Chevrolet Corvette C8 E-Ray

To the eyes of purists, the Chevrolet Corvette C8 is treason to its heritage because of its mid-engine layout and to add more salt to the wounds, the first-ever hybrid Corvette comes to life. A fitting upset to the Corvette's seven-decade history.

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

2024 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Convertible

Starting at an epically expensive 102,900 US Dollars plus additional costs, the first-ever Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray, in coupe and convertible forms, is by no means the biggest treason to the Corvette's seven-decade heritage because this is the first time a Corvette's been hybridized and the first to have AWD a la Honda NSX.

While the styling is more of a toned version of the Z06 while the interior works and feels just like most of the C8 Corvette lineup, the E-Ray's hybrid powertrain is the most controversial feature worth noting. The 6.2L LT2 V8 engine is mated to an electric drive unit, producing a total power output of 655HP. Although awfully close to the Z06, it's more powerful than the now-defunct Honda NSX, in Type S form. Unlike the NSX, the E-Ray is one gear short, 8 vs. 9.

Thanks to its electric drive unit, drivers can engage Stealth Mode to run on electric power only for up to four miles at 45mph. Handy if you want to quietly leave your home for a little night out at the pub with your friends. That's the element of surprise, the Corvette way. 

Because this is the first Corvette in history to have AWD, it has a 0-60mph time of 2.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 10.5 seconds. Whilst the added punching power, the AWD system made the Corvette E-Ray capable of going places that no supercars can't and thanks to its all-season tires, there's no need to wait for summer to let it loose in the wilderness. 

You can really take it to the track even when the weather has a gloomy outlook, although you may need to wait for another summer vacation to unleash its full potential when you have the ZER Performance Package which comes with high-performance Michelin® Pilot Sport 4 S ZP summer-only tires as well as chassis tuning and other performance enhancements. Bummer but not as bummer as the fact that most Corvette clubs actually ban the E-Ray for racing on track days due to fire concerns.

Yes, the Corvette E-Ray is no doubt the most controversial Corvette ever made because of its hybrid powertrain and all-wheel-drive but despite being a treason to the Corvette heritage, this is the ideal substitute for the now-defunct Honda NSX. In fact, jealousy is an out-of-issue for the Corvette E-Ray because this car is making its appearance in the new Forza Motorsport game and it's going to be as awesome as most supercars can get.

Love it or hate it, the Corvette E-Ray is ready to strike first and ask questions never. Be prepared to want one.

Photo: General Motors

My FH5 Log: Muscle Garbage

Forza Horizon 5's Summer Party update gave us a cesspool of muscle oldies fresh off the garbage bag. That's right, older-generation muscle cars have invaded the summer-themed playlist and we got our hands dirty on scavenging such garbage.

Anyway, let's take a look at the Summer Party dump we've scavenged throughout the course of the update...

This is the Ford XB Falcon that was salvaged from the Wet Season playlist. This car needs no further explanation because this appeared in the Mad Max movies, a car worthy of surviving the post-apocalyptic warzone. Anyway, if you need some info, the XB Falcon is the second phase of the third generation of Ford's Australian-made model, which features minor cosmetic differences from the previous XA model. The XB Falcon features different body styles from a saloon, an estate, a ute, a van, and many others. Engine configurations include a 200ci 6-cylinder, a 250ci 6-cylinder, a 302ci V8, and a powerful 351ci V8. Depending on the engine choices, it can be mated with either a 3-speed MT, a 4-speed MT, or a 3-speed AT. In its involvement in motorsports, a driver named Allan Moffat drove a Falcon to victory in the 1974 Sandown 250 using a GT hardtop model as well as the 1976 Australian Touring Car Championship in the same model and the 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship, using both the XB and the XC Falcons.

Next up is the DeBerti Ford Mustang, the one we've salvaged from the Summer Party playlist as one of the overall prize cars. Tuned by DeBerti, this facelifted 6th-gen Mustang features a unique grille and a heavily tuned V8 engine producing over seven hundred horsepower.

Salvaged from the Storm Season playlist is the Hot Wheels Pontiac Firebird, the winner of the 2020 Hot Wheels Legends Tour and immortalized as a Hot Wheels toy a year later. Based on a 1970 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, owner Riley Stair jammed an LSX V8 engine into it and heavily tuned it to produce a thousand horses.

Lastly, fresh off the Hot Season Playlist, the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SD-455. It's by no means one of the muscle cars that survived the Oil Crisis to live the tale.

