It’s the final week of Forza Horizon 5’s Series 19, officially called “Midnights at Horizon”, with a new set of playlist events and more rewards for players across the next seven days.
The night-themed series sees the Mexico-inspired map overhauled in a variety of ways. Probably the most significant, as it requires a good push on the Earth’s axis, is a longer night-time period on the game’s day-night cycle.
That allows you to appreciate the other changes more, or at least more likely to encounter them, as they’re heavy on the illumination and lean into the Street Scene vibe.
Every race event across the map has new neon signs and barrier decorations with blue and pink strips, while the jungle airport has the biggest single set of changes as it’s completely decked-out in these colors. There’s even a drone light show (borrowed from Rally Adventure) and a glow-in-the-dark twin-snake decoration.
As with every Series, there’s also new cars to collect which includes four new-to-Forza vehicles — each available as a 20-point playlist reward in each of the four weeks — with the final vehicle, and the relevant Evolving World Accolade, coming this week.
Series 19: Midnights at Horizon
Neither of the two Series rewards are new to the game, but both are particularly rare vehicles you’ll want to pick up — even if only to flip for profit through the Auction House.
For 80 points across the series you’ll pick up one of the rarest 911s ever made, and the cream of its particular crop.
The GT3 RS 4.0, a 600-vehicle, limited-run machine on the 997-generation chassis, was effectively the pinnacle for naturally aspirated 911s at the time.
As the name suggests, it’s based off the regular, 3.8-liter GT3 RS, but with a larger 4.0-liter engine that afforded another 50hp. Combined with chassis tweaks and aerodynamic developments borrowed from the turbocharged GT2 RS, the RS 4.0 was as good as it got for the non-turbo 997.
If you fancy something considerably more rare, there’s the one-of-one Lamborghini Aventador J available for 160 points across the series.
Up until about three feet off the ground, it’s hard to see where the J differs from the “ordinary” Aventador. It even packs the same 690hp, 6.5-liter V12 as the original car, driving all four wheels.
Look up a little further and the differences become obvious. The J simply dispenses with windows and roof, to create a permanently open-top speedster. There’s small wind deflectors ahead of the two seats that ward off most (but not all) incoming objects and the worst of the 200mph+ wind.
Originally made as a concept just for display at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show, Lamborghini later sold the car for a reported $2.8m to a collector.
Series 19 Spring/Hot Season Rewards
It’s your final chance to pick up a brand-new car this Series, with the second of the Cadillac Blackwing models to hit the game this month available at 20 points this week.
The CT4 is a pretty regular D-segment sedan, pitched against the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class. However, like those cars, Cadillac made a fruitier version using its “V” sub-brand, powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder.
That wasn’t quite enough to take the fight to the M3 and C63, so the Blackwing ups the tempo quite a bit with a 472hp, 3.6-liter, twin-turbocharged V6. It should provide you with plenty of sideways fun alongside its bigger CT5 brother — available previously in the Series.
Hit 40 points and you’ll add the Radical RXC to your stable, and if you think it’s just a race car you wouldn’t be far off the mark.
In fact the RXC can be road legal, but is more likely to be a track toy trailered to and from the circuit. However no such rules apply in the Horizon world, and you can take this winged weapon out onto the open road as you wish.
It combines a 450hp version of Ford’s 3.5-liter V6 “EcoBoost” engine — equipped with twin turbochargers, of course — with a tubular spaceframe and composite body for a near 500hp/ton power to weight ratio. Radical even made a GT3 version of the car, so it’s ideal for Speed Zones in Mexico.
Spring will run through to 1430UTC on Thursday April 27, bringing Series 19 to an end alongside it. They’ll be replaced with Summer of Series 20 — “High Performance” — which we’ll find out more about later this week.
Series 19 Spring Playlist: Forzathon Events
The Forzathon Weekly Challenge this week looks to another modern classic with 60s roots, with Black Edition centering on the Nissan GT-R. Own and drive the eponymous Black Edition 2012 model to get the event underway.
Naturally you’ll then need to take the car to victory in any Street Racing Series event, before treating the suspension to some abuse by earning six stars at Danger Signs in the car (double-up with the Los Jardines PR Stunt and the first Daily Challenge this week for efficiency).
