GTbyCITROËN: TAKING SPORTSCAR DESIGN INTO A NEW DIMENSION

The amazing GTbyCITROËN is the first ever car to be specifically designed to bring the virtual and real worlds together. The car makes its global premiere at the Paris Motor Show where visitors can actually drive the car in a true to life simulator on the Citroën stand.

GTbyCITROËN, a joint venture between Citroën and the makers of Gran Turismo, was created for the eagerly anticipated 5th game in the multi-million selling Playstation series.

At almost five metres long, GTbyCITROËN packs the latest hi-tech racing equipment into an exaggerated sporty frame. Planted on 21-inch, diamond-effect, aluminium wheels, the car’s gullwing doors, over-sized rear end with mobile spoiler, gaping air intakes and flat underside exude the qualities of an accomplished racer.

With chrome chevrons on the smooth, aerodynamic, front end asserting the car’s Citroën identity, the GTbyCITROËN is bursting with styling cues typical of the Company’s creative flair. The sharp lines and sculpted body are emphasised by the white-to-grey flared paint work which gives the car a forceful look and an impression of speed - even when it’s standing still.

The sleekly muscled racer sports a large wraparound windscreen adding to the impact of the car’s size and dynamic appearance. Penetrating blue LED headlamps and slim-line carbon fibre rear view mirrors - which appear to be suspended in mid-air - add to GTbyCITROËN’s futuristic racing style.

Premium materials used throughout GTbyCITROËN’s hi-tech interior reflect the car’s distinguished and refined personality. In contrast to its light body work, the cabin features a darker, more brooding colour scheme with two padded racing seats finished in black leather and fitted with four point harnesses. The dark leather, along with copper and steel touches inside the cabin and a low-slung driving position, create an opulent and powerful racing environment. Important on-board data is displayed via a red LED head-up display, allowing drivers to maintain focus on the track.

In the game, the GTbyCITROËN showcases Citroën’s dedication to the environment with an electric drive train powered by a fuel cell, totally eliminating pollutant emissions.

Kazanori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc and creator of Gran Turismo, commented, “GTbyCITROËN shows how the worlds of virtual and real-life motoring can join together to create a truly innovative partnership. To see the GTbyCITROËN take shape in our game studios and then for real has been a truly unique experience - as our work normally stays in the digital world.”

10. G-6155 (Spy Hunter)

What is a "Spy Hunter" exactly and why is everyone trying to run the "Spy Hunter" off the road? It's hard to say, but few people locked into the excitement of playing Spy Hunter bothered to do anything but toss Road Lords off the screen to the hypnotic beat of the "Peter Gunn" theme. It had smokescreens, it had oil slicks and with a trip to the weapon van it was seriously armed. Most of all, it was sexy.

9.) Suzuki Escudo (Gran Turismo Series)

You started out with a Mazda Demio, worked your way up to a Del Sol and struggled your way through to a Mitsubishi 3000GT stacked so high with performance parts you could barely keep it on the road. You did all these things but you weren't anybody in Gran Turismo until you could plop down the insane cash for the even more insane Suzuki Escudo Pike's Peak Racer. How insanely fast was it? As Dr.Danger pointed out, you could achieve unreal speed by setting up a long draft on the oval course. Given the right setup the physics engine would even let you do a somersault with it. [Photo: IGCD.net]

8.) The 4x4 (Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road)

7.) Sweet Tooth's Chevy Ice Cream Truck(Twisted Metal)

Twisted Metal has a special place in our hearts for merging the concept of head-to-head destruction with a driving game in such an enjoyable package. Everyone had a favorite vehicle and a belief that their special weapon was the key to success. But no car managed to stir the imagination like Sweet Tooth, the insane clown in a Chevy Ice Cream Truck. It was tough. It was fun to drive. It had a giant clown head on the top of it. It was the ultimate extension of teenage angst in a purely digital form.
[Photo: IGCD.net]

6.) Mario's Kart (Mari Kart Series)

Who knew that a game essentially about go-kart racing could be so much fun? It manages to feature no vehicles or weapons from the real world. The race tracks are often shaped like characters. The physics of the game are completely unlike even kart racing. Yet time-after-time we manage to sit down with our friends and enjoy hours of the game on any console it appears on. As with other games, there is debate as to what kart is truly the best, but Mario's red kart clearly carries with it the best balance of speed, size and acceleration. Be on the lookout for that kart and LamerX with a red shell on your tail.

