Car of the Week | Suzuki Capcino (EA11R) '91

  • Alright, Mr. Main Hero SPD. After such a glowup in writing motivation and probably pace with the Stratos over the other thread, you are going to finish that half finished, overly simplified 22B's writeup this week, so as long nobody nominates another car you have made a blood pact towards writing it. Like that's going to happen, right?
  • Guess what: It's the Ford Mustang Group 3 racecar.

Up front, the little racer leads the charge, but she isn't scot free yet.


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Consistently under a second behind, a Viper GT3-R handled by her self proclaimed equal, proves to make a visible race winner rather unpredictable.


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However..

Headless Horse
Jeff Dyck, Saki Kaskas
Need For Speed II Soundtrack



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A new challenger approaches.


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In sight of cars #666 and #18, a semi-familiar Group 3 Mustang is now within reach of the race leaders, now pushing hard to enter the slipstream range..


Jake Ross: "It's showtime."


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  • Signature Racecar of the main character you have quite a.. umm let's say addiction to write about, ehh? How funny is that? You even got that weekly theme song down already!
  • SPD? Why you all quiet?
  • SPD?


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  • Oh man, not that face again.
 
Hi everyone!

This week was a fun one for me (especially the Bonus SPC -- which I will talk more about later!)

Ford Mustang Gr.3

While in real life, a GT3 Mustang of this generation was never made, the seventh-generation Mustang now races in the WEC LMGT3 class.

I took interest in how the Mustang fared against its other Gr.3 counterparts, especially after the huge re-balance of all Gr.3 cars. Unfortunately, I found the Mustang to still be tricky to drive, especially mid-corner and corner exits, while many other cars in the category have gotten easier to drive after the re-balance.

That being said, I did enjoy driving the Mustang, and think it's an engaging car to drive.

(Bonus) Single Player Challenge:

After the announcement of Sophy 2.1, I promptly did a few custom races and left it at that. At that time I wasn't aware of some limitations of Sophy (mostly limitations on tyres, and the critical Boost "Weak" Setting).

Therefore, it shocked me how good the racing was with Sophy 2.1 at Deep Forest. With only 5 laps, and starting in 10th, I had to be on maximum attack to try to make my way up the order for the win.

Video Link:
This week's video will be on my replay and POV of the Bonus SPC!


Thanks everyone & look forward to next week!
 
The results for last week's Single–Player Challenge, the St. Anger TT, are in*!

Vic Reign93​
2:08.894​
K31thc0m​
2:08.571

*No crowds were hurt in the process of obtaining these lap times (presumably).



Hopping right into Week 104, we're featuring the Renault Kangoo 1.4 '01, as chosen by our cursed car specialist, @Obelisk !

Gran Turismo® 7_20250414014621.png


Asia might have the Keitora and America may love their pickups, but Europe has its own unique twist to its utility transportation vehicles. Vehicles of the Kangoo's ilk are known in France as "fourgonnette", which translates simply to a (delivery) van. Just like Keis and pickups, these fourgonnette vehicles soon found a following outside of their intended audience, with passenger models (such as the Kangoo we see in the game) being offered with sliding doors and rear seats, making it popular as a family or recreational vehicle as well. Here in GT7, you can even put a roll cage in it! Racey, yes?



Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing Kangoos under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~10 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 305PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Comfort Medium



~Single–Player Challenge!~

A simple van comes packaged with a simple SPC!

Fastest lap time around the Nordschleife Tourist Layout wins!

  • Car: Kangoo (stock)
  • Shortcut Penalty: Weak
  • Save a replay of your run

Watch out for the toll both dividers whilst in a mad dash to deliver a good time!



Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the the thread!
 
Much like how @XSquareStickIt had low expectations for the Unimog, I had pretty low expectations for the Kangoo as a car. Not out of any negativity or hostility towards it or the game, but just on the basis of it being a low power addition three years into the game's life cycle.

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The Kangoo is powered by Renault's E7J engine, a 1.4 liter L4¹ putting out 73 HP at 5500 RPM and 86.0 ft-lb of torque at 4500 RPM. The somewhat anemic E7J runs itself up to a hard fuel cut of 6,000 RPM, which is respectable for an engine not intended for performance driving. This is mated to a "slushbox" 4 speed automatic transmission. If that was all you could see of the car, without knowing anything else, you would probably be quick to dismiss the Kangoo.

¹L4 = I4. I'm not sure how inlines ended up with two different names, but they're interchangeable.

