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The Porsche Vision Gran Turismo

I’m sure you’ve all heard about the Gran Turismo game series, a Japanese video game developed by studio Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment, where the Vision Gran Turismo program, also known as Vision GT or even VGT has given us some of the most impressive concept cars, mostly fictional, but still utterly amazing to look at and imagine driving them … which you can do in the game naturally.

The first car that comes to mind is the 2015 Bugatti Vision GT, an absolutely stunning concept that was built as a show car to the 2015 IAA in Frankfurt, but let’s not forget the equally impressive-looking McLaren Ultimate Vision GT or the stunning Lamborghini V12 Vision Gran Turismo in her satin green livery, and now there is a new concept released.

Porsche has joined the ranks of the Vision GT program, aptly named the Porsche Vision Gran Turismo, this concept was created purely for the virtual world of the 7th edition of Gran Turismo to be released on March 4 2022 for both the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5, “A vehicle designed purely for the virtual world opens up exciting possibilities for us that are otherwise heavily regimented in a regular design process for a series production car,” says Michael Mauer, Vice President Style Porsche. “Projects such as the Porsche Vision Gran Turismo are particularly valuable for us in the creative process. Further developing our clearly defined Porsche Design DNA and exchanging with designers from other industries is an important part of our work.”

Porsche’s Vision Gran Turismo might be very futuristic-looking, but she does boast some very recognizable features that make her undeniably a Porsche, like the typical proportion between height and width of the design, a very low bonnet with large, round wings alongside, while the pure style of the front with the air intakes remind us of the Porsche Taycan, and yes, the Vision Gran Turismo is all-electric in case you were wondering.

At the back, we find that typical narrow strip of lights, inspired by both the 911 and the Taycan, with a very aggressive looking diffuser, no exhausts as there is no ICE engine, but note how the rear fenders, especially the section behind the rear wheels is almost carved out of the body to create a dramatic look and exposes part of the rear tires at the same time, just an amazing detail on this concept car, I really like the vertical red lights integrated into the fins of the diffuser by the way.

On the inside, the Porsche style is continued with a curved hologram display that seems to float in the thin air above the very special steering wheel, because the seats are placed so low into the body you just feel the dynamics at play, even standing still, the inside is created from carbon fiber and titanium to reduce weight and increase performance in one go, Porsche used entirely vegan materials in the concept car.

“The appeal of a Porsche comes from its purist design,” says Kazunori Yamauchi, President, Polyphony Digital. “And in terms of engineering expertise, both we and Porsche follow the same perfectionist philosophy. We share the same passion for racing and are looking to the future of the car.”

Naturally, there is a strategic advantage for Porsche to expand into the vast gaming industry. “We can engage young and digital target groups in the place where their automotive dreams are born: the world of gaming,” says Robert Ader, Vice President Marketing at Porsche AG. “The partnership with Polyphony Digital and ‘Gran Turismo’ is a perfect fit for Porsche, because motorsport – whether real or virtual – is part of our DNA.”

Check out this amazing launch video on the Porsche Vision GT:

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After viewing the above video, let’s enjoy some more details of this amazing looking Porsche Vision Gran Turismo, there’s even a bespoke helmet:

ATS rises from the ashes with its gorgeous GT supercar

Here’s a name we haven’t heard from in a while: Automobili Turismo e Sport is throwing its name back as an entrant in the war of the supercars with its new GT, a coupe that serves as a successor to a never-produced gran turismo car from the 1960s. True to its rarified segment, just 12 models will be produced starting at about $1.33 million, each highly customized to the purchaser’s tastes.

The coupe is a successor to the 2500 GT, which was revealed at the 1963 Paris Motor Show but never went into production before the entire company shut down in 1964. ATS was launched by Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini after leaving Ferrari in 1961 due to a dispute with Enzo Ferrari. The initial aim was to beat Ferrari, and the company managed to produce a Formula One racer and the mid-engine 2500 GT.

Despite teasing several models in recent years, the GT will be the company’s first new production supercar in nearly half a century. Today’s version of the company is being run by ATS’s design chief, Emanuele Bomboi, and Daniele Maritan, a former race car driver turned importer and distributor of fast sports cars. The company insists this rebirth “is not a ‘nostalgia’ operation” and says it has other ideas it plans to develop beyond the GT.

Bombi formerly worked for Fiat and Bertone, and it shows in the GT’s styling. “The side silhouette of this new Gran Turismo is charged with energy, with clean lines framing arched surfaces,” the company says. “The outlines above the wheel are evocative while a clean flowing line divides the car’s upper and lower halves. As with the original car’s design, the windows provide a focus for the flanks of the car.” The new car also borrows its predecessor’s front spoiler, which runs the whole width of the car with the same blue Dragon of Bologna logo, with two stripes running along the bonnet. It gets a carbon fiber body and chassis for a curb weight of 2,866 pounds.

Powering the GT is a 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 mounted behind the cabin that does 650 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Or, buyers can upgrade to a 700-horsepower version with 553 lb-ft of torque. Either is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission that drives the rear wheels. Zero to 60 time is around 3 seconds, and top speed is around 206 mph. Three driving modes are offered — Viaggio, Sport and Corsa — with each configuration changing the colors of the cockpit controls from blue, to yellow and red, respectively.

Does that sound a lot like the McLaren 650S to you? It does to us. That’s likely what this car is based on, although we don’t have any info at the moment about ATS’ relationship with McLaren, if there is one. We’ll know more, hopefully, when it’s closer to launch.

