Need for Speed: Shift: Throttle Edition

Need for Speed: Shift: Throttle Edition is a driving-game from Slightly Mad Studios, with tweaks offered by 984 Studios. The game is exactly like Need for Speed: Shift, but includes more powerful variants of cars, deletes some cars, adds several new cars, and also adds a few new tracks.

In a manner completely unlike the others, it was a collaboration project with Polyphony Digital, who were allowed to place ads for Gran Turismo 5 into the game (these ads stayed on the 360 and PC versions) and help make the cars overall look better. They were also hired to make their own hybrid realistic simulation variant, though Shift's old simulation is still selectable (as with GTPSP, they are separated into Beginner and Professional under Handling Characteristics in the Options Menu). In exchange, Polyphony's custom LM cars were usable for motorsports challenges, and the GTbyCitroen was inserted into the game as a Tier 4 car.

It has been announced that Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed will be getting a Throttle Edition approximately one year after launch. Continuing the tradition, it will have cars that aren't included in the old Throttle Edition, as well as Polyphony Digital's LM Race Cars and the cars previously featured in the first Throttle Edition.

The Newbies And Dead Guys
Nobody can win without dying first was the key behind 984 and Slightly Mad's revamp of the game. Some of the cars were deleted, and others were tweaked up. Here are the cars that were built up (and in some cases, stricken down):

Dead Guys And Uptuned Racers
Aston Martin DB9 Coupe - Replaced with Aston Martin DBS. Aston Martin V8 Vantage - Replaced with Aston Martin V12 Vantage.

Audi R8 4.2 FSI quattro - Replaced with Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro.

Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro - Replaced with Audi TT-RS Coupe.

BMW M3 E46 - Replaced with BMW M3 GTR (E46).

BMW M3 E92 - Replaced with BMW M3 CSL (E92).

BMW Z4 - Replaced with BMW Z4 sDrive35is.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 - Replaced with Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Supersport.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 - Replaced with Chevrolet Corvette ZR1.

Dodge Challenger Concept - Replaced with Dodge Challenger SRT8.

Dodge Viper SRT10 - Replaced with Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR.

Gumpert Apollo - Replaced with Gumpert Apollo Sport.

GTbyCitroen - Added to game.

Koenigsegg CCX - Replaced with Koenigsegg CCXR Edition.

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 - Replaced with Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 - Replaced with Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce.

2007 Lexus LF-A Concept - Replaced with Lexus LF-A.

Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG - Replaced with Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR-EDITION - Cut from game.

Nissan GT-R (R35) - Cut from game.

Pagani Zonda F - Cut from game.

Pagani Zonda R - Cut from game.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS - Replaced with Porsche 911 GT2 RS.

Volkswagen Scirocco - Replaced with Volkswagen Scirocco R.

However, a new feature was added: motorsport variants of cars could be unlocked through Challenge Races. Here's what Challenge Racers could unlock:

Challenge Races
Aston Martin DB9 Coupe - Upon completion, serves as alternate way to get Aston Martin Racing DBR9.

Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro - Upon completion, serves as alternate way to get Audi R8 LMS Team PlayStation.

Audi TT-RS Coupe - Upon completion, unlocks Abt Audi TT-R Touring Car.

BMW M3 GTR (E46) - Upon completion, unlocks BMW M3 GTR Race Car.

BMW M3 CSL (E92) - Upon completion, serves as alternate way to get BMW M3 GT2.

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 - Upon completion, unlocks Chevrolet Corvette C6-R.

Dodge Challenger SRT8 - Upon completion, unlocks Dodge Challenger Drift Car.

Dodge Viper SRT-10 - Upon completion, unlocks Dodge Viper GTS-R.

Dodge Viper SRT-10 - Upon completion, unlocks Dodge Viper Drift Car.

Ford GT - Upon completion, unlocks Ford GT LM Spec II Race Car.

Ford Shelby GT500 - Upon completion, serves as alternate way to get NFS Shelby Terlingua Ford Mustang.

GTbyCitroen - Upon completion, unlocks GTbyCitroen Race Car.

Honda NSX - Upon completion, unlocks Honda NSX ARTA Super GT Race Car.

Honda S2000 - Upon completion, unlocks Honda S2000 LM Race Car.

Koenigsegg CCXR - Upon completion, unlocks Koenigsegg CCGT.

Lotus Elise 111R - Upon completion, unlocks Lotus Elise Motorsport.

Mazda RX-7 - Upon completion, unlocks Mazda RX-7 LM Race Car.

Mazda RX-8 - Upon completion, unlocks Mazda RX-8 Concept LM Race Car.

McLaren F1 - Upon completion, unlocks BMW McLaren F1 GTR Race Car.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X - Upon completion, unlocks Mitsubushi Lancer Evolution X Rally Car or Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII Super Rally Car.

Nissan 350Z - Upon completion, unlocks Nissan 350Z RS.