But like with many, many things in this game, the devil is in the details.

What you don't see from the game's stats is that the E7J's power curve is essentially table-top even before peak power, and the car's torque curve starts very high (~80?) THEN builds to peak torque before dropping off right around the point the table top power curve kicks in.

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The 4 speed automatic is surprisingly well-spaced for an automatic - meaning all four gears are actually viable over the course of a lap even with a relatively anemic engine providing the forward momentum.

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Adding to this, the weight of the Kangoo as listed in GT7 is an incredibly light 2,381 lbs!
A third generarion MX5, for comparison, is 2,593 lbs.

The Kangoo is almost as light as the first generation and fourth generation MX5s featured in the game, and this gets backed up by a pretty respectable 60:40 weight distribution.

This all comes together to create a car that is surprisingly well-equipped for the rigors of track driving, and it shows in the SPC.

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The Kangoo is a light, zippy FF that has a deceptively low center of gravity and a strong desire to be revved out to fuel cut. The Kangoo is also incredibly tolerant of the steep curbing at the Nordschleife - Touristenfahrten layout or otherwise. About the only thing I can knock about the Kangoo is that you have to rely on 3rd gear for a majority of the lap since 4th is just a bit too tall for some of the fast sectors the track subjects you to - which is a little counter-intuitive at times. Took me four laps to dial it in, but the car was surprisingly approachable and easy to intuit that feedback from.

I am not quite sure how Square is going to qualify the times for this, since this game's interpretation of the Touristenfahrten layout includes the Dottinger Hohe + the entry/exit gates as part of the lap which is decidedly not in the spirit of the real Tourist layout or Touristenfahrten events. The spirit of the SPC, at least when I requested it, was bridge to gantry like IRL. I failed to clarify that to Square, so that's my bad. Perhaps we can have that up on a second tab? lolol

EDIT: FOR CLARIFICATION, THERE IS A CHECKPOINT/SECTOR LINE AT THE GANTRY IN GAME.

Going by the official/real life timing gates -- "Bridge to Gantry" A.K.A. from the bridge where the timing line is in-game, to the Audi bridge at the start of Dottinger Hohe -- my first SPC run for the stock Kangoo landed at a 9:50.628. #spc #cotw #kangoo for that replay.

==

Sometimes the beauty of a mundane car in GT is its tuning potential, such as the previously tested Unimog. In other times, the beauty is in how it stands on its own merits before tuning - the humble MX5s, the more robust NR-A MX5s, and the Kangoo all end up under this umbrella.

The Kangoo is a brilliant car stock, so I can't wait to see what the sleeper builds look and drive like.
 
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Man, my few weeks of not touching my PS5 has led to some serious rust in races, as the poor souls on Wednesday and Saturday can attest to. Hopefully my writing's not gone to hell nearly as much :lol:

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The Ford Mustang Gr.3, the only Muscle Car in Gr.3 and once the blue oval's sole representative in said category, has since been superseded by no less than three different Ford GT racecars in GT7's most prolific racing category. Unfortunately for the old workhorse, I think it's been abundantly clear by now that PD shuns old versions of racecars from manufacturers with more up–to–date representation to shepherd players into the newer cars, and the Mustang Gr.3 hasn't been one of the very rare exceptions to that. The 2018 Ford GT LM-GTE race car handles better and has a stronger top end, while the Ford GT Spec II Test Car does see occasional use when bopped favourably for strong acceleration. So irrelevant is the Mustang Gr.3 nowadays that I was actually somewhat shocked when 05XR8 chose the car to feature for COTW; I had completely forgotten it existed!

Due to the category wide nerf to Gr.3, the Mustang Gr.3 is actually really rather pleasant to drive in a vacuum. It feels incredibly direct to steer and stops astonishingly well, only showing hints of its front heaviness when pushed to the absolute edges of its performance envelope. That issue is somewhat alleviated at speed with its front downforce, but that also means it detests tight, low speed corners. It's just that, compared to other Gr.3 offerings, the Mustang Gr.3 has a very tight rear differential that can make the car really snappy when grip is lost, and corners that necessitate corner cuts with one side of the wheel off the paved surface is a nail biting experience every time. And of course, BoP is never going to do it any favours.

Overall, the Mustang Gr.3 may not be a betting man's pick to win any given race, but it's more than serviceable for a casual racer looking for a slight handicap against the rest of the field. It's not nearly meme levels of god–awful like the FT-1 VGT or Atenza Gr.3, and that I suppose isn't a half bad fate to consign a retired race horse to.