Having gotten to know the latest cesspool of old cars, it's time to give the latest dump a wide variety of challenges to show their worth in these trying times. The XB Falcon will live a Mad Max moment by taking on a post-apocalyptic sandbox curated by Forza resident "GT Deny" while the DeBerti Mustang battles against a pack of unbeatable drivers in an EventLab creation penned by "DorifutoMerc", the Hot Wheels Pontiac Firebird racing through the Acceleracers-inspired cave track curated by "AnPsyc0", and the Firebird SD-455 taking on a rather familiar racetrack re-enacted by "TypeHardFark". Alright, let's get this party started.

Launch!

How's the cesspool doing? Are they still doing the shots? Good.

And that's the cesspool of muscle garbage fresh off the FH5 Summer Party update. Expect another wave of toxic waste coming to this game; mostly Italian ones because next week marks the beginning of the Italian Automotive update where Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Abarth, and Lancia are back in the party and you can expect another cesspool of old cars sweeping your way as expected.

Until then, enjoy your new rides!

My GT7 Log: The un-Corvette Corvette

The Chevrolet C8 Corvette defeated the second-generation Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 to become the 2021-2022 Japan Performance Car of the Year, the first for an American-made car to win the title.

So, what is it then, this C8 Corvette?

The eighth-generation Corvette is no longer the Corvette the world knows because, for the first time in its history, it's been morphed into a mid-engined supercar, a move that displeased most Corvette purists. Being the first production mid-engined car from General Motors, the C8 Corvette is powered by an all-new 6.2L LT2 V8 engine with 495HP of power and 470lb-ft of torque. Mated to a Corvette-first 8-speed Double Clutch Gearbox, it does 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds and flat-out in 312kph. It features a brand-new Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 which reads the road every millisecond and adapts in about 10 to 15 milliseconds, as well as double wishbone suspension with height adjustable capability.

For the first time, the C8 Corvette is also offered in right-hand-drive configurations in such markets as Japan, the UK, and Australia.

Thanks to its midship layout, the C8 Corvette has transformed from a redneck muscle into a world-class supercar, capable of handling through the world's most challenging racetracks like a pro. Although it has the finesse of an Italian supercar, it still has the beating heart of a wild west Republican unleashing a barrage of firepower.

To find out if the C8 Corvette is still "America's sports car" despite a completely different approach, it's time to dish it out at Fuji Speedway, which is somewhat a coincidence because this is surprisingly the exact place where the C8 Corvette made its Japan premiere. Anyway, no time to get sentimental, it's time for action, pronto.

Let's see if the mid-engined Corvette is as good as any other sports car should be, although purists are not happy about this approach. Send in the tape.

They say it will take about two minutes to lap the C8 Corvette around Fuji Speedway. I did it in 1m58.813s. Guess the world's right after all, this is no longer the Corvette we're familiar with. It's turned.

The C8 Corvette is no longer the Corvette the world knows and thanks to such world-class performance thanks to its mid-engine layout, it truly is the world-class sportscar capable of taking all comers in a way it's never done before. I'm glad I got my dibs on this car here on Gran Turismo 7. Purists hate it but what the hey. It's the best Corvette of the new normal and I strongly agree with it.

America's sports car has turned.

My FH5 Log: Brute Power or All-Around Performance

If you managed to claw your way through the Expert Rank at the Forza Horizon 5 Hot Wheels Expansion and tackled some complicating challenges, you have earned the keys to the COPO Camaro and the Subaru WRX ARX Supercar. Both of these monster machines can be proven useful to your FH5 Hot Wheels' driving pleasure.

The COPO Camaro in Hot Wheels livery is yours if you have reached Expert Rank and completed both the Forest Edge and Horizon Nexus speed tramps within 1 minute and 30 seconds in an S1-Class car. The WRX STi ARX Supercar, meanwhile, is yours when you have reached Expert Rank, start at the Hot Wheels Outpost (which is in the middle of the FH5 Hot Wheels map), and then complete the Treetops Speed Zone within 1m30s. These tasks sound herculean but with the right car that matches the right class, it feels like easy work for you.

Time for some bedtime stories featuring the Expert Rank goodies shown here, starting with the COPO Camaro. 