5.) Infernus (Grand Theft Auto Series)

It takes a lot of effort to stand out in a game that features, amongst other vehicles, an Armored Personal Carrier and an ambulance. What makes the Infernus so special to the Grand Theft Auto series is the durability of its enjoyment (if not its actual, rather poor, durability). Whether it's the Vector-based Infernus of GTA III or the Murcielago of GTA IV, there's little that's as much fun as hopping in the high-speed ride, finding the best ramp and learning how to fly higher than a helicopter. We imagine Msketchler is trolling a virtual world in one now. [Photo: IGCD.net]

4.) The Blue Racer (F-Zero)

The Blue Racer from F-Zero stands out on this list, and not just because it is the only car here without any wheels. When F-Zero debuted on the SNES it blew our minds. With its quasi-3D graphics it felt like a revolution in gameplay. It was as if we had gone from horse-and-buggy to hovercar. Though the differentiation between cars was for the most part completely visual, everyone seemed to want the Blue Racer when it was their turn at the controls. It not only carried the cover and looked the fastest, it felt the fastest. It is the only futuristic racer that Dr. Danger would pilot around Mute City. [Photo: Wikimedia]

3.) Hornet (Daytona USA)

Rather than bothering with the complicated licensing involved in creating a NASCAR-type game, SEGA pushed through a rather detailed racing simulator with made-up names. As the driver in the original version of Daytona USA you raced a Hornet, and only a hornet. Is it a Ford or a Chevy? We don't know. We just know that when anyone is invited to an event at Dave & Buster's the first test of skill is behind the wheel of Hornet. It looks like a stock car but it drives like a dream and takes abuse like Rodney Dangerfield.
[Photo Arcade-History]

2.) Buick Skylark (Driver: You Are The Wheelman)

Before there was a fully 3D Grand Theft Auto there was Driver: You Are The Wheelman. As an undercover cop asked to infiltrate the world or organized crime, you have to dodge the cops and carry out jobs for the villains without becoming one yourself. Rather than throwing the driver into an officially-licensed Dodge Intrepid or something equally as ridiculous, the designers start out the driver in what is essentially a Buick Skylark. The mix of tire-smoking rear-wheel-drive and a growling V8 make for classic and unforgettable enjoyment. It's one big reason to never part with that PS1.
[Photo: IGCD.net]

1.) Ferrari Testarossa (Outrun)

Though Hang On may have been the test-bed for the technology, the original Out Run arcade game was one of the first driving simulators to put the player head first into the action. It was the game that let us dream of actually cruising down familiar roads at high-speeds and it was the Ferrari Testarossa we associate with that dream. It combined the beauty of a classic Italian design with the fun of open-top driving. But the best feature, and the reason why we can't forget the car, was probably the girlfriend in the passenger seat. Any car that comes pre-equipped with a blonde passenger that's easily impressed by beating a checkpoint is the car for Kors and a ride worthy of our endless appreciation. [Photo: IGCD.net]

[LeBlogAuto (Translated badly)]

How Cars Are Used In GTA4

• Transportation: Since Liberty City — the setting of GTA4 and modeled after New York City — is an open-world environment, meaning you can go anywhere at any given time, cars are pretty damn important. For a reference, the open world is so large that it could take 10 minutes or more to travel from one end to another.
  
• Missions: Driving is a crucial part of almost every mission. Whether you're tasked with escorting a hooker, stealing a specific car, or just running a simple car chase, cars are an essential aspect of the storyline.
  
• As A Weapon: Whether running people over in missions or just screwing around plowing down the sidewalk, a properly piloted car becomes a potent weapon. If you prefer more traditional armaments, you can also break out the windshield and fire either a handgun or SMG, or drop grenades while cruising around Liberty City.
  
• Racing: Early in the game you meet up with Brucie, a steroid-enhanced meathead who sets you up with street races all around Liberty City.
  
• Entertainment: Most vehicles in the game have a radio that can be tuned to a wide variety of always-entertaining radio stations. Oh, and you can pick up hookers in your ride and choose from one of three different "services."

Banshee
You'll soon learn that the Banshee is one of the better vehicles in the game. This Panoz Esperante knockoff features just a hint of Dodge Viper. With a top speed of 208 mph, a 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds, and near perfect brakes, the Banshee is one of the more common vehicles in GTA4 that can get you around in a hurry.

Blista Compact
A lot of the vehicles that populate Liberty City take their cues from the 80s and 90s. One of the better of these vehicles is the Blista Compact. This vehicle obviously gives its hat tip to the Honda CRX and VW Corrado, and sports a top speed of 186 mph along with other decent, if not "blista-ring" statistics.

Cavalcade & Cavalcade FXT
You can't have a game that focuses on crime and the underworld of society without the classic Cadillac Escalade...even one with a little Hi-Lux thrown in for laughs. As in real life, there's a regular version of the luxury SUV and the FXT truck version. Both of these vehicles are great for GTA4 because they are 4WD and particularly durable, allowing them to stand up to bullets, collisions, and other common occurrences in Liberty City.

Comet
No, not that Comet. This Comet is a quick little bugger that takes its nod from the 996-series Porsche 911 while paying homage to the venerable 959. It's 4WD and tops out at 208 mph. The Comet is a really rare gem, but there's a mission from Brucie where you're given the vehicle. At this point, if you're ever given a very nice car in a mission, it's your best bet to just store it.

