Forza Motorsport News

Start the New Year with a celebration! Immerse yourself in the automotive world of BMW in Forza Motorsport Update 16, whose reputation for automotive excellence traces back to its storied history in motorsport.

BMW Month is also your chance to Race to Le Mans! Get behind the wheel of the 2023 #25 BMW Team RLL M Hybrid V8 and complete 15 laps at Daytona International Speedway to unlock the car competing in the 24-hour race. Register for a chance to win a trip to Le Mans.



Sign up for the Forza Newsletter to stay informed about the latest updates in Forza games. Join the Forza Insiders Program for an exclusive opportunity to playtest future Forza Motorsport updates before they get released for everyone. Meet and chat with likeminded players in our Forza Discord server, and follow @ForzaMotorsport channels on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) to stay up to date with the latest in-game events and community updates. We’re also now on TikTok!

[h2]Game Improvements and Release Notes [/h2]

Forza Motorsport Update 16 rolls out for download starting Monday, January 6 on Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam. Spotlight cars and new in-game events will begin on Wednesday, January 8 starting at 4:00 PM PT (12:00 AM UTC on Thursday, January 9).



Below is an overview of the changes and improvements included with Update 16:

• Update 16 introduces a number of car balancing changes for Featured Multiplayer Spec Series. These include specific tuning adjustments to the new BMW cars featured in BMW Month, as well as tweaks to the existing 2023 Cadillac #01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R, 2021 Cadillac #31 Whelen Racing DPi-V.R, 2024 Porsche #5 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963, and 2020 Acura #6 ARX-05 DPi.
  
  • Head on over to Forza Support to view the full release notes, which include a detailed overview of the balancing changes we’ve made to each vehicle.
• Based on community feedback, we have enhanced cockpit audio for the 2021 Porsche 911 GT3 and updated overall car sounds for the 2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari.
  
• Original in-game branding has been restored on Homestead-Miami Speedway, Hakone, Maple Valley, and in the player Homespace.
  

If you encounter any issues while playing Forza Motorsport or enjoying Update 16 content, they can be reported on the Troubleshooting Hub. Please be sure to include any reproduction steps to help our team investigate, and if another player has reported a similar problem, you can upvote their topic to help bring additional visibility to it.



We’re also eager to hear your ideas for the cars, tracks and features you would like to see in future Forza Motorsport updates. Those can be posted to our Suggestions Hub on the forums, where you can also upvote existing topics shared by the community. Many of the updates released in 2024 were directly inspired by player input, so please keep the feedback coming!

[h2]Discover a Storied Legacy in the BMW Tour [/h2]

BMW is renowned for crafting vehicles that seamlessly blend track-bred technology with luxurious refinement, and their unwavering commitment to motorsport extends beyond mere competition.



BMW Month invites you to discover how the racetrack serves as a laboratory for the world-famous German manufacturer, where it develops new technology and pushes the boundaries of automotive engineering.

Experience the legacy and present-day prestige of BMW Motorsport in the BMW Tour, featuring four distinct series of races for you to complete: Early M, BMW Motorsport GT, Modern M, and BMW Motorsport Endurance.

[h3]Early M [/h3]



The legendary BMW M division, born from a desire to dominate motorsport, has become synonymous with high-performance driving. Start your journey with Early M Touring Cars from the mid-1980s, featuring the 1986 BMW M635 CSi.

[h3]BMW Motorsport GT [/h3]



Race in the 2018 BMW #1 BMW M Motorsport M8 GTE and beat out your competition in endurance races that celebrate the modern era of BMW Motorsport GT.

[h3]Modern M [/h3]



Production cars are at the heart of BMW. Choose between the 2019 BMW Z4 Roadster or 2014 BMW M4 Coupe and race their rivals from the mid-2010s.

[h3]BMW Motorsport Endurance [/h3]



Get behind the wheel of the 1999 BMW #15 BMW Motorsport V12 LMR and battle it out with other Petit Le Mans cars from the same era.

