The world of Forza Horizon 5 undergoes its latest transformation this week, with the start of a whole new Series that celebrates a Mexican festival.
It’s the 26th Series since the title launched in November 2021, and will carry us right through to that second anniversary on November 9 — handily on the very last day of the Series.
Called “Dia de Muertos”, the Series marks hispanophonic Hallowe’en: Mexico’s Day of the Dead. There is an appropriately spooky world makeover, largely focused on the town of Mulege which is decorated with alebrijes, calaveritas, marigolds, and a colorful drone show.
New cars also appear, as usual, with a selection of four vehicles to race for across the series as seasonal rewards — including the most-requested car by the Forza community: the Nissan Tsuru. The free cars aren’t the only ones added this month, as the latest add-on car pack is also now available.
Some new Achievements have also been added, though with many covering the activities of previous Series you might well be greeted by a dozen notifications when you log in!
Table of Contents
- Series 26: Dia de Muertos
- Series 26 Summer/Wet Season Rewards
- Series 26 Summer Playlist: Forzathon Events
- Series 26 Summer Playlist: Season Events
- Series 26 Summer Playlist: Challenges
- Series 26 Summer Playlist: Monthly Events
- Series 26 Summer Bonus DLC Events
- Series 26 Summer Forzathon Shop
Series 26: Dia de Muertos
While neither of this month’s Series reward cars are new to the game, both are rare and valuable. You won’t be able to pick up either through normal means, and both fetch a pretty penny in the Auction House.
That starts with the classic Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso, one of the most beautiful cars ever made and home to the famous three-liter Colombo V12.
With its Pininfarina-designed body, the 250 GT was a luxury two-seater par excellence, and the last of the 250 line. It’s also yours for 80 points across S26.
Hitting 160 points will earn you a much more modern successor — and, like the Lusso, potentially the last of its type.
The Ferrari F8 Tributo is so named because it’s a tribute to the Ferrari V8 engine which has formed the core of the brand since the 1970s. Its 710hp, 3.9-liter unit will bring you the horizon pretty quickly, although the V6 hybrid 296 slated to replace it packs over 100hp more.
Series 26 Summer/Wet Season Rewards
It’s a Nissan week for the seasonal reward cars, with a modern sports offering and a bona fide Mexican icon up for grabs.
Nissan’s Tsuru is that latter car, available for hitting 20 points during summer. Although perhaps not the highest-performance car at the Festival, it is the missing link of Horizon’s Mexican setting.
That’s because the Tsuru, built in Mexico for 25 years, was the most popular car in the country for over a decade and replaced the Volkswagen Beetle — the Vocho — as the vehicle of choice for youngsters and taxi drivers.
A considerably more modern option comes up at 40 points, in the shape of the 2023 Nissan Z.
The latest entry in the half-century history of the Z sub-brand, the mononymous Z is an evolution of its predecessor, sporting a new three-liter twin-turbo good for 400hp.
Summer will run until 1430UTC on Thursday October 19, with Series 26 continuing on for another three weeks until the same time on Thursday November 9.
Series 26 Summer Playlist: Forzathon Events
There’s a mix of classics and Mexican legends in the Forzathon Weekly Challenges this week, starting with the Porsche 911 Carrera RS — not in Panamericana form, but the later ’73 model. Own and drive it to get Lightweight Revolution underway.
You’ll need to take the Porsche out onto the roads and win two Road Racing Series events, before sliding it about to earn five stars at Drift Zones.
Finally you just need to take a photo of the car to earn five Playlist points and 80 Forzathon Points — the latter of which is doubled if you own the Casa Solariega player house.
Weekly Challenge: Lightweight Revolution
- Car: Porsche 911 Carrera RS ’73
- Chapter 1: Own and drive the Porsche 911 Carrera RS ’73
- Chapter 2: Win two Road Races in the Porsche 911 Carrera RS ’73
- Chapter 3: Earn five stars at Drift Zones in the Porsche 911 Carrera RS ’73
- Chapter 4: Take a photo of the Porsche 911 Carrera RS ’73
- Reward: 5 points, 80FP
The usual Daily Challenges are available for the series, popping up — as the name suggests — at the rate of one a day, starting at 1430UTC. You’ll have a full seven days to complete each one, even if that runs into the next Series, and you’ll earn you one point towards your playlist total for doing so.
