The SA22C Savanna RX-7 may be underappreciated at first but it served as the start of the RX-7 story, the nameplate that was highly respected by speedo boys all over the world. Now that I got it from the recent Horizon Spring Playlist, let's have a quick word about this legendary JDM car, shall we?
For those still unfamiliar with this car (come on, really?), The Savanna RX-7 was first launched in 1978 as the replacement to the Savanna RX-3. It runs on Mazda's SA platform and is powered by a 12A rotary engine. A turbocharged variant was added to the facelift in 1983. Tokusatsu fans will notice that this car was used by Shaider's sidekick, Annie, and then used by the UGM crew in Ultraman 80.
With the quick look done, let's take it for a quick drive, shall we?
Venturing to the Ford Motor Company's vault of classics, there's one kind of Ford that serves as one of their success stories in the world of rallying. Enter the Escort RS1800.
So, what's it all about the Ford Escort RS1800? It's actually based on the Mk. II Escort that follows the footsteps of its successful predecessor, which is proven to be unbeatable in the RAC Rally, winning every year from 1975 to 1979, as well as winning numerous events worldwide.
The Mk. II Escort is developed jointly between UK and Germany. Underneath, it features a new underbody as well as leaf spring rear suspension, and others. The RS1800, seen here, is powered by a 1.8L naturally aspirated engine producing 117PS of power and 171Nm of torque. It features heavily strengthened bodyshells as well.
In the 1979 season of the World Rally Championship, the RS1800 made Bjorn Waldegard the champion, Hannu Mikkola the second placer, and Ari Vatanen in 5th place.
I've had prior experiences dealing with the Mk.II Escort RS1800 in past installments and judging by the way it performs, the Escort RS1800 is a great car for those who are feeling nostalgic about Ford's best rally cars in history. It's lightweight, it's agile, it's moderately good to drive, and overall, it's nearly great, I'll give you that. It maybe challenging at first but the more you drive with it, the more you're going to enjoy Ford's rally icon of the late 70's and in the end, you'll have plenty of ways and means to enjoy it.
Speaking of ways and means, I have a little play date with not one but three Escort RS1800 machines; the normal one, the rally-spec one, and the one Ken Block enjoyed for Hoonigan purposes. I took the normal one in the British mainland while the rally version gets down and dirty at Fortune Island, and the Hoonigan one lets it tires rip through LEGO Valley. Ready to see how these Escort RS1800 machines roll?
Different Escorts, different ways and means, but they still bear the same touch.
It's okay if you're not familiar about the Escort RS1800 because once you get your hands on it, it takes some research through the history books just to get to know about the car's greatness in the world of rallying and because of such success, it's no wonder why this car is one of Ford's success stories in rallying. It's one of their greatest achievements Ford ever think of and that is the bottom line.
Ford Motor Company was known for their success in the world of rallying thanks to the likes of the Escort, the Cortina, the Focus, and the Fiesta, but did you know that behind their recipe of rally success lies a hidden flaw from within? Let me introduce to the flaw of Ford's rally history known as the GT70.
Having acquired this unknown but failed Ford rally experiment in the middle of the recent Horizon Autumn Playlist, let's get to know about the car Ford tried to take on rallying and then failed.
Built in response to the likes of the Alpine A110 and the Porsche 911's success in rallying, the Ford GT70 draws inspiration from the Le Mans-winning GT40 race car while it was engineered to take on the World Rally Championship. Behind the fiberglass bodywork that weighs less than a ton, it's powered by the same 2.6L V6 engine from the Capri RS2600, producing 240hp of power, while mated to a five-speed manual. A working prototype popped up at the 1971 Brussels Motor Show and Ford originally tried to make 500 of these to comply with homologation regulations. However, only six were made and half went racing with disastrous results, therefore the GT70 program's scrapped for good.
