Untamable

2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento (Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit)

So, Armed & Dangerous came out yesterday and already people are having a blast playing cops & robbers all over Seacrest County. Well, to make things more exciting, Lamborghini have brought in three of their renowned cars to Seacrest in order to see what the racers and cops think of them. There's the classic Countach, the legendary Diablo, and this: the Sesto Elemento, which is no longer a concept car. Yes! You can actually buy this car for about $3 Million. But, why pay that much to drive the car in real life than pay just $6.99 to drift with the car in Seacrest County while outrunning cops. And it's not like the cops are left out either.

2011 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Interceptor

The car features the same 570 horsepower 5.2-liter V10 engine that you get in the Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera. But, the entire car, including the chassis, is made out of carbon fiber, bringing the weight to just 1 ton (1,000 kg). Because of this, 0 to 60 is done in a staggering 2.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 217 MPH. You can already guess what tier this car belongs in. Be sure to drive this car along with the other bulls in the Lamborghini Untamed DLC, which will be released March 1.

More DLC Madness

2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss (Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit)

Well TDU 2 is out and everybody joining in. But, if you thought that the best racing of 2010 was done, well, think again. More DLCs have been confirmed for Need For Speed Hot Pursuit coming in the next few weeks. Next week, an all new DLC named Armed and Dangerous will be released. This brings in two new modes to the game including Most Wanted & Arms Race. In Most Wanted, it's classic cops and robbers with the cops chasing down the racers and the racers protecting the most wanted driver. In Arms Race, it's every man for himself as racer weapons will be activated along with them for use in a races. The week after that, Lamborghini Untamed will be released. This gives racers and cops an access to three new vehicles from, you guessed it, Lamborghini. First, there's the ever famous Lamborghini Diablo, which has been in the Need For Speed franchise since the beginning. Then there's the artistically designed Lamborghini Countach, which was known for being good looking, but with horrible handling. And finally, to put the icing on the cake, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept Car will be available, which on record is the lightest Lamborghini ever built. The week after that, Porsche Unleashed is reborn in Seacrest County giving cops and racers access to three of Stuttgart's finest. First up, the classic 1982 911 Turbo. Then, there's the legendary Porsche 959, one of the best Porsches ever built. Finally, there's the ultra-exclusive 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster, commemorating the classic 550 Speedster from Porsche's very beginning. So, there's the layout for you. There will be new events and new achievements to unlock. Each DLC will be worth $6.99 and will be available for the PS3 and XBOX 360 only. Check out the video below to see the rundown.

NFS Hot Pursuit Car Profiles: Koenigsegg Agera

2011 Koenigsegg Agera

When it comes to making hyper cars, Koenigsegg knows how to make them and make them well. The last time I tested a Koenigsegg, it was the limited edition CCXR, that could hit over 254 MPH. The one you see here is a follow-up to the already great CCX. They call it the Agera and it was made, as all of the other cars were, to be one of the fastest cars on earth. Some of you may look at the body of this car and say, "Wait a minute. This is just a redesigned CCX." Trust me on this one though. It isn't.

Predecessor & Successor

The popular 4.7-liter Twin-Supercharged V8 has been ditched for an all new 5.0-liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 engine. This also increased the power output from 806 to 950 horsepower. 0 to 60 is done in just 3.0 seconds on its way to an alleged top speed of 253 MPH. With the Nitrous topped out, you should reach 257 MPH. Koenigsegg wanted this car to be as fast, or better yet, faster than the king of hyper cars, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. It could happen, but I really don't think so. Anyway, the car has also ditched the standard 6-speed manual for a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission, it has all new stabilizers for sturdiness on the road, and its eyes are now jeweled with LEDs to make it pretty. Don't be fooled though. This thing is an absolute monster.

Highway Cruise

If it weren't for that rear wing, this car would be much faster and 10x more dangerous. With the wing on, the car corners better and is more precise. As a straight-line speeder, it's a rocket ship. I easily overtook guys in McLaren F1s and Gumperts. But you have to be careful though. Once you get to a corner, you'll have to tame the car, because it is a ferocious beast. The CCX almost killed the STIG. Who knows what this car can do.

Exotic in its Natural Habitat

Other than that, this car looks nice, handles well, is seriously fast, and with prices starting at about $900,000, is for the bloke who needs an alternative to smoking. For a car built in a peaceful country known as Sweden, it truly shows just how mad they can get with cars.

