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Gran Turismo 5 next July

In Japan. Euro plans scarce.

Sony Europe has kept its lips sealed over the release date of Gran Turismo 5 in Europe, following news that the racing game is expected in Japan next July.

The target date was let slip by game creator Kazunori Yamauchi, who told Japanese magazine Famitsu he hoped to have it ready by next summer. Given that previous instalments have taken around three to four months longer to appear in Europe, it might not show up here until 2009.

But at least we'll have the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue demo to sink our teeth into sometime this year, although when exactly is still undecided - Japan will have it in October.

It will be a similar affair to the Gran Turismo HD Concept taster we were treated to in March, which let us try out the engine under the hood of the new instalment and race a spattering of cars around a single track. We expect it will also be free to download, too, when the time comes.

Unfortunately concrete details on what will be in it are scarce, but online play has been mentioned.

We'll let you know when so much as a tire squeals.