We’re jumping right into the details of the new cars coming to Series 36 at the Horizon Festival. Get them now!
1972 Mazda Cosmo
In the mid-1960s, countries like the US, the UK, the Soviet Union, and their allies were embroiled in the space race, each pouring resources into developing new technologies that would give them the advantage in reaching the stars.
This was the environment at the time when a Japanese car manufacturer decided to make a name for themselves with a new technology of their own. So Mazda set their sights on the Wankel rotary engine, and dedicated themselves to building a car worthy of it.
The first Cosmo released in 1967 as a “halo car”: a type of car that a manufacturer creates to pioneer new technologies for use in future car development, even if the halo itself is never meant to be commercially viable. And it worked! The Cosmo was never a huge seller, as each one had to be hand-built, but the rotary became a mainstay of Mazda manufacturing, appearing in numerous cars in the decades since its first appearance here. The Cosmo’s rotary engine put out more power with less displacement and had fewer moving parts. This meant a smooth and powerful engine in a compact body.
The car itself was designed specifically around the rotary engine. Mazda was inspired by the space race, but also by recent offerings like the Thunderbird and the Jaguar E-type, which informed the Cosmo’s styling. They had a vested interested in demonstrating the value and reliability of the rotary technology, which is why they entered Series 1 Cosmo into the 84 Hour Marathon de la Route at the Nürburgring; it came in fourth.
The final model of the Cosmo was released in 1972.
You can get this pioneering halo car by completing the “Mazda’s Guide to the Galaxy” seasonal championship in Autumn.
1973 Mazda RX-3
If the Cosmo was built as an expensive, commercially nonviable halo car so that its technology would influence future Mazda offerings, the RX-3 would be one of the first beneficiaries. Sensible and affordable, the RX-3 gave Mazda their first chance to build their identity and brand, both as a manufacturer and a presence in the racing world, around the Wankel rotary engine.
The car was called the Grand Familia when it came with a piston engine, while “RX-3” was reserved for the rotary version, and in its home turf of Japan it was known as the Savanna. Just as with the Cosmo, Mazda put the RX-3 up for competition to prove its legitimacy, driven by the same person who had taken them to the fourth at the 84 Hours at the Nürburgring. They took the car to the 1972 Fuji Masters, and upset the favored Nissan with a win (and three more in ’72, ’73 and ’75), followed by a victory in its class at Bathurst.
The RX-3 benefitted greatly from the rotary engine because of its size. Originally designed to house a piston engine whose weight and power were intended for an ordinary passenger car, when the RX-3 was equipped with the much smaller rotary, it became dangerous on the track. A stock RX-3 topped out over 100 horsepower on only a one-liter engine—comparable to engines four times its size. The RX-3 became so popular for motorsport drivers that finding a stock version of this car now is nearly impossible, all of them having undergone some kind of upgrade or transformation.
The RX-3 is available after completing 50% of the Summer seasonal playlist.
2018 Saleen S1
Until the year 2000, Saleen made its name upgrading Mustangs into dominant track cars. But at the start of the 21st century, it was time to release something uniquely all their own, and that was the S7: a 7L supercar that looked more like an F1 prototype, and sold for a cool $388,500. It led directly to the creation of the 2004 Ford GT, and established Saleen outside of their Mustang roots.
Saleen continued to provide assembly services to other manufacturers until 2018, when they finally followed up the S7 with the slightly more moderate ($100,000) S1, a mid-engine supercar featuring a 2.3L four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The S1’s inner workings are all Saleen, while the outward stylings are influenced by the defunct Artega GT. After the makers of the Artega went bankrupt, the GT design was purchased by a Chinese manufacturer called JSAT, which asked Saleen to assist in modernizing the design. That modernization would ultimately prove fruitless, but it would give rise to the S1.
The S1 is available after completing 50% of the Spring seasonal playlist.
That’s the rundown on this month’s new reward cars! For additional info about bug fixes, updates and more, check out our release notes, and make sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for the latest news!
Forza Horizon 4 Series 35 Update
There’s lots of variety in this month’s new reward cars! We’ll get into them in greater detail below, but first did you solve Torben Tuesday this month?
