Canyon Gap 🚀
Leap across a massive canyon gap. Miss and you're falling a long, long way down. The run-up is a mix of dirt and asphalt, which makes car choice interesting.
Best Cars for This Jump
I've tried so many builds on this canyon jump, Mosler, CCGT, Sesto, Chiron, Diablo, you name it, and ngl most of them end up in the pit. The Mosler MT900S is absolutely cracked for canyon jumps, lightweight with insane acceleration and the thing just stays straight in the air. Don't make the mistake I made and bring a heavy AWD build, the extra weight murders your distance on this one because the run-up isn't long enough to overcome the mass penalty. Simple physics. S2 class is the move here, no question. I got 460m with the Mosler and honestly could've pushed further if I'd lined it up better.
The Koenigsegg CCGT is another sleeper, that downforce somehow translates to stability mid-air which I dunno if it's a bug or intended but fr it works. For people who can't drop millions on hypercars yet, the Lambo Sesto Elemento FE does the job, especially with a speed-focused tune. RWD builds are kinda suicide here, the last bit of the run-up has loose dirt and you'll spin out right before the ramp. Seen it happen, done it myself, it's embarrassing.
Approach Strategy
The run-up is this weird mixed surface, starts on asphalt from the canyon road then transitions to packed dirt about 200m from the ramp. The surface change is what catches people out, every single time. You need a car that can handle both without losing speed, simple as that. RWD, AWD, rally tires, drag slicks, whatever setup gets you grip on both surfaces. Start your run from the bend before the straight, the one near the old gas station. It gives you about 500m of acceleration room and that's just enough if you're running a maxed S2 build. Barely enough.
So here's the thing about the ramp position. It sits right at the canyon edge and there's zero room for error. The natural tendency is to brake early cause your brain sees a cliff and freaks out. Don't. Stay flat out through the ramp, commit fully. The mid-air distance actually benefits from a slight nose-up attitude, tap the left stick back gently right after launch. Not too much though, too steep and you stall, too flat and you don't get the extra air time. Took me like eight attempts to get the angle right.
Common Mistakes
Biggest killer on Canyon Gap is hesitation, and I see it constantly, people lifting off the throttle right before the ramp because their lizard brain sees a cliff and panics. I'm telling you, the moment you lift off the throttle before the ramp you've already failed. The second thing is car weight, heavier S2 builds like the Chiron just don't get the distance because the ramp launch physics favor lighter cars, it's just how the game engine works, and you can't tune your way around it. Save the heavy stuff for the straight-line jumps. Third is landing position, the landing zone is wide but you need to land on the downward slope for maximum distance, if you land flat on the plateau you lose the rollout distance and that can be 20-30m gone. Poof.
And please don't be the guy who rewinds mid-air. Like I get it, you messed up the angle, but rewinding mid-jump resets you at a terrible spot before the ramp and you lose all your momentum. Better to just let the attempt finish and fast travel back for another go.
Weather and Terrain Tips
The dirt section of the run-up turns to absolute mud in the rain, man. Your acceleration drops by like 30% and you'll never hit the speed you need, not even close. Wait for dry conditions before attempting 3 stars, period. Wind in the canyon is actually a factor too, if you see dust particles blowing horizontally that means there's a crosswind and it'll push you sideways mid-air. A headwind kills jump distance, tailwind adds 10-15m, I've confirmed this across multiple attempts, different cars, different wind speeds, the whole experiment. Crosswind is the real sleeper threat though, pushes you sideways and you land on the wrong slope, and stuff like that can cost you the run.
The desert heat also affects tire grip on the asphalt section, especially in summer. Hot tires grip better on the road portion but get greasy on the dirt. If you're struggling with spin on the dirt run-up, drop your rear tire pressure by 3-4 PSI and it makes a noticeable difference. Heat season plus rain is the absolute worst combination for this jump, just skip it and wait for the season to change.