Welcome racers … to Palmont City. Up until now you have been racing on level ground … but now … get ready for a new style of racing … that offers that extra level of racing, style and speed … get ready to hit the streets and canyons of Palmont City as you enter this Complete Guide for Need For Speed Carbon.
Racing Styles
There are 14 different styles and types of race in Palmont City. They vary in difficulty, technique and length … here is a list of the race types available to you in this game.
Circuit – Lap based racing. Eight racers drive around a set course for x amount of laps.
Sprint – Point to point racing. Eight racers speed through the streets to get from the start to the finish in as little time as possible.
Drift – Utilize the ultimate combination of handbrake, speed and turning to get your car sideways as you slide around the track. Getting the highest possible speeds and getting your car into the biggest slide possible for the longest time possible is what all drifters aim to achieve.
Speedtrap – Similar to Sprint racing … except this time your ultimate goal is to get the highest speed possible as you pass by each speed camera (speedtrap). The highest overall average speed wins. Be careful … once the first racer crosses the line, points are deducted ever moment or so from the drivers still on the track.
Checkpoint – Similar to Sprint … except this time you must get past each tollbooth in time. As you pass each one you receive extra time to reach the next. It is essential that you do not miss one.
Canyon Sprint – Race down the side of a canyon against four other racers in an all out duel to the finish. In Canyon Sprint there are boundaries so falling off is not an issue.
Canyon Checkpoint – Race down the side of a canyon against the clock to pass each tollbooth on time.
Canyon Drift – Forget the track … this style of race requires ultimate handling and precision driving. Just like track based drift except this time … you race down the canyon as you try to hit the highest speeds while keeping clear of the edges and mountain walls. Be careful though … the edges of the canyon are fragile … one slip and your car goes over the edge and your race is over!
Canyon Duel – Forget whatever you knew about street racing. The ultimate test of a racer’s skill comes down to this. A two-part race … one against one. The first part involves one racer speeding down the canyon to get the largest possible gap between his rival as he drives to the bottom of the mountain … all while the other racer tries to stay as close as possible. In the second part … the hunter becomes the hunted and vice versa. The racer with the highest score takes home the win. If either racer falls off the side of the mountain, it is considered an automatic win for the other racer. Similarly, if the racer trying to “get away” is overtaken for 10 seconds (without the racer regaining first place) then the racer who overtook the “hunted” racer wins. In addition, if the race trying to “get away” gains a large enough gap, and is able to keep this gap for 10 seconds, he will automatically win the race.
Race Wars – A circuit race with a twist. A race war will involve a large scale circuit with an extraordinary turn-out of racers. Nineteen other racers to be exact … and three laps.
Pursuit Evasion – A traditional police chase. Once the chase has started use what ever you can, let it be speed, force and pursuit breakers to get the Five-O away.
Trade Paint – Simply put, a method of counting how many patrol police cars you have hit during a chase.
Pursuit Knockout – A Knockout race with a twist. For starters, in a Pursuit Knockout, the last racer to complete the lap will be automatically converted into a police car. This will continue until there is one racer still remaining in their street car. Once this is done the racer must complete two laps of the race before the time is over. In the time of the race … all police cars must aim to bump, smash and block the racers … hopefully stopping the final racer before the time is out.
Pursuit Tag – One racer becomes the street racer … and all others Police. It is up to the street racer to evade the police for the longest time possible. The Police Car which “Busts” (gets the street racer in a stationary position for a certain period of time) becomes the newest racer and the street racer is now a Police Car. If no-one busts the street racer, the closed police is automatically made the street racer by default.
Each car is unique in its shape and driving style. However, in-order to display the performance of each car there is a three-part system.
Acceleration – This refers to cars which are quick of the start. Cars which have high acceleration are able to maintain a high speed while at the same time, keeping control of the car. Acceleration can be described as quick cars which are able to get to high RPMs but are not suited to truly utilize them.
Top Speed – This refers to cars which are extremely fast. Those which are able to stay at high RPMs and make use of them by reaching truly amazing speeds. Cars with top speed do not do well at lower RPMs and gears … as they have slow start of speeds.
