Forza Horizon 6 Adds Permanent Drift Attack Mode and Jaguar XJ-S Forza Edition

Forza Horizon 6 has introduced a permanent new drifting activity called Drift Attack, expanding the open-world festival's challenge lineup with a dedicated circuit-based scoring mode. The feature is now active at Shimanoyama Circuit and is designed to be entered as naturally as the game's existing Time Attack events: players simply drive through the event gantry in the world to begin.

Drift Attack arrives alongside Horizon Playlist Series 5, British Automotive, which runs from September 10 through October 8. The playlist brings 10 reward cars across its seasonal and full-series objectives, while the Drift Attack update adds its own set of Collection Journal goals, cosmetic rewards, and a new Forza Edition version of the 1990 Jaguar XJ-S.

For players who have spent time chasing scores in Horizon Drift events and Drift Zones, the new mode should feel familiar at its foundation. Its additional circuit-specific scoring rule, however, gives drivers a clearer reason to refine their line rather than merely holding a slide for as long as possible.

Drift Attack turns Shimanoyama Circuit into a score chase

Drift Attack is based at the existing Shimanoyama Circuit. Instead of requiring a separate matchmaking screen, loading sequence, or dedicated lobby, it is woven directly into the open world. That makes it a quick activity to attempt while driving around the festival map, and mirrors the friction-free setup used by Time Attacks.

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Once underway, participants lap the circuit and collect points through drifting. The basic scoring behavior follows the established logic used in Horizon Drift and Drift Zones: controlled slides are the route to a bigger total. Maintaining a drift, managing the car's angle, and carrying momentum through corners will all remain central to putting together a respectable run.

The defining addition is a network of Clipping Zones. These marked parts of the course boost a player's score when a drift is performed within their boundaries. That detail changes the nature of the challenge. The best result is not solely about initiating the largest possible slide in every corner; it is also about placing the car accurately enough to make those slides count where the course wants them.

In practice, Clipping Zones should reward drivers who can combine spectacle with discipline. A wide, uncontrolled drift may look dramatic, but it risks missing a scoring opportunity. Conversely, a carefully positioned slide through a marked section can contribute more meaningfully to the final score. The result is a mode with a more deliberate route through each lap, encouraging players to learn the circuit's sequence of corners and optimize their approach.

Shimanoyama Circuit is therefore not just receiving another event marker. It is becoming the focal point for an activity intended specifically for drivers who enjoy tuning cars for oversteer, experimenting with drift setups, and revisiting a route repeatedly in search of small scoring improvements.

In-world leaderboards keep the competition visible

Like Time Attack, Drift Attack uses in-world leaderboard functionality. That means players can compare their performances without treating the mode as an isolated menu-driven feature. The leaderboard integration fits the broader Horizon approach of placing competitive goals throughout the game world, letting a drive across the map turn into a spontaneous attempt to beat another player's score.

The format also makes Drift Attack appealing to several kinds of players. Those who simply want a new drifting destination can run laps at their own pace and work through the associated rewards. More competitive drivers can chase the leaderboard and focus on the exact details that separate close scores: entry speed, transition timing, vehicle balance, and whether each Clipping Zone was taken cleanly.

Because the mode is permanent, it does not carry the limited-time pressure often associated with playlist content. Players can return to Shimanoyama Circuit after the current seasonal rotation ends, work on their lines over time, or save the challenge until they have unlocked a preferred drift car and build. That permanence is a notable distinction for an update launching beside a month-long Horizon Playlist series.

How to unlock Drift Attack and its rewards

Drift Attack has been integrated into the Horizon Festival campaign. Access is unlocked after obtaining the yellow wristband, establishing it as a progression-linked activity rather than something immediately available from the opening moments.

Once the mode is available, completing tasks in the Drift Attack Collection Journal can earn several themed items. The rewards include the Drift Attack racesuit and Drift Attack helmet, giving players cosmetics that reflect their completion of the new discipline.

The most substantial prize is the 1990 Jaguar XJ-S Forza Edition. Forza Edition models traditionally stand apart from ordinary showroom versions through their special status, and this XJ-S is tied to the Drift Attack reward path. It gives drivers a clear car-focused reason to engage with the Collection Journal beyond the clothing items.

There is also good news for players who simply want the classic Jaguar in standard form. A stock 1990 Jaguar XJ-S has been added to the Autoshow, where it can be purchased by all players at any time. In other words, the regular car is not locked behind Drift Attack completion, while the Forza Edition variant remains the dedicated reward for tackling the new mode's objectives.

British Automotive brings 10 playlist reward cars

The Drift Attack launch coincides with Horizon Playlist Series 5, titled British Automotive. Running from September 10 to October 8, the series spotlights a range of vehicles from British manufacturers. There are 10 reward cars in total, including three described as new to Horizon.

Seasonal point thresholds determine most of the rewards, with one vehicle available at 20 points and another at 40 points during each season. Two additional cars are earned by accumulating points over the complete British Automotive series.

• Summer Season, 20 points: 2019 Ginetta G40 Junior
• Summer Season, 40 points: 2021 McLaren 620R
• Autumn Season, 20 points: 2015 Jaguar XKR-S GT
• Autumn Season, 40 points: 2021 MINI John Cooper Works GP
• Winter Season, 20 points: 2006 Vauxhall Astra VXR
• Winter Season, 40 points: 2016 Bentley Bentayga
• Spring Season, 20 points: 2002 Lotus Esprit V8
• Spring Season, 40 points: 2023 Lotus Emira
• Full series, 80 points: 2025 Bentley Continental GT Speed
• Full series, 160 points: 2019 Aston Martin Valhalla Concept Car

The vehicle selection covers a broad range of British automotive history and styles. The Ginetta G40 Junior represents a lightweight track-oriented option, while the McLaren 620R brings a more extreme modern performance focus. Jaguar appears in both the Drift Attack additions and the playlist, with the XKR-S GT joining the seasonal rewards.

Elsewhere, the MINI John Cooper Works GP and Vauxhall Astra VXR add hot-hatch choices, while Bentley's Bentayga and Continental GT Speed provide two very different takes on high-performance luxury. Lotus is represented by both the Esprit V8 and Emira, bridging a long-running sports-car legacy with a newer model. At the top end of the full-series goals sits the Aston Martin Valhalla Concept Car.

For collectors, the series provides a reason to keep returning throughout its four seasonal stages. For drivers interested in Drift Attack specifically, the British theme also makes the simultaneous arrival of the Jaguar XJ-S especially fitting, even though its Forza Edition version is earned through the new mode rather than the playlist point track.

Horizon Meets is next on the calendar

Looking beyond British Automotive, the next Forza Horizon 6 series has been confirmed as Horizon Meets. It will include a temporary 7-Eleven Konbini evolving world feature, more Eventlab content, and additional cars that are new to Horizon.

Specific details on the new cars and Eventlab material have not yet been outlined here, but the mention of an evolving world feature suggests another temporary change to the map following the end of British Automotive. For now, Drift Attack is the major new permanent addition, giving drifting enthusiasts a purpose-built activity that remains available after the current playlist moves on.

With a direct open-world entry point, Clipping Zone bonuses, visible leaderboard competition, and a Jaguar reward tied to its Collection Journal, Drift Attack is positioned as more than a brief seasonal diversion. It adds a repeatable discipline to Forza Horizon 6's festival structure--one where precision matters just as much as keeping the rear tires loose.