The most recent Forza Pitpass Report shows us some luxury SUV loving. Turn 10, the studio behind the Forza game, unveiled a new batch of game car screenshots this week and gave us a laundry list of vehicles to expect in Forza 3, which is scheduled to be released in October.
To say the cars look great is an obvious thing, but how will they perform? Here are some highlights.
Again, this is from the official Forza site. So click on the link to see the entire breakdown of the newly announced cars. Here are two SUVs, which I think are going to be awesome to drive.
2009 BMW X5 xDrive 4.8i
At 350 horsepower, fans of The Ultimate Driving Machine will have some tuning and upgrades work to do to compete with its SUV brethren in Forza Motorsport 3. At first blush the X5 xDrive 4.8i’s 0-60 of 6.5 seconds impresses, but only against mortal sports cars. In this collection of powerhouses, the X5 in the second half of the field. Yet, the Boys From Bavaria are known for their chassis dynamics and all good drivers know that lap times aren’t measured only in a straight lines. This will be a case where clever suspension upgrades and precision driving will prevail.
2008 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
A romping 390-horse supercharged V8 lays down the law in the Range Rover Sport. The question is how will a company known for its off-road tenacity carving ruts on the expedition trail compete carving apexes on the track? With the slowest 0-60 at 7.2 seconds it’s an uphill climb (sorry, couldn’t help ourselves to the pun). We suggest upping the stock boost of 11.6 psi pulsating into the 4.2-liter V8 and a serious suspension slam. Comfort and performance awaits.
2009 Audi Q7 V12 TDI
There are flagships, and then there are Motherships and the Audi Q7 is the mother of all luxury sport SUVs. This beast is trickle down engineering in action with a variant of the Le Man’s dominating R10 V12 TDI providing the thrust. In the Q7, the 6.0-liter twin turbo diesel pumps out 493 horsepower and a neck-snapping 738 lbs-ft of torque, kicking in at a mere 1,750 rpm. The Q7’s 0-60 performance of 5.5 seconds is third in this grouping, which is admirable considering its goliath 5,743-pound curb weight. Furthermore, the Q7 may be the most wicked-looking SUV on the planet with its chiseled, muscular physique reminiscent of some Austrian-action-hero-turned-governator during his prime. With this kind of baseline, Forza Motorsport 3 tuners should be able to surprise many a super car with a few well-chosen mods.
2009 Mercedes ML63 AMG
The ML63 AMG is the Alpha Male of the group. With a 503-horse, 6.3-liter V8 hand-built in AMG’s white room as its big block, this SUV will drain the adrenal gland of its pilot in record time. Its 4.8-second 0-60 is the quickest of the heavy hitters in Forza Motorsport 3. Add that to AMG’s chassis magic, the ML63’s sleek silhouette and aggressively flared wheel arches and you have a recipe for destruction as the Benz begs for modification on all fronts. Imagine a fully livery-painted ML63 prowling the Nurburgring hunting down European supercars like a Cheetah clawing at the hindquarter of a fleeting Gazelle; nice visual… just be sure you’re not the Gazelle!
2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
This hot chili pepper has been pounding the pavement since 2006 in Turbo S trim, where its powered by a twin-turbo 4.8-liter V8 rated at 500 horsepower and 516 lbs-ft of torque. The Turbo S is a scant tenth of second behind the Benz with a 4.9-second 0-60. Beyond pure sprinting ability, the stock suspension, tires and overall psyche of the Cayenne are distinctly on-road. Savvy Forza Motorsport 3 players will use its pavement preference, dial-in to Porsche’s racing legacy, dump the height, drop some righteous mods on this SUV and put the hurt on all takers.
2008 Volkswagen Touareg R50
At first glance, the Touareg certainly looks like the most pedestrian of the group. But it is a donor of frame and doors to its speedier cousin the Cayenne and shares TDI DNA with its Audi in-laws. Like most mutts, the end result is far greater than the sum of the parts. The R50 sports a heady 5.0-liter V10 TDI. The engine produces only 350 horsepower, but has a whopping 627 lbs-ft of stomach-churning torque. Courageous drivers can call on the far-reaching upgrades sandbox of Forza Motorsport 3, its Livery Editor, Auction House and deep tuning garage to incite the spirit Vee-Dub and create the ultimate sleeper.
Source: Turn 10 Studios
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