Clue #1: The “G” is styled like the logo for the classic tv show Gladiators, for the Jeep Gladiator.
Clue #2: A diagram of a hydropneumatic suspension system, for the Citroen DS 23
Clue #3: A front-engine car, rather than rear-engine, for the Porsche 928 GTS.
Jeep Gladiator
A pickup truck. An off-road SUV. A Jeep with the suspension of a Dodge Ram. The Gladiator is one of a kind.
A longer wheelbase and wider track mean that this doesn’t feel like a typical Jeep Wrangler, either on or off the road, and is intended to be more capable and stable. It wasn’t designed to simply be a Wrangler with a bed, but specifically to stand on its own as a pickup and off-road vehicle.
Fun fact: this is not the first Jeep to bear the name Gladiator. Back in 1962, Jeep released a full-sized truck alternatively named the Gladiator, the Jeep Pickup, or simply the J-Series. This particular model was the basis for various military vehicles in the post-war era of the 1960s, when the idea of cost savings meant starting from a civilian truck and adapting it to fit the military’s needs, such as ambulances. This new pickup bears little resemblance, save for adopting the name.
Complete the Summer Seasonal Championship “Are You Not Entertained?” to get our next 2020 car.
Citroën DS23
Since its inception, the DS has been a car out of time. It pioneered new driving technologies and features to become the most innovative and unusual car ever designed. It influenced the look of “futuristic” cars and technology in sci-fi media for decades, and other competitors took years and years to adopt some of the standards set by Citroën with the DS.
A number of new driving technologies have their origins in the DS line. Among these were the hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension system, which used a combination of liquid hydraulic and gas-pressured suspension, rather than springs, to give the DS an exceedingly comfortable and smooth ride on smooth roads or rougher terrain. It also made changing tires a breeze without the need of a jack to raise the car; the suspension system will raise up the wheels to take weight off the flat tire, which can then be easily removed.
Additionally, the DS was the first production car to use disc brakes, which were much more efficient at dispelling heat, and therefore more effective, than the drum brakes they replaced. These were coupled with a braking pedal that was more of a button, which was intended to better transfer energy from the foot to the brakes using the car’s advanced hydraulic system, without energy lost depressing the pedal before the brakes actually engaged.
Add on a fiberglass roof, power steering, a semi-automatic transmission, turn signal lights placed high on the car’s body, and pivoting headlights tied to the steering wheel, and there’s a reason the DS is one of the most popular and beloved cars in French automotive history. In fact, it set the record for most preorders at launch, which it held until the Tesla Model 3 in 2016.
Outside of the world of Forza, you can catch the DS in action in The Day of the Jackal (1973), a classic thriller film that retells the true story of an assassination attempt on French president Charles De Gaulle. The attempt failed, largely thanks to the superior design and build of the DS. As a result, De Gaulle swore to never drive in any car but a Citroën. He even defended it from being purchased by Italian automaker Fiat in 1969.
You can drive the pride of France by completing 50% of the Winter playlist.
Porsche 928 GTS
In the late 1970s, Porsche sensed a change in the wind. There was a global oil crisis, a suspicion that the flagship 911 was reaching the upper limits of its popularity, and a fear of looming legislation from the US government banning rear-engine vehicles in response to safety concerns about the Chevy Corvair.
What they needed was a grand tourer, totally fresh in its design and powertrain, that would appeal to the luxury sedan market in a way the compact, loud, sporty 911 never could. The result was the first Porsche design not derived from previous work – the 928. The 356 came from the Beetle, the 911 came from the 356, and the 912 and 924 originally came from designs by Volkswagen, but the 928 was its own thing: Porsche’s first front-engine V8.
The result was slow to sell, as Porsche purists saw it as a betrayal, and its target market balked at the price tag. But over time, it developed a following, as well as a number of trim packages such as the GTS (which was US-only). Only 407 of these were made, and they included wider wheel arches (for larger tires) and the largest V8 the model had sported to date (350 hp).
The 1993 model was one of the last; the model would cease production in 1995.
Get this Porsche by completing 50% of the Spring playlist.
Content Update for May 5th
New series update and various improvements.
