Gran Turismo 4 Inbound News

Concluding over four years in development, the game that Polyphony Digitalâ??s President, Kazunori Yamauchi, labelled as â??more than a sequel but, in fact, a redefinition of what a video game can beâ?; Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today confirmed a March 9th 2005 release for the hugely anticipated Gran Turismo 4 across Europe and Australasia.

Featuring over 700 vehicles, more than 50 tracks, new manager and photo modes, along with significantly enhanced visuals and improved simulation, Gran Turismo 4 is set to re-define what a driving simulator should be about.

Released across Japan on December 28th 2004, the series popularity throughout Europe hasnâ??t gone unnoticed, as today SCEE confirmed the inclusion of 10 additional vehicles for the European version; these include the stunning new Alfa Romeo GT, the Audi Nuvolari Quattro, the award-winning modified HPA Motorsports Golf IV R32, the Auto Union V16 Type C Streamline Race Car, the controversial Chaparral 2J Race Car and the 1993 Le Mans winning Peugeot 905.

Boasting a 52-track line-up, Gran Turismo 4 takes in the sights from locations as diverse as Seoul, Paris, Tokyo, New York, Seattle, Assisi, Capri and Monte Carlo, whilst introducing the notorious Nurburgring circuit and the Le Mans track at La Sarthe.

It all seemed like a long time ago when we first laid eyes upon Gran Turismo 4 at E3â??03, however even back then the visuals impressed with their photo-realistic qualities. To ensure a high standard that boasts broadcast-quality graphics, from competitor car reflections and light on the playerâ??s vehicle to sparks flying as your exhaust pipe clips the ground, the team at Polyphony spent six weeks on location taking tens of thousands of photographs to ensure authenticity down to a 15mm level of detail!

Following on from previous titles in the series, Gran Turismo 4 will feature an eclectic assortment of licensed music, ranging from classic rock to drum â??nâ?? bass with artists including Kasabian, Eagles of Death Metals, DJ Freq Nasty and Bushwacka; whilst the list is truly complete with classic compositions from Bach, Chopin, Mozart and Debussy.

Coming on top of a series that has shifted over 36 million copies, Gran Turismo 4 certainly has a tough record to maintain, however given the sheer amount of content being squeezed onto the dual-layer disc - It would take more than 120 days of playing 24-hours non-stop just to sample each car on every track for just five minutes â?“ along with the new concepts and enhancements that have been made, Gran Turismo 4 looks likely to raise the bar for driving simulators.

Weâ??ve already got the steering wheel ready and are awaiting code in the next few days; rest assured weâ??ll pull ourselves away to bring you the definitive low-down shortly.