My FH5 Log: Artura The King

Forza Horizon 5's Horizon Race-Off series update saw a clash between Team Mustang and Team F-150, a heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, and whoever side gets first, wins one of the hero cars of the update.

Behind the heated debate between asphalt racing and off-road racing, an unexpected visitor appeared and that's okay because this is the McLaren Forza fans waited for since the car's debut three years ago.

This is the McLaren Artura, the hybrid supercar that I won from the Horizon Race-Off Wet Season Playlist. We've been pleading for this car to arrive here and now that it's here, it's time for a little word with McLaren's hybrid supercar.

The McLaren Artura is the company's first V6-powered PHEV supercar that injects most of its motorsport know-how into the making of this unorthodox machine. The 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine is mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled Li-ion battery producing 680PS of power and 720Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed SSG, it sprints from 0-60mph in three seconds and has a top speed of 205mph. Running on electricity alone, it can go for as little as 19 miles.

Aside from the performance, the Artura has near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and specially-developed Pirelli P-ZERO tires. It even comes with a Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle.

The Artura may be a show-off in the middle of a heated debate but being the ideal gentleman disruptor, it sure knows how to flex its muscles well. Although it feels different compared to most McLarens offered in the game, it feels moderately good to drive on asphalt terms, and for the fun of it, addicting. It's all about making a great statement in the name of McLaren-ism.

Still, I've waited long enough to drive the Artura in the world of Forza, and in honor of its arrival, it's time for a leisurely street race against tough drivers to prove if I'm either Lando Norris enough or Oscar Piastri enough to be with the Artura. Roll the tape.

Yes, it was a tough challenge but the Artura survived and won.

Forza players like me have waited three years since McLaren debuted the Artura supercar and now that it's here, we found great reasons to enjoy it, even while disrupting the heated debate between Team Mustang and Team F-150 we're on. This is performance, amplified.

Gosh, I wanted to conclude my little impression with the Artura but...I'm working on a little surprise for the Artura so...watch this space.

McLaren Artura Spider

Being around for three years, the hybrid McLaren supercar called the Artura is now made even better for the 2025 model year. It's not just the power increase to its V6 hybrid powertrain but the addition of the new Spider variant makes sense.

2025 McLaren Artura Spider

2025 McLaren Artura Spider

Starting at 221,500 Pounds plus additional costs, the first-ever Artura Spider delivers the open-air experience to the Artura you know while blessed with numerous improvements to get hooked with it for longer.

At first glance, it looks just like the Artura but with a retractable hardtop that can be opened or closed at the touch of a button. It's hard to differentiate it from the normal hardtop Artura, but expect the added weight compared to the normal Artura because the Spider adds 137lbs of weight, Spider's 3212 vs Artura's 3075.

Despite the weight penalty, the performance is almost intact. Thanks to its updated PHEV powertrain with its 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine mated to an axial flux motor and a refrigerant-cooled 7.4kWh Li-ion battery producing 700PS of power output, it does 0-62mph in three seconds and a top speed of 205mph (330km/h). Like the hardtop equivalent, the Spider is mated to an 8-speed SSG.

In terms of efficiency, the Spider, like its hardtop equivalent, has a fuel economy of 58.9mpg (4.8L/100km) based on EU WLTP standards and running on electric power alone, it's good for 21 miles (33km), good while you're in the suburbs or in streets of London.

For speedo boys channeling their inner Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, the Artura Spider, like its hardtop equivalent, is McLaren at its best on the road and on the track because of its near-perfect weight distribution courtesy of its carbon bodywork, front double wishbone, multi-link rear, Proactive Damping Control, electro-hydraulic power-assisted steering, Carbon Ceramic Discs, forged aluminum brake calipers, and Pirelli Cyber Tyres that provide real-time data on temperature and pressure to the car and driver, crucial for safety on and off the track. It even has Variable Drift Control that can adjust its drifting angle as well.

With the upgraded hybrid power and the new Spider variant, the first-ever McLaren Artura is now made even better than when it was new three years ago. Be ready for it.

Photo: McLaren

My FM Log: King's Weapon

The McLaren Senna and the Aston Martin Valkyrie are British hypercars performing exceptionally well not just on the road, but also on the track. With its track-only equivalents roaring in the Forza Motorsport game, it's time to exploit them further.

How do these two hypercar-turned-track weapons differentiate themselves? Let's begin with the McLaren Senna GTR, the track-only version of the King of McLaren Ultimate Series.

Revealed as a concept in 2018 and spawned into a limited-production model moments later, the Senna GTR transforms the already track-proven hypercar with even more potential.

The 4.0L V8 twin-turbo engine from its road-going equivalent remains the same, meaning it still produces 814hp of power, but it's mated to a racing transmission McLaren says it's faster in a straight line compared to the normal Senna.

