Series 19 of Forza Horizon 5 moves into its third week of darkness this week, with a new playlist and new rewards for another seven days of lengthened night.
Officially called “Midnights at Horizon”, the Series is all about nocturnal activities. That includes a slightly longer spell of night time during the game’s day/night cycle,
There’s also the traditional world makeover, with the main night event — street racing — used as inspiration to decorate the map.
You’ll find most changes at the aerodrome, which features new illuminated signs, crates, gates, aeroplane designs in the sky, drone clusters, and the glow-in-the-dark twin-snake motif on the floor.
Elswhere there’s plenty of blue and pink neon added to other races, and a special neon sign which forms the basis of photo challenges across the Series.
Of course there’s also new cars, with four new-to-Forza vehicles available as rewards across the four weeks — if you can pick up 20 of the 70 points available each week — as well as other rare and enticing cars and prizes.
Series 19: Midnights at Horizon
With the new vehicles dropping on each week’s playlist, that means the two Series rewards are cars that have been previously been available — although both are well worth the effort.
Scoring 80 points across the series, which should already be well behind you by now, and you’ll earn one of the most special Porsche 911s of all: the GT3 RS 4.0.
Developed from the GT3 RS model of the 997 generation, the 4.0 borrowed from the turbocharged GT2 RS and Porsche’s racing exploits to create the definitive naturally aspirated car on the platform.
The headlining change is the new engine, a four-liter version of the flat six which produces 50hp more than the regular GT3 RS’s 3.8. However there’s also chassis tweaks and new aerodynamic items that all help the 4.0 beat the 3.8 around the ‘Ring by six seconds.
Making the 600-example 911 look positively commonplace though is the 160-point car. That’s a one-off Lamborghini, the Aventador J.
It’s essentially the same car as a regular Aventador up to a certain point, and that point is the window line as the J goes without either a roof or any windows of any type — aside from a couple of small wind deflectors.
Lamborghini made the car for display at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show, but subsequently sold it on to a collector who paid a reported $2.8m for the privilege of a 200mph speedster.
Series 19 Winter/Dry Season Rewards
A third week means a third new car is available for the lower 20-point threshold this week, by way of the Lexus LC500.
This big GT car is an old-school cruiser wrapped up in a very new-school design, sporting a five-liter V8 that you’ll also find in the brand’s “F” cars. That means 471hp on tap, which is plenty for a two-ton grand tourer to get about.
It’s paired to a ten-speed auto, and sticks with the classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. Ultimately it might not be a terrific idea to take it onto Mexico’s many and varied off-road routes — or further into the wilds — but there’s not much that looks better while cruising the blacktop.
At 40 points you’ll pick up a surprisingly British Italian supercar, whose name and looks don’t entirely hint what lies beneath.
The ATS GT comes from the same brand — Automobili Turismo e Sport — as the classic 1960s mid-engined 2500GT sports tourer, and its styling is unmistakeably Italian, but underneath all of that it’s a McLaren MP4-12C.
That means you get McLaren’s carbon-fiber “MonoCell” chassis, and the Ricardo-designed 3.8-liter V8 twin-turbo — good for up to 690hp in the ATS — mixed with a new body shell and a reworked cabin.
Autumn will run through to 1430UTC on Thursday April 20, with Series 19 continuing for another week until the same time on Thursday April 27.
Series 19 Winter Playlist: Forzathon Events
It’s another classic American brand in the Weekly Challenge, with Shelby the focus of proceedings. Pick up the modern, 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 to get Shelby’s Muscle underway.
There’s a relatively light list of subsequent tasks for you to complete the event thereafter. Firstly, earn an Ultimate Burnout Skill in the car — a donut should see you rack up the levels of that skill — then paint the car’s body in any color you desire; you can just paint the whole car, rather than specifically the body.
Finally you’ll need to drive five miles in the car (you could do the first Daily Challenge below to pick up the first mile) to complete the event and earn five points and 80FP — with the Forzathon Points doubled if you own the La Casa Solariega player house near Teotihuacan.
