My thoughts related to my question:
I think that Gran Turismo will always need a robust offering of different racing modes, as racing is the natural tendency when you place more than one car on a track together. Racing also easily adds to the "game" aspect. However, I think Gran Turismo should refocus on their long standing tagline of what it is to be, "The Real Driving Simulator." Driving Simulation is what can set Gran Turismo apart from just being another racing game and the more GT plays to these strengths, the better this game can be.
I would love to see randomly/procedurallly generated stages or open world maps where one can experience the joy and thrill of taking a car on a "Sunday Drive". Grab some friends online and cruise through some beautifully modeled back country roads or winding mountain passes. No time trials, no drifting points, just events focused around why we love cars and driving them. Put some Grand Tour in Gran Turismo.
