"Horizon Retrowave" centers on the 1980s, although in more as a look back than a true timewarp into the decade where the prevailing style was futuristic. There's certainly an irony to recreating past visions of the future now we're actually in that future…
That means plenty of angular curves, neon lights (including the extended night time, returning from Midnights at Horizon), and even a new radio station for modern takes on 80s electronic music. A section of the main highway is also transformed into something that wouldn't look out of place in Tron.
Along with the aesthetics, there's the usual five new cars to race for this series and they stick to the general theme of the series too. You'll earn one in each of the four seasons for scoring 20pt, and the fifth for 80pt across the whole season.
Series 34: Horizon Retrowave
That's because the 80-point car isn't a Giugiaro original, but a modern interpretation of a car he designed — eventually for Hyundai, though not originally — in the 1970s.
Hyundai's N Vision 74 concept is an EV powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, with a pair of rear-wheel motors delivering some 671hp. It pays homage to the Pony Coupe Concept first shown in 1974 (hence the name).
The second vehicle needs very little introduction courtesy of its already iconic status secured from the Back to the Future movie series.
It is, of course, the Giugiaro-designed DeLorean DMC-12. You don't have too look too hard at the Pony to see the similarities to the DeLorean, which was virtually the next car out of that famous pen.
Series 34 Autumn/Storm Season Rewards
First is the BMW M635CSi, referred to as the M6 in North America and BMW's third M car after the M1 and the sibling M535i.
This slick coupe pairs classic looks with a 286hp straight six (slightly less in the M6, due to using a newer engine for lower emissions), for a proper 80s soundtrack.
For 40 points you can pick up a related machine but one packing a monster V12. That is, of course, the BMW 850CSi.
The 8 Series effectively replaced the 6 Series as BMW's halo coupe model — although it was significantly larger and heavier due to the 7 Series underpinnings rather than the 5 Series. Luckily with that V12 (loosely related to what would be the McLaren F1's engine), it packed 100hp more. Although it had a thirst to match.
Autumn will run until 1430UTC on Thursday June 6, with Series 34 continuing on for another two weeks until the same time on Thursday June 20.
Series 34 Autumn Playlist: Forzathon Events
It's not a complex sequence of events this week, as you'll merely need to win a Street Race in the car, then drive it five miles (eight kilometers), and finally score three stars at any Speed Traps in the car to complete the challenge.
That'll all net you five Playlist points and 80 Forzathon Points.
Forzathon Weekly Challenge: Quattrovalvole
- Car: Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV '88
- Chapter 1: Own and drive the Countach '88
- Chapter 2: Win a Street Race in the Countach '88
- Chapter 3: Drive five miles (8km) in the Countach '88
- Chapter 4: Earn three stars at Speed Traps in the Countach '88
- Reward: 5 points, 80FP
In all likelihood you'll complete Poster Car naturally this week, as it requires that you drive a Retro Supercar. Given that most other events also require that type of car, it's going to ping all by itself.
Enjoy a spot of Turbo Lag as you earn two stars at Speed Traps in the 1986 Ford Escort RS Turbo.
Prove that there's a Porsche for Every Occasion and complete any Horizon Arcade — Air, Chaos, Drift, Speed, or Wreckage — in a car from the brand.
There's some Retro Rapids as you seek to maintain a speed of 80mph or more for at least ten seconds in any Retro Supercar (thus completing the first Daily too).
Be a Poser next and take a photo of your car with the character avatar on the outside.
Beep your horn three times at the Horizon Street Scene Outpost to have your car Drawing a Crowd.
Finally make your Red Car Red Line and get a Hard Charger Skill (for running full throttle from a standing start for at least ten seconds) in any Ferrari.
Daily Challenges
- May 30 – Poster Car: Drive any Retro Supercar
- May 31 – Turbo Lag: Earn two stars at Speed Traps in the Ford Escort RS Turbo '86
- June 1 – A Porsche for Every Occasion: Complete a Horizon Arcade in any Porsche
- June 2 – Retro Rapids: Maintain a speed of 80mph for ten seconds in any Retro Supercar
- June 3 – Poser: Take a photo with your character outside of any car
- June 4 – Drawing a Crowd: Beep your horn three times at the Horizon Street Scene Outpost
- June 5 – Red Car Red Line: Get a Hard Charger Skill in any Ferrari
Series 34 Autumn Playlist: Season Events
This week the PR Stunts require the same vehicle type: an S1 Class (801-900PI) Lamborghini. You're going to need to wave a tuning stick at them though if you want the two points and Super Wheelspin for each.