Weekly Challenge: Shelby’s Muscle
- Car: Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2020
- Chapter 1: Own and drive the Shelby GT500 ’20
- Chapter 2: Earn an Ultimate Burnout Skill in the Shelby GT500 ’20
- Chapter 3: Paint the body of the Shelby GT500 ’20
- Chapter 4: Drive five miles in the Shelby GT500 ’20
- Reward: 5 points, 80FP
The seven Daily Challenges drop at their usual rate of one each day — at 1430UTC — with seven days to complete each one, including running into the next Series if applicable, and one point and 10FP apiece.
Hit Light Speed first, by winning a Drag Race at the redecorated Aerodromo Drag Strip (although the season makeover is removed for the race itself; boo).
Get All Dressed Up after that, by painting the body (or the entire vehicle) of any Retro Sports Car.
You’ll need to earn five Great Drift Skills — that’s a drift that goes on long enough to rank up from Drift to Great Drift, which thankfully isn’t all that long — in any Pontiac Firebird next to be a Knight Slider.
Win any Road Racing Series event next in a Caterham Superlight R500, to Superlight It Up.
Pick up three stars from the Northern Passage Speed Trap to see the Northern Lights (not normally seen in Mexico…).
You’ll be the Bump in the Night when you earn a Crash Landing Skill in any Rally Monster. This requires a combination Air Skill and Wreckage Skill, so you’ll need to jump and smash when you land; there’s plenty of places to do this but Gran Caldera, Dunas Blancas, and Baja Circuit provide the most opportunities.
Finally Hit the Heights by earning three stars at the Heights of Mulege Danger Sign.
Daily Challenges
- April 13 – Light Speed: Win a Drag Race at the Aerodromo Drag Strip
- April 14 – All Dressed Up: Paint the body on any Retro Sports Car
- April 15 – Knight Slider: Earn five Great Drift Skills in any Pontiac Firebird
- April 16 – Superlight It Up: Win a Road Race in the Caterham Superlight R500
- April 17 – Northern Lights: Earn three stars from the Northern Passage Speed Trap
- April 18 – Bump in the Night: Get a Crash Landing Skill in any Rally Monster
- April 19 – Hit the Heights: Earn three stars from the Heights of Mulege Danger Sign
Series 19 Winter Playlist: Season Events
The seven events on the solo Playlist consist of two Seasonal Championships alongside the series regular three PR Stunts, and two EventLabs.
As we’ve seen across recent months, the PR Stunts are still open-category format, allowing S2 Class (901-998PI) limits — though you can also use lower category vehicles — with no other restrictions. Each is worth the usual two points and a Super Wheelspin.
It’s not too challenging to complete all three this week, with the 300m target for the Baja Showjump Danger Sign, 100mph at the Ladera Speed Zone, and 35s at the Barranco Trailblazer all within reach of the S2 cars — though you may need a couple of rewinds on the Trailblazer!
The two Seasonal Championships — each three-race series running against Highly Skilled AI — require you to top the final points table, and each gives five points to your season total.
Buggy Nights is a Cross Country event for B Class (601-700PI) Unlimited Buggies, awarding a 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am for victory. Home by Midnight is a Road Racing event for A Class (701-800PI) GT Cars, offering a 2008 BMW Z4 as well as the points.
The EventLab challenges involve significantly reworked locations using the myriad props available, and three points for completing each.
Hot Wheels Super Scramble borrows pieces from the Hot Wheels expansion to create a new location atop the volcano for A Class (701-800PI) Rally Monsters, and awards a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette for completion. The already transformed aerodrome gets another makeover to look like Osaka docks in Osaka Sea Port. We’d advise speed over handling for the course, with S1 Class (801-900PI) Track Toys required and a Super Wheelspin when you finish.