[h3]BMW Tour Reward [/h3]



Complete all four series in the BMW Tour in Career before February 26, 2025, to unlock the new-to-Motorsport 2023 BMW #96 Turner Motorsports M4 GT3 from the Challenge Hub. This car is also obtainable by completing 10 races in the BMW Challenge Series in Featured Multiplayer.

[h3]Upgrade Your BMWs in the Open Tour [/h3]

Once you have got to grips with the diverse legacy of BMW Motorsport in Forza Motorsport, check out the Open Class Tour to continue the journey of your favorite BMW cars. Available under the Featured tab in Career mode.



Open Class Tour is where you can experiment with different upgrades and showcase your favorite tuned cars. Each update to Forza Motorsport refreshes the Open Class Tour with new events and a different reward car. Cars you’ve already upgraded in a different Builders Cup series can be further levelled up in the Open Class Tour.

The Open Class Tour features six series, each with three races, that range from D Class to R Class. Upgrade your BMWs – or any other cars of your choosing – and use them to complete all six series in the Open Class Tour before February 12, 2025, and you will receive the 1976 #1 BMW 3.0 CSL.



You can also unlock this new-to-Motorsport car by completing 10 races in any Open Series in Featured Multiplayer.

[h3]Claim Your Mobil 1 Livery Gift [/h3]

We’ve teamed up with our partners at Cadilliac and Mobil 1 to bring you an exclusive new design for the 2023 Cadillac #01 Cadillac Racing V-Series.R, and as the cover car of Forza Motorsport, we wanted to ensure this one would be special.



Available now with the release of Update 16, a new Mobil 1 50th Anniversary Gold Livery has been gifted to all Forza Motorsport players. Look for the in-game popup to confirm your reward and go to the “My Designs” menu to apply this unique look to the iconic racecar.

[h3]Additional BMW Cars in the Showroom [/h3]

New and returning BMW cars have been added to the Showroom – just in time for BMW Month.



Expand your collection with the new-to-Motorsport 2023 BMW #25 BMW Team RLL M Hybrid V8 and 2020 Formula Drift #91 BMW M2 – both of which can also be unlocked in the Challenge Hub.

In addition, you will also find the 2010 BMW M6 Coupe, 2009 BMW M5, 2008 BMW M3, and 2003 BMW M5 available to purchase with credits in the Showroom.



Look forward to the 2014 BMW M4 Coupe and 1999 BMW #15 BMW Motorsport V12 LMR, which will be featured as Spotlight cars during BMW Month.

[h3]Spotlight Cars and VIP Discounts [/h3]

Spotlight cars are featured in the Showroom every week. These cars correspond to the available in-game events and can be acquired with a temporary 30% discount using in-game credits.



BMW Month will showcase five Spotlight cars in the Showroom, one per week. These Spotlight cars can be used in the BMW Tour and Spotlight Rivals, as well as to complete Challenge Hub objectives.



Forza Motorsport VIP Members benefit from a 15% four-week discount in the Showroom on the 1979 BMW #6 BMW Motorsport M1 Procar. In addition, VIPs receive an exclusive 15% discount on a car every week in the Showroom.



Here’s a look at the cars that will be going on sale for VIP Members over the next few weeks:


Exclusive VIP discounts and VIP Rivals events require VIP Membership, available in the Premium Edition or Premium Add-Ons Bundle, sold separately.

[h2]Compete in the BMW Challenge Series [/h2]

BMW Month introduces a new multi-class series into Featured Multiplayer. With a racing heritage spanning across multiple decades and car classes, celebrate the legacy and accolades of the German automaker in the BMW Challenge Series.



Update 16 also introduces the Lexus RC F Spec Series. Combining Lexus craftsmanship with extensive weight reduction and performance upgrades, this limited production model is designed for enthusiasts seeking a blend of luxury and track-ready capabilities.

In the second week of BMW Month, you can also compete in a series voted on and determined by you, the Forza Community! Head over to the Forza Forums to make your voice heard in a future update! This month, the winning restrictions were: Modern Sport GT Division, Max 800 PI, Medium Race Length (~20 minutes).



