Autoblog UK

The mother of all motorsport video games is about to spawn offspring. Since March 2005, a team of programmers has been working on probably the biggest project in the history of computer gaming. Back in 2008, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue gave a preview of what fans could expect from Gran Turismo 5. And as the developers revealed at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show, the project is now 65% complete. The complement of vehicles to play around with has meanwhile reached the 1,000 mark, including some ideas inspired by the current clutch of electric and hybrid motors. A sophisticated 'physics engine', which is capable of simulating highly realistic roll-overs and damage, will be used for all the models featured. The final package will incorporate 20 different race locations. And when the different track configurations are taken into account, players can switch between 70 scenarios, as well as choosing between game settings. In arcade mode, they can select either solo or dual-player with the further option of split-screen display. The popular GT mode allows players to embark upon a racing career and compete in races around the world. Depending on performance, players can further boost their chances by designing new cars or tuning existing ones. There is also the online mode, in which up to 16 players can compete against each other on the internet. The pictures in the gallery certainly testify to the quality of visual design.

Fans of the playstation hit, 'Gran Turismo' will have to be very brave for a few more months. Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi revealed in April, that Gran Turismo 5 would appear by the end of 2009 at the earliest. So that the wait wouldn't be too painful to endure, there are now some pictures of the racing car...

Originally, this car was the unique preserve of car game punters. But then, the guys at Citroën shoved their game controllers to one side to play on with their CAD programs instead. With the "GtbyCitroen" concept car, the marque with the well-known double chevrons is showing a really different sports car. As the name suggests, this vehicle is conceived as their interpretation of a Gran Turismo. A model of the same name is to be found in the "Gran Turismo 5 Prologue" game which enjoys great popularity among joystick jockeys. The game version of the car has electric drive with a fuel cell, but what is concealed beneath the bonnet of the actual concept car has not been revealed yet.

The design follows a new direction with its length of 4.96 metres and 2.08 metres and the exaggeratedly long tail fin is supposed to contribute an optical illusion of higher speed for the car, while the driver himself is provided with the true facts from a head-up display. It is said that a diesel hybrid drive by the name of HYmotion4 will be used, providing a fuel consumption of almost 63mpg.

Everyone is following the worldwide economic recession as the media provide daily tales of doom and gloom and in the States, the search for solutions becomes ever more desperate. Now, the respected "Financial Post" has published a completely crazy study.