard Sprint
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, International Scout 800
Rally Adventure Drift Zone: Canyon Sweep
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Sierra Nueva Senda de Montanana, Canyon Sweep Drift Zone
- Challenge: 132,000pt
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Rally Adventure Seasonal Championship: Rally, Set, Go
- Car: B Class, Pickups & 4x4s
- Location: Sierra Nueva Bike Track, Arzate Sprint
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Apex Predators Tee
Series 19 Summer Forzathon Shop
It’s an unusual mix of modern hypercar and classic muscle in the Forzathon Shop this week.
Sitting at the front of the store is the Apollo Intensa Emozione, a Ferrari V12-engined car from the rebranded “Apollo” — previously known as Gumpert before being bought out by a Hong Kong-based concern.
The IE is designed to look like a racing car of unknown origin, and uses expensive and rare materials throughout in order to not trouble the scales; it comes in at just 1,250kg.
Given that the aerodynamic aids produce at least that in downforce at 186mph, and the fact there’s 800hp from that Ferrari-sourced engine, it certainly meets its targets.
550FP is perhaps a little expensive for a car you can buy for 1.5m credits from the Autoshow, but it’s not so steep.
Rather than just looking like a race car, the Ford Mustang Boss 302 was made to be one. Built for the Trans-Am series, the Boss 302 was built around its 302ci (4.9-liter) V8, which produces almost 300hp, all to the rear wheels.
Again, it’s a car you can pick up for regular credits in the Autoshow — just 230,000 of them — which is probably a better deal than the 300FP price this week.
Store items this week are the Sleepy Emote and the Grit Reapers Hoodie, at 75FP each. The Wheelspin (60FP) and Super Wheelspin (150FP) remain in their usual spots.
See more articles on Forza Horizon 5 Season Change.