And while I'm feeling productive, here are two banger races against SPD I had:



 

~Single–Player Challenge!~

A simple van comes packaged with a simple SPC!

Fastest lap time around the Nordschleife Tourist Layout wins!

  • Car: Kangoo (stock)
  • Shortcut Penalty: Weak
  • Save a replay of your run

Watch out for the toll both dividers whilst in a mad dash to deliver a good time!
I am in this for this week....
 
Hello!

Always look forward to another week of COTW!

Renault Kangoo:
I know almost nothing about the Renault Kangoo. In fact, for the entire time since it was added to Gran Turismo 7, I got it mixed up with the Citroen Berlingo in real life.

However, the Kangoo impressed with its nimble, lightweight characteristics, making this 73hp van much more interesting around the Nurburging than I initially expected.

Single Player Challenge:
This was the first time I ran the tourist layout, and my first ever lap ended in me going head-on into the barriers down the back straight and being extremely confused at where I was actually supposed to go to finish the lap.

Safe to say, I can totally see myself crashing into the barriers again if I run this layout another time (lol)

Time Trial: 10.38.970

Video:
This week's video is the POV and spectator view of my lap of the SPC:


See everyone next week!
 
The results for last week's Single–Player Challenge, the Tourist Trap TT, are in! The times shown below are the "Bridge to Gantry" times:

jrbabbitt​
10:04.627
Jayzedyy​
9:52.190
Obelisk​
9:50.628​
Vic Reign93​
9:42.184

Did anyone notice the slight trick to last week's TT? You get a faster launch speed if you back up all the way to the end to get a longer run to the start line! All the more impressive that Vic snatched the top time by more than eight seconds despite not doing that! Congrats to Vic, and well done to everyone else!



Week 205 seems to have arrived a hundred weeks early, because @Pickle_Rick74 has been given the choice of this week's car, and...

Pickle_Rick74​

Oh heck yes!! I would pick the f3500 as I love it and most people can't drive it... however, attached is a pic of my beloved car I drove for most of my 11 years in England. This is my pick...

fb_img_1740583084235-jpg.1444004

Week 105 features the Peugeot 205 GTI '88!

The rally car bearing the Peugeot 205 name might have been in the game since launch, but the humble and much more accessible road going variant on which the rally car is loosely based was only added recently in Update 1.56 back in February. As one of the premier hot hatches that homologates a rally special, the spicy 205 GTI is beloved by many and a welcome addition, and promises simplistic, yet exhilarating fun with its transverse 1.9L engine and 5–speed stick shift!

If you haven't a compatible 205 GTI yet for our Weekly Lobbies and/or Single–Player Challenge, there are a few on sale right now in the Used Car Dealer in various colours!



Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing 205s under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~10 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 406PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Comfort Medium



~Single–Player Challenge!~

We are going to indulge in Rick's beloved pastime from back when he was in England for this week's SPC.

Pickle_Rick74​

In the time I owned my gti, it took me around Silverstone, Donnington and Brands on track days. I wish I could get one over here.

My challenge will be to set a time around Brands short with racing suspention, a racing air filter, racing cam, and racing exhaust.
Just like I did back in 1999. I do not remember any times I set, but this is the set up I had in mine on real life.

Your challenge will be to set the fastest time around Brand's Hatch Indy with a 205 GTI that has ONLY the following mods:

  • High Lift Camshaft S
  • Racing Air Filter
  • Racing Silencer/Muffler
  • Fully Customisable Suspension (Free settings)
  • Tyres: Comfort Medium

  • Wide Body: Prohibited
  • Wheels and Aero: Any

Will you be able to beat the experienced driver at his own game?



Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the the thread!
 
Your challenge will be to set the fastest time around Brand's Hatch Indy with a 205 GTI that has ONLY the following mods:

  • High Lift Camshaft S
  • Racing Air Filter
  • Racing Silencer/Muffler
  • Fully Customisable Suspension (Free settings)
  • Tyres: Comfort Medium

  • Wide Body: Prohibited
  • Wheels and Aero: Any
Oh my, looks like another good challenge...
 
I'm here to echo what Obe and Jay have already written: that the 2001 Renault Kangoo is basically a hot hatch cosplaying as a utility vehicle.