Coquette
The Coquette is another speedy two-door coupe. It's RWD and tops out at 208 mph. Unlike the Comet, it's a little less rare, so there's better luck of finding it around town. If you couldn't already tell, that appears to be an NSX staring at you through the body of a Testarossa. And the Corvette reference, both in name and appearance, is unmistakable.

Dilettante
The folks at Rockstar Games are obviously concerned about ridiculous gas prices. That's why they've provided the Dilettante, a thinly-veiled Toyota Prius. Without the need to fill up with gas in the game, there's no way to truly tell if the Dilettante is a hybrid, but one interesting caveat is the fact that this vehicle is noticeably more quiet than any other vehicle in Liberty City. It may be the silent killer in real life, but it's not too shabby at smashing pedestrians on the screen either.

Infernus
In terms of performance, this is the best of the best in GTA4, rightfully so considering it's essentially a Diablo/Murcielago blend. The Infernus is one of the most rare in the game, but luckily a gay man rewards you with this vehicle — which he took from his high-profile lover — for doing some missions for the guy (seriously). Just make sure you store the Infernus rather than taking it for a joyride where you end up wrecking it. In-game, the Infernus has a top speed of 208 mph, a $100,000 value, a 4.4-second 0-60 time, excellent brakes and more.

Moonbeam
You think we would let this list escape without the Moonbeam, which gives a nod to the best van ever made? Performance-wise, the Moonbeam kind of sucks, but it's good for the missions requiring you to haul around a lot of people.

Patriot
The Patriot is a vehicle worth reckoning with in GTA4, obviously taking its form from the Hummer H2 and it's smaller sibling. Unlike the real-life Hummer and all of its accompanying stereotypes, this is a very useful vehicle in-game — mostly because gas is non-existent, the Patriots are everywhere and they are built like tanks, which can be good for car chases and more. In-game, the Patriot is a 4WD vehicle with a top speed of 145 mph and a value of $50,000. Oh, and the American flag paint job is a nice touch.

Presidente
At first the Presidente seems like a pretty cut and dry four-door luxury sedan that most of the mob bosses drive throughout the game. Though the headlights scream Charger , a little closer examination of the rear taillights would suggest the Presidente is all about the Cadillac CTS...and the 175 mph top speed would hint CTS-V.

PMP600
Like the Presidente, the PMP600 serves as a great boss-car in-game. The fenders and front of the PMP600 definitely have a 300C feel. Other than the nice stereotypical mobster-boss usage, it's a pretty average vehicle. It can stand up to a barrage of bullets, though, which is always helpful.

Ruiner
The Ruiner is another one of the older-looking, but still good vehicles in the game. The t-tops and headlights would suggest that the Ruiner most closely resembles an 80's Camaro, but no one would argue that there's an aura of 280Z in the mix. It's a nice and speedy RWD vehicle with a 186 mph top speed and 6.3-second 0-60.

Sabre GT
Don't think GTA4 is all about fancy sedans and rusted beaters. The Sabre GT is a homage to the classic muscle car, with Monte Carlo and Torino influences most obvious. Like most vehicles in Liberty City, the Sabre GT is available in a variety of colors and offers the classic racing stripe. In-game, the Sabre GT tops out at a nice 175 mph, but a low level of collision durability ensures that the vehicle won't last as long as some other options.

Stallion
Like the Sabre GT, the Stallion is another nice classically styled muscle car featured in Liberty City. Trying to pinpoint a real life counterpart isn't as easy as some of the other cars featured on the list, but we certainly detect some LeMans and maybe Javelin in there. You be the judge. In-game the car is pretty mediocre. It's RWD and tops out at 165 mph. If anything, it has nice brakes.

Sultan RS
This one goes out to the tuner crowd that is definitely playing this game. Seriously, we can't even enjoy a video game without carbon fiber madness? The headlights and spoiler say Lexus IS/first-gen Integra. In terms of performance, the Sultan RS is pretty speedy at 186 mph and the handling is nice with the AWD and decent brakes.

Super GT
The Super GT is another very speedy, yet rare, coupe featured in GTA4. It tops out at 196 mph and the oval shaped front grill clues this vehicle to be an Aston Martin Vanquish knockoff.

Turismo
If you're going to find a supercar while roaming the streets, you're most likely to stumble upon a Turismo. This is a 208-mph beast with a mid-engine. This car obviously takes cues from the Ferrari 360 with some Venturi influences. Note that this vehicle lacks durability, so be careful out there.

Uranus
This is only funny because the car's name is Uranus and it looks like a Ford Escort GT. We're not sure if one of the designers just had a bad experience in high school with the car (which isn't that uncommon) but come on, the Escort GT is worthy of a name better than Uranus — just ask the MAKE LeMons team (sans the GT part).

