Everything you need to know about Gran Turismo 7’s biggest update yet

The February 2023 1.29 game update for Gran Turismo 7 is gargantuan, adding virtual reality support, new tracks, new cars, innovative artificial intelligence and further single-player content.

It’s also a whopping 7.568 GB on PlayStation 4 and 7.346 GB on PlayStation 5. Let’s dive into the most important features.

New track: Grand Valley – Highway 1

At first glance, this looked like a new fictional venue for the Gran Turismo series, what with its fresh name and stunning coastal views.

But it is, in fact, the return of the fan favourite Grand Valley Speedway, present in every Gran Turismo title since 1997, apart from GT Sport and Gran Turismo 7. Except, that changes today, with its addition to the current title.

A complete reimagining, everything surrounding the track is all-new, but the layout itself remains faithful. In terms of the route, think of it like the Deep Forest return, where not only was there a visual uplift, there were some subtle changes to the configuration.

Only this time, it’s almost unrecognisable.

There is a longer and a shorter layout – the original Grand Valley Speedway also has these options, with the shorter one labelled as ‘East’ – plus reverse options of both, making four variations in total.

• Grand Valley – Highway 1 – 5099m
• Grand Valley – Highway 1 Reverse – 5099m
• Grand Valley – South – 2000m
• Grand Valley – South Reverse – 2000m

With a new track comes a new Circuit Experience

The Circuit Experience tests within Gran Turismo 7 not only teach you a new layout, sector by sector but also pay out big bucks. So, for Grand Valley – Highway 1, there’s a new addition to the roster.

Simply complete each part of the track within a set time, and earn some in-game credits. Complete all, and to Gold level, earn 1 million credits, plus a bonus 200,000 for all-bronze too.

Six additional World Circuits single-player races

For those looking for further single-layer events, outside of the Sport Mode or Café Menu Books, the World Circuits event list has once again expanded, with six new additions.

No surprise here, the majority are based at the new Grand Valley – Highway 1 location, ideal to test out the reinterpretation of a classic, plus earn some credits along the way.

• Grand Valley – Highway 1 South – World Touring Car 600 – Road car from Japan, no PP limit, four laps – Maximum reward 55,000 credits
• Grand Valley – Highway 1 South Reverse – Historic Sports Car Masters – Road car from later than 1989 and after 1960, 580 PP or less, five laps – Maximum reward 55,000 credits
• Grand Valley – Highway 1 – World Touring Car 600 – 600 PP or less, five laps – Maximum reward 92,000 credits
• Grand Valley – Highway 1 Reverse – American Sunday Cup 600 – Road car from the USA, no PP limit, three laps – Maximum reward 45,000 credits
• Grand Valley – Highway 1 – Gr.1 Prototype Series – Racing car with 950 PP or less, 10 laps – Maximum reward 160,000 credits
• WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca – Sunday Cup Classic – Road car, no PP limit, two laps – Maximum reward 15,000 credits

TWO CAFÉ EXTRA MENUS

There are now two further Café Extra Menus where car collecting is a focus. Own, win or buy the following cars, and earn a prize. Simply as that, except…

These are themed with the latest car additions, so there’s no chance you’ll already have the cars required pre-1.29 update.

Best get saving for that 911 RS and Honda Formula 1 car then!

EXTRA CAFÉ MENU 16: Honda Motorsports

Collector Level 47 and above

Own the:

• Honda RA272 ’65
• Honda S800 ’66
• McLaren MP4/4 ’88

Prize: SF Super Formula / Honda ’19

EXTRA CAFÉ MENU 16: Porsche 911 Carrera RS

Collector Level 47 and above

Own the:

• Porsche 911 Carrera RS (901) ’73
• Porsche 911 Carrera RS (964) ’92
• Porsche 911 Carrera RS Club Sport (993) ’95

Prize: Five-star Roulette Ticket

PlayStation VR2 support

Sony’s latest virtual reality headset, the PSVR2, launches on 22nd February. Today’s free Gran Turismo 7 update adds the ability to play and race using the latest device in every part of the game apart from two-player local split screen.

That means all of the single-player career, licence tests, missions, online lobbies and ranked online Sport Mode. There’s even a VR Showroom added to view the detailed car models inside and out.

This feature is for the PS5 version of the game only.

Five new cars, seminal and futuristic

Oh yes, how could we forget, there are five new cars added to Gran Turismo 7 with the 1.29 update too.

They range from the slow but palatial Citroën DS, Porsche’s first-ever ‘RS’ monikered sports car, Honda’s first Formula 1-competing single-seater race car and a brand new Vision Gran Turismo concept car.