You’ll need to visit the redecorated Mulege to see the Golden Flowers; you’ll actually complete this if you do the Danger Sign PR Stunt this week too.
After that it’s Ford Steam Ahead as you win any Cross Country race in any car from the Blue Oval brand.
Go Ghost Hunting next, by taking a photograph of your car at night.
You’ll be Causing Mischief when you earn ten Wreckage Skills in the AMC Gremlin (but don’t feed it after midnight).
Put on a Fresh Coat after that by painting your vehicle’s body.
See a Shooting Starion when you earn five stars at any Danger Signs in the Mitsubishi Starion.
Finally show that you’re Made of Money by spending 75,000cr on upgrades.
Daily Challenges
- October 12 – Golden Flowers: Visit Mulege
- October 13 – Ford Steam Ahead: Win a Cross Country Race in any Ford
- October 14 – Ghost Hunting: Take a photo of your car at night time
- October 15 – Causing Mischief: Earn ten Wreckage Skills in the AMC Gremlin
- October 16 – Fresh Coat: Paint your vehicle’s body
- October 17 – Shooting Starion: Earn five stars at any Danger Signs in the Mitsubishi Starion
- October 18 – Made of Money: Spend 75,000cr on upgrades
Series 26 Summer Playlist: Season Events
Eight solo challenges are on the Playlist this week, with two EventLabs, two Seasonal Championships, three PR Stunts, and a Horizon Arcade challenge.
For Horizon Arcade, which can also be completed as a multiplayer event in Horizon Life, you’ll need to complete three rounds of any theme — Air, Chaos, Drift, Speed, or Wreckage — at the pink Arcade zones you’ll see on your map. Doing so earns you three points, with no bonus rewards.
The EventLab races this week are rather at opposite extremes of the creativity that this mode affords. Each is worth three points, plus a bonus prize, for winning the races at each location.
Scinaty Part 2 – Highway is the second part of an event we saw a few weeks back. It consists of a pretty wild, almost Wipeout-like track laid out at Horizon Baja, and you’ll need an S2 Class (901-998PI) Extreme Track Toy to take part. Victory is worth a Super Wheelspin.
Meanwhile 3am Rush is pretty much a literal glow-up of the Emerald Circuit, set at night with some fog and neon lights. You’ll need a D Class (≤500PI) Cult Car for the race, which gifts a Ford Crown Victoria on completion.
You’ll need a B Class (601-700PI) Nissan for all three of this week’s PR Stunts — and in fact all five if you have the DLCs — although they’re different types and may require slightly different approaches, but none are difficult.
Two of the events, Airfield and Riviera Maya, are Speed Zones set on surface roads. That means you’re going to need grip and downforce for the 105mph and 85mph respective target speeds. The Heights of Mulege Danger Sign meanwhile has a dusty, offroad climb on approach the sign, but the 122m target is a breeze.
The two Seasonal Championships consist of a three-race event against Highly Skilled AI, with each race starting you off in eighth position, and requiring that you top the points table at the end of the event. Each awards five points and a bonus vehicle, but only if you win.
Wild Nightlife is Street Racing event for A Class (701-800PI) vehicles from 2000-2009 — so watch out for NPC traffic if any loads in — with a 2015 Ford Falcon for victory. You’ll be heading offroad in D Class (≤500PI) Buggies for Dune Buggies, and gifted an Exomotive Exocet for the win.
