Forza Horizon 5 - Missing Cars

Forza Horizon 5 - Missing Cars

By Oliver Giles

All photos used come from the Forza Wiki

Forza Horizon 5 has now officially launched and looks to be the best game in franchise history.

The map is near perfect, featuring brilliant detail and ideal size, and the content is also excellent.

However, with just over 530 cars at launch, the car list leaves a bit to be desired.

Not only were some expected cars, such as the Bugatti Chiron SS, Renault Trezor, and the Lamborghini Sain, were noticeably absent, but several cars from previous entries in the franchise failed to make the cut as well.

Here is a list of notable cars from previous Forza Horizon titles, primarily ones that appeared in Forza Horizon 4, that won't be returning in FH5 at launch.

2012 Aston Martin Vanquish V12 

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 4

2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 4

Here we have a simple case of a fan favorite cat being removed to make way for a newer model.

While the 2013 Continental GT Speed appeared in Horizon games 2 - 4, it shared space in 4 with the redesigned 2017 Bentley Continental. Fans knew it was really only a matter of time before Playground Games decided to stop shelling out the cash for the rights to a car when a newer model was available, we just weren’t ready to say goodbye.

Although the 2017 Continental looks and sounds fine, there’s no getting around the fact that it is statistically inferior to its predecessor, even when fully upgraded and tuned. A truly sad truth to come to grips with.

1991 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon 2 (DLC), Forza Horizon 3

While it was sadly omitted from the Jeep lineup present in Forza Horizon 4, the sprawling map of FH5, featuring plenty of off-road areas and bumpy terrain, seemed like the perfect time for this stylish 90s machine to return. Sadly, that was not the case.

Often under-appreciated by the general fanbase, the 1991 Grand Wagoneer was a fun DLC addition in Horizon 2 and a mechanic’s dream in Horizon 3, and with a map very reminiscent of Horizon 3’s style, the fact that it is nowhere to be found in Horizon 5’s base game certainly sticks out.

However, fans of this fun vehicle shouldn’t lose hope as, if Horizon 4 is anything to go off of, the Grand Wagoneer is exactly the type of car to eventually get added as a Forzathon reward somewhere down the line.

2012 Lamborghini Aventador J

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon (DLC), Forza Horizon 4 (DLC)

Let’s be honest, there are a lot of Aventador variants out there.

Alongside the original Aventador and the Aventador SV, there’s also the SVJ and S variants to think about. And that not even considering the cars Lamborghini has made based on the Aventador, such as the iconic Veneno.

This might go some way to explaining why the stylistically unique Aventador J gets lost in the shuffle 9 times out of 10.

Both of its appearances in the series so far have been by way of DLC, the October Car Pack in the original Forza Horizon and the Fortune Island expansion in Forza Horizon 4, despite it being one of the car’s most interesting models. 

While Forza goes out of its way to include odd and forgotten Lamborghini cars each game, such as the LM002 truck or the Jarama, it’s sad to see this one constantly left out at launch.

2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 4

Another case of a car being replaced in the lineup with a newer model, we have the 2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is.

When the 2019 BMW Z4 Roadster made its first appearance in Forza Horizon 4, most fans knew the days of the 2011 sDrive35is were numbered. However, that didn’t soften the blow of seeing it go.

For anyone who started the series with Horizon 2 on the Xbox One, a fair number of fans, this may have been the first car they ever drove in a Horizon game, as it was one of the 3 starter cars available at Horizon 2’s start.

And while the 2019 Z4 Roadster is fine, it doesn’t match how much fun the sDrive was, especially since Horizon 5 finally added the ability to lower and raise the roof on convertible vehicles, something that would have made it more fun than it already was.

Authors note: this is not to be confused with the 2012 BMW sDrive 28i which appeared exclusively in Forza Horizon aka Horizon 1.

2004 Maserati MC12

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 4

Yet another victim of replacement by a more interesting model is the 2004 Maserati MC12. While the slightly newer, and more improved, 2008 Maserati MC12 Verisone Corsa, which appeared in both Forza Horizon  and Forza Horizon, does appear in Horizon 5, the loss of the original 2004 incarnation is still a large blow. 

While the 2008 version is significantly better, the 2004 version is a staple in both Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon, with more customization and tuning options along with a lord of nostalgia for longtime fans of the series.

 

1968 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale 

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 4

When the initial car lists for Forza Horizon 5 started going up online, several manufacturers were noticeably missing, ke among them being Alfa Romeo.

Due to rights negotiations not getting done on time, no Alfa Romeo cars are present in the base game at launch, and while cars like the 4C and 8C are noticeably absent, the beautiful 33 Stradale is arguably the most tragic loss.

A beautiful car by every meaning of the term, the 33 was a car that every classic car lover wanted to own since its introduction to the franchise in Horizon 2, and with its hefty price tag of 10,000,000 CR in Horizon 2 - 4, it was often a symbol of elite status ansd wealth in game.

On top of this, it made for a wonderful tuner car, as players with the right engineering know-how could get the car over the 200 MPH mark without sacrificing handling or the vehicle’s beautiful looks and iconic styling.

A tragic loss to be sure.

1956 Lotus Eleven

Horizon Games: Forza Horizon 2, Forza Horizon 3, Forza Horizon 4

Classic, Iconic, and with one of the best speed glitches in Forza History, the 1956 Lotus Eleven has been a mainstay of the series since its introduction in Forza Horizon 2.

Arguably one of the most beautiful and photogenic cars the series has ever possessed the rights to, especially in the more captivating landscapes of Horizon 2 & 4, the car was also known throughout the online community as a modders favorite, especially as it could be glitched to reach speeds of over 300 MPH in Horizon 2.

While perhaps not quite as noticeable an omission to the general fanbase, for fans of classic cars might take this one pretty hard.

And with that we’ve come to the end of our list. While it is sad that these cars missed the cut for Forza Horizon 5, don’t confuse that with me saying that its a bad game. On the contrary, it has the potential to go down as quite possibly the best game in the almost decade-long franchise so far, something made even more remarkable when you compare it to the exercise in pure quality that was Horizon 2.

So if you love racing and driving games, or just want to see what all the hype was about, go ahead and get yourself a copy of Forza Horizon 5, available now on Xbox One consoles, Series X/S, and PC.