Nissan GT-R SpecV - Upon completion, unlocks Nissan GT-R Xanavi Nismo Super GT Race Car.

Nissan Skyline GT-R - Upon completion, unlocks Nissan Gran Turismo Skyline GT-R.

Pagani Zonda Cinque - Upon completion, unlocks Pagani Zonda LM Race Car.

Porsche 911 GT2 RS - Upon completion, serves as alternate way to get Porsche 911 GT3 RSR.

Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Study - Upon completion, unlocks Porsche 918 RSR.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi - Upon completion, unlocks Subaru Impreza Rally Car.

Toyota Supra - Upon completion, unlocks Toyota Supra Yellow Hat YMS Super GT Race Car.

Volkswagen Scirocco R - Upon completion, unlocks Volkswagen Scirocco GT 24.

New car animations
Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro - Upon reaching high speed, the Audi's rear spoiler will go up (this won't happen if the R8 has a rear spoiler mounted)

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Supersport - Upon reaching high speed, the Veyron's spoiler will go up, and on hitting seventh gear it will retract slightly (this won't happen if the Veyron has a spoiler mounted). As well, if it brakes at any point during those speeds, the spoiler will raise if tucked in and act as an airbrake.

Lamborghini Murcielago SV and Roadster + Lamborghini Reventon and Roadster - Air intakes will come out as the car hits high speeds and retract in as the car hits low speeds. This is not affected by anything.

Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR (both models) - When the car brakes, the air brake will come up (if the rear spoiler's mount/mountings touch the air brake, it won't come up).

Porsche Carrera GT - When the car reaches a high enough speed, the spoiler will come up.

Tier 1 (City cars)
Audi S3

Audi S4

Audi TT-RS (Interceptor available)

Abt Audi TT-R Touring Car

BMW 135i Coupe

Chevrolet Cobalt SS

Ford Crown Victoria (Interceptor only)

Ford Escort RS Cosworth

Ford Focus ST

Ford Taurus SHO Concept (Interceptor only)

Honda Civic Si

Honda S2000

Honda S2000 LM Race Car

Infiniti G35 (V35)

Mazda MX-5

Mazda RX-8 (Interceptor available)

Mazda RX-8 Concept LM Race Car

Nissan 200SX (S14)

Nissan 240SX (S13)

Nissan 350Z (Z33)

Nissan 350Z RS

Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R (C10)

Renault Sport Megane R.S.

Scion tC

SEAT Leon Cupra

Toyota Corolla GTS (AE86)

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Volkswagen Scirocco R

Volkswagen Scirocco GT 24

Tier 2 (Performance cars)
Audi RS4

BMW M1 Procar

BMW M3 E36

BMW M3 GTR (E46)

BMW M3 CSL (E92) (Interceptor available)

BMW Z4 sDrive35is

Carbon Motors E7 Concept (Interceptor only)

Chevrolet Camaro SS (2010) (Interceptor available)

Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (1967)

Dodge Challenger SRT8 (Interceptor available)

Dodge Charger SRT8 Super Bee (Interceptor available)

Dodge Challenger R/T (1971)

Dodge Charger R/T (1969)

Falken Tires Ford Mustang GT

Lotus Elise 111R

Jaguar XKR (Interceptor available)

Mazda RX-7

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII Super Rally Car

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (Interceptor available)

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Rally Car

Need for Speed Shelby Terlingua Ford Mustang

Nissan 370Z (Interceptor available)

Nissan 370Z Roadster

Nissan Silvia SpecR

Nissan Skyline GT-R

Nissan Gran Turismo Skyline GT-R

Porsche 911 Speedster

Porsche Cayman S (Interceptor available)

Toyota Supra

Toyota Supra Yellow Hat YMS Super GT Race Car

Shelby Mustang GT500 Super Snake (1967)

Subaru Impreza WRX STi (Interceptor available)

Subaru Impreza Rally Car

Tier 3 (High performance cars)
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (Interceptor available)

Alfa Romeo 8C Spyder

Aston Martin DBS (Interceptor available)

Aston Martin DBS Volante

Aston Martin One-77 (Interceptor available)

Aston Martin V12 Vantage (Interceptor available)

Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro (Interceptor available)

Audi R8 Spider 5.2 FSI quattro

Audi R8 LMS

Audi R8 LMS Team PlayStation (Preorder only)

Bentley Continental Supersports (Interceptor available)

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible

BMW M6 Convertible

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Grand Sport

Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (2010) (Interceptor available)

Chevrolet Corvette C6-R

Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR (Interceptor available)

Dodge Viper SRT10 Final Edition Convertible

Dodge Viper GTS-R

Dodge Viper Drift Car

Ferrari 430 Scuderia

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Ferrari California

Ferrari F430 Challenge

Ferrari F430 GTC

Ferrari F430 Spider

Ferrari FXX

Ferrari Scuderia 16M Spider

Ferrari Superamerica

Ford GT (Interceptor available)

