Stunning GTbyCITROËN concept car runs Gran Turismo London city streets course in real life!
GTbyCITROËN concept in London - Click above for high-res image gallery
The almost impossibly long and low GTbyCITROËN, which started life as a concept car for the wildly popular Gran Turismo gaming franchise (part of Polyphony Digital Inc. and Sony's Playstation empire), has made its first real-life foray through London in a recreation of the video game's street circuit.
Though originally designed as nothing more than a model to drum up interest in the quirky French automaker and the oft-delayed next installment of Gran Turismo, there has reportedly been so much interest in the GT that there is actually a very real chance that Citroen will put the supercar into limited production, possibly powered by a rumbling V8 engine from Detroit.
While this
Gallery: GTbyCitroen in London
[Source: Citroen]
PRESS RELEASE:
CAPITAL THRILLS: GTbyCITROËN CONCEPT TURNS GAMING FANTASY INTO LONDON REALITY
Citroën's stunning concept supercar, the GTbyCITROËN, took to the streets of central London on Tuesday (23/06) to recreate part of the 'street circuit' featured in Gran Turismo® – the PLAYSTATION®3 driving game which the GTbyCITROËN was designed for.
Taking in some of the Capital's most famous landmarks, the virtual-turned-reality supercar swapped pixels for Piccadilly as it swept through the world famous circus, toured Regent Street, rounded Trafalgar Square and cruised down the Mall past Buckingham Palace.
The result of a unique partnership between Citroën and Polyphony Digital Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc., creators of the Gran Turismo game series, the GTbyCITROËN concept measures nearly five metres long (4.96m) and just over a metre high (1.09m) with an impressive supercar design sporting wide air intakes, rear air-diffuser, horizontal LED headlamps, gull wing doors and diamond-effect 21inch aluminium wheels. Inside the cabin offers a refined racing experience with copper, steel and black leather finishes combined with hi-tech racing controls.
The GTbyCITROËN will be making its UK show debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (3-5 July) and will climb the famous 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill as part of the Sunday Times Supercar Run.
To follow the GTbyCITROËN's UK activities, visit www.drop.io/gtbycitroen
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
z-man 3:02PM (6/23/2009)
Video, please?
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Toy Yoda 3:10PM (6/23/2009)
Could be a new trend. Video Games make money selling "virtual space" on their games. And car designers test out their virtual designs on them. Any that work, can be prototyped for a car show. And this is effective, maybe bypass having a car show anyways.
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banana2011 3:11PM (6/23/2009)
Thats Gumpert's younger sister, tons of curves but still ugly
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Sandok 3:58PM (6/23/2009)
Ugly? What?!
I saw it at the Geneva autoshow and totally fell in love with it, so imposing, so totally... alien.
Then again, I find the Mazda Furai epic too so... lol
z-man 5:01PM (6/23/2009)
As a proud owner of a (virtual) GT by Citroen, I disagree with you. I think it looks absolutely beautiful in metallic black. To me, it looks like a futuristic spaceship.
The interior is cool, too.
Imag 3:15PM (6/23/2009)
This is the spiritual successor to the Countach. It's totally ballistic - almost literally - it looks like you could throw in a trip to Saturn on the way home.
I love me the LS motors, but they just aren't right for this car. It needs a V16 or a jet turbine. At the very least it needs some big turbos.
I hope they make it, and I hope I get to see one in person. This is the craziest design that actually looks good in recent memory.
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2004m3driver 3:32PM (6/23/2009)
I love it too, it might not be elegant or classy, but its not meant to be. This thing looks like the future and it actually works. Reminds me of something from minority report or the Audi from I.robot.
aj121489 4:11PM (6/23/2009)
I totally agree. This thing is infinitely badass
Rock Singer 3:22PM (6/23/2009)
I'd like to know what kind of Acid (LSD) the Citroen designers are on.
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Kiiks 6:20PM (6/23/2009)
I was actually penned by Polyphony Digital's boss Kazunori Yamauchi in a collaborative with Citroen for release in GT5P and the car show circuit.
Kiiks 6:20PM (6/23/2009)
It was actually penned by Polyphony Digital's boss Kazunori Yamauchi in a collaborative with Citroen for release in GT5P and the car show circuit.
nailz420 3:23PM (6/23/2009)
it's a bed on wheels
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Juggernaut 3:41PM (6/23/2009)
oh you know it...
d-ya think they'd go for a base Maserati v8?... the 4.2 from the quattroporte is begging to be put in different machines other than a grand tourer.... not to mention... evoke lovely memories of the SM...
Oh i wish they'd do...
(or go for the kill and drop in a German monster, much more in keeping with their high tech ambitions)
Beastage 3:40PM (6/23/2009)
But why isn't it black, with blue leds on (cause red will be too kitschy)
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pirate 11:28AM (7/07/2009)
I bet black would look good
Ligor 3:41PM (6/23/2009)
i love that front end
it's supercar like
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Kattleox 3:53PM (6/23/2009)
I love this car to death. In the game it had a 700+ HP fuel cell engine. It seems a bit unrealistic that they would make a brand new fuel cell engine just for this limited run car, but nevertheless, my hopes were high. I suppose a 700hp LS9 will have to suffice.
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Shiftright 3:57PM (6/23/2009)
I love Citroens and I love funky, but this never impressed me. Too fussy, too overstyled in a Hot Wheels way, trying too hard for shock value. Not a well resolved design.
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Andre 4:02PM (6/23/2009)
Not related to the London run, but this video shows it in motion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-zvSj4Kep4
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alexacoon 4:43PM (6/23/2009)
No pushrods please! This car deserves the most modern drivetrain possible no matter which route thye take, not a throwback no matter how much HP an LS might have. If its going to be an ICE how about a lightweight small displacement twin turbo direct injected 8?
And this car does look incredible, wild curves over sharp creases and angles any day.
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