What is Engine Swapping in Need for Speed Unbound? Explained

As you get into the later stages of Need for Speed Unbound, you’re going to have some powerful and fast cars that reach breakneck speeds. To get there, you’re going to make some serious bank and tune your cars beyond conventional means. There’s a mechanic to increase your car’s performance past what you think you can. If you have seen Engine Swapping in Need for Speed Unbound and don’t know what it is, we can help clarify some things and why it’s important.

What is Engine Swapping in Need for Speed Unbound?

Engine Swapping is a mechanic where you can quite literally swap or change engines in your car with another type. In our example, we have a 418 base horsepower Mazda RX-8 Spirit R with a 1.3 liter Wankel engine. There are two values listed on it that say current bhp (base horsepower) and potential bhp.

Horsepower is one determinant of how fast a car can go, and showing that it can go above 600 is quite the leap. However, you can swap out the base engine with higher displacements, cylinder arrangements (V6, V8, V12, etc.), and potential horsepower. 

The higher the values, the more powerful your car can be. Typically, you’d go for the Super or Elite rank parts as they will be the highest-performing ones. Note that once you do make the engine swap, you will have to buy the engine parts all over again. 

This includes items like your induction kit, ECU, fuel system, exhaust, turbo, and nitrous systems. Everything else like your chassis, drivetrain, and auxiliary components is unaffected. You may want to look over these parts, namely your drivetrain, to see if they pair well with your new engine and its settings.

Another thing you will notice about a newly swapped engine is that it will make a completely new sound. You will want to revisit your style settings and check the exhaust sound after tinkering with your newly installed engine. Chances are, your base engine is going to sound like a car of a completely different make. Gear heads are definitely going to have a field day with this aspect.

Need for Speed Unbound is out now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.