It is time for the 28th Series in Forza Horizon 5 island the theme this time around is that of a “Winter Wonderland” and honestly, I think that the guys over at Forza.net have summed this season up pretty well :
“‘Twas night at Mexico when all through the Festival every car was stirring, including the rentals. The next update was coming with features galore: Four new cars, and a collectible we had seen before. Exciting new props for EventLab creations and fitting Winter Wonderland decorations. Four entire weeks of the Winter Season Secret Santa returns with two cars to feast on. New race routes, accolades, and a Car Pack from a movie. And a Winter Stadium to race in snow fluffy. Winter Wonderland is here as the year culminates as Forza Horizon 5’s latest update!“
Not much to add to that really, so let’s crack on with the week’s festivities, as I provide you with the cars and tunes you need to complete the Festival Playlist Weekly Challenges in Series 28.
Oh, and every season in Series 28 is Winter, so we’ll kick things off with Winter: Part 1 (this is most definitely not going to get confusing…)
Part 1: Weekly Car Challenge – Driven by Dreams
The weekly challenge car for Series 28 – Winter is a Porsche Cayman GT4 from 2018.I’m not a Porsche guy, but this looks alright, doesn’t it?
Should you not have one in your garage, the Autoshow can hook you up, in exchange for 85,000 of your finest credits that is!
Chapter 1 – Brilliantly Built
Get in your new car, take it for a spin. Step one complete!
Chapter 2 – Carrera Sharer
As the GT4 has the same engine as the Carrera S, we need to prove its power by earning 3 Speed Skills at the Winter Wonderland Stadium. Go do some zooming about!
There is a thin path around the outside of the area that makes this a lot easier.
Chapter 3 – Do a 180
Simply now win a race at the Winter Wonderland Circuit. How hard can it be?
Keeping the car stock is fine for this. The name of this chapter comes from the fact that the engine is rotated 180 degrees from how it is in the arse-engined 911.
Chapter 4 – Hand-Me-Downs
It’s not just the engine that this car pinched, it pretty much has the same brakes and suspension too.
To make use of them, we need to earn three stars at the Ringroad Speed Zone in one go! That’s an average of 95 mph, so a little tuning is called for I think.
Look for Cayman as a tune name with my GT, Red620Ti. GT4 is blocked by the inappropriate filter, for some reason!
Complete these tasks and we will be 5 points closer to the seasonal prizes!
Part 2: Weekly Challenges, Championships and PR Stunts
So, with the weekly challenge done and dusted, let’s dive into the rest of the mayhem on offer, shall we?
Two Eventlab bits this week does make me a bit less happy though…
The Trial – Playtime’s Over
Track Toys this week, with a tuning limit of S1 Class 900. Going to be a quick one!
I went with a Porsche 911 GT2 RS from 2012, and the share code is : 129256081. It’s a bit of a handful!
I hope my recent run of good luck when it comes to Trial teams continues.I’ve been good, Santa, honest!
Should we manage to win two out of three races, a Porsche Carrera is ours.
Eventlab 1 – HONZ12 Presents – Pie de Volcan
No pies to be seen, but we need a Retro Supercar tuned to A Class 800. I went with a Lambo Countach, and the share code is : 797737461.
This is pretty much a road track with some bits glued onto the side. It has a nice flow though, and so isn’t bad to drive.
The prize for completing this race is a set of Reindeer antlers. Looks stupid with the dino suit, mind…
Eventlab 1 – UNWORTHYPLEB Presents – Outskirt Scramble
We need a Modern Rally or Rally Monster car for this Eventlab, and the tuning limit is A Class 800. Sounds like a job for the Cossie V2 from Hoonigan, no? My share code is : 140648350.
This is a very enjoyable track, with the dirt surface making slides and drifts a doddle. Top marks for this one!
Take away a Super Wheelspin for completing this one.
PR Stunt 1 – Danger Sign – Los Jardines.
Each PR Stunt needs a different car this week, just for a change. This one needs a C Class 600 Toyota MR2 from 1989, and it needs to clear 230m.
Look for “MR2” as a share name with the GT you should know by now. Hitting the ramp north of 140 saw me clear the target.
We get a Super Wheelspin in return though. Yep, we’re back in that circle of endless Super Wheelspins.
PR Stunt 2 -Speed Trap – Vado Del Rio
This time the car we need is a B Class Golf R from 2014, and the speed trap is offroad to add a little spice. The share code for mine is : 597184084.
We need to blitz the trap at over 100 mph,.The approach from the south is easier, but the camera is in a river, so you really need to get your foot down.
Another Super Wheelspin awaits.
PR Stunt 3 – Speed Zone – Punta Allen
A D Class 500 Fiat 124 Spider and a target of an average of 90 mph through the zone sounds like a tricky combination, no? Look for share name Spider with my GT, Red620Ti.
Approaching from the north is easier as it is downhill
Yet another Super Wheelspin awaits. I reckon I could get to 100 unspun before the season is out.
Seasonal Championship 1 – Play it Forward
For this event, the brief is fairly loose – a C Class 600 FWD car. There is a lot of choice in this category, and I went with a Honda Civic Type R from 2007. Look for share name “Civic C” with my GT, Red620Ti.
For winning out, we can take home a Mini JCW from 2012. Better than a wheelspin, or a poke in the eye!
