GTPlanet

The Logitech G25 was one of the first steering wheels to introduce a clutch pedal and gated 6-speed shifter.  It’s success has prompted other wheel manufacturers like Fanatec to jump in the game, fueling competition in this niche market to new heights.  Now, with the G25 pushing 3 years old, everyone is watching Logitech to make a move.

Rumblings about their next device have been occuring in all corners of the web, but we’ve just nabbed the best confirmation of the new wheel thanks to the keen eyes of GTPlanet reader “Homerfreak”.  One of the developers at Codemasters accidentally included the Logitech G27 in the list of compatable wheels for their new game, DiRT 2.  Unsurprisingly, the post was quickly edited, but not before Homerfreak wisely nabbed this screenshot.

This isn’t the first time the G27 name has been mentioned, though - if you take a look around the web, you’ll not only find rudimentary information, but pictures, too!  Of course, nothing has been confirmed officially by Logitech, but here are a few changes you can almost certainly count on from leaked photos:

• Thicker steering wheel.
• 6 buttons on the wheel.
• Shift indicator lights.

Few people gave much weight to these pictures when they surfaced late last year.  However, although the final design could obviously change, GTPlanet can independently verify their authenticity for now.  It’s important to closely watch the development of Logitech wheels, given the company’s long, close relationship with Polyphony Digital.  It would not be unreasonable to expect the G27 to hit at roughly the same time as GT5… Stay tuned!

Polyphony Digital’s Citroën GT is set to become one of the most expensive “production cars” (if you can really call it that…) sold today, coming in at £1.1 million pounds or approximately $1.8 million U.S. dollars.  AutoCar got the scoop from “senior inside sources”, who revealed that only six of the cars will be made - all of which will be powered by either a “Ford or GM V8″.  That’s considerably less than the 20 production models that were hinted at before, but according to AutoCar, “most of the concept’s features should make the final production version, including the carbon-fibre construction and eccentric interior details such as the copper trim.”  Sweet!  The final production version of the car is expected to be launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September.

While you’re saving up, check out this video showing the GT’s recent tour around London.

Polyphony Digital’s Citroen GT concept car has been busier than ever - first appearing at the 24 Hours of the Nurburgring, hitting up the 24 Hours of Le Mans a few weeks ago, and now stopping traffic as it drives the London street circuit from GT5 Prologue.  Of course, this made for some pretty impressive photo ops, which you can see below.  The car is slowly making its way to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place July 3-5.  Full press release after the jump…

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The Gran Turismo brand once again made a strong showing last weekend at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Trackside banners could be seen all around Circuit de La Sarthe - most notably at the chicanes down the  Mulsanne straight.  Sony also continued their strong support of the Pescarolo Sport racing team’s Peugeot 908 LMP car, in the quickly-becoming-classic light blue/green/white livery that you probably remember from GT4.  Polyphony Digital’s Citroen GT also made the rounds this year, (supposedly) doing a honorary lap around the circuit (still waiting on pictures of that) and appearing in a local driver’s parade.

(Photo by Brecht Decancq.  Thanks to DaveTheStalker for the Mulsanne screen grab, too.)

Welcome to GTPlanet’s live coverage of Sony’s E3 2009 press conference!  After months of anticipation - and complete silence out of Polyphony Digital - expectations are running high for some type of major announcement regarding the Gran Turismo series.  We already know that Gran Turismo Mobile is going to be announced, but questions still remain about Gran Turismo 5.  What’s going to happen?  Watch this box below over the next few hours to find out!

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This is it - the day Gran Turismo fans around the world have been waiting for!  At 11:00 AM PST, Sony will announce many of their upcoming games to the world at E3 2009!  GTPlanet will be providing exclusive, live coverage during the event - focusing only on new information regarding the Gran Turismo series. Watch our home page for a continually updated blog post, providing up-to-the-minute announcements as they hit the showroom floor.  Of course, our forums are sure to be quite busy throughout all of this - pay special attention to our dedicated Gran Turismo 5 and Gran Turismo Mobile sections!

Once again, the press conference is set to begin at 11:00 AM PST in Los Angeles.  That’s 2:00 PM EST (New York) and 6:00 PM GMT, or 7:00 PM BST (London).  To see when this is occuring in your specific time zone, check this list.  See you then!

Most of you are familiar Forza Motorsport, Gran Turismo’s competitor on the Xbox platform.  Just a while ago, the first information about the next game in the series, Forza 3, was released - and instant comparisons, criticisms, and critiques have been flowing in from around the web.  The game will include 400 cars and 100 tracks, and is finally going to include “cockpit view” - something that’s quickly becoming a must-have for modern racing games.  The most interesting new feature, thought, is an “HD Video Editor”.  Think of it kind of like a replay editor, or full-motion photomode.  Your videos can be uploaded to the web and shared with your friends, although the details on this aren’t completely clear just yet.  Regardless, it’s an exciting and ambitious new feature that would also be welcome in GT5.

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A new study by CIS Insurance and endorsed by the British government has uncovered a remarkable link - people interested in automotive video games and television shows like Gran Turismo and Top Gear are much more likely to break the speed limit.  It accuses such media of creating a “cachet of excitement and glamour around speeding”,  which presumably translates into death and destruction:

David Neave of Co-operative Insurance, which compiled the report, said: ‘Games, TV and films have fuelled the increase in speeding. [...]  The Fast And The Furious and Top Gear are devoted to speeding and targeted at a younger audience who are more likely to be encouraged to speed.’

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick endorsed the findings, saying those who speed ‘play Russian roulette with their lives and those of others’.

Granted, this isn’t the first time the racing genre has come under attack.  A similar study in Australia from late last year found that “video games kill driving skills” because they “increase [young driver's] complacency and their indulgence in risk-taking behaviour.”  Other research in the UK pitted driving games against violent first-person shooters.  The result?  Those who played driving games recorded much higher levels of agitation and aggression.

Of course, the studies seem to forget that correlation does not imply causation.  Who can say that reckless drivers are not more attracted to racing games first?  Who can say that an already irresponsible gearhead is suddenly more likely to be in an accident after watching Jeremy Clarkson thrash the latest Pagani Zonda around a test track?  Just don’t be surprised when your local politicians cite these very studies as justification to put more laws on the books…