That's because the targets for the two — 200mph at the Calle Principal Speed Trap and 230mph at the Trebol Speed Zone (encompassing some of the Retrowave Highway) — are pretty high and you'll want a power-over-control build for both.
Your EventLab races this week are both for S1 Class (801-900PI) cars too, with Retro Supercars at the Horizon Dubai Old Town course and Rally Monsters for Rally Cross Island on EventLab Island. Each awards the usual three points.
The former is an interesting course that features two loops that overlap on the same straight, and the AI can be poor enough to be a hazard as they run on one part while you're on the other. You'll win a 1992 Toyota Supra for victory over three laps here. The Rally Cross course is a little odd, and we'd advise ignoring the driving line at the end; it's a solo run for three laps, awarding a Ferrari F355 at the end.
For the three Seasonal Championships you'll need to complete a three-race event against "Highly Skilled" AI, and top the points table at the end to earn five points a bonus reward.
You'll need an A Class (701-800PI) Retro Sports Car for Silvia Surfer, which awards an S15 Nissan Silvia, and an A Class (701-800PI) Retro Saloon for Sunset Drive with an R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R up for grabs. It's B Class (601-700PI) Pickups & 4x4s for Sand Scorpion, awarding the Lamborghini LM002.
Speed Trap: Calle Principal
- Car: S1 Class, Lamborghini
- Location: Guanajuato
- Challenge: 200mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Speed Zone: Trebol
- Car: S1 Class, Lamborghini
- Location: Tierra Prospera
- Challenge: 230mph
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
EventLab: Horizon Dubai Old Town
- Car: S1 Class, Retro Supercars
- Location: Dunas Blancas
- Challenge: Win the Race
- Reward: 3 points, Toyota Supra '92
EventLab: Rally Cross Island
- Car: S1 Class, Rally Monsters
- Location: EventLab Island
- Challenge: Win the Race
- Reward: 3 points, Ferrari F355
Seasonal Championship: Sand Scorpion
- Car: B Class, Pickups & 4x4s
- Location: Gran Caldera
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Lamborghini LM002
Seasonal Championship: Silvia Surfer
- Car: A Class, Retro Sports Cars
- Location: Ruta Norte
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Nissan Silvia '00
Seasonal Championship: Sunset Drive
- Car: A Class, Retro Saloons
- Location: Los Jardines
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Nissan Skyline GT-R '93
You'll be racing on a team of up to six human players against a squad of six "Unbeatable" AI, over the course of a best-of-three race championship. In order to win you'll need to outscore the other team; each player earns 100pt for each opponent they beat, but nothing for beating a team-mate.
That means the best course of action is to help each other out and not trip over one another. Hindering the AI to allow slower (or more unfortunate) team-mates to pass them often gives the best chances, while sprinting off all by yourself to victory is of no use if the next three cars are AIs…
It ought to be a relatively gentle event this week, as the cars are within the sensible envelope and all the racing is on the hard stuff. You should be able to do it inside two races, scoring ten points and a 1995 Porsche 911 GT2.
The Trial: Wedge Racers
- Car: A Class, Retro Supercars
- Location: Horizon Festival
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 10 points, Porsche 911 GT2 '95
Series 34 Autumn Playlist: Challenges
You'll need Xbox Core for that last one, but you only need to complete any Horizon Open Racing event in any car from the '80s to check it off the list. There's two points and the new Cat Wave Horn for doing so.
The Collectibles event, Sun Smash, will send you to Dunas Blancas. There you'll need to smash up six floating Sunset items (held aloft by drones) to earn three points and a Synth Horn. They're easier to see (and we think more numerous) at night, but liberally littered around the south side of the dunes
This week's Photo Challenge, #MrTwo, looks at the first generation, supercharged Toyota MR2. Just take a photo of the car anywhere around the hotel at Palacio Azul del Oceano to earn two points and a Doodle Pattern Helmet.
