In the past, when he was still at school, he used to recognise the cars on the roads from afar. Brands, models – he could allocate every little detail. And today it is no different. Kazunori Yamauchi is crazy about cars. What’s more: he’s a perfectionist. But above all, he is the mastermind behind the “Gran Turismo®” series. That racing simulation that is one of the most successful console games in the world. That is entirely the achievement of this modest Japanese man. With his love of detail and his uncompromising will, he has created an almost perfect reality which captivates millions of enthusiastic players.

Mercedes AMG Vision Gran Turismo

On the Thursday of the Festival of Speed, Yamauchi showed the world that the possible can still be stretched a little bit further. At the same time that the Central Feature was unveiled on the lawn in front of Goodwood House, there was an update available for “Gran Turismo® 6”: the sculpture by British artist Gerry Judah, with the W25 Silver Arrow and Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes-Benz AMG Petronas W04 Formula 1, is now not only located in Sussex, but also exists virtually on the Playstation Goodwood hillclimb course.

Judah said that creating the sculpture for the 120-year motor racing jubilee of Mercedes-Benz was an extraordinary opportunity. “For this we have pushed the limits of what is possible with size and complexity in engineering, with a 160 tonne steel arch connecting two of their great historic cars over the top of Goodwood House. The sculpture also celebrates the dynamic between Mercedes-Benz and the Festival of Speed, which for me is a pleasure and a privilege to be involved with,” said Judah.

The fact that all the details of the steel design can be found in the game is the result of close cooperation between Yamauchi and Judah. Right back in the planning stage, the two worked closely together with the aim of digitalising the design of the sculpture in the best way possible. Every corner, every curve, even the weld seams correspond to the 25-metre-high original. The result is truly impressive, for it is far more than just an update for the Goodwood hillclimb course in a game.

Mercedes AMG Vision Gran Turismo Goodwood Festival of Speed

It is a homage to the fastest garden party in the world, and above all to Mercedes-Benz. The Japanese mastermind has for years valued the cooperation with Stuttgart, which culminated in the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo showcar for the 15th. anniversary of the racing series.

At the market launch of the newest part of the “Gran Turismo®” series, the Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design Studios in Sindelfingen and Como designed an exclusive sports car which celebrated its public debut last year at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

And it was the depth of detail of the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo that so delighted Yamauchi. The powerfully extreme proportions and also the sensually flowing shape of the body, the classic quotations of the sports car radiator grille with the central star, or the modern LED lighting: it was the combination of all of these that created the attraction for the Japanese expert. “The exterior of a car, its movements, the feel of driving it and the portrayal of the scenery around the car must be as detailed and realistic as possible. Creation begins with precise, meticulous observation.”

Via: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-AMG and its partner, Cigarette Racing Team, along with Sony, have just introduced the world to their latest collaboration: the Cigarette Racing 50’ Vision GT Concept Boat. Joined by its inspiration, the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo concept car, this duo can be seen on display at the Miami International Boat show from Thursday, February 13th until Monday, February 17th in Miami, Florida. At 50’ and powered by a pair of 1650 Mercury Racing engines, this represents the most powerful production twin engine Cigarette has ever produced.

You can drive a virtual version of Jay’s 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado in Gran Turismo 6 – or get behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz concept designed specifically for the game!

We’ve seen the final result, but what inspired the design of the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo? Check out the video below and hear directly from designers who created it. They take you over the Vision GT’s chromium curves and the thought process that went in to them and what may or may not be seen someday in an actual production car.

Mercedes-Benz designers have developed the super sports car concept  for the PS3 racing game, Gran Turismo 6.  Dubbed the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo, the concept features extreme proportions, sensual contours and an intelligently implemented high tech blend to form a body.  As a 1:1-scale model, the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo is celebrating its world premiere on 19 November 2013 at the opening of the new Mercedes‑Benz Research & Development Center in Sunnyvale, California. The super sports car with its hallmark Mercedes gullwing doors will be taking to the virtual racetrack when the new racing game goes on sale in December 2013 – as the first of the “Vision Gran Turismo” series of vehicles.

Mercedes AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept

To mark the 15th birthday of the popular Gran Turismo® series this year, Kazunori Yamauchi, Producer of Gran Turismo series and President of Polyphony Digital Inc., called upon the world’s leading automotive manufacturers and design studios to look forward into the future. Using the theme “Vision Gran Turismo”, these creative teams were to develop concept models which give a unique insight into the further development of the automobile. As virtual vehicles that nonetheless function just like a real car, the visionary concepts will be gradually unveiled in and integrated into the new game Gran Turismo® 6 through online updates.

Extreme proportions and variable LED radiator grille

“By virtue of its proportions and expressive appearance, the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo embodies the brand’s defining design philosophy of sensual purity in a unique way. The design of this concept car reflects to extreme effect the perfect symbiosis between emotional, sensuous contours and intelligently presented high tech,” says Gorden Wagener, Vice President Design Daimler AG.

