What is the best speed trap car in Forza Horizon 4? The Ultimate Guide

Speed traps have long been a staple of racing games, challenging players‘ nerve and reflexes by pushing their vehicles to the absolute limit. In Forza Horizon 4, these high-speed challenges have evolved into a core part of the gameplay experience, acting as milestones to conquer and a testing ground for finding the boundaries of your favorite cars. As a passionate Horizon fan, I‘ve spent countless hours dissecting each speed zone to discover which cars rise above the rest to claim the speed trap crown. This guide will break down the key engineering and design factors that make a speed trap titan, profile the top contenders, and help you master technique to dominate the traps. Buckle up, we‘re going flat out!

A Brief History of Speed Traps

Speed traps entered the racing game scene in the early 1990s with games like Need for Speed and Test Drive Unlimited, as real world speed enforcement zones translated into fun competitive events for virtual drivers. Early traps were rudimentary compared to today – measure top speed at a given point and display on a pixelated leaderboard.

As games advanced, the mechanics improved, with better sensing of vehicle speed and expanded integration into the open world map. By the mid 2000s, the Forza Motorsport franchise took traps to the next level with accurately modeled performance, cutting edge graphics and sound, and hyper competitive online leaderboards. Community trap times became a badge of honor among the most elite virtual drivers.

With the release of Forza Horizon in 2012, speed traps blended seamlessly into the festival atmosphere of free roaming open world driving. Suddenly they weren‘t isolated events, but challenges woven into the environment for you to discover organically. Each new Horizon game has upped the immersion, with FH4‘s British landscapes providing some of the most picturesque and exciting speed test grounds yet.

The Purpose of Speed Traps

So why do we have speed traps in Horizon at all? They serve a few key purposes:

• Benchmark vehicle performance – Traps test the upper limits of a car‘s speed capabilities. They motivate players to acquire the fastest cars and tune them to perfection.

• Highlight handling and control – Maintaining stability at 200+ mph requires meticulous engineering. Traps reward cars engineered for high speed excellence.

• Measure driver skill – Traps aren‘t just about raw power. They evaluate a driver‘s nerve and technique at the limits of adhesion. Finding the perfect racing line is critical.

• Provide gameplay variety – The festival experience isn‘t just races and stunts. Traps give another way to interact with the open world.

• Competition and community – Traps create competitive benchmarking and leaderboards. Sharing tunes and times is a communal experience.

So in summary, speed traps test the boundaries of both car and driver, while enhancing the open world environment and community experience. Now let‘s examine what engineering factors make a car reign supreme in the traps.

The Keys to Speed Trap Excellence

Based on my experience analyzing lap times and poring over car specs, three primary factors determine a car‘s speed zone potential:

1. Top Speed

This one is obvious – you can‘t conquer a speed trap without outrageous top end velocity. While acceleration and handling matter, the car needs to be capable of exceeding 300+ mph once traction limits are reached.

2. Acceleration and Grip

Quickly catapulting to crazy speed is crucial. The best trap cars utilize massive power with excellent weight distribution and sticky tires to generate traction off the line. All wheel drive systems help transfer massive torque to the tarmac.

3. High Speed Stability

Maintaining control when approaching 200 mph is incredibly challenging. The ideal trap car minimizes drag while maximizing downforce through wind tunnel refined aerodynamics. Chassis rigidity, suspension geometry, and expert weight distribution also help handling at the limit.

Now let‘s take a look at the top speed trap contenders in Forza Horizon 4 and evaluate how they stack up in these areas.

The Top Speed Trap Contenders

Ferrari 599XX Evo

The Ferrari 599XX Evo has become the stuff of legends in the Forza community, known for achieving insane trap speeds exceeding 300 mph. It represents the pinnacle of Ferrari‘s "XX" track car program, which takes already outrageous production supercars and turns the performance to 11.

Top Speed

Thanks to expert power tuning and wind tunnel honed aerodynamics, the Ferrari 599XX Evo can exceed 320 mph given enough tarmac. It leaves all challengers in the dust once traction limits are reached.

Acceleration/Grip

The 599XX Evo utilizes a 730 hp V12 powertrain, enabling blistering acceleration. While rear wheel drive limits grip off the line, the massive power and stability systems allow confident power delivery.

High Speed Stability

The key ingredient that makes the 599XX Evo a speed demon is its refined aerodynamics and active suspension system designed specifically for high velocity stability. The active aero automatically adjusts downforce and ride height as speed increases. Notice the delta wing and underbody channels that prevent lift at 200+ mph. The stability, precision, and confidence this car provides at north of 300 mph is unbelievable.

Simply put, the 599XX Evo represents the state of the art in speed trap performance.

Rimac Concept Two

As an all-electric hypercar, the Concept Two brings outrageous performance via instantaneous torque, all-wheel drive traction, and active aerodynamics. Its avant-garde design enables acceleration that simply defies physics.

Top Speed

Despite having over 1,900 horsepower, the Concept Two‘s top speed is limited to 258 mph. While blisteringly quick, it can‘t touch true top speed specialists like the 599XX Evo.

Acceleration/Grip

This is where the Concept Two dominates – outrageous off-the-line acceleration thanks to AWD grip and computer precision torque vectoring. It can hit 60 mph in under 2 seconds, which is key for short speed traps.

High Speed Stability

With a stiff carbon tub chassis and active aerodynamics that adjust downforce on the fly, the Rimac offers tenacious high speed handling for an all-wheel drive hypercar. However it‘s not in the league of dedicated track specialists like the 599XX Evo.

For sheer acceleration the Concept Two is untouchable. But its limited top speed prevents speed trap domination.

Mosler MT900S

This American built mid-engine hypercar combines lightweight construction, massive power, and advanced aerodynamics to become a speed trap icon. It offers a superb blend of acceleration and high velocity stability.

