It’s one of the great pre-war classic cars and, thanks to recognition in California, it may be immortalized in a future version of Gran Turismo. This year’s Gran Turismo Trophy winner at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corto Spider Zagato.
Another open-wheeler could be coming to the Gran Turismo series in the future. No, not a modern Formula One machine, but a 51-year old Indy 500 competitor driven by motorsports royalty.
Every year at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Polyphony Digital award the Gran Turismo Trophy; a token of intent to bring the chosen winner into the Gran Turismo series. The official description of the trophy states the following:
Each year at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – the world’s most famous and prestigious car show – Kazunori Yamauchi selects a car to be awarded the “Gran Turismo Trophy”, after which it will be digitized and immortalized in the Gran Turismo series.
Kazunori Yamauchi has selected a 1953 Aston Martin DB3S as the winner of Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo Trophy at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
Each year at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Kazunori Yamauchi personally selects a car at the show to be awarded the “Gran Turismo Trophy” and included in a future Gran Turismo title.
At the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance yesterday, Kazunori Yamauchi awarded this year’s Gran Turismo Trophy to a head-turning 1960 Plymouth XNR Ghia Roadster concept car. Created by influential car designer Virgil Exner (hence the concept’s name), it was intended to preview the direction of Chrysler’s designs in the 1960’s. It had enough muscle to back up its dramatic, asymmetrical look, producing 250 horsepower from a Valiant 225 Slant Six (more details on the car are available here).