he July Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 4—available on Tuesday, July 3 on Xbox LIVE for 560 MS Points—is one of the fastest collection of cars ever seen in the Forza Motorsport series. Don’t believe us? Consider the following:

• The 1952 Hudson Hornet set new records in stock car racing of the era.
• The 1956 Lotus Eleven was a cutting-edge racer for its time and driven by the likes of Sir Stirling Moss.
• The 1995 RUF CTR2 nearly won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in its first running… after being driven to the event as a street legal car.

All ten cars in the July Car Pack for Forza Motorsport 4 have their own special place in automotive history. Limited production cars most of us will never see in person are paired with classic speed so shapely it will make you wince. Even the fastest subcompact car of the 1970s is included here. In other words, this collection is another must-own gem for Forza 4 fans.

Here’s a full rundown of the cars in this pack:

2011 McLaren 59 GT MP4-12C GT3

The first McLaren GT race car since the F1 GTR finished production in 1997, the new 12C GT3 is based on the MP4-12C McLaren carbon-fiber chassis production sports car. The 12C GT3 is designed to allow any driver to reach the car’s performance limit. In conjunction with CRS Racing, development has been pursued with the level of detail equal to that of an F1 car. In fact, the 12C borrows technology from F1, such as the steering wheel. Because the road car’s 3.8-liter, V8 twin-turbo has so much power, it has been de-tuned for the GT3 to make it more tractable, leaving it with 539 hp. To save weight and to accommodate race-specific gearing, the 12C also features a Ricardo six-speed sequential-shift gearbox instead of the seven-speed of the road car. McLaren’s goal is to build strong relationships with their buyers, so the car will be a very limited production. Demand for the initial run of 12C GT3’s was high, 20 more are planned for 2013 and 2014. Finally, a McLaren is back in GT3 racing!

1973 AMC Gremlin X

Described by AMC as “the first American-built import,” and based on an AMC chief stylist’s sketch on an air-sickness bag, the AMC Gremlin was a two-fold response to Japanese imports and the fuel crisis of the era. AMC did not have the budget for a full-fledged new car to match up with Ford’s and GM’s new import beaters, so they developed the Gremlin first on a shortened AMX body and eventually a shortened Hornet. Resembling a sawed-off station wagon, the Gremlin is only slightly longer than a VW Beetle, although its long hood gives the impression of a larger car. The Gremlin had one body style that carried it through its entire eight-year production, with limited changes. The first two years of production saw a two-seat base model as well as the four-seater that was much more popular. The “X” trim package came with stripes, body color fascia, slotted road wheels, and a blacked-out grill insert. While these features did not make the Gremlin any faster–it was already the most powerful sub-compact–they did increase appeal and contributed to a 30 percent increase in sales for 1973.

2012 Ascari KZ1R

A track-tuned version of the race-bred supercar of the road, the KZ1R is capable of a top speed of 200 mph and 0-60 acceleration of three seconds. Ascari cars are hand-built on a state-of-the-art, carbon-fiber, monocoque adding to their potential as track superstars. Powered by the naturally aspirated BMW M5, 5.0-liter V8 and feather light at less than 3,000 lbs, despite luxury appointments such as electric windows, the KZR1 delivers an intensely exciting ride. The interior is all business and stripped to the bare essentials while still providing comfort inside the built-in safety cage. Outside, the front splitter and rear-wing generate additional downforce while complimenting the aerodynamic smoothness of the elegant body. Ascari will build only 50 KZ1R models so your best bet of getting close to one just might be in Forza Motorsport 4.

1998 Aston Martin V8 Vantage V600

Take a luxury sportscar and then squeeze even more horsepower out of an already chest-pounding motor. That’s what Aston Martin did with the super-low production Vantage V600. This comprehensive upgrade package added twin mechanically driven Eaton superchargers, with optimized intercooling and a fatter exhaust. As a result, engineers at Aston produced 600 hp and 600 ft-lbs of torque from the aluminum-alloy, 5.3-liter V8 powerplant. To cope with all that juice, ventilated and grooved discs with six-piston, AP calipers were fitted; as well as Eibach springs and Koni dampers. Only 56 cars were built with this option package; not surprising, since only a select few can afford the V600’s stunning combination of power and luxury.