Mercedes AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept

The sports car proportions that are a typical Mercedes feature have been reinterpreted: the long bonnet has a flowing transition into a compact greenhouse offset to the rear, which takes the form of an aerodynamically efficient water drop to descend slightly at the rear, where it rests on the rear end with broad shoulder contours. The dynamic aura is accentuated by an extended, dramatic side contour and a pronounced bulge to the wheel arches, which blend into the low-slung, muscular bodyshell. The angled headlamps, with their colour scheme and determined look, convey a sense of sportiness and readiness to leap forward. This impression is reinforced by the bonnet with its expressive forms and motorsport details, such as the release catches on the bonnet and the fuel cap, for example. The red-glowing contour lines on the lower part of the vehicle create an effect similar to that of exterior ambient lighting and stand out from the silver-painted bodywork. This makes the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo look even more aggressive.

Another eye-catching feature is the radiator grille – a reinterpretation of the wide Mercedes-Benz sports car grille with central star. Its shape is reminiscent of the legendary 300 SL racing car of 1952. However, instead of classic louvres the grille of the show car features exclusively LEDs. The variable LED grille with different light patterns is a further development of the diamond grille introduced with the new A-Class.

Mercedes AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept

Purist interior dedicated to speed

The exterior design, which is systematically and passionately geared to motor racing, is congenially mirrored in the interior of the two-seater. Inspired by the Formula 1 cockpit, the red integral sports seats blend into the black flooring of the footwell to form a protective shell. The form of this flowing, sculptured shell suggests enormous forward thrust. The dashboard also creates an equally dynamic effect. It has been designed in the form of two gullwing doors which are positioned on each side of the steering column. As a result the actual doors themselves appear to be an extension of the instrument panel.

The central display is optimally positioned in the driver’s field of vision: it takes the form of a glass surface floating directly above the racing steering wheel with its shift paddles, and shows all the relevant information such as road speed, engine speed and operating temperature as required. Operation is by rocker switches in the centre of the dashboard and in an overhead console, like in a jet. The steering column visibly penetrates the firewall to the engine compartment, creating a visual connection between the driver and the heart of this super sports car, the AMG V8 front-mid engine.

Mercedes AMG Vision Gran Turismo Concept

Intelligent lightweight construction and authentic racing car sound

The AMG V8 biturbo engine delivers an exceptionally agile response to even the smallest movements of the accelerator. It develops 430 kW (585 hp) and a maximum torque of 800 Nm. With an aluminium spaceframe body and components in carbon fibre, the material of choice in motor racing, the Mercedes‑Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo tips the scales at only 1385 kilograms. That amounts to around 2.4 kilograms per hp – an unrivalled figure in the super sports car segment, and one that guarantees exceptionally dynamic performance. Excellent deceleration values and fade resistance at the highest level are ensured by the AMG ceramic high-performance composite braking system. The AMG sports exhaust system with eight tailpipes integrated into the rear end provides a powerful accompaniment whenever the car accelerates, and ensures an unrivalled motorsports sound experience. For fans of Gran Turismo® 6, the Mercedes-AMG sound specialists have created a powerful, sonorous exhaust note that authentically celebrates the V8’s love of high engine speeds.

Legendary Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi announced this week that Gran Turismo 6 will be released Holiday 2013. The news was revealed at an event held at Silverstone in England celebrating 15 years of the 70-million-selling series, Gran Turismo.

Gran Turismo 6 for PlayStation 3 will receive several enhancements, improvements and additions in order to give players new levels of authenticity to ‘the Real Driving Simulator. There will be new tracks and more importantly, cars, including three new Mercedes AMG models; the SLS AMG GT3 producing over 367 kW (more than 500 hp), the E63 AMG producing 410 kW (557 hp) and the A45 AMG producing 265 kW (360 hp).  In addition to the three new vehicles, no fewer than 21 further vehicles from Mercedes-Benz which featured in Gran Turismo 5 will also be taking to the track to set the pulses of gaming fans racing.

Globally the PlayStation 3 racing game has so far sold more than 70 million copies, with version 5 alone being enjoyed by more than ten million gaming fans since November 2010. Mercedes-Benz can look back over a long and successful history as part of this race series. Models from the star brand have been represented in the game since the market launch of Gran Turismo 2 back in 1999/2000. According to Anders Sundt Jensen: “Both Carl Benz in 1886 and Kazunori Yamauchi, the inventor of Gran Turismo in 1998 recognised that a car can do more than just take us from A to B. Both lived the automotive dream. Driving a Mercedes or playing Gran Turismo each therefore reflects a unique experience: unprecedented driving pleasure.”

The Mercedes-Benz GT5 Driving Challenge took the world’s best GT5 drivers and tested them on a real track,. Of the 15 competitors, only one would win a real SLS AMG to take home. The lucky winner of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is 24 year old student Marco Calvo from Spain.

Taking the help of “Mr. DTM” Bernd Schneider, DTM driver and former F1 driver David Coulthard, the 15 participants from around the world were introduced to the technology and the characteristics of the SLS AMG at the Austrian Red Bull-Ring earlier this week. After numerous rounds of testing, the competitors drove the SLS  AMG on the track to decide the winner.

Congratulations Marco, enjoy your new Mercedes SLS AMG.

Mercedes-Benz is taking 15 drivers, whom qualified by playing the Gran Turismo 5 driving game, and putting them to the test on a real racetrack.  15 GT5 drivers from 11 different countries will come together at Austria’s Red Bull Ring to drive for the ultimate prize, a real SLS AMG. The AMG Driving Academy will put the drivers through differnt obstacles while being judged by some of the best driver’s in the world.