Forza Motorsport 4 fans have something to look forward to on Feb. 7 when the American Le Mans Series is released as new downloadable content (DLC). The pack will give gamers 10 new virtual cars including the 2011 Audi R18 TDI 24 Hours of Le Mans champion and the 1991 Mazda 787B, the last Japanese car to win the race back in 1991.

The pack costs 560 Microsoft points, which is the equivalent of $7.00, and will be free for download to those that hold the Forza Motorsport 4 Season Pass. The rest of the cars you’ll get to get your hands on include the 2011 Platinum Motorsports Bentley Continental GT, 2010 Dodge Quinton “Rampage” Jackson Challenger SRT8, 1986 Audi Sport quattro S1, 2011 Panoz #050 Abruzzi, 1992 Alfa Romeo 155 Q4, 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R, 2011 Holden HSV GTS, and 2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI.

Watch the video showing off the upcoming ALMS Pack for Forza Motorsport 4 after the jump.

GALLERY: Forza Motorsport 4 ALMS Pack

[Source: ForzaMotorsport.net]

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Auto enthusiasts who enjoy gaming will be happy to know that Top Gears Jeremy Clarkson will be spicing up Forza Motorsport 4, as he will be featured in the XBOX 360 game. Top Gear UK and Microsoft have been working to create a partnership between the witty British motoring show and Forza Motorsport.

The partnership will consist of Clarkson writing and vocally recording his own witty takes on a series of cars ranging from the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG to the McLaren F1. Players will be able to listen to Clarkson’s reviews of cars in the game when choosing a vehicle to use.

Interestingly, Forza 4 will also allow players to enter virtual showrooms where the user can open car doors, examine wheels and look under car hoods. Dan Greenawalt, a developer of Forza Motorsport 4 said, “We thought about how people want to interact with cars, to move around one, open the doors, kick the tires,”. “Our goal with this is to turn gamers into car lovers, and car lovers into gamers”, according to Greenawalt.

Video game and auto enthusiasts can expect to see Forza Motorsport 4 out on October 11 in the U.S.

[Source: New York Times]

Now that we’ve all had some time to settle in on the disappoint that was Gran Turismo 5, virtual racers can look forward to the upcoming release of the Xbox 360 flagship driving simulator, Forza Motorsport 4. On October 11th, gamers from all around the world will be able to experience the next installment of the Forza Motorsport series, and with it comes a limited collector’s edition packed with virtual goodies, and a few actual ones too!

The limited collector’s edition of Forza Motorsport 4 will feature a Steelbook DVD case along with a VIP virtual car pack that includes a 2011 Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, 2011 Ferrari 458 Challenge, 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, 2010 Noble M600 and 2011 RUF Rt 12 R. Those willing to pre-order Forza Motorsport 4 will get a limited quantity “Ship Bonus” car pack which consists of a 1965 Ford Mustang GT Coupe, 2011 Koenigsegg Agera, 1997 Lexus SC300, 2011 RUF RGT-8 and 2011 Tesla Roadster Sport.

That’s not all, as there will also be a 10 car add-on pack that features some of the best American muscle cars the game has to offer. The not-so-exclusive content will be custom-designed BMW cars that were part of the Forza Motorsport 4 BMW Design Challenge. Though it will come with the collector’s edition, users will be able to purchase the content from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Think that’s it? Of course not. Non-virtual goodies will include a 96-page book titled Cars of Forza Motorsport 4 Presented by Top Gear” and features commentary accompanying the in-game Autovista experience. You’ll also get some vinyl stickers, VIP Membership status to the online community and an exclusive BMW theme available for download on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Last but not least, Forza Motorsport 4 is really leveraging their relationship with BMW by featuring the all new M5 as the box cover car. The M5 can be downloaded as a drivable car via Xbox LIVE Marketplace (included in the collector’s edition) and gamers will be able to enjoy Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson talk about the M5 in the Autovista mode.

Forza Motorsport 4 is shaping up to become one of the greatest, if not the greatest, driving simulator game ever. Whether or not you believe Gran Turismo still holds that title is up to you, but we’re hoping that Forza lives up to the hype, unlike its Sony-exclusive competitor.

[Source: ForzaMotorsport.net]

Microsoft is enjoying a new generation of success with the release of its Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360, but true gamers aren’t fooled by all the motion-sensing gimmickry. The thought of enjoying Forza 4 while waving your hands and arms aimlessly in the air pretending to drive a car is a little discerning, to say the least. So we’re more than a little grateful to see that Microsoft will be releasing a new Wireless Speed Wheel for those that still want to hold something in their hands while they virtually drive.

Forza 4 isn’t too far behind and it looks like the release of this wheel will be synced in time for those passionate virtual racers. Interestingly enough, this wheel isn’t your standard circular steering wheel, but rather a U-shaped device that Microsoft found to be a compromise between a comfortable controller and a steering wheel. Even better is its affordable price tag at $59.99, set to release on September 26th.

The Wireless Speed Wheel does feature motion sensors for accurate steering, trigger buttons for acceleration and braking, your standard Xbox 360 buttons for game interactivity (though the shoulder buttons are noticeably missing, but shouldn’t impact driving games) and Rumble feedback. So for those that have been cringing at the price tag of Logitech’s offerings, this may be your best bet to get an affordable, real-world driving experience. Just don’t be that guy magically driving in Forza 4 with nothing in your hands…please, don’t be that guy.

GALLERY: Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel

The integration of multimedia into vehicles is no longer a novelty, and storing media files such as MP3s is becoming more and more common. So it’s no surprise that Microsoft has decided to forge yet another relationship in the automotive sector, this time with e.solutions, the company that supplies Volkswagen with their infotainment software.