All are in the game now, and on sale for in-game credits at the respective locations:

• Citroën DS 21 Pallas ’70 – 335.37 PP – 49,600 Credits – Legend Cars
• Honda RA272 ’65 – 628.27 PP – 2,500,000 Credits – Legend Cars
• Italdesign EXENEO Vision Gran Turismo Street Mode – 805.53 PP – 1,000,000 Credits – Brand Central
• Italdesign EXENEO Vision Gran Turismo Off-road Mode – 798.32 PP – 1,000,000 Credits – Brand Central
• Porsche 911 Carrera RS (901) ’73 – 487.09 PP – 745,000 Credits – Legend Cars

Gran Turismo Sophy Race Together experience

GT Sophy is a Sony AI-created agent that learns from Gran Turismo 7 players and adapts accordingly. Unlike ‘regular’ AI-controller rivals, GT Sophy-controlled cars will defend, overtake and change emotional states based on what’s happening around them.

Initially in development for GT Sport, then shifted across to Gran Turismo 7, before being tested against the world’s best Gran Turismo World Series drivers, you can now test GT Sophy in four preview races, designed to gather more information.

It will only be in 1v1 or races with four rival cars, there are three difficulty levels and credits to earn, and the Race Together test will only be in the game from today (21st February 2023) until the end of March.

This feature is for the PS5 version of the game only.

New Race Screen option

There is a fresh option for the on-screen HUD when in races and replays.

If you select ‘Display Car Info Only’ option in the ‘Race Info Display’ section of ‘Display Settings’ you will now view a cleaner layout, with the race positions, track map, laps and race time omitted.

This can be changed at any time from the pause menu.

The DualSense’s haptics will now replicate an engine start-up

When using a DualSense controller, upon selecting a vehicle in your Garage, you will hear the engine starting but also the haptic feedback will match its rumble, including a few gratuitous revs at idles.

A small, neat, trick, that still works if you select an electric car, such as the Tesla, but at a much lower level of vibration.

Online tweaks

A results screen will now appear after a qualifying session and a race when in an online lobby. At last! Also, for the ranked Sport Mode, the ability for there to be events where only certain car settings can be tweaked is now implemented. We’ll hopefully see how that works in next week’s playlist update.

Drift Scapes

You’ve always been able to take a picture of a static car within Gran Turismo 7‘s Scapes photography mode, and also make it look as if the vehicle is moving.

But, you’ve never been able to really make it look like a car is driving sideways through a corner, before. We always used the race replay photo mode for that.

However, that’s changed now, with a drift option, and respective tutorial, added to the Scapes mode, alongside a Heat Glow visual effect and some Spots that are height adjustable – meaning you can move the camera placement up and down for the first time.

In addition, the Italdesign and Sony AI brands have been added to Brand Central, plus there’s a hot of new car designers to read from in the Café – including legendary General Motors designer Ed Welburn.

The full changelog is below.

Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.29 February 2023 changelog

Main Features Implemented

　1. Cars
　- The following five new cars have been added:
　　・Citroën DS 21 Pallas ’70 (Purchasable at ‘Legend Cars’);
　　・Honda RA272 ’65 (Purchasable at ‘Legend Cars’);
　　・Italdesign EXENEO Vision Gran Turismo Street Mode;
　　・Italdesign EXENEO Vision Gran Turismo Off-road Mode;
　　・Porsche 911 Carrera RS (901) ’73 (Purchasable at ‘Legend Cars’)

2. Tracks
　- The ‘Grand Valley’ race track has been added in four different layouts:
　　・Grand Valley – Highway 1
　　・Grand Valley – Highway 1 Reverse
　　・Grand Valley – South
　　・Grand Valley – South Reverse

This track will become available at Collector Level 15.

3. World Circuits
– ‘Circuit Experience’ has been added to the ‘Grand Valley – Highway 1’ track in the ‘Americas’ section.
– The following new events have been added to ‘World Circuits’:
　・Grand Valley – Highway 1
　　- World Touring Car 600
　　- Gr.1 Prototype Series
　　- American Sunday Cup 600
　　- Japanese Clubman Cup 550
　　- Historic Sports Car Masters

The ‘World Touring Car 600’ will become available at Collector Level 15; the ‘American Sunday Cup 600’ will become available after clearing Menu Book No. 39 (‘Championship: World GT Series’) and having watched the ending; the ‘Japanese Clubman Cup 550’ will become available after starting Menu Book No. 42 (‘Gr.1 Prototype Series’) which unlock at Collector Level 30; and the ‘Historic Sportscar Masters’ will become available after starting Menu Book No. 46 (‘Historic Sports Car Masters’) which unlocks at Collector Level 29.

　・WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
　　- Sunday Cup Classic

The ‘Sunday Cup Classic’ will become available after reaching Menu Book No. 13 (‘Try Your Hand at a Mission’).

