The Mountain Dew Car Pack for Forza Horizon 3 featuring seven very special cars, including two legendary classics, one from Australia and the other, America. The 48-215, otherwise known as the 1951 Holden FX Sedan, was a post-war breakthrough for Australian car fans, featuring the roomy ruggedness that Aussies demanded. For Americans, the AMC Gremlin X was a response to the fuel crisis of the 1970s, resulting in a car whose distinctive shape has become the stuff of legend. For fans who want a bit more speed, this month’s pack features the GT version of Ferrari’s classic F50, as well as the 2016 Lotus 3-Eleven – a track car in its purest form.
The Mountain Dew Car Pack is available as a standalone purchase for Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One and on Windows 10 PCs (Xbox Play Anywhere). As always, all the cars in the pack are compatible with both the Blizzard Mountain and Hot Wheels expansions.
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| AMC Gremlin 1973 |
Described by AMC as “the first American-built import,” and based on an AMC chief stylist’s sketch on an air-sickness bag, the AMC Gremlin was a two-fold response both to Japanese imports of the time and to the fuel crisis. AMC did not have the budget for a full-fledged new car to match up with Ford and GM’s new import beaters, so they developed the Gremlin first on a shortened Hornet. Resembling a sawed-off station wagon, the Gremlin is only slightly longer than a VW Beetle, although its long hood gives the impression of a larger car. The “X” trim package came with stripes, body color fascia, slotted road wheels, and a blacked-out grill insert. While these features did not make the Gremlin any faster – it was already the most powerful sub-compact – they did increase appeal and contributed to a 30 percent increase in sales for 1973.
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| Chevy Vega 1971 |
Motor Trend magazine granted the honor of the 1971 Car of the Year award to the Chevy Vega. Its smaller size, good performance for the low entry-level price of around $2,500, and a strong sell from Chevrolet’s then-division manager John Delorean, made it a good choice for the American car buyer. At the time, the automotive market was in upheaval due to gas prices, and the Dart’s four-cylinder motor and smart styling it proved very appealing. Despite many quality issues over the seven years of Vega production, the model sold well over a million units. In GT form, the then-innovative all-aluminum block with cast iron head put out around 110 hp. The F-41 handling package also included on the GT model adds to what is already a nimble car with a strong power-to-weight ratio. The Vega’s looks were always its strongest suit though, and thankfully, those aesthetics have aged well.
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| Dodge Dart GT 2013 |
The Dodge Dart name has a legendary history to live up to, having served Mopar fans with everything from drag strip records to millions of miles dependably driven. The new Dart, especially in its GT dress, affords Dodge fans a lively compact sedan that makes getting from point A to point B anything but mundane. The 2.4-liter four cylinder is only found in the GT and brings a rousing 184 horsepower to bear, as well as a sport-tuned suspension. Since the Dart shares the Alfa Romeo Giulietta platform, you will feel the heart of and Italian coming through what is on the outside an all-American sedan.
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| Ferrari F50GT 1996 |
With enough F50s produced and roaming the streets, Ferrari could homologate the incredible car for racing purposes, and thus the F50 GT was born. The primary name of the game was increased power and less weight — 200 horsepower more of the former, and much lighter. In fact, during testing on Ferrari’s private test track, it was able to lap faster than the 333 SP, Ferrari’s then-current Le Mans prototype racer. However, after that incredible lap, Ferrari closed shop on the F50 GT program. The bottom line is that the F50 GT is an incredible track car, with blistering speed and incredible cornering ability, considering that it is based on a road-going vehicle. In addition, it’s one of the rarest Ferraris around, with only three models ever built.
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| Holden FX Sedan 1951 |
“Australia’s Own Car,” the 48-215 – as it is properly referred to – was originally conceived as a small Chevrolet but was judged to be too small for America’s love of large vehicles. With impetus from the Australian government to create an indigenous vehicle, the FX sedan catered to the needs of post-World War 2 Aussies. In a word, that meant rugged. The FX alone moved car ownership down under, from one in eight Aussies to one in four becoming car owners. Short of many luxuries, the FX did have excellent dust sealing, and in the rural and dusty roads of the Outback, that alone was a valued commodity. Dependability is the hallmark of the humbly named “Humpy,” and it set the stage for generations of innovation on the simple idea of giving the people what they wanted.
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| Lotus 3 Eleven 2016 |
Limited to just 311 models, the 3-Eleven does what Lotus does best by paraphrasing legendary Lotus designer Colin Chapman: keep things simple and add lightness. At just over 2,000 pounds, and powered by a supercharged version of the Toyota V-6 that can be found in the Evora and Exige, the 3-Eleven is a purist’s track car. You won’t find amenities, you won’t even find a roof, but what comes in abundance is track-oriented performance that defines this car. Where 410 horsepower is miniscule in comparison to the supercars of today, the 3-Eleven does what Lotus cars do best. Rarely does less equate to more, but in the 3-Eleven, you will find that sometimes the essentials are all you need.
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| Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX 1995 |
This is the car that put Mitsubishi on the map for the tuning, racing, and enthusiast community. It’s the car that paved the way for the invasion of performance all-wheel drive cars from Japan, and the one proved that high performance wasn’t solely the domain of the more expensive sports cars. Under the signature offset hood bump is the legendary 4G63 engine, sporting all manner of technology and fed by a turbocharger to provide 210 horsepower. Of course, any import enthusiast will be drawn to all the options to tweak and tune the Eclipse to be the ultimate expression of practically any driving style. Whether it’s bone stock or heavily modified, the Eclipse provides something for everybody, and that’s just one reason why it was so successful.
