share on BufferTo mark the Gran Turismo’s 15th anniversary last year, Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo® creator and president of Polyphony Digital Inc., invited leading automobile manufacturers to contribute to the game series by designing exclusive concept vehicles.
The virtual cars are being gradually integrated into the new Gran Turismo® 6 game through online updates – with the first one being the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept, followed by the Red Bull X2014 and the Toyota FT-1 Concept.
The BMW Vision Gran Turismo race car, created by BMW Group Design, boasts a virtual three-litre six-cylinder inline engine developed by BMW M GmbH, which promises a peak performance of 404 kW/549 hp, fast laps and optimum handling and control.
The design takes inspiration from both the M235i and the tradition of the BMW touring cars of the 1970s, and features an array of racetrack-oriented elements on top of a body which appears to be derived from the new 2 Series Coupe.
Among the aesthetic highlights are the widened tracks and flared wheel-arches, the imposing air openings at the front, the back and on the flanks and the double wing at the rear.
The front and rear spoilers are designed for optimum down-force, while all air conduction elements reduce drag and lower the vehicle’s total weight through the use of carbon fibre, for a total mass of just 1,180 kg.
The paint finish in BMW M colours traces the flow of the airstream, recalling BMW Motorsports successes.
The virtual powertrain features a three-litre six-cylinder inline engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology which delivers a maximum power of 404 kW/549 hp and a peak torque of 680 Nm developed at just 1,900 rpm.
The unit drives the rear wheels via a sequential six-speed transmission, operated by gearshift paddles on the steering wheel.
Karim Habib, Head of Design BMW Automobiles said: “The BMW Vision Gran Turismo is pure BMW sportiness and dynamics. It’s a precise driving machine engineered and designed to race and win.”
Kazunori Yamauchi commented: “I was eagerly awaiting what kind of car the people at BMW would come up with. The resulting Vision Gran Turismo car was a sports car that was so clearly BMW, that really shows the DNA of BMW. What makes the Vision GT car so recognizable as a BMW, is in things like its compact size, its wide front and rear overfenders. It maintains the strong angular forms from the past, but the car is also given modern, elegant lines.”
Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design added: “This project means a lot to me, because Kazunori-san shares the same passion for design and driving pleasure as we do at BMW Group. We are pleased to present our very first virtual BMW concept car at GT6.”
The car is available in the latest version of the PlayStation 3 game Gran Turismo 6.
The Design
Video Trailer
(Source: BMW)
Whoa !!!! Amazing concept. Its body cuts makes it look even more attractive. And also I am surely gonna play that game too (Gran Turismo 6). 🙂 . Anyways, what is the price of this super car ? And where it is going to be available. ?