Just in case you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, Gran Turismo is the biggest selling driving simulator game for the Playstation console, having shipped more than 56 million units worldwide since it was first launched in December 1997. It is widely acknowledged as the best and most authentic driving simulator created so far, praised for its true-to-life graphics, authentic physics technology and ergonomic design – although the Xbox-only Forza Motorsport 3 has gained many devoted fans for its great selection of cars and tracks.

Gran Turismo 5 ups the ante in every regard, now offering over 1,000 in-game cars and the choice of 71 tracks. This is not a game you’re likely to finish playing in a weekend.

GT5 has been in development for at least five years, it’s creator Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc, being determined to wait until he was certain his team had used every last bit of potential available in Sony’s Playstation 3 console – however Kazunori it seems still isn’t satisfied, his vision has been restricted by hardware limitations of the PS3, “With Gran Turismo 5 we’ve made it as clean and beautiful as possible within the confines of the space we’re given – but of course there’s a lot more that we want to put in.”

Whilst you wait the final 2-weeks before getting your hands on a copy of the game, you can take a look at the complete (and final) list of cars and tracks that will be available in GT5 – it will quite simply blow your mind..

Forged by Polyphony Digital, working with world-class racing car constructor Red Bull Racing and aerodynamics expert and racing car design genius Adrian Newey, the result goes far beyond the startling new look.

As with all ultimate designs, the Red Bull X1 has been through several iterations. The starting point was a low drag single seat wing car with a glass canopy and covered wheels, powered by a forced induction engine. The result was a startling set of figures: 1,483hp at 15,000rpm, a top speed of 400km/h and up to 6G of lateral G-force.

However under the expert eye of Newey and driven by his passion to realise the dream, the initial concept then took a big step forward. He proposed the use of ‘Fan Car’ technology – last seen and rapidly banned from F1 in the late 70s – where a fan is used to force air out from underneath the car, lowering the air pressure creating a huge amount of downforce.

Game designer Kazunori Yamauchi, CEO of Polyphony Digital and Red Bull Racing’s chief designer came together at Newey’s offices at Red Bull's Milton Keynes Factory in the UK. Yamauchi threw out the rulebook to give the car designer a blank canvas on which to create a virtual machine that would push the very boundaries of motorsports.

A redesign of the car showed its value on the track where traditional low speed corners could be taken at significantly higher speeds. The new figures showed a maximum lateral G force exceeding 8G, pushing the limits for the human body, and a top speed of more than 450kmh. The killer combination of low air resistance due to body styling, glass canopies and full tire cowlings; increased low speed down-force courtesy of the fans; and stability at high speed due to front and rear wings and rear diffuser, are what brought about this result.

For a nervous design team the last stage of the journey was the shakedown test. Enter Sebastian Vettel who, on his first run, slashed more than 20 seconds off the course record on the Suzuka Circuit.

“The results were thrilling. X1 is about evolution. Delivering the optimum combination of tested technologies in a single integrated design,” explained Newey, Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing. “This would be the future of racing were we not bound by regulations, but one that is achievable today.

“And as Sebastian has shown, it is about devastating speed coupled with real handling control. Today thanks to PlayStation®3 and Gran Turismo we can test drive the future.”

Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc and creator of the Gran Turismo series, said: “X1 sees the marriage of virtual and real worlds as we explore the boundaries of our technology and aesthetic senses.

“The X1 Prototype Project has been motivated by curiosity and passion, powerful forces that brought together the best the world has to offer in design, physics simulation, racing car product technology and driving.”

Welcome to the personification of the Dream for Speed, to the marriage of imagination, of expertise and of technology. Welcome to a unique combination of Gran Turismo and Red Bull realised in the X1 Prototype Project.

Gran Turismo 5 will contain more than 1,000 perfectly recreated cars ranging from the latest supercars to the cars of NASCAR and WRC. Standing proud will be the fastest car in the game – and one of the fastest to ever leave the drawing board – the Red Bull X1. Earn your chance to drive the Red Bull X1 when Gran Turismo 5 goes on sale before the end of this year.