Ford GT LM Edition Spec II

Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 Super Snake (2010) (Interceptor available)

Honda NSX

Honda NSX ARTA Super GT Race Car

Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

Lamborghini Diablo VT

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera (Interceptor available)

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster

Lotus Exige S

Maserati GranCabrio

Maserati GranTurismo S (Interceptor available)

Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT-S (Interceptor available)

McLaren MP4-12C (Interceptor available)

Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series (Interceptor available)

Nissan GT-R SpecV (R35) (Intrrceptor available)

Nissan GT-R Xanavi Nismo Super GT Race Car

Porsche 911 GT2 RS (Interceptor available)

Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

Porsche 911 Turbo

Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet

Porsche 918 Spyder Concept

Porsche 959

Porsche Panamera Turbo (Interceptor available)

Tier 4 (Supercars)
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition (Interceptor available)

Gumpert Apollo S (Interceptor available)

GTbyCitroen

GTbyCitroen Race Car

Koenigsegg Agera (Interceptor available)

Koenigsegg CCX-R Edition (Interceptor available)

Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SuperVeloce (Interceptor available)

Lamborghini Reventon (Interceptor available)

Lamborghini Reventon Roadster

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Lexus LF-A

Maserati MC12 GT1

McLaren F1 (Interceptor available)

McLaren F1 GTR

Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR 722 Edition (Interceptor available)

Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR Stirling Moss

Pagani Zonda Cinque (Interceptor available)

Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster

Pagani Zonda LM Race Car

Pagani Zonda R Clubsport

Porsche Carrera GT (Interceptor available)

Race Credits and RPG Formulae
Each car has an RPG-style system to it: they start off at Level 1, but as you race you earn Race Credits. Race Credits allow you to modify the car in certain ways: it will Level Up when it has been modified beyond a certain point. Race Credits will not purchase you cars, but allow you to:

Wheels - Different styles of wheels can be earned to place on your cars. These do not include tire treads, but rather how your wheels look.

Nitrous - Cars can be equipped with nitrous "charges", which allows them to fire off a short burst of N20 to speed ahead. Any car can have up to five charges of Nitrous at once: they all slowly recharge.

Tuning - Cars can have engine parts upgraded such as the transmission, and other stuff.

Works Conversion - Works Conversion allows you to convert cars into racing-spec (but they will look different than other cars). The modifications allow you to modify the car's body, the hood, place air scoops on the roof, and attach rear spoilers to the car, and tweak them.

Liveries - Specialized liveries can be earned: every time a car Levels Up, they will receive a new Livery. Each of these liveries is unique and made just for that car.

Car Levels (examples)
Level 1 - The car is basic: there are no attachments other than wheels.

Level 2 - The car is barely modified: a few engine parts have been tweaked, a new rear spoiler has been added, or two nitro charges have been added to the pool.

Level 3 - The car is semi-modified, the engine has received several new parts, the body is beginning to take shape, and there's more nitro.

Level 4 - The car is heavily modified: the engine is perfectly tuned, the body is almost done, and the nitro pools have filled completely.

Level 5 - The final level reachable. The car is fully racing-spec and sounds a lot different than what it did when it was Level 1.

Downloadable Content
Recently, free DLC has been available on the website, on Xbox LIVE, and on PlayStation Network. Each of them adds several different cars.

Hot Pursuit Pack
The Hot Pursuit Pack is the first of two Hot Pursuit-oriented car packs. In addition to putting the songs from Hot Pursuit on the original soundtrack, it added several cars not present in the regular game, but in Hot Pursuit.

The adds were:

Hot Pursuit and Interceptor game modes

Interceptor variants of several cars

Aston Martin One-77

Bentley Continental Supersports

Carbon Motors E7 Concept

Ford Crown Victoria

Ford Taurus SHO Concept

Jaguar XKR

Koenigsegg Agera

Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT-S

Porsche 918 Spyder Concept

Porsche Panamera Turbo

Convertible Pack
The Convertible Pack, the second pack released in-game, gives players several convertible variants of cars. It was the second of two Hot Pursuit content packs. Convertible cars cannot be used in Interceptor and can only be used as the escapees in Hot Pursuit.

The cars added are:

Alfa Romeo 8C Spyder

Aston Martin DBS Volante

Audi R8 Spider 5.2 FSI quattro

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible

BMW M6 Convertible

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

Dodge Viper SRT-10 Convertible Final Edition

Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster

Lamborghini Reventon Roadster

Maserati GranCabrio

Nissan 370Z Roadster

Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster

Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet

Armed And Dangerous
The upcoming Armed and Dangerous pack adds new cars from the upcoming Lamborghini and Porsche packs of Hot Pursuit.

Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

Lamborghini Diablo VT

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Porsche 911 Speedster

Porsche 911 Turbo

Porsche 959