Gran%20Turismo%C2%AE%207_20250421203902.png


Kangoo F1 by FabioVern
#kangoo #f1 #fv71
Ben and jerry's by hooseduck
#renault #kangoo #benandjerrys

The 74HP (55kW) that the 1.4L engine routes to the front wheels exclusively via a 4–speed automatic and an open differential might not make the Kangoo sound all that impressive, but what endears hot hatches, especially in the past, hasn't always been about their straight line shove. Rather, they tended to shine in their lightness and how they seemingly brought out the inner yobbo in their drivers, and that is precisely what the Kangoo in GT7 does. It's incredibly lightweight at a mere 1,080kg (2,381lbs), and if one ignores its accomodating height, it's also an extremely compact package. While the suspension is just a tad bit too soft for driving on the edge, what that supple setup translates to on a racetrack is a vehicle—a plaything, even—that really drills into drivers the importance of weight transfer and car control in a low risk environment, and it is even more of a momentum car than a Miata. It's sharp in corners, has hardly any understeer, and delivers on some incredibly tight racing as well!

Gran%20Turismo%C2%AE%207_20250420220924.png


That said, the Kangoo is saddled with three rather glaring flaws, two of which exclusive to the game. As mentioned earlier, the Kangoo we GT7 players got is the 4–speed automatic, and while the slushbox shifts quickly and smoothly, having only 4 forward gears mean that the gear ratios have to be wide apart, and that each gear has to be revved to its absolute limit to get the most spring in the its hops. The Kangoo then, very much demands to be driven in MT, because the game upshifts way too early if left to its own devices. Second, the Kangoo's PP rating seems to be a tad bit too high for the actual performance it has; it's rated at 294.72PP fresh from the Brand Central as of v1.58, and yet cars with lower PP and the same Comfort Medium compound tyres—like the Toyota Hiace and Daihatsu Copen—out–perform it handily. I opine that the Kangoo would have an easier time finding peers around the mid 280PP range. And lastly, just like the 411 Unimog, the Kangoo is a utility vehicle with an incredibly low performance ceiling that hasn't been given the option for an engine swap, meaning that it caps out at a mere 277HP and 885kg (1,951lbs), with only five forward gears to work with even when upgraded. The aforementioned Hiace in comparison has six forward gears bone stock, and gets the ludicrously stupid turbocharged LS7 V8 from the BRZ Drift Car to abuse it with. That package will even slot in under 600PP, meaning that the Hiace can be just as practical digitally as it is tangibly, acting as a money maker for the Tokyo WTC600 grind event, and as a cherry on top of the cake, Sophy 2.1 can drive a 1000HP RWD Hiace, but not a 74HP FF Kangoo as of yet. For as fun to drive as the Kangoo is bone stock, it's hard to find a use case for it outside of the odd One–Make race.

Gran%20Turismo%C2%AE%207_20250420220931.png


All told, the Kangoo is the very definition of a Sleeper: a car with performance and/or dynamics that completely belie its unassuming looks, and this Renault is a car that is so fun that I would never let someone else drive it on my behalf!
 
Hello again!

Peugeot 205 GTI [COTW 105]

This week's SPC was with the Peugeot 205 GTI, in lightly modified form!

Unfortunately, I found its portrayal in GT7 lackluster in its driving experience.

I found the car to tended to understeer at almost every corner entry and exit, and my limited tuning knowledge was not helping!

However, I found the car delightful to drive under the limit, as most of its weaknesses disappear once you tone down to around 80% pace, becoming an agile and lightweight hot hatch. It was just a shame that to extract the most out of the car, its weaknesses shine through the most.

Video Link:
This week's (short) video will be on the SPC replay and POV!


See everyone next week!
 
Welcome to yet another episode of SPD taking yet another fruitless weekly challenge too seriously.
Week 105 Edition



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This is my BMW M6 GT3 race car.

Meant to bridge the BMW Z4 GT3 and the BMW M8 GT3, one quick glance and it tells you it's a race converted grand tourer sedan that churns out 584 horsepower through a turbocharged V8. Notably in Gran Turismo thanks to Walkenhorst Motorsports putting series producer Yamauchi-san behind its wheel in the 2016 24 hours of Nurburgring, the car in its entiresome is a fearsome foe to anyone who chose not to sign with BMW.

Despite being blessed with top of the line in class performance at almost all times its present in the competitive scene, it's also one of the most difficult cars to drive in its class. This is mainly attributed to the nasty power oversteer caused by the car's turbo, being quite nasty that you usually want to be 2 gears ahead when short shifting just to counter it. Or be an absolute chad. Yeah, that too.