Voodoo
The Voodoo deserves a mention because it has been a nostalgic part of the Grand Theft Auto series. Not only does it blend styling from the 1959 Impala and possibly an equivalent vintage Imperial, but in previous GTA titles this car was outfitted with functional hydraulics. Pardon the stereotyping, but It's also generally driven by gangster-type persons in Liberty City who will try to fight you upon carjacking.

(Huge shout-out to GTA4.net for providing raw details and pictures of the vehicles.)

[r3vlimited] Hat Tip to TheGuinnessTooth!

Lexus:
Lexus brought a video game setup that made me do a double-take. It wasn't big, gaudy or flashy, but it was a great partnership. Lexus had three driving simulators set up running the highly anticipated Gran Turismo 5 Prologue that's due out in mid-April. Since it was obviously a Lexus partnership, the only vehicle available to try was the Lexus IS-F. You'll get my first impressions on the game later, but it was unique how much Polyphony, the developer of the Gran Turismo series, put into this event. The first day of the show, the simulator was running a custom-build platform (meaning the developers sent out a special copy of the game just for the show), but Polyphony managed to overnight Japanese retail builds of the full game to be used on the simulators. A groggy representative told me he was up until 3 a.m. waiting for the retail build and setting up the simulators to properly work with a PlayStation 3 and the Japanese game. That a lot of midnight oil for a cross-marketing opportunity.

Saleen:
Saleen didn't have the biggest or most prominent booth at the New York Auto Show, but there was definitely a strong presence, at least from the video game perspective. Saleen and Rockstar games recently announced a partnership for Midnight Club Los Angeles. This game is slated for a third or fourth quarter release this year. However, Rockstar was happy to have a setup that allowed everyone, even our intrepid senior editor, the opportunity to play the game and showcase the exclusive partnership with Saleen right now. This was one of the more interesting video game integrations because Rockstar pulled out all of the stops to get the game to the show and promote both their new game; the Saleen Mustang S302 Extreme was also the star of the game. The game looks pretty good, and will probably keep people hanging around the Saleen booth. Obviously, the better a car comes off in a game, the more likely it is that the excitement embodied in an automotive brand will rub off on gamers.

Subaru:
Subaru has been at it with the video games for quite some time. This year, as at many past trade shows, they featured triple-screen simulators running Gran Turismo 4 Prologue. There were three simulators available, and a decent sized area of the Subaru booth was roped off to accommodate waiting lines. Subaru seems to have figured out that the game both keeps people hanging around the booth and, because it showcases the WRX STi, reinforces Subaru's devotion to motorsports. We're not just for hippies in Vermont and families in Berkeley, the message seems to be. We're down with speed and handling as well.

Toyota:
Toyota deployed a slightly different gaming setup to promote its big pickup truck. The Tundra Game had the look and feel of Paperboy and served as more of an advergame than something that was legitimate fun. Nevertheless, it shows that Toyota went to the effort of hiring designers and developers to create something game-like to include in the Toyota trucks booth, thereby catching a ride on the trend.

Volkswagen:
VW brought a nausea-inducing game. A driver's seat and steering wheel were attached to platform that spun around as the unlucky participant piloted a GTi. Spinouts could have induced vomiting. Note to the board of directors: You've got to play this video-game gambit right—causing potential customers to retch isn't the way to go.

State Farm Insurance:
State Farm brings their driving simulator to almost every show. It's a full-sized rig that sits on actuators, mimicking all of the bumps and bruises of real-world driving. Also included in the booth were three individual driving simulators running the Nascar 2003 game, unfortunately. State Farm continues to promote driving safe, but it doesn't seem to know that there are some new games out there. Oh well,"A" for effort, and for being something of a pioneer in this trade-show sub-genre.

Jeep:
The Jeep booth boasted two Nintendo Wii setups, running a skateboard game. There's no explanation why, but it seems that the Jeep booth is so boring that event-planning staff figure they need Wiis to keep people entertained. There's a sub-trend here, as Wii seems to show up in a lot of boring media-oriented contexts these days. I guess journalist have a lot of free time to perfect their Guitar Hero skills.

Conclusion
It's apparent that auto-related video games can be a big part of any enthusiast's life, so I'm happy to see Polyphony and Rockstar go balls to the wall by getting involved in the auto industry and recognizing the natural cross-branding and promotional opportunities at trade shows. And I would like to see more companies getting involved. How about Logitech setting up a booth demonstrating the wheels and pedals that they offer? What about seeing some of the other big racing-game developers? Burnout and Forza are a couple racing series that seemed to be absent from the show.

