Autoblog

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be dropping April 17th in the U.S., both as a downloadable game from the Playstation Store and on actual Blu-ray disc. We reported last week that damage modeling, long missing from the Gran Turismo series despite being featured in many of its competitors, was for the first time being considered, and today we have word from Gran Turismo head Kazunori Yamauchi that it could come as a downloadable feature for the game as early as this fall. Gran Turismo games have always set the standard for racing sims, but the lack of physical damage to the cars when buddy bumping on a back straight or flying grille first into a barrier have held them back. In fact, smart players can use the lack of damage to their advantage by heading into turns without breaking and bouncing off the wall. Hardly the perfect line, but it gets the job done on those particularly difficult courses. Thanks for the tip, Brad!

[Source: PS3 Fanboy]

Click above for more stills from Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

If you're lucky enough to own a PS3, you're most likely deciding whether or not to fork out $40 for GT 5 Prologue. While that might seem like a lot of money for a "demo" game, the latest news on the full version is that it's still a full year away from launch. That's quite a while to wait, so we're guessing most people will break down and buy the Prologue when it's released on April 17.

Part of that wait will hopefully be because GT 5 may include realistic damage to vehicles for the first time. While manufacturers still aren't keen on the idea, Gran Turismo creator Kazanori Yamauchi says that they are coming around to it. Damage modeling appears in other driving games like Forza Motorsport 2, so we don't see why manufacturers would mind seeing it Gran Turismo, as well.

Since we are still a few weeks away from the launch of GT 5 Prologue, you can whet your appetite with the trailer, refresh your knowledge of the track and car list, or drool over the gallery below.

[Source: Joystiq.com, VideoGaming247.com]

Click above to watch the video

We love our Xbox 360s here at Autoblog. We really do. But lately we've been thinking about trading in for a PlayStation 3. The cause is Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, the temptation only intensifying with every screen capture, new feature and list of drivable cars that crosses cyberspace. We recently brought you news of the Ferrari F2007, Kimi Raikkonen's championship-winning Formula One race car, being available in the new game. Today we bring you a video of said F2007 lapping the Suzuka circuit in Japan.

For those not familiar, well... you should be: Suzuka is one of the most famous race tracks in the world. It's owned by Honda and, on the grand prix set-up, features a unique figure 8 configuration with an overpass. The Japanese Grand Prix moved to the Fuji Speedway (owned by arch-rival Toyota... uh-oh) while Suzuka is undergoing renovations, but is due back on the calendar for next year when Raikkonen will undoubtedly try to beat his own lap record that he set there in 2005. Until then, GT5 will give you the chance to beat Kimi's time in his own car. Check out the (admittedly crude, but exciting) bootleg video after the jump.


[Source: GTPlanet]

Click above to view more screenshots of the Ferrari F2007 on GT5

The beauty about driving games like Forza 2 and Gran Turismo 5 is that they give us (yes, even us here at Autoblog) the chance to drive cars we otherwise couldn't get anywhere near. The latest virtual joy ride to hit the news cycle is the Ferrari F2007, the very same Formula One car that Kimi Raikkonen drove last year to the drivers' title and – with a little help from teammate Felipe Massa – the constructors' championship, as well.

According to the latest information posted on the official Playstation blog, the F2007 will be among the many exciting new cars available for your gaming pleasure in the new GT5 Prologue. The championship-winning racer in officially sanctioned rosso livery will be available for 2 million game credits from all Ferrari dealerships on Gran Turismo 5, so start earning your points as soon as you get your hands on the game. Then spend your sleepless nights trying to beat Kimi's laptimes. Until then, keep the dream alive with the screenshots in the gallery below. Thanks for the tip, Peter!

[Source: Playstation.Blog]

With things like cheap gas and the value of a dollar slowly being taken from us, it's good to see that somebody wants to give us something. For the US release of the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Polyphony has thrown in features the Japanese version didn't get.

There's a drift mode that judges drivers on three parameters, there's two-player, split-screen racing and there are new events and challenges for racers online and offline that can support up to 16 racers simultaneously. Plus, there's a new track, bringing the total to six. And for us, that means there's a new list of excuses we're going to need to come up with when people start asking "Where have you been?" and "You look tired -- were you up late last night?"

In case the cars, tracks and gameplay aren't enough, Winding Road has a new trailer video of the GT5 Prologue featuring a fair bit of Ferrari action -- and that's never a bad way to start the week. Follow the jump to see the complete list of tracks, and check out our updated hi-res photo gallery of the prologue below.


