Rumors and speculation

It has been suggested by a member of Electronic Arts official forums , that The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) provides additional keys to the setting and storyline of Carbon by revealing at least some of the characters in the upcoming game . The character information was posted to the IMDb website on March 31, 2006, before the Carbon name was presented. There are several rumors about how the police will affect Carbon. The Internet Movie Database reports Dean McKenzie will return to play the part of Cross. It's still unknown whether or not he's still a police officer, although he likely is. There is also the possibility that he left the force and is on a personal vendetta against the hero since Cross was severely humiliated in Most Wanted.

The game's name is based on Carbon Canyon in California, which is a shocker to many NFS fans because this is the first time the game is based on an actual location:

Need for Speed: Carbon
"NFS Carbon - apparently so called due of its relationship with "Carbon Canyon" in California, where racers often meet up to drive around very fast and probably "race for pinks" and the like - is due out on Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2, Xbox, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Gameboy Advance and PSP this winter.

Those of you wondering whether it shares more in common with the ludicrously popular Need For Speed Underground games or the recent Most Wanted digression will probably find elements of both, by the sound of it, with lots of cop chases but also a definite sense of building up a "crew".

This time your gang of racing pals will have unique characteristics in each of their favour. Some will be better at ramming people off the road, others at slipstreaming and so on. Your pals wont be able to help you during the "canyon races" the title hints at, where you have to race after an opponent without getting caught out by the scenery."

source:wikipedia.org