Gran Turismo 5 Cars

Posted on Dec 6, 2014 in Antique | Comments Off on Gran Turismo 5 Cars

Someone at Polyphony is a car lover, and one look at the new Gran Turismo 5 list will confirm it. This is Part II of my highlights from the GT5 cars, and it includes some amazing automobiles.

Maserati – 35 examples of this fine marque are included in the new GT5, including the 250F, Khamsin, Ghibli, and Quattroporte. The perfect Italian mafia car is finally available.

Maybach – One thing Gran Turismo needs is a five ton limousine for all those Ice races. Not only does this version include the long and short wheelbase cars, but it includes the mega-expensive Exelero.

Mercedes 770K – Finally, Glenn Beck can link Gran Turismo 5 to Hitler with the inclusion of this 770K. Driving this car through the streets of Paris will give the game a whole new feeling. Don’t want to play Hitler? Then choose Jeremy Clarkson’s Green Grosser 600, or the same 600 Pullman limousine that George Harrison and the Pope owned.

MG – In the last version, they only included the modern TF. Now gamers can drive the full selection of these great little British sports cars. From the “Back to School” MGTC, to the Sienfeld “Summon the Hounds” commercial MGA, there is a great selection of cars to drive.

Monteverdi Hai – Hai is the German word for shark, and with a 425 cubic inch V8 engine from Chrysler, this car is a monster. Only two were originally made, due to its $27,000 price tag in 1970. Two more were made from spare parts in later years, and all are now in collections.

Morgan Aeromax Coupe – Finally, one of my favorite cars is included in the new game. 14 Morgans including the Life Car are available for some proper thrashing around. Sadly, the EvaGT won’t be one of them.

Noble – The Noble is a little known British supercar, now owned by Peter Dyson of vacuum cleaner fame. Mr. Noble who founded the company was booted by Mr. Dyson, when he was caught with his hand looting the cookie jar. Top Gear described the Noble as one of the best cars on its track, and it rated fifth fastest lap time on the Top Gear track. Not bad for a piece of plastic built by drunk blokes from Leicestershire.

Oldsmobile – This company died a few years ago, but they finally made it into GT5. The offering includes cars like the Nimitz class Toranado, the Delta 88, and the great Old 442 muscle car. It’s about time Oldsmobile got the a little respect.

Packard – A sad reminder of the great cars that used to flow from Detroit. The game offers 6 models from 1930 to 1956.

Phantom Corsair – Built by one of the Ketchup kings, Rust Heinz in 1938. The Corsair originally cost $24,000 in 1938, and had features like hidden door buttons, no running boards, front wheel drive, and an electronically operated gearbox. Only one copy of the car exists.

Reliant Robin – Reliant makes its debut in GT5 with the Robin, Scimitar and other models. You may recognize the Robin as the car that constantly fell over when driven on Top Gear. This three wheeled car is not the most stable platform every designed, but was cheap and reliable, and required only a motorcycle license to operate.

Rinspeed – This wacky Swiss car company makes unusual vehicles like the Splash, an amphibious hydrofoil car. I am not sure how GT5 plans to allow drivers to use the hydrofoil option, but it could be fun. Also look for the Xtrem MUV, a car with a hovercraft, motorbike and jet skis.

Rolls-Royce – The ultimate British motor vehicle, and the “Best Car in the World.” For a racing game, Rolls-Royce may not be the best choice of cars considering its penchant for wafting down the road. Models include the stately Silver Ghost and Silver Cloud, as well as the timeless Silver Shadow.

Saab Sonnet – It is nice to see Saab represented, especially after their “almost demise” this past year. One of my favorite cars is the Sonnet, a small fiberglass sports car from the 1970’s. With a Ford 4-cylinder engine, and a limited production, this was a great car to drive. Also look for some other amazing Saabs, including a 900 (love the stand up, aircraft inspired windshield) and the Saab Viggen, inspired by the Viggen JA-37 fighter jet.

Saoutchick Dubonnet Xenia Concept ’38 – The only picture I have of this car is a Hispano Suiza concept with aluminum bodywork and unusual parallel opening doors. Saoutchik was a cabinet maker turned coachbuilder, and Dubonnet was an aviator/racing driver from a famous liquor manufacturing family.

Shockwave Jet Truck – Here is a great vehicle for the drag strip, though it may have more than a few problems at Nurburgring. The holder of the fastest full sized truck record in the Guinness Book of World Records with a top speed of 376 mph. The Shockwave has enough power to accelerate at 3G’s vertical, which is as much as the Space Shuttle.

Stout Scarab – This is credited by many as the world’s first production minivan, and also is the world’s first car with a fiberglass body shell. Equally important as the art deco exterior was the interior, with its flexible seating, card table and stylized ancient Egyptian scarab motif. Only 5 examples remain today.

Thrust SSC – SSC stands for Super Sonic Car, something that could be more than a challenge on the Laguna Seca track. This jet propelled car holds the World Land Speed Record of 763mph, and became the first car to officially break the sound barrier. Gamers should plan on lots of pit stops in this gas hog.

Vector – This Porsche engined supercar was a limited production 90’s pinup, which eventually evolved into a Lamborghini powered V-12 phantom. Not many were sold, not many remain, but it should be a lot of fun on the track.

Zil – Not to be outdone with Hitler’s car, GT5 decided to add some great Politburo classics. Zil limousines were the favorite of Iron Curtain power brokers, and are as quick as a government subcommittee on the track.

There you have it, the highlights from the new offerings in Gran Turismo 5. Each of these cars has an amazing history, and they should be appreciated for their unique designs, style, and technological advancements. It is a true “Who’s Who” of the automotive world.