[Source: PS3 Fanboy]

click above for more high-res screen shots from GT 5 Prologue

I got a PlayStation 3 this Christmas from Santa who must've mistaken me on his list for a much more deserving child. Yippy for me, though. The PS3 is the most powerful game console in the world, yet it sits idle in my entertainment center as the loud hum of my XBox 360 (I know, two consoles, I'm truly blessed) drones on. All that will change on April 17, which is the confirmed date that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will go on sale for the PS3.

GT 5 Prologue, unfortunately, is just a preview of what we'll get when the full version of this fifth installment is released sometime in the future. But what a preview it is with 60 cars and five full tracks on which to race in high-def glory. You'll be able to buy GT 5 Prologue on April 17th either as a downloadable game from the PlayStation Network on your console or on disc at any games retailer, both for $40. Gran Turismo games were always my favorite on both the PlayStation 1 and 2, and I'm hoping GT5 Prologue will finally get me interested in the PS3 that's been suffering some serious neglect (no, you can't have it) since Christmas.

[Source: Joystiq]

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the 1960 Corvette from GT5

GT5 will come with a 1960 Corvette, and we heartily applaud the inclusion. The car looks like it's had an afternoon session at a tuner shop -- nothing fancy, just a slight drop, some rims and wider tires. The rims could be a bit questionable, not in themselves, just on this particular car. However, if the physics have kept up with the tires, then the car will be much easier to drive on the track as opposed to the pencil-thin whitewalls the car wore on the showroom floor. Not that you're going to be flying past any GT-R's, but a nice wind-in-your-helmet lap in a car that requires true finesse to get the best out of it will still be a lot of fun. Click the gallery below for hi-res images of the classic 'Vette.

[Source: PS3 Fanboy]

If it were a dessert, it would be Death By Chocolate. Since it's Gran Turismo 5, we're going to call it Death By Motorized Magnitude. Word is the full game will come with 900 cars -- or as The Count would say on Sesame Street, "Count dem, 900 cars, ha ha ha!" And one of those cars will be the Ford GT LM edition. Which could really count as five or six cars by itself, it's so bloody tasty.

The GT Prologue Demo will come with a mere 30 cars, but there are some tarmac toasters in there, one of them being the GT LM, as well as a smattering of other really fast but non-race cars. There's also a BMW 135i Coupe, convenient in case you wish to test it out on CG twisties before spending a heap of your very real money on the genuine article. As for tracks, word is that the Prologue could also add either Laguna Seca, Infineon, or (mouth ... watering ... must ... concentrate) the 'Ring. We sign up where?

[Source: GT Channel]

click above image for more high-res screen shots from Gran Turismo 5

Autoblog loves a good racing simulation as much as the next blog. At the SEMA Show in Vegas last week, John was doing AB proud on Forza 2 Project Gotham Racing 3 and just got nipped for some cool swank at the end of the day. As cool as we think games like Forza and PGR are, we've also been covering the prolonged debut of Playstation's newest Gran Turismo offering. While Gran Turismo 5 won't be available for a while, GT5 Prologue is available in playable demo form as we speak. Nevertheless, we eagerly devour new screen shots when they surface since not a single Autoblogger owns a PS3. (Hear that, Santa?) The graphics are just so freakin' fantastic. To that end we have been keeping watch on the Playstation website for updates. Well, while we were preparing for SEMA some new pics got posted. There are lots of new screenshots on the GT website where you'll also find new videos, including the Ferrari F430 being given the spur. We assembled a quick gallery of screenshots too, which include the STi and GT-R looking an awful lot like the production versions of those cars. Click away.

Thanks for the tip, Mike!

As previously reported, the demo of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be available to download October 20th through November 11th for those of you lucky enough to be PS3-equipped. Now, we've got the details about what vehicles you'll be able to virtually flog while battling out with 16 other contenders around Suzuka.

Seven vehicles are available, including the BMW 135i, Daihatsu OFC-1 (?), Lexus IS-F, Mazda Atenza (Mazda6), Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR, Nissan GT-R and the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. As mentioned, only one track will be available: Suzuka.

Also of note, Sony has plans to unveil a new car between the 23rd and 25th, but it's anyone's guess what that could be. The maker of our favorite electronic crack will also be showing off its new free news service geared towards auto coverage and motorsports.

[Source: GTChannel]