Gran Turismo out in US/Japan

By Tom Bramwell Published 2 January, 2007

Full Concept demo details.

Gran Turismo HD Concept has been released in the US and Japan over the Christmas break, offering "PS3 and automotive fans a glimpse into the future of Gran Turismo," according to series creator Kazunori Yamauchi.

Kaz and co. (the co. in question being Polyphony Digital) had originally planned to release a boxed Concept edition of Gran Turismo with content archives expandable through paid-for downloads, but following an 11th hour reverse the decision was taken to release a free demo instead.

As a result, fans on both continents can access some next-gen GT content, with the demo comprising one track (Eiger Nordwand) and Time Trial races that allow you to unlock new cars. There are ten to gather initially, with a further ten "Tuned Cars" and a "Drift Trial" mode unlocked once the floodgates have opened.

The first ten cars? Why, they're the 1995 Suzuki Cappucino, the 1989 Mazda Eunos Roadster, the 2004 Honda Integra TYPE R, the 1996 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR, the 2006 Infiniti G35 Coupe, the 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX GSR, the 2005 Lotus Elise 111R, the 1994 Nissan SKYLINE GT-R Vspec II, the 1995 Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Car, and the 2006 Ferrari 599.

Drift Trial, as you might imagine, allows you to try and master drifting. You'll also be able to upload lap-times and view the top ten for any given car and mode, with the option to save replays online also available.

Polyphony has previously said that a single Concept release now will allow it to put more weight behind Gran Turismo 5, expected in 2008, and has floated the possibility of more demo releases in the meantime.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (28) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • woodnotes #1 5 years ago

    Apparently this demo looks phenomenal in real-life. Especially the car models. Should have my import PS3 soon so will be able to check it out for myself :)

  • Der_tolle_Emil #2 5 years ago

    This thing is looking incredibly good. I never played GT but just looking at it sometimes makes me want to have a PS3. But since I recently bought Forza Motorsport (thanks to the 360 compatibility) I will just wait for Forza 2 to be released.

    It will be interesting to see how the paid downloads will work out for this game. Does anyone know how much a car or track costs? I always hear about those downloads but never about how much you have to pay for them.

  • Gouki #3 5 years ago

    Do you kno i am gutted!

    If this game had been a release title i would have been so hyped about the ps3. I cant see any title on the console that gets me thinking WOW. I am a huge VF fan but 360 is now getting it and also i hear tekken 6. Ohhhh Sony what is going on!!!!!

    Ps.... where is my PSP version.... sob :-(

    Dont make me choose forza and with delays and changes, now 08 you have done!

    Another mess up Grrrrrrr!
    Edited by 1 at 02/01/07 @ 10:17

  • Der_tolle_Emil #4 5 years ago

    Thanks. I thought they would release the game free as they would be charging for the downloads anyway.

  • Razzajazz #5 5 years ago

    Played it over the weekend, it does look very impressive, but I want to wait to see Forza 2 before I proclaim a winner!

  • chacha #6 5 years ago

    damn you sony - where's my PSP Gran Turismo i was promised 2 years ago

  • Gouki #7 5 years ago

    chacha
    "damn you sony - where's my PSP Gran Turismo i was promised 2 years ago"

    So SO agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Sony come on!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grrrrr

  • ratso #8 5 years ago

    i was playing gran turismo on my psp just last night.

  • Stormflood #9 5 years ago

    So is this the GT5 preview, or the GT4-in-HD demo?

    /tad confused

  • Steroyd #10 5 years ago

    It's GT5 preview, and I can't believe how photorealistic it looks.

  • J_C_X #11 5 years ago

    I've downloaded this and its kinda crap. On the graphics front on my HDTV it compares with PGR3. It's only a demo though but all GT's have been crap since the first GT.

  • in5ane #12 5 years ago

    I don't think it looks that great to be honest. Sure the dynamic replays look nice, but when you're driving from a fixed position for couple of minutes, it just looks 'ok'. This is a problem I don't think any console will ever solve- static play cameras will never look 'realistic'. The only time it looks impressive is when you catch a glimpse of the entire track in the distance and get a feel for how much work the PS3 is actually doing.

    Also, when you're driving, the people don't even animate. You can crash right next to them (as I do every corner), and they'll be looking away in some preset pose. Only in the replays do they look at your car or wave their arms.

    The online is a joke- you set a record, have to quit the race to upload it, but it doesn't go on the live server, it must be cached somewhere. You get a 'tentative position' which is usually way off. On the first night, I was getting tetative first positions on all the boards, but being a bit bobbins at GT, I knew this wasn't true. It takes quite a long time to confirm your real place (and is a bit of a chore navigating to the online board for the desired car/mode combination).

    I'm convinced they reset all the times recently as well, because when it first came out, I unlocked everything, hence setting times on everything. Then went and enjoyed xmas and new year away from home. I came back and now I don't have *any* records?!

    The demo is really really easy too. As I said, I'm rubbish at GT, maybe 'cos I don't drive and therefore don't 'get it'. My car just spins around uncontrollably most of the time, yet I managed to clear every target on my first lap. To real GT fans, this is an insult.

  • J_C_X #13 5 years ago

    Motorstorm demo is where its at!

