You've just landed in Mexico. Dust is kicking up behind your Bronco, the music is loud, and suddenly the game hands you a pile of credits. What now? Most players immediately sprint toward the Auction House because they think they’re getting a steal. It’s a habit. We’re all wired to look for a bargain, right? But honestly, the Forza Horizon 5 Autoshow is often the more logical, stable, and surprisingly cheaper option for building a world-class garage without the headache of a bidding war.
It’s the backbone of the game. Simple as that.
While the Auction House is a chaotic mess of fluctuating prices and "legendary" painters marking up stock cars by millions, the Autoshow is a fixed point. It’s reliable. You know exactly what a Ferrari F40 costs today, and it’ll cost the same tomorrow. This isn't just about convenience; it’s about understanding how Playground Games balanced the economy to reward players who actually know their way around a menu.
Navigating the Forza Horizon 5 Autoshow like a pro
The interface is basically a digital dealership on steroids. You can filter by country, drive type, or year, but the real magic is in the "Car Collection" screen, which is technically a shortcut to the Autoshow. If you're hunting for a specific manufacturer reward, buying directly from the collection screen saves you the repetitive loading screens of the Festival sites.
Prices in the Autoshow range from a few thousand credits for a D-class commuter to 15 million for the heavy hitters. Take the 1997 McLaren F1 GT. It’s a 15-million credit investment. Now, you might see one in the Auction House for 12 million and think you're winning. You aren't. Buying from the Autoshow gives you a "clean" car with zero previous owners, no weird tunes you have to delete, and most importantly, an untouched Mastery Tree.
Those Mastery Trees are gold.
If you buy a used car, chances are the previous owner already stripped it of its Super Wheelspins and bonus credits. When you buy fresh from the Forza Horizon 5 Autoshow, you own the rights to every single perk. For many cars, the credits you get back from the Mastery Tree actually make the "true" price of the car lower than anything you’d find on the secondary market. It's a math game.
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The trap of the "Rare" car
People get obsessed with the "Hard to Find" labels. It’s a psychological trick. Just because a car isn't in the Autoshow doesn't always mean it's better. In fact, many of the fastest cars for S2 road racing—like the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento (Non-FE) or the Ferrari FXX K—are sitting right there in the showroom waiting for you. You don't need to wait for a seasonal playlist to rotate or hope someone lists a rare variant.
Specifically, the 2018 Bugatti Chiron is a staple. It’s 2.4 million credits. In the Auction House, the price fluctuates wildly based on whether a popular YouTuber just made a "Top 10 Speed" video. In the Autoshow? 2.4 million. Always.
Why the Autoshow beats the Auction House for builders
If you’re a tuner, the Autoshow is your best friend. Period.
Think about it. When you’re testing different builds for a specific class—say, trying to find the perfect A-Class dirt racer—you might want three different versions of the 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Buying them in bulk from the Autoshow is instant. No waiting for auctions to end. No getting outbid at the last second by a bot. No realizing the car you just bought has a permanent "Ugly Livery" that glitches when you try to paint over it.
- Reliability: Fixed pricing means no market manipulation.
- Freshness: Clean history and full Mastery Trees.
- Speed: Buy, tune, and race in under sixty seconds.
- Accolades: Buying certain volumes of cars from the Autoshow triggers specific Forza accolades that boost your Hall of Fame ranking.
There’s also the matter of the "Loyalty" rewards. Forza often tracks your garage value. Filling your garage with high-value Autoshow purchases is the most direct path to hitting those high-tier collection milestones.
Credits are easier to get than ever
Back in Forza Horizon 4, credits felt a bit more precious. In Mexico? They're everywhere. Between the sheer volume of Wheelspins you get from leveling up and the credits earned from Horizon Arcade or EventLab, 100,000 credits is basically pocket change.
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Because the economy is so inflated, the fixed prices in the Forza Horizon 5 Autoshow actually represent better value over time. While the "street price" of a rare car might jump to 20 million because of artificial scarcity, the high-end Autoshow cars stay anchored. They are the inflation hedge of the Forza world.
Stop overthinking the 15-million credit legends
We need to talk about the 1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. 30 million credits? No, it’s 15 million in the Autoshow. It is arguably the most expensive "buyable" car. A lot of players see that price tag and give up, assuming they have to win it in a Wheelspin.
Don't do that.
The Daytona is a beast in B-Class and A-Class if tuned correctly. It’s also a piece of history. Instead of praying to the RNG gods, use the Autoshow as a savings goal. It gives the game a sense of progression that is sorely lacking if you just rely on gifted cars. There is a genuine sense of accomplishment when you finally click "Buy" on a multi-million credit legend knowing you earned every cent.
Also, keep an eye on the 2021 Mercedes-AMG One. It’s the cover car. It’s 2.7 million credits. While it’s often gifted or easy to find, buying it through the Autoshow ensures you have the base version for any specific "Stock Car" challenges that Playground Games likes to throw at us during the Festival Playlist.
Actionable steps for your next session
Don't just mindlessly browse. Have a plan.
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First, go to your Car Collection screen and look for the manufacturers that offer a "Completion Reward." Often, buying the last two or three cheap cars from the Forza Horizon 5 Autoshow will trigger a reward for a car that isn't available for purchase, like a Forza Edition variant.
Second, check your Mastery Trees. If you have a surplus of Skill Points (which you should if you've been drifting around the volcano), buy the 1971 Porsche #23 917/20. It’s pricey at 15 million, but the perks and the history make it a cornerstone of any serious garage.
Lastly, use the Autoshow to prep for the Weekly Challenge. Every Thursday, the season changes. The "Photo Challenge" or "Weekly Forzathon" usually requires a specific car. Don't fight the crowds in the Auction House where people are price-gouging that specific model. Just go to the Autoshow. The price hasn't moved, and it never will.
Go buy that car you've been eyeing. Stop waiting for a "deal" that might never come. Your credits are burning a hole in your pocket anyway, and the open roads of Mexico aren't going to drive themselves.
Build your garage on your own terms. That’s the real Horizon way.