Sure, the L.A. Auto Show will never replace E3, or at least what used to be E3. But the video game industry is definitely beginning to link itself more closely with the auto industry—and the car biz is recognizing that hooking up with the massively profitable-game industry can provide it with a variety of marketing opportunities. Car shows tend to be about actual experiences; you finally see the cars in the flesh, as opposed to in photos or on videos. But this actual experience is fairly static, because the vehicles don't do anything except sit there and look pretty. Bringing them to life in a virtual realm can only help.

Midnight Club Los Angeles is the fourth installment from the critically-acclaimed and genre-defining Midnight Club franchise. The title has sold over 12 million units worldwide and is the second largest series in the Rockstar portfolio. Consistently the highest-rated street racing franchise, Midnight Club set the standard of what an open-world racing game can be. Midnight Club Los Angeles will deliver a truly immersive racing experience that is second to none.

Developed by series creator Rockstar San Diego for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and will be released Fiscal Q4 2008.

Exterior Design: *****
It's a robot tank in desert brown, it has a 20mm cannon and tracks. 5 stars aren't enough.

Interior Design: **
It doesn't really have an interior, but since it can be operated from long range, you can be pretty much anywhere within 3 miles and run it, so the outside is the inside. We were standing in a parking lot in Sterling Heights and it was cold out. 2 stars.

Acceleration: Inc.
How do you gauge the acceleration of a tank? The Black Knight stayed in first gear, I wasn't in it, it seemed pretty responsive when I was driving it (Did we mention I DROVE A FREAKIN' ROBOT TANK?!?) but there's no way to say whether the acceleration was good or bad.

Braking: ****
Stellar. As you can see from the video, the tank stops like it's hitting a brick wall. With no need to prevent broken noses on passengers it can stop however hard it feels like.

Ride: Zero Stars
Better than a 1982 Corvette, but that's sure not saying much. We award it zero stars and may God have mercy upon the rears of any souls unfortunate enough to need a ride inside.

Handling: **
Er, how does a remote controlled tank handle? How about this — it did exactly what I asked it to do. A pirouette? Sure. Straight line? Right away, sir. Does it count if I felt the Earth move because the Earth was actually vibrating from it? No? Then it gets what it has coming to it.

Gearbox: Inc.
Without a shifter to throw or a seat to throw it from we couldn't tell how good or bad the cog-swapper was. Not only that, but the Black Knight's handlers kept the thing in first so, you know, no drag racing to be had in the parking lot.

Audio: **
There's no audio system save the gentle hum of the Cat diesel pushing it along. In fact, the tracks are actually nearly silent front the coat of rubber on them. But that's a far sight better than a few in-car radio systems we've experienced.

Toys: *****
Did we mention this a fully autonomous tank (OMG, I just remembered, I DROVE A FREAKIN' ROBOT TANK!!) with a 20mm cannon capable of real time obstacle detection and independent situational awareness? Yeah, cause it's got that. Again: Robot. Freakin'. Tank.

Value: Inc.
Depends. We don't know how much the price tag is on this system. But how do you put a value on keeping your soldiers out of nasty fire fights? That's for congressional appropriations committees to decide.

Overall: *****
FREAKIN'. AUTONOMOUS. ROBOT.TANK.

The study also found that 58% of gamers plan on purchasing a new car within the next 12 months and 36% of this demographic intends to buy a hybrid, which seems a little high. Not surprisingly, gamers are willing to pay extra for iPod dock capability, GPS and what they call "surround sound." We have some issues with the way the questions were asked but can believe the results. [BusinessWeek]

We're not sure what the ultimate goal of the game is, but we're guessing it involves building the baddest dekotora and taking pictures of it around the city. Sounds like heaven to us. (Hat tip to PitchPitch!) [Wiiz.fr, GameTrailers.com]

CHEVROLET MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SILVERADO

The only thing missing from this home-run Silverado is the apple pie - because the baseball and Chevrolet are covered. The Silverado 1500 crew cab is decked out in a baseball theme - with a paint scheme that incorporates all major league team logos - to support Chevrolet's ties to Major League Baseball. It is also a fan's dream, with a power-lifting tonneau cover that rises to reveal a wide-screen television monitor that not only brings in the game, but is connected to a Wii gaming console. Inside, the Silverado features real baseball bat ash wood trim and uniquely trimmed leather seats that have the look and feel of a baseball - including the stitching.

Vehicle highlights:

• Silverado 1500 crew cab
• 6.0L V-8
• Multi-color, MLB-inspired paint scheme incorporating all team logos
• Power-lift tonneau
• Wide-screen TV with Wii gaming console
• Bose Surround Sound system
• Leather-trimmed interior with baseball stitching, color and feel
• Ash wood (baseball bat material) trim
GM Accessories features (production and concept):
• Chrome mesh grille
• Twenty-two-inch chrome wheels
• Hard shell tonneau cover
• DVD headrest system
• Ground effects kit

# # #

Top Gear has hooked up with Sony to make our iconic test track part of Gran Turismo 5. And as an office with the permanent distraction of a Playstation 2, race seat, force-feedback wheel and a copy of the current GT4, it's the best news we've had since Alonso missed out on the F1 championship.

