Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story is the film biopic of Jann Mardenborough, who in 2011 won the GT Academy competition to go from PlayStation 3 player to Nissan Motorsports driver.
The movie releases from the 9th August 2023 before rolling out across the globe during the rest of the month, and we’ve recently published a review.
Alongside the various Gran Turismo-related cameos and easter eggs, we couldn’t help but notice a few vehicles featured in specific ways that aren’t yet in the Gran Turismo 7 game.
Now, there are loads of cars in the film not in the game, take the police Ford Mondeo estate for example, or even the Volkswagen Corrado driven early on in a cop chase. But this article showcases what we felt where realistic to expect for possible game inclusion, based on their context in the film.
Here’s what we spotted upon first viewing, let us know if you see me in the comments below.
Cars rendered in-game
In the film, Mardenborough, played by Archie Madekwe, plays Gran Turismo 7 on several occasions, be that at home, at a local gaming cafe or during the GT Academy trials in Hungary Northamptonshire.
There’s one scene early on in particular where he’s racing a McLaren F1 around Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans. The camera pans and you can see what looks to be Gran Turismo 7. Ahead of the main character on track, in-engine, is…
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992)
Right there, clear as day, the one-make championship weapon of choice without driver aids, supporting Formula 1 races and purveyor of national championships.
The current-specification Porsche Cup car races along the start/finish straight. This scene and the car are even included in the first trailer for the film too. Keep your eyes peeled.
Aston Martin Vantage GT12
In the same sequence as the 911 GT3 Cup is this limited edition Aston Martin rendered in the game (in the movie). While the V8 version of this car is in Gran Turismo 7 already, the GT12 version is not.
This particular specification is distinguished by the large, black, side aerodynamic kit as it turns left into the Dunlop chicane. Only 100 were produced, with a 600bhp V12 up front plus a distinctive white, black and orange paint scheme.
Again, this looks to be rendered within the game itself. For both this Aston and the Porsche, it does not act as confirmation that they will be available for Gran Turismo 7, but it would be strange if they weren’t at some point, right?
Cars being captured in a studio
While this film is far from a documentary, there are scenes portraying video game development, supposedly at Polyphony Digital’s headquarters.
Now, we must take this with a pinch of salt, as the producers even got someone to ‘play’ series lead Kazunori Yamauchi, overseeing someone making a track and nodding sagely.
But, at the end of the film, as the credits roll, you are treated with what appears to be a behind-the-scenes look at how cars are photographed and sound recorded for the game. Of those vehicles, we spotted…
Lamborghini Huracán STO
The most extreme road-going Huracán variant going, the STO turns the which up on the V10 engine, adds a motorsport-inspired aero kit and strips away the front driveshafts.
While the pre-facelift Huracán LP 610-4 is already in the game, the range-topping Super Trofeo Omologata is so far notable only by its absence.
Here it’s spotted having its engine sounds recorded, and while this was happening…
Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution 1
…this Cosworth-powered Mercedes is lining up behind.
While the defacto mid-1980s to early 1990s touring car for many is seen as the BMW M3 (E30), don’t overlook the three-pointed star’s rebuttal.
Powered originally by a 2.3-litre engine which was bumped up to 2.5-litres for later models, the origins of the sporty W201 was to create something to go rallying. But, this instead turned into a DTM competition.
Judging by our brief glimpse of the rear wing, we think the car in the movie is the first of two Evolution models to really turn up the heat on its Munich rival.
Rarer than a Pikachu Illustrator, we hope this makes its way into the simulation title at some point. Please.
On-track cars
Right, those mentioned above are the four main candidates spotted in the Gran Turismo Movie, in our opinion, that one day could make it into Gran Turismo 7.
But, what about all the cars on track I hear you say?
Well, that would be epic. However, just because vehicles are used in the race scenes, in no way means that Polyphony Digital will create them for the game. Sometimes, vehicles are chosen to be in films simply because they looked appropriate and were available for extended periods of time to shoot.
Just to complete the set, below are the cars we spotted:
- McLaren 720S GT3
- Aston Martin Vantage GT4 (2019)
- Ligier JS PX
- Chevrolet Camaro GT4
- Race-modified Chevrolet Corvette C8
- Modified Ford GT MK II
However, there’s also another car extensively featured not yet in Gran Turismo 7, and that we found much more intriguing…
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (992)
Like the rest of the cars on set which aren’t seen in-game or in a sound-recording studio, this could very well be pure movie-based filler.
However, the current pinnacle of Porsche’s Rennsport range is singled out during a heartfelt scene at the Nürburgring. We mention it solo, because it was also present in person at December 2022’s Gran Turismo World Series esports event (photographed above), outside the Monaco venue… Huh. Do you believe in coincidence?