EventLab: 3am Rush
- Car: D Class, Cult Cars
- Location: Palacio Azul
- Challenge: Win the race
- Reward: 3 points, Ford Crown Victoria
EventLab: Scinaty Part 2 – Highway
- Car: S2 Class, Extreme Track Toys
- Location: Horizon Baja
- Challenge: Win the race
- Reward: 3 points, Super Wheelspin
Horizon Arcade: Mini Games
- Car: Any
- Location: Horizon Arcade (any)
- Challenge: Complete three rounds of any Horizon Arcade theme
- Reward: 3 points
Danger Sign: Heights of Mulege
- Car: B Class, Nissan
- Location: Mulege
- Challenge: 122m
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Zone: Airfield Speed Zone
- Car: B Class, Nissan
- Location: Aerodromo en la Selva
- Challenge: 105mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Zone: Riviera Maya
- Car: B Class, Nissan
- Location: Riviera Maya
- Challenge: 85mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Seasonal Championship: Dune Buggies
- Car: D Class, Buggies
- Location: Hotel Mirador
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Exomotive Exocet
Seasonal Championship: Wild Nightlife
- Car: A Class, Decade: 2000s
- Location: Guanajuato
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Ford Falcon ’15
We’re back down to one multiplayer event week, requiring an Xbox Live subscription to access on console — although it’s free to take part on PC.
Naturally that’s the permanent fixture of The Trial, which this week sees you Driving in Circles.
The event is a best-of-three series, pitting a team of up to six humans against an AI squad of six. These AI are at their maximum pace, classed as “Unbeatable”, although it’s commonly the humans that are the issue.
That’s because each player on each team scores 100pt for every opponent they beat but nothing for beating a team-mate (other than a tie-breaking 50pt win bonus) — so there’s co-operation needed between the players to help each other out and hinder the ‘bots.
Despite nearly two years of this event, there’s still players who race for the win or death, regardless of who they’re racing — and a victory does nobody any good if the rest of the team aren’t ahead of enough of the AIs. Racing tactically is the key.
That said, it ought not to be too challenging this week, as it’s a Road Racing event for B Class (601-700PI) Volkswagens. With easy to control cars on solid surfaces, you should win inside two races.
Overall victory for the team is worth ten points and a Hoonigan Nova each.
The Trial: Driving in Circles
- Car: B Class, Volkswagen
- Location: Estadio Horizon
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 10 points, Hoonigan Nova
Series 26 Summer Playlist: Challenges
Three Challenges await this week, with a Treasure Hunt joining the regular Photo Challenge, and a Horizon Open event.
Of course you’ll need access to online multiplayer (as above) for the Open event, but otherwise it’s relatively simple. You’ll just need to complete any Horizon Open Custom Race in an Abarth to tick off the Sting of a Scorpion, earning two points and a Chevrolet ZR2.
The Photo Challenge, #Mari-Arch-i, has a level of complexity to it this week although the car and location — the Chevrolet El Camino SS and the Arch of Mulege — are pretty simple.
You’ll actually need to take a photo of the car with the wheels turned right using the presets. While in Photo Mode, switch to Effects mode and scroll down to Steering. Select “Right”, then either take the photo or switch back to Photo Mode and take a quickshot. That will earn you two points and the What’s Inside Emote.
Finally we have the Treasure Hunt, which returns to its normal format this week. The Clue is “Ghost the competition as you surpass your rival. Student beats Mazda after all!”, and combined with the name — In Good Spirits — and the tile, you should be able to work out what you need to do.
That’s simply to go into Rivals mode (part of Online, but accessible without multiplayer access) and beat any ghost using a Mazda RX-7 Spirit R — tuned however you wish.
Completing that will reveal the Treasure Hint: a red zone on your map showing roughly where the Treasure Chest is. This week that’s in Guanajuato, and you’ll find the Chest at the Hidalgo Market, by the Panoramica Sprint map marker. Smash it to earn three points and 100,000cr.
Horizon Open: Sting of a Scorpion
- Cars: Abarth (any)
- Location: Horizon Open Custom Race
- Challenge: Complete a Horizon Open Custom Race in any Abarth
- Reward: 2 points, Chevrolet ZR2
Photo Challenge: #Mari-Arch-i
- Cars: Chevrolet El Camino SS ’70
- Location: Mulege
- Challenge: Photograph the 1970 Chevrolet El Camino at the Arch of Mulege with the wheels turned to the right in Effects Mode
- Reward: 2 points, “What’s Inside” Emote
Treasure Hunt: In Good Spirits
- Cars: Mazda RX-7 Spirit R
- Location: Rivals (any), Guanajuato
- Challenge: Beat any Rivals ghost with the Mazda RX-7 Spirit R; find and smash the Treasure Chest
- Reward: 3 points, 100,000cr
Series 26 Summer Playlist: Monthly Events
Two new Monthly Events are available across the Series, allowing you to complete them at any time during the four weeks and awarding one point per event to each season regardless of when you do so.