In addition to its race-tuned aerodynamics that generate 1000kg of downforce, the Senna GT-R comes with a revised double wishbone suspension and slick Pirelli tires for improved grip.

The track-only Senna GT-R is limited to 75 units sold.

Now, let's get to know the Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, the closest thing you can get from a Formula 1 car.

Based on the Valkyrie hypercar, the AMR Pro is a track-only version that delivers the same performance and dynamics just like a Formula 1 car.

In addition to its more aggressive aerodynamic upgrades that add more dimension compared to the normal Valkyrie, making it capable of achieving lateral acceleration of more than 3G, the AMR Pro ditches the Valkyrie's hybrid system, trading power for weight loss. The 6.5L Cosworth V12 NA engine remains, producing over 1000PS of power.

During testing, the Valkyrie AMR Pro lapped the Le Mans circuit in 3 minutes 20 seconds, delivering the same performance as an LMP1-class race car.

Only 40 were made and sold. Customers who bought the Valkyrie AMR Pro have gained access to a bespoke track day experience at select FIA-approved circuits worldwide as well as other privileges.

To bring out the anger of the beast from these two track versions of British hypercars, I'm heading to Silverstone and find out which of them is the superior king. Let's roll the tapes.

And now, the results...

Senna GTR - 2m11.792s

Valkyrie AMR Pro - 1m52.599s

Thanks to its F1 know-how carried over from its road-legal equivalent as well as other track-based improvements, the Valkyrie AMR Pro massively sliced the Senna GTR into bits around Silverstone.

Regardless of today's result, I'm extremely satisfied that the Senna GTR and the Valkyrie AMR Pro are truly at home in the new Forza Motorsport game because this game served as a chance to demonstrate their de-restricted track capabilities against the world's most demanding race tracks.

Come try Britain's most extreme track weapons in Forza Motorsport if you're brave enough. You're welcome to do so.

My FM Log: The McLaren 650S

Having fought Update 3.0's Open Tour Series until the January 17th deadline, I got my hands on the McLaren 650S, an instant classic that made its way back to the new Forza Motorsport game.

McLaren Automotive presented the 650S, in coupe and spider variants, at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show and promises that this new model will be their fastest, most engaging, best equipped, and most beautiful series-production supercar yet.

Although some components came from the MP4-12C, McLaren says that the 650S is not the direct replacement for the 12C, even though production of the 12C halted due to the 650S' high demand. It also comes with some components from the now-sold-out McLaren P1 hypercar. The engine, as usual, comes with the same 3.8L Twin Turbo V8 engine, but the power output is a titular 650PS of power output and 500lb-ft of torque, mated to a ‎7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It will do 0-100kph in under three seconds and a top speed of over 333kph.

The 650S was replaced by the 720S in 2017.

It's time to have a one-lap time attack around Silverstone with the 650S and see if it's still as good as it was made.

It may be a 12C bearing the P1's front but the 650S got what it demanded; the demonstration of its track-honed capabilities you would expect from a McLaren.

Enjoy your new ride!

My FH5 Log: Community Day Classic (PART 1)

The Community Choice series update in Forza Horizon 5, running through the whole month of January,  features fan-voted events and challenges as well as a cesspool of returning cars from past installments. What a way to kick off the new year with a blast from Horizon's pasts.

So, the Hot Season Playlist of the FH5 Community Choice series update features an old McLaren supercar and a Bond car. What are these, you may ask?

First up is the McLaren MP4-12C, which can be yours after hitting 20 points on the Community Choice Hot Season Playlist. It's the first all-new McLaren model since the F1. Purely McLaren inside and out, the 12C is powered by a 3.8L V8 Twin Turbo engine that produces 592hp and 442ft-lb of torque while mated to a 7-speed SSG. Apart from the engine, the 12C features Carbon MonoCell, a first in a segment, as well as a Proactive Chassis Control system, double wishbone suspension with coil springs, a Brake Steer, and many others. If you have seven and a half minutes to spare while taking a break at the Ring, this is the McLaren for you.

Lastly is the Aston Martin DBS, which can be yours after hitting 40 points on the Community Choice Hot Season Playlist. Based on the DB9, the DBS is the replacement of the V12 Vanquish that is powered by a six-liter V12 engine producing 510hp and 420ft-lb of torque while mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Inside the world of 007, the V12-powered DBS appeared in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond.

Let's give these classic supercars a quick spin with the 12C battling against other modern supercars in a re-enactment of the streets of Cairo, Egypt, while the Aston Martin DBS drives through the touge roads at the dead of night without rolling over just like what happened in Casino Royale. Let's roll the tapes.

Job well done to these two, that's all I can say.

