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Introduced in the Research & Development Update for Asphalt 8: Airborne, Research & Development, known as R&D for short, is a single player laboratory-style special event that introduces four new game elements: Lab, Test, Quality Checks, and Proto Keys, as well as a number of modifications to existing elements, such as R&D Basic Kit Box, or car-specific free upgrades. As in the Car Mastery, the R&D selection, loading, and pre-race screen introduce a new graphic language. This special event is only available for players with at least Stars 30 in the Career Mode.

In contrast with Car Mastery, the R&D is more story-oriented. It focuses on telling the story of a car development with the player and other scientists from the car's company being involved.

Vehicles unlockable via R&D can be purchased for a limited time outside of their events with Tokens or with Fusion Coins from the garage. For a short time, between March 2017 and January 2018, most of the R&D-unlockable vehicles could be crafted with Blueprints. However, as of the Fall Out Boy Update, the R&D events returned to the older formula, awarding the vehicle only after the completion of the whole event.

Game Elements[]

Lab[]

R&D Lab Unlocked

Lab .002. of the GT by CITROEN R&D having been unlocked.

Numbered from .001. up to .005. (depends on the event), each Lab consists of multiple Tests, currently between 6 and 20 Tests per Lab. After completing a Lab, the next Lab may not be available, because they are gradually released; however, it can be unlocked using Tokens. The amount of Tokens needed to unlock decreases with the waiting time needed.

An R&D event has at least 3 Labs and at most 5 Labs. On average, an R&D event has 4 Labs.

Test[]

Each Test, with a varying race type and track, needs a certain number of Quality Checks (also abbreviated as QC) to be collected, as well as a main goal to be fulfilled. Numbered continously, a Test cannot be raced, if the previous Test has not been completed. Each time you race a Test, you use one Proto Key.

Tests can be automatically bypassed by paying a certain amount of Tokens (Tokens 35 - 2,800) to use Auto-Test. However, Auto-Test should be used only as a last resort in order to avoid losing excessive amounts of Tokens. Auto-Test's cost decreases as Quality Checks are accumulated throughout the test, but cannot decrease in Ultimate AI Challenges. It is unknown exactly how the Auto-Test cost decreases with each obtained Quality Check, but a test that costs Tokens 900 to Auto-Test and requires 50 Quality Checks to pass will cost Tokens 445 when 25/50 Quality Checks have been collected.

An R&D event has at least 30 Tests and at most 65 Tests. In most cases, an R&D event has 50 Tests and 4 Labs.

When a Test is passed, Credits are always rewarded. Other rewards include Tokens, free Upgrades that can be used only for the R&D car, and R&D Pro Boxes, with three of them:

  • R&D Basic Kit Box R&D Basic Kit Box (sometimes capitalized as R&D BASIC KIT BOX) - grants 3 - 7 cards usable on the car.
  • R&D Advanced Kit Box R&D Advanced Kit Box (sometimes capitalized as R&D ADVANCED KIT BOX) - grants 6 - 11 cards usable on the car.
  • R&D Professional Kit Box R&D Professional Kit Box (sometimes capitalized as R&D PROFESSIONAL KIT BOX) - grants 10 - 21 cards usable on the car, sometimes with the description mentioning a guarantee of the car's engine card popping up. This box is sometimes available for a limited time after a test, and can be bought for Tokens 450 - 2,400.

Between the Car Blueprints Update and the Hot Wheels Update, BP Boxes required for the car are awarded through tests.

Clearing all Tests awards the car. From the Car Blueprints Update onwards, the player instead receives the last few BP cards required for the car, after which the player can assemble the car, if they have enough BP cards required.

Ultimate AI Challenge[]

Main article: Ultimate AI Challenge

Throughout the R&D, a special Versus race against a professional ghost AI (named the "Ultimate AI") called the Ultimate AI Challenge is frequently encountered. The player must beat the ghost AI on the track in order to either advance to the next Lab or complete the R&D event. Each Lab has at least one Ultimate AI Challenge. Most R&Ds have 6 total Ultimate AI Challenges.

A similar type of race, the Ace Race, is used in Enduro Double Down. The Ultimate AI Challenge was later reused for World Tour events.