To find out more visit: http://www.gran-turismo.com.

It has been developed in conjunction with Red Bull’s technical director, Adrian Newey, and their star F1 driver, Sebastian Vettel and Car magazine had the exclusive opportunity to interview Newey and Kazunori Yamauchi for the article.

It’s a fascinating concept and should make the long drawn-out wait for GT5 feel worth it when we eventually get our hands on a copy before Christmas. The X1 is the answer to Kazunori Yamauchi’s question: “If you built the fastest racing car on land, one that throws aside all rules and regulations, what would that car look like, how would it perform, and how would it feel to drive?”

The specs that Newey and Yamauchi came up with are as follows;

* Engine: gas turbine, 1483bhp @ 15,000RPM, 527lb ft @ 12,000RPM
* Transmission: continuously variable, rear-wheel drive
* Top Speed: 249mph
* Weight: 545kg
* Length/Width/Height: 4750/2180/980mm
* Suzuka Lap Time: 1:11.540 (compare with Vettel’s 2009 F1 lap time of 1:30.833)
* Special Features: enclosed wheels, “fan element” to increase low and medium-speed downforce (much like a vacuum cleaner)

Vettel was the first person to try out the X1 on GT5 and immediately went nearly 20 seconds quicker around Suzuka than the record for an F1 car – you can just imagine him driving the circuit a fortnight ago and considering his 2010 RB5 to be… well, a bit slow!

It’s a stunning looking race car and now you’ve got a target to aim for (1:11.540) when you load GT5 on your own PS3.

[styledbox type="general" width="600" align="center"]Watch the video: of Red Bull’s X1 prototype on SkiddPlayer[/styledbox]

Source: thanks to gtplanet.net and CAR magazine

Blur is a new kind of driving game focusing on all types of gamers, regardless of experience or skill level. Accessibility can be the kiss-of-death in the driving game genre with such titles as Sony Playstation’s Gran Turismo defining the niche for realistic driving simulators – as proven by its successful spinoff into the world of real motor racing with Nissan’s GT Academy programme.

The Bizarre Creations development team behind Blur are British, hence the inclusion of a street circuit based on Hackney, London in the game. Drivers careen through real-world track locations packed with fast curves, sneaky alternate routes and hair-raising jumps in over 50 licensed cars as they collect intense Power-ups, including the ability to blast other cars out of the way with huge bursts of energy, boost their speed, and more.

Cars available in the game include;

• Audi TTS Coupe
• BMW M3 (E92) (Tuner)
• Chevrolet Camaro Z28
• Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
• Ford Focus RS
• Ford FR-100
• Ford GT
• Ford/Shelby Mustang GT500
• Koenigsegg CCXR
• Land Rover Defender SVX
• Land Rover LRX
• Lotus Exige Cup 260
• Renault Megane Trophy
• Volkswagen Scirocco 24.

The game is published by Activision and will be available to buy from May 28th 2010 on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Windows PC platforms. The game’s recommended retail price is £29.99.

Click through to watch the promo video on SkiddPlayer

Power-ups that Shock Your Socks off

Drivers will collect and use intense Power-ups throughout each race, including the ability to blast other cars out of the way with huge bursts of energy, boost speed with Nitros, drop mines, use power-up to take out racers ahead of you and drivers on your tail. You can even generate defensive shields to fend off other racers.

Players can use each Power-up independently on the fly, or collect and combine the Power-ups and use them offensively or defensively to multiply the effect on the competition. Players can also purchase Power-up modifications, to amplify the on-track carnage to suit their individual strategies.

Racing for All Gamers

Blur claims to move beyond traditional racing games by taking genre staples, including licensed cars, photo-realistic graphics and real-world locations and combining these with gameplay, designed completely to focus on ‘fun’ and featuring intuitive pick-up-and-play controls, intense Power-ups, and races where players are always in the pack challenging for the lead from beginning to end.

