Need for Speed ProStreet throws you into a world of high-stakes racing where choosing the right car for the right discipline is paramount. Forget simply picking the fastest ride; success in ProStreet demands a nuanced understanding of each race type and the vehicles best suited to conquer them. This guide, based on seasoned street racing experience, will steer you toward victory in every event, from blistering speed runs to tire-smoking drift battles.
Speed Races: Stability is Your Best Ally
When it comes to outright speed, raw horsepower might seem like the obvious answer. However, in NFS ProStreet, stability reigns supreme. Many high-performance cars become unwieldy at top speeds, leading to frustrating crashes and lost races. The key here is controlled power. Instead of opting for a hypercar that’s a twitch away from disaster, consider building a slightly less powerful machine that you can confidently pilot at the limit.
For speed events, all-wheel-drive vehicles, particularly the Nissan GT-R and Nissan Skyline, excel. Their superior grip and balanced handling provide the stability needed to navigate high-speed corners and maintain control when pushing for maximum velocity. These cars allow you to maintain momentum and minimize errors, crucial for shaving off those vital milliseconds.
Drag and Wheelie: Mastering Power Transfer
Horsepower takes a backseat to technique in drag racing and wheelie competitions. While engine power is a factor, the real determinants of success are flawless shifting, precise nitrous deployment, and a car setup that effectively channels power to the asphalt.
For standard drag races, several cars stand out. The Toyota Supra is a near-perfect drag racing machine, almost purpose-built for this discipline. The Nissan 240SX is another surprisingly potent contender, offering a balanced platform for drag modifications. For those who prefer American muscle, the Holden Monaro and Shelby GT500 provide formidable options.
The Supra, while incredibly quick, can be a bit light, requiring careful steering to prevent veering into the walls. The Monaro and GT500 offer a sweet spot: they are nearly as fast as the Supra but possess the heft to maintain a straight line more easily. Moreover, their substantial horsepower translates into spectacular wheelies. While the AI struggles to achieve wheelies beyond 200 meters, a well-tuned GT500 can effortlessly pull off 400+ meter wheelies, even without breaking a sweat.
The trick to winning wheelie competitions lies in a drag-style start, followed by strategically timed nitrous. Deploy nitrous just as the front wheels are about to touch down after the initial launch. Maintain perfect shifts, and you’ll be well on your way to dominating the wheelie challenge. While the Zonda F boasts incredible speed and effortless wheelies across the entire track, its exorbitant price tag might make it a less practical choice for most racers.
Grip Races: Precision and Handling Prowess
Supercars, despite their allure, often fall short in grip racing. The constant struggle to keep them on the racing line and under control during braking negates their raw speed advantage. For most grip tracks, especially tighter circuits, a more balanced, lower-powered car is often the superior choice. You’ll spend less time fighting the car and more time focused on executing the perfect racing line.
The Holden Monaro, Nissan 350Z, and even the Chevrolet Cobalt are surprisingly effective grip racing vehicles. As long as you can maintain your racing line and outmaneuver opponents, these cars can consistently deliver strong results. The 350Z, due to its lighter weight, can exhibit unpredictable handling, sometimes feeling unstable under braking or during hard acceleration. However, in the right hands, it remains a capable machine.
Track layout dictates drivetrain preference in grip races. Front-wheel-drive cars excel on tight, technical tracks, pulling you through corners with confidence. Rear-wheel-drive vehicles shine on tracks with long straights and gentle curves, allowing for controlled slides and power-on oversteer to maximize corner exit speed. All-wheel-drive cars offer a compromise, but outside of the Nissan models and perhaps the fictional Batmobile, they don’t typically stand out in grip racing. It’s common to outperform opponents with cars boasting significantly less horsepower, proving that balanced handling and driving skill trump brute force in grip events.
Drift Races: Horsepower and Controlled Chaos
Drifting remains an elusive art for some, but one thing is clear: horsepower plays a disproportionately large role in NFS ProStreet drift events. While precise car control is essential, having enough power to break traction and maintain slides is crucial for racking up high scores.
The Holden Monaro once again proves its versatility, emerging as an excellent drift platform. Its potent combination of power, acceleration, and responsive handling makes it ideal for initiating and sustaining long, stylish drifts. Even with computer assistance, the AI consistently achieves drift scores exceeding 7,000 points with this car, highlighting its drift potential.
The Nissan 240SX and high-tier muscle cars like the Corvettes also demonstrate strong drifting capabilities, particularly when piloted by the AI. These cars offer a blend of power and maneuverability that translates to impressive drift scores.
This guide offers a starting point for your NFS ProStreet journey. Experiment with different cars within these categories, fine-tune your setups, and discover your own winning combinations. Mastering car selection is just the first step; the real thrill lies in pushing these machines to their limits and dominating the streets.
