Very cool Real Track/Gran Turismo tech coming to production...
01-15-10, 10:42 AM
#1
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Very cool Real Track/Gran Turismo tech coming to production...
On display at the Toyota stand at this year's Tokyo Auto Salon will be the Toyota FT-86 G's Sports, which boasts an even sharper exterior and a world-first "GPS-track day" unit co-developed with the creators of the Gran Turismo franchise and automotive technology giant Denso. So what's so special about the unit, you ask? From what we've learned, you will be able to drive your real FT-86 around a real track -- the Nurburgring, for example -- and then remove the memory card from your car, plug it into your PS3 unit and either "watch" your lap virtually or race against yourself, as your real car appears as the "ghost car" that you battle against.
The GPS unit was tested in a fully race-prepped Lexus IS F at the Nurburgring last October. If you look closely at the FT-86's dashboard in previous press photos, you will see an outline of Fuji Speedway, a lap timer and an altimeter -- which hints at where Toyota is going with this technology.
Word from inside Toyota is that they plan to roll out the technology on "most" future models, with the first of course being the FT-86 in late 2012. Also, as has been previously reported, the Gran Turismo developers are also working on launching a 3D version of GT5 as soon as 3D TVs become available on the market. We've taken a quick demo spin of the 3D version, which looks fantastic in early builds. Of course, that assumes GT5 will ever be finished. Latest intel we have is late summer of this year at the earliest.
The GPS unit was tested in a fully race-prepped Lexus IS F at the Nurburgring last October. If you look closely at the FT-86's dashboard in previous press photos, you will see an outline of Fuji Speedway, a lap timer and an altimeter -- which hints at where Toyota is going with this technology.
Word from inside Toyota is that they plan to roll out the technology on "most" future models, with the first of course being the FT-86 in late 2012. Also, as has been previously reported, the Gran Turismo developers are also working on launching a 3D version of GT5 as soon as 3D TVs become available on the market. We've taken a quick demo spin of the 3D version, which looks fantastic in early builds. Of course, that assumes GT5 will ever be finished. Latest intel we have is late summer of this year at the earliest.
01-15-10, 11:32 AM
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Toyota said they were looking to debut the technology mid 2010. So either the FT86 will be here a lot sooner than expected, or it wont be the first to get this tech.
Anybody remember that the first LFA concept had a track map as well? Wonder if it will get this tech?
Anybody remember that the first LFA concept had a track map as well? Wonder if it will get this tech?
01-15-10, 11:41 AM
#6
tokyo-toyota motor corporation (tmc) announces it plans to begin a gradual rollout in japan in mid-2010 of its newly developed "g sports"1 (g's) sports conversion car2 series. the series, to be sold through toyota-brand dealers, is meant to offer to a wider range of people the "automotive seasoning" that tmc has pursued through its gazoo racing3 activities.
The g's series is designed for customers who strongly desire to own a unique vehicle, offering them a personalized interior and exterior design along with sports-driving performance. Tmc has directly designed this sports conversion series, instead of the conventional approach of outsourcing development to a customization firm.
The base vehicle of the g's series is equipped with internal and external components that include sports suspension, aerodynamic parts and racing-style seats. A special focus has been placed on "driving seasoning" to make handling fun, through fine-tuning carried out by the gazoo racing test drivers who drove the lexus "lf-a" in the 24 hours nürburgring race in germany and developed the "iq"-based "gazoo racing tuned by mn4" (grmn).
Tmc's aim is to bring that "driving seasoning" and the joy of automobiles to a wider range of customers by reducing production costs through partial inline customization5 and other measures.
Tmc has been carrying out a diverse range of activities to broaden the joy and dreams that vehicles inspire, along with its ongoing efforts to use hybrid-vehicle and other technologies to address environmental issues.
In addition to the "ft-86 concept" rear-wheel drive compact sports car and the lexus "lfa" shown at the 2009 tokyo motor show, plans call for tmc's sports model lineup to expand through the introduction of conversion models and sports-trim models of mass-produced vehicle series, such as the grmn and g's series.
The g's series is designed for customers who strongly desire to own a unique vehicle, offering them a personalized interior and exterior design along with sports-driving performance. Tmc has directly designed this sports conversion series, instead of the conventional approach of outsourcing development to a customization firm.
The base vehicle of the g's series is equipped with internal and external components that include sports suspension, aerodynamic parts and racing-style seats. A special focus has been placed on "driving seasoning" to make handling fun, through fine-tuning carried out by the gazoo racing test drivers who drove the lexus "lf-a" in the 24 hours nürburgring race in germany and developed the "iq"-based "gazoo racing tuned by mn4" (grmn).
Tmc's aim is to bring that "driving seasoning" and the joy of automobiles to a wider range of customers by reducing production costs through partial inline customization5 and other measures.
Tmc has been carrying out a diverse range of activities to broaden the joy and dreams that vehicles inspire, along with its ongoing efforts to use hybrid-vehicle and other technologies to address environmental issues.
In addition to the "ft-86 concept" rear-wheel drive compact sports car and the lexus "lfa" shown at the 2009 tokyo motor show, plans call for tmc's sports model lineup to expand through the introduction of conversion models and sports-trim models of mass-produced vehicle series, such as the grmn and g's series.
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01-15-10, 10:25 PM
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01-16-10, 12:11 AM
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That sounds awesome, seems like game developers are becoming more involved with their real life counterparts. I read/heard somewhere that GTR's UI was designed by the makers of Gran Turismo, too bad GT5 keeps getting delayed. I cant believe all three versions of Forza (Xbox, Xbox 360) were developed and released since GT4, the last "true" Gran Turismo game.
01-16-10, 02:04 AM
#15
That sounds awesome, seems like game developers are becoming more involved with their real life counterparts. I read/heard somewhere that GTR's UI was designed by the makers of Gran Turismo, too bad GT5 keeps getting delayed. I cant believe all three versions of Forza (Xbox, Xbox 360) were developed and released since GT4, the last "true" Gran Turismo game.
Plus, of course GT5 will outsell Forza... GT5:P outsold previous Forzas... and that was "demo".