The latest iteration of the GT series will also be fully online - and, alongside lapping the TG circuit, players will be able to download classic episodes of Top Gear via a dedicated motoring channel called Gran Turismo TV on the Playstation network.

Specs

* Original Porsche 911 Turbo S steering wheel design
* Licensed by Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH
* Authentic metal Porsche logo on wheel
* Hand stitched leather wheel manufactured according to Porsche quality standards
* Compatible with PC and Playstation 3 (all games which support ForceFeedback wheels)
* 6+1 Speed H-pattern gear stick with realistic shifting feel
* Additional exchangeable sequential gear stick included
* Wireless pedals with + 100 hours battery life time (low battery warning on display and optional power supply cable for simulators)
* Realistic clutch pedal with declining resistance
* Pressure sensitive brake emulation with soft-stop
* Gear sticks are interchangeable and can be mounted on the left or right side
* Turning angle can be adjusted in the wheel to 900°, 360° or 180° or in 1° steps by software
* For PC: Strong table clamps with quick release, special non-slip rubber pads, and Velcro strips on the pedals keep everything in place. Integrated nuts allow the strong fixation on a gaming cockpit
* For Playstation: Attachable lap wings and the attachment of the gear sticks to the wheel allow comfortable game play in the living room without the use of a table
* Illuminated button symbols switch automatically between PC and Playstation
* Powerful Mabuchi RS 550 Motor as used in RC cars delivers extra strong ForceFeedback effects
* Additional 2 Force Feedback actuators in the wheel simulate motor vibrations
* Extra smooth and silent belt drive without mechanical dead zone
* High resolution wheel sensor
* TUNING functions with LED display
* Saves up to 5 wheel set-ups
* Adjust ForceFeedback strength during game play
* Adjust sensitivity independent from the game

Press Release:

GT5 Prologue" Free Downloadable Demo and Target Release Date Announced

Sep 20, 2007

On September 20, 2007, at the "Tokyo Game Show 2007" at Makuhari Messe, we announced a free downloadable demo and a change in the target release date for "Gran Turismo 5 Prologue".

The demo for "Gran Turismo 5 Prologue" will be made available for download on October 20, 2007. The retail version (Blu-ray Disc®/download) will hit stores on December 13, 2007.

Coinciding with the start of the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007, we will be unveiling new car models as well in the free downloadable demo. Be sure not to miss both these exciting, simultaneous events!

We have also released new videos and screenshots on the "Gran Turismo 5 Prologue" website in conjunction with this announcement. Be sure not to miss them!

[via AutoSpies]

Related:
BMW M3 on the Track [internal]

We're been big fans of gimmicky DJs from Eastern Europe since DJ Cossack first danced on his turntables. Well no, actually. And frankly, hooking up a steering-wheel videogame controller to trigger car-related samples is a tad precious. But it's probably the height of irony to Ukranian hipsters, so who are we to judge? [Thanks to woodpkr for the tip.]

Related:
We Will Steer Over You! Soviet-Era Arcade Video Games [internal]

The Lost Arcade Games of the Soviet Union [wired.com]

Related:
In Soviet Russia, Pobeda Customizes You!; Rocket to Russia: Moskvitch 410H [Internal]

Related:
BJ and the Kuma-chan: Japanese Dekotora-Truck Movie Intro [Internal]

Seeing as I'm the only editor here with a game system that doesn't have the words "Famicom" or "TurboGrafx" in the name, I'm the most qualified one of us to give you the first-hand look at the new Transformers video game. Oh, and wait, since it's Transformers, I guess that makes me doubly qualified, doesn't it? Well, we got our hands on the first trailer for the game from the boys n' girls at IGN.com, and it's rife with all sorts of bot-on-bot action, including a Bumblebee vs. Barricade battle royale, the first look at a transformation of the king of the bots of auto, Optimus Prime, and all of it's got a great Peter Cullen voiceover. We've done up some screen caps for this game (which may only be available for the PS3) below for anyone who's unable to see the prettiness of the trailer in the full above. – Ray Wert

Transformers: The Game [IGN.com via TFW2005]

Related:
Chevrolet Launches "Build Your Own Chevy Autobot" Site; Transformers Movie Update: Optimus Prime, It's You — It's Really You! [internal]

So, as you may have already seen, I got my shot.
Shawn quit after one day, but I didn't know until I walked into the garage as they were about to film him making the announcement. I walked in to see what the commotion was about and almost immediately heard the news. I'm pretty sure I set a personal best in the vertical leap at that moment. They even tried to get me to do it again for the cameras, but I'd made a pact with myself before I flew down to keep the hamming it up to a minimum, so I declined. I hoped I'd learned a few things from watching reality shows in the past.

