Kunos has just rolled out update 0.7 forAssetto Corsa EVO, and the most striking new feature wasn’t really expected right away: official modding. The studio had planned these tools for post-v1.0, but has now brought the timetable forward with a dedicated SDK app, available today. This first version is limited to solo car creation, but puts developer-like tools in the hands of advanced users. Custom liveries and circuit modding are already announced for the sequel. On the first Assetto Corsa, this is exactly what ensured the game’s longevity, hence the importance of EVO going down this road so early.

Four more cars in the garage

The 0.7 doesn’t arrive empty-handed. Four vehicles join the fleet. The first is theAudi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II, a GT3 designed for regularity and predictability, with its naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter V10 in a mid-rear position. This is followed by two track-tuned Porsches: the 911 GT2 RS Clubsport Evo Kit, developed with Manthey Racing for the SRO GT2 category, and the neo-retro-looking 935 (2018), which shares its technical base with the former and had already made an appearance on AC Competizione.

For variety, a classic completes the package: the 1969 Datsun 240Z (Nissan Fairlady Z in Japan), offered in both road and prepared versions. Alternating between modern GT3s and vintage coupes provides a real driving contrast in the basic content.

A Safety Rating that rewards clean contact

The other big thing, which has already been active for a few days on the Daily Racing Portal, is the overhaul of Safety Rating. The principle has changed completely: the system now measures the time spent in close proximity to other cars, without contact. Clearly, the old strategy of starting at the back of the grid and driving alone to preserve your score no longer pays off. To boost your SR, you have to rub shoulders with the pack, but cleanly.

Kunos has also worked on assigning responsibility. The game’s impact data is used to distinguish the perpetrator of a collision from its victim, and the penalty is graduated according to severity: a suction rub remains under the threshold, a collision with a wall without another car makes no difference, but a big pile-up hurts. The idea is to encourage close duels rather than shunning them.

The rest of the update

Beyond these two points, 0.7 adds a new particle system (reworked smoke, dust and water splashes) which also gives more weight to collisions. Added to this are the usual interface and gameplay tweaks and fixes, detailed in the official patch notes.

Above all, this version begins to give Assetto Corsa EVO a direction. With modding opening earlier than expected and a rethought Safety Rating, Kunos is no longer content to pile on content: it’s laying the foundations that will make, or break, the game’s lifespan.