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It's also the unfortunate car where my not so artistic self composed one of my first ever liveries in GT Sport that I found on Google. Yes, that's me. I'm famous and I don't want to admit it until now. Anyways, you can tell what inspiration it was from, and not only did it survive going to Gran Turismo 7.. it also was one of the liveries that remained mainly untouched going from there to here: something that isn't true for almost all the cars that still have their livery made there.

But you're not here for some SPD history, right? I know. Sorry, I get carried away when I talk about my accolades after all. Let's go to the time..


105 times.jpg



For this challenge, I managed a 46.076.

This is indeed a difficult car to drive, despite the grand nerfing of Group 3. Lot of precise inputs are required, and there are just so many times I can count how close I am to going off track thanks to the widowmaker like powerband.

And that means you have a nice 12 second gap ahead. I am automatically the winner. I'd laugh evilly, but well: all is fair in love and war. Take care now, bye bye then.























What?

You meant to say it's not the M6 on this week's spotlight?

What car? Look a couple posts above?

Ohhhh..

Well, that's embarassing. Give me a second.


BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL..
I HAVE THE POWERR!!


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Right. Now to the 205 GTI.

I shared sometime ago (I think it was on the week with the 208 GTi) that when it comes to classic compacts, the 205 is the one that tops my list, rivalling the Honda City Turbo II. I also didn't quite enjoy the car, giving vibes similar to a few non Civic FWD hatches we've nominated in the past. I can't think of one that really impressed me. Yes, this is the same kind of feeling I had with the Kangoo last week. Yes, this is me saying both this and the Kangoo are most likely Neutrals.


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I gotta do that quick blurb things I usually do soon. But I'm sure you noticed that aside the wacky livery, one thing I found is that the main deciding point of the car to win is how you tune it. Based on my findings, the downforce really doesn't matter: this is much too slow for it to make a difference. It's all about 2 things: the driver, and what's been done to the fully customizable suspension.

What did I do, you ask? Well, I'm going big and I don't plan on going home. Have a look see.


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Aggression is what I'm gunning for. Without being able to widebody or change the differential, the car just generally feels the same.. until I changed the negative camber. That's it. That 4 degrees camber? That's my Asterix secret potion. It's just what the doctor ordered.

So, how did I feel about that 57.895 best lap?

Ehhh, it's a 7/10.

How about a quick overlook for those who wait for the word of the grand overlord: the almighty SP-I mean want to take this challenge and try to get under 58 seconds?


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Going through Paddock Hill is a nightmare. You got to get the braking and the throttle right just to come out proper. My brake point is just after the 2 board, and boy: with my tune, the rear just wants to go like the Coyote seeing the Roadrunner pass by at speed.

Druids is easy, shift down to 2nd, go deep and power after apex.

Graham Hill is another toughie. It might not work for you, but for me I brake upon reaching the curbing, staying on third and power through the apex, making liberal use of that side extension.

No brakes: just a bare lift by Surtees, then brake hard on McLaren to 2nd. Take the inside line and touch the curbing by Clark Curve, going to 3rd early so you won't slip the tires as it builds power. Notably, here should be the only spot you short shift.

The last thing I notice is that you all head inwards as you cross the line. Best lap SPD didn't even do that, staying out as I prepare for the braking through Paddock again.

Yes, I am feeling full of myself. More than usual with mention of that last bit. I need a moment rubbing with myself as Can You Feel My Heart plays in the background. In the meantime, here's the final picture..


105 shared replay.jpg



Yes, I did this all to pass the time before finishing up Ford Racing Puma's sad little writeup. No, I'm not sure when you'll get to see "The Red Rocket" and "The Outlaw's Horror"... stories for the Impreza 22B and Mustang Gr.3 respectively.

And I do have some need to get them all sorted! One of them has a prime Metal Gear Rising reference, and the other's on Bathurst.
 
The results for last week's Single–Player Challenge, the I'M PICKLE RIIIIIIICK TT, are in!

Pickle_Rick74​
0:58.510
Jayzedyy​
0:58.352
Vic Reign93​
0:57.996
SomePlayaDude​
0:57.895

Congrats SPD for winning another "fruitless" SPC! (...are pickles considered fruit?)



@Racer283 has the choice for Week 106, and the Le Mans enthusiast has suddenly brought out some BIG GUNS...

This week features the Jaguar XJ220 '92!

Gran Turismo® 7_20250428062429.png


Racer283​

I'm going back to the 90s with the Jaguar XJ220. 90s was the year of when everyone tried to break the 200 Mile Per Hour goal.

