Sony has teamed with Swiss watchmaker Tissot to host the official “countdown” timer for the launch of Gran Turismo 5. To promote the relationship, they’re giving away one customized, GT5 edition Tissot PRS 516 (valued at $495), every day between now and the NA/EU November 24th release date. To enter (open to US residents only), just keep filling out this form. Good luck, and let me know if you win!

Before any of you “Down Under” line up at your local game stores on November 24th, take note: Gran Turismo 5 won’t actually be released in Australia or New Zealand until November 25th, according to each country’s respective PlayStation websites. Of course, taking time zones into consideration, we’ll all be getting our hands on the game at roughly the same time – just be glad this rumor was wrong!  Thanks to all who sent this in (…and yes, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to post this video again)!

It’s official – as just posted on the US and German PlayStation Blogs, Gran Turismo 5 will finally be released on November 24, 2010 in both the United States and Europe. Get your pre-order in now, if you haven’t already!

As posted on Polyphony Digital’s official website, here is the complete track list for Gran Turismo 5.

As seen on Polyphony Digital’s Japanese website, here is the complete and official car list for Gran Turismo 5. “S” denotes a “Standard Model” car, “P” denotes a “Premium Model”.

Via Twitter, GT series creator Kazunori Yamauchi confirms that GT5’s release date is “about to be announced” (translation via Karooo in our forums). This matches up perfectly with private information that I was provided with earlier this week, and would make sense given Sony’s already set to ramp-up marketing efforts next week.  Expect more updates within the next 24 hours…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNVabq0WeVs

If you’re in New York City, you may want to stop by the Gran Turismo 5 room at Sony’s new PlayStation Lounge, as seen in these pictures via Tom’s Hardware.

In a very, very curious marketing move, O-Games, publisher of Superstars V8 Racing, are promising to give away copies of Gran Turismo 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb0DeQb07s4

Gran Turismo 4: 1987 Honda Mugen Motul Civic Si Race Car at Twin Ring Motegi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJfHw9qmmko

Much like Polyphony Digital’s Citroen GT, it looks like the Red Bull X1 Prototype will also be transitioning from the virtual world into reality – sort of. This is actually just a model, but these pictures from the latest edition of Evo Magazine make it easier to imagine what the real thing could actually look like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DsJXYBhf8Y

Here’s the official photo collection from last week’s Gran Turismo Awards in Las Vegas. Don’t miss the first new screenshots of last year’s winner, Philip Koenen’s 1970 Ford “Trans-Cammer” Mustang below.