Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo

This car manufacturer probably took creating the Vision Gran Turismo concept most seriously. They have taken this opportunity to impress the automotive world with their technological prowess.

Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo at Suzuka.

Nissan have indeed created a nerd fest of lines and algorithms. The Nissan 2020 Vision Gran Turismo concept is, as the previous concepts, a track focused GT car. In many ways it perceives itself as a distant successor to the current Nissan GT-R. It does have the same silhouette with a long bonnet a 2+2 cabin and a boot big enough for more than a dozen eggs. The body has been sculpted by science and the styling done by people who have PhD in aerodynamics. But then again that is how the Nissan GT-R is also done. It is basically designed as a LeMans racing car.

Long fins at the back to decrease drag. Colour Winning Blue Metallic

Next is a quote from Gran Turismo 6 website about the Nissan 2020 VGT. "The air entering the front side inlet goes through the inner side of the wheels, and is drawn out in an accelerated manner due to the exhaust under the front fender outlet." This is a good example of the amount of thought, precision and engineering that has gone in to designing this car to be as slippery through the air as possible.


Nissan has concentrated so much on the outside of the car that it appears they forgot that a car needs an engine to actually move. So we know very little of it. It's a twin turbo V6 hybrid with 3 electric motors. I'm guessing it's a modified 3.8 litre V6 from the Nissan GT-R. As expected it delivers power to all four wheels, but how much of it, we don't know. I'm guessing neither does the manufacturer itself.

This 2020 VGT concept then maybe how a Nissan GT-R of the future could look like. The name 2020 may imply the year we'll see this thing in production. Will it then be as desirable as the current one remains to be seen. All I can say is, it doesn't tickle my funny-bone.

You can see the aerodynamic body working even at a stand still.

The original Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R and the technological marvel.

A closer look at the sculpted tail lights. Even they have been given aerodynamic significance.

Volkswagen GTI Roadster Vision Gran Turismo

The beauty with the Vision Gran Turismo concept is that the manufacturers get absolutely free hands in creating something exceptional. Granted, so far the cars have been a track focused road cars and this one is no different on that point. But they all have the specific manufacturers unique touch.

Volkswagen GTI Roadster Vision Gran Turismo

This one is, I think, the most special so far. It is the Volkswagen GTI Roadster VGT. Already from the name you know it's not going to be like any from the former Vision Gran Turismo concepts. It is indeed without a roof. It sits extremely low down and has a low-cut windshield which i think makes it look like a saucer. In truth though, all the lines and crevices have an important job of keeping the four-wheel drive roadster glued to the road. Volkswagen have kept the red GTI stripe at the front and the headlights do look very much as the ones found on the current VW Golf, although a bit squashed.

An F1-styled steering-wheel with a switch for the windscreen wipers.

Volkswagen have had to work quite hard on this car since it actually has a designed and working interior unlike the other VGT cars. It would be quite idiotic to create a roadster and then leave the interior darkened in the game. And the interior needs to work as well since this car exists in real life.

As for what powers this car. I was delightfully surprised it hasn't got an economical 2.0 litre turbo, instead they have fitted it with the - dare i say - iconic VR6. This engine, I believe, was last seen in the Mk5 Golf R32. Anyhow, the 3.0 litre VR6 produces the same kind of power as the Mitsubishi VGT, 502 horsepower aided by two turbos. And as the Mitsubishi it darts around the track as a bee hopped up on sugar.

Volkswagen may be the only German car manufacturer that could create a serious track car which feels fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously. Which, in my books, makes it a proper GTI.

VW GTI Roadster VGT at Madrid street circuit.

I can imagine a poor rear visibility with that massive rear wing.

This glowing GTI "winglet" by the wheel is something I would like to see in future GTI's

Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV EVOLUTION VGT

The previous two Vision Gran Turismo cars have been quite track oriented. With rear-wheel drive and grippy track tyres they serve a specific purpose in the virtual world of Gran Turismo 6. This one though, is slightly different.

We all are familiar with the rally heritage of Mitsubishi Motors. The Lancer Evolution models in the hands of Tommi Mäkinen and Richard Burns on dusty rally roads is a sight many remembers. As many other car manufacturers Mitsubishi has taken part in creating a Vision Gran Turismo concept car and it's not really what I expected.

Mitsubishi XR-PHEV Evolution Vision Gran Turismo.

This XR-PHEV Evolution is based on a real concept car Mitsubishi made for the 2013 Tokyo motor show. The real life concept is a high riding four-wheel drive desert thrasher as this in-game one - as you may have noticed - is nothing like that at all. The Vision Gran Turismo shares that striking front design of the 2013 concept, the four-wheel drive and the PHEV hybrid system. PHEV stands for Plug-in Hybrid EV System which does... I have no idea what it does, but I'm sure it's something an engineer would have wet dreams about. The engine management system delivers power and torque to any one tyre to give the best grip and eliminate under-/oversteer. This amazing grip machine joined with a lightweight body made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic does truly feel like a go-kart with massive flared wheel arches.

The Mitsubishi XR VGT at Fuji Speedway

How about the PHEV engine. I'm guessing it stays true to its heritage and has a 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo. I'm guessing because - strangely - Mitsubishi haven't told its capacity. It wields an impressive 502 horsepower which goes through an 8-speed gearbox. This - in an acceleration - makes you feel like a rally driver while going through the short gears.