The late 80s and early 90s saw a fierce and rapidly changing battle for the record of the fastest road–going car: Porsche would set the tone with the 959, and Ferrari would one–up that with the F40. It looked doubtful that Jaguar would usurp the title from the carbon draped Maranello racehorse, as Project XJ220 had to downgrade from a V12 to a turbo V6. Of course, the McLaren F1 would end this squabble with a long lived record shortly after, but for a while, the Jag was the king of the jungle, with its roots deeply entrenched in Le Mans under the care of a small group of passionate engineers.

XJ220s when new were some of the most expensive cars ever sold, and its price in GT7 more than reflects that. Don't worry if you don't have an eligible XJ220 for our weekly lobbies; we welcome any cars that fit within the tyre and PP limits!



Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing XJ220s under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~10 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 610PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Sports Hard



~Single–Player Challenge!~

The XJ220 was supposedly named for its goal of reaching a top speed of 220mph, but ultimately failed to do so.

Interested parties can take their digital XJ220s to its spiritual home, the Circuit de la Sarthe, to see just how high a top speed it can reach!

With an XJ220 in any state of tune, aim to reach the highest top speed in the WTC700 event at Circuit de la Sarthe (the grind race). You'll have to win the race for your entry to count!

Needless to say, the person who achieves the highest top speed in a winning run wins this challenge! Good luck!



Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the the thread!
 
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For those who have kept up with my ramblings for quite a while (thank you, by the way!), you'd know that I like my sports cars lightweight and simple, with power only sprinkled in sparingly as a necessary evil. And when it comes to hot hatches, that holds doubly true. The Peugeot 205 GTI '88 then, is perhaps the single best FF hot hatch in the game thus far, for the simple reason that it is just so... simple.

Gran%20Turismo%C2%AE%207_20250429084753.png


205 GTI MonteCarlo Edition by Tenki-33
#edition #montecarlo
Puegeot 205 Rallye by fargoneonone
#205 #rallye #replica

Yes, its skinny Comfort Medium tyres offer very little grip. Yes, it's got an open differential. But with only a naturally aspirated 128HP (96kW) and anemic 875kg (1,929lbs), you don't need all that much to keep the car under control. In fact, the 205 seemingly pares back on everything non–essential to give a stark, refreshing reminder of just what pure driving joy is all about. The whole package is just so straightforward and no–nonsense responsive, and it's just such a joy to wring out each gear and chuck it into corners with increasing recklessness, almost as if dared to by the car itself. And yet, it also demands—and richly rewards—proper driving techniques and car control from its driver at the same time. Its compact body not only looks great, but also lends itself to incredibly tight racing as well. Quite simply put, I struggle to find fault with the 205!

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This may be a very short writeup by my standards, but that's not just because I have no complaints about the car; I also feel a short piece is apropos. A good hot hatch to me is very much just like good rice: its nigh indescribable good qualities stand out all the more the less there is to distract from it, so much so that something so seemingly plain can be enjoyed all on its own. But if I must do the writer thing of ending with a memorable bombshell, here goes: the 205 is one of the very few cars that I can see myself going back to drive just for the fun of it after I'm done with it on COTW.
 
That Jaguar is faster than I expected, I didn’t have the car of the week, but the few races I did were interesting to say the least.
 
The results for last week's Single–Player Challenge, the Moves Like Jaguar Top Speed Shootout, are in!

Vic Reign93​
332km/h (206mph)
Jayzedyy​
338km/h (210mph)

Congrats to Jay for outspeeding our resident Stig, Vic! I have to say though, I'm surprised no one went at it with the V12 swap...



Week 308 seems to have arrived 201 weeks early (yes, this is the second time in 3 weeks I'm making that lame joke), as @RX8 Racer has chosen to feature the Ferrari 308 GTB '75 for Week 107 of GT7 COTW!

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The 308 might not bear an impressive sounding name like "Enzo", "Dino", or "Italia", but it might well be the most significant Ferrari model in the brand's history. As the first rear–midship V8 in Ferrari history, the 308 would end up being the very first in what would come to be considered a series of staples of the Prancing Horse's lineup.

If you don't have an eligible 308 for our weekly lobbies and/or the Single–Player Challenge, a 308 is now on sale in the Used Car Dealer for 172k Credits!



Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing 308s under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~7 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 485PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Comfort Medium



~Single–Player Challenge!~

RX8 Racer​

The 308 has served as a Ferrari factory-backed rally car in Group 4 and Group B. Take a stock 308 on Dirt tyres around Sardegna Windmills Forwards. Fastest lap wins.

