- Audi vehicles will hit Automobilista 2 soon for the first time
- They will be joined by Road Atlanta – part of an IMSA partnership
- Visible tyre wear and enhanced particle effects in development
- Version 1.6 and two DLC packs are on the way
Seven new licencing deals are said to have been struck between car manufacturers and Automobilista 2 developers Reiza Studios.
That’s not all, as fresh venues and physics updates are also in development for the Brazilian sim racing platform.
“The team has since been completely immersed in the work for what is promising to be the biggest AMS2 update yet,” said Renato Simioni, Studio Head and Project Manager of Reiza Studios, in a recent forum post.
“As with previous milestone updates, V1.6 will introduce major developments to every front of the game, the collective effect of which constitutes a leap that should surmount event that of V1.5 last year.”
Audi joins in
The new licencing deals should lead to an expanded roster throughout 2024, the first of which is Audi.
The Ingolstadt manufacturer will be represented initially with three cars:
- Audi V8 quattro (free)
- Audi R8 LMS GT3 (free)
- Audi R8 LMS Evo II (premium)
The V8 is a boxy late ‘80s-early ‘90s saloon, that paired an enlarged 200 chassis with an eight-cylinder engine, automatic transmission and quattro four-wheel-drive. Frank Biela used one to take the 1991 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft crown and a year earlier, so did Hans-Joachim Stuck.
Its contemporaries were the (E30) BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16, and consequently, it will be added to AMS2’s Group A category.
Meanwhile, the first evolution of the second generation R8 GT3 will also be free content, joining the V8 when the version 1.6 update is complete.
The later Evo II specification GT3 will be paid-for content, part of an upcoming ‘Endurance Pack Pt2’ alongside a yet-to-be-confirmed line-up.
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta
In March, a deal was struck between Reiza and the International Motor Sports Association to represent the sanctioning body within the title.
Accordingly, a set of North American circuits is in development for Automobilista 2 to sit alongside its existing tracklist.
The first has been unveiled as Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The flowing Braselton venue mixes a long backstretch with narrow confines and undulation.
It will be paid-for downloadable content in an IMSA-branded track pack, the remaining contents remaining under wraps for now.
Tyre model updates
A recent platform update changes tyre behaviour at the limit for the Ultimate Gen2 and Stock Car Pro Series 2024 cars. The work seen here is said to carry across to further vehicles once v1.6 is completed, according to Reiza.
Wear and flat spots are set to become visible, particularly interesting for classic single-seater racing – something of an Automobilista forte. The damage accrued during an aforementioned flat spot is also said to have been tweaked.
No smoke without… electricity?
Other features are also being refined. Namely, how Automobilista 2 replicates hybrid systems.
The development team has published a work-in-progress video of the Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh/GTP running on electricity alone before the V8 internal combustion engine kicks in – as it should be.
A second clip shows a retro formula-style car blowing up its engine dramatically with a plume of smoke. This is down to enhanced particle effects currently in development.
These refinements will sit alongside changes to grip on and off the racing line, functional pit lights and more detailed windscreens.
Two imminent DLC packs
While the quality-of-life changes, plus a handful of vehicles, will be free as part of the version 1.6 update – further cars and tracks will be part of the following premium DLC packs:
- Endurance Pack Pt2 – ~$9.99
- IMSA Track Pack – ~$14.99
A release date for the update and DLC has yet to be announced: “We are still several weeks away from its release,” said Simioni.
Further details are expected as the content edges closer to launch.