EventLab: Hot Wheels Super Scramble
- Car: A Class, Rally Monsters
- Location: Gran Caldera, Caldera Scramble
- Challenge: Finish the race
- Reward: 3 points, Chevrolet Corvette ’67
EventLab: Osaka Sea Port
- Car: S1 Class, Track Toys
- Location: Aerodromo en la Selva, Airfield Cross Country Circuit
- Challenge: Finish the race
- Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin
Danger Sign: Baja Showjump
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Dunas Blancas, Baja Showjump Danger Sign
- Challenge: 300m
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Zone: Ladera
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Guanajuato, Ladera Speed Zone
- Challenge: 100mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Trailblazer: Barranco
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Gran Caldera, Barranco Trailblazer
- Challenge: 35s
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Seasonal Championship: Buggy Nights
- Car: B Class, Unlimited Buggies
- Location: Horizon Rush, Copper Canyon Cross Country
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Pontiac Trans-Am ’77
Seasonal Championship: Home by Midnight
- Car: A Class, GT Cars
- Location: Estadio Horizon, Estadio Circuit
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, BMW Z4 ’08
The multiplayer offering expands to two events this week, for which you’ll need an Xbox Live Gold subscription — unless you play on PC — in order to access.
Seasonal Playground Games makes a return this week. You’ll need to finish a set of events — a best-of-three rounds — which are again randomized between the various team games: Flag Rush, King, Infected/Survival.
Only front-wheel drive B Class (601-700PI) cars are eligible, and there’s three points and an Ariel Nomad for reaching the end of the set; winning isn’t necessary. In fact if you lose the first round, it’s quicker to throw the second round…
The Trial remains in its apparently permanent slot, with the Stock Showdown format returning for another week. This week you’ll need a totally standard (although you can paint it if you like) Nissan Skyline GT-R ’93, at 636PI, for the event.
As always, it’s 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 AI.
We’re Road Racing once again, which should bode well as there’s more grip than power so hopefully fewer crashes from particularly dense team-mates who still haven’t got the idea 18 months in. There’s some compact circuits, but even so it should be a win in two races, for ten points and a Porsche 356.
Seasonal Playground Games: Reach ForWard the Stars
- Car: B Class, Front-Wheel Drive
- Location: Aerodromo en la Selva
- Challenge: Complete three rounds of Seasonal Playground Games
- Reward: 3 points, Ariel Nomad
The Trial: Stock Showdown Nissan GT-R ’93
- Car: B Class, Nissan Skyline GT-R ’93
- Location: Guanajuato, Cathedral Circuit
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 10 points, Porsche 356 ’59
Series 19 Winter Playlist: Challenges
We’re up to three Challenges this week, with one — Horizon Open — a multiplayer event. That means you’ll need an Xbox Live Gold subscription (unless you play on PC) in order to access it.
The challenge itself, called Heavy Hitters, is not too in-depth though. Just complete any Horizon Open Custom Race — one race, rather than a whole set of three — in any Classic Muscle Car to earn two points and a 2015 Dodge Challenger.
It’s another hunt for neon Tanks for the Photo Challenge, #NeonHeights. Thankfully it’s an easy one to find this week, with the FH5 mascot on one of the buildings at the science station atop the Gran Caldera. Photograph any Drift Car next to it to earn two points and a Natural Leaf Desert Scarf clothing item.
Treasure Hunt returns this week too, with your clue for Vantage Point being “Horizon would be proud of your ‘Aston’ishing Basejump”.
It shouldn’t take too much to work out that you’ll need to score at least one star at the Basejump Danger Sign at the Horizon Rush Outpost in any Aston Martin Vantage vehicle to complete the task and earn the treasure hint.
This week the red circle is centered on east Guanajuato, and you’ll find the chest at the statue in front of the basilica in the city. Smash it to pick up three points and 100FP.