4. PlayStation®VR2
　- Implemented full support for PlayStation®VR2 (only available on the PlayStation®5 console version.) Every game mode (excluding ‘2P Split Screen’), every online race, and an exclusive ‘VR Showroom’ mode is available in VR. Please see the following link for more details: https://www.gran-turismo.com/world/gt7/news/00_8412588.html

5. Gran Turismo Sophy
　- A limited-time ‘Race Together’ event has been added where players can challenge the autonomous racing agent ‘Gran Turismo Sophy’ (GT Sophy.) This event is only available on the PlayStation®5 console version. ‘Race Together’ will be available after reaching Collector Level 6 and can be accessed from the special banner at the top right of the World Map screen. Please see the following link for more details: https://www.gran-turismo.com/world/gt7/news/00_5962264.html

6．Scapes
　- The following functions have been added to Scapes:
　　・Drift Photography;
　　・Height-Adjustable Spots;
　　・A ‘Height-Adjustable Spots’ button on the Scapes home screen;
　　・’Heat Glow’ effect;

　- The ‘Drift Stage’ and ‘Move the camera up and down’ have been added as a featured Curation in Scapes;
　- Tutorials for ‘Drifting’ have been added.

7. Brand Central
　- New Museum section for ‘Italdesign’ has been added for Europe (Italy);
　- New Museum section for ‘Sony AI’ has been added for Asia-Pacific (Japan.)

8. Café
　- The following two new Extra Menus have been added:
　　・Extra Menu No. 16: ‘Collection: Honda Motorsports’ (Collector Level 47 and above);
　　・Extra Menu No. 17: ‘Collection: Porsche 911 Carrera RS’ (Collector Level 39 and above.)

　- Added new sets of conversations with the Car Designers and Characters appearing in the Café. These new conversations can be accessed by changing to the following cars in ‘Garage’ and speaking with the Characters in the Café:

　　CAR DESIGNERS
　　　- Kunihisa Ito
　　　　・Honda NSX GT500 ’08
　　　　・Mazda 787B ’91
　　　　・Mini Cooper ‘S’ ’65
　　　　・RE Amemiya FD3S RX-7

　　　- Hikonori Kagurazaka
　　　　・Aston Martin Vulkan ’16
　　　　・Bugatti Chiron ’16
　　　　・Bugatti Veyron 16.4 ’13
　　　　・Citroën DS 21 Pallas ’70

　　　- Hideo Kodama
　　　　・BMW i3 ’15
　　　　・Ferrari 500 Mondial Pinin Farina Coupe ’54
　　　　・ Plymouth XNR Ghia Roadster ’60
　　　　・Suzuki Swift Sport ’17
　　　　・Toyota Sport 800 ’65

　　　- Tom Matano
　　　　・AMG Mercedes AMG C 63 S ’15
　　　　・AMG 300 SEL 6.8 AMG ’71
　　　　・Honda S660 ’15
　　　　・Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV ’15
　　　　・Mazda Demio XD Touring ’15

　　　- Shiro Nakamura
　　　　・BMW M3 Coupé ’07
　　　　・De Tomaso Pantera ’71
　　　　・Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe ’64

　　　- Ed Welburn
　　　　・Chevrolet Camaro SS ’16
　　　　・Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Package ’18
　　　　・Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1 ’19
　　　　・Pontiac GTO ‘The Judge’ ’69

　　CHARACTERS
　　　- Jeremy
　　　　・Honda RA272 ’65
　　　　・Honda S800 ’66
　　　　・McLaren MP4/4 ’88
　　　　・Porsche 911 Carrera RS (901) ’73

9. GT Auto
　- 13 new paint colours have been added to the Real Car Paint section of the Paint Shop.

10. Sport
　- Race events which only allow for certain Car Settings to be adjusted have been added.

11. Lobby
　- A ‘Results’ button to display the race result after a qualifier or race has been added.

12. Controller
　- An engine startup sound and haptic vibration have been added when changing cars in the ‘Garage’ while using a PlayStation®5 DualSense™ wireless controller.

13. Race Screen
　- Added a ‘Display Car Info Only’ option in the ‘Race Info Display’ section of ‘Display Settings’;
　- Added the same option in the ‘Race Info Display’ section of the replay options available during a replay.

Other Improvements and Adjustments

1. Cars
　- Fixed an issue wherein the amount of downforce set would increase if Rear ‘Type A’ parts were attached to the following cars:
　・Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IV GSR ’96
　・Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V GSR ’98
　・Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI GSR T.M. SCP ’99

　- Changed the display for the ‘Peugeot L500R Hybrid VGT 2017’ to now include the power output from the motor in the vehicle’s max power. (This does not affect the vehicle’s performance when driving or its Performance Points);
　- Stabilised how the ‘Dodge SRT Tomahawk Vision Gran Turismo’ behaves during the rolling start of an online race.

2. Tracks
　- Adjusted the penalty system algorythm at the following two sections on the Daytona International Speedway Road Course:
　　・Pit Lane Exit
　　・Chicane Exit (Turn 11)

3. Steering Controllers
　- Fixed an issue wherein the screen would occasionaly freeze for 1.5 seconds when using a Fanatec® steering wheel controller.

4. Localisation
　- Fixed various text localisation issues.

5. Others
　- Various other issues have been addressed.

Source: Gran Turismo