Seasonal Championship 2 – Greatest British
Time to feel all patriotic this time, as we need a S1 Class car from the UK to take part.
I chose an Aston Martin (of course I did!) and the Vantage from 2019. My share code is : 464639407.
Should we win out, a McLaren 720S Spider will be ours to take away.
Seasonal Championship – When Nature Calls
For this event we are sticking with the British theme, as we need an A Class 800 Land Rover to take part. I went with a Range Rover from 1973, and the share code is : 820731923.
For winning out, a Mitsubishi Lancer MR from 2004 will be the take away.
Part 3: Other Challenges
There’s always more to get involved in than just the racing, and that is the case again this week with Series 28 Winter: Part 1.
There’s the Photo Challenge, and a Treasure Hunt to try. There’s also some Horizon Arcade and Open Racing to turn our hand to.They are packing the content in, aren’t they?
Photo Challenge – #ALPNERETREAT
We need to go to either the Hotel Mirador or the Hotel Castello, take an Alpine car with us, and get snap happy. Sounds pretty simple, right?
See up top for my artistic effort, and below for the location.
The reward? A new car horn that sounds like Sleigh Bells. How festive.
Treasure Hunt – Ain’t Snow Mountain High Enough
The clue for this hunt reads: “A chill climb you must start, From Los Arboles you’ll depart, Once you get to Mountain Top You’re sure to gain a lot!”
Poetry as well this week.
I guess we simply need to drive from Los Arboles speed trap all the way to the Mountain Top Danger Sign. The picture shows an R34 Nissan Skyline, so I used a stock one of those to do this. The 2002 model, in case you’re not up on your model numbers!
The chest contains 100FP, and the location is shown below.
Horizon Arcade – Mini Games
You know the drill by now I’m sure. Choose an Arcade session (they are big pink circles on the map) and then simply complete all three rounds to win – Drift, Air, Wreckage, Chaos or Speed, pick your poison and do your best.
But what is that prize? Well, it’s only 3 whole points to the weekly totals! One per round, I guess.
Horizon Open – Claus and Effect
That is the worst pun I’ve seen yet.
For this event, we have to earn a slingshot skill in Open Racing – basically, draft off an opponent, then use the extra speed to overtake them. Sounds easy enough, but it is actually a bit tricky to do with real live people!
No tune as it could be any class, but have a crack at it and you too could be the proud owner of a Red Nose. Makes it all worthwhile…
Part 4: Hot Wheels Events
If you have the Hot Wheels expansion and are an Elite Level player, then you get to enjoy a couple of extra events.
Seasonal PR Stunt – Speed Trap – Dragon’s Fall
This week, we have to use a Toyota GR Supra, and luckily here’s one I prepared earlier! Share code 984217186.
This time we need to zoom past the trap at over 200 mph, which sounds a lot, but there is a good long run up from the left.
A Super Wheelspin is your reward.
Seasonal Championship – Too Hot to Handle
We need a car from the Hot Wheels range for this set of races, and only tuned to A Class 800.
I went for a stock Deora II, as it is already at the correct limit.
Completing the championship will get us a Porsche 718 GTS, which is nice.
Part 5: Rally Adventure Events
The Rally Adventure expansion brings even more events to the roster and provided you are already a Horizon Badlands champion, you’ll get access to the following couple of events…
Seasonal PR Stunt -Speed Zone – Crateres Secos
The restriction here is a Ford Escort from 1973, and a tuning limit of C Class 600. Look for share name Escort with my GT, Red620Ti.
We need to average over 62 mph through this zone, which doesn’t sound too tricky, right? Some tight bends mean cutting is your friend.
The prize is another Super Wheelspin. Sigh.
Seasonal Championship – Reap the Rewards
This championship needs a Lancia tuned to B Class 700. I went with a Delta (why wouldn’t you?) and a stock S4 was my weapon of choice. Save the pennies, it’s nearly Christmas!
For winning out, we can take away an Audi RS4 from 2001.
With Series 28 just kicking off, there are new reward cars to aim at – a Porsche MissionR for 80 points, and for 160 pts it is a Koenigsegg Agera.
There are also two cars as an extra bonus to aim at, with gifts being sent the key. The first is an exclusive GMA T.50, and the second is also exclusive, but a secret for now. Get sending gifts!
If you need a few extra points to get you over the line, the monthly Rivals challenges are here; Marigold Sprint for proper cars, and the new Winter Wonderland Circuit for regular cars too. Stick some clean laps in and Bob should be the brother of your mother. 4 points are on offer if you return clean laps for each one, so worth having a go at!
Grab enough points and Series 28 Winter: Part 1 (remember, every season is Winter this time around) also sees you given access to the exclusive Lotus 2-Eleven for 20 points. Additionally, for 40 points we can get an MG6 XPower, a hard to find car. But sadly not exclusive!
Stick around if you need guides to the rest of the Series, as it is revealed each Thursday I’ll do my best to keep you abreast of what you need and what you need to do.
To enjoy these events in the Festival Playlist Weekly Challenges, you’ll need a copy of Forza Horizon 5. It’s available on Game Pass, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC and on the cloud via mobile. The Xbox Store will sort you out with a download.
Let us know in the comments if I have helped, hindered or missed the mark with these tunes.
