The power of the PS3 is going to open up a lot of possibilities, especially if Kaz and the lads design Gran Turismo 5 around a comprehensive online concept.
I don't expect any Need For Spew stuff, so I'm not worried about neons or spinners showing up. Drifting, yes, they even had drift listed in the online component of GT HD. What excites me about the possibilities of GT5 online are the things like the Race Event Builder. It sounds as if Kaz is thinking of a virtual racing world that I've been gently begging for.
By the time GT5 ships, the online PS3 world should be alive, kicking and low lag. Resistance is already running well online. So with GT5, I'm hoping to see a world open up that looks like the world of racing as we have it now. The year long schedule is planned out, the racers are ready and geared to go, and all that's left to do is start their engines. What this would mean are lots of servers listed with entire classes of races, from beginners, through serious SCCA type intermediaries to the full blown Touring Car, LeMans, World Rally, Super GT, Formula 1 or what have you. With up to 20 racers on a server (hopefully), they might be set up for a minimum number to join, say 12, and a time limit to join before you have to do last minute tuning or whatever before race start. Maybe the empty slots are filled with bots.
Someone mentioned wanting to see an online component to GT Mode, and that would be interesting. I'm not sure that's viable or fair, because a few good racers could dominate and keep you from advancing, but it is something to consider. One thing that would make it awkward to implement is that offline, you just work your way through the game at your leisure. You pick a race and it's immediately ready for you. Online, you have to hope a server will be ready when you want to race, with a slot open for you. If Sony can have a whole ton of servers available, or if individual PS3s can host races, that would make this idea entirely viable. Then you just have to hope you have your stuff together.
Personally I'd rather see the online component handled as its own little universe, so that you progress through GT5 offline. I'd much rather see the online world be a realm where people create not just clans and clubs, but entire racing leagues. I'd imagine that Polyphony/Sony would host a couple dozen leagues itself. But I'd hope that saavy individuals would be able to design racing leagues with appropriate rules and restrictions for all classes of racing, so that whatever kind of car and range of performance, you could find a league in which you could prosper. They could even design league logos and decals you could slap on your car. Artists in the group could help you design a dashing paint job and decal layout to identify you with style. In this environment, GT Mode offline would be there to help you sharpen your skills so you could make a good showing in the online leagues you were a member of. Results of races would place you on leaderboards, and those skilled in racing and tuning could help better your skills to further your "career." What the rewards would be, I don't know. Undoubtedly credits, perhaps virtual trophies, perhaps sponsorships with associated income, discounts on upgrades and decals to place on your car. Perhaps the league owners will create prize cars for the top three in the league. Anything is possible, and I expect that Kaz is thinking of things like a flexible reward system with user-defined elements to it. At least I hope he is.
I do have high hopes that Kaz-sama gives us a Career Mode something like what I've been asking for. I want GT5 offline to be my ground start, where I have just enough money to buy a single cool spirts car, mod it up a bit, and carve my name in a few trophies. Then when I have a garage with a few very special cars in different classes I choose to race in, customized and painted myself, with my own name, car number and sponsors' decals, I can head off to GT Online to make a name on leaderboards around the world. Of course in my case, I'll probably be in C Class again.
At least I can predict the AI. 
Though Id love it when I make a street truck outta it.Bleeding horses? Explain por favor?
