As I get back up to speed in FM3, expect ForzaTimes to rev up as well.
I am currently working on a redesign as well as a review or two.  Expect announcements here to find their way to the FM3 forums as well.  See you online!

It is currently a work-in-progress, but expect to see it in my storefront very soon.I have included 2 pictures of the 2009 livery, as well as one picture of the 2007 remake.  I’m looking forward to finishing both cars very soon.  If you check the pictures in my storefront (FCF iNFERNO), please rate them before leaving.  Thanks!

[UPDATE!]  The cars are now in my storefront.  Updated pics coming soon.

The entry list follows, and I will add all the cars to it once I return to my console.

As you may notice, I have already broken the 1:55 barrier with two GEARBOX cars, and I found both superbly fitted for my driving style (read:limited) and Suzuka. At this point, only the cars I am able to break the barrier with will have their lap times posted publicly. I feel that all the cars are capable in the right hands, and none deserve the negativity of a 1:58 posted lap time just because I alone can’t drive it.

I’ve always got a plan for which car to review next, but sometimes (read: often) things get bumped for something that really catches my attention.  Call me biased, but unfortunately as my free time gets more and more scarce, I prioritize the mind-blowers.  The car you see here, the Redline 22b, is a prime example of a mind-blower.

The paint on this car is what initially caught my eye.   I don’t know who painted it, but they deserve a lot of credit.  Striking colors over a white base are one of my favorite combinations, and this car executes that design scheme to the fullest.  The wolf on the side looks very familiar though, I think it’s similar to an SW2 design from last year.  The only thing I think it could use is maybe a few small sponsor decals.  The number plates look slightly out of place without them.

Once on the track, that is neither here nor there.  The chances of someone staying close enough to notice the absence of decals is slim-to-none.  The car is blazing fast when driven sensibly.  Take it slow into the corners, find the exit, and ease on the throttle for world beating performance.  Lap time?  How about .6 quicker at Tsukuba than my previous PB in a Skyline.  I was shocked to look at the leaderboards and find myself 109th.  That’s what I’m talking about people…  A car capable of putting me just outside the top 100 in a class I’m too slow for will pretty much get review priority.

Even though I have a review que to get back to, you don’t.  So get out there, pick this car up, and enjoy it.  You can thank me later.  Easy 5-Stars

A momentary break from the parking lot has me checking out a prototype Honda for Redline Tuning.

The NSX shown here is scheduled to be TRC Scooty’s first release for Redline.  I haven’t had much success with the NSX’s, and at S998 the problems only seem to get worse.  Nevertheless, I took the car to Road Atlanta to see what it could do.

After taking it easy on the first half of RAtl,  I noticed something surprising.  I could actually see my S7 Ghost on the back straight.  huh?  A few more laps and I was consistently passing it in several sections.  I couldn’t manage to better my dismal PB, but again, in S-Class this isn’t saying much.  So we loaded the prototype again, this time for my arch nemesis:  Suzuka Circuit in Japan.

My Suzuka battle has been well-chronicled, with everyone and their entire tuning families trying to help me get into the 1:55-range.  You heard correctly, not 1:54’s but 1:55’s.  For the simplest of reasons, I haven’t run the lap time.  Maybe one day I’ll sit down with a KM or S7 and run 50 laps with sim tires, but for now, I’m still fighting the good fight.

Again, this NSX surprised me with it’s come-from-nowhere performance.  For the first 3/4’s of a lap, this car is ahead of the best-feeling-car-I’ve-driven-at-Suzuka-Aegis.  Incredible for a rear wheel drive non-leaderbaord car.  Unfortunately, for the last quarter of the track, I blew more corners than a GTAIV street-walker.

Still, this is no fault of the car, as the performance is on par with the very best S-Class cars I’ve driven.  It turns like the R34’s, and has brakes on par with GEARBOX’s outstanding Panspeed RX-7.

One thing that perplexed me was the gear selection for the left hairpin.  First gear felt too slow and second gear bogged on the exit.  Seeing as how Scooty has several top 100 times with this car, I know for a fact it is my pitiful driving technique.

