You didn't think I wasn't going to yap about this month's seven new cars in Forza, did you? There are sure some hot wheels (
har) in this pack. The lack of a car with a reduced "wow" factor made choosing where to start from harder than usual!
The new Focus RS is part of an onslaught of middle-size hot hatches trying their best to dethrone Renault's offering in this particular category, the outgoing 3-door Megane RS; it is also the most "international" of the Ford Performance models. Even through the specialized press is raving about it, I was still pleasantly surprised by its handling characteristics: it's a very responsive, balanced car with a powerful engine that has plenty of "oomph" at any revs. But then, I took a good look at its PI rating and realized it's supposed to be faster than a BMW M 235i... Hot hatches are not just learner drivers rockets anymore.
I must admit, the X6M was as pleasant of a surprise as it could've been. I still hate it - if SUVs are useless, then an SUV that tries to look like a coupè is an
abomination - but it negotiates corners quite proficiently for a car of its weight, size and shape; and it may be a bad idea styling-wise, but the engine's still pure BMW magic at work. Isn't it the same engine found in the M5, after all?
Some things never change, and the Chevrolet Camaro is one of them. The Supersport is still pushed by a powerful, rumbling V8; its handling is still... Somewhat unrefined, with moments of understeer and a tendency for the rear to kick off during corner exit. But it's all in good nature, and the sixth generation of the Mustang killer is addictingly fun to slide around corners. Ford surely has to fear the competition Chevrolet will put up on the global sportscar market this time around.
First, there was Terradyne, makers of the Ghurka. Then, it was Chryslus' turn. Now, Hot Wheels join the ranks of "unlikely Forza manufacturers" with the impractical, but wicked-cool Boneshaker. A toy car come to life, it not only looks bonkers, but is also quite an unique ride performance-wise. It may not put down the best times on the quarter mile, but it's a true burnout queen.
If there ever was a modified Mustang which screamed "drift car", it's this one. And interesting blend of classic Mustang and bosozoku aesthetics, this Hot Wheels-branded custom has the necessary tail grip to be rock-steady while sliding 'round corners. However, it's not all that impressive once you get behind the wheel, and the flashy visual customization is out of sight...
Last month I mentioned
Ron Dennis being scared. Well, T10 shut me up by adding the FXXK's nemesis - the P1 GTR. Chalk it up to my natural bias toward Ferraris, or the limited time I've spent (so far) in Woking's track weapon, but I still prefer Maranello's take on the track-only hybrid hypercar theme. As Jeremy Clarkson said, it's British engineering that produced the Canterbury Cathedral; but Italian engineering built the Coliseum: the GTR, a triumph of practical engineering, feels a bit unimpressive in comparison to the FXXK. But it's still a very engaging ride, mind you, and the sound of the turbocharged V8 is a symphony to rival that of Ferrari's most glorious V12s...
...but this. Here's
the greatest F1 car ever build. The Ferrari 641 was an innovative car that pioneered many of the solutions that eventually became technical mainstays of the V10 era - like the 7-speed sequential gearbox. It was this component, conjoined with a pioneristic aerodynamic design, which made the car remarkably competitive - but also immensely prone to mechanical failures that likely robbed Alain Prost of an early 4th world title, more than the infamous Suzuka incident ever did. It was a flash of glory in the largely disappointing twenty-one years that passed between Schekter's and Schumacher's titles, in the last days of the raw physicality of motorsports.
Compared to the earlier McLaren MP4/4, the 641 is a more
precise car; more predictable and less likely to go on a phugoid, but at the same time a bit more prone to understeer. The lack of a turbocharger doesn't make the torque curve of this car any less brutal, and a very short 1st gear makes fine throttle control a necessity just as it was for the forced-induction F1 cars of a few years prior.
Of note is the sound, which is absolutely bone-chilling and will make any Ferrari tifoso's heart go haywire - and the presence of a full Forzavista experience, which means that I've perhaps spent more time looking at the mechanical intricacies of this red meteor, than actually
driving it.
)