Next week, let's tackle the Koenigsegg CCX and the Lykan HyperSport at the Storm Season Playlist of the Community Choice update. Insert Fast and Furious joke at the latter, please.

McLaren 750S

The McLaren 750S may be a minor change version of the old 720S but this will mark the last McLaren to run purely on an internal combustion engine before heading to its electrified future.

2024 McLaren 750S

2024 McLaren 750S Spider

Costing 250,000 pounds plus additional costs, the 750S, in coupe and Spider configurations,  is the improved version of the 720S that crosses the line in terms of performance and dynamics fitting for McLaren's swansong for the pure internal combustion engine era as it's heading towards electrification soon.

2024 McLaren 750S interior

As the styling is broadly similar to its 720S predecessor, the 750S saw most of the black stuff from the 720S exterior design colored while featuring a new rear design that differentiates it. As for the interior, the instrumental display as well as the powertrain and handling mode controls have been repositioned for easy access behind the wheel. It even comes with a McLaren Control Launcher and a new Central Information Screen.

The familiar 4.0L V8 biturbo engine inherited from the 720S has been boosted to the titular 750PS of power output and 800Nm of torque. When mated to a 7-speed gearbox, it sprints from 0 to 62mph in 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 206mph, in coupe or Spider configurations. More than the 720S but less than the 765LT so it's a welcoming development for a rear-wheel-drive hypercar from the UK.

Apart from the performance, the 750S features a reworked suspension setup, revised signature valve stack, wider front track width, electro-hydraulic steering assistance system, available track brake upgrade, and the improved Proactive Chassis Control, giving it dynamics only Lando Norris can truly understand because it handles like every McLaren should and thanks to being rear-wheel-drive, you have to be brave enough to take advantage of its Variable Drift Control if you want to make it out alive.

The McLaren 750S may be a minor change version of the old 720S but for a swansong for the pure internal combustion engine era, this is the ultimate driver's car full-stop and if you're as good as either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, spark this. It's about as addictive as exotics can be.

Photo: McLaren Automotive

My GT7 Log: Know Your Legends - The McLaren MP4/4

Let's get to know about the legendary cars that are hard to get in Gran Turismo 7's Legend Cars not only because of their extreme rarity that appears once in a blue moon but also their outrageous price tag that takes almost forever to save one. Today, let's get to know the McLaren MP4/4, arguably one of the greatest F1 cars of all time.

Arguably one of the most dominant F1 cars of all time, the McLaren MP4/4 was known for winning 15 out of 16 races in the 1988 season. The #11 was piloted by Alain Prost while the legendary #12 was piloted by the legendary Ayrton Senna. The McLaren Formula One team scored 199 points to garner the constructor's champion title but it was Senna's performance of eight wins garnered him his world champion status for the 1988 season. Designed by Steve Nichols and Gordon Murray, the MP4/4 features a carbon fiber honeycomb monocoque for the chassis, double wishbones with pull-rod actuated coil springs and dampers for the suspension, a Weismann-McLaren 6-speed manual gearbox, and a 1.5L Honda RA168-E V6 turbo engine, one of the most powerful Formula One engines of all time.

Time to take a quick drive with the real Formula 1 legend around the Goodwood Motor Circuit and find out if the legend is real with this one.

It did it in 1:04.074 seconds and although not the quickest as such with me behind the wheel, it's proof that the MP4/4's legendary performance truly lives up to its reputation as the F1's GOAT. The Greatest Of All Time.

What other hard-to-get legendary cars should I drive next? Stay tuned for more.

My FH5 Log: Who is the ultimate Horizon Hero?

As the Forza Horizon 10th Anniversary celebration came to its bittersweet end, it's time to find out which of the Horizon hero cars is the ultimate Horizon Hero. Will it be the SRT Viper GTS? The Lamborghini Huracan? The Lamborghini Centenario? The McLaren Senna? Or the Mercedes-AMG Project One?

Five Horizon heroes are gathered at the Volcan Sprint and all they have to do is to set the fastest time, ultimately deciding once and for all who is the ultimate Horizon Hero. It's all or nothing now. It's do-or-die for these machines as they are giving this Forza Horizon 10th anniversary celebration the ideal sendoff I've envisioned.

Without further ado, let the battle commence. GO!

With their bravery tests done, here are the results;

Viper - 3m18.665s

Huracan - 3m08.155s

Centenario - 3m00.864s

Senna - 2m51.905s

One - 2m52.890s

So, after ten years of enjoying the Forza Horizon series since the first one up to now, this is the ultimate Horizon Hero. The McLaren Senna, the hero car of Forza Horizon 4, is the ultimate Horizon Hero.

FOREVER KING.

