And one game series that remains in the hearts of gamers (especially during the Playstation 2 era) is the Need for Speed franchise since it allows players to customize their vehicles while speeding down busy streets. Need for Speed: Payback is often regarded as one of the best NFS in recent years since it has hundreds of cars to pick from, ranging from Drag to off-road cars. But, with so many Drag cars to choose from, players will want to know which ones are worth the investment.

6 Ford Mustang Boss 302

At first glance, the Ford Mustang Boss 302 seems like the ideal Offroad car since it has 5.0 Airtime and 4.4 Landing, but this American muscle car can also compete well in Drag races. And that’s because the Ford Mustang Boss 302 has over 200 HP and a Top Speed of 131.

But, the real reason players should consider this car one of the best Drag cars in Need for Speed: Payback is its cheap price tag ($78,250). So, while other Drag cars outperform the Ford Mustang Boss 302, its low price and decent stats will aid players in the early Drag races, allowing them to save money for better cars.

5 BMW M3 E46

The BMW M3 E46 made its debut on the small screen on Need for Speed: Most Wanted, but much to NFS fans’ shock, it wasn’t a drivable car. Fortunately, players could drive the BMW M3 with the release of Need for Speed: Prostreet, which showed the gaming community its potential as a Grip and Drift car (even though it lost its thunder as a Drift car in Need for Speed: Heat). It wouldn’t be until Need for Speed: Payback that players would test out the BMW M3 as a Drag race car.

The BMW M3 E46 has a Top Speed of 176 and can reach 0-60 in 4.20 seconds. And while players could purchase the BMW M3 E92 since it has slightly better stats, it isn’t necessary to spend the extra $12,000 as the BMW M3 E46 can get the job done. It would be better for players to use that extra cash to purchase Outlaw Performance cards to enhance the BMW’s Speed and Nitrous rating.

4 Chevrolet Camaro Z28

This fifth-generation Camaro model from Chevrolet is relatively new to the NFS franchise and has only appeared in four games (Need for Speed: No Limits, Need for Speed (2015), Need for Speed: Payback, and Need for Speed: Edge). But, the version players can drive in Need for Speed: Payback is by far the best compared to the other versions.

And while the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 excels as a Runner (a car specializing in losing the cops), it can still be considered a powerful Drag race-type car. For starters, it can reach 0-60 in under 4-seconds while having a Top Speed of 177. Players should use Nextech Performance Cars on their Chevrolet Camaro Z28 to increase its Top Speed further.

3 Volkswagen Beetle

There are five Derelicts cars players can obtain in Need for Speed: Payback, each specializing in a specific type of race. But, to unlock a Derelict vehicle, players must obtain five parts found across Fortune Valley that belong to the Derelict they wish to build. The Volkswagen Beetle specializes in Drag races, so players who want to improve their Drag racing skills will want to unlock it first.

The Volkswagen Beetle may only have 101 HP and Top Speed, but with the correct Performance Cards (preferably Chidori), players can boost its HP and Top Speed to the max. On top of that, Derelict cars have an additional stat that increases their overall speed (SpeedX), making them an absolute demon at any type of racing.

2 Nissan GT-R Premium

The Nissan GT-R Premium is among the best Drag cars in Need for Speed: Payback, mainly due to having 563 HP and a Top Speed of 196 without any Performance Cards (the equivalent of Ultimate Parts from Need for Speed: Heat). That means players can easily win any mid-tier Drag race, as long as they hit Perfect Shifts during the race.

The biggest issue with the Nissan GT-R Premium has nothing to do with its performance but its price tag. It costs $143,150 to purchase after completing the “Double or Nothing” mission in Chapter 4: Open Skies. The best way to earn cash fast is by completing the Hyperspace Loop race since it has the shortest racetrack in the game.

1 Acura NSX

Undoubtedly, the Acura NSX is the best Drag race vehicle in Need for Speed: Payback because it has the best Response time in the game (4.1). And Response is one of the most important factors in a Drag race (aside from Top Speed and Horsepower) since it determines how easy it is to perform a Perfect Shift. And the best part is that players can unlock the Acura NSX as early as Chapter 4, but they’ll need to be ready to drop $156,350 to purchase it.

Players should aim to build a 6x Chidori Performance Card set up as it’ll give a significant bonus to Speed and Acceleration. Additionally, players should look for Performance Cards with a rating of 16 or higher. Performance Cards with Head Bonuses will also benefit the Acura NSX, but only if a player wants to min-max their vehicle.

Need for Speed Payback is available now for PlayStation 3/4, Xbox 360/One, and Microsoft Windows.

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