Car News, Reviews, and Buyer's Guide

• Ferrari introduces its first-ever concept car for the virtual world of Gran Turismo
• The Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo was revealed in the flesh yesterday at the Gran Turismo World Series Nations Cup Final
• The Vision GT’s mid-engined, twin-turbo V6 develops 1,016-hp while an additional 321-hp is produced through three electric motors

Ferrari is changing, and for the better. After decades of mulling over whether it should or should not build an SUV, it finally relented to market pressure this year and launched the V12-powered 715-horsepower Purosangue crossover. 

Now, in an unprecedented move for the Maranello-based carmaker, it has just unveiled the Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo, its first-ever entry into the virtual world of e-Sports. Unveiled at the Gran Turismo World Series 2022 Nations Cup Final in Monaco last night—which doubled as a celebration of Gran Turismo’s 25th anniversary, the closed wheel, triple electric motor hybrid, single seater was revealed on stage in the flesh just before the Nations Cup Final got underway.

The Ferrari Vision Gran Turismo is the first Ferrari single-seater concept car dedicated to the world of virtual motor sport, with a spectacular and futuristic design founded in the Prancing Horse’s unequaled racing heritage. The Vision GT draws its inspiration from the legendary world of Ferrari’s hugely successful 1960s and ‘70s sports prototypes. Below hyper-modern bodywork and dramatic proportions, the car hides the DNA of masterpieces such as the Ferrari 330 P3 and the 512 S. It is a nod to the past, yet a powerful hint to the future of endurance racing.

Its fenders protrude from the heavily sculpted body creating beautiful curves while contrasting with the sharp nose and tail, both sporting full body-width ultra-slim LED lighting units. Ground clearance is close to non-existent, with a massive splitter at the front, the fins on the side sills, and the rear diffuser almost touching the road surface. Other interesting details are the huge vents on the sides, and the large rear wing connected to the roof through a semi-transparent central fin. 

This Vision Gran Turismo’s architecture is crafted around an advanced aerodynamic design and is equipped with the same mid-engined, twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine that powers the Ferrari 296GTB and 499P. This concept car has been tweaked, however, with the engine developing 1,016 horsepower at 9,000 rpm, and an additional 321-hp available through three electric motors, one on the rear axle and one on each of the front wheels. That takes total power to 1,345-hp.

It features the number “75” on its side as a tribute to the brand’s quarter century since its inception back in 1947. Since then, Ferrari has won 16 Formula 1 constructor’s championships and numerous Le Mans and production car titles making it one of the most successful racing brands in history. It’s also famous for iconic names like the Dino 246GT, F40, F50, Daytona, Testarossa, Enzo, 458, LaFerrari and the latest 296 GTB, which pays homage to the Dino.

The Ferrari Vision GT follows in the footsteps of a long line of specially designed Vision Gran Turismo concept cars from the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Lamborghini, Porsche, Jaguar, Chevrolet, Aston Martin, Nissan, Toyota, Subaru, Mazda, Lexus, Volkswagen, Bugatti, McLaren, Honda, Audi, Hyundai, Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Alpine, Peugeot and Mini. 

In 2013, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the series, Gran Turismo producer Polyphony Digital announced “Vision Gran Turismo,” a special project to tempt carmakers to push their creative envelopes and work outside the bounds and regulations of current car design to create machines that look as good as they drive. For the most part, the concepts apply present-day technology and materials, with a handful of notable exceptions that utilize novel propulsion and aerodynamic technologies. Gamers are able to download the cars, own them in the game, and drive them on many of the in-game circuits. The Ferrari Vision GT will be downloadable in late December.

OUR THOUGHTS

It was wonderful to see Ferrari finally introduce its awesome-looking Purosangue SUV this year, and it’s great to see the Prancing Horse finally getting into the virtual world of Gran Turismo. Maranello’s entry means that we will more than likely see a Ferrari Vision GT one-make race being added to Gran Turismo’s schedule in the very near future. And who knows—their Vision GT concept may just have some influence on the brand’s design of road-going and racing cars going forward.