Monza is the one track where an old base game car tops the table. The Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3.
It makes sense when you look at the lap. Four long straights, three chicanes and only a handful of real corners. Top speed and braking decide almost everything.
The first three cars in the data are all front engine. That is not a coincidence.
The lap itself, corner by corner, is in my Monza track guide. If setups are new to you, read the ACC setup guide first. The car choice matters less than getting the pressures right.
The best cars at Monza: the short answer
| Car | Full Grip BoP | Layout | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | 0 kg (reference) | Front engine | Base game |
| BMW M4 GT3 | -5 kg | Front engine | Free update |
| Ford Mustang GT3 | -9 kg | Front engine | Free update |
| Ferrari 296 GT3 | -10 kg | Mid engine | 2023 GT World Challenge Pack |
| McLaren 720S GT3 Evo | -15 kg | Mid engine | Free update |
The numbers come from Full Grip Motorsport's BoP for Monza, read on 5 October 2026. It is a league balance built from hotlap pace, not the official one in the game.
It works with ballast. The quickest car at each track is the reference at 0 kg. Every other car runs lighter to keep up. The more weight a car has taken off, the further it is from the pace there. I only show their top five. The full table is on their site.
First to fourth are covered by 10 kg. All four are cars you can win with. The first three cost nothing: one is in the base game and two were free updates.
1. Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3
The GT-R is heavy and it is not a car that likes slow, twisty tracks. Monza does not ask it to be.
What it has is straight line speed, and most of a Monza lap is full throttle. In a race that also makes it very hard to pass, even with a slipstream.
The weak point is the chicanes. It is a big car to turn at the Rettifilo and the Roggia. Brake in a straight line, be patient on turn in and let the engine do the rest.
2. BMW M4 GT3
The M4 is the easy answer at Monza. It is stable on the brakes from top speed, it rides the kerbs at the chicanes without drama and it puts its power down well on the way out.
Five kilos from the Nissan is nothing. If you do not get on with the GT-R, this is the car.
3. Ford Mustang GT3
The fastest car in the game overall is third here, which tells you how tight Monza is. It has the straight line speed and it is stable through the Lesmos and the Parabolica.
In a race I would take it over the Nissan. It is easier to drive for an hour.
Other cars that work at Monza
- Ferrari 296 GT3 (-10 kg). The best of the mid engine cars at Monza. It rotates well in the chicanes and it is kind to the rear tyres on the exits, where most cars slide. A good race car here.
- McLaren 720S GT3 Evo (-15 kg). All that downforce is drag at Monza. You trim the wing down and the McLaren loses the thing it is best at. It is still quick through Ascari and the Parabolica.
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT3 (-16 kg). Very stable on the brakes, and Monza has three of the hardest stops in the game. A base game car that is easy to drive well here.
What Monza rewards
Low drag, strong brakes and a car that can take kerbs.
You run the lowest wing you can live with. That makes the car light at the rear under braking, and you brake from top speed three times a lap. A car that stays straight on the brakes is worth more than a car with one more kilometre per hour.
The chicanes are won on the kerbs. A car that can cut the Rettifilo and the Roggia without bouncing gains a tenth at each.
Then there is the slipstream. In a race the tow down to turn one is worth more than any car advantage. My Monza baseline is in the ACC Monza GT3 setup guide.
What the pro drivers say
Coach Dave Academy asked its pro drivers to rank the GT3 cars in April 2026. They put the Ford Mustang GT3 first everywhere and they name the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II as one of the cars to pick for Monza.
Full Grip does not agree. The Audi Evo II is only ninth in their table here, at -23 kg. I do not read that as one of them being wrong. One is pro drivers judging a car over a race distance on the official balance. The other is hotlap pace turned into ballast for a league. Different questions, different answers.
The best car for beginners at Monza
The BMW M4 GT3. Monza looks simple and then you lock a wheel into the first chicane and the race is over. The M4 gives you the most margin on the brakes and over the kerbs, and it is second fastest in the data.
It is also a free update, so there is nothing to buy.
Sprint races and endurance races
Sprint races at Monza are slipstream races. You want top speed to defend and a car that is stable when you brake off line. The Nissan, the BMW and the Mustang all do that.
Over a long race the brakes and the rear tyres take the punishment. This is where I would look at the Ferrari 296. It is ten kilos off on a hotlap and easier on its tyres over a stint.
Fuel use is high at Monza for every car, because you are flat for so long. If you take the Mustang, remember its fuel use is about 10% higher again.
Pick the car you know
At Monza the gaps between cars are smaller than the gap between a good and a bad exit from the Parabolica. If you are still choosing, I go through the whole class in the fastest GT3 cars in ACC and through the way I would decide in how to choose a car in ACC.
Racing somewhere else next? See the best cars at Silverstone and the best cars at Bathurst.
FAQ
What is the fastest car at Monza in ACC?
In Full Grip Motorsport's track by track BoP, read on 5 October 2026, it is the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3, with the BMW M4 GT3 next at -5 kg. That is league data built from hotlap pace, not an official ranking.
Is the Ford Mustang GT3 the best car at Monza?
Not in Full Grip's data. It sits third here at -9 kg. Coach Dave's pro drivers still rate it the fastest GT3 car across the game, so it is never a bad choice. It is just not the standout at Monza.
What is the best car for beginners at Monza?
The BMW M4 GT3. It is stable under heavy braking, calm over the chicane kerbs and only 5 kg off the reference car in the data. It is also a free update.
Is the Nissan GT-R good in ACC?
At Monza, yes. It has strong straight line speed and that is most of the lap here. On slow, twisty tracks it is heavy and it pushes, so it is not a car for everywhere.
How much does the slipstream matter at Monza in ACC?
A lot. A good tow down the main straight is worth more than the gap between the top cars. In a race, position on the last lap matters more than which car you picked.
Do I need DLC to race at Monza?
No. It is one of the eleven tracks of the base game.
Does the balance of performance change from track to track?
Yes. ACC uses a different balance for each circuit, which is why the fastest car is not the same everywhere. Leagues such as Full Grip Motorsport and Low Fuel Motorsport can run their own custom BoP on top of that.