Horizon Open: Heavy Hitters
- Cars: Classic Muscle Car
- Location: Horizon Open Custom Race
- Challenge: Complete a Horizon Open Custom Race in any Classic Muscle Car
- Reward: 2 points, Dodge Challenger ’15
Photo Challenge: #NeonHeights
- Cars: Drift Car
- Location: Gran Caldera
- Challenge: Photograph any Drift Car at the Neon Tank at the top of Gran Caldera
- Reward: 2 points, Natural Leaf Desert Scarf
Treasure Hunt: Vantage Point
- Cars: Aston Martin Vantage
- Location: Horizon Rush Outpost, Basejump Danger Sign
- Challenge: Score at least one star at the Basejump Danger Sign in any Aston Martin Vantage; find and smash the Treasure Chest
- Reward: 3 points, 100FP
If you haven’t already checked them off, the two Rivals challenges remain in position in their month-long slots.
Each event offers four points for completion, giving one point to each of the four seasons in the series regardless of when you complete them. This only requires that you post a clean laptime at the tracks indicated, using the vehicles provided to you. There’s no need to go fast, so just keep it away from solid objects.
This month’s combinations are the Bola Ocho Circuit in Guanajuato in the new Lexus LC500 for Monthly Rivals, and the new Rimac Nevera at the Bahia de Plano course for Forza EV.
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 Winter Bonus DLC Events
Each of the two DLC packs grants two extra events on the Playlist for owners. They aren’t required for 100% Playlist completion, but offer a handy boost which is particularly useful on multiplayer-heavy weeks.
There’s a PR Stunt in each location, with a Danger Sign in Rally Adventure and a Drift Zone in Hot Wheels. Just as with the stunts on the main map, you’ll need an S2 Class (901-998PI) car, and each is worth two points and a Super Wheelspin.
You’ll be aiming for an easy 250m target at the Dunes Danger Sign in Sierra Nueva, while the 190,000pt goal for the Hot Wheels Rockslide Drift Zone may be a little trickier; approach from the west end or you may find the speed boost pad flings you into a wall right away.
Each also hosts a three-race Seasonal Championship too, worth five points apiece. You’ll need an S1 Class (801-900PI) Track Toys car for Warp Speed in Hot Wheels, which gifts a Ford Lotus Cortina for overall victory. Neon Knights in Rally Adventure is a series for A Class (701-800PI) Trucks, offering an Apex Predators Cap as a reward.
Hot Wheels Drift Zone: Rockslide
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Hot Wheels Forest Falls, Rockslide Drift Zone
- Challenge: 190,000pt
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Hot Wheels Seasonal Championship: Warp Speed
- Car: S1 Class, Track Toys
- Location: Hot Wheels Forest Falls, Canyon’s Edge Speed Sprint
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Ford Lotus Cortina
Rally Adventure Danger Sign: Dunes
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Sierra Nueva Bike Track, Dunes Danger Sign
- Challenge: 250m
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Rally Adventure Seasonal Championship: Neon Knights
- Car: A Class, Trucks
- Location: Sierra Nueva La Presa, La Cantera
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Apex Predators Cap
Series 19 Winter Forzathon Shop
German engines populate the Forzathon Shop this week, although the layout and applications are rather different.
The headline car is the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, the rare, roadgoing variant of the brand’s GT1 category race car built in very limited numbers to satisfy homologation rules.
In general terms, the Strassenversion is the same as its racing sibling, although slightly sanitized for road use and with some additional amenities and features — such as air-conditioning, anti-lock brakes, and optional leather seats.
It resulted in a slightly heavier vehicle than the stripped-out race car, but free of class restrictions the larger 6.9-liter V12 was also more powerful; it was one of the quickest road cars in the world at the time.
You can pick the CLK GTR up for 600FP, or at two million credits in the Autoshow; the balance is tipped slightly in favor of the Forzathon Shop this week.
That’s less the case with the 300FP car, which is the 430,000cr Aston Martin Vantage.
Introduced in 2018, the modern Vantage is the first car to bear the name with a German engine behind the grille. It’s the four-liter, twin-turbo V8 also used in a similar form in the Mercedes-AMG GT.
Store items this week are the Classic Running Man emote and Horizon Raptors 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.
