Kelpy's Post-Launch Car Facts

[Kelpy D]

Hello, guys!

Kelpy here! Inspired by AR12's "This wouldn't be an AR12 Video without any fun facts about (insert car here)", I've decided to share some more, technical and maybe pop cultural facts about added cars, separated between Playlist add-ons and Car Pass content, starting with Series 1 to formally introduce this mini-blog that I'm making. For Series 5's fun facts, I will be currently posting them in the General Discussion Thread per week, till I can cover Series 4 here.

To start things off:

Series 1's Spotlight Car: 2008 Mazda Furai

Most people know that the only Mazda Furai chassis burned during a Top Gear shoot, but here was what exactly happened during the aforementioned shoot:

• While shooting, the writer of the article, Charlie Turner noticed a blue backfire as the Furai downshifted. According to him, the Furai was making a "less Le Mans racer and more... a fatally wounded elephant"
• The Furai began burning throughout the engine bay, and eventually became visible
• The driver of the Furai at that time exited the car and probably attempted to reach out to a nearby firecrew within the runway (unfortunately, the car was on the middle of the runway, while the firecrew was at the end of the runway)
• Eventually, a firecrew was able to take the flames off. But, the Furai, here's what's left of it:

• The Furai eventually was repatriated to the Mazda Advanced Design Studio in Irvine, California

Series 1: Summer - 1999 Toyota Altezza RS 2000 Z Edition

This Altezza has two unique, custom TRD Parts, one of which I was able to confirm.

The kit on the image above comes from the TRD Neo V1.

The kit above is from the TRD Street Version.

Series 1: Autumn - 1997 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec

The Skyline R33 was remodeled, with two Nismo bumpers (one of which may have came from the 400R).

As for its IRL facts, the Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec R33 had a special version that was made to celebrate the Nissan Skyline GT-R LM Nismo's entry at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was only available in Champion Blue, with N1 parts and a wing with a Gurney Flap.

Series 1: Spring - 1996 Toyota Starlet Glanza V

Forza Horizon 6 has been the Starlet's latest appearance in a video game, with a 13 year gap between it and Gran Turismo 6 (as a Standard model, you know, the ones with blackened interiors and PS2 level detail).

The Starlet was the predecessor of the Vitz/Yaris that everyone knows and sees.

There was also a Starlet Glanza S which looked very similar to the Glanza V, but with no turbo, as well as a lightweight version without air conditioning.

 

[Kelpy D]

For Car Pass cars, let's start with Series 1, maybe a bonus racer in the Series 4 Car Pass, as I am a fan for all things 1960s-1980s in terms of racing.

1990 Nissan #12 Calsonic Skyline GT-R (BNR32 Gr. A) JTC

While Audi got AWD banned from major racing categories like Trans-Am during the 1980s-1990s, Nissan in its own way somehow made a huge change in Touring Car regulations.

Way back when the BMW M3 and Ford Sierra Cosworth were prominently successful, Nissan in 1989 thought that it was funny to enter an AWD Skyline into the fray of mostly RWD and maybe some FWD touring cars under Group A Regulations.

The Skyline R32 in general invaded the racing scenes in Japan and Australia, with it winning 29 out of 29 races in the 1990-1993 All-Japan Touring Car Championship, as well as winning the 1991-1992 Bathurst 1000, much to the dismay of its competitors, Ford and Holden in Australia. Eventually, officials tried to limit it by adding weight penalties, to no avail and ended up banning turbos and 4WDs thanks to its dominance, bringing Holden and Ford back as the spotlight.

As for in-game appearances, the R32 Group A appeared as early as Gran Turismo 4, Project Cars 2 as a DLC car, and as a standard in the Grid remaster released in 2019.

2025 Koenigsegg Gemera

Very recently, one of the first Gemeras to be delivered had been vandalized after a week in Copenhagen.

1974 Datsun #269 Attacking the Clock Racing 240Z 'All Carbon Hillclimb Beast'

Attacking the Clock Racing is a performance part shop originating in Teves, Florida, though at times, it makes one-off custom cars that mostly appear at SEMA, and even at one point, raced in Pikes Peak through this 240Z. Shawn Bassett is the owner of not just this car, but also the Mitsubishi Minicab that got featured in the Time Attack Car Pack.

He entered this 240Z into the 2021 Pikes Peak, where he placed 49th overall, but 7th in the Exhibition Division, with a time of 9:19.475.

2008 Honda Civic Type R

The FD2 Honda Civic Type R is the first-ever Civic Type R to be produced as a sedan. Unfortunately, it was mostly sold in the Japanese Domestic Market, as Europe already had its own Civic Type R. However, when compared to the regular FD Civic sedan, both of them share the same body profile and most of its looks, so, Civic enthusiasts began slapping replica parts and fake badges to look cool.

Its widebody kit is actually the Mugen RR kit.

1974 Mazda #123 808 Wagon 'Fursty'

Michael 'Mad Mike' Whiddett may be a very familiar name if you play Shift 2: Unleashed, or Project Cars. However, he makes a surprising comeback in Forza Horizon 6 with the 1974 Mazda RX-3/808 Wagon that started his drift career. This car was apparently his first drift car, entering it in the 2004 New Zealand Skidfest, where he won.

While Toyo Tires Japan and the D1GP wanted to give him a Toyota GR chassis to play with, Mike decided to reunite with the Fursty, tracking it and restoring it to its full glory.

Here is an in-depth review of Fursty's specifications and history.

Bonus Car Pass car: 1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 'Daytona' (Part 1)

This will be about its video game appearance history.

The Tipo 33/2 never appeared in a game officially until Forza Horizon 6, though it was brought to Assetto Corsa by Pasta, a talented vintage livery creator for free, homologated to race alongside the WSC Legends Pack, which brings a lot of iconic Group 5/6 prototypes into Assetto Corsa. The longtail version of it is available too.