The thing that is obvious is that this car is capable of dispatching leaderboard cars with ease.  On my S7 tracks, I was hanging in with my ghosts.  On my AWD tracks, it was right there as well.

I would not hesitate to break this car out in a multiplayer room full of leaderboard cars.  However, should you be lucky enough to be in a room where leaderboard cars are restricted, the real fun begins.

The NSX is a competitive online performer, and dominating in non-leaderboard rooms.  I can’t wait to get one with paint so I can return it to multiplayer action.

STAR RATING coming soon.  The tune is outstanding, but the early prototype is sans-paint.  Livery or no, it is highly-recommended.

Tsukuba Circuit, Japan-
With the the events of the last month, ForzaTimes Tsukuba tests have been ongoing. While there are quite a few cars left to drive, I couldn’t resist posting the review for the third car in a series that needs no introduction.

The Tsukuba Express 3 is being billed as the final part of a trilogy. Following the Tsukuba Express and Tsukuba Express Two, the TE3 has some big expectations to live up to.

The original Tsukuba Express was groundbreaking. Perhaps the best original RACE livery ever put on an Evo, Hashiriya’s paint is still one of the most sought-after in Forza. Put that together with the fact that this was the first Evo that could compete with the Elise’s, and you’ve just scratched the surface of the car’s significance. The follow-up, the TE2, was a faster tune thanks to a collaboration with the speed freaks over at Tuning AG. The “Rising Sun” paint was great if not as original as, well, the original TE. After the smoke cleared in 2007, the TE won ForzaTimes Car of the Year, while the TE2 won the first ForzaTimes Tsukuba Shootout.

That level of excellence is difficult to maintain, and when I first talked to Hashiriya about his plans for the TE3, his thoughts on the car were modest. He intended to make it as desirable as the original TE for the paint alone, but didn’t know if the tune could be as fast and forgiving as the TE2. Those are lofty goals indeed, but anyone that has seen his paper model of a TE knows that he has a way of getting things to fit just right.

Through EXPERI:project, Hashiriya put together one of the newest and most talented teams in Forza. Parisse, aka R2P Henniker, is lead tune, and JED is lead test. On paper, Hashiriya’s famous TE-style paint and R2P’s tune and flog should make this car an instant must-have. After driving it, I say that this is definitely the sum of all parts.

During EXPERI testing, this car easily became the Fastest Tsukuba Evo in Forza. JED has worked on the 52’s off an on for a while with Tuning AG, and felt it was only right to give AG’s fantastic Junismo-tuned Evo 8MR another shot, one-upping the TE3 by the smallest of margins. However, I’ve been informed that JED himself was on for a 52.7xx in the TE3 before a slight error. I believe it is only a matter of time and opportunity.

When I drove the car, I had no idea if it was a pre-release or the final version. A few multiplayer races and I had my answer. My previous personal best was a 53.9 set in the stellar KillerB, and I was shocked that it knocked off my 53.975 in the 787 Evo X. It usually takes a LOT of effort for me to get in the 53’s, as those that race with me can attest.

Not so in the TE3.

Out of 4 Multiplayer races, I ran a 53.9 in 3 of them. The other one I ran a 53.7. Surprised? I sure was. Even more astounding is that I was .150 in the RED on that lap at the Dunlop bridge. I made up over .4 in the last two corners. Amazing. If I’d have been in the green, I would’ve ran a 53.5, maybe even a 53.4 on a good enough lap. Guys as slow as me aren’t meant to go that fast. Did I mention that I finished 1st or 2nd every multiplayer race with the car? People in the rooms kept asking: “What car is that?” and “Is that the TE3?”… even though the paint is instantly recognizable. They knew the answer before they asked, but they couldn’t help themselves, and I can’t blame them. I would’ve needed to hear it, too.

Having crushed my Personal Best, I couldn’t help but repeat it to the lobby how completely shocked I was. Those results and the familiar TE colors and paint scheme put this car in my #1 garage slot. It’s incredible on many levels and faster than any other car I’ve driven at Tsukuba.