Straightforward challenge this week, but the car might prove itself anything but... ;)



Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the the thread!
 
The results for last week's SPC, the "Spins Like Windmills TT", are in!

Jayzedyy​
1:26.205
Vic Reign93​
1:25.445

Congrats to Vic! Somehow I knew the car would fit your driving style, I wonder why...



This week, a friend of a friend just proposed to their now–fiancée, and I've just been bribed to give them the car choice for this week to mark the momentous occasion. Let's spend Week 108 hoping their souls will stay together for the rest of time, eh? To mark the occasion, @terrordog1490 has chosen the Suzuki Cappuccino (EA11R) '91!

Gran Turismo® 7_20250511190314.png



RE Amemiya Rotary Chantez by XSquareStickIt (edited)
#reamemiya #rotary #wankel

Part of the now famous "ABC" trio of early 90s Kei cars, the Suzuki Cappuccino is the only FR of the trio, which probably makes it the easiest to drive, making it the perfect beginners' sports car. That being said, its ultra lightweight 700kg (1,543lbs) mass, near perfect weight distribution, and four–wheel disc brakes make it an appealing proposition to any enthusiast regardless of experience. Let's drink up the essence of the Cappuccino this week, shall we?



Join Our Weekly Lobbies!

Our weekly lobbies are ongoing as usual, and anyone (not a dick) is welcome to join us in racing Cappuccinos under BoP conditions!

Click on the hyperlinks to convert the times to your time zone, and feel free to add the hosts as friends on PSN to make searching for the lobbies easier!

The Americas Lobby

The Asia/Oceania also kinda European Lobby​

BoP/Settings Disabled: On (Cars will temporarily be reverted to stock settings, WIDE BODIED AND/OR ENGINE SWAPPED CARS WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE!)
Tracks: Randomly selected by lobby participants (~5 mins practice, ~7 mins sprint)
PP Limit: 315PP
Car: No Limit
Tyres: Comfort Medium



~Single–Player Challenge!~

The Suzuki Cappuccino might just be a miniature racecar when tuned.

Interested parties can create replica liveries of bigger racecars on their Cappuccinos. No restrictions on source material, brands, wide bodies, aero or wheels. Let your imagination run wild! The one that elicits the biggest reaction out of me wins :)



Of course, we always welcome opinions, tunes, liveries, photos, videos, or stories about the car here on the the thread!
 
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Interested parties can create replica liveries of bigger racecars on their Cappuccinos. No restrictions on source material, brands, wide bodies, aero or wheels. Let your imagination run wild! The one that elicits the biggest reaction out of me wins :)
I’m pretty sure this is an auto-win for a certain someone and their favourite livery….
 
Hello lads!!

I've gotten back into making PS3-era gaming content on YouTube, and consequently I've been going through all my old pics and vids saved grom GT5 and GT6.

Here's some throwbacks from much-earlier COTW, circa 2015 - 2018.

Eiger Nordwand Short Track.jpg

Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.jpg
Mid-Field Raceway.jpg
Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit.jpg
Eiger Nordwand G Trail .jpg
Tsukuba Circuit.jpg
Tsukuba Circuit_1.jpg
Tsukuba Circuit_2.jpg
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.jpg
Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.jpg

This one was the only time we ever raced a car I owned in real life. Same spec too, the 6spd VVL one!

Aaahh.... memories!! If only I had the disposable time these days that I had back then :(
 
The headline trait of the Jaguar XJ220 is undoubtedly the fact that it once held the record for the highest top speed achieved in a production car, but after having sampled it in GT7, I'd argue that the 217mph (349km/h) stat completely misses the point—or dare I even say, utterly misleading—when it comes to the character and driving experience of the XJ220.

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Silk Cut XJ220 by KN1GHT_SHADE17
#jaguar #silkcut #lemans

