GTbyCITROËN has been unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, and it’s an interesting spot of marketing fun. Citroen partnered with Kazunori Yamauchi from Polyphony Digital to design an ultimate fuel cell concept car, and then engineered the beast as a driveable concept vehicle for the Motor Show. The car is now available as a downloadable addition to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue so anyone can take it for a spin. Naturally, they claim the car’s in-game and on-road performance are true to form, but how many of us will get the chance to test that theory? Full release after the jump.
GTbyCITROËN Unveiled at Paris Motor Show
Citroen and PlayStation design GTbyCITROËN for the virtual world
– then turn it into showstopping, driveable, reality…PARIS MOTOR SHOW, 02 October 2008 – Virtual and real-life motoring came together today with the unveiling of GTbyCITROËN. Developed to appear in the multi-million best selling driving title Gran Turismo 5 Prologue™ on PLAYSTATION®3, and then engineered into a driveable concept car, GTbyCITROËN is the first vehicle to make the transition from digital to real world. And, in a launch first, motoring fans around the world will be able to do more than just see the car at launch; they will be able to take it for a test drive as it simultaneously downloads onto Gran Turismo 5 Prologue ready to race.
The partnership behind GTbyCITROËN was the result of the meeting of two creative minds, Takumi Yamamoto, from Citroen and Kazunori Yamauchi from Polyphony Digital Inc, the creator of Gran Turismo. Inspired by each others industries they set about to create the ultimate concept car. GTbyCITROËN’s aerodynamic design and flowing lines create an immediate impression of speed – long before pedal hits metal – with both virtual and concept car powered by fuel cells. True to the Gran Turismo driving experience the car’s in-game performance mirrors that of the real-life vehicle.
Speaking at the Paris Motor Show, Kazanori Yamauchi said:
“GTbyCITROËN shows how the worlds of virtual and real-life motoring can join together to create a truly innovative partnership. We were delighted that Citroen approached us and gave us the opportunity to combine our creative strengths to build this very special concept car. To see the car take shape in game and then for real has been a truly unique experience as our work normally stays in the digital world. I just hope I can get behind the wheel of GT by Citroen and drive it on a real race track!”
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is the latest instalment of one of the most successful global gaming franchises of the last ten years. Renowned for its realism, quality of design and in-car physics technology, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue now has its own dedicated online sports channel – Gran Turismo™ TV – and up to 16 players from across the word can race together online via PLAYSTATION®Network. For more visit www.granturismoworld.com.
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