1952 Hudson Hornet

A historically profound leader in both automotive design and sports car racing, the 1952 Hudson Hornet set new standards in safety, interior space, and handling. It also set stock-car racing win records that would stand for decades. By mounting the floor at the bottom of the frame rails, the Hudson Hornet had a lower center of gravity that contributed to handling that was a class above its competition. Furthermore, structural rigidity and safety were enhanced by steel girders that wrapped into the roof. In an age where V8 cars boasted about their horsepower, Hudson built a 308ci L6 with “Twin-H” power that brought 40 out of 48 wins in 1952. Doc Hudson, the “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” of Pixar’s “Cars”, breathed new life into the awareness of the Hudson Hornet’s history and will naturally inspire many “Cars”-based liveries in Forza 4. Hudson produced cars until 1957 but they will long be remembered as an innovator and race champion.

1954 Jaguar XK120

There is something about driving a Jaguar roadster from the 1950s that is like riding a motorcycle. It’s freeing and exudes a carefree, Zen-like feeling when behind the wheel. The sound of the engine, the huge wooden wheel in your hands, the short windshield; they all come together in a transportive experience, an automotive time machine taking you back to a simpler, more elegant era. But the XK120 is not just slick sophistication; it also delivered refined performance and an exhilarating ride. SE stands for “special equipment” which included a C-Type cylinder head, extending horsepower output to 210. With its curvy body and Jaguar’s obsessive attention to detail, the XK120 emanates a unique feminine beauty; treat it like a lady and it will amply reward you.

1956 Lotus Eleven

An all-new racing car for 1956, the Lotus Eleven incorporated a tubular steel space frame and stressed aluminum panels for rigidity. The car was powered by a lightweight 1.1 liter Coventry Climax engine and could hit 143 mph, and finished seventh overall at Le Mans. Fully loaded the car weighs around 1,000 pounds. Other versioned cars had engine options with sizes from 750 cc all the way to 1,500 cc. In its primary 1,100 cc class, the Lotus Eleven was successful on the track and was piloted by drivers such as the great Stirling Moss. To this day, there are few cars that can match its beauty or feather-light package.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG

Whenever a Mercedes-Benz model gets the AMG treatment, you can expect slick refinement and a serious power boost. The SLK 55 is no exception. Dropping in a 5.5-liter V8 with 415 hp and 376 ft-lbs of torque is just the beginning. The sports exhaust opens flaps in the system, letting the raspy rumble of the naturally aspirated AMG V8 be heard loud and clear. The flaps respond to throttle pressure and the system can also be closed for a more subdued ride. Variable valve adjustment, cylinder deactivation, and start-stop technology provide respectable mileage in a car that has marked performance. The seven-speed transmission pushes the rear wheels through a clutch pack instead of a typical torque converter for quicker, smoother shifting. The SLK55 AMG is a dressy competitor in its class, with enough option packages to serve those in search of lavish luxury and pure thrills.

1995 RUF CTR2

Following the release of the new 993-chassis, Alois Ruf went to work building a new CTR that would once again sit in the upper echelons of automotive performance. Capable of 220 mph and 0-60 in 3.6 seconds, the CTR2’s performance was the stuff of legend among its contemporaries. Fitted with all-wheel drive, a Kevlar body, and a Ruf-tuned 3.6-liter, twin-turbocharged, flat-six generating 520 hp and later 580 hp, the car was light, quick, and agile on any surface. To prove the car’s dominance, Ruf enter two CTR2s in the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb. They were both street legal and driven to and from the race. They placed second and fourth and set the overall top qualifying time. They went on to win another twenty races, ranking the CTR2 as one of the most successful performance cars of the 1990s.

2012 Spyker C8 Aileron

After the demise of the Le Mans GT1 class, Spyker has focused its efforts on developing a car for the new GTE class. What they have produced is an off-the-shelf race car that is ready to compete; just add driver and livery. The C8 Aileron’s 40-valve, mid-mounted, 4.2-liter engine produces 400 hp and 354 ft-lbs of torque. Getting that power to the ground is a Tiptronic six-speed automatic ZF gearbox with paddle shifters or a Getrag manual transmission. These cars can be purchased with full-race support packages. The previous GT2 class Spyker claimed two second place GT2 wins in the Le Mans series and a fifth overall in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2009. Here’s hoping Spyker gets the chance to match, or even beat, that performance with the C8 Aileron soon.

Celebrating the release of the July Car Pack, there will be a new batch of Community Monthly Rivals Mode events launched. An event specific for the McLaren GT MP4-12C GT3 will be offered to showcase this cars extreme speed and handling. We’ll also be awarding unicorn cars to 100 random players per week who set a leaderboard time in the 2012 McLaren GT MP4-12C GT3 Rivals event.

The July Car Pack is not included as part of the Forza Motorsport 4 Season Pass, which concluded with the April Alpinestars Car Pack. Season Pass owners will need to purchase the July Car Pack separately.