Because the feature unlock dates are changing substantially in the new build, I went through and tried to find all the dates. Edit: the following is intended to record numbers in Build 151205 - as before, some may represent bugs, not features.
Note: I didn’t check features that weren’t represented in the changelog in some fashion - so there may be unlock dates below that were correct in 151127 and not in 151130.
Note 2015-11-30: Added production limits for chassis and body panel materials.
Note 2015-12-04: Updating safety option unlock dates going from 151130 to 151205 - again, didn’t check for other unlock-date changes, they may exist.
Note 2015-12-07: Adding note that minimum tyre profiles are at +0 Quality - increasing quality allows lower profile tyres.
Note 2015-12-17: Checked mid-engined unlock dates with modded 1965 bodies.
[size=150]Chassis[/size]
Chassis Type:
[ul]]1940: Ladder/:m]
]1951: Monocoque/:m][/ul]
Material:
[ul]]1940: Steel/:m]
]1940: Galvanized Steel/:m]
]1980: Corrosion Rest. Steel/:m]
]1988: Carbon Fibre (with Monocoque; No Mass Production)/:m]
]1997: AHS Steel/:m]
]2000: Glued Aluminium (with Monocoque; Limited Production)/:m]
]2015: Carbon Fibre (with Monocoque; Limited Production)/:m][/ul]
Engine Placement:
[ul]]1940: Front Longitudinal/:m]
]1940: Rear Longitudinal/:m]
]1962: Front Transverse/:m]
]: Mid Transverse/:m]
]: Mid Longitudinal/:m][/ul]
- Earliest mid-engined body available without mods is 1974. With modded bodies, both are available at least as early as 1965.
Front Suspension:
[ul]]1940: MacPherson Strut/:m]
]1940: Double Wishbone/:m]
]1990: Pushrod (with Rear Longitudinal, Mid Transverse, or Mid Longitudinal)/:m][/ul]
Rear Suspension:
[ul]]1940: Solid Axle Coil (with Front Transverse or Front Longitudinal)/:m]
]1940: Solid Axle Leaf (with Front Transverse or Front Longitudinal)/:m]
]1940: Semi Trailing Arm (with Front Transverse or Front Longitudinal)/:m]
]1940: MacPherson Strut (with Mid Transverse, Mid Longitudinal, or Rear Longitudinal)/:m]
]1940: Double Wishbone/:m]
]1962: Torsion Beam (with Front Transverse)/:m]
]1990: MultiLink (with Front Transverse or Front Longitudinal)/:m]
]1990: Pushrod (with Front Transverse, Front Longitudinal, Mid Transverse, or Mid Longitudinal)/:m][/ul]
Panel Material:
[ul]]1940: Steel/:m]
]1940: Aluminium (No Mass Production)/:m]
]1955: Fibre Glass (No Mass Production)/:m]
]1971: Fibre Glass (Limited Production)/:m]
]1980: Corrosion Rest. Steel/:m]
]1981: Aluminium (Limited Production)/:m]
]1985: Partial Alu/:m]
]1993: Carbon Fibre (No Mass Production)/:m]
]2006: Carbon Fibre (Limited Production)/:m]
]2011: Aluminium/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Body Type[/size]
Drive Type, Front Transverse:
[ul]]1962: Transverse FWD/:m]
]1990: Transverse AWD/:m][/ul]
Drive Type, Front Longitudinal:
[ul]]1940: Longitudinal RWD/:m]
]1940: Longitudinal 4x4/:m]
]1981: Longitudinal AWD/:m][/ul]
Drive Type, Rear Longitudinal:
[ul]]1940: Longitudinal RWD/:m][/ul]
Drive Type, Mid Transverse:
[ul]]: Transverse RWD/*:m]
]1990: Transverse AWD/:m][/ul]
Drive Type, Mid Longitudinal:
[ul]]: Longitudinal RWD/*:m]
]1985: Longitudinal AWD/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Engine Block[/size]
Engine Block:
[ul]]1940: Inline 4/:m]
]1940: Inline 6/:m]
]1940: V8 Crossplane/:m]
]1940: V8 Flatplane/:m]
]1940: V12/:m]
]1960: V6/:m][/ul]
Block Material:
[ul]]1940: Cast Iron/:m]
]1960: Aluminium/:m]
]1996: AlSi/:m]
]2005: Magnesium/:m][/ul]
Head and Valves:
[ul]]1940: Push Rod/:m]
]1940: Direct Acting OHC/:m]
]1940: Overhead Cam (2, 3, 4 valves/cyl)/:m]
]1940: Dual Overhead Cam (2, 4 valves/cyl)/:m]
]1989: Dual Overhead Cam (5 valves/cyl)/:m]