There’s an odd final challenge, which requires you to smash three speed cameras with the car. Just find and smash any speed camera of the Gatso-style Trap type — the SPECS-style Zone cameras don’t count — three times to complete the event and earn five points and 80FP; the Forzathon Points are doubled if you own the La Casa Solariega player house near Teotihuacan.
Weekly Challenge: Black Edition
- Car: Nissan GT-R (R35) Black Edition 2012
- Chapter 1: Own and drive the GT-R Black Edition
- Chapter 2: Win a Street Race in the GT-R Black Edition
- Chapter 3: Earn six stars at Danger Signs in the GT-R Black Edition
- Chapter 4: Smash three speed cameras in the GT-R Black Edition
- Reward: 5 points, 80FP
There’s seven more Daily Challenges to close out the Series, coming at their usual rate of one each day at 1430UTC. You’ll have seven days to complete each one, even if that time runs into the next Series, for one point and 10FP apiece.
Be Ready for Take-Off first by earning total of three stars from the Runway Danger Sign at the Aerodrome. Using that as one of your locations for the Weekly Challenge above would be an efficient use of time.
The Devil’s in the Speedtails next, requiring that you earn three combination Daredevil Skills in the McLaren Speedtail — which is available in the Forzathon Shop this week too. You need to earn three Near Miss Skills in quick succession for each Daredevil Skill, best-achieved on the highway in Horizon Solo.
Drive an Infiniti (and there is only one: the Q60 Concept) beyond five miles, to complete Lightyear.
Take a photograph of the Austin-Healey Sprite Mk1 next, for A Sprite to Remember.
You’ll Count Your Lucky Stars on Monday, as you earn three combination Lucky Escape Skills in any car from the USA. Each requires that you perform a Drift/E-Drift skill and a Near Miss, so again you’ll want to hit up the highway in Horizon Solo.
Next up, earn three stars at the Hillside Drift Zone to complete Hillslide, in Costa Rocosa.
Round out the Series with a win at any of the four Midnight Battle locations to take the Midnight Spoils.
Daily Challenges
- April 20 – Ready for Take-Off: Earn a total of three stars from the Runway Danger Sign
- April 21 – Devil’s in the Speedtails: Earn three Daredevil Skills in the McLaren Speedtail
- April 22 – Lightyear: Drive five miles (8km) in an Infiniti
- April 23 – A Sprite to Remember: Take a photo of the Austin-Healey Sprite Mk1
- April 24 – Count Your Lucky Stars: Earn three Lucky Escape skills in any car from the USA
- April 25 – Hillslide: Earn three stars at the Hillside Drift Zone
- April 26 – Midnight Spoils: Win any Midnight Battle
Series 19 Spring Playlist: Season Events
There’s another seven events on the solo Playlist, again formed of two Seasonal Championships, three PR Stunts, and two EventLabs.
The PR Stunts remain in the open-category format we’ve seen for some time now, with up to S2 Class (901-998PI) vehicles of any kind permitted. Each is still worth two points and a Super Wheelspin.
You can actually pick up a pair of them at the same time, by passing the Federal Highway speed trap at 280mph and then hitting the Los Jardines Danger Sign for a 600m+ jump. It’s just a case of managing that one kink and squaring your landing on the road. The 140mph target for the Camino del Cielo Speed Zone is trickier; plenty of grip is required to keep momentum up.
The two Seasonal Championships are three-race series running against Highly Skilled AI. Each requires you to top the final points table, and gives five points to your season total along with a bonus vehicle prize.
Glow Up is a Street Racing event for A Class (701-800PI) Modern Muscle, gifting a Chevrolet Chevelle ’70 for victory. Travel Light remains on the blacktop but shifts to a Road Racing event for C Class (501-600PI) Retro Hot Hatch cars, with a 2010 Volkswagen Golf R if you win.
Again, both EventLab challenges are worth three points and see their respective locations reworked with some creatively placed props, and one of this week’s events uses a rarely seen custom ruleset, although it’s wasted if you don’t engage co-op or PVP modes.