Either in Single Player or Multiplayer Blur is for all types of gamers, regardless of experience or skill level.

Social Network Interface

Blur focuses on social gaming - engaging with rivals, friends and encouraging fans to provide support

Where Blur seeks to truly differentiate itself from other driving games is in its ‘social’ gameplay. Blur’s new, innovative social network user interface is designed to evolve dynamically as players compete in different races, make new friends, rivals and fans, and connect with other racers in real life.

Hire someone to start a Blog and talk you up. Receive extra fans when you use Power-ups on opponents

Learn what’s going on in the Blur world, locate where and when the next big races are happening, rally your fans for support, and take up challenges designed to suit your favourite racing style.

It Wouldn’t Be Racing Without Multiplayer

Blur offers gamers a racing experience that allows them to race with friends and as part of a network of players in high intensity competition and fun. With 20 players online and a progressive ranking system that rewards gamers the more they play, Blur focuses on objective based race events, and also features 4-player split-screen for playing with friends from the comfort of the couch.

Multiplayer modes are an intrinsic part of the Blur gaming experience

Blur also introduces Custom Groups – where anyone can create unique multiplayer modes based on their favorite ways to play the game. These new modes are then shared through Blur’s social network, expanding the game in ways only limited by the gaming community’s creativity.

Real-World Cars and Locations

Blur features over 50 licensed cars to drive as players race through visually stunning tracks set in real-world locations ranging from L.A. and San Francisco to the streets of Hackney, UK, to the treacherous roads of Barcelona and all the way to Japan.

Blur is more of a street-racing game like Need For Speed, than the more race track-oriented Gran Turismo

As players progress through the game, they’ll be able to unlock and purchase multiple versions of the cars, each paying homage to different racing cultures, including Rat, Drift, Smooth and Tuner, and each with their own specific performance pros and cons.

Cinematic Destruction Meets Photo-Realism

Blasting other cars out of the way is part of the fun

Racers experience collisions featuring loads of damage and destruction, with panels crumpling on photo-realistic cars as they flip and roll down the track, so there’s plenty of enjoy even for those unable to keep their cars shiny-side up..

Sound like fun? We’ll be giving away free copies of the game in a competition right here on SkiddMark, so keep track by following us on Twitter and we’ll announce the competition details soon.

GT Academy 2010 is a competition set up by Nissan and PlayStation to unearth a real racing driver from the virtual world of the hugely successful Gran Turismo race simulation game. Run across 15 European countries, as well as Australia and New Zealand, 19 winners will have the chance to take part in a racing driver ‘boot camp’ at Silverstone Circuit. The eventual, overall winner will take the controls of a real Nissan 370Z race car to compete for a full season in the European GT4 Cup as experienced by Lucas Ordonez in 2009.

The Time Trial stage of GT Academy has given gamers the chance to download a new section of Gran Turismo, offering a small taste of what is to come in the new Gran Turismo 5 due for release later this year. The download features the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, a newcomer to the Gran Turismo series. Players drive the circuit using a standard, road-going virtual version of Nissan’s new 370Z and a race-tuned version of the same car.

Their combined lap times give them their position on their territory leader board. The fastest 20 players from each territory, when the competition closes at midnight GMT on 24 January, will then battle it out at a live national final event. Nineteen winners, from across the participating territories, will be invited to take part in the five-day GT Academy 2010 event at Silverstone to be schooled by the race circuit’s instructors.

Sony’s Playstation 3 console

“Hitting one million downloads of the GT Academy Time Trial from the 17 participating countries alone is a very important milestone,” explained the creator of the Gran Turismo games and president of Polyphony Digital Inc., Kazunori Yamauchi.

“We created the Time Trial purely as the mechanic to run the first phase of GT Academy 2010. The massive interest is testament to the strong GT Academy concept that offers the chance to make a dream come true. But it also clearly demonstrates the popularity of Gran Turismo. This Time Trial is only a tiny sample of what is to come in Gran Turismo 5, so it is particularly pleasing to have seen such a positive reaction to it.”

