This weekend sees the third Gran Turismo World Series round of the season, the esports competition visiting Tokyo, Japan.
Alongside the two race events, the Manufacturers Cup and the Nations Cup, series producer Kazunori Yamauchi has teased a new Gran Turismo 7 game update.
Set to land “next week”, if previous timing is a barometer, we expect it to be released for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on Thursday 3rd October.
But, what are the three new cars?
Well, one is not a car, for a start…
A Van
All predicted cars in this article are just that – predictions.
At the rear of the teaser shot is a tall, rectangular, vehicle with vertical strakes across its roof.
We presume this to be a van, and in a traditional Japanese, cab-over-front-wheels format – based upon the angle of the windscreen.
The Toyota Ambulance Himedic ambulance is already available within Gran Turismo 7, so this could be the ‘business’ version, the venerable Hiace Van. In markets outside of Japan, such as Australia, this has been thoroughly redesigned with a more contemporary layout, but in its home nation, the 20-year-old design continues.
An alternative option could be the Nissan Caravan – note how its roofline is remarkably similar to the shadowy hint.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution ‘CT9A’
To the left of shot appears to be a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, thanks to the distinctive shape of the bonnet bulge.
But which specific type? That’s harder to tell. However, a notable omission from the roster presently is an earlier model based on the ‘CT9A’ platform – Evolution VII or Evolution VIII. Evolution IX is present and correct, although the wagon version would be welcome at some point.
Once again using a 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to four-wheel-drive, the compact saloon was a fierce rival to the Subaru Impreza in the ’00s.
(Another) Nissan GT-R R35
Including race cars, there are nine varieties of R35-generation Nissan GT-Rs in Gran Turismo 7, but now it is time for one more.
When it originally launched in 2007, the performance was from another planet. Launch control, dual-clutch gearbox and active suspension combined to create a rocket ship. The tuning industry also had a field day thanks to the robust VR38DETT engine.
17 years later, the model is still in production too – although the end is nigh.
Emissions regulations in Europe and safety laws in Australasia have ceased sales in those regions. This year will be the final year on sale in North America, too.
Still, Nissan’s engineers are going out with a bang. Unveiled last year as a 2024 model (and still listed for 2025, in Japane at least), the R35 received its third facelift. New front and rear bumpers are the main changes, and we suspect that is what we see here at the right of shot.
As ever, these vehicles are not confirmed, simply Traxion’s best guesses – we’ll see you next week for the final roster.