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Nissan GT-R does 130+ mph at Silverstone via Playstation controller

Nissan has had a close relationship with the “Gran Turismo” series for years. Nissan cars, including the GT-R, have been a part of the games, but the automaker has also used the series as a tool to recruit factory race drivers through its GT Academy program. Now, Nissan has taken a virtual driver turned real-world racer, GT Academy winner and Nismo driver Jann Mardenborough, and blended his skills by allowing him to remotely pilot an actual GT-R around Silverstone with a Playstation controller.

The car, dubbed the Nissan GT-R/C, hit speeds of over 130 miles per hour as Mardenborough steered it around Silverstone’s National Circuit from above, riding in a helicopter with DualShock 4 controller in hand. There’s nobody in the car, which is capable of being remotely driven at speeds of up to 196 mph.

The stunt is part of the rollout of “Gran Turismo Sport,” the latest in the long-running (20 years!) driving simulator series. The game launches in the U.S. on Oct. 17. The remote driving system in the GT-R/C was built by JLB Design, which has built over 70 full-size remote-control vehicles.

You can see the in-car footage of the run in the video from Nissan below:

McLaren Ultimate Vision GT | 1,134-hp hybrid with a crazy driving position

As with Gran Turismo 6, Gran Turismo Sport will feature special Vision GT cars, which are concepts designed by real car manufacturers for use in the video-game series. These cars imagine what a company might produce far into the future, as far as 2030 or later in the case of the car McLaren has just revealed as its contribution. It’s called the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo, and it’s a thoroughly wild hybrid.

Starting with performance, the McLaren retains a certain amount of gasoline propulsion thanks to a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. This engine powers the rear wheels, while the fronts are powered by individual electric motors. The combined output is 1,134 horsepower and 940 pound-feet of torque. While there are some hypercars with greater output right now, those numbers become more impressive when you realize this virtual McLaren weighs a little more than 2,200 pounds, less than a current Mazda Miata. The light weight should also make the inboard carbon ceramic brakes highly effective, too.

The light weight comes from a body and chassis created using a considerable amount of carbon fiber. That body has unique active aerodynamics that rely on opening and closing holes near air inlets to adjust drag and downforce. According to McLaren, this method is simpler and lighter than mechanical flaps for the same purpose.

Aside from the remarkable performance numbers, the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo also has a remarkable cockpit. It has a large glass area for good visibility, but the party piece is the prone seating position that McLaren calls “motorcycle-like.” It probably is a cool way to drive, though we do wonder how comfortable that position would be for a length of time. Interestingly, the McLaren isn’t the first to imagine a Vision GT car with this sort of seating. The Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo did something similar. Much more of that car was outlandish though, since it was supposedly propelled by lasers. No, really, lasers. That’s what Chevy said.

Don’t expect to see the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo on the road anytime soon, but you can get behind the wheel virtually very soon. It will be featured in Gran Turismo Sport for PlayStation 4, which goes on sale October 17. The car will also join another special sports car, the Fittipaldi EF7, designed by Pininfarina and racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi.

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The latest Fittipaldi EF7 teaser image shows serious aero pieces

By now you probably know that F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi is developing a futuristic supercar with famed Italian coachbuilder and design house Pininfarina. New teaser images are constantly trickling out, and they paint a picture of a very interesting vehicle, one that is supposed to take advantage of Emerson Fittipaldi’s track knowledge.

The Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo will be properly unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on March 7. For those unable to either make it to the Geneva event or lay their hands on a Pininfarina-built Fittipaldi special, the supercar will be able to be experienced in Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo video game, as the name implies. Or as the creator of the Gran Turismo game, Kazunori Yamauchi, put it: “Emerson Fittipaldi’s vision, Pininfarina’s design aesthetic and HWA’s engineering capability, the Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo by Pininfarina boasts a collective of some of automotive’s best partners and is a project we’re honored to be a part of.” Interestingly, there will also be a FIA-certified eSports Gran Turismo Championship, for virtual racing, and the fact being mentioned in conjunction with the EF7 introduction gives some reassurance that it will take part in the eSports championship.

Today’s teaser shows a better view of the massive rear wing on the supercar, as well as what appears to be a multi-level rear diffuser. It appears the car is mid-engined, and there is some reinforcement visible through the window over the powertrain. What we’ve seen so far looks very serious.

Pininfarina speaks fondly of the EF7. “The result is an exciting car that embodies Pininfarina’s DNA in terms of style and innovation, Emerson’s long-lasting experience and HWA’s engineering skills. Our collective team was able to turn a dream into a driving machine,” says Pininfarina Chairman Paolo Pininfarina.

As well as the EF7 receiving shapely flanks and aggressive spoilers courtesy of Pininfarina, its powertrain will be overseen by AMG’s offshoot HWA, named after Hans-Werner Aufrecht, one of AMG’s founders. “The realization of the dream of a multiple Formula 1 World Champion in building a supercar is an exciting new challenge for us. As a development partner, we achieved together with Emerson Fittipaldi and the renowned Italian automobile designer, Pininfarina a vehicle, that combines racing technology and breathtaking design with drivability and the highest safety requirements,” said Aufrecht. HWA has been building racing cars for half a century, and it has a number of DTM championships to its name.

We’re likely to see more of the EF7 before it is unveiled next week. Pininfarina will be having a busy show, as it will also debut a concept version of an electric luxury sedan being built for a Hong Kong company. That car is called the H600 concept.

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