Anyone from a participating country who is over 18 years of age, holds a full driving licence and is eligible under the terms and conditions of the competition can enter the Time Trial stage of GT Academy 2010. All you need is access to a PlayStation3 connected to the internet.

Just download the Gran Turismo time trial from PlayStation Store via the PlayStation Network and you’re ready to go. Lap times will be recorded on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course driving the Gran Turismo versions of both a standard road version of Nissan’s 370Z as well as a tuned version of the same car.

Combined lap times will give each player a place on their country leaderboard, from which a shortlist will be selected to join an intensive driver training programme in the summer of 2010. Participants can enter times as many times as they like, with the best times being selected for inclusion on the leaderboard.

Mark Bowles, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe’s PlayStation3 Brand Manager said, “We imagine that the combination of a preview of the new GT5 game, the ease of entry and, of course, the spectacular ultimate prize will really boost the numbers taking part in GT Academy 2010.”

He goes on to say, “When we ran the competition in 2008 we had 25,000 gamers from across Europe taking part. This year we have more countries, including the welcome addition of Australia and New Zealand. It is very exciting and we can’t wait to see what the final numbers are and who emerges at the end of the competition.”

Nissan Europe Interactive Marketing Manager Darren Cox worked closely with Bowles to bring this second instalment of GT Academy to life. “The first part of GT Academy 2010 is all about the virtual, gaming world,” says Cox. “And it is great to see the virtual 370Z look so good. Driving the real thing in a full championship is a huge incentive for people to have a go at GT Academy. is an incredible prize. At Nissan we ‘dare to be different’ in our range of sports cars and in GT Academy we are daring people to follow their dream and give it a try!”

The time-trial stage of GT Academy 2010 runs until 23:59 GMT 24 January, 2010. The fastest 20 Gran Turismo drivers from each territory will then face each other in live national finals events. A total of nineteen winners will emerge to attend the GT Academy at Silverstone – a ‘boot camp’ for racing drivers. Two winners will then be set up with accommodation at Silverstone itself while they are trained to international race licence stage during a two month period.

Only one, however, will have the chance to drive the Nissan 370Z GT4 for the RJN Motorsport Team.

GT Academy on Facebook

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Gran-turismo.com website

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GT Academy on Twitter

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GT Academy 2010 will go live on 17 December, 2009 and will use the virtual world of the new PlayStation® Gran Turismo®5 game to find a real-world racing driver. The stakes are high, with an intensive race training programme and a season-long drive in a full race-spec Nissan 370Z in the European GT4 Cup as the ultimate prize.

The competition falls into four main stages:

Stage One – will offer Gran Turismo fans a sneak preview of the hotly-anticipated Gran Turismo 5 game, due for release during 2010. Competitors will record flying laps on a time trial-based track available via PlayStation®Network, accessed through PS3. Unlike the first GT Academy, participants will not have to enter the competition using the GT5 PrologueTM game itself, and so even more hopeful racing drivers are expected to take part.

Stage Two – the holders of the twenty fastest online lap times from each participating country will qualify for their national final event. Tensions will run high as they battle each other on another exclusive Gran Turismo 5 level for the chance to move to the next phase of the competition.

Stage Three – twenty finalists, chosen from each of the national finals events, will head to the world famous Silverstone circuit for the GT Academy itself – a five-day, comprehensive race driver ‘boot camp’. They will have a chance to develop new driving skills in an array of Nissan, and other, hardware, while also being judged on fitness and mental attitude.

Stage Four – For the two competitors that display the talent, fitness, aptitude, drive and determination to succeed in motor sport, the action will hot-up even further. A UK-based intensive driving and racing programme will prepare them to qualify for an international racing license.

Stage Five – There is only one place available for the driver with the most potential to compete on an international stage. The overall GT Academy 2010 champion will race a full season in the European GT4 Cup in a Nissan 370Z prepared by RJN Motorsport. The opening race is currently scheduled for May, 2010.