That is the only thing that makes this feel like a rally car. The aerodynamic properties of this car are astounding. But that's my problem with it. It feels more like a World Touring Car than a World Rally Car.

This car clearly doesn't belong here with that low ride height.

Mitsubishi's finest moment the Evolution V, and it's futuristic cousin.

This incredible V-shaped wing ads a great amount of downforce to an already incredible car.

Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo

The ultimate driving simulator game Gran Turismo 6 have for a while now had a project called Vision Gran Turismo (VGT). Here different car manufacturers design a concept car for the game commemorating the 15th anniversary of Gran Turismo games.

Mercedes-Benz AMG VGT,

The honour of being the first to unveil their VGT concept was Mercedes in November 2013.The car is called Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo. It's neither a catchy or an innovative name but then again Mercedes have never been good at that sort of thing. Concept cars are all about the looks, flexing the muscles of the design division to the max. Even though the car is designed to be in a game it looks like it could work as a successor for the Mercedes SLS in a decade or so. Obviously, this concept is sporting some familiar curves and details
 from the Mercedes-Benz performance-car range with some concept design touches, as those LED lights in the grill.

M-B AMG VGT Racing Series at the Red Bull Ring.

Under that long bonnet hides a biturbo 5.5 litre V8 developing 577 horsepower, sufficient enough for cruising on the autobahn at a comfortable 280 km/h . Even though that amount of power seems like much, remember, the SLS AMG has 563 horsepower from a naturally aspirated 6.2 litre V8. This means Mercedes has designed this car to be a greener grand tourer than the previous ones. To this theory ads the aluminium and carbon fibre body that weighs only 1,385 kg. To put it in context the SLS AMG tips the scales at 1,620 kg.

Spitting flames!

No other manufacturer that has taken part in creating a VGT concept are yet to make two cars, except Mercedes. They created a track version of the grand tourer and call it the Racing Series. It has the same engine (5.5 litre biturbo V8) but 14 more hp (591 hp) and 85 kg less weight. Naturally it sits a bit lower down, has racing suspension and the 7-speed gearbox is more track oriented. The most noticeable feature, however, must be the large rear wing. Which I think suits the car very well.

 This, in fact, was the first car of many to be revealed in the coming months. As of writing this there have been eleven different manufacturers that have released their Vision Gran Turismo concepts to the game. Let's go through all of them, shall we.

Here is the difference between the two Mercs, Notice the GT logo on the Racing Series.

Mercedes claim the styling goes back to the 300SL. I'm sorry, but apart from the grill, I don't see it.

The future is here...

...and it looks bright too. As we all know the future of cars and motoring is all about efficiency and refinement in which the car uses its energy i.e. fuel. That is why many brilliant engineering minds are working on ingenious ways to make a car as environmentally friendly as possible.

But whilst all this is happening BMW have had a vision, for all I know, from the year 2009 to make the best of what we know now. BMW is utilizing the absolute peak of technology to create a series of cars that, in my opinion, closest resembles how cars are going to be laid out in the near future.
This series is called the i-series. Why does it have to be the letter i? I'm really not a fan of that. But anyhow. The star child of the i-series is the i8. It's a car that 5 years back was only a concept called BMW Vision EfficientDynamics. The name is far from being sexy, but the name spoke for itself. The i8 is everything the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept promised, it even looks like it if not better.

The BMW i8 has two engines an electrical one with 129 hp and then a rather interesting 1,5 litre 3-cylinder turbo, putting out a quite astounding 228 hp. That is 357 hp in total, which is in the Porsche 911 range. But then again, the i8 is a sports car so we shouldn't expect anything less. And because of those amazing engines the fuel consumption is unbelievably low, only 2,1 l/100km. Not even the small frugal city cars can match that.

I think this is a revolutionary car. I know the idea of mating a normal combustion engine with an electric motor has been around for the last 15 years. But the BMW i8 shows the car enthusiasts that in the world of cars words hybrid and economical have more potential that we ever knew.

I can't believe that this car is already on sale. It looks so much like a concept.
It's brilliant.

The emissions coming out of the back are only 49 co2/km.

Mazda6, 2013 edition

The competition for the mid-ranged saloon of the year has gotten off to a great start with the new 3rd generation Mazda 6.  It’s a bit, taller, wider and longer than the outgoing Mazda 6, but most importantly it has been fitted with many non-interesting electrical gizmos. The new Mazda 6 has something called SkyActive technology which increases all the important things i.e. fuel economy and engine power and torque. It’s also fitted with i-ELOOP which harnesses energy that is created while braking. I don’t know how it works but at least the name is fun to say, i-ELOOP. Of course the new Mazda 6 has plenty to offer in safety as well, Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC) for instance. As for the choice of engines there are petrol and diesels of which the top of the range model is a 2.5 litre petrol developing 189 HP.

 

What about the styling? In a not so distance past (in 2011 in fact) Mazda revealed the Takeri concept and said; this is going to be the next Mazda 6. I thought; Wow! Yeah, right”. And look at it now. It looks pretty much the same as the stunning Takeri concept which makes it still stunning. It’s one of the first cars I’ve seen that looks the same as the sneak peak concept. Mazda obviously has styled it to have the presence of a Japanese fighting fish, with sporty, aggressive and smooth good looks. Many cars from this D-segment have become good looking but I think this is the best looking of them all.  

Mazda 6 estate

Mazda 6 interior

Mazda 6 saloon

Mazda Takeri concept for comparison