NFS Hot Pursuit Car Profiles: McLaren MP4-12C

2011 McLaren MP4-12C Burnout

There are some manufacturers that add Formula One pedigree to their road cars, and this is one of them. New from McLaren, it's the MP4-12C, the car paving the way to success for the company. Its great ancestor, the F1, was one of the greatest cars in the world and is, to this day, the fastest naturally aspirated car in the world with a top speed of 240 MPH. This car, unfortunately, won't do that speed. The F1 had 627 horsepower fueled by a 6.0-liter BMW V12 engine. This has a 3.8-liter Twin-Turbocharged McLaren V8 engine producing only 592 horsepower. The F1 reached 0 to 60 in just 3.2 seconds. This one will do it in 3.6 seconds. The F1 had a 3 seats with one slap-bang in the middle for the ultimate racing experience. This one has the standard two-seater configuration that you get in a regular sports car. And, as for top speed, it will only do about 205 MPH. So, it isn't as great as an F1. But, what about its true competitors?

Watch Your Speed!

Well, McLaren built this car to take on Ferrari's 458 Italia, Lamborghini's Gallardo, and Lexus' LFA. So, comparing their power to the power in this car, this is definitely better. With the nitrous topped out, you should reach 224 MPH. The Gallardo won't even get that far. This car also features their patent-pended 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The 458 Italia has this as well, but since McLaren applied some F1 pedigree into this car, the gear changes are almost seamless, making it very quick in the acceleration. It's gonna take Ferrari a while to compete with that. In terms of exclusivity, the MP4-12C will be built for everyone with starting costs at $229,000. That's almost $150K less than the ridiculous LFA. And, to make things better, it's actually faster than it.

Night Drifting

Since this car weighs less than 1.5 tons, it should be good in the corners, and it is. Drifting is done with a simple flick of the wrist. It's that easy. Maneuvering through traffic is done in a breeze because of this car's perfect weight distribution. Since the engine is in the middle, the car remains well balanced, and therefore, you can take turns on a dime and still remain composed. This car is unbelievably good!

Helicopter Pad

So, there we are. It's taken then 5 years to make this, and the turnout is absolutely brilliant. You should have some fun evading police or thrashing friends all around Seacrest County with this thing.

Start it Up!

2011 McLaren MP4-12C (Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit)

It's official! McLaren has officially started the production of the its new supercar, the MP4-12C. This car was built to compete against the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 and the Ferrari 458 Italia. Well, for starters, it looks pretty good, and that should get you to believing that it's fast. You better believe that it's fast. Under the hood is McLaren's new 3.8-liter Twin-Turbocharged V8 engine producing 592 horsepower. 0 to 60 is reached in less than 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 204 MPH. It's light as well, weighing just under 3,000 lb. Prices start at $229,000, which is in line with its competitors. But, what makes this car unique is that it signifies the comeback of one of the greatest car manufacturers in the world. Vodafone McLaren drivers and former F1 champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button had a go at the MP4-12C, and they loved it. Check out what they did below.

NFS Hot Pursuit Car Profiles: Porsche 911 GT3 RS

2011 Porsche 911 GT3 RS

The last Porsche I tested in this game was the 911 GT2 RS, which was, by all means, a complete maniac. Once I got into this Porsche, however, a complete change of mood overwhelmed me. By looking at it, you could imagine that a car with red vinyls, a red wing, red mirror covers, a red grille, a red roll cage, red interior, and red rims would seem almost ridiculous, like it would sit in a shed planning different ways to execute its drivers. The thing is though, it isn't. This is the most stable and completely practical Porsche I've ever driven, which is odd given that this car was meant to be a track racer.

Tunnel Drift

We all know what the Porsche 911 looks like. The hardcore version of the 911 is the GT3 with added body work, more power, and less weight. The hardcore version of the GT3 is this car, the GT3 RS with even more power, less weight, racing wing, racing tires, and racing pedigree. So, think of this car as the hardcore version of the hardcore version of the 911. The 3.8-liter Flat-6 has been tuned from 345 to 450 horsepower. 0 to 60 is now reached in 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 193 MPH making this the fastest non-turbo 911 of the lot. That's all very good, but is the handling good as well?

Oakmont Valley

Very is the simple answer. This car was meant to be a race car for the road, and Porsche has certainly achieved this. The car feels very light and nimble in the corners. It doesn't mind letting itself loose sometimes, unlike some Ferraris that are somewhat restrained. When it comes to speed, you should be doing over 207 MPH with the Nitrous topped up. That should scare the SCPD a little. But, the best thing about this version of the 911 is that it's calm.