Lee called me over and I was introduced as the Godfather teams' third driver. Do you realize I've had to keep my mouth shut about that since October? I even had to be coy about it here, which made me feel like a fake. But that's all over now, baby blue. Here's how it went down...

After I shook hands with Hal, Rick and Jeff from Godfather and Freddie, their first driver, I talked to Shawn.
"It's some personal stuff, man," was how he answered the question. I thought it must be some pretty serious personal stuff for him to walk away from a shot like this, so I didn't ask him to elaborate. I still can't honestly say I know exactly why he made that decision, but I sure wasn't going to press it at the time.

I took over on the night after the race at Lanier with two days and three races to go and one hell of a deficit in points. The Godfather team had become a little skeptical of drivers by this point, but their attitude tended toward the "we want to win, but we know it's just a show, so let's have fun," side of things. This was clearly a team with their priorities in order; they were the ones who, within hours of finding out they'd have to spend another night in the trailer, had hooked it up with a hot tub, brought in a friend with a large grill to cook them steaks, and adorned the Chateau Le Dump with Christmas lights and a sign saying "Godfather Bed & Breakfast." I liked their style.

I got up the next day and went to the set feeling pretty much the same way I imagine Lyle Lovett did when he first got Julia Roberts's number. This was the final modification day, and it was about time for me to get in the car I'd be racing tomorrow for the first time. My crew chief, Rick, came back from a test run and was asked how the car was doing.

"I think it runs like a scalded dawg for what it is," he answered. "You want to take it out for a spin, Xbox?" He and I jumped into the Z for my first test run.

A note on that: You may have noticed people calling me "Xbox" on the show. I probably had the fewest hours on-track out of all the drivers on the show. I'm barely a weekend warrior with some experience at track days and autocrosses over the past four years. When I was 17 I received as a present a trip to the Skip Barber School of Advanced Driving up at Lime Rock, but that was ten years ago by the time I filmed the show. I'd found out about Forza Motorsport Showdown on the website the game developers created for Forza 2, the game the show was meant to hype. I entered a form and was chosen, cast as the "gamer" on the show. I like the game a lot, but I'd never even played in online, so "gamer" might have been too strong a term. But if that's what got me in, so be it. Tony, the crew chief of the Challenger, started calling me Xbox and the nickname stuck. He's also the one who christened the trailer out back the Chateau Le Dump, so I guess he had a flair for that sort of thing.

I got in the Godfather Z with Rick, who sat on the floorpan and hung onto the roll cage as I drove. The car took off well and really slapped your head back when the single T3/T4 turbo spooled up. We ripped through the north Georgia countryside for a while (the upgraded brakes were fantastic) until the motor started to choke high in the rev range. It would pull like crazy up until about 2,000 rpm shy of redline and suddenly run out of steam, managing only another 200 rpm before it would go no further. I had no idea what made it misbehave. ("Tuner" is another word that wouldn't apply to me.) We took the car back to the shop and the crew took a look at it... and the 100-shot nitrous kit they'd picked up after the last race knowing there would be one last drag event. They decided the bottle would do less damage as a paperweight and left it off the car. The cameras would catch me later on that day as I talked with Ken, Jace and Angela, who were doing some smack talking to hide their fear of racing against me the next day. Um... or something.

By the time I got back to the hotel Shawn was gone. I thought about the morning and visualized laps of Road Atlanta in my head. We had all lapped the course in the Panoz cars, but tomorrow was to be my first day firing up the Z in anger. I had a hard time getting to sleep that night, but when I did it was with a big smile.

The next morning I jumped out of my team's Suburban and back into the Z for some test launches. The team had gotten some drag radials with their points, and they helped. But I was having trouble getting a decent launch. The engine glitch seemed to be fixed, though. Thankfully, I had some experience with this kind of thing. I'd done my share of stoplight drags in front-wheel-drive Japanese cars, long before "The Fast and the Furious." Thus, the risk to my safety was just below that of spending spring break in an South African whorehouse. My racetracks had turns in them now. I'd never seen a pro tree before, and damned if I knew how to do a standing burnout in the rear-drive Z. My first two runs were disappointing, running low 13's and spinning the tires all the way through the first two gears. I lined up for my third run next to Clay in the 427 Camaro clone, listened to Rick tell me to launch at 4,000 rpm over my helmet radio, and concentrated on not missing the tree.

Bam! The lights went green and I bogged slightly on the launch, but found all the traction I could. I ran through the gears as Clay's car fuel starved and I whipped past him.

