Update 0.6 brings both new hardware and a public debate about how the sim handles one of its most fundamental systems.
Three cars you can’t name yet
The third community Q&A for Assetto Corsa Rally, hosted by Supernova Games Studios on their official Discord and streamed by Canard on July 16, 2026, dropped two pieces of news that deserve separate attention: three new four-wheel-drive cars coming in Update 0.6, and a public exchange with Niels Heusinkveld about the game’s throttle model.
Zonca confirmed that Update 0.6 will add three new AWD vehicles spanning different decades of rallying history. The lineup includes one French car and two German cars. He was explicit about why he couldn’t name them: until official manufacturer approval is secured, he’s not allowed to say what’s coming. This is standard industry practice, but it also means the community has been operating on speculation for weeks.
A French car and two German cars in rally — that’s a solid geographic spread. The French contribution is expected, given the sport’s heritage. The German duo is more interesting, as Germany’s rally presence has historically been more niche than Ittis’s or Fiat’s. If these are real manufacturers and real models, the car roster is taking shape.
The car creation pipeline
Zonca said each car takes roughly six calendar months from start to finish, involving license acquisition, physical vehicle sourcing, laser scanning, workshop measurements, 3D modeling, damage system development, in-game integration, and final manufacturer approval. Multiple teams are involved across the studio.
Six months per car is not fast, but it’s not unreasonable for a sim racing title aiming for accuracy. What’s notable is the emphasis on the approval step — Supernova can’t just model a car and ship it. They need the manufacturer to sign off, which adds a layer of dependency outside their control. This is both a quality guarantee and a vulnerability: if a manufacturer backs out at any point, months of work can be lost.
The throttle model debate
This is where things got interesting. The Q&A opened with a question about Heusinkveld’s recent criticism of the current throttle model. Niels Heusinkveld is a game and physics developer himself, which makes his feedback structurally different from most player complaints. He knows what he’s talking about.
Supernova’s response was measured. Zonca said they’ve already revised the throttle model once since initial release and that further improvements are planned. He also acknowledged that part of the criticism overlaps with the tire model, which is “continuously evolving.” The team conducted another field research test in June with the University of Naples’ Megagrip laboratory, equipping another car with gravel tires specifically to collect more tire data.
The phrasing is important. They’re not claiming the model is fixed or final. They’re saying it’s a moving target. Whether that translates to a throttle response that feels natural or one that still requires player adaptation is the question every rally sim player is waiting to answer with seat time.
The fact that Supernova chose to address this criticism publicly, in a community Q&A, rather than in a patch note, suggests they take it seriously. The real test will come when the next update lands and players can actually feel the difference.
Source: Supernova Games Studios official Discord Community Q&A Session Nr3, streamed by Canard on YouTube, July 16, 2026.
You can buy the game through our affiliate link at a reduced price:
This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
