Even more darker and gritty tone than the former.Improved career mode based on real life motorsport events like the FIA GT series.Gladiator, which is very intense and more orchestral-focused, heard in the menu screen.Cinematic, which is more cinematic-styled with audience cheering in the background, heard when you get podium position.Dirty, which is more electronic-focused, heard when you don't get podium position.In addition, each licensed track has three remixed variants: New soundtrack featuring artists like 30 Seconds To Mars, Hollywood Undead, Billy Clyro, Jimmy Eat World, Rise Against and Stone Temple Pilots.Over thirty-six tracks including new the ones such as Nürburgring GP with its other variants (which the original only had the Nordschleife), Circuit Zolder and Hockenheimring.This game has the longest car list (except constantly updating games like World and No Limits) in the entire series.

All cars except Ferraris and LF-A Concept (which is updated to production model) are carried over from Shift with a lot more new cars added. 37 manufacturers with 145 cars to drive, featuring the Lexus LFA, Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA and Aston Martin DBRS9 GT3.It's an expanded version of the original game with new aspects and features that weren't featured such as night-time racing, helmet camera and the Autolog feature from Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010).

Need for speed shift 2 soundtracks