That’s Bahia DRS Holiday Resort. Two locations on the track give you a DRS boost, but only if you earn a Drafting Skill within the zone; no AI cars means no drafting, so it’s just regular lapping (and some harsh frame-rate drops, at least on Series X) until you finish and earn a Super Wheelspin.
Ejime Track Night is a more regular affair, and the absence of AI cars will be a bonus as otherwise they get caught on the grabby walls and mindlessly follow the braking zone at the finish line. Complete your laps to earn a Lotus 3-Eleven.
EventLab: Bahia DRS Holiday Resort
- Car: S1 Class, Modern Supercars
- Location: Bahia de Plano, Bahia de Plano Circuit
- Challenge: Finish the race
- Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin
EventLab: Ejime Track Night
- Car: S1 Class
- Location: Teotihuacan, Herencia Cross Country Circuit
- Challenge: Finish the race
- Reward: 3 points, Lotus 3-Eleven
Danger Sign: Los Jardines
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Los Jardines, Los Jardines Danger Sign
- Challenge: 600m
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Trap: Federal Highway
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Los Jardines, Federal Highway Speed Trap
- Challenge: 280mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Zone: Camino del Cielo
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Hotel Mirador, Camino del Cielo Speed Zone
- Challenge: 140mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Seasonal Championship: Glow Up
- Car: A Class, Modern Muscle
- Location: Descansar Dorado, Costa Rocosa
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Chevrolet Chevelle ’70
Seasonal Championship: Travel Light
- Car: C Class, Retro Hatch
- Location: Baja Circuit, Horizon Baja Scramble
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Volkswagen Golf R ’10
There’s two more events in the multiplayer offering this week, which require an Xbox Live Gold subscription — unless you play on PC — in order to access.
Horizon Tour returns this week, worth just the three points alone. It’s a three-race championship for up to six players against a field of six “Highly Skilled” AI. Each player on each team earns 100 points for each opponent they beat, but there’s no reward for beating your own team-mates — so help each other out.
One twist with the Tour is that you need to drive from each race finish across the landscape to the next race start. There’s no reward or incentive to do so, except bragging rights. Any Horizon Tour hub — including those in Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure — can be used.
The Trial uses a similar format, except the AI is ramped up to “Unbeatable”, you teleport between races, and it’s a best-of-three — so you can be done in two races with the right results.
It remains as a Stock Showdown event this week, requiring a standard Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG at 751PI. You can paint the car if you like, but tuning parts that affect PI are not permitted.
Although the cars are quicker than last week, the hard surface of the Road Racing Series should make it a fairly controlled event — even if your team-mates are dimwits — with ten points and a Saleen S1 for overall victory.
Horizon Tour: Co-Op Championships
- Car: Any
- Location: Horizon Tour (any)
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 3 points
The Trial: Stock Showdown Nissan GT-R ’93
- Car: A Class, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG
- Location: Dunas Blancas, Dunas Blancas Sprint
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 10 points, Saleen S1
Series 19 Spring Playlist: Challenges
We’re up to three Challenges this week, with one — The Eliminator — a multiplayer event. That means you’ll need an Xbox Live Gold subscription (unless you play on PC) in order to access it.
As usual you’ll only need to finish 30th or better to complete the challenge for The Eliminator, which is often just a matter of surviving a couple of minutes. You’ll take two points and a 2009 BMW M5 for doing so.
For the regular Photo Challenge you’ll be hunting down neon Tanks again for #NeonPalms. This time the FH5 mascot is hiding in plain sight on the side of the hotel right by the main road; just photograph him and any Modern Sports Car to earn two points and a Horizon Raptors Tee.
The Treasure Hunt this week is a little more involved. Your clue for Shoulda, Woulda, Cuda is “Don’t run out of time and in this Arcade you’ll do fine”, and combined with the name and the picture that should prompt you to complete any Horizon Arcade theme — Air, Chaos, Drift, Speed, or Wreckage — in a Plymouth Cuda.
Complete that task and you’ll earn the treasure hint: a red circle on the map showing you the approximate location of the Treasure Chest, located this week at Hotel Mirador Balderrama. You’ll find the chest in the grounds of the hotel itself, at its west end; smash it to pick up three points and 100FP.
