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Madder and Badder

By Ben Barker

I’m the one with the cars.
Midtown Madness 3 had revolutionized online racing and won legions of speed freak fans the world over. Yet despite the popularity of the game’s online competitive mode, MM3 has thus far been devoid of special downloads. That’s all set to change in a big way. Yes, the first jam-packed Xbox Live updates of new cars and courses for MM3 are here.

Microsoft and Digital Illusions CE (DICE) have relied on fan feedback and their own creativity for the first collection of updates. Though details on each will likely be tweaked until their release, here’s what I can tell you: The two cities in the game, Washington D.C. and Paris, will eventually see around 20 new races each. These will be split between new blitz races and checkpoint challenges. If you think you’ve mastered every route through either of these towns, think again. Odds are the Washington track pack will release first.

New-Car Freshness

Ambassador
This car’s drive physics give you a solid ride with above average handling that’s worthy of diplomatic immunity.
Top Speed: 3
Acceleration: 4
Mass: 7
Handling: 5
Durability: 7

The R4000 rewards skill—that’s another way of saying “it’s really fast, but don’t hit stuff with it.”

R4000
The R4000 boasts ferocious acceleration and speed, nice handling and suspension, and a glass jaw. Perfect for speed freaks that have mastered the fine art of not hitting things, but you might want to get in a little practice first if you’re still prone to clipping the corners too tightly.
Top Speed: 8
Acceleration: 8
Mass: 3
Handling: 6
Durability: 2

Shopper
Hands down my personal favorite of the new batch based on looks alone, the Shopper is a sneaky little vehicle that’s all about the handling. Perfect for twisty-turny courses and a good laugh, though not likely to win many time trials.
Top Speed: 3
Acceleration: 3
Mass: 0
Handling: 9
Durability: 1

The Shopper redefines “go kart.”

Trasher
Arguably the most versatile (and definitely the most muscular) of the cars in the initial updates is this steroid-eating speed machine. Trash-talk not included.
Top Speed: 7
Acceleration: 8
Mass: 5
Handling: 4
Durability: 6

The Trasher is pure 1970s Madness.

Cars of the Future
This is just a taste of the Midtown racing goodness coming your way. Microsoft and DICE are keeping the other upcoming tracks and cars close to their vests, for now. We can tell you a little about what to expect without naming names—look for an Indy-style race car that lets you re-enact your scenes from your favorite race movies, a straight-up stock car racer with excellent curves, a “futuristic sports car,” a camouflaged number that looks a bit like a dumpster, a car inspired by the best drag-race movies, and even a rusted-out 1950’s style gas guzzler. Future cars such as these may affect you, in the future. Check back soon for more Midtown Madness 3 updates on Xbox.com!