Forza Motorsport 7 can be a real doozy for gamers unfamiliar with the franchise. With over 700 cars available at launch, many opt to simply pick something they’ve seen from Fast and Furious and call it a day.
But you’re not Vin Diesel quite yet, and you need to narrow down your options.
Although Forza is all about finding what car and setup works for you, there are definitely a handful of cars that will give even the least experienced drivers the confidence to really burn rubber. If you don’t want to go the way of Paul Walker and retire from the tracks early, give these 10 rides a spin.
10. 2001 Acura Integra Type-R
If you’re new to the world of racing simulators, you’ve got to start slow. You want something that has enough power to blaze down the stretches, but not so much that the slightest turn ends with you facing the wrong direction.
The Integra Type-R is that something, and is an absolutely perfect car for beginners. Take a look at the class-D Rival leaderboards; the Integra rules over them with an iron fist. Equipped with manageable speed, tight handling, and sex appeal oozing from every pore- this an absolute must-drive for newcomers.
Master this car, and you’ll be well on your way to making chumps gag on your exhaust.
9. 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec II
So, you’ve mastered the humble Acura and need something with a little more zazz. Despite being something from the previously maligned Fast and Furious, this car lends itself perfectly to those who are ready to move up in the racing world, but still want something that’s easy to tame.
This car sports an all-wheel drive chassis, which is infinitely more forgiving than some of the rear-wheel drive monsters in the higher classes.
All-wheel drivetrains are great for those looking to really feel the G’s, while still being able to make mistakes here-and-there without ending up in the scrapyard.
Think of this car as the most bad-ass set of training wheels you’ll ever have. Once you feel comfortable in this, you can move on to something even spicier.
8. 2005 Honda NSX
A top-tier car in every iteration of the franchise, the NSX continues its reign of terror in Forza 7.
This car is the perfect introduction to the world of rear-wheel drive sports cars, and will still be a mainstay in your garage long after you move on to bigger and better things.
Despite packing a face-melting amount of power, this beauty still handles like a dream. Ideal for both speed-based and turn-heavy tracks, there’s nothing the NSX can’t do with a decent driver behind the wheel.
Whether you drive it stock or give it a custom tune, this car is sure to become your go-to car for B and A class races.
7. Alpha Romeo Giulia TZ2
An Italian classic, this car is capable of much more than just looking good on the track.
Although not as powerful as the previously honored NSX, this car is the pinnacle of the C-class. With the right upgrades and tune, it’s also one of the best B-class cars in the game. Perhaps the most appealing aspect of this car is the handling.
Despite using grandpa technology from the 1960’s, the Giulia manages to outperform even the most modern cars in the handling department. While other classic racers can be like driving a stick of butter on a hot pan, the Giulia is like a graceful ice skater.
6. Ferrari 250 GT
Now we’re really getting into the heavy hitters. Your first Ferrari is a big milestone, even more important than getting your first kiss.
Because your first kiss doesn’t pack this much horsepower. Another classic car built for grand touring, this is where you can really take off the training wheels and dive headfirst into true speed.
She can be a bit unruly, but there’s no better way to dip your feet into true power.
If you can get a handle on this beast, there’s not a car in the game you can’t drive.
5. Ferrari F40
The F40 really brings back memories. This is the car that was on every poster of every young man’s room in the early 90’s, and for good reason.
This car is fast- REALLY fast. With an acceleration rating of 8.6, you can easily blow by the morons who thought they could take that turn a bit slow.
Although this car is a bit pricey, it is one of the best investments you can make. With the ability to go 0-100MPH in 6.1 seconds, as well as having a great handling stat of 5.7, your chances of losing a race drop astronomically when you get behind the wheel of an F40.
4. Lotus Exige S
Although I tend to stay away from “leaderboard cars” that permeate the top of the rival charts, some of them are just to good to ignore.
The Exige S is one of those cars. Starting with a performance index rating of 617, it doesn’t seem like much at first glance. But like so many good things in life, looks can be deceiving. This car is incredibly light. It weighs less than Floyd Mayweather, and is just as fast.
When upgraded to S-class, this car is the best handling, most nimble, and most fun car in the game. You might not be winning any battles on the straights, but it’s not going to matter, because you’ll be overtaking them on every turn.
3. McLaren F1 GT
Another retro supercar from the 90’s that adorned bedroom walls worldwide, the McLaren F1 GT should be high on your list of must-drive cars. It personifies everything that a high-performance car should be. At one point in time, the McLaren F1 was the fastest production car in the world.
The GT version sacrifices a bit of top speed for superior handling, and it’s more than worth it. In addition to looking like the Batmobile, it handles like something out of an arcade racer. Combining power, acceleration, and handling, you will be winning more than a few races with this car.
2. Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster
By now, we’ve long passed the point of cars that Paul Walker would feel comfortable driving. At number two on our list, we have the Pagani Zonda Roadster.
With only 5 of these cars ever built in real life, driving one in Forza is the closest that most of us will ever come. With a blistering top speed of 217 MPH, you’d think that it was only good in a straight line. But in keeping up with the rest of the modern R-class cars, the Zonda handles like a dream as well.
And fun fact: this is the street legal version of the Zonda R, which was actually banned from public places because it was too loud and too badass.
1.Ferrari FXX K
This was a tough one; there are so many ridiculous cars in the R-class that are fun and easy to drive- the Zonda, the Sesto Elemento, the McLaren… the list goes on. But the cream always rises to the top. And in this case, the cream is the Ferrari FXX K. This car is just stupid good- there’s no other way to put it.
Even without modifications, a blind man who was also missing fingers could drive this baby to a first-place finish. This is the absolute pinnacle of the driving experience- devilishly fast, controllable, and surprisingly easy to drive for something that packs over 1000 horsepower.
Rain or shine, speed-base or turn-based, this car will make an absolute mockery of anyone who gets between you and the finish line.
So, there you have it folks. You may have the driving skills of SpongeBob SquarePants, but these cars will turn you into a feared racer that even Vin Diesel himself wouldn’t want to trade paint with.
Forza is a complicated and frustrating mistress. There’s a lot more to the game than just hopping in a shiny whip and peeling off. There’s a lot of trial and error. But with the right choice of automobile, you can make all those errors look oh so smooth.
