Without doubt the most popular car mod for Assetto Corsa is the Need For Speed Tournament Class A pairing. Here is why the collection should feature in everyone's AC mod collection.
Need for Speed. Today, these three words represent one of the most iconic racing game franchises in the world. But back in 1994, any uttering of the phrase would present a reference to the iconic 1980's Tom Cruise movie, Top Gun. "I feel the need, the need for speed!"
That is until American motoring magazine Road and Track came together with EA Canada to create a new racing game pitting high-end supercars against one another. Albeit simple, the result was a fun title in which players raced one of eight of the day's top poster cars on a selection of three point-to-point circuits. A popular game that kicked off a series that would later become video game royalty, it seems many modern sim racers look back fondly on the title.
In fact, looking to bring back the good old days of this first NFS game, OverTake user @A3DR has put together a collection of mods recreating the cars from the fabled game. Not just that though, for a number of years, it has remained the highest-rated Assetto Corsa mod on the website. And there is good reason for that.
Ferrari 512 TR vs Lamborghini Diablo: Battle for the Ages
In the aforementioned inaugural Need for Speed title, multiple classes made up the car roster, top of which was the Class A pairing of Ferrari's 512 TR and Lamborghini's Diablo VT. These are the two cars that make up the main, list-topping mod for Assetto Corsa.
Both Italian steeds with screaming V12 power and wedge-shaped designs adorned with pop-ups, they are true icons of potentially the last great era in supercars. Many of us will have grown up dreaming of these models, and now it is our chance to get behind the wheel, albeit in a virtual way.
Ferrari 512TR in Assetto Corsa.
Virtual or not, it is clear that both the Lamborghini and Ferrari are full of character. Even when overlooking the loud bark that is the 12-cylindre engine, driving these machines takes a good relationship between man and machine. You do not simply apply throttle, brake and lock expecting the car to obey every command. No, these are heavy machines that require a long conversation between each input.
Tricky to Tame
As you wind on steering lock, you very quickly realise the weight of these models. From the strength it requires to actually steer to the lethargic response you get after turning the wheel - wait for the 1990's tyres and suspension to communicate to the body where you're trying to go, and then feel the Italian lump roll through a turn.
The same goes for the brakes. In these cars, you can either brake too little and spear off-track, or too much, lock up and, you guessed it, spear off-track. The only difference being one includes slightly more smoke. Taming either beast requires a long braking zone, so plenty of forward thinking will be needed on your first NFS runs.
Sliding the Lamborghini Diablo is a challenge.
That is not to say that the two Class A models drive in the same way. Far from it, in fact, as you can tell the Ferrari gets more of an agile persona. Turn-in is slightly more responsive whilst exit oversteer is more controllable. Better yet, lock-ups are far less frequent. The Lamborghini on the other hand is all about the top end as that speedometer will climb and climb. That all adds to the fun of trying to stop what is now an old car.
Very rarely do mods provide an accurate perception of how a car should feel in the real world. But clearly a passion project, @A3DR has put a lot of effort into perfecting this pair. Regardless of whether you choose the Prancing Horse or Raging Bull, you will be in for a challenge. But lapping an Italian supercar consistently all whilst passing the barrier of each gear shift, braking point and slide is immensely satisfying.
The Perfect Need for Speed Track?
Attempting to recreate the original Need for Speed game, one might assume that an open world map like the many Assetto Corsa free roams available would be the best option for running this car mod. However, back in the good old PS1 days, the idea of a sprawling city open for exploration was a tad far-fetched. Instead, the Road and Track-designed game saw cars race on short point-to-point circuits resembling closed sections of public road.
Open roads suit the NFS Tournament Class A mods.
So it will be the likes of hill climb courses and rally stages that best suit the NFS Tournament cars. Though with the 1994 game's fast nature and wide open routes, there is one circuit in Assetto Corsa that may well make for the best modern recreation.
Black Cat County is a first party circuit for the decade-old Kunos game featuring the fast sweeping turns of an American highway cutting through the desert. The free DLC venue gets all the makeup of a racing event on closed public roads, much like the circuits available to choose from in Need for Speed, one of which was even set in the desert.
If the vanilla circuit and barren landscape do not tickle your fancy, the circuit selection in Assetto Corsa is near-endless. For the chaotic nature of Japanese flair, the Touge scene in the game's community is boundless. Making passes up and down these twisty mountain roads will surely provide plenty of fun in these lumbering Italian supercars.
Is there anything better than driving a yellow Lambo through the Canyons?
Plenty more where that came from
Whilst @A3DR's flagship is certainly this most popular car mod for Assetto Corsa, the mod creator did not stop there when attempting to recreate the first ever game to bare the Need for Speed moniker.
Scroll through their list of creations and you will soon find further models fitting the 1994 title's car list. In fact, Class B machinery from the game in the shape of the Porsche 911 993, Corvette ZR1 and Dodge Viper are also available to download from OT. Combine the two classes and you have what can only be described as a dream four-car garage.
Included in the mods are grid presets for Content Manager allowing fans of the old title to perfectly recreate the challenging head-to-heads, including car colours, grid positions and difficulty. But for a more relaxed approach, a simple stroll around scenic AC streets will do just fine.
Have you tried the NFS Tournament car mods for Assetto Corsa? If so, what did you make of them? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