Celebrate sports car racing at Daytona in a limited time series featuring the Forza GT3, Forza P2, and Forza Proto-H divisions! Experience the thrill of Daytona race weekend where every few hours, the car class cycles with natural time-of-day progression like the real 24-hour race.

Later in the month, look forward to a multi-class re-imagining of the classic Forza GT series where you can discover the unique strengths that each Forza GT class brings to the track.



Other Featured Series over the next five weeks include the returning Forza Proto-H Series and Prototype Group Racing Series, as well as the BMW M3 Spec Series, MX-5 Cup Spec Series, Ginetta Juniors Spec Series, and BMW Procar Spec Series.

Evergreen Series like the Endurance Series, Forza Touring Car Series, Forza GT2|3 Series, Multi-Class Series, and the daily Cycled Class Series all continue throughout Update 16.



Here’s a look at the Featured Multiplayer calendar of upcoming events for BMW Month:


[h2]Drive at Speed in BMW Rivals [/h2]

New Featured Rivals events are also available during BMW Month.

Race to Le Mans with BMW M: Get behind the wheel of the 2023 BMW #25 BMW Team RLL M Hybrid V8 and complete 15 laps at Daytona International Speedway to unlock the car competing in the 24-hour race. Register here for a chance to win a trip for two to Le Mans (including flights, accommodation and tickets) courtesy of BMW M Motorsport.



Race for $100,000+ in cash and prizes in the Logitech McLaren G Challenge, including a paid trip to a live Grand Prix race! This week is your final chance to set your best time in the Logitech McLaren G Challenge Qualifier #2. Race the 1988 McLaren MP4/4 at Silverstone – Grand Prix Circuit. You have until January 15 to participate.

Starting on January 16, get ready to enter the Logitech McLaren G Challenge Qualifier #3 featuring the 2013 McLaren P1 hypercar at Watkins Glen – Full Circuit. Sign up on Discord to confirm your eligibility and qualify for prizes. The top 10 drivers per region qualify for grid races on March 1-2.



Slide into the New Year with a special Drift Rivals. Take the 2020 Formula Drift #91 BMW M2 to Hockenheimring and rack up the highest drift score on the leaderboard. Complete 10 clean laps to unlock the 2020 Formula Drift #91 BMW M2 for free! Also available for BMW Month are Open Class Drift events for A Class, B Class, and C Class.

This month’s VIP Rivals is appropriately titled German GTX! Get in the cockpit of the 1979 BMW #6 BMW Motorsport M1 Procar and set your fastest lap on the Nürburgring - Grand Prix Circuit!



You can discover the full schedule of BMW Month Rivals events below:

[h2]Gear up in the Challenge Hub [/h2]

BMW Month introduces new opportunities to score new rewards in the Challenge Hub. Prove your skills in iconic BMW cars across refreshed Featured Challenges and Weekly Challenges.

Challenge Hub objectives are spread across Career, Featured Multiplayer and Rivals. By playing these game modes, you can earn credit rewards, cars and race suits.



Car rewards for BMW Month include the new-to-Motorsport 2023 BMW #96 Turner Motorsports M4 GT3 and 1976 BMW #1 BMW 3.0 CSL – obtainable in Career by completing the BMW Tour and Open Class Tour respectively, or by playing a specified number of races in Featured Multiplayer Series. You can also get the 2023 BMW #25 BMW Team RLL M Hybrid V8 and 2020 Formula Drift #91 BMW M2, which are unlocked by completing their associated Rivals objectives.

Stay cozy while racing your favorite cars in the Winter Camo Suit. This white suit and helmet feature black and light blue accents, with segments covered in winter grey camo patterns. Meanwhile, the Tech Ice Suit is a dark navy suit and helmet with white and teal accents, covered in areas with grey ice crystals.