The Eliminator: Battle Royale
- Cars: Any (provided)
- Location: Valle de las Ranas, The Eliminator
- Challenge: Finish 30th or better in The Eliminator
- Reward: 2 points, BMW M5 ’09
Photo Challenge: #NeonPalms
- Cars: Modern Sports Car
- Location: Palacio Azul del Oceano
- Challenge: Photograph any Modern Sports Car at the Neon Tank at Palacio Azul
- Reward: 2 points, Horizon Raptors Tee
Treasure Hunt: Shoulda, Woulda, Cuda
- Cars: Plymouth Cuda
- Location: Horizon Arcade (any)
- Challenge: Complete three rounds of any Horizon Arcade theme in the Plymouth Cuda; find and smash the Treasure Chest
- Reward: 3 points, 100FP
There’s a final chance to tick off the two month-long Rivals challenges if you haven’t already, with each awarding a total of four points — one to each season — for completion.
Although marked as “Rivals” events, there’s no requirement to beat anybody else’s lap times. You only need to post clean laps at the tracks indicated, using the vehicles provided to you, so keep it steady and 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 Spring Bonus DLC Events
Both of the two DLC packs grant an extra two events each on the Playlist for owners. These aren’t required for 100% Playlist completion, but give a little extra opportunity for players to gain the points they may need.
There’s a PR Stunt in each location, this week consisting of a Speed Trap in Rally Adventure and a Speed Zone in Hot Wheels. Like the stunts on the main map, you’ll need an S2 Class (901-998PI) car, and you’ll win two points and a Super Wheelspin for each.
The Speed Trap target for Rally Adventure, Canyon Rush, is actually relatively sedate at 205mph, while the 180mph target for the Hot Wheels Speed Zone, The Ribbon, looks pretty mean at 50% above three-stars.
Each map also hosts a three-race Seasonal Championship too, worth five points apiece. Burnout the Midnight Oil is another S2 Class (901-998PI) event in Hot Wheels, awarding a 1988 BMW M5. Wheel of a Time offers a more sedate challenge, requiring B Class (601-700PI) Modern Rally car and offering a Horizon Raptors Motorcross Helmet for victory.
Hot Wheels Speed Zone: The Ribbon
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Hot Wheels Giant’s Canyon, The Ribbon Speed Zone
- Challenge: 180mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Hot Wheels Seasonal Championship: Burnout the Midnight Oil
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Hot Wheels Nexus, Nexus Speed Circuit
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, BMW M5 ’88
Rally Adventure Speed Trap: Canyon Rush
- Car: S2 Class
- Location: Sierra Nueva Senda de Montananda, Canyon Rush Speed Trap
- Challenge: 205mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Rally Adventure Seasonal Championship: Wheel of a Time
- Car: B Class, Modern Rally
- Location: Sierra Nueva Valle de Pozas, Forest Trail
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Horizon Raptors Motorcross Helmet
Series 19 Spring Forzathon Shop
You won’t be wanting for power in the Forzathon Shop this week, with 1600hp spread across the two vehicles.
Leading the way this week is the McLaren Speedtail, a 250mph+ homage to the legendary F1, wrapped in a “hyper GT” body.
Everywhere you look on the Speedtail you’ll find references to the F1. McLaren produced exactly 106 cars, equalling the total production run of all F1 variants combined, and the car uses the famous and unusual 1+2 seating position of the F1.
However, where the F1 was a lightweight driving machine that accidentally excelled on a race track and just happened to be the fastest car in the world rather than designed as such, the Speedtail is an unabashed touring car.
The 1000hp output — over 700hp from the four-liter twin-turbo V8 and over 300hp from the electric motor — propels the Speedtail from 0-186mph quicker than a family hatchback can hit a third of the speed, and on to over 250mph.
Sitting a little further back is the Mercedes-AMG GT R. This track-focused version of the already high performance GT sports 577hp from a four-liter, twin-turbo V8.
The McLaren is available at 600FP, against 2.25m credits in the Autoshow, while the 300FP Mercedes is also available for 295,000cr.
Store items this week are the Foghorns horn and the Grit Reapers Motorcross Helmet, at 75FP each. The Wheelspin (60FP) and Super Wheelspin (150FP) remain in their usual spots.
See more articles on Forza Horizon 5 Season Change.
