Forza Motorsports 6 gamers are in for a treat with the announcement that a new car pack has been released in time for the start of the motor racing season. Taking from that cue, the new content, aptly called the AlpineStars Car Pack, features six new cars of varying attractiveness depending on what you feel about the Pontiac Aztek. But, fret not, because the pack also comes with a 2015 Ford #02 Chip Ganassi Racing Riley Mk XXVI Daytona Prototype. That’s the car that won the 2015 24 Hours of Daytona and will be part of the field for the 2016 race to defend its title on January 30, 2016.

In addition to the Daytona-winning race car and the less-than exciting Aztek, the pack also comes with a unique collection of race cars,->ke148 classic cars,->ke503 and a few others in between. Really, if you want variety in the strictest sense of the word, the AlpineStars Car Pack has it in spades. In fact, it comes with another car that has won its fair share of races, including in Daytona and Sebring. It may not be as recognizable as the Ford->ke31 racing prototype, but there should be a pocket of gamers out there who will remember the 1990 Mercury #15 Whistler Radar Cougar XR-7.

In any case, owners of the Forza 6->ke3733 Car Pass can acquire the AlpineStars Car Pack at no extra cost but those who don’t have the pass will have to purchase the pack separately for $6.99. Those who prefer to buy the cars individually also have that option, a choice I think a lot of people will make just to stay as far away from the Aztek as possible. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if some gamers buy the ill-fated vehicle (is it even an SUV?->ke145) because of it’s association to our favorite chemistry teacher, Walter White.

 

Continue reading for the full story.

Why it matters

I’ve always been a fan of Forza 6’s car packs, but I’m afraid to say that I’m not quite as sold on this pack as I’d like to be. Ford’s #02 Daytona Prototype is the unquestioned highlight of the pack and for good reason. It’s a car that I’d love to drive in any kind of setting, be it in the real world or the virtual world of Forza 6. I know I’m not going to be able to do one of those things, so it’s good enough for me to settle with driving it in the game.

From there, the other cars in the pack aren’t as enticing to me. Granted, I like the Mercury Cougar XR-7 and the 1967 Sunbeam Tiger. The latter, in particular, is one of those long-lost British roadsters that doesn’t get as much recognition as it should. Take a gander at the history of this particular car and you’ll come upon some pretty interesting names that are associated with it. One of those names is Carroll Shelby, the same guy whose name is attached some of the most iconic Ford Mustangs->ke428 in history. But, not a lot of people know that Shelby helped in the development of the last remnants of the sports car by giving it a Ford 260 V-8 engine. The result gave the Tiger the distinction of being one of those rare cars that turned into an offspring of British heritage and American muscle.

Other than these two cars, I’m also intrigued about the Giugiaro-designed 1996 Subaru SVX. The car itself was derived from the concept version shown at the 1989 Tokyo Auto Show and it featured an EG33 3.3-liter boxer V-6 engine that remains one of the biggest engines Subaru has ever created. It had 213 horsepower, which was impressive 20 years ago, and all-wheel-drive because, well, it was a Subaru. The Italian-style design is also an added plus, so I’d be lying if I said that I’m not curious to see how the car runs, even if it’s just in Forza 6.

Unfortunately, that’s the extent of my interest in the AlpineStars Car Pack. The 1992 Alfa Romeo Milano Quadrifoglio Verde and the 1974 Toyota Corolla SR5 aren’t giving me the thrills and the 2005 Pontiac Aztek really speaks for itself, doesn’t it? I’m sure there are gamers out there who would enjoy driving the Aztek in the game, but I’m not one of them.