Gran Turismo 7 is set to receive a noteworthy update before the end of the year, as series producer Kazunori Yamauchi revealed during this morning’s PlayStation State of Play event. This update will be rolled out in two phases—one in October and another in December—adding a total of 12 vehicles and two tracks to the game, alongside numerous features that players have been eagerly anticipating for quite some time.
We will begin with the tracks, both of which are significant for different reasons. Sportsland Sugo, a staple of the Super GT calendar from Japan’s Tōhoku region, will be making its debut in GT this coming October. It hasn’t been included in many video games throughout the years, but it was showcased in the Project Cars series, and older gamers may recall it from Sega’s Ferrari F355 Challenge from back in the day.
Sugo is an exceptional circuit—not overly long, with plenty of elevation changes, highly satisfying mid-speed turns, and stunning vistas. Personally, I’ve been looking forward to seeing it in GT7 for quite a while, and I’m thrilled that it’s finally on the way.
Nevertheless, longtime Gran Turismo enthusiasts will likely be more excited about the other new track, which is actually a returning one. Autumn Ring will be making its comeback in December for the first time since GT6, and interestingly, it will feature two layouts. Kaz stated that players “can race Autumn Ring with its original layout and scenery faithfully recreated,” while there will also be an “expanded” version, a “much larger racing circuit that provides a diverse range of new driving experiences.”
It remains unclear whether this new rendition of Autumn Ring, one of the series’ oldest original tracks alongside High-Speed Ring, Trial Mountain, Grand Valley Speedway, and Deep Forest, is truly related to the original circuit or entirely separate from it, like the two variations of Dragon Trail Speedway. There’s also uncertainty about whether Autumn Ring Mini, a very short version of the track ideal for lower-powered cars, will be included as well.
The limited still images provided by Polyphony Digital do not reveal whether the Mini layout is still viable with the new track model. However, both screenshots focus on Mini’s start/finish line, which is located in a different area from the main straight of the full track, so that might provide a hint.
Gran Turismo 7 – Spec IV Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games
Aside from the tracks, there are a plethora of additional features to mention, so here’s a list courtesy of the official site:
October
・ Six new vehicles.
・ A new Spec IV opening cinematic.
・ Vintage, a section showcasing cars that are no longer available for new purchase.
・ Car Concierge, a service for requesting Used and Legend cars.
・ Experience, a mode featuring brand-specific driving challenges.
・ Car Viewer, a feature that allows you to appreciate the cars in your garage.
・ An increased Collector Level cap.
December
・ Six new vehicles.
・ Family, a new mode catering to players of all ages.
・ Shuffle Race, a luck-based race with randomly selected cars.
・ Online Drift Trial, a mode where players can challenge their drifting skills against others globally.
・ The next evolution of Gran Turismo Sophy.
・ A new Power Pack difficulty level for advanced players.
Among the highlights is the Car Concierge, which will enable you to directly order a vehicle not currently available for purchase in the used or legend dealerships. It appears there will be a wait for these to become accessible, and you’ll be able to view them similarly to new cars, from a new “Vintage” section within each manufacturer’s menu. Additionally, GT5 fans will undoubtedly be thrilled about the return of Shuffle Races in December, a multiplayer mode that sets a performance cap and then assigns each player a random car within that range, leading to thrilling competitions.
While the full list of the 12 new vehicles is not yet known, Polyphony has shared images of a few. These include the E60 BMW M5, Citroen 2CV6, a redesigned version of the Mazda RX-Vision GT3, and the Mugen Motul Civic Si Group A race car that participated in Japanese touring cars during the late ’80s.
It seems we might not learn more about Spec IV until the Gran Turismo World Series esports competition takes place in Singapore exactly one month from today, so we’ll need to exercise some patience.
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