Content Update for April 20th
Fixed a crash for players with Unicode characters in their username.
Update notes for April 14th
Various stability improvements.
Forza Horizon 4 Series 34 Update
Porsche 356 Outlaw RSR by Emory Motorsports
Emory Motorsports has built and cared for some of the most unique and iconic Porsche models in history. You can already find their handiwork in Forza Horizon 4 thanks to the 356 C Cabriolet Emory Special.
They are responsible for the “Outlaw” line of custom build Porsche 356s, and at the top end of that line, you’ll find the Porsche 356 RS line. Taking the best bits from the 1990s-era 964 and 356 of the 50’s, every RS is rebuilt by hand and restored to better-than-factory-new. Each comes standard with the custom Emory-Rothsport Outlaw-4 engine, improved handling and suspension compared to their parent cars, and an aesthetic that can only be described as “extreme”.
Now, if the RS line is the top end of the Outlaw family, the RSR is the top of the top. Rod Emory’s custom RS Outlaw 356 represents the absolute height of the Emory design philosophy. The car embodies Emory’s answer to the question - if Porsche had continued to develop the 356 as a competition car, what would it have looked like?
It starts at the wheels. Emory says that much of the design work for the RSR emerged out of the custom five-spoke wheel, the MOMO Heritage 5, inspired by the ones found on late 70’s Porsche 935s. From there came the namesake – the RSR designation, courtesy of the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RSR (and evident as an influence in the Emory RSR’s interior). The chassis started its life as a barn-find 1960 Porsche 356B Coupe married to a 1990 964. And it’s all powered by twin turbos on an Emory-Rothsport custom 2.4L.
The Emory Porsche 356 Outlaw RSR is infused with the legacy of Porsche in every aspect of its design and execution, yet it has a look and feel that is singular and thrilling.
The Porsche 356 Outlaw RSR by Emory Motorsport is available for 50% of the Summer Playlist.
1968 Pontiac Firebird
The Firebird 400 was the flagship of Pontiac’s “Magnificent Five” Firebird model options in 1968. Named for its 400 cu. in, 325hp W66 engine (borrowed from the GTO), the Firebird 400 was 1968’s iteration of Pontiac’s answer to its GM cousin the Camaro, courtesy of designer John DeLorean (!!!).
The Firebird started its life under DeLorean as a Pontiac version of the Corvette, before being shuttered and retooled as a mirror of the Camaro. DeLorean saw what he believed to be shortcomings in the Camaro’s design, and set out to correct them in the Firebird, which shared the Camaro’s F-body platform, but was set lower to the ground with a more racing-centric stance. It also has a longer nose (about five inches), integrated bumper, and split grill to bring it more in line with the Pontiac sensibility. Changes to its chassis and suspension separated it from the Camaro, and in some enthusiasts’ eyes, elevated it above its more popular counterpart.
The car was designed and built on an abbreviated timetable originally under the name Banshee before adopting the title of a concept car from 1954, the Firebird 1. It lasted for three model years before being redesigned, making the 1968 model a rarity and a prize for classic muscle car fans.
Complete the Seasonal Championship "Phoenix from the Ashes" to unlock the 1968 Pontiac Firebird.
For information on bug fixes and other update details, read the release notes on our support site. To get the latest news from the Horizon Festival, follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Update Notes
Fixed an issue with missing audio during logo parade on PC
Fixed an issue on Steam where the mouse cursor could sometimes remain stuck on screen when using a controller.
Fixed an issue where sometimes voice chat would no longer work after resuming the title from a suspended state.
Bug fixes and improvements to Screen Reader.
Stability improvements.
Stability Update
-Improved title stability. -Fixed an issue in which the title incorrectly detected users refresh rates
Forza Horizon 4 Series 33 Update
Forza Horizon 4 Has Launched on Steam
It has finally arrived. Forza Horizon 4 is out on Steam today! You can purchase the game now, and play with others on Xbox devices and Steam via cross-play.