]2000: Modern OHV/:m][/ul]
Head Material:
[ul]]1940: Cast Iron/:m]
]1950: Aluminium/:m]
]1996: AlSi/:m][/ul]
VVL:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1994: VVL (all engines except Push Rod, Modern OHV, and DOHC 5 valves/cyl)/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Bottom End[/size]
Crank:
[ul]]1940: Cast Iron/:m]
]1956: Forged Steel/:m]
]1986: Billet Steel/:m][/ul]
Conrods:
[ul]]1940: Cast/:m]
]1940: Heavy Duty Cast/:m]
]1956: Forged H Beam/:m]
]1967: I Beam Steel/:m]
]1997: I Beam Titanium/:m][/ul]
Pistons:
[ul]]1940: Cast/:m]
]1940: Heavy Cast Piston/:m]
]1956: Forged/:m]
]1970: Hypereutectic Cast/:m]
]1991: Low Friction Cast/:m]
]1991: Lightweight Forged/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Top End[/size]
VVT:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1988: VVT (Direct Acting OHC or SOHC)/:m]
]1988: VVT - Intake (DOHC)/:m]
]1992: VVT - All Cams (DOHC)/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Aspiration[/size]
Type:
[ul]]1940: Naturally Aspirated/:m]
]1975: Turbo Charger (not V12 yet)/:m][/ul]
Setup:
[ul]]1975: Single Turbo (I4, I6)/:m]
]1975: Twin Turbo (V6, V8, V8FP)/:m][/ul]
[ul]]1975: Journal Bearing/:m]
]1980: Ball Bearing/:m][/ul]
(Note: I haven’t been thorough on this tab - there may be other year-dependencies hiding somewhere I haven’t found.)
[size=150]Intake[/size]
Fuel System (Carburettor):
[ul]]1940: Single Barrel/:m]
]1940: Single Barrel Eco/:m]
]1948: 2 Barrel/:m]
]1954: DCOE/:m]
]1959: 4 Barrel/:m][/ul]
Fuel System (Injection):
[ul]]1968: Mechanical Injection/:m]
]1982: Single Point EFI/:m]
]1982: Multi Point EFI/:m]
]2001: Direct Injection/:m][/ul]
Fuel Type:
[ul]]1940: Regular Leaded/:m]
]1940: Super Leaded/:m]
]1960: Low Quality/:m]
]1970: Regular/:m]
]1985: Premium/:m]
]1990: Super/:m]
]1995: Ultimate/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Exhaust[/size]
Headers:
[ul]]1940: Cast Log/:m]
]1940: Short Cast/:m]
]1940: Tubular/:m]
]1940: Long Tubular/:m]
]1940: Race Tubular/:m][/ul]
Muffler Bypass:
[ul]]1940: No Valve/:m]
]1999: Bypass Valves/:m][/ul]
Catalytic Converter (unleaded only):
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1972: Two-way/:m]
]1978: Three-way/:m]
]1984: High Flow Three-way/:m][/ul]
Muffler:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1940: Baffled/:m]
]1950: Reverse Flow/:m]
]1968: Straight Through/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Drivetrain[/size]
Gearbox:
[ul]]1940: Manual/:m]
]1950: Automatic (Torque Converter)/:m]
]2000: Sequential (Single Clutch)/:m]
]2006: Sequential (Double Clutch)/:m][/ul]
Ratios (Manual):
[ul]]1940: 2 (last year 1990)/:m]
]1940: 3 (last year 2000)/:m]
]1940: 4/:m]
]1965: 5/:m]
]1995: 6/:m]
]2012: 7/:m][/ul]
Ratios (Automatic):
[ul]]1950: 2 (last year 1990)/:m]
]1960: 3 (last year 2000)/:m]
]1975: 4/:m]
]1995: 5/:m]
]2003: 6/:m]
]2006: 7/:m]
]2011: 8/:m]
]2015: 9/:m][/ul]
Ratios (Sequential):
[ul]]2000: 3 (last year 2000)/:m]
]2000: 4/:m]
]2000: 5/:m]
]2000: 6/:m]
]2012: 7/:m][/ul]
Differentials:
[ul]]1940: Open/:m]
]1940: Manual Locker/:m]
]1950: Automatic Locker/:m]
]1981: Geared LSD/:m]
]1985: Viscous LSD/:m]
]2001: Electric LSD/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Wheel[/size]
Minimum +0-Quality Profile:
[ul]]1940: 105/:m]
]1941: 100/:m]
]1945: 95/:m]
]1949: 90/:m]
]1953: 85/:m]
]1957: 80/:m]
]1960: 75/:m]
]1964: 70/:m]
]1968: 65/:m]
]1972: 60/:m]
]1976: 55/:m]
]1980: 50/:m]
]1983: 45/:m]
]1987: 40/:m]
]1991: 35/:m]
]1995: 30/:m]
]1999: 25/:m]
]2003: 20/:m]
]2006: 15/:m][/ul]
Rim Material:
[ul]]1940: Steel/:m]
]1961: Magnesium/:m]
]1970: Alloy/:m]
]2015: Carbon Fibre/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Brakes[/size]