As of the Sixth Anniversary Update, the ranks of some Ultimate AI races are now enforced, with the races being innaccessible if the rank isn't met, starting with the Pontiac Solstice GXP's R&D. Moreover, as of the 2019 Holiday Update, the older R&D events have been altered and include enforced ranks as well.

Quality Checks[]

RD Check Point instructions

These are acquired during a race, and appear in two main variants: checkpoint-like markers in the game, that are collected by driving through this point, similar as with Nitro power-ups, jumping over the location does not collect, and rewards depending on a specific requirement. Each marker counts as one Quality Check. The main goal also counts as one Quality Check. Any Quality Checks accumulated in excess of the requirement to complete a Test are forfeited; as such, any extra Quality Checks do not carry over to the next Test. If the main goal is failed, the collected Quality Checks can be retained by paying a fee of up to Tokens 50.

Requirement[]

A criteria allowing to acquire multiple Quality Checks as Subgoals during a race, measuring your driving skills, including:

  • Collect Quality Checks (Finish race)
  • Finish at least THIRD (Finish position: 3)
  • Finish at least SECOND (Finish position: 2)
  • Finish FIRST (Finish position: 1)
  • Beat a Race Time of ##:##:###
  • Get # Knockdowns (Knockdowns: #)
  • Get # Knockdowns without a Wreck (Knockdowns without Wreck: #)
  • Do # Flat Spins (Flat Spins: #)
  • Do # Flat Spins in One Jump (Flat Spins in One Jump: #)
  • Do # Barrel Rolls (Barrel Rolls: #)
  • Do # Barrel Rolls in One Jump (Barrel Rolls in One Jump: #)
  • Do # Tilt Jumps (Tilt Jumps: #)
  • Get # s of Air Time (Total Air Time: # s)
  • Drift Distance: # yd / m
  • Record # Perfect Runs (Perfect Runs: #)
  • Do # Perfect Nitros (Perfect Nitro Triggered: #)
  • Record NO WRECKS (No Wrecks)

There are two additional goals with objectives that use any one of the above-mentioned requirements except for Collect Quality Checks, which is restricted only to the main goal. Sometimes, the additional goals may repeat the main goal, but with different numbers.

Proto Keys[]

RD Proto Keys empty
R&D Tests require Proto Keys!
Next Key delivery in ##:##:##.

A system similar to Fuel for Events that limit the number of races within a given time. There are maximum of three Proto Keys available, Proto Keys are made of a special material that dissolves when the key is used; after using the last one, the user has to wait 3 hours (6 hours for the McLaren 650S GT3 R&D Event, 4 hours 30 minutes for the Audi R8 e-tron Special Edition R&D and Maserati Alfieri R&D Event) before being able to race again. Unlike fuel, which restores 1 bar per 10 minutes, the Proto Keys instead restock all three at a time (the same goes for Championship Tires), and the restoration process only starts once the three keys are used up. As with fuel, Proto Keys can be restored using Tokens (up to Tokens 150 (Tokens 180 for E-Tron Special Edition and Tokens 250 for Centenario LP 770-4) to restore all three; price decreases over time down to a minimum of Tokens 5). It is recommended to refill Proto Keys sparingly to conserve Tokens, especially towards the end of the Proto Key cooldown period in order to refill Proto Keys at the lowest cost.

Expiration[]

When the player runs out of time in any R&D event, they will be told that the R&D has expired but that all upgrades will be kept for when they own the vehicle.


R&D Events[]

Since the Enduro Update, R&D events usually occurred after the end of an Enduro Double Down event and before the next EDD event. From the Championship Update to the end of the Lunar New Year 2017 Update, R&D events followed a Championship and were followed by an EDD, in accordance with a fixed special events pattern.

