RaceRoom continues its path to becoming touring car fan's sim racing heaven: Five new Super Touring cars will be added on December 10, alongside two new circuits.
UPDATED NOVEMBER 22, 2024, 08:00 UTC
The teaser for the latest Grid Talk episode already strongly hinted at it - and RaceRoom confirmed what touring car fans had been hoping for: Super Touring Cars will make their way into the sim! Five different models of four manufacturers throw it back to the mid-to-late 1990s, accompanied by another classic track and a modern circuit.
Recently, we covered Super Touring Cars as part of an Assetto Corsa mod video - little did we know that RaceRoom would come up with the next big thing straight after the DTM 1995 pack released in September. This racing category, also known as Class II, dominated touring car racing in regional championships around the world in the second half of the 1990s, from the BTCC to the STCC, and from JTCC to the German STW.
Super Touring Cars flying over curbs on two wheels - a true 90s staple.
RaceRoom Super Touring Cars: Audi, BMW, Honda & Two Volvos
The regulations allow a maximum displacement of 2 litres and up to 6 cylinders. And with the first pack we have a nice mix of different concepts. There is the BMW M3 E36, the most successful car of the era, featuring 2-liter naturally aspirated engine and rear-wheel drive at just under 300 bhp. In contrast, the Honda Accord, a front-wheel-drive, 2-litre engine with just over 300 bhp, comes in second.Audi, of course, is back with its proven Quattro, offering more traction but also a little more weight and not quite as much punch as the competition. The two Volvos, the 850 and its 1997 successor, the S40, spoil us with 2-litre 5-cylinder beauty. FWD was also used for both, which meant that the Swedes could enter the race with a kerb weight of 975kg.
According to RaceRoom, these five cars that do not represent any season in particular are just the beginning, and they plan to expand the class in the future. Other popular cars of the era include the Nissan Primera, the Renault Laguna and the Vauxhall - or Opel - Vectra.
RaceRoom visits the long-time home of the Portugues Grand Prix at Estoril.
Classic Silverstone, Modern Estoril & Monza Refresh
This is of course exciting for hobby leagues and retro racers. For the latter we also see a new track, Silverstone Classic, as seen in Automobilista 2, which of course fits perfectly with the Super Touring Cars. The circuit is represented in its circa-2001 guise. For a more modern venue, Estoril makes its debut in RaceRoom - a track that might grow on you even if you do not appreciate it yet. Meanwhile, Monza receives a makeover to reflect the latest changes to the track, including its flatter curbs in some spots.The accompanying update, which is set for release on December 10, will also add the first element to having dynamic tracks to RaceRoom. It will be possible for cars that rejoin the race from a gravel trap or the grass to drag dirt onto the racing surface, which, of course, reduces grip.
The core element of the update, however, is clearly the Super Touring class. We were able to try the new cars already - and you won't believe how difficult it was having to keep the info on them secret until they were officially announced. Check the video embedded at the top of the article for @Michel Wolk's impressions and to see the cars in action!
Classic Silverstone, the site of many a BTCC battle and the fourth-ever historic track in RaceRoom.
Fun & Communicative Cars
For the shorter written version (as such things are conveyed better in a video), know this: KW Studios has created five outstandingly fun machines with the first Super Touring Cars. This already starts with the distinctive sounds inside the cockpit - the engine noise is joined by the very present transmission whine, and it makes us think of those old BTCC or STW onboard shots you can still find on YouTube.Driving-wise, the Super Tourers may not be the fastest, but they sure are extremely enjoyable. In the FWD Honda Accord, for instance, the FFB communicates what the front wheels are doing very well. The FFB might feel a bit spongy at first, but that only lasts until you lift off the throttle - you can clearly feel that it is the front axle of the car that has to get all the power down, and it does this very nicely.
The cars are suprisingly agile, as you would probably expect more understeer from the FWD cars in particular, but they are great to throw around instead. Close racing has also proven possible against the AI, including the trademark paint trading - touring car racing is a full-contact sport, after all.
Monza will have a refresh with the incoming update.
As a result, we cannot wait for this pack to be released come December 10 to take the cars to the track properly - maybe a community race or two are in order? Let us know if that is something you would be interested in!
Meanwhile, RaceRoom has plenty of things to keep you busy. As announced earlier, their Black Friday sale and Free Access period are live until December 6, so sim racers can check out everything RaceRoom has on its roster completely free of charge.
UI Overhaul & LFM Integration In Early 2025
Beyond the December update, there were a few more previews in the Grid Talk episode - such as a UI overhaul and an in-game sign-up system, both set to come in early 2025. Online racing is also going to look a bit different in the near future, as RaceRoom will integrate Low Fuel Motorsport into the sim in 2025 as well.It looks like RaceRoom is all set to end 2024 on a high note, then. With the strides the sim has taken in 2024, 2025 should be a year to very much look forward to - especially with KW Studios' plans to upgrade the sim's aging DirectX 9 runtime. Instead, DirectX 12 is set to transform RaceRoom. "That's not around the corner, it's a long process", said KW's Head of Studio Jean-François Chardon. "We're not stopping there, we know that we want to bring certain features to the game." According to Chardon, these include multiplayer driver swaps and day-night transitions - all elements that the community has been pointing out as weak spots in RR thus far.
Are you looking forward to Super Touring Car battles in RaceRoom? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our RaceRoom forum!