Collectibles: Sun Smash
- Cars: Any
- Location: Dunas Blancas
- Challenge: Smash six Sunsets around Dunas Blancas
- Reward: 3 points, Synth Horn
Horizon Open: Wave World-Wide
- Cars: Any
- Location: Horizon Open Racing
- Challenge: Complete any Horizon Open Racing event in any car from the '80s
- Reward: 2 points, Cat Wave Horn
Photo Challenge: #MrTwo
- Cars: Toyota MR2 SC '89
- Location: Palacio Azul
- Challenge: Photograph the Toyota MR2 SC '89 at Palacio Azul del Oceano
- Reward: 2 points, Doodle Pattern Helmet
Series 34 Autumn Playlist: Monthly Events
They're similar to Rivals events, but crucially you're not required to beat the ghost. The only requirement is that your run is clean, so hit the checkpoints, don't hit anything solid, and avoid the Rewind button — especially on the two point-to-point sprint races.
There's two Forza EV events this month, starring the Hyundai N Vision 74 at Los Jardines Circuit and the Lotus Evija at the Descansar Dorado sprint. The new Countach LPI800-4 at the Playa Azul Circuit, and the 1980 Lotus Esprit at the Las Laderas sprint comprise the regular monthly events.
Forza EV: Descansar Dorado Sprint
- Cars: Lotus Evija (provided)
- Location: Costa Rocosa
- Challenge: Post a Clean Time
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Forza EV: Los Jardines Circuit
- Cars: Hyundai N Vision 74 '22 (provided)
- Location: Los Jardines
- Challenge: Post a Clean Lap
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Monthly Rivals: Las Laderas
- Cars: Lotus Esprit '80 (provided)
- Location: Estadio Horizon
- Challenge: Post a Clean Time
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Monthly Rivals: Playa Azul Circuit
- Cars: Lamborghini Countach LPI800-4 (provided)
- Location: Play Azula
- Challenge: Post a Clean Lap
- Reward: 4 points (1 added to each season)
Series 34 Autumn Bonus DLC Events
For Hot Wheels that's an S1 Class (801-900PI) Retro Supercar, with which you'll need to leap 320m at the Forest Falls Danger Sign and win the Chevy Set Go championship. You'll earn a Super Wheelspin and a Chevrolet Monte Carlo for these events, in that order.
It's a B Class (601-700PI) Retro Rally car in Sierra Nueva. Hit 105m at the Canyon Snap Danger Sign (which really is close to the minimum distance required for this sign) and win the Ren-Over and Out event to earn a Super Wheelspin and a Renault 5 Turbo respectively.
Hot Wheels Danger Sign: Forest Escape
- Car: S1 Class, Retro Supercars
- Location: Hot Wheels Forest Falls
- Challenge: 320m
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Hot Wheels Seasonal Championship: Chevy Set Go
- Car: S1 Class, Retro Supercars
- Location: Hot Wheels Forest Falls
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Rally Adventure Danger Sign: Canyon Snap
- Car: B Class, Retro Rally
- Location: Sierra Nueva Senda de Montanana
- Challenge: 105m
- Reward: 2 points, Super Wheelspin
Rally Adventure Seasonal Championship: Ren-Over and Out
- Car: B Class, Retro Rally
- Location: Sierra Nueva Senda de Montanana
- Challenge: Win the Championship
- Reward: 5 points, Renault 5 Turbo
Series 34 Autumn Forzathon Shop
That starts with the Porsche 959, which was the first supercar from the brand. Designed as a Group B race car, it was a tech showcase, sporting all-wheel drive and a twin-turbo flat six.
Of course Group B didn't end well, but the 959 performed exceptionally at events like the Paris-Dakar. The homologation road car outstripped the minimum production requirements at almost 300 units made and sold to customers.
There's a restomod up alongside it, in the shape of the DLS by Singer. While it looks quite like a 1990 Porsche 911, barely any of the original car remains. That includes the body, which is now a full carbon fiber shell, and a 500hp, four-liter flat six.
You'll need 600FP for the 959, compared to its 2m credit price in the Autoshow. The DLS comes in at 550FP against a 1.8m buy-in.
This week's other store items are the Extreme E Blue Race Suit, Hot Wheels Tee, and the Running Man Challenge Emote. A Wheelspin and a Super Wheelspin are also available at their usual 60FP and 150FP respectively.
Series 34 Autumn Forzathon Shop
- Porsche 959 '87 – 600FP
- Porsche 911 DLS by Singer – 550FP
- Extreme E Blue Race Suit – 75FP
- Hot Wheels Tee – 75FP
- Running Man Challenge Emote – 75FP
- Wheelspin – 60FP
- Super Wheelspin – 150FP