Here’s a breakdown of the Challenge Hub objectives and rewards available for BMW Month:

[h2]Featured Challenges [/h2]

[h2]Weekly Challenges [/h2]
Week 1: Jan. 8 4:00 PM PT – Jan. 15 4:00 PM PT | Jan. 9 12:00 AM UTC – Jan. 16 12:00 AM UTC Week 2: Jan. 15 4:00 PM PT – Jan. 22 4:00 PM PT | Jan. 16 12:00 AM UTC – Jan. 23 12:00 AM UTC Week 3: Jan. 22 4:00 PM PT – Jan. 29 4:00 PM PT | Jan. 23 12:00 AM UTC – Jan. 30 12:00 AM UTC Week 4: Jan. 29 4:00 PM PT – Feb. 5 4:00 PM PT | Jan. 30 12:00 AM UTC – Feb. 6 12:00 AM UTC Week 5: Feb. 5 4:00 PM PT – Feb. 12 4:00 PM PT | Feb. 6 12:00 AM UTC – Feb. 13 12:00 AM UTC
[h2]Discover Your Next Favorite BMW [/h2]
That’s BMW Month in Forza Motorsport. We hope you enjoy racing our diverse collection of BMW production and racing cars in the BMW Tour and the BMW Challenge Series.



February’s update will be a celebration of Daily Racers in Forza Motorsport, showcasing numerous modern cars that only show their true potential once unleashed onto the track. Stay tuned for more details about Update 17 coming next month.

Until then, we hope you have fun with BMW Month, and we will see you in Featured Multiplayer!

Race Australian Utes and discover one of the most unique car hybrids in the world. Built on utility and unique looks before being adopted into motorsports, race the 2014 HSV Limited Edition GEN-F GTS Maloo or 2014 Ford FPV Limited Edition Pursuit Ute against their 2010s competitors.



Over in Featured Multiplayer, compete in the Forza AUS Series, Forza P1 Series, and Mustang Shelby GT500 Series.

Meanwhile, the Spotlight Rivals features the 2014 Holden HSV GTS Maloo at Road Atlanta – Short Circuit.

Leaving their mark in pop culture, famous Aussie cars like the 1973 Ford XB Falcon GT have made their name on the big screen in blockbuster movies. Demonstrate the raw power of Australian muscle in the penultimate series of the Australian Tour.



New in Featured Multiplayer: the Track Toys Series. Designed for enthusiasts seeking the ultimate track day experience, these cars feature lightweight materials and stripped-down interiors and as a result feature exceptional acceleration and handling.

As we approach the end of 2024, we want to hear from you on what you like and don’t like about how we engage and interact with the Forza community on Steam.

What could we do better, or more of, to make it better for you? Your thoughts and ideas are important to us, so please fill out the survey today, and we will see you on the racetrack!

Complete our Steam Forza Community Survey by clicking here.

NOTE: The feedback we’re looking for is specific to the work we do to keep you in the loop here on Steam. If you have general game feedback or other issues to report, those should instead be shared on the Suggestions Hub or Troubleshooting Hub, so they can be seen by the right people on our development team. Thank you!

[h2]Introduction [/h2]

2024 has been one of Forza’s busiest years yet, as both Forza Horizon 5 and Forza Motorsport continue to receive regular feature and content updates from our developers at Playground Games and Turn 10 Studios.

With so many game updates to keep up with, this year we launched the Forza Newsletter, a periodic notification service that delivers the latest Forza news to your email inbox. Whether you prefer exploring offroad vistas, zooming through chicanes on circuits, or even doing both kinds of racing, there’s something for everyone in the Forza Newsletter. (Psst... keep an eye out, and you might find some in-game goodies in a future newsletter...)

Livery by JDMADIAZ

[h2]Forza Community[/h2]

Cars and community—a combination made possible by game developers and game players, together. The Forza team is continuously inspired by the out-of-the-box and thoughtful creations made by the millions of Forza players across our games. While we’ve shared some examples in this article, our complete “Best of 2024” collections on the forums will let you peruse some of our favorite photos and livery designs. You may find a new signature look for your favorite car, or maybe you’ll be inspired to start creating and sharing your own in-game artistic talents!