The COPO Camaro is a racing machine built in compliance with NHRA drag racing regulations. Based on the sixth-generation Camaro, the COPO Camaro drag car can be fitted with either a naturally aspirated COPO 427, the supercharged LSX 350, or the fuel-injected Big-Block 632 engine. This particular COPO Camaro is fitted with an LSX V8 engine producing 580hp of power and a Whipple Industries 109-mm supercharger. Not only that, this is the Hot Wheels version made in honor of Hot Wheels' 50th anniversary in 2018. Limited to 69 units, it features an Orange Crush exterior paint that pays homage to the iconic Hot Wheels tracks as well as a choice of a two-color stripe package or a chromatic Hot Wheels 50th livery seen here.

The Subaru WRX STi ARX Supercar, meanwhile, is a VA-spec Subaru WRX STi that was modified in compliance with the American Rallycross Supercar class. In cooperation with Vermont SportsCar, this ARX-spec WRX STi saw its boxer-four engine boosted to 600hp of power and 680lb-ft of torque thanks to its ARX-mandated 45mm restrictor Garrett Motorsport turbocharger managed by a Cosworth Pectel ECU. Mated to a SADEV 6-speed sequential gearbox, it's capable of hitting 0-60mph in two seconds. Apart from that, it features a Reiger competition suspension and custom hydraulics that made this rally monster capable of surviving through punishing jumps, gravel, and pavement.

With our little bedtime story done, it's time to demonstrate the brute power of the COPO Camaro and the all-around performance of the WRX STi ARX Supercar (VT18X), I had these two cars assigned to their respective races with the COPO Camaro tackling through a high-speed stage against a group of track toys while the VT18X takes on a group of rally monsters in a winter wonderland. Get your popcorn ready because it's showtime for these two monster machines.

Although they're battered and bent through this life-sized Hot Wheels playset, they're both having a good time and winning. Not bad for these two monster machines.

Brute power or all-around performance? It makes no difference whatsoever because even though they've showcased different strengths and endurance, they're a real blast to drive even in this life-sized Hot Wheels playset they're on. 

Anyway, with their stint done, it's time to give these monsters a rest. Well done, cars.

My FH5 Log: "WE WON JUNK CARS AGAIN, WE DRIVE A LOT"

The collaboration between Forza Horizon 5 and Donut Media continues with the Upgrade Heroes series update where players gained full access to the Horizon Test Track feature, originally accessible only to the Donut Media Horizon Story last December 2022, as well as the recent swarm of, you guessed it, JUNK CARS! LOTS AND LOTS OF JUNK CARS!

The highlight of the recent barrage of JUNK CARS is the arrival of the Donut Media Nissan 350Z (Fairlady Z) cars as featured in the Donut Media Hi Low segment. In case you don't know, the Donut Media boys ran the Hi Low segment where they buy two identical used cars and then modify them with a specified budget. 

Nolan's Z33 costs $20,000 worth of cheap modifications while James' Z33 costs $50,000 worth of "really nice" modifications. Both of these modified cars were booted with new coilovers, wheels, tires, new car paint, and some turbochargers. In typical project car fashion, both cars break down, but hey, long story short.

Both of these Donut Media Z33 cars can be won just by clearing both Hi Car and Low Car Horizon Stories. You can even keep your very own Z33 Fairlady Z after the finale as well as other prize cars in store for both stories.

Rather than comparing these two Donut Media Z33s just to determine "does more expensive really mean more better", I decided to let these cars enjoy themselves at the Horizon Badlands against the competition, just to experience the "MO POWA BABEH" mantra both Donut-modified Z33s had. (cue guitar riff noise)

MO POWA BABEH! Guess these Donut Z33s didn't break down just like what James and Nolan experienced it during their little experiment.

The Donut-modified Nissan Z33 Fairlady Zs weren't the only junk cars in store in the Upgrade Heroes update. A trio of junk cars made a comeback in Forza Horizon 5 such as the Syclone, the Typhoon, and the SL65 AMG Black Series.

First up, the GMC Syclone that I won from the Storm Season Playlist. Based on the GMC Sonoma pickup truck, the Syclone has a turbocharged 4.3L V6 engine equipped with a Mitsubishi TD06-17C 8 cm² turbocharger and Garrett water/air intercooler. It develops 280HP of power and 475Nm of torque while mated with a 4-speed automatic. 0-60mph takes about 5.3 seconds and based on a Car & Driver test, it does a quarter-mile run in 14.1 seconds at 93 mph.

