Need For Speed Unbound: Best Drift Build + Cars

Read through the complete Drifting guide on NFS Unbound which covers the best builds and settings.

Drift events are one of the vital racing modes in the all-new Need for Speed Unbound. However, getting a grip on these events requires you to build a specific type of car. You can’t just head into these events with your fastest cars in NFS Unbound. Hence, it is essential to include a car with a Drift Build in your NFS Unbound garage.

Unfortunately, not All Cars are capable of having a good drifting ability. There are only certain cars with a specific build that can do the job for you in NFS Unbound. Of course, as you race across Lakeshore, you will need to compete in various events, including the Drift Events. So having a suitable vehicle in your garage is a must.


Key Highlights

  • Drift Events are a vital part of Need For Speed Unbound.
  • To compete in these events, players will need a specific Car with the best Drift Build.
  • Mazda RX-7, Nissan 350Z, and Skyline GT-R are some of the best cars for Drifting in NFS Unbound.

Drifting Options In NFS Unbound

drift handling tuning nfs unbound
Handling Tuning in NFS Unbound [Image Credit: eXputer]
Before creating the best car setup for drifting in the new Need for Speed game, you need first to fix a few in-game Settings. You can find these settings within the Handling section of each car while you’re tuning its performance in NFS Unbound. Here you can find a few different options that include; Handling, Steering Sensitivity, Downforce, Traction Control, and Drift Entry.

  1. Handling: Adjust the Handling slider to prioritize between Grip and Drift. For a drift build, slide the bar more towards the Drift side to enhance your drifting capabilities.
  2. Steering Sensitivity: Control how quickly your car responds to steering inputs. Lower sensitivity provides more control but sacrifices responsiveness, while higher sensitivity allows for quick turns at the expense of stability.
  3. Downforce: Customize the downforce of your vehicle to enhance stability during high-speed drifting or cornering.
  4. Traction Control: Choose to enable or disable traction control. While traction control improves stability, it can hinder your ability to initiate and maintain drifts.
  5. Drift Entry:
    • Off: Completely disables drifting, requiring traditional braking techniques for cornering.
    • Brake Tap: Initiates drifting when tapping the brake button. Requires quick and precise taps to activate.
    • Gas Tap: Starts drifting when releasing and quickly tapping the gas button. Convenient for seamless transitions between acceleration and drifting.
    • Gas or Brake Tap: Allows drifting using either gas or brake tapping methods. Offers flexibility but may lead to unintended drifts if not mastered.

Experiment with these settings to find the optimal configuration for your drifting style. Additionally, consider customizing your control mappings to suit your preferences for brake and gas inputs. With the right tuning and practice, you’ll be dominating the drift events in NFS Unbound in no time.

RX-7 Drift Build In Need For Speed Unbound

nfs unbound rx 7
RX-7 in NFS Unbound

After you’re done familiarizing yourself with all the Drift related tuning in NFS Unbound, it will be time to create one of the best drift cars. Regarding drifting, Mazda RX-7 is one of the best cars, not only in Need for Speed but also in many other racing games. Hence, we will cover an entire Drift build for the RX-7.

  1. Purchase the Mazda RX-7: The first step is to acquire the Mazda RX-7 from the garage, which costs around $59,500 in NFS Unbound. You may need to compete in events to accumulate enough money to purchase the car.
  2. Focus on Speed: A good drift build requires the car to maintain momentum while drifting. Ensure the RX-7 has a powerful engine to provide the necessary speed. If low on cash, you can stick with the default engine initially and upgrade later.
  3. Upgrade Engine Parts: In the Parts menu, invest in Elite parts for Induction, ECU, Exhaust, Fuel System, and Turbo Charger. These upgrades will enhance the engine’s performance and contribute to better drifting capabilities.
  4. Consider Nitrous: While not essential for drifting, Nitrous can provide an extra boost of speed when needed. Evaluate your budget and decide whether to invest in Nitrous or prioritize other upgrades.
  5. Chassis Upgrades: Purchase Elite Suspension, Brakes, and Tires for optimal handling and control during drifts. Elite Standard Tires are preferred over Elite Drift Tires for the RX-7, but you can experiment based on your preferences and budget.
  6. Drivetrain Enhancements: Upgrade the Clutch, Transmission (7 Speed), and Differential to Elite variants. These components improve power delivery and traction, crucial for executing smooth drifts.
  7. Tune Handling: Adjust the handling settings based on personal preference. Many players prefer low Steering Sensitivity and Gas Tap Drift Entry for smoother and more controlled drifting.
  8. Apply Parts to Other Cars: If you don’t have the Mazda RX-7 or prefer another vehicle, you can apply the same build to cars like the Dodge Charger, Nissan 350Z, or BMW M3. The parts are interchangeable, allowing you to customize your preferred car for drifting.

5 Best Cars For Drifting

NFS Unbound best drift cars
Nissan 350z in NFS Unbound

NFS Unbound features almost up to 150 cars. All of these cars belong to different categories. You can buy sedans, muscle cars, SUVs, and so many different kinds of vehicles in the game. However, since we’re on the topic of drifting, we will list down some of the best cars you can choose for Drift Events in NFS Unbound.

We have already mentioned RX-7 earlier; let us now provide you with some other viable options you can go for if you’re planning to make a Drift Build in NFS Unbound.

Here are the Best Cars for Drifting in Need for Speed Unbound:

  • Mazda RX-7
  • Nissan Silvia Spec-R
  • Nissan Skyline GT-R
  • Nissan 350Z
  • Sabura BRZ

As we mentioned earlier, if you don’t want to go for the Mazda RX-7, then you can also choose any of the other cars we have mentioned above, which belong to different tiers in NFS Unbound.

Summary

With that, we reached the end of our thorough guide, which covered everything there is to know about Drifting in NFS Unbound. By the end of this article, you’ll be all caught up with the relevant drift settings, along with the best build for Drift Events in Lakeshore. There are plenty of good cars which are capable of drifting smoothly, which include the RX-7 and Nissan 350Z.

The most recent entry in one of the most well-known racing game series, Need for Speed Unbound, is now available. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the top NFS Unbound Tips & Tricks as well as the Best Starter Car before competing in “The Grand,” one of Lakeshore’s greatest street racing tournaments. Apart from the cars, you can also customize your character by making use of huge Clothing Brands in NFS Unbound.

With that, we reach the end of our guide. For more informative articles on Need for Speed Unbound, stick around at eXputer.

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Huzaifa is eXputer's Review Editor, who’s all about RPG games. He’s got several years of experience critically judging games and writing his unbiased thoughts on them. You can also find his content published on sites like Twinfinite & GearNuke. Huzaifa has been gaming for 23+ years, during which he managed to amass 400+ hours on Elden Ring! You can follow his gaming activity on his Xbox and Steam Profiles.

Experience: 5+ years || Previously Worked At GearNuke & Twinfinite || Mainly Covers RPG Guides & Latest Games Reviews || Education: Bachelors in Hospitality.

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