Handling and Steering – This refers to cars with exceptional capabilities to turn corners with the smallest amount of ease. Cars with high handling are able to take most corners without large amounts of speed loss.
Automobile Classes
There are 57 cars which are available to be driven in Need For Speed Carbon. These are available either offline and online … however … certain cars are only available for online use only. Cars in Need For Speed Carbon can be divided into three categories …
Tuner – These cars lack “Top Speed” but have exceptional “Handling and Steering”. Tuner cars have a decent “Acceleration”.
Exotic – Exotic cars can be described as the “Better of two Greats” in terms of characteristics of cars. Exotic cars have exceptional “Acceleration” and “Handling and Steering” and also have a decent “Top Speed”. However … the steering capabilities of an exotic are not as great as those of the Tuners and the top speed cannot compare to that of a Muscle Car.
Muscle – The fastest and loudest cars of Carbon. These cars boast massive amounts of torque and exhaust on the streets as they tear up the road. Muscle cars are known for their extremely large “Top Speed”. What Muscle cars make up for speed … they lose in steering which, some makes of the muscles cars seem almost impossible to turn corners.
Automobile Tiers
In Need For Speed Carbon there has been a revolution in the way that cars are further classed. These are known as Tiers.
Tier One – Tier One cars are beginner cars. These are not highly regarded by racers and cannot compete with others in higher classes.
Tier Two – Tier Two cars are Middle Class cars. These are common throughout many street racers.
Tier Three – Tier Three cars are the Crème-De-La-Crème of street racing automobiles. They include the very best models of each class and are generally the most expensive. These cars are driven by truly gifted racers.
A general rule applies to Tiers. Performance parts are available for specific Tier cars only. E.g. A Tier 2 Turbo cannot be applied to a Tier 3 car and vice versa.
Complete List of Cars Available in Need For Speed: Carbon
Contents
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Automobiles
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Preferred Cars for Specific Tiers
Tier One
Nissan 240SX – Reward Card
Mazda Rx-8 – Starting Car
Chevrolet Camaro SS – Starting Car
Mazda 3MPS – Unlocked at Start
Chrysler 300C STR8 – Unlocked at Start
Alfa Romero Brera – Starting Car
Mercedes-Benz CLK 500 – Unlocked at Start
Tier Two
Mitsubishi Eclipse GT – Unlock during Career Mode
Volkswagon Golf R32 – Unlock during Career Mode
Vauxhall Monaro VXR – Unlock during Career Mode
Lotus Elise – Unlock during Career Mode
Renault Clio v6 – Unlock during Career Mode
Ford Mustang GT – Unlock during Career Mode
Mazda Rx-7 – Take over all Bushido Territory and defeat Kenji
Dodge Charger SRT8 – Unlock during Career Mode
Porsche Cayman S – Unlock during Career Mode
Dodge Charger R/T – Take over all 21st Street Territory and defeat Angie
Aston Martin DB9 – Take over all T.F.K. Territory and defeat Wolf
Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG – Unlock during Career Mode
Tier Three
Nissan 350Z – Unlock during Career Mode
Subaru Impreza WRX STi – Unlock during Career Mode
Porsche 911GT3 RS – Reward Card
Nissan G35 – Online Experience Level/Xbox Live Marketplace
Toyota Supra – Unlock during Career Mode
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR Edition – Unlock during Career Mode
Shelby G.T.500 – Unlock during Career Mode
Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 – Unlock during Career Mode
Plymouth Hemi Cuda – Unlock during Career Mode
Dodge Challenger – Unlock during Career Mode
Dodge Viper SRT10 – Unlock during Career Mode
Lamborghini Gallardo – Unlock during Career Mode
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 – Unlock during Career Mode
Ford GT – Unlock during Career Mode
Lamborghini Murcielago – Unlock during Career Mode
Porsche Carrera GT – Unlock during Career Mode
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren – Unlock during Career Mode
Online Specific Automobiles
Contents
* Online Specific Cars
Online Specific
Police Federal Sport Cruiser (Heat Five Police Vehicle) – Reward Card
Police Civic Cruiser (Heat One Police Vehicle) – Reward Card
Police SUV Rhino – Reward Card
Cross Corvette Z06 – Reward Card
Dump Truck – Reward Card
Fire Truck – Reward Card
Lotus Europa S – Online Experience Level 50
Pontiac GTO – Reward Card
Dodge Camaro Concept – Need for Speed: Carbon Collector’s Edition Exclusive Car
Plymouth Road Runner – Challenge Series
Mitsubishi Eclipse – Reward Card
Toyota MR2 – Reward Card
Chevrolet Camaro Chevelle SS – Reward Card
Pagani Zonda – Online Experience Points/Xbox Live Marketplace
Shelby G.T. 500 – Online Experience Points/Xbox Live Marketplace
Lexus IS300 – Challenge Series
Koenigsegg CCX – Need for Speed: Carbon Collector’s Edition Exclusive Car
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 – Reward Card
BMW M3 GTR – Reward Card
Audi LeMans Quattro – Take over all Stacked Deck Territory and defeat Darius.
