5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE...

PORSCHE VISION GRAN TURISMO

Some fascinating snippets on Stuttgart’s new virtual racing car

1 IT’S NOT ACTUALLY REAL

This is the latest in a line of concepts developed specifically for Gran Turismo. It started back in 2013 with a Mercedes, and now it’s Porsche’s turn, having joined the Japanese racing game in 2017. Porsche says it made the car because gaming is “where automotive dreams are born”.

2 THEY TOOK IT VERY SERIOUSLY

“The Germans are a serious bunch,” said exterior designer Ingo Bauer-Scheinhütte. “We decided to do something that feels real and which you imagine seeing on the road in a few years.” This extends to the vegan interior – so you can rest assured that no animals were harmed in the pretend making of your virtual racing car.

3 IT’S A BIT OFF THE WALL

Alright, so it’s not totally realistic, the engineers did throw in a few tech features we might not see on a production car for a little while, including a split rear wing with active aero, a fingerprint-operated canopy instead of doors and an espresso machine. Actually that last one we made up.

4 IT’S ELECTRIC, OF COURSE

Porsche could have come up with a fanciful engine powered by cheese, but this is a serious project, so the Vision GT is powered by a 1,274bhp electric motor and 80kWh battery, has a 217mph top speed and will get from 0–62mph in 2.1 seconds and 0–124mph in 5.4 seconds. Hopefully the makers of the game have installed the necessary chargers.

5 YOU CAN DRIVE IT IN MARCH

Gran Turismo 7 is set to launch on PlayStations 4 and 5 in March, so you’ll be able to drive the new Porsche Vision Gran Turismo then, along with a load of other models from virtual Stuttgart, including 911s going back to the Eighties, the 962C prototype sports car and the triple Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid.

At last, a Porsche most people can afford... we’ll take one each