As usual they both feature new-to-game vehicles, and take the form of Rivals events — but you’ll need to set a clean lap rather than a fast one in order to earn the points. That means no hitting solid objects and no use of the Rewind feature, which both will invalidate your lap.
That’s going to be interesting as one event, the Forza EV race at Desierto Trail for the Meyers Manx 2.0, is a Dirt Racing point-to-point run and lacks the ability to lap incessantly until you get it right. Watch out in particular for the sharp right-hander mid-way through the lap.
For Monthly Rivals you’ve got a lap of the compact Chihuahua Circuit in the new Nissan Tsuru. This shouldn’t be as tricky, although the car isn’t the sharpest of handlers.
Forza EV: Desierto Trail
- Cars: Meyers Manx 2.0 (provided)
- Location: Colinas Aridas
- Challenge: Post a Clean Lap
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Monthly Rivals: Chihuahua Circuit
- Cars: Nissan Tsuru (provided)
- Location: Hotel Mirador
- Challenge: Post a Clean Time
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Series 26 Summer Bonus DLC Events
Each of the two DLC expansions offers the chance to earn seven bonus points, for 14 in total, with a two-point PR Stunt and a five-point Seasonal Championship in each location. It’s not required to do so for Playlist completion, with the points only acting as a boost if other events aren’t to your liking.
While both PR Stunts also require the same B Class (601-700PI) Nissan as the main map — and award the same Super Wheelspin — the events themselves are different types and will likely need different tunes.
You’ll need to hit a relatively sedate 70mph through the tricky Cascada Fuerte Speed Trap near the waterfall at the north end of Rally Adventure, while it’s the Rockslide Drift Zone, with a 117,000pt target, in Hot Wheels.
The two Seasonal Championships comprise Something Different, an event for a custom hopper of B Class (601-700PI) “Daily Drivers” in Hot Wheels that awards a 2016 Honda Civic, and Rally Retro-Spective for C Class (501-600PI) Retro Rally cars that has a bonus prize of a 2015 Range Rover.
Hot Wheels Drift Zone: Rockslide
- Car: B Class, Nissan
- Location: Hot Wheels Forest Falls
- Challenge: 117,000pt
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Hot Wheels Seasonal Championship: Something Different
- Car: B Class, “Daily Drivers”
- Location: Hot Wheels Ice Cauldron
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Honda Civic
Rally Adventure Speed Trap: Cascada Fuerte
- Car: B Class, Nissan
- Location: Sierra Nueva Cascada Fuerte
- Challenge: 70mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Rally Adventure Seasonal Championship: Rally Retro-Spective
- Car: C Class, Retro Rally
- Location: Sierra Nueva Valle de Pozas
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Range Rover ’15
Series 26 Summer Forzathon Shop
Two quite different ways of hitting up a race track are on offer in this week’s Forzathon Shop, starting with an endurance racer.
That’s the Ferrari 330 P4, built by the Italian brand as it sought to recapture what it had lost to the Ford GT40.
It wasn’t entirely successful, as Ford still won at Le Mans in 1967 (and Dan Gurney established the modern tradition of spraying champagne), but the three (and a half) P4s did take multiple endurance victories in their short lifetime.
Alternatively you can slide your way to victory with the Formula Drift BMW 325i of the Hateley Motorsports team. Improbably this little BMW sports close to twice the power of the enduro Ferrari, from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8.
You can’t buy the 330 P4 in the Autoshow, so the 1000FP value reflects its rarity somewhat. Meanwhile the drift car is 300,000cr against its 300FP cost here.
Other store items this week include the Haunted House Horn and Pink Blazer at 75FP each. The Wheelspin (60FP) and a Super Wheelspin (150FP) occupy their regular spots.
See more articles on Forza Horizon 5 Season Change.
