A new Gran Turismo 7 Online Time Trial is now available, bringing a couple of blasts from the past together for a slippery road car challenge.
After four weeks in North America — at Watkins Glen, Daytona, Lake Louise, and Willow Springs — we’re heading across the Atlantic to Europe, and a fictional race track set in the motorsport near-vacuum of Switzerland.
Surprisingly there’s two such courses in the game, but this week we’re racing at the redeveloped fan-favorite from early Gran Turismo games of Deep Forest. Not only that, it’s the reverse direction layout of the track.
The American theme continues though, with one of the odder cars in the Gran Turismo series: the DeLorean S2 ’04. It’s an oddball because technically it doesn’t exist, or at least not in this form.
In fact the S2 is an original DeLorean — sometimes referred to as the DMC-12, due to its internal production designation — updated by a company called DMC Texas, which snapped up the defunct marque, and its parts inventory, after its ignominious end. Oddly, the car in the game also wears a Don Massey Cadillac badge on the rear; Cadillac dealer Massey originally tried to buy the remnants of DMC.
There’s quite a bit of work involved, with the car stripped back and many key components replaced, as well as a significant power upgrade from the original so that the anemic, 130hp PRV lump now hits 197hp. “Series 2” is more of a nickname though, and while the work may have been carried out in 2004, the car retains the original VIN and production year – which in GT7 is a 1982 model.
All that aside, you’ll be trying to get the rear-heavy DeLorean around Deep Forest as quickly as possible on upgraded Sports Hard tires, and at present the record for doing so is a 1:47.440. It’s early days, but we reckon the top drivers will be pushing each other to a 1:46.9, which will set the gold target as something around a 1:50.150.
Last week’s return to paved circuits with alternating corner directions is still active too, with the open-class Gr.4 time trial at Big Willow having one more week to run.
Times are pretty much ballpark to where we suggested last week, with a 1:16.753 record sitting almost exactly on the mid-high boundary of the 1:16s, and setting a gold target of 1:19.055. There has been a shift in the car of choice though, with 99% of the top 100 now in the Alfa Romeo 4C rather than the early pace-setting Megane V6.
It’s all looking pretty tight too, so while there may be more to come it doesn’t look like it’ll be much and a flat 1:19 should be enough for gold. Still, you should aim at a high-1:18 for a little more security.
In order to access the Online Time Trials, you’ll need to unlock Sport Mode, by completing Menu Book 9 (“Championship: Tokyo Highway Parade”) in the GT Cafe single player hub. As it’s just you against the clock and not a direct, head-to-head multiplayer event, PlayStation Plus is not required.
You’ll usually need to be within 3% of the fastest time globally once the event finishes in order to secure “gold” status and a 2m credit bonus prize. There’s smaller prizes of one million for being within 5%, and 250,000cr for bronze at 10% off.
The events update every Thursday, with each individual challenge usually remaining available for two weeks and the oldest of the two events being replaced each week. You can look forward to the next new Time Trial arriving at 0700 UTC on Thursday May 1.
Gran Turismo 7 Lap Time Challenge April 24 – Deep Forest
- Track: Deep Forest Reverse
- Car: DMC DeLorean S2 ’04 – Garage/Rental Car
- Power/Weight/PP Limit: BOP (M)
- Tires: Sports Hard
- Settings: Fixed
Gran Turismo 7 Lap Time Challenge April 17 – Willow Springs
- Track: Willow Springs Big Willow
- Car: Gr.4 – Garage/Rental Car
- Power/Weight/PP Limit: BOP (M)
- Tires: Racing Hard
- Settings: Fixed
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