Why I’m Excited for the next Gran Turismo

To me, Gran Turismo fulfills a certain niche that you won’t find in many, if any other racing games, not even Forza. That niche is particular, is the game being more like an encyclopedia of cars you can play with. It’s not just the newest supercars, but also race cars from all kinds of series, classic models, and most interestingly, limited models that either had their production cut short due to low demand such as the Nissan Skyline GT-R C110, made only for homologation like the Ford RS200, or simply made for an exclusive clientele, like the Ferrari SP1. On top of that, the series is more than friendly with real-world automakers and racing series, from sponsoring the 24h of Nurburgring and Pikes Peak, to the Vision Gran Turismo program. So with prospects of the next Gran Turismo game coming to the Playstation 4, I wanted to both recap what we know about the next installment, and what’s likely to come.





As a racing game, cars are the natural stars of Gran Turismo. And a new installment of a racing game series is expected to be updated with newer models of cars that have come out since the last game - the upcoming Forza 6 will include the all-new Ford GT that was revealed this past January, for example. But as I mentioned earlier, Gran Turismo also includes historic, lesser-known models. Gran Turismo may had been three years late to include the Aston Martin One-77, but at the same time, they were able to include the BMW 507, the famed convertible from the 1950s that would later influence the relatively modern BMW Z8. With a selection of cars all across the board, the cars we can expect to be seen in the next Gran Turismo could be almost anything, though there are some cars that we can already expect.

We can certainly anticipate some new SEMA and Pebble Beach contest winners to be included in the next title, just as Gran Turismo 6 included unique models such as the Abarth 1500 Biposto and the Pozzi Motorsports Camaro. These cars will unlikely be found in any other game. There’s also the factor that the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak rally car has recently been confirmed for the series, but it’s unknown whether it will be included within an update for Gran Turismo 6, or we’ll have to wait to drive it in the next title. Speaking of Pikes Peak, I’d like to discuss the tracks we could be seeing.

Gran Turismo 6 added an impressive amount of tracks. Brands Hatch, Ascari Circuit, and the Goodwood Hillclimb - it’s an impressive amount of variety. In addition, for the first time in a few games, Apricot Springs returned, as a fully-updated course. Later on, Midfield Raceway got a similar treatment, despite being absent from the series since 2001, in Gran Turismo 3. There also were some updates for Suzuka Circuit as well, reflecting its 2014 layout. That’s not to ignore the additions of the Red Bull Ring and the massive Sierra Circuit, which even included an Outrun-esque time rally mode.

Now, with Gran Turismo being the sponsor of Pikes Peak, it seems very likely that the famed American hillclimb course could be coming to the next Gran Turismo title, especially since there are already several cars in Gran Turismo 6 that were specialized for Pikes Peak, such as a Suzuki SX4, and an older Audi Quattro S1. With the confirmation of the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak rally car coming to Gran Turismo, it would be baffling to not include the course in the series at this point.

The next thing I really want to talk about is the partnership between Gran Turismo and the FIA. For those who don’t know, the FIA is the government body that writes all the regulations, specifications, and rules for the overwhelming majority of racing series. The fact that Gran Turismo has made a partnership with this organization is very intriguing, but not much has been said since the initial announcement. It could lead to new cars or tracks, or possibly even a new way to bridge Gran Turismo players with real-world motorsports, as seen in the GT Academy program. Either way, it’s sort of like how NASA collaborated with the space program simulator known as Kerbal Space Program - a major connection to make, any way you cut it.

Finally, there’s the fact that Kazunori Yamauchi, the creator of Gran Turismo, made a statement that he’d like to release the next game before 2017, saying that people will only wait for so long before losing interest. Indeed, Polyphony Digital, the developer of Gran Turismo, has stated that the Playstation 4 is easier to develop for than the Playstation 3. If this timeframe can be held, then we could expect some promotional material relatively soon. Either way, we do know the next game is in development, so it’s sure to come out sooner or later.