• Best of the year in FH5 Photos
• Best of the year in FH5 Liveries
• Best of the year in FM Photos
• Best of the year in FM Liveries

Forza Horizon 5 players--there’s still time to vote for your favorite EventLab creations in this year’s Golden Tank Awards! These fantastical and elaborate races, obstacle courses, puzzles, adventures, and tracks continue to evolve in quality as more players try their hand at building their own blueprint and placing props.

2024 was also the year of creative UGC collaborations. Livery artist PTG Fluex and EventLab expert JohCee came together to produce "Miniracers," a project featuring four unique EventLab creations designed to evoke the charm of racing vintage toy cars in nostalgic and whimsical environments, with liveries inspired by classic toy cars.

The collaborations went far beyond just individual players teaming up; one example is the fan groups Forza Street Wars and the Forza Creators Guild, who partnered to create compelling competitive courses that highlighted the technical skills of EventLab builders while challenging the racers of Street Wars tournaments with exciting and unfamiliar terrain.

Arguably, the biggest Forza Motorsport community event of 2024 was the 9 Hours of Kyalami World Cup, hosted by TORA (The Online Racing Association) and featuring over 100 teams, with 350+ individual drivers. And yes, they all really raced for 9 whole hours! Congratulations to ESV Motorsports!

Livery by FormFirm

[h2]Forza Motorsport[/h2]

2024 was a steady year of progress for Forza Motorsport. Between 12 content updates, the game bolstered its lineup of cars and tracks, while also introducing several new features and quality of life improvements, many of which were inspired by the community voting on Suggestions Hub.

Some of the notable track highlights over the past year include Nürburgring Nordschleife, Sebring International Raceway, Road Atlanta, Sunset Peninsula – last featured in Forza Motorsport 4 – and most recently, Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst – home of the V8 Supercars Championship.

Many new and returning cars were also added to the game, such as the 2024 Next-Gen NASCAR, 2024 Ford Mustang RTR, 2019 Ginetta G40 Junior, 2018 Aston Martin #97 AMR Vantage GTE, 2018 Saleen S302 Black Label, 1988 Chevrolet #77 Beretta Trans Am, and even more.

There have been improvements to overall stability and performance, new game modes like Drift, Endurance and Multi-Class, and a host of new feature additions, including Car Proximity Radar, Spectate, Practice & Qualifying in Private Multiplayer, Advanced Car Ghosting, and more. With Challenge Hub, it became possible to earn reward cars by playing either the Career or Featured Multiplayer, and we’ve continued making updates to other aspects of the game, including visual fidelity and audio quality, Drivatar AI, Forza Race Regulations, and Driver & Safety Ratings.

Photo by FRT Davi

As we work towards the future of Forza Motorsport, we started some new community initiatives this year to help ensure we’re going in the right direction. Our team has been sharing progress updates in our letters to the community, and we kicked off a new “In the Garage” Discord AMA series to allow our developers to go deeper into the areas of the game that you care the most about.

We also opened the Forza Insiders Program where you can sign up for the opportunity to participate in playtests of future Forza Motorsport updates on PC or console as well as share your opinions on game content in feedback surveys and our exclusive forums.

We’ve celebrated numerous partnerships throughout 2024, including Mobil 1 – with new Rivals challenges and a rebranding of Maple Valley – as well as Logitech, McLaren, and NASCAR. An undoubtable highlight was our sneaker collaboration with Jordan and professional basketball player Luka Dončić. This included a rendition of Hakone featuring the iconic Jordan brand, and all players were sent a custom 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Jordan Luka 3 Motorsport Edition. Players can compete in the Jordan Luka 3 Motorsport Series using this car – inspired by the shoe – to unlock a special racing suit, and we also made the vehicle available to everyone playing Forza Horizon 5.

Photo by Kerles

[h2]Forza Horizon 5 [/h2]

Never thought we could dribble around the roads of the Horizon Festival in a car like the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Jordan Luka 3 Motorsport Edition, but 2024 was a year with a ton of surprises coming to Forza Horizon 5 that we hope you enjoyed and will keep enjoying while adventuring through Mexico.

