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Free Update Adds Long Beach Circuit to Forza Motorsport 5

From Xbox Wire:

Starting April 10, the famed Long Beach circuit is coming to the “Forza Motorsport” franchise for the first time in “Forza Motorsport 5.” Available for free as part of the latest “Forza Motorsport 5” content update, delivering tight turns and blindingly quick straights, Long Beach is surrounded by the sun-drenched beauty of southern California. Long Beach in “Forza Motorsport 5” is packed with stunning detail, with the entire track and surrounding area recreated with obsessive precision through laser scanning, thousands of photos, and hours of video. From the angles of each unique palm tree along Shoreline Drive to every nuance of the track’s surface, this circuit is a racing experience unlike any other.

The full eleven-turn, 1.97-mile course, home to this weekend’s 40th running of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, is included, as well as two alternate ribbons: the slightly shorter East Loop and the half-mile West Loop, both of which are perfect for drifting or pushing your technical driving skills to their limits.

Like all track add-on content for “Forza Motorsport 5,” Long Beach has been fully integrated into every mode of the game. Once you download the content update, the Long Beach circuit becomes part of your "Forza Motorsport 5" world. You’ll find brand new events in Career mode, new Rivals and multiplayer lobbies to challenge your friends, and more. Download the latest update for “Forza Motorsport 5” and experience this world-class track for the very first time in the “Forza Motorsport” series!


The History of Long Beach

In April 1975, Christopher Pook, a local Long Beach travel agent and fan of racing, brought international attention to Long Beach by putting the sunny ocean-side city on the racing map.

With the help of 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti, Pook arranged a Formula 500 race as a test of the track’s setup. Long Beach went on to host the Formula One Grand Prix during one of the greatest racing eras in history. Drivers like James Hunt, who once had a spectacular lap one crash at the circuit, immediately gave Long Beach international reverence as the “Monaco of the West.” In 1977, Andretti out-dueled Niki Lauda at Long Beach and become the first American to win a Formula One grand prix in the U.S.

Now home to the annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, the circuit hosts series such as the Verizon IndyCar Series, TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, Indy Lights, Pirelli World Challenge, Formula Drift, and more. Over the years, the skyline of Long Beach has transformed from small, nondescript buildings to state-of-the-art high rises and upscale condominiums. Despite these changes, the track has mostly remained the same. Naturally, the street surfaces have improved, but the hairpin just before the high speed run down Shoreline Drive, which leads to the infamous Turn 2 around the fountain, is as challenging as ever. Long Beach is an American racing icon and always provides for exciting racing, no matter what breed of cars are competing.

Need some new rides to go with that new track? The Long Beach Booster Pack also features five amazing cars to add to your collection, including the 1977 Ford Coyote Gilmore77, the 1974 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale, the 1956 Jaguar D-Type, the 1998 Mercedes-Benz AMG Mercedes CLK GTR, and the 1971 Ferrari #2 Ferrari Automobili 312 P. This five-car pack will be available at no additional charge to “Forza Motorsport 5” Car Pass owners. The Forza Motorsport Car Pass includes the six monthly DLC packs that Car Pass owners will receive through May 2014 as well as the five-car Road America Booster Packs and the five-car Long Beach Booster Pack.

Be sure to check out an IGN exclusive direct feed of the Long Beach track here!