As of today, you can experience everything the Festival has to offer. If you’re new to the world of Forza Horizon, check out our Welcome Guide here for tips on how to get started. Then, jump into the seasonal playlist that provides new rewards and new races every week, plus fun modes like Super7 and the Eliminator, and expansions like LEGO Speed Champions and Fortune Island.
All you have to do is play Forza Horizon 4 while logged into your Xbox profile between March 9 at 10:00 a.m. PST and March 14 at 10 a.m. PDT.
Then, upon your next log-in, you will receive a message in your message center about the reward car, and upon opening the message it will redeem to your garage.
When purchasing Forza Horizon 4 on Steam, you have a few options. Here’s the breakdown of each version.
Standard Edition digital bundle $59.99/£54.99/€ 69.99:
Forza Horizon 4
Formula Drift Car Pack
Deluxe Edition digital bundle $79.99/£69.99/€ 89.99:
Forza Horizon 4
Formula Drift Car Pack
Car Pass
Ultimate Edition digital bundle $99.99/£84.99/€ 99.99:
Forza Horizon 4
Formula Drift Car Pack
Car Pass
Best of Bond Car Pack
Welcome Pack
VIP
Fortune Island
LEGO® Speed Champions
Now that you have the rundown on Forza Horizon 4 on Steam, let’s talk about the newest cars coming in the Series 33 update.
RAESR TACHYON
A “tachyon” is a theoretical particle that scientists hypothesize would travel faster than the speed of light.
The RAESR Tachyon is a 1250 horsepower EV hypercar with a jetfighter design that can reach 240mph and travel 150 miles on a single charge.
See the difference?
The Tachyon Speed features a carbon fiber body, all-wheel drive, and six direct drive electric motors that provide its horsepower. It’s incredibly light, coming in at less than 3000 lbs., and ridiculously aerodynamic, featuring an adjustable rear wing (and four front wings), plus a tandem seating design similar to a jet fighter to minimize the drag coefficient. The resulting silhouette is long, wide and low, making for a unique driving experience and the power to back it up.
The Tachyon Speed was developed by Rice Advanced Engineering Systems and Research starting back in 2012 with the goal of bringing the ultimate performance in EV hypercars to low volume production.
You can get the Tachyon Speed by completing 50% of the seasonal playlist in Autumn.
PEUGEOT 207 S2000
Making its triumphant rally return to Forza, after not being seen since Forza Motorsport 2, the S2000 is a variant of the 207 developed to complete in Super 2000 rally racing. If you’re unfamiliar, Super 2000 is the budget-friendly spec for WRC and other rally championships that feature 2L naturally-aspirated engines.
The 207 S2000 has an impressive pedigree as the winning car in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge from 2007-2009.
You can get your hands on this rally machine by completing the Seasonal Championship “Forest Monster.”
For further information on bug fixes or other updates, check out our release notes.
Forza Horizon 4 is coming to Steam!
Last year, Forza Horizon 4 crossed the two-year mark at the Horizon Festival in Britain. This year, we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate another milestone on March 9 when the Forza Horizon 4 makes its debut on Steam.
New players will join millions of drivers as they race together across historic Britain and experience the open-world adventure with their convoy via cross-play with Xbox, Windows 10 PCs, and cloud gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on Android mobile devices. By bringing Forza Horizon 4 to Steam, we’re giving players another great choice of what to play, and where they can play it, and with Steam Cloud saves, their game can transfer between multiple PCs.*
Starting today, you can Wishlist Forza Horizon 4 to be notified about the latest updates here.
Forza Horizon 4 on Steam includes the following bundles:
Standard Edition digital bundle:
Forza Horizon 4
Formula Drift Car Pack
Deluxe Edition digital bundle:
Forza Horizon 4
Formula Drift Car Pack
Car Pass
Ultimate Edition digital bundle:
Forza Horizon 4
Formula Drift Car Pack
Car Pass
Best of Bond Car Pack
Welcome Pack
VIP
Fortune Island
LEGO® Speed Champions
Playground Games has partnered with Sumo Nottingham to bring Forza Horizon 4 to Steam. For FAQ on the Steam release, check out our Support page and to keep up with the latest on Forza Horizon 4 on Steam, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
*Cross-save between Steam and other platforms not available, due to technical limitations.