Preferred Automobiles and Tuning Specifications
Preferred Tier Automobiles
One of the most asked questions is “What is the best car per Tier, to use?” Although there are no specific car(s) which will guarantee you success, there are a select few which will give you that competitive edge. Here is a list of the cars which I have found out, are the best car to use for the different race styles throughout the game.
Tier One Car – Alfa Romero Brera (Exotic)
Tier Two Car – Porsche Cayman S
Tier Three Car (Overall) – Lamborghini Murcielago & Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
Tier Three Car (Drift) – Toyota Supra & Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR Edition
Tier Three Car (Professionals Only) – Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (Tuned Specifically as Specified Below)
Tier One Car (Online) – Nissan 240SX
Tier Two Car (Online) – Porsche Cayman S
Tier Three Car (Online) – Audi LeMans Quattro
Tier Three Car (Professionals Only) – Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (Tunes Specifically as Specified Below)
Specific Tuning for Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The majority racers online in Need For Speed Carbon dominate the roads of Palmont City with either an Audi LeMans Quattro or a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The Audi LeMans provides the ultimate car, with incredible speed, braking and excellent handling. However, the Corvette Z06, if tuned correctly will allow you to reach incredible speeds which the Audi will never reach. The following tuning specifics will allow you to tune your automobile to maximize speed and also gain some extra handling. Note: I am using all the best Tier Three Performance Parts. These are “Race Performance Packages”
Engine: Slider all the way to the left (Torque)
Transmission: Slider all the way to the right (Top Speed)
Suspension: Slide all the way to the left (Oversteer)
Nitrous: Slider all the way to the left (Velocity)
Tires: Slider all the way to the left (Drift)
Brakes: Slider all the way to the right (Front Bias)
Supercharger: Slider all the way to the right (High RPM)
Career Mode
Contents
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Introduction
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Crew Members - Your Team
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Gangs
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Territories
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Bosses
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Bonus Markers
Introduction
Career Mode in Need For Speed Carbon, has brought in many new items which make the game interesting. The following section covers these topics.
Crew Members – Your Team
In order to help you win races against other crews and racers, you will need some assistance from another member of your Crew. These all have a variety of methods which they use in a race to give you that edge. The Skill of each Crew Member varies between one of three. These include:
1) Blocker – Knocks around rival racers, spins them out and blocks their path.
2) Drafter – Drives ahead of you and creates a slip-stream to allow you to draft behind them, increase in speed and then shoot by.
3) Scout – Drives ahead of you and locates any shortcut that will allow you to find the quickest routes around the track.
The following is a list of all the crew members that you will encounter as you progress through Career Mode:
Neville
Signature Status – Fixer
Unlock – Starting Crew Member
Skill - Blocker
Tier Three Car – Nissan 350Z
Race Bonus – Zone Heat does not increase after races.
Career Bonus - +$200 cash bonus per race win
Sal
Signature Status – Fabricator
Unlock – Complete few races during Career Mode
Skill - Scout
Tier Three Car – Toyota Supra
Race Bonus –Winning Races will actually mean less attention from the police.
Career Bonus – Unlocks Autosculpt body kits, hoods, and roof scoops
Yumi
Signature Status – Mechanic
Unlock – Defeat Kenji
Skill - Scout
Tier Three Car – Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Race Bonus –25% boost to nitrous.
