When players think of Playground Games’Forza Horizon 4, it’s usually the sprawling races and rough, chaotic scrambles that come to mind. Yet, an underrated feature of this epic, open-world racer is its swift, straightforward drag races. These take the form of quick sprints to the finish — which have players hit the ground running as they show off their speedy rides.
These races “strip” away the bells and whistles of the game’s more elaborate events; focusing on speed above all, while hearkening back toa simpler era in arcade racers. Despite their simplicity, these skirmishes showcase the exhilarating, adrenaline-fueled nature ofForza Horizon 4in its purest, most undiluted form. There are plenty of good options, though there are many cars that cantrulyblow the hair back of players, increasing their odds of a first-place finish.
Updated Jun 21, 2025 by Stephen LaGioia:Despite the release of the even more vibrant and robust Forza Horizon 5, many gamers have returned to the joy rides of Great Britain’s streets and off-road locales in this appealing fourth entry. This is partly because of recent discounts drawing newcomers, along with news that the gamewill be exiting Microsoft’s Game Pass and other digital storefrontsin December.
As such, the game’s lush open world has been repopulated by an influx of players, who have been reminded just how well this now six-year-old game has aged. With a massive list of activities, and a car lineup as extensive and awesome as ever, it seemed time to revisit and fine-tune this list.
A Brief Summary Of Drag Racing In Forza Horizon 4
The Drag Strip segments, in many ways, distill things down to pure speed and — quite literally — straightforward scrambles to the finish. Players will be tasked with competing in several drag strips strewn about Great Britain, leading to the eventual unlocking ofThe Juggernautupon reaching thefourth tier.
While these quick, linear dashes may seem simple, selecting the right car is particularly crucial in these bouts — as player skill largely takes a “back seat” to the raw power and abilities of the car driven. Of course,speedis the key here, thoughlaunch, as well as aerodynamic designs, also go a long way. These traits can be the difference in edging out opponents on the raceways.
14Dodge Dart Hemi Super Stock
125,000 Credits (At The Autoshow)
While it may bring a more modest appearance, this retro Dodge has it where it counts. Tailor-made essentially for drag racing, this rare relic is built particularly light and solid when it comes to coasting along drag strip straightaways.
The car is stripped of any mirrors, radio, and even a backseat, while sporting a bolted hood and fiberglass nose/fenders for ample control and smooth driving. Despite having a tepid BHP (brake horsepower), this pre-tuned muscle car has stellarlaunch abilities at 8.5and pretty good acceleration to boot.
13AMC Hornet X Hatchback (James Bond Edition)
35,000 CR
There have been several cars homaging the iconic British agent James Bond, including variants of the famed Astin Martin as well as a 90’s classic BMW. Lesser known — but no less effective — is this star from the 1974 film,The Man With The Golden Gun.
Bringing more meager stats overall, this is more of a novelty car compared to some of the sleeker, more potent options. Yet, the AMC Hornet is a decent way to hold one’s own with drag strip racers while on a budget — and playing out a briefRoger Moore-era Bond impressionin the process. Given how cheap it is, this car can certainly hit the ground running when upgraded, and maintains a fairly high speed afterward.
12Koenigsegg Jesko
Not At Autoshow - Horizon Backstage Pass, Forzathon Shop, Or Festival Playlist Reward
This Swedish beast absolutely flies across the many roads of Great Britain, charged by a5L twin-turbocharged V8 engine and 1280 BHP.Its rear wing keeps the car grounded and even-keeled when hitting sky-high speeds, making it agood selection for street races as well.
But really, this hypercar excels in almostanystreet-based setting, as it can heat up to almost a whopping300 mphif properly tuned and upgraded. While yielding almost perfect stats across the board (with the S2 998 upgrade), the Jesko has arelativelymeager acceleration stat, so it’s perhaps bestsuited for longer drag strips and raceways.Still, this car is virtually unstoppable in almost any raceway scenario.
11Mosler MT900S
This 2010 American production car is about as sleek as they come — and has the capabilities to measure up to its looks. The car is powered by a7L supercharged V8,and zips effortlessly across the vast roads with a weight of 2,480 lbs and a 6-speed transmission.
