One of Need for Speed’s most iconic aspects is the ‘hero’ cars associated with each title.

From A$AP Rocky’s 190 E Mercedes in the latest NFS Unbound to the unmistakable E46 BMW M3 GT-R that graced the cover of NFS Most Wanted back in 2005, hero cars aren’t always the rarest or most expensive models in Need for Speed. But they do become an integral part of the gameplay, either as a boss to defeat or a car to unlock as you progress.

This hasn’t always been the case with Need for Speed. In the early titles, where customisation was limited and the gameplay was more arcade-focused, ‘halo’ cars were shown on covers to entice gamers with the kind of models they could expect to race. But all that changed with the introduction of NFS Underground in 2003…

Eddie’s Skyline R34 wasn’t just the halo cover car – it was the car to battle right up until the final challenge. What’s more, it could only be unlocked after earning a cool 3 million style points, something which wasn’t just exclusive to Underground, as variations of Eddie’s R34 could be unlocked in later titles including Most Wanted, Payback and Heat.

Speaking of Heat, you can thank Speedhunters’ friend and design guru Khyzyl Saleem for the incredible body kit applied to the Polestar One hero car – something which was then recreated in real life to coincide with the game’s launch back in 2019. Five years on, it still looks as fresh as ever.

The problem with delving into Need for Speed hero cars is that different titles will trigger different memories from various chapters of your own life. So while certain cars might look a little ‘old school’ by today’s standards, you can’t help but still adore them as you’re transported back on a nostalgic trip down gaming memory lane.

The team at Need for Speed aren’t silly; they know these hero cars represent more than just an unlockable car, especially when they’re the reward of battling for hours or completing all main missions and side quests. That’s why you’ll find so many labelled under the ‘Legends’ tab within NFS Unbound, giving you the chance to re-live and recreate past titles with all the style and gameplay of the latest.

Now this is all well and good, but what about our favourite? With 30 years of NFS titles to select from there’s no shortage of choice. But pinning down one halo car to represent the whole of Speedhunters is an impossible task. So instead, we’ve asked several of our contributors – spanning several decades – what hero car they’d drive in real life. Then, it’s over to you in the comments…

Alen Haseta: Nissan Skyline GT-R / Need for Speed Underground (2003)

“As someone introduced to Japanese cars through the first two Fast & Furious movies, the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R, in this case – Eddie’s Skyline – is by far my favourite hero car from the NFS franchise. It was the ultimate rival car that set the bar high for any new player, and became the symbol of achievement in the series.”

Cian Donnellan: Mitsubishi Evo X / Need For Speed ProStreet (2007)

“Need For Speed ProStreet was a huge formative part of my childhood. I was 14 when it was released, and although I’d grown up with NFS: Underground, ProStreet just hit the mark for me thanks to its combination of modified cars and proper motorsport. Also, seeing my local track (Mondello Park) in a game absolutely blew my mind! The one car which stood out for me was Ryo Watanabe’s Mitsubishi Evo X. The wide body, insane snake wrap and BBS wheels. Never before has a game version of a car been better than (perhaps) any real-life versions.”

“What really cemented it as a favourite was the era it captured – drifting Imprezas and Evos seemed quite normal thanks to Team Orange in Japan, but it also marked the trye end to the incredible period of ‘proper’ rally-bred weapons on the road.”

Vladimir Ljadov: Lamborghini Diablo SV / Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit (1998)

“Back in 1998 or 1999, my older brother bought a PlayStation and we got a few video games with it: FIFA 98, Mortal Combat and Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit. I still remember the yellow Lamborghini Diablo SV racing against the cops on the game’s cover. For many more years, I didn’t have a clue what ‘SV’ meant, but it looked damn cool on the side of a sleek Lambo.”

“It was my favourite car to outrun the law on a busy rural autumn road in ‘Hometown’, reminding me of the Cannonball movie. That is until ‘AI’ sent a couple of Diablo pursuit vehicles.”

Stefan Kotze: Ford GT90 & Ford Indigo / Need for Speed II (1997)

“I’ve been playing Need for Speed since primary school, my favourites being Pro Street, Most Wanted, Underground 2 and Porsche 2000 – the latter my #1. Surprisingly though, my favourite hero car – or should I say cars – doesn’t come from any of these titles – it’s from Need for Speed II. I’m talking about the Ford GT90 and Ford Indigo, which instantly captivated me. The Ford GT90 was a 5.9L V12 quad-turbo, mid-engined, rear wheel drive monster, with an aluminium and carbon fibre monocoque chassis.”

“The Indigo was just as wild, with a single-piece, tub-type carbon composite chassis, a 6.0L naturally aspirated V12, and a wing on the front of the car. The car was essentially a showcase of Ford IndyCar technologies at the time. The fact that these cars were unlike anything I’d ever seen makes them proper hero cars for me. If only they had made it from NFS concept to reality…”

Mario Christou: Shelby GT500 / Need for Speed The Run (2011)

“This may be a left field choice, but there’s just something about Jack’s Shelby GT500 Super Snake from NFS The Run which has stayed with me all these years. Maybe it’s because I played through the game multiple times on my Xbox 360, or because I’m a (not-so) secret muscle car fiend. Either way, the custom bodywork, HRE split rims, and supercharged V8 made for one of the most badass NFS hero cars ever.”

Chaydon Ford: Italdesign Nazca C2 / Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit (1998)

“Discovering the Need for Speed series as a kid was mind-blowing. It allowed to digitally experience exotic cars only seen in magazines and, in the case of Hot Pursuit, outrun the law. The Italdesign Nazca C2 was the car that captured my imagination. With its large greenhouse, gull wing doors and low-slung body line it looked like nothing else in the game.”

“While not the quickest, performance-wise it was one the best-balanced starter car. While I was besotted with anything car-related from a young age, Need for Speed III Hot Pursuit unlocked a new level of obsession which hasn’t wavered since.”

Jeroen Willemsen: BMW M3 GTR / Need for Speed Most Wanted (2005)

“After my latest visit to the Pace Museum, I was reminded of NFS Most Wanted. On display was a BMW M3 GTR Strassenversion, the street version of the BMW M3 GTR that the NFS Most Wanted hero car is based on. For me, this is Need for Speed’s ultimate hero car.”

“The iconic silver with blue striping is still seen on modified E36s in the real world nearly a decade after the game’s release, which speaks volumes. My most memorable M3 GTR moment in Most Wanted is the final mission, where you must evade the police. The last jump over the bridge out of the fictional city of Rockport is something I’ll never forget.”

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