Filling the Tank up

Now, you may be looking at this car and going, "This is quite flashy! I don't think it's resolved the calm bit behind it." Don't be fooled. This car sets a different mood when you're behind the wheel of it. When you're cruising around Seacrest County at a reasonable speed of say 45 MPH, it stays calm and cool. The suspension is snug and comfortable and the car itself just glides along the road like a magic carpet. Put your foot down, the mood changes from soft and steady to wild and crazy. This car has a racing style pedigree so expect it rip your face off when you come to a corner. But, when you're feeling tired from mashing your foot into the carpet, or in this case punching the R2 Button with your thumb, and you feel like cruising again, the car's mood will change once more and you'll feel like you're driving in Paradise.

Rest Stop

If I had one criticism about this car is that throughout the years, Porsche has never managed to change the design of the 911 from its olden time Beetle shape that most of us have always hated. And this one is no exception, I mean look at it! It looks like a squashed beetle with a wing on it! Anyway, to buy one of these in real life requires $135,500 of your money. That does sound like a lot, but remember that this is part racing car. Buying the actual 911 GT3 RSR would cost over $400,000. Be thankful Porsche limited it to about $136,000.

NFS Hot Pursuit Car Profiles: Porsche 911 GT2 RS

2011 Porsche 911 GT2 RS

This has got to be the sickest Porsche 911 I've ever driven in this game. It might look like a regular Porsche GT2, but everything about it is much more monstrous. For example, the front trunk is now made of Carbon Fiber rather than metal. The wheels are lighter alloys made for track racing. The massive wing in the rear is now much larger for aerodynamic purposes. And that 3.6-liter Twin-Turbocharged Flat-6 engine under the hood now produces 620 horsepower making this the most powerful Porsche ever made. 0 to 60 is done in 3.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 205 MPH making it one of the fastest Porsches ever made. With the Nitrous topped out, you should reach 220 MPH, which is unbelievably fast. So, there are a lot of improvements making this better than the previous GT2 back in 2007. But, there are still some problems that need to be addressed. Problem #1: Power.

Too Much Power

The lightness is a good thing, but send too much power to the rear and you're in serious trouble. This car just has an ambition to slide whenever it gets the chance to. Put your foot down, and you'll lose control of a drift. Even being gingerly doesn't work because this car has a monstrous mind of its own. Now some of you Vette fans may be wondering, "Wait a minute. The ZR1 has 638 horsepower, is lighter, and runs at an insane top speed. This Porsche is no different." You're right and wrong. You see what GM has done that Porsche didn't think of was make the ZR1 good for public and racing roads. Yes, the car is low to ground, but it still features that classy GM suspension that absorbs bumps and cracks in the road, making it more comfortable. When cruising, it's calm and well tamed. It's like GM taming a ferocious lion. This Porsche is way different. They failed to tame the lion and it will eat the heads of any of its drivers. You lean one way, the Porsche will go the other way. You go gingerly, the Porsche will attack ferociously. In the end, it's all going to go wrong.

A Tunnel: where the Porsche sounds best

Problem #2: Grip. I imagined that when Porsche added the RS at the end of GT2, they would put more grip into the car. But, alas, they didn't. If you like drifting round every corner, that's fine. But, this Porsche, in the corners, is just crazy. The 911 GT3 RS is more of a track racer. Even with Sport Tires, it handles corners fairly well. This car just wants to go sideways at each corner. It's so difficult to control.

Pure Speed

But, there is one thing that this Porsche does extremely well: go fast. If you hit the top speed then slam on the nitrous, this Porsche will blow every other Exotic Car out of the park. When running from the police, they won't be able to even catch you. It might not be the greatest drifter or grip car, but give this car a mile-long straight and it will fly. But, honestly, this Porsche, all around, is crazy, from the price ($245,000) to the handling. I thought it best to take a rest and leave it in parking lot after testing it. In fact, I actually did.

Leave It and Don't Touch It

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And the Awards Keep Flowing In

2010 Best of IGN = Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit (Courtesy of NeedForSpeed.com)

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit has already received recognition at E3, Gamespot, and Gameinformer. It holds the mantle as the best driving game of 2010. You think the awards stop there? Today, IGN awarded NFSHP for being the best multiplayer game of 2010. This is a big honor. There have been many multiplayer games out there like Halo: Reach, Call of Duty: Black Ops, even World of Warcraft. But, out of those heavy-hitters, this awesome racing game turned out to be one of the best. Well done Need For Speed! Check out my review here.