  • ruttyboy #14 5 years ago

    Three important questions:

    1) Does the GT Pro steering wheel (or whatever the official one is called I can't remember) work with GT5?

    2) Have they sorted out the damage?

    3) Have they sorted out the AI?

    If anyone could tell me I'd be very grateful.
    Edited by 1 at 02/01/07 @ 12:25

  • Steroyd #15 5 years ago

    1)Steering wheel does work on the Demo (which ones i don't know)

    2) + 3) The Demo is just 1 track with 1 car on that track it's a time trial.

    @in5ane maybe because it's a demo and they want you to unlock all the cars, and they leave the online leaderboards for those who want to play it hardcore.

  • SomaticSense #16 5 years ago

    Oh joy......

    I was kind of hoping for less emphasis on Japanese muscle cars this time. Especially with the sudden upsurge in quality Western hot hatches (Fiesta/Focus ST, Astra VXR, Clio 197, etc) and new Ferrari (and Lamborghini?) licences. But judging by the car choice in the demo (only 2 western cars, and the rest are all Jap tuner-mobiles) it's going to be the same, or - god-forbid - worse.

    If there isn't a big improvement on the variety of cars from all ranges and countries, and the ridiculous amount of bias towards having hundreds of Japanese tuner machines (yes, I understand it's a Japanese game, but Forza Motorsport was almost as bad as well, so it seems to be universal) is still as bad as ever, then I'm giving the game a miss. I'm just sick to death of the thousands of fucking Evos, Imprezas, Skylines, Supras, RX7/8s, NSXs, Civics, etc, etc, etc, that I have to put up with in every racing game (apart from PGR and TDU) that includes real licenced cars. It was fine at first, but now it's getting pathetic as it's the same in every game. It needs sorting.

    Edit (side note, sort of to prove my point, if anyone even cares): I've been playing GT4 again recently, but I've been trying to play it by just buying and collecting the Western cars and avoiding the usual suspects (Skyline, Supra, Civic, etc). It's just ridiculous, as I'm now about 10% in and 90% of the cars I've won have been Japanese. It would virtually be impossible to finish the game (apart from the Jap only races obviously) without cheating (ie, doing the Capri rally over and over and repeatedly selling the Toyota for massive cash) by using only the western cars. That's just ridiculous.
    Edited by 2 at 02/01/07 @ 13:32

  • Steroyd #17 5 years ago

    Maybe the liscence to put the western cars in the game are significantly more expensive then the Japaneese counterparts?

  • PearOfAnguish #18 5 years ago

    Oh my, this is a very pretty game. Hopefully it's not as mind-numbingly dull as the rest of the series though.

  • ruttyboy #19 5 years ago

    Thanks Steroyd, I see why we don't know about c), but surely b) is known? Unless you 'fail' by going off the track?

  • SomaticSense #20 5 years ago

    Steroid, I'm pretty sure they only have to buy the licence for each manufacturer. So seeing as pretty much most manufacturers were in GT4 and Forza, that really is no excuse for shit car selection.
    For example, in GT4, Toyota/Mitusbishi/Nissan etc, all have at least about 10 cars in the 'new' section (so that isn't counting legendary or second hand), which most of the time includes the entire range that is for sale in real-life at that time for that given manufacturer.
    Whereas apart from Ford, most of the Western manufacturers only have a fraction of those numbers, and in some cases (Seat and Bentley off the top of my head) only 1 car.

  • JediMasterMalik #21 5 years ago

    Oh my, this is a very pretty game. Hopefully it's not as mind-numbingly dull as the rest of the series though.

    It's a driving simulator, so yes, it is. Pretty as it is.

    IMO Simulators = boring

  • PearOfAnguish #22 5 years ago

    It's not usually my thing, but I do like the driving bits. I just hate having to take stupid tests to get to the races.

  • in5ane #23 5 years ago

    ruttyboy: The cars don't get dirty or get damaged at all, as far I can tell.

  • CrunchinJelly #24 5 years ago

    GT5 for PS4, then?

  • ruttyboy #25 5 years ago

    Thanks in5ane, I thought it was too much to hope for...

  • MaxiSleep #26 5 years ago

    I Loved Gt 1 2 and 3 but found GT4 just too similar to the others. It will be interesting to see if they can get some life back into the franchise.

  • PhakeDC #27 5 years ago

    ^ I actually gave away my GT4 copy after a few weeks of play. If I wanted pretty graphics and decent simulation (along with a realistic damage model) I'd rent a real car instead =P

  • sanctusmortis #28 5 years ago

    AFAIK it IS GT4 tarted up to GT5 graphics. So, none of the new stuff included, basically, but new car models on the GT4 engine.

    GT5 apparently will add damage, better AI, etc. But this, well, doesn't, to be straight.

  • smelly #29 5 years ago

    Im amazed so many of you managed to get a PS3!

  • bunnymc #30 5 years ago

    "ruttyboy ;Thanks in5ane, I thought it was too much to hope for"

    Its a demo people, a demo. Maybe GT5 will have damage and huge number of US and EU cars and Japannese.
    And also as u heard there will be some more demos coming
    Edited by 1 at 03/01/07 @ 10:39