AC Supply Logo
ACSupplyMod Hub

How to Install Car Mods in Assetto Corsa

15 min readBeginner FriendlyUpdated February 2026

What You'll Learn

  • Two methods to install car mods: Manual and Content Manager
  • How to verify mod installation
  • Common issues and troubleshooting tips
  • Best practices for organizing your mods

Prerequisites

Before installing car mods, make sure you have:

  • Assetto Corsa installed on your PC (Steam version recommended)
  • 7-Zip, WinRAR, or Windows built-in extraction to unzip mod files
  • Basic knowledge of your AC installation directory
  • Content Manager (optional but highly recommended - more on this later)

Finding Your Assetto Corsa Directory

Your AC installation is typically located at:

C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Steam\\steamapps\\common\\assettocorsa\\

Tip: In Steam, right-click Assetto Corsa → Manage → Browse local files to open the directory instantly.

Method 1: Manual Installation (Traditional Method)

Manual installation gives you complete control over where files go and is useful for learning the mod structure. Follow these steps carefully:

Step 1: Download Your Car Mod

Download a car mod from AC Supply or another trusted source. Car mods typically come as ZIP or RAR files.

Step 2: Extract the Archive

Right-click the downloaded file and select "Extract Here" or "Extract to folder". You should see a folder structure like this:

📁 mod_name/
  📁 content/
    📁 cars/
      📁 car_folder_name/
        📄 ui_car.json
        📁 data/
        📁 sfx/
        📁 skins/
        📁 textures/

Step 3: Locate the Car Folder

Navigate through the extracted folders until you find the car folder (usually inside content/cars/). The car folder contains:

  • ui_car.json - Car specifications and UI info
  • data folder - Physics, suspension, engine data
  • sfx folder - Sound files
  • skins folder - Liveries/paint schemes

Step 4: Copy to Assetto Corsa Directory

Copy the entire car folder to your Assetto Corsa cars directory:

[AC Directory]\\content\\cars\\

For example, if the car folder is named "bmw_m3_e92", copy it so the final path is:

C:\\...\\assettocorsa\\content\\cars\\bmw_m3_e92\\

Step 5: Verify Installation

Launch Assetto Corsa and go to Drive → Practice → Select Car. Your new car should appear in the list. If you don't see it:

  • Check the folder structure matches the example above
  • Verify ui_car.json exists and isn't corrupted
  • Make sure you copied to the correct directory
  • Try restarting Assetto Corsa completely

Common Installation Mistakes

  • Wrong directory depth: Make sure you don't create extra nested folders
  • Missing files: Some mods require additional data packs or DLC
  • Corrupted download: Re-download if files are incomplete
  • Special characters: Avoid folder names with special characters or spaces

Method 2: Content Manager (Recommended)

Content Manager (CM) is a free third-party launcher that makes mod installation incredibly simple. It's become the standard tool in the AC community and offers many advantages over the manual method.

Why Use Content Manager?

  • Drag-and-drop installation: Just drop the ZIP file onto CM
  • Automatic organization: CM handles file structure for you
  • Preview before installing: See car details and images first
  • Easy updates: Update mods with one click
  • Error detection: CM warns you about missing dependencies
  • Backup management: Create and restore mod backups easily

Installing Mods with Content Manager

1

Download Content Manager

Get the latest version from assettocorsa.club. The free version works great for mod installation.

2

Launch Content Manager

Open CM and let it detect your Assetto Corsa installation. On first launch, it will scan your existing content.

3

Drag and Drop

Simply drag your downloaded mod ZIP file onto the Content Manager window. CM will:

  • • Automatically detect the mod type (car, track, app, etc.)
  • • Show you a preview with car specifications
  • • Check for missing dependencies
  • • Extract and place files correctly
4

Confirm Installation

Review the installation details and click "Install". Content Manager will handle everything automatically. Your car is ready to drive!

Understanding Car Dependencies

Some car mods require additional files or DLC to work properly. Common dependencies include:

Data Packs

Shared physics or sound files used by multiple cars from the same creator. Usually named like "common_data_pack_v2".

DLC Requirements

Some mods require specific Assetto Corsa DLC packs like "Dream Pack", "Japanese Pack", or "Porsche Packs".

Custom Shaders Patch

Advanced mods may need CSP for features like animated parts, emissive lights, and visual effects. Learn more.

Sol Weather Mod

Some tracks and cars are optimized for Sol weather system, providing better lighting and weather effects.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Car Doesn't Appear in Game

Possible causes:

  • • Incorrect folder structure (too many nested folders)
  • • Missing or corrupted ui_car.json file
  • • Installed in wrong directory
  • • Special characters in folder name

Solution: Verify folder structure, check file integrity, ensure correct installation path.

Game Crashes When Loading Car

Possible causes:

  • • Missing data pack or dependencies
  • • Corrupted physics files
  • • Incompatible mod version
  • • Conflicting mods

Solution: Check mod description for requirements, verify all dependencies are installed, try disabling other mods.

Car Looks Broken or Has Missing Textures

Possible causes:

  • • Missing texture files
  • • Requires Custom Shaders Patch (CSP)
  • • Incorrect graphics settings
  • • Incomplete download

Solution: Re-download mod, install CSP if required, verify all texture files are present.

Car Has No Sound

Possible causes:

  • • Missing sfx (sound) folder
  • • Incorrect FMOD bank files
  • • Sound files in wrong format
  • • Missing guids.txt file

Solution: Check if sfx folder exists and contains sound files, verify guids.txt is present, compare with working car mod structure.

Best Practices for Mod Management

Pro Tips for Organizing Your Mods

Keep Original ZIP Files

Store downloaded mod files in a separate folder (like "AC_Mods_Library"). This makes reinstalling or updating mods much easier.

Use Descriptive Folder Names

Rename ambiguous folder names to include car name and version. Example: "bmw_m3_e92_drift_v1.5" is better than "car_01".

Backup Your Content Folder

Before major updates or installing many mods, backup your entire content folder. This allows you to roll back if something breaks.

Document Your Mods

Keep a text file listing installed mods, their sources, and dependencies. Content Manager can export this list automatically.

Regular Maintenance

Periodically remove unused mods, update existing ones, and clean up duplicate files. This keeps your game running smoothly and loading quickly.

Next Steps

Now that you know how to install car mods, you're ready to explore the vast world of Assetto Corsa modding! Here are some recommended next steps:

Install Custom Shaders Patch

Unlock advanced graphics features and enable CSP-required mods with our comprehensive CSP installation guide.

Browse Car Mods

Explore hundreds of high-quality car mods on AC Supply. Find drift cars, race cars, street cars, and more.

Content Manager Setup

Get the most out of Content Manager with our detailed setup and configuration guide for optimal performance.

Install Track Mods

Learn how to install track mods and explore new racing circuits from around the world.

Need Help?

If you're still having trouble installing mods or have specific questions, we're here to help!

Contact SupportJoin DiscordView FAQ