Microsoft will be giving e.solutions access to its Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) which is Microsoft’s latest generation of file system management. exFAT will allow e.solutions to integrate a file system that will increase the size of files that can be stored in addition to the speed at which it can be accessed. This will give Volkswagen owners a more efficient method to move large audio and video devices to and from their vehicle.

At first glance, the pairing of Toyota and Microsoft might make some a little uneasy. The prospect of unintended acceleration and “the blue screen of death” that appears on Windows computers might be the most terrifying technological catastrophe known to man.

Nevertheless, the two companies will be collaborating, but only as far as telematics. Ford and Microsoft already have their SYNC system to control things like in-car entertainment systems. The Toyota system will go beyond this facet, and is supposed to include some kind of “cloud-computing” platform, but with the partnership just forged, there are no real details pertaining to the program.

Hit the jump to read the official press release

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First came the limited edition Nike Dunk 6.0 DeLorean shoes that sold out as soon as the stores opened. Then there was the DeLorean Time Machine Hard Drive so you could back up your files McFly style. Now, there’s more good news for you Back to the Future fans out there – DeLorean is in the works to expand its brand beyond time machines, sneakers and computer gadgets.

The Texas-based automaker has announced new partnerships with Mattel, Sun Star, Gateway Global, Microsoft and Now & Zen to make clothing and toys that use the DeLorean’s uber-cool retro-icon label.

The folks at DeLorean believe that their brand is a big hit with kids from the ’80s – and they’ve got the facts to back them up on that. According to a poll of 1,000 men conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation Caravan, the famous car has a 93 percent awareness factor among men aged 18 and older, with 87 percent of respondents agreeing that “the car was ahead of its time.”

[Source: Forbes]

Shaston, a Switzerland-based international distributor of Windows Mobile devices, just sent us these photos of a BMW 760Li Individual, modified with parts from well-known BMW-tuner Lumma. They didn’t give us a ton of details, but thankfully we’re equipped with a pair of eyeballs to make some observations of our own.

Lumma’s products are beginning to form a consistent shape throughout their BMW line and this 7-Series is no different. The front bumper on this 760Li is clearly from Lumma with many Lumma-inspired features. Wide fender arches flare up the front and the rear, giving the car a more aggressive, sportier profile. They’re a little out-of-place on the luxury 7-Series, but we think it might look a lot cleaner if the arches were molded on and blended in with the body.

There are several vent additions on the vehicle, from the front to the rear with a stylish rear bumper featuring a diffuser between the quad-tipped exhaust. It’s worth noting that the front grilles and mirrors have been swapped out with carbon fiber pieces.

There’s no word if the twin-turbo 6.0-liter V12 gets any power upgrades. It doesn’t need it though, with 554-hp and 553 ft-lbs of torque.

Shaston didn’t disclose much to us other than the first demonstration car is located in Switzerland and that this vehicle (or tuning package) will be launched in three weeks with “the most advanced computerized management.” We’re curious to see if Shaston ties in Windows Mobile products to their vehicle. Hopefully it’ll be the new Windows Phone 7, tying together automotive technology brilliance with wireless technology.

GALLERY: Shaston / Lumma Widebody BMW 760 Li

While the entire world is still holding their breath for an actual release of Gran Turismo 5, Microsoft’s Xbox 360′s motorsports entrant is still kicking strong. One of the coolest features in Forza Motorsport 3 is the ability to create graphics for your vehicles, pixel-by-pixel or however you can if you’re talented enough. We wouldn’t say we’re not talented, we just don’t have the patience to figure out better ways to do our own graphics like some other people. But Dr. Westies is extremely talented and this isn’t his first toy for the Xbox Live players.

So for those interested in tuning the Lexus SC430 drift car look-a-like, search “DRW” or “Miki 2010″ in the Forza Motorsport 3 storefront to grab it. Dr. Westies is quick to share that the graphics package incorporates 994 layers per side of the car. That’s a whole lot of time and patience we would never have to develop our own. But hey, we’ll definitely be adding one to our collection and hopefully Dr. Westies “gets bored” more often.

GALLERY: Dr. Westies’ Forza Motorsport 3 Ryuji Miki Lexus SC430 Drift Car

[Source: ForzaMotorsport.net]

Okay, so we know that not everyone is a video game junkie, so we’ll take some time to explain what’s been going on in the wonderful world of technology. Microsoft’s XBOX 360 console has entered the realm of controller-less gaming, where your body’s movements and actions will dictate what goes on in the game, essentially taking what the Nintendo Wii has offered to the public and adding another dimension to it. Through its Kinect (formerly known as Project Natal) interface, the XBOX 360 will be able to monitor your closest movements, actions and mimic them on the television.

So while just the idea that we have this technology at our disposal is amazing, implementing it for our favorite driving game simulator is overly enticing. Recently Turn 10 did a nice demo where they invited out several industry personnel to see the Kinect experience. By simply putting your hands out in the 10 and 2 position, you will be able to control your vehicle in the ever popular video game series without the need of having an actual steering wheel. We’re a little lost on how you control braking and accelerating though.

The concept is great and we look forward to XBOX 360′s Kinect to see just how it’ll revolutionize gaming, but something tells us (being hardcore car enthusiasts) we’d still prefer the actual touch and feel of a nice steering wheel, especially with the force feedback many of them provide. It may be tons of fun for casual gamers to simulate the driving experience without the actual need of additional hardware, but for now we’ll stick to what we’re used to. But hey, let’s not discredit the technology and where Forza Motorsport is heading into the future. The combination of an actual steering wheel and pedal assembly with the idea of being able to simply move your head to change your view or look around you is entertaining in its own right.

Check out the official press release after the jump.

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