Spring has sprung in Mexico, and while I am already getting excited about Series 17 of the Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist Weekly Challenges (Japanese cars! Yay!), we do have one more section of Series 16 to work through, focusing on the finest of Fords.
Still, it is the hot season this time as Series 16 – Spring comes around, so the action should be heating up in Mexico. You’ll be wanting some new cars and tunes in order to best those challenges and races though eh?
Part 1: #Forzathon Weekly Challenge – Rally Legend
The subject of the weekly car challenge for Series 16 – Spring is a classic one, the one and only RWD Escort Rs1800 MkII from 1977. And not just any Escort, the #5 Racing one no less.
Now, this is a proper rally legend, right up there with your Evos and Imprezas, and while it may be a little more agricultural than the all-singing AWD weapons, the poise and balance of a light car with big power is rightly famous.
If you don’t have one, they can be obtained from the Autoshow for the princely sum of 300,000 credits.
Chapter 1 – Fast Fordward
Step one is as easy as ever – get in the car and drive it. Very straightforward!
Chapter 2 – Special Stage
Now we need to look back on this car’s heritage, as it was built to Group 4 spec for rallying. What this means is we need to win a dirt race in it; whichever one takes your fancy.
To make this a tad easier, I tuned my Escort up to B Class, and the share code is: 793610371. A bit of AWD always makes things better.
Chapter 3 – Triple Caution
Next we have to earn three Ultimate Air Skills in the car, because Escorts spend more time with their wheels in the air than on the floor or something?
A good area for this is Dunas Blancas on the left of the map, drive in a straight line over the dunes and you’ll be flying in no time.
Chapter 4 – Danger Over Crest
For the final step, we merely have to earn five stars at Danger Signs. Pick you favourite and start jumping!
Once this is done, bask in the warm glow of a job well done and enjoy 5 points towards the weekly rewards.
Part 2: Challenges
The Event Gods have been kind this week, granting us more PR Stunts and a whole lot less Eventlab. Alongside The Trial and the usual racing championships, we should have enough to keep us occupied I think.
The Trial – Time To Focus
The title of this race is actually a clever pun or play on words, as we have to use the Focus RS from 2017 to compete in this championship, and we have to tune it up to a maximum of A Class 800. I tuned mine a tad to make this share code: 151963655.
Assuming that you have better luck with team mates than I normally manage to dredge up when I do these events (seriously, I’m thinking of naming and shaming the worst offenders!) and manage to win two out the three races, you will walk away with a shiny new Ford Escort Cosworth.
And if you are looking for a rally inspired livery for it, check my Repsol one out, share code: 242387582. I threatened to make one, after all.
Seasonal Playground Games – Team King
Another week, another invite to play a Playground Games session, and this week the subject is Team King.
Basically, some people have a crown, and if they are on the other team, crash into them to take it. Don’t hang on to it too long though, as it will slow you down after about 30 seconds.
These events are generally off road flavoured, and so as the only restriction is a Ford in the B Class 700 range, I went with a Ford Ranger T6 Rally Raid car. The share code is: 166960440.
Win or lose, we will walk away with a Ford RS200 for our trouble. Nice.
Danger Sign – Cannonball
A jump, a requirement of a Ford car with a class of S1 900, and a distance to clear – in this case it is 220m.
Obviously, with the approach being on-road, we need something that will grip and fly, so the choice is simple – Shelby GT500 from 2020, share code: 335181307.
A Super wheelspin is yours for sailing through the air.
Speed Trap – Bypass
Another PR Stunt, the same restriction, namely a Ford in the S1 Class 900 range. Usually my response would be to reach for a Mustang, and in this case, as the speed target is 170mph, I felt that instinct may well be right.
I used the Shelby GT500 from 2020 again. You may notice a pattern forming here…
Another Super Wheelspin can be yours.
Speed Zone – Atlantes De Tula
Same restriction as previously for this speed zone, and as the average speed we need to maintain is 150 mph and the surface is tarmac, I had to go for the same Shelby as the previous two PR stunts.
This is a much stiffer challenge than the previous two, however, as there are two very nasty bends to take into account. It says something that in my S2 Class Koenigsegg, my record for this one is only 157mph…
For a change, we will get a Super Wheelspin if we are successful. Remember that pattern!?
Seasonal Championship – Track Time
Take a Ford, from the Track Toy category, tune it to S1 Class 900 and go racing. What could be simpler?