In 2002, Ford France commission a restoration of the forgotten GT70 rally car and for this restoration, the old engine's been swapped by a 2.0L Cosworth BDG 4-cylinder engine producing 200hp of power, along with some minor tweaks. It made its appearance at the 2002 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
As a matter of fact, the GT70 we saw here is the restored one that popped up at the 2002 Goodwood FoS and although less powerful than the original GT70, it still is lively to drive because of its lightweight bodywork. It's about as lively as the competition the GT70 meant to take on and you can spend a brief moment of time getting to know its unanswered questions.
Unanswered questions aside, I took the GT70 for a ride at LEGO Valley to see how it's made. Roll the tape.
Rough but not bad.
The GT70 may be the flaw of Ford's rally history but it's all part of a plan. With every success comes failure and with every failure comes success. That's how Ford's rally career rolls and right now, Ford's rallying career gambles with their current-generation Fiesta, the one that is not available in the US for reasons unknown.
Let's continue supporting Ford on their rallying commitment!
The first Danish hypercar, the Zenvo ST1, burnt our hearts and minds with its monstrous twin-charged 6.8L V8 engine and the Veyron-esque performance that really sets this hypercar on fire...literally.
Following the recipe of madness learned from the ST1, the folks from Zenvo have created another Frankenstein monster in the form of this...
At first, it looks the same as the ST1 but it has sprouted a massive rear spoiler and some other extras. They've even gave it a new name; TSR-S.
I've obtained this from the recent Summer Horizon Playlist which involves taking on a brand new Photo Challenge. The pilot challenge is where players take a snapshot of their car at the front of the Horizon Festival stage. Since most of them already did this, they finally got a hold of this Danish cannibal that possess a crazy rear spoiler called the centripetal wing.
But first, what's it all about this car? First unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the TSR-S is slotted between the TS1 and the track-only TSR. The signature centripetal wing rotates where the TSR-S corners, creating an inward force together with the conventional downforce for better dynamics. In addition to the signature rear spoiler and improved aerodynamics, it's powered by a twin supercharged 5.8L V8 engine which, in Maximum setting, produces 1,177hp of power and 811ft-lb of torque. With the 7-speed gearbox with helical-cut dog gears, it's capable of going from 0-100kph in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 325kph, which is less than the TS1.
Only five are made, making the most exclusive exotic every made and clients can spec it with unique graphics that suits their liking.
Having got my first taste of this Danish cannibal with the centripetal wing, the TSR-S really is a rollercoaster ride to mayhem because of its monstrous power that is almost as good as the ST1 and the wing really follows where I corner this beast. It maybe more of a show-off but it's terrifying to see a track monster swinging its rear spoiler while cornering. Still, for a monstrous cannibal, the TSR-S really is a great hypercar that breaks the laws of physics with dynamics that feels like you're driving a race car.
To test this theory, I went near Arthur's Seat and brought the ST1 to spar with in a quick time attack.
Roll the tape.
After a quick lap, here are the results;
ST1 - 1:17.878
TSR-S - 1:10.037
The TSR-S really is the ultimate track toy created by the Danes thanks to its signature centripetal wing, unique aerodynamics, monstrous twin-charged engine, and exclusivity. There's no denying that this may be the first and the last time you'll encounter this cannibal for the rest of your life but once you're in its hot seat, there's no turning back from the monstrous performance it delivers and that is the bottom line.
The last Horizon Playlist of Series 23, the Horizon Spring Playlist, brings back the first and the last MR2 generations in Forza Horizon 4 as prize cars and now that I got my hands on both MR2 generations, it's time to have a word with these two.
Let's begin with the first-generation MR2, the AW10/11 model of course. Launched in the summer of 1984, the MR2 is a mid-engined sports car that won the Japan Car of the Year award when it was launched. At launch, it was powered by a choice of either a 1.5L 3A-LU or a 1.6L 4A-GE petrol engine, mated with either a 5-speed MT or a 4-speed AT. Using know-how from a Lotus expert, the MR2 behaves just like the little sportscars from the past despite its heavy weight due to the structural bulkheads. Two years later, a supercharged variant is offered and it's based on the 1.6L engine with 147PS of power and 186Nm of torque.