Main article: Research & Development/Events

Calendar[]

R&D Events Vehicles Event Date(s) Labs / Tests Time Limit
(Days)
Key
Refill
(Hours)
1
6
Lamborghini Huracán October 1, 2015
March 9, 2016
3 / 30 15 1
2
9
72
Lamborghini Egoista December 19, 2015
May 11, 2016
May 30, 2019
4 / 65 15 1
3
11
59
Peugeot SR1 January 20, 2016
July 14, 2016
February 22, 2019
4 / 45 8 1
4
14
ED Design Torq February 4, 2016
September 29, 2016
4 / 50 8 1
5
13
57
Alfa Romeo 4C February 25, 2016
September 4, 2016
February 22, 2019
3 / 35
(5 / 50)
15 1
7
19
32
67
95
BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage March 2016
March 3rd, 2017
January 19, 2018
March 25, 2019
March 21, 2020
4 / 50 14 1 (2016, 2017, 2018)
1.5 (2019)
8
16
Mosler Super GT April 2016
November 22, 2016
5 / 50 14 1
10
23
49
96
Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe
Touring Car 2014
June 2016
July 29, 2017
January 4, 2019
March 21, 2020
4 / 50 12 1
12
37
97
W Motors Fenyr SuperSport August 9th, 2016
July 12, 2018
March 21, 2020
4 / 65 15 1
15
62
GT by CITROEN October 25th, 2016
February 22, 2019
4 / 50 14 1
17
21
29
50
Arash AF10 December 23, 2016
May 19, 2017
November 20, 2017
January 4, 2019
4 / 60 12 1
18
58
Renault Alpine Celebration January 25, 2017
February 22, 2019
4 / 50 10 1
20
60
Lotus Evora Sport 410 April 25, 2017
February 22, 2019
4 / 44 9 1
22
41
98
Porsche 911 GT3 RS June 23, 2017
September 20, 2018
March 21, 2020
4 / 50 14
12
1
24
77
KTM 1290 Super Duke R August 23, 2017
August 1, 2019
4 / 50 7 1
25 Ducati SuperSport S September 9, 2017 4 / 50 10 1
26
56
Peugeot RCZ R September 24, 2017
February 22, 2019
3 / 35 5 1
27 Suzuki Hayabusa October 3, 2017 4 / 65 12 1
28
61
99
McLaren 650S GT3 October 30, 2017
February 22, 2019
March 21, 2020
4 / 50 14 2
30
63
Pagani Huayra BC December 21, 2017
February 22, 2019
4 / 60 11 1
31 BMW S 1000 RR January 6, 2018 4 / 50 10 1
33 Audi R8 e-tron Special Edition February 12th, 2018 4 / 50 10 1.5
34 Yamaha YZF-R6 March 7th, 2018 4 / 50 7 1
35
45
89
Apollo Intensa Emozione May 4th, 2018
November 4th, 2018
December 30, 2019
4 / 60 12 1
36
46
100
Rimac Concept S June 14th, 2018
December 5, 2018
March 21, 2020
4 / 50 14 1
38
51
70
Mazda RX-8 Special Edition July 19, 2018
January 4, 2019
May 5, 2019
4 / 44 9 1
39
64
Zenvo TS1 GT 10th Anniversary Edition August 2, 2018
February 22, 2019
5 / 50 14 1
40
76
102
Maserati Alfieri September 13, 2018
July 25, 2019
June 1, 2020
4 / 50 10 1
42 Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 RR my2017 September 29, 2018 4 / 60 12 1
43 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Black Series October 17, 2018 4 / 50 9 1
44
85
Hyundai i30 N October 25, 2018
November 9, 2019
4 / 50 7 1
47
69
90
Lamborghini Centenario LP 770-4 December 21, 2018
April 19, 2019
January 12, 2020
4 / 60 12 1
48
94
Infiniti Vision GT December 29, 2018
March 14, 2020
4 / 50 9 1
52
73
93
Nissan 370Z Special Edition January 10, 2019
May 30, 2019
March 5, 2020
4 / 50 9 1
53 Ducati XDiavel S January 24, 2019 4 / 50 10 1
54 TVR Sagaris Special Edition February 1, 2019 4 / 60 12 1
55
79
106
BMW i8 Coupe February 14, 2019
August 16, 2019
July 1, 2020
4 / 50 12 1
65
107
Zeus Twelve Sigma March 2, 2019
July 11, 2020
4 / 50 10 1
66
86
Ferrari F60 America March 16, 2019
November 14, 2019
4 / 50 12 2
68
101
Rezvani Beast X April 10, 2019
March 21, 2020
4 / 50 14 1
70
91
Pininfarina H2 Speed May 9, 2019
February 1, 2020
4 / 50 8 1.5
71
110
McLaren 600LT May 17, 2019
August 17, 2020
4 / 60 12 1
74 Aston Martin Vantage 2018 June 20, 2019 4 / 50 8 1.5
75
92
Ford GT 2017 July 4, 2019
February 13, 2020
4 / 50 12 1.5
78
108
111
Koenigsegg Regera August 1, 2019
July 22, 2020
May 28, 2021
4 / 65 14 1
80 Infiniti Project Black S August 23, 2019 4 / 50 8 1.5
81 Pontiac Solstice GXP September 26, 2019 4 / 45 8 1.5
82
103
112
Rimac Nevera October 1, 2019
June 1, 2020
June 21, 2021
4 / 60 12 1
83
104
Acura NSX GT3 Evo October 11, 2019
June 1, 2020
4 / 50 10 1.5
84 Lamborghini Aventador SVJ October 21, 2019 5 / 50 10 1.5
87
105
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera November 20, 2019
June 1, 2020
4 / 50 10 1.5
88
109
Ferrari 812 Superfast December 6, 2019
August 7, 2020
4 / 50 12 1.5