And that's a wrap! This is the end of the Forza Horizon 10th Anniversary celebration. The celebration has ended but our journey on Forza Horizon 5 continues because there will be more surprises in store, starting with tomorrow's Donut Media collaboration series update as well as December's holiday series update. There will be more to come this 2023 so stick around!

Here's to ten more years of the Horizon Festival! 

The party never ends...

My FH5 Log: Horizon Heroes - McLaren Senna

Our Forza Horizon 10th anniversary celebration concludes with the showcasing of the hero car of Forza Horizon 4, the McLaren Senna.

Launched on October 2, 2018, Forza Horizon 4 made players experience Horizon UK in four seasons. Every week, the seasons have changed, giving players different ways to explore Britain while taking on weekly Festival Playlist challenges to win prizes as well as new cars. While exploring Britain, players can unlock Car Mastery perks on each car, experience unique challenges in Horizon Stories, purchase properties, and more. They can even create their own racetracks as well. 

Post-launch, Forza Horizon 4 was blessed with two expansions; the Fortune Island and LEGO Speed Champions. After that, the FH4 experience got powered up with the Eliminator battle royale mode and Horizon Super7. The latter pits players against seven player-made challenges to tackle. Clear them all, and you'll win a big prize. Forfeit, then it's game over.

With the launch of the Xbox Series X and S consoles in late 2020, FH4's been optimized for the latest consoles with higher fidelity graphics in 4K at 60fps as well as Quick Resume support.

About the hero car, the McLaren Senna is named in honor of the legendary three-time Formula 1 champion Ayrton Senna and it is the personification of McLaren's DNA at its most extreme, creating the purest connection between driver and car. The Senna is limited to 500 units and all have been already spoken for. As the ultimate McLaren designed to challenge the impossible, the Senna is a track-focused, road-legal hypercar that sets the new standard for McLaren. The 4.0L V8 Twin Turbo engine was sourced from the 720S but produces 800PS of power and 800Nm of torque, making it the most powerful internal combustion engine McLaren has ever built but it's not just the engine that powers it because with its outrageous weight savings as well as the lightweight carbon fiber core that forms it, it's the lightest McLaren ever made since the F1 with 1200kg of dry weight. This means that the Senna delivers a 668PS-per-tone power-to-weight ratio.

With the introduction done, it's time to take the Senna to the peak of the dormant volcano while battling against the most elite drivers. Let's see if it's still the king I'm familiar with since my Horizon UK shenanigans. Let battle commence.

Still the king.

Now that we get to know the hero cars of the Forza Horizon series, I think I had a brilliant idea with these machines and since I have found the ideal venue, it's time to bring all of the Horizon heroes for the ultimate showdown. The SRT Viper GTS, the Huracan, the Centenario, the Senna, and the AMG One will be clashing against one another on a sprint run at the Volcan, just to find out who is the ultimate Horizon hero.

Brace yourselves because this will be the decider that will end Forza Horizon's 10th-anniversary celebration. Who will be the ultimate Horizon hero? Stay tuned!

My GT7 Log: The Beasts of #PrimeDay

Gran Turismo 7 is joining the Prime Day madness as this game has the most insane heavy beasts that are prepared for the most insane moments of their lives. 

The F-150 SVT Raptor, the Renaultsport Megane III, the McLaren MP4-12C, and the Pagani Zonda R are the heavy beasts that can't wait to let their wild side unleashed on track.

Primed and ready, these four heavy beasts are known for unleashing their primal strengths wherever lay ahead. From the roaring sound of the 6.2L V8 engine of the F-150 SVT Raptor, the lightness of the Renaultsport Megane III, the motorsport-inspired dynamics of the 12C, and the Zonda R's ultimate expression of speed, these machines are business and leisure without compromise. I know, I always love saying that every Prime Day because these four unstoppable missiles are Prime Day's Jurassic menace.

To unleash the Jurassic menace of these four unstoppable missiles, it's time to let these heavy beasts accelerate violently through Watkins Glen, the newest addition to Gran Turismo 7's track roster. There are two variants of this new addition; the long one and the short one. I went for the long one just to make it more exciting and real.

Let the Jurassic menace begin!

These four unstoppable missiles... Only a few people are lucky enough to drive these while their concentration's on racing mode. However, there can be only one, and here is the result;

F-150 SVT Raptor - 2:29.042

Megane RS Trophy - 2:20.104

12C - 2:10.942

Zonda R - 1:49.354

The most unstoppable missile in Prime Day's Jurassic menace is the Zonda R.

Watching these four unstoppable missiles ripping through the track with such technology, lightness, and brutal power, well, scratch the second part because only three made the cut, this is the main reason why I love Prime Day. 

Prime Day is when I'm getting the maximum out of these heavy beasts no matter which video game I'm on. Life couldn't get even more exciting when you have the rare opportunity to drive such monsters.

See you next Prime Day, HALO guys!