My FH5 Log: UNSCRIPTED

Do you remember the episode from The Grand Tour where the third-generation Audi TT RS and the Ariel Nomad got compared by Clarkson and Hammond while May's busy making his own fire engine? That's unscripted television to you and me but hey, the TT RS ended up being the better one compared to the Nomad, probably because of the "unscripted" finish line's cheering on Clarkson.

Bringing the "unscripted" rivalry to Forza Horizon 5, the Ariel Nomad and the third-generation Audi TT RS are here to settle the score once again just like what they did in Croatia, only without the lady rooting for the gorilla behind the Audi.

But first, let's get to know about these "unscripted" rivals...

Built by the makers of the mind-blowing Atom, the Nomad is basically the Atom's off-road cousin made to tackle the roughest roads on Planet Earth. Like the normal Atom, the Nomad's equipped with the same Honda 2.4L i-VTEC engine producing 235BHP of power and 300Nm of torque while mated to a 6-speed close ratio gearbox. Because it weighs 670kg, its power-to-weight ratio is 6.25lb/hp. It will do 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds and onwards to 125mph. Aside from that, the Nomad comes with a FOX off-road long-travel coilover suspension, hydraulic handbrake, four-piston calipers, adjustable dampers with remote reservoirs, double unequal-length fabricated wishbones, heavy-duty uprights, quick-ratio ally Rack & Pinion, and others.

The TT RS is the flagship variant of the third-generation Audi TT that is powered by the upgraded version of the 2.5L five-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 60PS more than the previous TT RS, making it 400PS of power output and 480Nm of torque. Mated to a 7-speed DCT, the TT RS is capable of hitting the 0-100kph time of 3.7 seconds and a top speed of up to 280kph thanks to its optional extra.

With Bob the Builder and the air hostess having their say, it's time to bring these two on a rally stage...above the caldera, just to find out if they're just like their stint at The Grand Tour a few years ago, only this time without a pretty lady to root for the Audi. This is a proper finish line with a proper audience watching the two unscripted rivals do their thing.

Let's Go!

With a case of deja vu done, here are the results, and it's a close one, I believe...

Nomad - 0m54.788s 

TT RS (8S) - 0m54.521s

Now that's a close result but hey, the Audi won the unscripted duel against the Ariel, just.

From the rugged rear-wheel-drive Nomad to the all-wheel-drive turbocharged TT RS, these unscripted rivals were proven to be great to drive on and off the road but in the end, it's the Audi the superior one because...it's an Audi. No explanations are needed. I guess Clarkson's right after all about the TT RS but...something tells me about this Audi. I wonder what it could be?

I'll figure it out soon because there's something about this TT...