The GT Academy competition is open to participants from the following territories: Austria; Belgium; France; Germany; Ireland; Italy; Netherlands; Portugal; Spain; Switzerland; UK; and Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Also joining in will be Australia and New Zealand to make it a truly international promotion. This year’s rules stipulate that anyone who holds, or has held, a national or international race license will not qualify for GT Academy. This rule is aimed at maintaining the purity of the “virtual to real” concept.

Nissan International’s Vice-President of Marketing, Vincent Wijnen, is excited to be embarking on the GT Academy 2010 journey. “Following the success of last year’s GT Academy programme, we had no hesitation in working with PlayStation on GT Academy 2010,” he explains. “The idea behind GT Academy is a natural extension of our approach to sports cars – we’re determined to challenge the traditional way of doing things. Both the GT-R and 370Z are authentic sports cars combining performance with accessibility for drivers who are serious about driving enjoyment. Similarly, GT Academy makes the dream of becoming an authentic racing driver more accessible than ever thanks to Nissan, PlayStation and the stunning Gran Turismo’s online capability. Nobody else could deliver this programme.

Kazunori Yamauchi, president of Polyphony Digital and creator of the Gran Turismo series, shares Wijnen’s enthusiasm. “This has been a very rewarding partnership. The whole GT Academy concept is very close to my heart. Our target with the Gran Turismo series has always been to come as close as possible to a real driving experience. To witness the level of driving achieved by GT players after a relatively short space of time at the GT Academy was very satisfying for me and I look forward to seeing the 2010 finalists in action. I am also very happy to have the opportunity for our GT community to have a preview of the Gran Turismo 5 game.”

The online section of the game will run from 17 December until 24 January with national finals following soon afterwards. The GT Academy itself takes place from 26 February until 3 March. The two winners will have to quickly clear their diaries, as their intensive training programme will start immediately and culminate in one driver racing in the opening European GT4 Cup race that could be at Silverstone on 2 May.

You can find out more about the 2010 GT Academy at http://eu.gran-turismo.com or at the competition’s official Facebook page.

UPDATE: For those of you that missed the webcast (and you didn’t miss much!), there will be a recorded version available shortly. In the meantime, here are the first pictures of the new F10 based 5-series saloon.

Whilst we wait for UK-specific details, you can browse the US press release via the following link:

Also why not take a look through the video below, which offers a virtual tour of the new 5-series.

Early opinions seem to be favourable based on similarities shared with the recently released 5-series Gran Turismo and the 7-series. As with the 7-series, BMW seems to be towing a safer line with the design of the F10 5-series, compared to the more radical step taken by Chris Bangle with its E60 predecessor.

You can check back later this evening for further details and a gallery of images, then let us know what you think.

With four motors – one per wheel – the e-tron can be powered along a three-dimensional racetrack in Vertical Run. The goal of Vertical Run is to beat the competition in a multi-player challenge by collecting enough electrical energy and avoiding driving errors in the e-tron, in order to reach the highest possible speed. While all PlayStation Home users will be able to access Audi Space – with its centrally placed tower reminiscent of major cities like Shanghai and Chicago – the Audi apartments located above the city will only be available to the best drivers.

This new 3D game is just part of a widespread initiative by the Ingolstadt company to engage with potential young buyers at an early stage – “Most young people gain their first driving experience from video games,” explains Kai Mensing, who is responsible for video games and virtual worlds in Online Marketing at Audi. “With the Audi Space, we can bring this target group into contact with our brand in a highly emotion-packed and interactive environment”.

Seasoned gamers will probably groan at Audi’s attempts to use a racing sim to convey it’s marketing messages, but let’s wait and see what they’ve come up with. Launching during the same period as Playstation’s Gran Turismo 5 and Forza Motorsport 3, Audi’s Vertical Run will face a tough challenge gaining the attention and interest of the young petrol-head gaming community.