When the initial reveal trailer for Gran Turismo 7 promised ‘Gran Turismo is back’ in June 2020, we saw what looked to be a more expansive single-player career than the esports-focussed GT Sport, some new-to-the-franchise vehicles, the return of the Trial Mountain circuit and some pretty visuals.
Now, during the September 2021 PlayStation Showcase there’s the second trailer, made up of what predominately seems to be gameplay footage, for Polyphony’s first numbered GT game in eight years. It really does look like the series is alive and kicking.
The trailer starts out in a homage to the first Gran Turismo opening sequence, with leaves on the ground and a Castrol TOM’s Toyota Supra in the back of the truck – a car many fans have been requesting, now returning.
It certainly gave me those nostalgic feels.
But a new game cannot rely solely on the past, and here GT7 looks to implement some key features.
There’s a lot of glossy gameplay and shiny cars – but we noticed that tracks such as Tsukuba and Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans) driven in wet conditions, something not possible in GT Sport. Now, is this a fully dynamic weather system, there’s no way of knowing. Still, more tracks with rain is a positive move and the time of day options are said to be ‘variable’ and based upon the academic databases of NASA.
The home ‘hub’ area is a dramatic change, with a 3D mapped town that cycles through day to night looks to be where you will switch between game modes and features. The icon with a cone signifies the return of licence tests, and the marquee could be an area for additional fun challenges. The coffee cup in previous Gran Turismo has signified both online races with friends or single-player challenges, so your guess is as good as mine.
The excellent photo mode returns, alongside the beautiful scapes – scenic shots where you can place your cars to take pictures. On one menu screen it states 2,671 scapes are available in far-flung locations such as Tahiti, Morocco and Madagascar. That’s a 150 per cent increase in volume compared to GT Sport.
That game also introduced a livery editor, or paint scheme creator, which also allowed you to upload, download and even share decals. There now seems to be significantly more options, including the option to alter windshield banners, wing mirrors, windows and decal texture.
This ties neatly into more car customisation. As shown during the first GT7 reveal, you’ll be able to purchase individual car tuning parts once more, but we also see on a Nissan R33 Skyline GT-R and a current-spec Toyota Supra that visual customisation items are also returning. Examples shown are a new rear wing, BBS wheels and different rear bumper addenda.
The way you purchase cars also has new elements. The Gran Turismo games long have a fondness for historical vehicles, and now these are for sale in the ‘Brighton Historics’ storage location. We spot a lovely Aston Martin DB5. The Used Car Dealership returns and there is a greater emphasis on building a car collection.
In fact, there are several new and returning cars, such as the 1994 Alfa Romeo 155 DTM racer, the 1997 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, the Porsche 917 “Living Legend” concept and the Lamborghini Vision GT. High Speed Ring – a track from the very first Gran Turismo – also returns with a fresh new look and a revised layout.
The game is coming to both PS4 and PS5 (footage in the trailer is on PS5) on 4th March 2022, which is surprisingly soon. We’ll have a lot more about GT7 very soon, but for now, let us know what you think about this new trailer in the comments below.