Lastly, the second and final-generation MR2. Launched in October 1989, the second generation is styled to look like a Ferrari, hence coined as the poor man's Ferrari. Using the same platform as the Celica, the SW20 MR2 uses every know-how learned from top racing drivers to make it more agile and better to drive than its predecessor and it did with relatively superior results. It is powered by a 2.0L petrol engine, in NA and turbo guise, and mated with either a 4AT or a 5MT. Production ended in 1999 when it got replaced by a stylish but less powerful MR-S roadster.
After having my little chat about the two MR2 generations, let's give these midship Toyotas a quick drive to see what's it all about.
After a silent first half of the Series 23 update of Forza Horizon 4, the second half shows that they're back in business with four returning Toyotas in store for this Series. Right now, there are two returning Toyotas that can be obtained from this Series' Winter Horizon Playlist and these Toyotas came from the 70s; the first-generation Celica and the two-door second-generation Toyota Corolla.
First up, the first-generation Celica. Launched at the end of 1970, the Celica was meant to be the spiritual and affordable successor to the legendary 2000GT although the styling can be utterly mistaken for a Ford Mustang. Offered in a choice of a two-door coupe and a three-door liftback, the Celica is powered by a choice of a 1.4L, a 1.6L, and this; a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that produces 90hp of power.
Lastly, the coupe version of the second-generation Toyota Corolla. Launched in May 1970, the second-generation Corolla marked the evolution of what was known to be one of Toyota's longest-running nameplates in history, only behind the Crown. Throughout this generation, they've launched a two-door coupe version known as the Corolla Levin, the one seen here. The Levin is powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Early models get about 100PS of power while the one with the 2T-G engine produces about 115PS of power.
Now that we get to know these two Toyotas, let's give 'em the old "twist 'n shout" approach just to see how capable these icons are.
The Peugeor 205 is known to be one of the most iconic hatchbacks to emerge in the 80's because of its competitiveness against the VW Golf, its French quirkiness, impressive dynamics, and its rally pedigree. So, what's it all about the 205?
Launched in 1983, the Peugeot 205 is the replacement to the 104 and the seemingly related Talbot Samba. It was made in response to Peugeot's takeover of Simca and the former Rootes Group from Chrysler's European division in 1978. Although narrowly defeated by the Fiat Uno in the European Car of the Year award, it still delivers high quality and strong demand compared to its rival. It features three different styles such as the three-door, five-door, and the convertible in various grades.
Here in Forza Horizon 4, we have two different 205s to choose from such as the 205 Turbo 16, which is a road-going version of their Group B rally car with only 200 units produced to meet homologation regulations, and the 205 Rallye, a stripped-off version made by Peugeot-Talbot sport. The former is known for winning 16 WRC Group B rounds while the other is a stripped-off hot hatch no one knows, which some say it's known to be the lighter, cheaper alternative to the legendary 205 GTi.
To see which 205 is the best, I went farming through the woods to get these two dirty in the name of science. While the 205 T16 is all about power and being an all-rounder thanks to its 4WD drivetrain honed for rallying, the Rallye's lightweight compensates its short power output for easy handling even a rookie driver can enjoy it. Anyway, no time for chit-chat because let's put these two 205s to the test. Roll the tape.
After a dirty day at the Tarn Hows, here are the results;
Rallye - 1:14.374
T16 - 1:11.638
So, which 205 will you prefer? The monstrous and fast 205 T16 that can take on all kinds of dirt just like its Group B rally monster equivalent did or the lightweight and nimble 205 Rallye that handles like every hot hatch should? I'll leave the rest to you.