A lot of credit also goes to the other tuners, Luminossi, Junismo, LikeMike22 and others that have pushed the competition to new heights in search of the 52, as well as JED, Potzy, and Chemical for being able to drive them that fast. If it had been one tuner and/or one driver, it may have never happened due to a lack of motivation. Even with the competition it took almost a year, but the results speak for themselves.

The car seen here has been pushed to be better, faster, and easier to drive than the previous two models because that competition exists… and the final product is a complete success.

The road from Club 54 to the Tsukuba Express 3 has had more twists and turns than the Tsukuba Circuit itself, but like a good lap of Tsukuba, it’s worth every minute. Even in a time of multiple 52-Second cars, the TE3 lives up to the legacy.

Tsukuba Circuit, Japan-

As the official production model AZT 22b rolled out of the pits, I could see the effort that had been spent since the last visit. As mentioned late last month, this is a serious machine with a serious tune, the only thing not final was the paint. Although I liked the plain yellow model, this one looks much more like a Tsukuba special.

Painted by Hashiriya, he knows something about Tsukuba paint. As the designer of some of the most desired Tsukuba cars ever created, he quickly offered his design help on the first Subaru into the 52-second range. I thought about the paint that it should look original yet simplistic, and the 22b seemed like too big a challenge. Odd body lines make striped schemes difficult at best, and seem to interrupt the flow of the car. Thankfully, Hashiriya had no such trouble. The yellow and black test car had become known as the Killer B around the paddock, and the mind behind the Tsukuba Express took that idea and ran with it. Finished in the same base yellow, he continued the Killer B theme, with honeycomb squares and alternating stripe patterns to add some personality. The brilliant result is a paint that keeps the body flowing even on the starting grid.

Once the flag drops, the beauty of this car switches focus from the paint to the tune. Storming off the line into turn one, you set up the entry, turn the wheel, and hit the brakes way too early. Evo drivers beware, this 22b has almost too much stopping power. The obvious benefit being later braking points, the downside is that you may never look at your favorite Evo the same way again.

After getting used to the outstanding brakes, I turned my attention to the turn-in characteristics. One word describes it: quick. The Killer B allows you to take several different lines for a variety of situations. Turn in too late? Check. Need to pass someone? Check. Miss a braking marker? Yeah right. Even if you should make a mistake, the Killer B has you covered. What makes this car calm and controlled in Hotlap makes it a destroyer in Multiplayer.

Also note that there is also a “real world” track tune that is slightly easier for some drivers and has been very competitive on all but the fastest (think: Stingray) Hotlap tracks.

With several #1’s on the leaderboard, a 52-second Tsukuba lap and a host of top positions, this is a serious contender that now looks as good as it runs. If you see this car coming out in the lobby, watch out. At best, you’ve got a battle on your hands. At worst, you’re about to get left behind.

I must admit that I never thought I’d see the day when I’d drive a Subaru capable of knocking the Evo’s at Tsukuba. As a long-time Subaru fan, I think that time may have come.

Earlier this week, I received a message from Parisse from AZT saying that he had a 22b capable of 52’s at Tsukuba. I took it all in, but to say I was skeptical is an understatement. Parisse assured me that the car was already capable, he was simply waiting on R2P Chemical to test it. After seeing the months of development it took to get an Evo into that realm, I had my doubts.

Imagine my surprise when the very next day I had an XBL message telling me they had done it. Wait. What? It couldn’t have been that easy. I checked the scoreboard and it was right. Granted, R2P Chemical is one of the fastest drivers in Forza, but still, who would’ve thought a Subaru would get a 52 that easily? A few laps with Parisse and I was convinced. He gave me a few pointers, two cars, and turned me loose. Within roughly 15 laps at Tsukuba, I knocked off my Evo X PB with a mistake-riddled 53.925. Seriously.

As I said before, I have both versions of the car… the 52-second-specific tune, and a kinder, gentler model that I’m told is almost guaranteed to get most Pro level drivers into the 53’s with a bit of time behind the wheel. That is a feat in itself, and I almost feel like the time I spent gunning for the 53-second mark was wasted. The car seen here is the bright yellow 22B prototype that Chemical set his 52 with, and it truly is a killer. This car delivered a 53 effortlessly for me once I settled down, all the while short-shifting and without running to the limit.