We kicked off the year with Community Choice, a content update done partially with members of our community. Our players got the chance to vote which cars, features, and decorations they wanted to see back into the game. The votes were tallied, and the result was a series filled with neon lights at Aeródromo en la Selva, 16 returning stunts, 10 reward cars added to the Autoshow, and a Festival Playlist packed with European Exotics.

That’s not the only time our community came together for an update. Back in March, the Horizon Race-off went live. This update gave our players a collaborative goal: complete street and off-road racing events to unlock two cars for the entire community! A new traveling outpost made its way to the Horizon Festival this series too. The Race-Off Outpost showed players progress on both the street and off-roading challenges, but the past part of this new feature is that it changed its location every week allowing players to explore the map to find it.

Two months after the Race-Off, a wave of retro vibes took over the Horizon Festival with Horizon Retrowave. This content update featured a new start screen players saw (and many chose as their favorite) as soon as the game booted with the update. The Retrowave wasn’t only about the looks, but also the sounds. Forza Horizon 5 welcomed a new synthwave radio station: Horizon Wave. Hosted by Isabel Moss, the new station featured 21 new songs including a streamer friendly “Encanto Remix” by Mitch Murder.

An exciting new game mode came to Forza Horizon 5 this year on the Hidden Horizons update along with all the cars and content: Hide & Seek. This new 5v1 experience had players enjoy a thrilling game of chase between two teams. 5 players joined the game as the Seekers whose job is to find and stay close to the Hider in order to fill their meter. If the meter reached 100% before time runs out or before the Seeker reaches their destination, they took home the win! On the other side, Hiders had to use the environment and NPC cars to cover themselves and stay hidden from the Seekers until the End Zone location was revealed to all players. When the End Zone is revealed, their mission becomes to reach that location before Hiders complete their meter. The following game update, Back to the 90’s, gave players the opportunity to unlock accolades and achievements related to Hide & Seek. We hope you still enjoy hiding and chasing as much as we have!

EventLab creators had a great time this year with all the props added to the game that ranges from coffee cups, racing decorations, highways, elevation pieces, and of course the new Halo props that came in the Horizon Track Day. Our largest Prop Pack ever featured 71 pieces with iconic structures from the Halo franchise such as the Covenant Barricade, UNSC Barricade, Covenant Drop Pod, Energy Shield, Covenant Crate, UNSC Pelican, and more. Most of these pieces came directly from Halo Studios, bringing them right out of Forge Mode and into the Horizon Festival. Three songs from Halo’s OST were also added to the game during this series to FH5’s radio stations. Horizon XS now plays the Halo Theme Gungnir Mix (feat. Steve Vai) and Radio Eterna added Installation 04 and The Trails to its catalogue.

Forza Horizon 5 saw an amazing set of car packs with a large variety of cars, including EVs, superstar racers, pop culture icons, and more. One of our community’s favorites was the Universal Icons Car Pack, which included 5 cars from TV shows and movies: 3 versions of the Back to the Future Time Machine with movie-like lights and sounds, the 1982 Universal Studios K.I.T.T. (featuring the Super Pursuit Bodykit), and the iconic 1992 Universal Studios Jeep Wrangler Sahara ‘Jurassic Park.’



[h2]A Fond Farewell to Forza Horizon 4 [/h2]

By the time this article is published, Forza Horizon 4 will no longer be available for purchase at online stores. However, the game is still completely playable, and the game’s servers are still running, so you can still hop in and explore Britain’s beautiful landscapes with other players in the open world! Remember that if you played Forza Horizon 4 on Xbox Game Pass and bought any DLC content for the game, you may be eligible for a game token that you can still redeem. Please take a look at our blog post for more information.



[h2]Conclusion [/h2]

In the grand scheme of time, 2024’s coming and going marks 19 years since the release of the very first Forza game. That’s right—2025 is Forza’s 20th anniversary, and we’re planning some fun activities and surprises for the whole Forza community next year.

Thanks for racing with us this year, and we’ll see you on the road in 2025!