The car can rev up to60 mph in just over three secondsand easily hits a top speed hovering around the210 mphmark. Not that it’s needed on the drag strip straightaways, but the car brings great handling for its speed — andacceleration as well as launchare both off the charts.
10Porsche 906 Carrera 6
Being equipped with a210 BHP carbureted flat-six engine,this 1966 classic from Germany boasts a ride that’s smooth, even-keeled, and surprisingly speedy. Of course, when it comes to this retro racing car from Porsche, there are faster cars to choose from.
Still, above-averageaccelerationand solidlaunchabilities make it a great choice for those bite-sized drag races. The Porsche 906 Carrera 6 will hit the ground running and leave opponents in the dust fairly quickly and easily.This antique is something of a collectible for car enthusiasts, being a Hard-to-Find car that can’t be found at the Autoshow.
9Koenigsegg Agera RS
2,000,000 CR
Held back only a tad from its more lukewarm acceleration, this rear-wheel-drive (RWD) hypercar is otherwise an easy pick for frenzied drag races. After all, the Koenigsegg Agera RS is the fastest stock production car, not only inForza Horizon 4butin the entireForzaseries.
Thanks to its5.0-liter twin-turbo V8, and a whopping 1341 bhp,this beast can fly through the streets, hitting a sky-high speed of280 mph. While handling leaves a bit to be desired, this is hardly a concern when zipping across the drag racing straightaways anyway. This elite vehicle can be had at the Autoshow for2,000,000 CR, though it’s quite worth the steep asking price.
8Ferrari 599XX Evolution
It’s hard to leave these classic Italian luxury cars out of the conversation when it comes to fast racing cars, and the 599XX Evolution reminds players why Ferrari is such an icon in this regard. With a6.0L naturally-aspirated V12 and 740 bhp,this awesome supercar hits a stock top speed of240 mphbut can fly at up to a whopping320 mphwhen maxed out.
Beingthe fastest car in the gamewith these enhancements, this 2012 car from Italy is a no-brainerwhen it comes to the fast-paced thrill ridethat is drag racing. As a nice bonus perk, it has great handling to back up its super speed, making it a good choice for Speed Zones and Speed Trap PR Stunts as well.
7Toyota Supra RZ
250,000 CR
Touted as having a motor that’s “the stuff of legend” and generating loads of horsepower — the Supra RZ thrives as both a swift, powerful race car and a luxury sports car. Discontinued in 2022, this car reaffirmed its racing chops and proved it could hang with the elites of the modern era with its 2019 relaunch.
When laced with the S1 class preset, the Supra Horizon RZ Edition shines as the fastest S1 class car when it comes to top speed. It can hit a lightning-quick248 mphand boasts solidlaunchabilities to boot. This car can be scoredat the Autoshow, though it is also won upon hittingTier 2 in Horizon Life: The Eliminator.
6Maserati MC12 FE
Unlock The “MC12 FE” Skill For The Maserati 300 S
While each sibling in the Maserati MC12 family thrives in its own way, the Forza Edition particularly gets the job done when it comes to drag races. After all, it’s agreat upgraded variantthat boasts a Speed Skills enhancement as well as a more potent upgrade preset of S2 997.
It’s also highly aerodynamic; a major plus for zipping down the straightaways unhindered. A mainstay in theForzafranchise, this RWD supercar proves it’s still one of the best for racing, hitting speeds well over200 mphand doing so in a hurry with its greatlaunchcapability.
5Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 FE
Not At Autoshow - Wheelspin Or Super Wheelspin Prize
Laced with a 6.5L naturally-aspirated V12 and 700 bhp, the default model of this luxury supercar is far from a slouch — though as is usually the case, the Forza Edition brings further enhancements. This edition offers an S2 997 upgrade preset that brings a maxed-out engine with even more horsepower.
These more potent presets make this Lambo one of the fastest cars in the game; and quite easy on the eyes as it dazzles opponents in its wake. It requires merelya few seconds to hit a solid 100 mph,and quickly hits a warp speed of270 mph, which excels beyond most SR class cars when it comes to straight-line performance. With stellar abilities in speed, launch, and acceleration, this one is a must-drive.
