For years, the Gran Turismo series video games have adapted cars to the small screen for an interactive driving experience. For Gran Turismo 6, Mercedes is going in the other direction, and revealed a real-world concept that was designed for the game. The AMG Vision Gran Turismo was introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show today, and will be available as a download for Gran Turismo 6 when the game is released in December.
Responding to a challenge to celebrate Gran Turismo’s fifteenth anniversary by creating a forward-looking performance car, Mercedes created a car that follows the classic proportions of its performance cars. The AMG Vision Gran Turismo features a long hood and compact, rear-set greenhouse. The exaggerated teardrop shape provides aerodynamic stability, and the prominent wheel arches bulge into an extravagant Coke-bottle shape. The car appears to be accelerating while it’s standing still. Red contour lines in the lower body and race-inspired details on the hood and fuel filler provide additional visual interest. The grille, while looking at a glance like the usual wide-mouth Mercedes unit, actually features LEDs that can alter the car’s design and light signature.
This is a fully functional concept, powered by AMG’s 585-horsepower twin-turbo V8 and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. AMG ceramic brake provide race-ready stopping power and the rear “grille” is actually eight close-set exhaust outlets.
Unlike most of AMG’s current road cars, the AMG Vision Gran Turismo’s interior is sparse and minimalist. Stripped to the bare essentials, the two-seat interior has red sport seats, a gullwing-inspired dash and a racing steering wheel with shift paddles. Mechanical parts like the steering column have been left exposed, and no-nonsense rocker switches line the console above and below.
The AMG Vision Gran Turismo was used to create the video game car as a 1:1 model, with only one change: the virtual version has a fixed rear spoiler, where the concept’s is adjustable.