Next up is the GMC Typhoon that I won from the Dry Season Playlist. Based on the Jimmy SUV, the Typhoon features the same specs as its Sonoma-based Syclone pickup truck. It has a turbocharged 4.3L V6 engine equipped with a Mitsubishi TD06-17C 8 cm² turbocharger and Garrett water/air intercooler. It develops 280HP of power and 475Nm of torque while mated with a 4-speed automatic.

Lastly, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series that I won from the Hot Season Playlist. Using the R230 SL65 AMG as its basis, the Black Series is an upgraded version of the said model which comes with an improved version of a 6.0L V12 twin-turbo engine mated with an AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS five-speed automatic transmission. With the engine developing 661HP of power, it is the most powerful V12-powered AMG vehicle ever. 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds and top speed limited to 199mph. Aside from its raw power, the Black Series is 250kg lighter than the regular SL65 because of the use of light carbon fiber composite (CFRP) parts and replacing the foldable hardtop roof with a fixed roof.

Having gotten to know the recent swarm of junk cars, let's thrash them across the Horizon Badlands, and see if these clunkers got any chance of surviving these punishing courses...

Wow, these junk cars managed to survive. I guess immortality is their middle name.

As the Donut boys would say, "WE BUY JUNK CARS, WE PAY A LOT. DEPENDING ON THE YEAR THO". Judging by the recent swarm of junk cars looks like we're going to be sticking around with a potential next wave of junk cars until the final series update of FH5 before the transition to the 2023 Forza Motorsport game coming this October.

Could this day get any worse for me as the Horizon Mexico adventure is nearing its twilight? Ah, junk cars...

My FH5 Log: A tribute to Camaro Six

The sixth-generation Camaro is presumably going to be the last Camaro Chevrolet they'll ever make and although the Camaro name will live on after the end of the sixth generation's lifespan, it won't be the same as the muscle car Chevrolet fanatics remembered. 

While the rest of America's busy with their grills and fireworks outside, it's time for me to have a little tribute to the Camaro Six, in ZL1 form, here on Forza Horizon 5.

Ah yes, the sixth-generation Camaro. When it was launched in 2015, it follows the same muscular recipe as its previous model, the one made famous in the Transformers movies as the Autobot Bumblebee. Unlike the previous model, the sixth-generation Camaro departs from the previous model's Zeta platform in favor of General Motors' newly developed Alpha platform, resulting in over 200lb of weight loss compared to the previous model.

A year later, the ZL1 arrived as the flagship variant of the sixth-generation Camaro. It was powered by the same supercharged 6.2L V8 engine from the C7 Corvette Z06, producing 650HP of power and the same amount of torque while mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic gearbox. It even comes with Magnetic Ride Control suspension and a standard electronic Limited-Slip Differential.

The ZL1 1LE features the same performance levels as the normal ZL1 but it features aerodynamics inspired by the GT4 racing machine, race-tuned suspension, exclusive Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R summer-only tires with lightweight forged aluminum wheels, Multimatic DSSV, adjustable front dampers with camber plates, and three-way adjustable rear stabilizer bar, among many others. 

Although it weighs 27kg less than the normal ZL1, the 1LE still packs luxurious features like dual-zone climate control, BOSE audio, and heated/ventilated front seats, and steering wheel.

The ZL1 and its hardcore 1LE equivalent are peak Camaro to the core and by showcasing its legendary world-proven performance, it has been known for fighting around the world from NASCAR to Supercars, even Le Mans recently! This is what made the Camaro a muscle car that can tackle the globe with its racing pedigree Chevrolet worked so hard for and now, here we are, a moment of silence to bid farewell to the Camaro in its absolute final form.

Final form? This isn't even its final form?! By Chevrolet estimates, the ZL1 really is the final form of the sixth-generation Camaro...or perhaps the ZL1 1LE? Anyway, let's bring this debate into motion by tackling the two ZL1s on a one-lap time attack at the Tierra Prospera, determining which one is the true final form of the sixth-generation Camaro. Roll the tape.

And now the results...

ZL1 - 1m13.423s

ZL1 1LE - 1m11.872s

Guess the world's right after all. The ZL1 1LE really is the sixth-generation Camaro's final form. A fitting end.

From NASCAR, Le Mans, Supercars, IMSA, and any other racing disciplines it tackled, the sixth-generation Camaro is a world-proven muscle car in its own right, and as the times come to erase it, rest assured that its everlasting legacy will live on for generations to come.