^The third revival of the Arash AF10 R&D was originally meant for the Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 RR my2017, due to reports of players receiving notifications for R&D of the Aprilia instead of Arash.

Research & Development Intro Screens[]

Push the capabilities of the [R&D boss vehicle name] to new extremes by working as an R&D driver and mastering different development tests.

Every test you complete will help you to develop perfectly engineered upgrades that will maximize your ride's potential.

Collect Quality Checks during Validation Tests to push performance beyond the limits and develop new upgrades.

Put your ride to the ultimate test by going head-to-head against an advanced AI, programmed to calculate the [R&D boss car's manufacturer name/Torq]'s ultimate/optimal path and performance, in the Ultimate AI Challenge!

For security purposes, the Proto Keys are made of a special material that will dissolve after one race. Use them wisely -- it takes time to make more!

Complete all [30-65] R&D tests within [5-15] days to get the [R&D boss vehicle name] for free, as well as other amazing rewards. All upgrades applied during tests will remain on the vehicle after the R&D process is finished.

Galleries[]


Trivia[]

  • The sound effect played when collecting a reward in R&D are also reused for Championships.
  • From the Elite Cars Update onwards, it is now possible to see the quote for a test in the loading screen.
    • As of the Enduro Update, the sound effect played when refilling Proto Keys is no longer used when a Proto Key is used.
  • As of the Enduro Update, in the race countdown, during Ultimate AI Challenges, the text that says "Ultimate AI Challenge" is now in all capital letters.
  • As of the Fifth Anniversary Update, the R&D events can now feature elite vehicles.
  • As of the Sixth Anniversary Update, R&Ds now force certain ranks instead of recommending them.

See also[]

Research & Development
Events Lamborghini Huracán Lamborghini Egoista Peugeot SR1 ED Design Torq
Alfa Romeo 4C (September 2016)
BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage Mosler Super GT Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe Touring Car 2014 W Motors Fenyr Supersport GT by CITROEN Arash AF10 Renault Alpine Celebration Lotus Evora Sport 410 Porsche 911 GT3 RS KTM 1290 Super Duke R Ducati SuperSport S Peugeot RCZ R Suzuki Hayabusa McLaren 650S GT3 Pagani Huayra BC BMW S 1000 RR Audi R8 e-tron Special Edition Yamaha YZF-R6 Apollo Intensa Emozione Rimac Concept S Mazda RX-8 Special Edition Zenvo TS1 GT 10th Anniversary Edition Maserati Alfieri Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 RR my2017 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Black Series Hyundai i30 N Lamborghini Centenario Infiniti Vision GT Nissan 370Z Special Edition Ducati XDiavel STVR Sagaris Special Edition BMW i8 Coupe Zeus Twelve Sigma Ferrari F60 America Rezvani Beast X Pininfarina H2 Speed McLaren 600LT Aston Martin Vantage 2018 Ford GT 2017 Koenigsegg Regera Infiniti Project Black S Pontiac Solstice GXP Rimac C Two Acura NSX GT3 Evo Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Ferrari 812 Superfast
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