Throughout 2024, four new volumes will drop for NFS Unbound and today’s launch of Vol. 7 is good news for Speedhunters fans in more than one way.

Firstly, it is centred around Drift & Drag – two motorsport disciplines Speedhunters has supported (and adored) since we launched in 2008. But secondly – and more importantly – we’ve created two Speedhunters customs, especially for this latest volume.

Before we get to those cars, a little bit of housekeeping is needed from our side before the comments section erupts. Earlier this year, we announced we’d be working closely with Need for Speed to bring the Speedhunters audience not just game-specific updates but bespoke stories like a history lesson on Audi’s quattro, along with (handily) a look at the evolution of drift and drag over the years.

It is a little-known fact that EA Games has played an instrumental role in the Speedhunters project since day one, and given how many of us have grown up around racing titles like Need for Speed, it seemed like a no-brainer to bring the two entities closer together. Providing there is added value for both readers and gamers.

Now, onto the good stuff. Vol 7. Drift & Drag officially drops today and is the second in four volumes being added to NFS Unbound this year. We’ve already seen the return of Audi in Need for Speed and a new PVP mode from Vol. 6, but the latest addition will take that gaming experience to a whole new level.

Early on in the Need for Speed press release, four words immediately made us raise our eyebrows: “inspired by NFS Underground”. How many of you remember this absolute gem from back in 2003? Whether it’s the soundtrack (which is still solid even by 2024 standards) or the simple fact it took car customisation to levels never seen before, NFS Underground remains one of those gaming pillars in the world of car tuning and was an entry point for many of us into the scene. So, any mention of it is worth getting excited about.

Vol. 7 reintroduces Drift and Drag modes (including new Drift Tires for improved handling in specialized builds), along with a new League progression which we’ll cover shortly. But the real party piece comes in the form of two new fully customizable vehicles to play – the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and the 2023 BMW M3 Touring.

Both of these cars can be considered Speedhunters bread and butter. With this in mind, the team at EA Games allowed us to create our very own Speedhunters customs as unlockable models to appear in Vol. 7. Don’t worry, we’ve got a much bigger story planned on this entire process and how a car like the M3 Touring gets a drift-spec makeover.

A huge amount of credit goes to Speedhunters regular (and car design guru) Bryn Alban of EA Games, who was tasked with designing and rendering the two Speedhunters customs. The M3 Touring follows a more street/drift style – the sort of car you’d expect to see at Final Bout with deep-dish Work wheels, a widened exterior finished in an almost olive-like green, and a killer stance to tie it together.

As for the Mustang, it’s a murdered-out drag monster. We’re talking Weld wheels, giant rear slicks, an alloy drag spoiler and a parachute for good measure. Sure, Vol. 7 might be inspired by Underground, but we’ve taken a little seasoning from NFS Pro Street with this Mustang.

Both of these customs are available with the optional Premium Speed Pass, which immediately grants you both cars, their three body kits, and three Rare Custom versions. And that’s before you’ve unlocked the extra 30 tiers of content (on top of 45 tiers from the regular Speed Pass), which include LED and LCD rims that even feature the old boost gauge from Underground as a cool nod to the past.

It is also worth noting the regular Speed Pass gets 45 tiers of unlocks and access to the M3 Touring, along with an Underground-inspired drag car, character skins and new cosmetics.

What about League? Simply put, the League revitalizes the competitive spirit of NFS Underground, allowing you to challenge new Rival Racers in head-to-head battles and a community challenge that requires a collective effort to unlock the final boss and claim a new custom. Expect rivals to appear regularly with new leagues on the way, giving a much richer single-player experience in Free Roam especially.

We’re genuinely excited about this latest volume for Unbound, and the team at Need For Speed is super keen to hear your feedback, too.

We might be heavily biased about which customs are our favourites, but we’d also love to see your creations in the comments.

If you are still on the fence about which volume to go for, there are still two more to come after Drift & Drag, and we already know the next volume is being inspired by another classic NFS title – Hot Pursuit. We’ll bring you more news shortly.

The Speedhunters
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