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While the Need For Speed series has featured hundreds of different vehicles, there are several cars that are definitive icons of the franchise. They have become the signatures of the NFS series — the royalty and legends of the games’ brand. These iconic cars are scattered in different Need For Speed games, and here are the best of them.
10. A$AP’s Mercedes 190E
The moment we saw A$AP Rocky in the Need For Speed: Unbound’s premier trailer, we knew he would leave a footprint in the series. The rapping star is featured in the game alongside his custom Mercedes 190E, smooth-driving in Lakeshore. He even asks you to join him for a ride as one of the main story missions, giving players a taste of that AMG PowerPack engine.
9. Melissa’s Mitsubishi Eclipse
You got goosebumps when Melissa suddenly texted you in Need For Speed 2015, right? This character is one of the first NPCs you encounter in the Need For Speed: Underground’s prologue, standing beside her iconic car. Melissa is a part of the Eastsiders, choosing sides with Eddie and racing against the players as a boss. However, she’s mostly known for her famous Mitsubishi Eclipse and its gorgeous design, very similar to the one we later saw in the Fast and Furious movie.
8. Kenji’s Mazda RX-7
Among the four main bosses of Need For Speed: Carbon, Kenji is the one with the most stylish car: the Mazda RX-7. The vinyl style of Kenji’s car is reimagined in many other Need For Speed titles by fans, unleashing the green and black Japanese design on the RX-7.
7. Rachel’s Nissan 350Z
The Olympic City incident might have caused you, as the racing protagonist, to lose your way, but Rachel is there to give you a nice car to get you back on track. You’ll get to have Rachel’s Nissan 350Z in the prologue of Underground 2, which is more of a teaser on how in-depth you can customize the cars and tune them in this game. This iconic car is the first vehicle you get to drive in Need For Speed: Underground 2, and then you have to grind to earn it later on.
6. Jake’s Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake
Need For Speed: The Run is an underrated game for real, but more underrated than the game itself is Jake’s Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake. This isn’t a stylish car, but when you drive this beast in The Run, you feel the raw power of the GT500. The starting roar and whining of Jake’s Shelby GT500 Super Snake is one of the most memorable and iconic car sounds in the Need For Speed games.
5. Razor’s Ford Mustang GT
Hands down, Razor is by far one of the best Need For Speed villains of all time. And what made him look furious in the first glimpse? His black, fiery Ford Mustang GT. This is a car that went toe-to-toe with the player’s overpowered BMW M3 GTR before Razor stole the sweet ride from us.
4. Darius’ Audi Le Mans Quattro
Besides its gorgeous red carbon looks, Darius’ Audi Le Mans Quattro could achieve godlike speeds. This car’s handling, top speed, and acceleration stats are maxed out. Once you unlock it by defeating Darius — after restarting the matches a hundred times, of course — you get to know how it feels to own Palm City. This car is so iconic for its design and the red color that matches Darius’ territory emblem and his memorable coat.
3. Eddie’s Nissan Skyline
A good villain in a Need for Speed game’s narrative gives players enough motivation to grind through the story chapters for vengeance — especially if that villain rides a tuned Nissan Skyline. Eddie was the first ever antagonist in a Need For Speed game, and his Nissan Skyline is the signature by which he’s remembered in the past two decades. Featured in NFS 2015 and Heat’s story, Eddie’s car is one of the finest rides in the series.
2. Cross’ Corvette C6 Z06
New to the city of nitro and chaos, Sergeant Cross is the first guy you meet as he warns you about racing in Rockport City. But he doesn’t get involved personally until “EVERYONE!” is called to capture the player in the final act of NFS: Most Wanted. Cross follows the player in a Corvette C6, which we first get to see in the live-action cutscenes. From the time he manages to take the player in custody, Cross’ iconic Corvette becomes the symbol of fear for all street racers in Rockport.
1. Player’s BMW M3 GTR
NFS’s royalty indeed; you’ll see this car in every single racing game that features a BMW M3, reimagined by fans to look like the Most Wanted 2005 version. The BMW M3 GTR has everything on the checklist to be the most iconic car in not only Need For Speed but in all racing games in general. Its sleek design, stylish blue-and-white color, kickass body kit, exhaust on the rear, and, most importantly, the audible intensity of how the M3 GTR roars — all make this iconic ride so unforgettable for Need for Speed fans.
Sure, there are other memorable cars in the Need For Speed‘s iconic list of vehicles. Like Black List racers’ cars, for instance, or Tyler Morgan’s Skyline, which you lose early on. Still, they can’t compete with the M3 GTR or Eddie’s Nissan.