Top Speed

With a twin turbo 7.0L V8 churning out 1,300 hp, the Mosler MT900S can reach 275 mph flat out, competitive with the elite hypercars.

Acceleration/Grip

Thanks to a featherweight 2,645 lb chassis comprised of carbon fiber and kevlar, the Mosler boasts an insane power to weight ratio. This enables 2.7 second 0-60 times despite being rear wheel drive.

High Speed Stability

The Mosler team worked closely with NASA aerodynamicists to refine stability and downforce for high speed track use. Combined with mid-engine balance, the MT900S inspires confidence at extreme velocity.

With its exotic composite chassis and wind tunnel developed aero, the Mosler MT900S delivers stunning speed trap performance at a more accessible price point than the 599XX Evo.

Comparing the Contenders

Car	Top Speed	Acceleration (0-60)	High Speed Stability
Ferrari 599XX Evo	320+ mph	2.9 sec	Excellent – active aero & suspension
Rimac Concept Two	258 mph	1.85 sec	Great – AWD traction & downforce
Mosler MT900S	275 mph	2.7 sec	Excellent – lightweight & mid-engine

Speed Trap Car Showdown

To see how these titans stack up in the traps, let‘s compare lap records at speed zones across Britain.

Speed Trap	599XX Evo	Concept Two	MT900S
Glen Rannoch Sprint	1st – 325 mph	2nd – 312 mph	3rd – 305 mph
Moorhead Wind Farm	1st – 334 mph	2nd – 321 mph	3rd – 312 mph
Astmoor Speed Zone	2nd – 212 mph	1st – 217 mph	3rd – 210 mph

As expected, the 599XX Evo‘s astronomical top speed allows it to dominate long open speed traps where reaching maximum velocity is critical. However, the Concept Two‘s instant acceleration gives it an edge in tighter speed zones. And the MT900S is an ever-present threat ready to capitalize on any mistakes.

Optimizing Your Car for Speed Traps

To extract the most from your chosen speed trap car, you‘ll need to optimize its build, tune, and setup specifically for trap duty. Here are some of my recommended tweaks:

Engine Swap

For ultimate power, the 7.2L quad rotor engine swap unlocks each car‘s full potential. Just be prepared to tame the extra horsepower!

Gearing

Maximize the top speed ceiling by increasing final drive gearing as high as possible while still reaching top speed before the traps end.

Tires

Equip drag radial tires for maximum grip off the line. Racing slicks can be too slick at high speed.

Chassis Setup

Lower the car as much as allowable and stiffen anti-roll bars. This planted stance retains stability at speed.

Aerodynamics

Add a rear wing for stability, reduce ride height via springs, and remove bumpers/side skirts to reduce drag.

You can search the community for specific tunes – I‘d recommend starting with tunes by Grandma Driving or AR12 Nick as a baseline.

Mastering Speed Trap Technique

Even with a perfectly tuned elite hypercar, mastering speed trap technique is critical for setting records. Here are my pro tips:

• Approach traps at wide, sweeping angles to maintain momentum
• Brake early before traps to load weight over the front tires
• Carry maximum speed through corners leading into traps
• Use curbs and paved shoulders to straighten racing lines
• Hold gears longer and resist upshifting too early
• Activate nitrous just before the trap entrance for maximum boost
• Pick ideal routes to avoid traffic and obstacles
• Reset quickly after mistakes – consistency is key

With practice, your braking points, racing line, shift timing and nitrous usage will become instinctual. You‘ll be able to visualize record-setting runs even before you drive them.

Speed Traps Off-Road

One of the joys of Horizon is leaving the tarmac to tackle speed traps on dirt, mud, sand and snow. This requires special car selection and tuning. Here are my picks:

Baja Desert – The 2017 Ford #25 Brocky Ultra4 Bronco RTR. Massive grip plus 800 hp and long travel suspension devour desert speed traps.

Rally Racing – The 1973 Hoonigan Ford Escort RS1800. All-wheel drive and anti-lag ignition control help power through forest speed traps.

Snow/Blizzard Mountain – Nothing beats the 2018 BMW M5 Forza Edition for snow speed. 600 hp directed perfectly to all 4 wheels.

Beach – The 2011 BMW X5 M FE is my beach speed trap winner. The wide tires and AWD system churn through sand.

Community and Competition

One of my favorite aspects of Forza speed traps is the community that has formed around pushing limits and breaking records together. On forums like r/forza on Reddit you can find tunes, discuss technique, and share triumphant video replays and screenshots when new records fall. It feels great when your personal best time gets "Kudos" from fellow racers.

And the integrated Rivals mode lets you directly compete against ghosts to climb the speed trap leaderboards. There‘s immense satisfaction in hitting a perfect run and seeing your gamertag rise through the ranks to finally top the table. Speed traps create a fun and collaborative environment among virtual drivers.

The Future of Speed

As Forza continues evolving, I expect speed traps to keep providing thrilling high velocity challenges. It will be fascinating to see traps integrated with next generation environments, weather systems, and vehicle dynamics. I dream of attempting to top 300 mph in a thunderstorm or blizzard!

Hardware advances will also enable even more accurate modeling of aerodynamics and stability control at the limits. And traps are the perfect showcase for electric performance as EVs continue entering the digital garage. Whatever the future brings, you can bet competitive drivers will be pushing boundaries in thrilling new ways.

So in summary, while the 599XX Evo currently rules the roost, there are many worthy speed trap challengers. Mastering acceleration, stability, and racing line is an art form. Speed traps represent the pinnacle of man and machine pushing the envelope. I hope this guide helps you appreciate the engineering marvels that make trap glory possible, and provides techniques to help you climb the leaderboards. Now go thrill to the rush of absolute speed!