Brakes:
[ul]]1940: Drum (SLS)/:m]
]1952: Drum (2LS) (front only)/:m]
]1959: Solid Disc/:m]
]1975: Vented Disc/:m]
]2008: Carbon Ceramic/:m][/ul]
Disc Brake Pistons:
[ul]]1959: 1 Piston/:m]
]1965: 2 Piston/:m]
]1976: 3 Piston/:m]
]1990: 4 Piston/:m]
]1999: 6 Piston/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Aerodynamics[/size]
Undertray:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1940: Offroad Skidtray/:m]
]1960: Semi Clad/:m]
]1975: Fully Clad/:m]
]1994: Downforce/:m][/ul]
Active Wings:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1993: Active Wing/:m][/ul]
Active Cooling:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1993: Cooling Flaps/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Fittings[/size]
Entertainment:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1940: Luxury AM Radio (last year 1954)/:m]
]1945: Premium AM Radio (last year 1971)/:m]
]1950: Standard AM Radio (last year 1973)/:m]
]1954: Basic AM Radio (last year 1975)/:m]
]1955: Phonograph (last year 1969)/:m]
]1970: Luxury 8 Track (last year 1981)/:m]
]1972: Premium 8 Track (last year 1983)/:m]
]1974: Standard 8 Track (last year 1985)/:m]
]1976: Basic 8 Track (last year 1987)/:m]
]1982: Luxury Cassette (last year 1991)/:m]
]1984: Premium Cassette (last year 1993)/:m]
]1986: Standard Cassette (last year 1997)/:m]
]1988: Basic Cassette (last year 2000)/:m]
]1992: Luxury CD (last year 2002)/:m]
]1994: Premium CD (last year 2004)/:m]
]1998: Standard CD (last year 2011)/:m]
]2001: Basic CD (last year 2012)/:m]
]2003: Luxury SatNav (last year 2009)/:m]
]2005: Premium SatNav (last year 2010)/:m]
]2010: Luxury Infotainment (last year 2016)/:m]
]2011: Premium Infotainment (last year 2018)/:m]
]2012: Standard Infotainment/:m]
]2013: Basic Infotainment/:m]
]2017: Luxury HUD/:m]
]2019: Premium HUD/:m][/ul]
Driver Assists:
[ul]]1955: Power Steering/:m]
]1985: Antilock Braking System/:m]
]1989: Traction Control*/*:m]
]1997: Electronic Stability/:m][/ul]
** Requires electronic fuel injection. (Thanks for the tip, TrackpadUser!)
Safety:
[ul]]1940: None/:m]
]1940: Advanced 40s (last year 1949)/:m]
]1945: Standard 40s (last year 1954)/:m]
]1950: Advanced 50s (last year 1960)/:m]
]1955: Standard 50s (last year 1964)/:m]
]1961: Advanced 60s (last year 1969)/:m]
]1965: Standard 60s (last year 1974)/:m]
]1968: Basic 60s (last year 1977)/:m]
]1970: Advanced 70s (last year 1979)/:m]
]1975: Standard 70s (last year 1984)/:m]
]1978: Basic 70s (last year 1987)/:m]
]1980: Advanced 80s (last year 1989)/:m]
]1985: Standard 80s (last year 1993)/:m]
]1988: Basic 80s (last year 1997)/:m]
]1990: Advanced 90s (last year 1999)/:m]
]1994: Standard 90s (last year 2004)/:m]
]1998: Basic 90s (last year 2007)/:m]
]2000: Advanced 00s (last year 2009)/:m]
]2005: Standard 00s (last year 2014)/:m]
]2008: Basic 00s (last year 2017)/:m]
]2010: Advanced 10s (last year 2019)/:m]
]2015: Standard 10s/:m]
]2018: Basic 10s/:m]
]2020: Advanced 20s/:m][/ul]
[size=150]Suspension[/size]
Springs:
[ul]]1940: Standard/:m]
]1955: Progressive/:m]
]1965: Hydropneumatic/:m]
]1982: Air**/*:m]
]1995: Active Sport/:m]
]1995: Active Comfort/:m][/ul]
*** Not always available; as far as I can determine from my experiments, Air Suspension has a suspension geometry prerequisite depending on engine placement:
[ul]]For a front-engined car: front double-wishbone suspension./:m]
]For a rear-engined or mid-engined car: front and rear double-wishbone or pushrod./:m][/ul]
Dampers:
[ul]]1940: Twin-Tube/:m]
]1966: Gas Mono-Tube/:m]
]1987: Adaptive/:m]
]1995: Semi Active/:m][/ul]
Sway Bars:
[ul]]1940: Passive/:m]
]1995: Semi Active/:m]
]2000: Offroad/:m]
]2005: Active/:m][/ul]