"Twelve-nine! Twelve-nine!" hollered Rick in my ears. I clapped my hands and returned to the car transporter. Ken had been able to wring a 12.1 out of a similar setup, but that was the fastest quarter mile I'd ever driven. The team came over and slapped my back. I was happy to have been able to put some points on the board for them. Time to get to the road course where I actually knew what I was doing.
The time trials from two days before had been canceled due to the rain. Now they would serve as qualifying for the final event to decide which team walked away $100,000 richer — a 15-lap sprint at Road Atlanta. My turn came and the gremlins made their way back into the Nissan's motor. I could not run the damn thing to redline. I estimated it was costing me 25 to 30 mph in top-end speed on the back straight and maybe 20 mph everywhere else. I hit my apexes and gave it all it could take, finishing with a 1:53 and change in last place. But there's more to sports car racing than miles per hour, isn't there?
Ken and Jace's cars were malfunctioning, Ken's with a bad seal around his master cylinder (somehow caused by heat from the turbo), and Jace's with a blown thermostat that had given up the ghost in the 90-plus-degree heat. The producers called the teams together to discuss. Wwould we allow the teams half an hour to fix their cars so they could run the race, worth double or triple points, which would determine the winner?

One of the YearOne crewmembers immediately pointed at Lou Gigliotti and spoke up:
"He wouldn't give us shit if that was us. I say no." There was a general consensus among the teams. Another idea was put forward though: did anyone want to win that way?

Shit... no.

So Ken's team got to work on his car as a local Corvette owner stepped forward and offered up the thermostat from his C6 to save Jace's ride — a bit of drama that escaped the show's final cut. My team sat there and worried over the Z. The motor trouble was a phantom; we didn't know where it was or what to do to correct it.

The announcement came that we would be inverting the field, making me the leader for the rolling start. It seems the underdogs had been thrown a bone. The decree was met with howls from the LG team. We all took to our cars for pace laps behind a Panoz School instructor in a GT-RA. This was it.

The pace car peeled off into the pits to the right of turn twelve, the diving right-hander before the start/finish line, and we maintained our speed and positions as we'd been taught.

"Green! Green! Green!" came the call through my helmet as the flag waved and I slammed on the throttle. I ran it as hard as the erratic motor would allow, but was passed in the first turn by the Camaro. Angela's Mustang filled my mirrors as we charged down the short straight into turns six and seven, the two 90-degree right-handers that lead to the long back straight. I was in second place.
I took turn six with all the speed I could, and set myself up for a good line through turn seven. I apexed and rolled into the throttle a little too quickly as I tracked out, fishtailing wildly as cars blew past me. I saved the car and hauled after them.

(Another side note: I had believed that the oversteer was due to too much throttle applied at the exact rpm at which the turbo spooled up, making me break loose, but it seems there's more to it than that. I spoke to Rick last week and this is what he told me: "I didn't want to scare you at the time, but the motor was boiling off a little coolant, and it was running down the body and splashing onto the rear tires." Six months later, this was news to me.)

I hit terminal velocity at about 138 mph two thirds of the way down the back straight. I crested the hill before it dove down to the turn 10 A/B complex, left at A, uphill right at B. Omigod! Ken and Angela slammed into one another and had nearly come to rest under the bridge at turn eleven as I knifed past to their left. I believe Jace in the Corvette was disappearing around turn one when I again made the front straight. Uphill on one, a little left at turn two, and sunlight sizzled off the yellow Vette, motionless in a run off area before the sweeping turn three and the esses. I was the only car I could see on the track as I completed a much better turn seven and took to the back straight again, this time flying by Clay Dale as his formerly race-leading Camaro sat dead in the grass, the victim of a shattered carbon-fiber driveshaft. I had passed four cars out of six to retake second place, and Clarence was in my sights.

I managed to use the better agility of the Z to catch up to Clarence, but I could do nothing to prevent him from burning me once we got to the back straight. I set myself up to the inside of the track before 10A/B and late-braked Clarence without excessive difficulty in A, with a car or two lead by the time we exited B, flung ourselves under the bridge on the blind turn eleven, and skittered across the track on the diving, off-camber turn twelve. The editors chose to skip that pass, however, but it's ok. I'm sure Clarence's 17th joke about women drivers was more worthy of the viewers' time than a pass for the lead anyway. At least I'm not bitter about it.

That Challenger's 440 was asking questions my wheezing turbo Z couldn't answer, and once again I was passed before turn one. I dogged Clarence through the turns but didn't pass him again. I knew the lighter Z could out brake the heavy muscle car every time on the turn 10 complex, and I knew I could hold him off until after the finish line once I'd done it. I almost a lap ahead of everyone but Clarence, and I would bide my time. I waved to Clay as we tore by him on the straight and he waved back. This was fun.
My eyes were down track on turn five at the end of the esses when God hit the slow-mo button on his remote. My rpms fell smoothly away and my car slowed to a halt off line before the turn before the motor died. I radioed it back to the pits: the car had overheated and killed itself. I couldn't get it started. Clarence swung all the way around the track and passed me again before I got the engine to turn over in limp home mode and I stuttered around three-quarters of the track on what felt like two cylinders before I was able to coast down