AZT is associated with some of the fastest drivers in Forza, R2P, and it shows. Parisse has made it a mission to make the cars easy to drive for everyone, and with these cars he’s succeeded. I haven’t even had a chance to really drive the “forgiving” tune, but rest assured, it’s my next stint behind the wheel.

After all the Evo’s I’ve driven, I always thought mid or low-53’s were a pipe dream for me. Now I think that it’s not only possible, it’s inevitable. Missed apexes, braking too early, and taking the wrong line and still delivering a 53? Sign me up.

As promised, it is time for more -some FWD Coverage!

Originally, when I was approached by Wasted Muppet of Negative Camber Tuning about doing a B700 Cobalt Shootout, I wasn’t that excited. After driving some of the world’s best Forza cars in S-Class over the past few weeks, I thought they would be slow and encumbered. As it turns out, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

All of the Cobalt’s seen here are exciting rides in their own right. The B700 builds should mean I can relax a little while racing, but I quickly found out that just isn’t the case. To verify the results, once again Sneaky offered his go-fast services. So we took to the track to find out which Cobalt is king!

While not as tense-feeling as some of the Brutal S-and A-Class RWD’ers, the B700’s still demand respect if you want to turn that fast lap. Everything happens a bit slower in these cars, but all it really means is that they are less forgiving in a race. With this class, you don’t have the outright speed to save you.

In the multiplayer environment, you’ll want to drive these cars to perfection. Mess up a corner exit onto a long straight, and the other racers are nipping at your heels. Of course, some cars handle this better than others.

Negative Camber Cobalt SS

Negative Camber’s Cobalt SS is billed as being suited for faster tracks, and I don’t doubt that to be the case. One look at the build tells you they forgo some of the handling for outright speed. While we didn’t get a chance to sample this car on all of the tracks, it seemed to perform well on the tracks we visited. While ultimately not the fastest (lap-time-wise) car we tested, the fact that NC has posted several top-250 times with this car says something about it. Since Sneaky and I didn’t run those kinds of times, I have a feeling that the difference with this car all comes down to driving style. Offered in at least eight colors, there’s bound to be something for everyone. I personally felt the white, orange and black car pictured above was the best looking “race” paint of this group.

During testing, Sneaky could only manage to put together a 1:58.1 at Mugello, but had .300 green time on that lap before losing a bit of time. I could only manage a 1:58.603, which is over a second-and-a-half slower than my personal best in an Integra.

We headed to Motegi and Sneaky ended the day with a 1:28.3, 4th place in his standings.

My time was a second slower at 1:29.3xx. However, the NC entry was the second fastest car of the test for me.

Fat Pig Tuning Cobalt SS

This car has the best paint of all the cars. As part of the WWII pack, the car looks like it belongs more on a runway than a racetrack. Top notch stuff here.

As far as the tune is concerned it has a nice balance, but at times felt unsettled. With a much more balanced build than the NC Tuned car, the car was just easier to drive at most tracks.

At Mugello, Sneaky ran a 1:56.417, which put it 3rd fastest in the group. Similarly, at Motegi, he managed a 1:27.690.

This car was a bit of a problem for me. Yours truly ran a 2:01.666 and a 1:30.408, respectively, putting it in 4th place in both of the tracks.

SPOT Performance Cobalt

Next up on the list is the SPOT Performance Cobalt. The paint on this car is very likable, but it reminds me a lot of the old Tango Tuners Audi TT. I got the green one but judging from the pictures in the thread, the black one may suit me better. While I haven’t seen the car up close, it looks like it could have won best paint over the Fat Pig entry.

With neutral turn-in and minimal understeer, the car felt balanced as well. According to the press release, it has set several leaderboard times and is touted as being able to take average drivers to new pb’s. I’d say get the darker painted one if you get the choice.

EDIT: I just found out the grey one is a Limited Edition and is sold out. That would’ve been the car to own.