No, I don't mean to call into question the legitimacy of a run achieved by a straight piped XJ220; what I'm saying is that the top speed of the Jaguar XJ220 is completely irrelevant to the Jaguar XJ220, because when I got behind the wheel of the car in GT7, it really didn't feel like an edgy, balls to the wall hyper performance that wants to make hell on earth of everyone's lives trying to prove itself. Quite the opposite in fact: it was a very sedate, calming, chill car that somehow robbed me of all desire to push it hard. Part of it of course, is just in how the majestic cat handles the corners. Despite being a large, heavy RMR car with enough power to set a top speed record, the Jag is surprisingly sedate in the corners, feeling extremely neutral and drama free to maneuver through the variety of bends present in the game, be they the wide and smooth roads of Fuji, the treacherous, bumpy, hilly and narrow twists of Bathrust, or the entirely fictional flights of fancy like Lago Maggiore. Power oversteer is only really a concern in first gear, which, despite being tall enough to be good for 109km/h (68mph), should see no use on a hot lap given the ample low range torque afforded by the turbocharged V6. The car defaults to gradual understeer when pushed too hard. Sure, the Jag doesn't drive as if there's catnip at every apex, but at the same time, it's not like it's seeking out the kitty litter at every turn, either. It's just a no drama, no surprises driving experience. Coupled with the extremely tall gearing and the abundance of torque on offer from any rev range, the car really deincentivises shifting as well. It's just a car that seemingly doesn't want its own driver to pay it much heed, giving the whole package such a hypnotic ability to lull me into a state of relaxation when behind the wheel. So much so in fact, that it felt downright wrong to race it hard in our weekly lobbies.

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But it's not just the gearing and torque that deincentivises shifting: the XJ220 has perhaps the worst turbo lag in the game this side of the Escudo Pikes Peak car. The extremely neutral and stable handling along with the tall gears do mask what really should've been a glaring flaw somewhat, but there's nothing the big cat can do to hide the acres of its kingdom it surrenders to other cars on the straights every time the driver has to lift for an upshift, and this deficit in acceleration performance is only exacerbated by its extremely tall gearing in bid to reach its 220mph target. Even at Monza "No" Chicane with the close quarters slipstream of an F40, I couldn't find a need for 5th gear at all. Despite the cat–like balance of the Jag letting me gain under braking, cornering, and even corner exits, the long gears of the Jag hurts it so much that it surrenders all that advantage and more come any straight that involves an upshift.

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It's nigh unheard of in a record setting car, but the Jaguar XJ220 has really surprised me in the week I've spent with it. It's capable of incredible things, and the fact that such high performance is packaged in such an understated and relaxing experience is even more of a testament to the feat of engineering that Project XJ220 represents. But to do any of its amazing things, it needs time. It doesn't have razor sharp turn in. Its turbo takes a moment to spool with every shift. It makes its driver wait in anticipation and appreciate the majestic roar of the journey as it takes its time climbing through its tall gears. To such a car, its top speed is even more irrelevant than in most other cars, because not only do I not want to bring it there, it'd take a dedicated top speed test facility to really find that 217mph. To simplify an XJ220 down to just big numbers for a short–lived marketing stunt feels to me as though a fictional character was forced to do something out of character for promotional purposes, in so doing weakening the integrity of the narrative they're trying to push. That is to say, now that the car has outgrown its need for marketing drivel, I think that the XJ220 is an incredible classic car hampered by its big boost and tall gearing in bid to hit a useless top speed target, and would be better off if it were just allowed to be itself, and I like it enough that I might just do that. But if someone wants to write a big plot twist for the XJ220, there's always the option to dump the XJR-9's V12 engine into it to suddenly make sense of its tall gears and Group C–esque interior.

Engine swaps in Gran Turismo 7 tend to be pretty Frankenstein things: after all, a car is asked to handle power it was never engineered to handle in the first place, and even with a dedicated tuner, sometimes the game simply doesn't give players the tools to really rein in the irreversible swap. It's why I rarely bother with the horrifically expensive procedure, unless I have a very specific need for the combination, i.e. to swap a racecar engine with much better fuel efficiency into a road car. The XJ220 just so happens to fit that bill, and you know what they say about curiosity: It might have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

When I swapped in the NA V12 from the XJR-9 Group C racecar into the XJ220 however, the big cat surprised me yet again, simply because it is such a "plug and play" engine swap, starkly contrasting the freakshows that I had come to expect from heart transplants. The car remains incredibly stable and just a tad understeer prone, but it puts down power well even on the default Sports Hard tyres. Even the stock 5–speed gearbox feels an incredibly natural match for the increased power; after all, the XJR-9 from which this engine is originally from also only had five forward gears. The only slight complaints I had with the combo was its slight propensity towards understeer, its lack of braking power for the speeds it's now capable of, and I'd really like some downforce at these speeds, the latter two of which are easy fixes in GT7.

Honestly, if you haven't already, I urge you to give the swap a try, expensive as it may be. It might just be the big final puzzle piece that makes the picture more than the sum of its pieces.
 

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