PC gamers can prepare to go faster, get muddier, and compete in more off-road events than ever as Codemasters confirms that Colin McRae Rally 2005, the new arrival in the genre-leading series, is coming to PC and sooner than expected!

Colin McRae Rally 2005 accelerates the series to a blinding speed that captures the sheer adrenaline of edge-of-control rallying and lets you take the stages at speeds a third faster than before. You won't be spinning off unnecessarily either: the stages have been designed to let you use that speed as you hurtle through the detailed international environments. However, crash out and you'll see the individual damage models for each car in action – right down to scraping the paintwork!

Delivering more cars, more stages, and new challenges, the adrenaline-pumping heart of Colin McRae Rally 2005 is the all-new multi-discipline Career Challenge. Taking players through their very own, full professional rally career, you'll be driving the most diverse selection of rally cars for different manufacturers.

An incredible 23 individual rally events provide a personal challenge with real progression and rewards through Challenges, Cups, SuperCups, Shields and Championships as you earn the right to compete with the very best. You're not limited to the car you select at the beginning: choose the cars you drive and the event class as your international rallying prowess increases. Launch your career as a privateer, choose from a selection of 2WD cars and compete in lower-league events.

Take the lead and progress to more powerful cars, taking Part Tests to win upgrades, and accelerate into different classes of championships in new countries. Through the 23 events, with the ultimate goal being to compete at global level, drivers are pummelled through a staggering 300+ stages in cars from 4-wheel drive, 2-wheel drive, 4-wheel Classics, Super 2-wheel, Rear Wheel, Distinctive and 4x4, making it the most complete rally experience ever offered.

In addition to the Career Challenge, Colin McRae Rally 2005 includes the McRae-centric 4WD Championship where you drive as Colin, choosing the car he competes in through 6 rallies. Then there are the Rally and Stages modes with the complete compendium of 9 international locations including the all-new German rally, which joins the UK, Sweden, USA, Finland, Australia, Spain, Greece, and Japan rallies, each with 8 stages and a shakedown event. Four Super Special stages are also featured. LAN and Online rallying returns and sees up to 8 gamers going head-to-head in single stages, country rallies or custom rallies.

Over 30 cars are fully simulated, using the renowned handling physics, and include the Toyota Celica GT4, Lancia Stratos, Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, Alfetta GTV Turbodelta, Peugeot 206, 205, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII, Escort RS Cosworth, Fiesta concept, Beetle RSi, Golf R32 and 1967 Mini Cooper!

Realistic collision reactions include bending and breaking posts and look out for potholes, loose rocks and other on-stage hazards, all of them dynamic in-game objects with real physics. If you crash into a tree, it'll shudder and drop leaves that flutter to the ground around your car. Mess up your drive seriously and you'll see the new 'dazed' visual effect as you recover from a crash!

As the king of rally gaming, the Colin McRae Rally series has seen off all pretenders to the throne. Through evolution, refinement and the introduction of fresh rally gaming experiences, Colin McRae Rally 2005 will continue the series' reign and deliver its most exhilarating drive when it launches in late September for PC, alongside the PlayStation 2 and Xbox editions. Follow the game's development on the web site at http://www.codemasters.co.uk/colinmcrae2005

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