Kazunori Yamauchi, founder and creator of the Gran Turismo series, has announced that the latest incarnation of the game will be launched on the PlayStation 3 at Christmas 2013. Gran Turismo 6 is set to continue the trend of being PlayStation's best-selling franchise, which, so far, has racked up a massive 70 million sales since its launch 15 years ago.
Firstly, let's talk car numbers. GT6 will be launched with the biggest car catalogue in its history by offering 1,200 models from the outset. This is made up of classic, modern and racing models never before seen on a Gran Turismo title, as well as every single car from GT5. If this isn't enough, downloadable content is said to be available regularly to expand it further.
The circuit figures are just as impressive. So far 33 locations have been confirmed, each with various layouts, thus bringing 71 variations of track to the table. Of these, 19 are brand new - including the addition of Silverstone.
As with the motors, downloadable content is set to further increase the number of available tracks over the life of the game.
GT6 will also feature a new user interface, as well as a new compact game engine to make for smoother game play. The new engine also means that the game will be able to be synchronised with smartphones and tablets. A brand new physics engine will feature in the title too.
GT Academy is set to return in GT6; with an exclusive demo set to be released for the competition in July.
More information on Gran Turismo 6 will be revealed at the upcoming E3 and Gamescom events.