The Cars of December
Full Disclosure on Every Ride in the Dec. Car Pack.
By: Ryan Williams and Che Chou
If November was signified by the deluge of awesome games that hit the Xbox 360 this year, December will be characterized as the month to return to your favorite "home base" games -- those comfort games you habitually return to after you've blown through the latest and greatest in what the 360 has to offer. For the Forza 2 enthusiast, it's certainly going to be a December to remember. As of 2am Dec. 7th, the latest downloadable car pack is now available for Forza Motorsport 2 on Xbox Live Marketplace. Alongside 11 of the hottest new cars for the game comes one of motorsport's most beloved and renowned tracks, Road America.
To get you into the mood, as it were, we've brought in Turn 10's design researcher Ryan Williams for an A to Z shakedown on every single ride, as there's a story to every car, and sometimes it's pretty darn interestin'. Also, the Road American DLC track comes to you specially-priced for the holidays from Turn 10 -- essentially, we're taking a loss on it so you don't have to, since we feel it's an important track for online community and Forza's racing heritage.
Now, before we proceed into our vehicle roster show-and-tell, here's a little primer on our latest DLC track, Road America...
A Lap of Road America
The Overview:
Road America is perhaps the finest road racing circuit in North America, a true test of both man and machine. High speeds are offset by brutally tough braking zones and subtle turns that can catch even the most focused of drivers. To take victory at Road America, a driver must possess skill, bravery and an unwavering focus.
The Lap:
A flying lap begins blasting down the very long Road America Straight, where powerful cars will approach 200mph (320kph). Brakes are torched hauling the car down for Turn 1, a medium-speed right hander which leads you over the Briggs & Stratton Tunnel.
Turn 3 is the next challenge, a very deceptive right hander where hitting the apex is crucial. The throttle needs to be applied as early as possible for the long, downhill straight which winds under the Sargento Bridge and through the very subtle Turn 4 and 4A. It's here that drivers approaching the end of the straight will find one of the most difficult braking zones on the planet. The driver must feed the car through the subtle Turn 4A, and slow the car down from extremely high speeds in a terrifying downhill braking zone.
Proper braking is also crucial for navigating the very tight Turn 5, and a massive gravel trap awaits drivers who are brave enough to try any late braking maneuvers. Accelerating hard toward Turn 6, the driver blasts under the Toyota Bridge and rises over a crest, where a blind apex awaits. Getting Turn 6 correct is all about timing, practice and trusting your car.
A short straight leads you to Turn 7 which is a high speed right hand bend that can be taken flat out in higher downforce cars. Another short straight known as the Hurry Downs leads toward Turn 8, a 90 degree left hander where the road falls away from the driver as you exit for Turn 9. Mechanical grip and patience on the throttle are critical to successfully navigating this corner.
Heading under the Snap-On Bridge leads you to the most famous series of corners at Road America. First up is Turn 9 and 10, which are collectively known as the Carousel. A long sweeping right-hander first features an opening radius where drivers are tempted to hammer on the throttle; however this aggression is quickly reined in with the decreasing radius of Turn 10, the most crucial apex on the track.
Bombing under the Suzuki Bridge you quickly face the most notorious corner on the track, Turn 11, aka the Kink. Speeds of 170mph are possible coming into the deceptively tight right-hander where making a mistake is not an option. There is no run-off room on the outside, only a small strip of grass and the barrier. Treat this corner with a lot of respect. Foot flat to the floor out of the Kink, Turn 11A is a subtle right hander which leads to Kettle Bottoms, a high speed section with another deceptively subtle bend known as Turn 11B.
Massive braking is required for Turn 12 or Canada Corner, a tight right hander with a massive gravel trap awaits any zealous braking maneuvers. Aim for a late-apex and carry as much speed as possible out of Canada Corner as you head through Thunder Valley and uphill towards Turn 13.
Care is needed to not carry too much speed through the apex as running too wide can ruin your approach to Turn 14. A very tricky corner which requires turning in for a late-apex, carrying as much speed as possible through the uphill section, beginning Road America straight.
Race across the Start/Finish line flat out, take a deep breath, compose yourself and get ready for another challenging 4-mile lap of Road America.
// Now, let's take a look at the 2008 Ferrari FXX! //