Automotive 'Best In Show' To Feature In Gran Turismo 5

Sony Computer Entertainment America recently hosted the fifth annual Gran Turismo Awards in conjunction with the 2007 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) auto show in Las Vegas, where auto industry exhibitors competed for the title of "Best in Show." The winner was Marcel Horn's 2007 Audi TT, and SCEA says the car will now be a featured vehicle in a future version of its Gran Turismo racing franchise. SCEA participated to a similar extent in last year's SEMA event, and according to SCEA, the previous year's "Best in Show" winner, a 1960 Chevrolet Corvette, will be unveiled in the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, launching in 2008. The company has strategized other extensions for the racing franchise into the automotive world; Polyphony Digital recently announced that forty episodes of cult BBC racing show Top Gear will be available via the PlayStation Network, in a new promotional deal that will also see the show’s famous test track incorporated into Gran Turismo 5. Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi, president of developer Polyphony Digital, commented, "The 2007 Gran Turismo Awards showcases the collaboration between the automotive culture and the gaming industry. We are proud to honor auto enthusiasts for their passion of cars, and to celebrate the automotive lifestyle that Gran Turismo embodies."