Like most dramas, there was a BONUS at the end of the episode, and with that, the ZL1 1LE went to the Badlands to showcase its worth as the last Camaro the world's going to see before its demise but before that...

Part stock car, part Grand Sport-class racer, all Emo-licious. Wait, what? Emo-licious? Sounds like Emo has joined the party, huh? Anyway, with the ZL1 1LE has gotten a little E-M-O-T-I-O-N, probably because I should have done with this back in Horizon UK a long time ago when it was featured, our friend Emo wants to take on all comers gathering around the jungle for a friendly race.

My Emo-licious ZL1 1LE's ready for prime time, however, the drizzle appears, meaning this summer-only tires equipped on it won't do any good. In other words, it's not very effective... Don't worry, like Little Miss Emo, the ZL1 1LE is cocky, explosive, and always aggressive in every way, meaning she won't stop until she wins. Such spirit. Anyway, let's get going, girl! For the Camaro's grand finale!

Cocky, explosive, and always aggressive, this is what a sixth-gen Camaro on steroids feels like and in the end, it proved its worth. Guess her Suki-Suki Sensor worked wonders. Fist bump!

Like I said before, the sixth-generation Camaro is a world-proven muscle car in its own right, and as the times come to erase it, rest assured that its everlasting legacy will live on for generations to come.

Thanks for the memories, Chevrolet Camaro. You made us proud.

My FH5 Log: Modern Warlords

What do the Jeep Wrangler JK and the GMC Hummer EV pickup have in common? They both starred in the Call of Duty games, specifically the Modern Warfare ones. Here at Forza Horizon 5, it's time to pay tribute to the offroaders that played an active role in one conflict zone after another.

The Jeep Wrangler JK and the GMC Hummer EV were proven to be warriors in their own right when they were given special roles in the Modern Warfare games and like most war veterans, let's give them the 21-gun salute they deserve. But first, let's get to know about these Modern Warfare rides.

Long before I took this car for a spin in Forza Motorsport 4 as a DLC car in 2012, the Jeep Wrangler JK popped up in 2011's Call of Duty MW3. In fact, there was a special version made in collaboration between Jeep and the Call of Duty games. Anyway, the updated version of the Jeep Wrangler JK is powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine that produces less than 290HP of power, making it capable of hitting a 0-60mph time of less than seven seconds.

It's a similar story for the GMC Hummer EV pickup, which I won from the Hot Season playlist of the Explore the Horizon series update in FH5. Before it made its appearance here, the GMC Hummer EV made a special appearance in 2022's Call of Duty Modern Warfare II. Anyway, the GMC Hummer EV features a three-motor powertrain generating 1,000hp of power and 15,591Nm of torque in its top-spec Edition 1 variant, capable of going from 0-60mph in three seconds. In addition, it features adaptive air suspension with available Extract Mode, a choice of 35 to 37-inch tires, underbody armor, Ultravision, removable Sky Panel roof sections, Watts to Freedom, MultiPro tailgate, and CrabWalk.

Having read the dossier on these offroaders, it's time to give these soldiers of Horizon the 21-gun salute they deserve and with that, it's off to the Badlands for a one-lap showdown between the two. However, as I'm conducting a duel between the two Modern Warfare machines, a sandstorm suddenly whipped in, giving the feeling of soldiers surviving through the sandstorm, raiding through enemy territory one after another.

As the sandstorm rages, both the Wrangler and the Hummer EV are locked and loaded for a one-lap showdown to determine which of these offroaders featured in the Modern Warfare games is the best. Live ammunition in 3...2...1...FIRE!

With their mission done, here are the results;

Wrangler - 3m06.303s

Hummer EV - 2m46.233s

If anyone said that Modern Warfare II is better than MW3, here's your answer. Anyway, it's a "winner-winner chicken dinner" for the GMC Hummer EV even when the weather's gone FUBAR. Get it?

Even outside the warzone, the Jeep Wrangler JK and the GMC Hummer EV pickup were proven to be warlords, especially in the Horizon Mexico after-hours. From the conflict zone to the racing stage, both battle-proven offroaders managed to flex their battle-scarred muscles and brave through the elements Mother Nature has thrown to the Horizon Mexico partygoers and that's how they roll, soldiers.

These offroaders really wish the mission never ends and you know what? Let them have it. They've earned their stars and stripes like real soldiers. This is their call of duty even outside the warzone.