We’ve got another new interview with Kazunori Yamauchi via GameBlog.fr, and while it’s not as personal or as thorough as Xavier Ocampo’s, it does produce two interesting and encouraging statements.  First, he reiterates the updated damange modeling in Gran Turismo 5 – reinforcing my personal suspicion that negative reactions to the damage shown off at GamesCom was the primary decision for a 2010 release. On the subject of release dates, Yamauchi confirms that is a decision in the hands of Sony Computer Entertainment, since “both versions [PAL and NTSC, presumably] will be finished at the same time”.

When you’re looking through some of the latest screenshots, it’s easy to think to yourself, “You know, that looks a lot better than anything I’ve ever seen in real life.” It’s a phenomenon not lost on Kazunori Yamauchi, who acknowledges that the real world doesn’t quite live up to the visual standards set by Polyphony Digital in these comments to NowGamer:

Logitech’s new steering wheel has finally arrived! They’re in stock right now at Amazon.com for $287.38, plus shipping. Reports in our forums also indicate the G27 is showing up on shelves at Best Buy in the United States. The obvious question, then – should you pick this up? According to the reviews, here’s the simple answer: if you’ve already got a G25, you’ll appreciate the hardware upgrades, but you shouldn’t feel too pressured to pick up a G27. If you’re in the market for your first steering wheel (and don’t mind spending the extra cash over the discounted G25 prices), you’re going to get one of the best wheels on the market.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QZacNDd6vI

Unfortunately, most “journalists” who get the chance to interview Kazunori Yamauchi are largely clueless about the current state of the franchise. As a result, they ask the same questions to which the answers don’t really matter, delivered with the same rabid, impatient schoolboy mentality that seems to plague many people on the Internet these days. Needless to say, while this interview method can provide some sensational headlines, it does nothing to connect with the man or the company behind Gran Turismo. That’s what makes this interview with Xavier Ocampo, Japanese correspondent at MeriStation, so incredibly refreshing and insightful.

If you’ve played Gran Turismo PSP, the thought of hooking up a steering wheel to the little handheld console has probably crossed your mind. The only problem, of course, is that the PSP isn’t compatible with any wheel on the market – or so we thought. GTPlanet user tingri discovered the above clip created by YouTuber RacerS2, who’s done the impossible with a hacked PSP and a collection of other software programs. Although he doesn’t provide a tutorial on how to get this working yourself, you might want to consider the one big caveat before taking on a project like this: GT PSP doesn’t support analog gas or brake controls, so it’s all or nothing when you press the pedals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE3VAt07ie4

Gran Turismo PSP launched with an interesting and new incentive: a free, bonus car depending on where you pre-ordered the game or if you download it via the PSN Store. However, users in our forum have reported everything from receiving incorrect cars, invalid codes, to not receiving a code at all! Fortunately, your cries have been heard, with Sony issuing an apology to affected customers along with a promise to get everything straightened out.

Finally, we get to see the full car list for Gran Turismo PSP.  This doesn’t have all 850 vehicles- some of which will remain Polyphony Digital’s surprise – but at least it’s official. Take a look!

Members of the press who visited Polyphony Digital last week were treated to something special: an unpublished Gran Turismo 5 trailer showcasing an apparently more impressive damage model. The news comes from Spanish site MeriStation, making them first to mention this clip. Unfortunately, cameras were carefully controlled in the screening room, so we have only this description to go by:

If you didn’t pre-order your copy of Gran Turismo PSP and you just can’t wait until your local retailer opens up, you can fire up your PSP and start downloading from the PSN Store right now. To encourage that, Sony’s offering a special incentive: a free Nissan GTR in a limited “metallic blue” color. Despite the bonus and convenient access, is it enough to entice you away from your physical game store to participate in the sacred act of purchasing the latest GT game? (For you snidely commentators: that was a joke.)

It’s been more than 5 years since Gran Turismo was officially announced for PSP system at E3 2004 – and today, you can walk into a store and buy it! Needless to say, a lot has happened to get us to this point – let’s take a quick look back at what a long and winding road it’s been:

Worried about missing out on the pre-order bonus cars offered with Gran Turismo PSP? Don’t fret – you can still play this fun little mini-game to claim a free Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren! It’s simple: work your way through 8 different GT-themed challenges, score enough points along the way to earn the car, enter your email address, and wait for a PSN voucher code to hit your Inbox. A few caveats and unknowns:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxheZY-txoQ

Last weekend’s interviews with Kazunori Yamauchi are finally hitting the web. While most reveal nothing that GTPlanet readers don’t already know, if we add up the bits and pieces of new information, we can get a better idea of what he is trying to tell us (or not). With so many interviews out at once, it’s easy to feel a bit overwhelmed. To help out, I’ve organized Yamauchi’s comments for you, dividing them up by topic. Let’s get started…

Here’s the latest batch of high-res Gran Turismo 5 screenshots, giving us our first glimpse of the Enzo Ferrari and the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 in full GT5 glory.

It’s always interesting to take a peek inside Polyphony Digital‘s studios – a modern space packed full of computers, PS3’s, model cars, and Japanese toys. While we wait for the interviews from GamesBlog and GameSpot, take a look at some of the pictures from they’ve already started sharing. Be sure and watch for the iconic Ferrari 330 P4 getting its interior modeled, along with some interesting track-side elements, curiously blocky screens of Gran Turismo 5, and a talking George W. Bush figurine (?). What else can you find hiding in the background? Take a look at our full gallery of 111 images right here.