There’s no better feeling than buying a car in a racing game and then using that car to conquer the rest of the grid. For your car to continue to win, however, it needs to be upgraded to match the competition. This Forza Motorsport car upgrade guide will help you stay ahead of the competition.
Upgrading in Forza Motorsport
In past Forza Motorsport games, it’s been relatively easy to buy a car and fully upgrade it before it even hits the track. Although it takes you to victory, this isn’t exactly the rewarding experience you want from a racing game. Thankfully, Forza Motorsport shakes things up in the best way possible.
Forza Motorsport forces you to spend time with a car before you can start upgrading it. Unlocked upgrades are linked to XP earned, with XP only gained from taking the car out on track. This encourages players to actually bond with their vehicles, instead of maxing everything out straight away.
Upgrades are bought using Car Points. These are generated by levelling up your car, with XP also contributing to reaching the next level. Car Points are limited, only increasing by a small amount with each level.
This is perfect for Forza Motorsport’s Builders Cup Career Mode. Players can level up their cars throughout a series within the Builders Cup, before taking their upgraded machinery into the next series to see how it stacks up.
So now we know how upgrading works in Forza Motorsport, let’s take a look at which upgrades you should look at getting first.
Forza Motorsport car upgrade guide
When you first start out with a car in Forza Motorsport, you only have 300 Car Points. These points really don’t go very far, so it’s crucial you spend them on the area of the car that needs them most. Depending on your driving style, however, this may differ.
It is possible to let the game upgrade the car for you with the ‘Quick Upgrade’ tool. This will automatically apply the best upgrades available to save you time digging through the options. If you do want to upgrade your car manually though, here’s what we recommend.
If you’re struggling to make the apex in each corner, you definitely want to invest in better brakes. Chassis reinforcement and roll cages can also help with cornering issues if you find yourself running wide. If you’re lacking power though, the intake manifold and throttle body are a worthy purchase.
Car Points are refundable, so if you find your latest upgrade hasn’t had the desired effect you can always refund it before trying something else. Once you’ve spent your 300 Car Points, it’s time to head out onto the track to earn some more.
Not every upgrade is available straight away, with the majority of powerful upgrades locked away in higher levels, meaning you have to grind out on the track to earn them. XP is earned from every track session, so put the laps in and you’ll reap the rewards. You can check out our how to earn XP fast guide if you need help levelling up fast.
Here’s the full list of every upgrade in Forza Motorsport, and which level they are unlocked in:
Level 1 upgrades:
- Exhaust
- Air filter
- Restrictor plate
- Intake manifold and throttle body
- Oil and cooling
- Brakes
- Chassis reinforcement and roll cage
- Ballast
Level 2 upgrades:
- Tyre width
- Rim style
Level 4 upgrades
- Anti-sway bars
Level 8 upgrades:
- Spring and dampers
- Fuel system
Level 9 upgrades:
- Transmission
- Differential
Level 11 upgrades:
- Ignition
- Flywheel
- Tyre compound
Level 12 upgrades:
- Clutch
- Driveline
- Rear wing
Level 15 upgrades:
- Front and rear bumper
- Bonnet
Level 20 upgrades:
- Single turbo
- Aspiration conversion
- Intercooler
- Weight reduction
Level 23 upgrades:
- Camshaft
Level 26 upgrades:
- Valves
Level 30 upgrades:
- Displacement
Level 35 upgrades:
- Pistons and compression
Level 40 upgrades:
- Engine swap
Level 45 upgrades:
- Bodykit
Level 50 upgrades:
- Drivetrain swap
Once you’ve upgraded your car, it’s time to head to the tuning menu to tweak that extra level of performance out of your car. We recommend reading our Forza Motorsport car tuning guide to get the most out of every single slider.
Forza Motorsport guides
If you found this guide, why not check out our other Forza Motorsport tips and tricks?
Want to race on the beast wheel possible? Check out our best wheel for Forza Motorsport guide.
Looking for the best starter car in Forza Motorsport? Have a read of our best starter car guide.
Whether you race with a controller or on a wheel, we have guides for which settings are best for both.
Finding the AI Drivatars too easy or hard? Change the difficulty using our difficulty guide.
Want to compare yourself to the competition? Turn on the leaderboard using this guide.
Finally, if you're still unsure whether to buy Forza Motorsport, our full Forza Motorsport review should help you make the choice.