Jaguar release Vision Gran Turismo Roadster
Jaguar has unveiled a new sports car concept for the racing game Gran Turismo in the form of the ‘Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Roadster’.
The third such virtual vehicle designed by Jaguar for the popular video game, the Vision GT Roadster joins the Vision GT Coupe from 2019 and Vision GT SV endurance racer that was unveiled in late 2020.
To mark the occasion, and the release of Gran Turismo 7 in March, Jaguar’s design team released new imagery of all three cars, with bespoke specification and livery for each.
According to Jaguar, the specially-developed black and grey exterior finishes, along with the subtle graphics "emphasise the cars' inherently dramatic, beautiful designs” and are unique to the car’s in-game appearance, too.
“As a car designer, being part of the team that has delivered three virtual cars for the Gran Turismo series has been a dream project,” said Oliver Cattell-Ford, Exterior Designer, Jaguar Advanced Design. “Since the reveal of the Vision GT Coupe in 2019 and Vision GT SV in 2020, we wanted to curate the perfect way to present the full line-up of the three cars together when we revealed the Roadster – Gran Turismo 7 is the perfect way to do it.
“The visual effect is dramatic and wouldn’t look out of place on any track or circuit around the world, from the streets of night-time Tokyo to California’s Laguna Seca raceway.”
All-Electric
Even though powertrain requirements are mostly theoretical in the virtual world, Jaguar describe the Vision GT Roadster as being fully electric, in the same vein as the Vision GT Coupe and GT SV.
Based on Jaguar’s learnings from Formula E racing in the real world, the virtual racer’s three electric motors are said to be compact, but no data or their size or positioning within the platform (two on the rear axle, one on the front axle, for example) are provided.
Jaguar do provide data on output though, claiming the trio of motors generate combined maximum power of 750kW and maximum torque of 1200Nm. In the gaming world, this translates to a 0-97km/h time of under two seconds and maximum speed in excess of 320km/h.
Fuelled by a lithium-ion battery pack that’s also been inspired by Jaguar’s Formula E experience, the Vision GT Roaster’s battery and motors are packaged in such a way that the centre of gravity is as low as possible, with a front:rear weight distribution said to be almost the perfect 50:50.
Like the drivetrain, the virtual racer’s monocoque body is theoretical, but based on real-world practices, described as being "made" from carbon fibre composites and advanced aluminium alloys.
Looking Forward – and Back
In terms of styling, the Vision GT Roaster takes a lot from the GT Coupe and GT SV with its purposeful, aerodynamically-influenced appearance, but this futuristic virtual creation also shows an obvious influence of Jaguar’s D-Type endurance racer from the 1950s in the form of the subtle dorsal fin behind the driver.
Unlike the real-world D-Type, the fin on the virtual Vision GT Roaster is deployable at speed to maximise downforce while minimising drag, in line with other such modern aero elements. A Union Jack flag is etched into the fin and subtly illuminated using LEDs.
Old-style round driving lights are added to the grille opening, while a further nod to the D-Type that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times in the 1950s comes in the form of the Vision GT Roadster’s single-seat configuration.
Alongside the RHD driving position, the passenger side is blanked off with a cover that incorporates a low, speedster-style aero screen wrapping around the driver and adds handcrafted leather straps at the leading edge to simulate bonnet straps.
The wheels are a visual treat, with a deep dish and five spokes that flow like a spiral to the hubs. Clear sections added between the spokes allow the brake discs to be seen.
Jaguar’s leaping car mascot graces the grille, side and tail, with racing roundels on the bonnet and flanks.
Inside the cockpit, there are what Jaguar calls lightweight, luxurious materials combined with stunningly intricate details.
Based on the available imagery, the seat features a four-point harness and appears to be non-adjustable, suggesting that if such a vehicle were translated to the real world, the steering column and pedal box would be adjustable.
Ready to “Drive”
Available now for Gran Turismo 7 on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 platforms, the Jaguar Vision GT Roadster will be joined by the Vision GT SV, which despite being revealed more than a year ago, will be available to drive for the first time on this seventh edition of the driving simulator.
Key differences on the GT SV compared to the GT Roadster include more obvious aero elements, like a jumbo-sized rear wing, and four motors instead of three, resulting in 1400kW, a 1.65-second 0-97km/h time and 410km/h top speed.
“We are delighted to announce the Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Roadster, which completes the trilogy of Jaguar Vision vehicles for Gran Turismo 7,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo creator and President of Polyphony Digital Inc.
“It was a great experience to work with the design team at Jaguar. We look forward to drivers getting behind the virtual wheel in the new game. All three cars lend themselves perfectly to the exciting new user experience that GT7 will offer.”
The “new user experience” Yamauchi refers to is said to be enhanced on this seventh edition of Gran Turismo thanks to new features developed by Polyphony Digital and applies to the Jaguars and all other cars in the game.
Gran Turismo 7 was available locally from 4 March, 2022.