Now here's a classic JDM hot hatch some speedo boys are familiar with and this one is almost a near-forgotten gem that needs to be reintroduced to today's speedo boys. Care to guess what that is?
If the answer is the Pulsar N14 GTI-R, then you are darn right because it IS the Pulsar N14 GTI-R.
It's one of the early Heisei JDM sportscars if my memory serves me correctly and having won this JDM hot hatch from the recent Horizon Spring Playlist, let's dig the details about Nissan's unsung rally hero that time forgot.
The Nissan Pulsar N14 was launched in 1990 and it is offered with the choice of three variantsl the four-door saloon, the five-door liftback, and the three-door GTI hatchback. The GTI-R is based on the GTI variant and it is a rally homologation special that complies with the 5,000 unit regulations to compete in Group A regulations. It is powered by a 2.0L turbocharged SR20DET engine with induction system and Electronic Port Injection. It has a compression ratio of 8.3:1, power output of 230PS, and 29kgm of torque, while mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. It comes with the ATTESA all-wheel drive system. The Pulsar GTI-R features two variants such as the GTI-RA and the stripped-off GTI-RB. There's even a NISMO variant based on the latter as well.
The Pulsar GTI-R competed the WRC's Group A regulations under the NME banner in 1991 and 1992 but despite good results, this car never won a single race and therefore abandoned in 1992 after nine rallies.
Early Heisei babies such as the Nissan R32 Skyline GT-R, the Subaru Impreza WRX, the Honda NSX, and the first Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution are a real blast to drive in its heydays but what about the "other" Heisei baby? Yes, I heard stories about its failed rally attempt, which is a shame despite its potential, but on its road-going form, the Pulsar N14 GTI-R behaves just like the others and although short on power compared to the early Heisei era heavyweights, it's still a blast to drive and because of its ATTESA all-wheel drive system, the Pulsar GTI-R's not afraid to get itself dirty no matter how hard it tried. Although not the best hot hatch ever made but it's one of the coolest JDM hot hatches to emerge in the dawn of the Heisei era. It's the first before the first Honda Civic Type R took place and when you are busy debating which Heisei era JDM sportscar is the best (I tried and the GT-R won), it would be rude not to put the N14 Pulsar GTI-R to this conversation.
To show appreciation to the 90's JDM hot hatch unsung hero, let's take it for a spin, shall we? But first...
See here? It's been decorated to look like the stripped-off base model (GTI-RB if you prefer) but with some upgrades for competitive reasons, my special GTI-RB is ready to roll through the wilderness. Roll the tape!
Now this is how you treat the Pulsar right!
The N14 Pulsar GTI-R may be a lost cause for Nissan because of its failed rally attempt but as a bonafide hot hatch that caters a handful of speedo boys everywhere, it never fails to impress because of its dynamic character that will leave them driving for more until they are fully satisfied. I'd really wish I want to put this on the list of the best early Heisei JDM sportscars but since the R34 Skyline GT-R takes the cake, it's better late than never for this one.
There are two Toyota Celicas making a comeback in the Series 22 update of Forza Horizon 4. The last one is the Toyota Celica GT-Four RC ST185, which I've won from the Series 22 Horizon Winter Playlist. Now that I got my hands on it, let's talk about it before driving it.
The 5th-generation Toyota Celica was launched in 1989 and it is popularized by the Japanese TV commercials featuring comedian Eddie Murphy, bearing the "WANTED: NEW CELICA" slogan on it. In 1991, they've launched a GT-Four RC model, which serves as the homologation-base for Toyota's Group A rally car made to compete at the 1992 World Rally Championship. The GT-Four RC features an improved cooling system courtesy of water-based intercooler, better heat dissipation, improved exhaust system, and metal turbocharger turbines. All of the improvements are capable of pushing the 2.0L turbocharged engine's power output to 235hp.
Only 5,000 Celica GT-Four RCs are sold worldwide with 1,800 of these are sold in Japan.
