Tokyo, 17th September 2010: Sony Computer Entertainment today announced a unique partnership between Gran Turismo® and Red Bull Racing to create a virtual car which will push the boundaries of motorsports. The Gran Turismo development team at Polyphony Digital posed the simple question, ‘If you built the fastest racing car on land, one that throws aside all rules and regulations, what would that car look like, how would it perform and how would it feel to drive?” With the assistance of Red Bull Racing’s technology, Polyphony Digital were able to produce the answer in the form of the “X1 Prototype” which will be playable in Gran Turismo 5.
Red Bull’s aerodynamics expert, Adrian Newey, performed the role of technical advisor on the X1 Prototype project. Newey is renowned in the motorsports world for designing championship winning cars. Throughout the X1 design process by Polyphony, Newey contributed his vast experience, as well as a pure, child-like technical curiosity. As a result, the completed X1 Prototype became an extreme car, having a unique form and mechanism unlike any other racing car in history.
Performing the shakedown test and settings for this Gran Turismo 5 car was the world famous driver Sebastian Vettel. On his first virtual lap, Vettel achieved an unbelievable time on the Suzuka circuit, beating the course record by over 20 seconds.
Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital Inc., commented, “Every race in the world today conforms to some sort of regulation, and every racing car is built to fit within those various regulations. However the X1 is something new, created from a ‘what-if’ dream we have long held at Polyphony. We want to inspire racing fans and the industry alike by exploring the realm of possibilities for the future of motorsports.”
Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing added, “We all have a dream about pushing the boundaries, where the performance of the car and the experience of the driver take precedence over the rules. Only with the technology of PlayStation®3 and the virtual environment of Gran Turismo 5 could that dream become a reality that millions can explore. This is the inspiration that brought Red Bull Racing and Polyphony together. And as a result the X1 Prototype is dynamite to drive.”
Earn your chance to drive the X1 Prototype when Gran Turismo 5 launches in stores across Australia on 4th November 2010.
To find out more visit: http://www.gran-turismo.com / http://www.redbull.com