Well, there’s not a massive choice of cars that fit that particular Venn diagram, and so I went with a somewhat left field choice, the Ford Supervan 3!
My share code is: 142867545 and the brakes on this thing are astonishing, so making up time in the corners is a good plan.
Winning the championship, or best two out of three if you can persuade someone to stay in a convoy through a whole championship, and you will walk away with a Shelby GT500 from 2020. Which is handy as we need to use this in an upcoming championship!
Seasonal Championship – Grass Routes
This time we are again limited to a single car, the #11 Ford F-150 and to a maximum of A 800. Obviously car choice is taken care of, and so my share code for this beastie is: 163161566.
This thing isn’t awfully shy, and with AWD taming the wild oversteer urges, it should steer you right.
For emerging victorious, a Ford Raptor from 2011 will be our prize.
Seasonal Championship – Shelby Street
Take the shiny new GT500 we won a few minutes ago, tune it to the tippy top of S1 Class 900, and go racing on the mean streets of Mexico. I don’t think you need that share code again, but in cased you do – 335181307.
This thing grips and goes, and as long as there aren’t any insomniac Mexicans driving about, it should be fine.
For winning, either alone or with friends, we will take home a Ford Mustang from 1965. Which coincidentally is the subject of the photo challenge this week! It’s almost like they have thought about this…
Horizon Tour – Co-Op Championships
Ah, the Tour, my favourite multiplayer activity in the game. Simply team up with a group of like minded racers, beat some driverbots, and indulge in a little light point to point racing between races. What could be better?
Recommending a car is pretty much impossible, sadly, as we can’t predict what class we need, but join in and have fun.
You will receive three points towards your weekly prizes for doing this.
Part 3: Other Challenges
Slim pickings this week in the other challenges section, as there is only a photo to take and that’s it!
Photo Challenge -#FORDZATHON
Take the Ford Mustang GT Coupe from 1965 that you won a moment ago to Uxmal and take a photograph. Not sure what else to tell you, really!
I’ll include a photo of my car and the location below for you to judge. Oh, and you can take a Super Wheelspin for your trouble; no stupid clothing this week.
Part 4: Hot Wheels Events
Have you reached Elite level in the Hot Wheels expansion? Are you looking for a little bit of extra spice, a little extra challenge this week? Well, have I got news for you!
Speed Trap – Nexus View
Get in an S1 Class 900 Ford, and scream past the camera at above 190 mph. What could be easier?
I went with the same Shelby as earlier (and indeed, that I recommend for the championship below) and managed it okay, despite the car topping out at just over 200mph.
Approach from the north to make the most of the speed boost from the loop immediately before it.
Another Super Wheelspin will be yours for zooming sufficiently.
Seasonal Championship – Sightseeing
An S1 Class 900 limit, a Ford Restriction and a series of races to win… You know what that means, don’t you? Yep, it’s Mustang time! I went with the same Shelby GT500 as before (seriously, this thing has been awesome this week), and the share code is still 335181307.
For winning, we will get a van. A Ford Transit SSV to be precise, but at the end of the day it is still a van…
And that is us done with Series 16 of the Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist Weekly Challenges. If, for some strange reason, you’ve not yet done the two Monthly Rivals Events, then tick those off and earn 4pts for each by nailing some clean laps around the Horizon Baja Scramble and Emerald Circuit (Forza EV). But from there, you can just go and clean up your final car rewards for this season.
Those rewards come in the form of Series 16 gifts of the MG6 XPower for 80pts, and the Hoonicorn V2 for 160pts – you should have more than enough for both of those if you’ve been following our guides over the last few weeks. But Spring has a couple more for you to grab too, most notably the Renault Clio ‘10 and a No.14 Ford Fiesta.
Next up is the chance to hit the mean streets of Japan with some new cars, new challenges and more, all through the fun of Series 17. We’ll have guides for all of Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring as they come about.
To complete the Forza Horizon 5 Festival Playlist Weekly Challenges for Series 16 Spring – or to just enjoy the game for what it is – you’ll need a copy of the brilliant Forza Horizon 5 in your digital library. It’s available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S or PC, all via the Xbox Store, for a cash outlay or through an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Drop into the comments and let us know if the cars listed have helped you out this week. We’d love to know if they are helping you out.
Great guide and tunes as always Paul, thanks
Thank you for the kind words!