Having heard stories about the ST185's rally success that gave Toyota their first WRC win, let's move away from the pack and head to LEGO Valley where I'll give this ST185 a minor herculean task to see how capable this WRC-winning machine is.
The Mitsubishi Starion is no doubt the last proper rear-wheel drive sportscar Mitsubishi has ever made and now that I got my hands on this almost-forgotten JDM sportscar from the recent Horizon Winter Playlist, let's have a quick chat about this car before taking off for a quick drive.
Launched in 1982, the Starion is known as the direct competitor to the likes of Mazda's Savanna RX-7, the Toyota A70 Supra, and the Z31 Nissan Fairlady Z. Whereas the competition thrives, this Starion didn't made the cut until it got replaced by the four-wheel drive only GTO sportscar. Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth had their OEM versions of this car as part of the Diamond Star Motors collaboration between Chrysler and Mitsubishi. It is powered by a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine while mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. A limited-edition GSR-VR was offered with a more powerful 2.6L engine mated on it.
The Starion made headlines in motorsport when it dominated the Australian Production Car Championship, SCCA, Silverstone, Dutch National Touring Car Championship, Race de Nippon Tsukuba, All Japan Touring Car Race, and the 1983 Paris-Dakar Rally.
Production of the Starion ended in 1990.
With my quick talk about the Starion done, it's time to head to Fortune Island and take the almost forgotten diamond for a spin while braving the winter storm. Let's get going!
The Forza franchise has became notorious for putting so much old cars in latest installments like Forza Horizon 4. It's hard to say how they got their hands on such junk but apparently, they've raided through scrapyards, used car dealers, and other areas in search of some outdated machines worthy to be added in the game like this. One such example is the old Ford coupe made and sold in Europe; the Puma.
Specifically, the Ford Racing Puma, a limited edition model that is proven to be a rare find in Europe. I got this 90's classic from the recent Horizon Autumn Playlist and it's time to have a little talk about this rare Ford.
Launched in 1997, the Puma is a two-door front-wheel drive sports coupe that is made and sold for the European market. Using the same underpinnings as the Ford Fiesta, the Puma is powered by a choice of 1.4L, 1.6L, and 1.7L Zetec-SE engines, made by Yamaha. The design was heavily inspired from the Lynx Concept while incorporating the company's New Edge design language as seen in the Ka compact hatchback and although not as controversial as the Ka, it was widely praised for its cat-like silhouette which is the namesake for this car. Part of the Puma's launch campaign, the UK TV advert featured scenes from Bullitt and cut the late Steve McQueen into the modern setting of a Puma in the streets of San Francisco.
The Racing Puma features a reworked chassis and suspension, muscular design compared to the base Puma, and the reworked 1.7L Zetec-SE engine that is capable of producing 153HP, giving it a top speed of 126mph. The Racing Puma is limited to 1,000 units but due to sales problems and the discontinuation of the Puma, only 500 units were made.
I am familiar with the Ford Puma back in the late 90's because of a certain game I remember but the Racing Puma feels different to the normal Puma because it's lower, faster, and more grippy than the normal one but who cares. It's still a Puma. In the 90's landscape, the Puma really is a nice car to enjoy all day long but in today's landscape, it's all nonsense to me now and even in its rare Racing Puma variant, a handful of hot hatches can outrun this outdated sportscar.
Ford says that the limited-edition Racing Puma is built for the track but in today's world, that's no longer the case for me so I went to Fortune Island and give the Racing Puma a much-needed torture it deserves. Good luck surviving such drops!
Well, despite the falls and the floods, looks like the junkyard stray cat's still kicking.
"We're a rare breed. Only 500 strong!" This is the cryptic clue that led everyone to this old but rare car and despite its age, the Racing Puma still stands and I am quite surprised how this unhoped-for stray cat done for me. Although impressed by today's feat, feels like one race is enough for this car because...why we are facing so many old cars coming to the world of Forza anyway?!
