Best A Tier Cars in Need for Speed Unbound

Need for Speed Unbound has no shortage of amazing rides. Criterion really dug deep to not only assemble a wide selection of awesome vehicles but also to make each car a good choice in its own right. Almost every car is competitive. Some have excellent versatility, while others are specialized well for specific types of races. Need for Speed Unbound also gives players a robust set of tools for tuning each car’s handling so they can really get the most out of them.

Below is a guide to the best cars in the A-tier class, some recommended upgrades for them, and tuning suggestions. Keep in mind that these cars may be the best, but simply using them doesn’t guarantee victory. A skilled opponent with a well-tuned car can beat them. Every race type is different, and not every car will have an edge in all races.

BMW i8 Roadster 2018

BMW i8 Roadster Class: A (201) Price: $138,500
Top Speed	0 - 60 time	1/4 mile time	Handling	Drivetrain
172	4.0	12.8	40% Grip	AWD

The Roadster feels overpowered, to say the least. It has incredible acceleration and the grip to put it to good use. It’s an excellent choice for the A-tier qualifier car. It can escape the cops, it wins races, and it’s as good as an A-tier car could be at Freeroam Activities. It’s an all-around winner.

The Roadster particularly excels at Speed Races. It’s a good choice for Street and Endurance Races, too, since it’s versatile enough to handle whatever they throw at it. It isn’t particularly useful for Drift Challenges or Takeover events, where Drift cars tend to do better.

Best Upgrades & Tuning for the BMW i8 Roadster

The Roadster starts with a good set of upgrades. It has a rating of 201, which leaves very little room to upgrade it. However, an elite clutch does wonder for improving its launch off the line. The following upgrades and tuning bring the Roadster up to 209 rating:

Upgrades		Tuning
	Elite Tires (generic): Achieves the best possible grip without affecting rating.
	Elite Clutch: Shaves 0.2 seconds off the ¼ mile time.
	Elite Suspension (generic): Increases tuning range.
	Elite Differential: Increases tuning range.
	Super Damage Increase Auxiliary: Increases damage caused to racers or cops.
	Super Nitrous Boost Auxiliary: Players should always pick an Auxiliary Nitrous Boost that fits their playstyle.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2007

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2007 Class: A (208) Price: $92,000
Top Speed	0 - 60 time	1/4 mile time	Handling	Drivetrain
169	3.9	12.2	20% Grip	AWD

This Lancer excels at cornering quickly and boosting out of turns. With a perfect launch, it flies to the front of the pack with ease. It's excellent at keeping its lead, too; its handling is very forgiving, and its impressive acceleration means even the most catastrophic mistake won’t take it out of the race.

The Lancer weaves in and out of busy city streets without issue and can quickly tuck itself into alleys to avoid Need for Speed Unbound's aggressive cops. All this makes it an excellent choice for driving around to find collectibles or just to get from place to place. It also excels at short races like Corner King and Hard Eight tend to be. It isn’t perfect for Endurance or Speed races, but it can perform.

Best Upgrades & Tuning for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2007

The Lancer doesn’t have much room for improvement at rating 208, but there are a few items to pick up that won’t tip it into A+ territory. This car can make the player a lot of money with the Getaway Driver Auxiliary. It’s risky, but this is the best A-tier car to take that risk in. The following upgrades and tuning bring the Lancer up to a 209 rating:

Upgrades		Tuning
	Pro Roots Supercharger: Playing to its strengths, this will further improve the Lancer’s low-gear acceleration.
	Elite Tires (generic): Achieves the best possible grip without affecting rating.
	Elite Suspension (generic): Increases tuning range.
	Elite Differential: Increases tuning range.
	Super Getaway Driver Auxiliary: Doubles the payout for escaping cops at the cost of halving the time it takes for reinforcements. Use with caution.
	Super Nitrous Boost Auxiliary: Players should pick an Auxiliary Nitrous Boost that fits their playstyle.

Dodge Challenger SRT8 2014

Dodge Challenger SRT8 2014 Class: A (206) Price: $91,000
Top Speed	0 - 60 time	1/4 mile time	Handling	Drivetrain
183	4.2	12.6	40% Drift	RWD

The Challenger is a muscle car, first and foremost, though that isn’t what makes it one of the best. Instead, it’s the impressive drift it brings to Drift and Takeover events. It’s also huge, so it smashes obstacles for points easily. It can slide through a turn sideways–hardly losing any speed–at 60% Drift and up. With some practice, it’s fairly easy to control, and it looks great with the flashy effects Unbound introduced.

The Challenger can compete in Speed and Endurance races, but it shines brightest in Takeover events. Short races like Hard Eight are difficult because, despite its impressive acceleration, it has a tough time keeping up at low speeds. The rear tires just spin too much to catch as quickly as AWD vehicles.

Best Upgrades & Tuning for the Dodge Challenger SRT8 2014

The Challenger starts at a rating of 206, so there’s almost no room for upgrading. However, an Elite set of drifting tires is a good investment, and it’ll really help improve how this car scores in the unique Takeover events.

As with any car, it’s also good to improve the tuning range. Lastly, an Undercover Racer Auxiliary is a good idea to make it easier for players to explore the city in the Challenger.

Upgrades		Tuning
	Elite Tires (Drift): Significantly improves drift control.
	Elite Suspension (generic): Increases tuning range.
	Elite Differential: Increases tuning range.
	Super Undercover Racer Auxiliary: Doubles the time it takes for cops to spot the car.
	Super Nitrous Drift Auxiliary: Increases nitrous gained from drifting.