With this car, the performance was there. It was within .250 of the fastest car in this group, with Sneaky laying down a 1:56.267 at Mugello and a 1:27.5xx at Motegi. For my run a 1:57.900 and a 1:29.5xx landed this car in second at Mugello and 3rd at Motegi.

Kman Tuned B700 Cobalt

Now we’re talking. During testing, one thing became immediately clear. The Kman Tuned entry had better balance than the other three cars, and enough speed to really set the standard for this group. Both Sneaky and I turned our fastest laps in Kman’s car.

Sneaky rounded out the day with a 1:56.109, setting a new PB at Mugello, and a most-excellent 1:27.258 at Motegi, good for #156 on the leaderboard and a new PB. My times weren’t quite as fast, but the 1:57.445 and 1:28.812 were still the quickest of the test for me.

Conclusion

While this shootout was done just for fun amongst the participants, the test turned out to be a bit of work. It’s not always easy to judge B700 cars against each other, and even harder to write about it. The findings aren’t much simpler.

Sneaky fastest times in order were:
Kman, SPOT, Fat Pig and NC Tuning at Mugello and Motegi.

My fastest times in order were:
Kman, SPOT, NC Tuning and Fat Pig at Mugello, and
Kman, NC Tuning, SPOT and Fat Pig at Motegi.

Two cars in the test had very different results depending on the driver… The SPOT Performance car seemed to suit both drivers well, finishing second to Kman’s in 3 of 4 tests. The Fat Pig car was 3rd in Sneaky’s lap times, and very close to second. However, it finished last in testing with me at the wheel, which may indicate that it is less forgiving for the average driver. Long term testing may tell a different story.

If you want the fastest straight-line cobalt that is hard to pass in a turn and pulls past the other cars on the straights, go for the Negative Camber car. It was the second fastest car during my Motegi session, and has the best “race” paint as long as you get the white, orange and black.

If you want the easiest fast laps and a stellar all-around multiplayer car, then Kman’s car is your ticket. It posted the fastest times of the test for both drivers at both tracks. Enough said.

Being a Volkswagen owner and a life long sufferer of Volkswagenitis (the compulsive need to be in front of all others on the road, independent of speed and traffic), I’ve always kept a lookout for VW tunes and paints on the auction house. So, while perusing the Tuning Marketplace for something to boost my thread-count, I came upon this little gem.

The MADtunerz MKV GTI (that’s the fifth generation GTI, for those of you not up on your VW lingo) is indeed a car that lives up to its hot-hatch lineage. I was enticed to buy one because of a photo contest; the only type of contest I have a fighting chance at. I was in for one heck of a surprise though. I grabbed the car and immediately plunged into a multiplayer race. I joined a B-Class room with some people about the same rank as me (Amateur still, don’t make fun), and I instantly whooped them all by a mile. I was so astounded I can’t even remember what track it was.

So now not only was I hooked, I was aware of the capability of the car. Next course was Suzuka, and I whooped them again. The car didn’t feel as though it had much oomph, but a quick glance back revealed I was pulling away from everything. Under-steer was negligible, even discounting the fact that the car is powered and rotated by the same wheels.

The next win was, in my mind, the most astounding. I was able to win a race on the Nurburgring even vs. some hardcore leader-board cars. Now, I will say that I tend to be decent enough at the ring, as I’ve known all the corners since PGR2. But for me to be far enough ahead to have some muscle cars not catch me on the last straight is truly a wonderful feeling.

I could have written the article on the car’s multiplayer attributes alone, but I also ran some hot-laps and was able to set PBs on Road Atlanta and Road Atlanta Short, both in a very short period of time.

In fact, I would say my biggest complaint about the car is the semi-bland paint. But even that I tend to like. I just wish that some of the logos had been custom, such as the BBS logo on the C-pillar. I like the paint, it just seems like it was fairly simple.

However, don’t let the paint dissuade you. The car is pretty cheap, and definitely a wonderful buy; a GREAT addition to any garage. I give it 4 out of 5 starts and a huge smile every time I hear that 2.0L FSI scream.

MADtunerz Golf GTI