Career Bonus – 10% discount on Performance Parts
Colin
Signature Status – Fabricator
Unlock – Defeat Wolf
Skill - Drafter
Tier Three Car – Porsche Carrera GT
Race Bonus – Larger area behind the Crew Member for Drafting.
Career Bonus – Unlocks Autosculpt wheels, spoilers, exhausts, and chop top
Samson
Signature Status – Fixer
Unlock – Defeat Angie
Skill - Blocker
Tier Three Car – Plymouth Hemi Cuda
Race Bonus – +10% cash bonus per win
Career Bonus – Zones you control draw less attention from the police
Nikki
Signature Status – Mechanic
Unlock – Complete some races in Silverton
Skill - Drafter
Tier Three Car – Ford GT
Race Bonus – 50% boost to speedbreaker and nitrous
Career Bonus – 10% discount on all car purchases
Gangs
The city of Palmont is run by crews. The main four Crews which occupy Palmont are:
- Bushido
- 21st Street
- T.F.K.
- Stacked Deck
The sub crews which run in Palmont are:
- Inferno
- Rotor4
- Los Colibris
- Black Hearts
- Kings
- Scorpios
Territories
In Career Mode, the city of Palmont is divided into territories. The territories are owned by crews. In order reclaim territory you must win races. However, as you win other territories, crews will return to take back what was theirs. It is up to you to re-race and take the area back again.
Bosses
Each of the four main Crews are run ultimately by a Boss. The Bosses are as follows
- Bushido - Kenji
- 21st Street - Angie
- T.F.K. - Wolf
- Stacked Deck - Darius
When you reclaim all of their territory, a boss will challenge you to at least one lap based race in their location, and then a Canyon Duel. If you will both, you will take over their territory for good.
Bonus Markers
When you have successfully beaten a boss, you will get the option of selecting two bonus markers. These markers offer such extras such as a Free Performance Upgrade to a Free Spoiler. The Bonus Markers include the following extras:
- Pink Slip to Rival’s Car
- Get Car out of Jail/Impound
- Extra Strike Available for any Car (To a total of Five)
- Cash
- Pursuit Marker (Used when Busted to make the entire Pursuit forgotten)
- Aftermarket Part
- Performance Upgrade (Parts which cannot be bought … are used to make installed parts better)
One of the game modes that makes Need For Speed Carbon different to any-other is Free-Roam Police, Heat Levels *and Police Pursuits.
Heat Levels
The more you race in a specific area/territory, the allocated Heat Level will increase. Heat Levels determine which level of Police will be used. As the Heat Level increases, better performance vehicles will be used to hopefully stop you. The following list shows you which Heat uses which level of service, which car the Police drive and the techniques which will be used by the authorities. It should be noted, that as the Heat increases, the more difficult it will be to evade the pursuit but, you will rack up a much higher amount of bounty in a much shorter time.
Heat One – Police Cruiser (Officially Ford Crown Victoria)
Heat Two – Undercover Police Cruiser (Officially Ford Crown Victoria)
Heat Three – Holden Monaro/Pontiac GTO
Heat Four – Undercover Holden Monaro/Pontiac GTO
Heat Five – Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Heat Six – Undercover Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Heat Seven – All Police Vehicles, Including Police SUV Rhino (Turbo Charged)
Five-O
If you are not in your safe-house, chances are that you will be either in a race or driving in free-roam. As you drive, your actions will determine whether the police will be alerted to follow you. Police are alerted whenever you destroy/damage property of the state (such as walk-way scenery and civilian vehicles). In addition, the higher your Heat is, the higher the chances that the police will be alerted. In addition, after you drive in free-roam for a prolonged period of time, you will notice that the police will begin to drive throughout the streets … simply patrolling the area. If your Heat Level is between 1-3, they will not engage in a pursuit unless they see you in violation of one of the eight infractions. However, if your Heat Level is 4 or above, the police will engage in a pursuit immediately. To evade from the police (before a pursuit has been initiated) simply enter a Safe-House or Car Dealership. You can enter reduce your Heat Level by either customizing your car, racing with another car or by entering “Car Select” in your Safe-House and reducing your Heat there.
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