Current community sources disagree about the Ghost Driver starter identity. One current dealership database calls Sentinel 2.0 Cruiser a free starter, while another recent walkthrough uses Wulfbrecht RZ7 as an early learning platform. The official public description names neither. Check the garage on a fresh or known account and use the exact current display name before following any starter build.
Identify the car you actually own
Open the garage immediately after the first load and record the owned vehicle’s full display name, ownership badge, category, and stock state. If more than one car is already owned, separate default ownership from a code, event, group, play-time, or returning-player reward.
Do not rely on body shape or a fan-added real-world model. The in-game display label is the correct identity. Date the observation because PRE-ALPHA starter rewards can change.
Current report comparison
Do not merge the free reward with the default starter. They answer different acquisition questions even if an update makes them the same model.
Test the starter before spending
Choose one repeatable highway stretch. Run the car stock and record how quickly it responds to a small steering input, how many corrections are needed to settle, how it recovers after a slowdown, and how long you can keep a clean sequence.
Use the official controls and one fixed camera. Increase speed only after the route is repeatable. This baseline tells you whether the next purchase needs to solve acceleration, control, visibility, or top speed.
Keep it when control is still the limit
Keep the starter if most failures come from late gap selection, blind exits, excessive steering, or holding Shift too long. A faster vehicle can magnify those problems. Spend a session on Traffic Cutting and Drift before blaming the chassis.
Keeping a free car also protects Cash while you inspect the current roster. PRE-ALPHA prices can change, and saving creates options after you understand the dealership.
Upgrade it when one weakness is clear
Consider a targeted upgrade when the car remains controllable but repeatedly fails one measurable job. Read the current performance menu, change one system, and repeat the baseline route. Do not buy several stages at once or copy exact fan values.
Compare the total planned part cost with the price of a replacement. If the starter needs many upgrades to reach your goal, a better stock platform may be more efficient. The Upgrade Order page helps choose by failure.
Replace it when the new car solves a tested problem
Inspect live early-budget candidates. Community pages currently mention Vortex Type-R, Boxer 86, and Katana RX-7 Spirit, but their prices and performance need the current dealership. Select a candidate that directly addresses your baseline weakness.
Keep enough Cash for required actions after purchase. A chassis bought with the full balance can leave you unable to fit the part that made it attractive. Test stock first and date the result.
Check the reported free-car route
Before grinding for a purchase, inspect whether the current reward panel offers a free car. Community guides report play time and account engagement conditions. The Free Car page explains how to verify the timer, group identity, claim marker, and garage ownership without guaranteeing the reward.
If the reward exists and is reachable during normal practice, compare it stock against the starter. Do not assume “free” means better or permanent.
Starter decision checklist
- Record the current owned display name and acquisition state.
- Run a stock baseline on one route.
- Classify failures as control, acceleration, speed, or visibility.
- Check current reward options before grinding.
- Compare one targeted upgrade with one reachable replacement.
- Preserve a Cash reserve.
- Retest after purchase under the same conditions.
Starter car FAQ
What is the starter car called?
Current sources conflict between Sentinel 2.0 Cruiser and Wulfbrecht RZ7 contexts. Use the exact owned entry shown by the current garage.
Should I upgrade the starter?
Only after a baseline shows one clear vehicle limitation. Practice first when failures come from lane reading or late inputs.
What should I buy first?
Community lists suggest Vortex Type-R, Boxer 86, or Katana RX-7 Spirit as candidates. Confirm live price and test the job you need solved.
Is there a free second car?
Recent guides report one, but requirements and availability need current-server confirmation. Use the dedicated free-car verification route.