Smooth then Sweet: The 8th Annual Gran Turismo Awards

30 5

We’re officially a week away from the launch of one of the biggest games of the year, Gran Turismo 5 speeds onto store shelves on November 24th. Days before we announced the new launch date, PlayStation hosted the 8th annual Gran Turismo Awards in Las Vegas during the 2010 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, which recognizes and rewards automotive enthusiasts. SEMA Show participants were invited to submit their cars for consideration in the GT Awards, and a select panel of judges from the car enthusiast industry picked the top winner for each of the five categories — Domestic, Truck/SUV, Hot Rod, Asian Import, and European Import.

With video camera in hand and help from our San Diego video team, I followed Kazunori Yamauchi (creator of the Gran Turismo franchise) and filmed him carefully and meticulously inspecting each vehicle and their performance followed by a brief history lesson from each of their owners. Filming Kazunori at play? Man, do I love my job.

8th Annual Gran Turismo Awards 8th Annual Gran Turismo Awards

Every year, only one car can drive away with the coveted top honor. In the end, the Best in Show award went to Mark Stielow for his red 1969 Chevy Camaro. His gorgeous red muscle car will be digitally re-created and converted into a playable car in Gran Turismo.

8th Annual Gran Turismo Awards

Before and after the awards, attendees had a chance to test drive past GT Award winning cars brought to life in Gran Turismo 5. And to end the night in style, attendees were treated to a set by DJ Diplo followed by a special live performance by 30 Seconds to Mars.

For the official Gran Turismo Awards recap and photo gallery, visit the Gran Turismo 5 website now!

Comments are closed.

30 Comments

5 Author Replies

  • How much for the ’69 Chevy Camaro? =)

    I’d assume it would have to be “priceless” right? =(

    Glad you had a blast Rey. =)

  • Rey are you the one making these ultra-synchronized reels?

    This is at least the 2nd I’ve seen on the PS Blog and they never fail to impress.

    • Thanks man! Yeah, anything that has the PlayStation Blog intro is something I shot and edited out of my workshop! I’m happy to hear you’re enjoying these.

  • Why are there no ads for the game yet?

  • Awesome video! Loved the editing, great job!

  • very cool, Game is going to be awesome!

  • I dont believe they picked a good car. really hope the game doesn’t disappoint, but until I play it, I’m still skeptical the game is going to have that true authentic driving feel I’ve been waiting for, pretty graphics and details aside.

  • I can feel it coming in the air tonight. I have been waiting for this moment all my life.

  • i hope i can assign the gas and brakes to the F1 Paddles behind the steering wheel like on a PC, those be my hand controls becuase im in a wheelchair.. this is also why i havent attended a GT5 Event because theeres no PS3’s hooked up to play it, only the Driving Sleds.. i casnt into there from y wheelchair. Thanks and yea King aka Rey lol, this is GT% Rocks!

  • Is it called GT5 because it took 5 years to come to retail? LOL just kidding can’t wait :)

  • Can anyone please tell me if GT5 will have the option to convert the accelerate button from X to the R2 button?

  • Sony needs to blitz televisions across the world with its biggest marketing campaign for the PS3 to date. I’m sure half of this game’s potential buyers weren’t aware of all the delays. What’s important is that this game is coming out in LESS THAN A WEEK, in time for the holidays, and it is the most complete and gorgeous looking racer to date.

    I’m talking football half-time commercials, Kevin Butler ads during NBC’s comedy line-up, GT5 promotions during late-night, etc. C’mon SONY!!! Where is the marketing for this game? It’s so critical for this game to commercially perform well and give it the exposure it deserves. sheesh.

  • i love to edit music, used to do it with the reel to reel before digital lol.. yea the vids are great tho, I asked Sid a while ago to get vids into the Home theatre more offten and now you her so thats cool… keep it up!

    • Yep. We’re adding new videos to our Home space weekly. Also, I’ll be giving our Home space a facelift fairly soon!

  • Next Wednesday can’t come soon enough! It was good meeting you at the GT Awards at SEMA Rey, the awards event was a lot of fun…. oh and getting to play GT5 early = Awesome!!!

  • Cant wait till next wednesday gt5 is gonna own, anyway what’s the name of the song it’s great. Also great job on the video its quite a talent you got there

  • 1 WEEK TO GOOOOOOOOOOO! ! ! ;P

  • That ps blog intro was badass

  • Are any of the cars in the vid getting the honor of being in the game? If that red ae86 race car with the beams engine makes it into the game I might just have to buy another ps3, even though my last 2 got the yellow light of death. DAMN YOU SONY!

  • By the way Rey, tell SCEA, SCEE, SCEJ or whoever the crap is so bad at managing leaks to get a control on the fresh PSP2 dev kit image leaks.

    Seriously SCE has got to be the loosest in the industry when it comes to this stuff. Is it because there are just so many establishments to oversee in SCEWWS?

  • LOVE the GT 5 countown!!! THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!!!!!!!!! DOO DOO DOOOOO DOOO DOOOOOOO DOOOOOO

  • Sony thank the chips you have this man and this series on Playstation. Killzone isn’t the answer to Halo Gran Turismo is. Novemebr 24th is going to be ridiculous. I’m going to have to booby trap my bag before heading home from work.

  • Is that the translator guy with pen and paper that was at E3.. 2 years ago? if so nice to see he lost the pen and paper

  • @ #10 mht333:

    Every single Gran Turismo game (AFAIK) has had the option to fully customize the control setup however you like it, and GT5, I assure you, will be no different. I can 1,000,000,000,000% Guarantee you that.

  • what? His translator doesnt have his notebook?

  • LOL@23 i was going to comment about the notebook translator as well.that guy has become a celebrity among the people that watch the conferences online.he was a star with the neogaf crowd for awhile…

    also,i would love to see more vids of the game itself.cant wait to drive through the city of tokyo XD

  • just one more week…after 3 years of patiently waiting… definitely going to be the first thanksgiving i won’t be watching football ;)

  • OMG it’s translator san!!!

  • It’s Diplo not DJ Diplo. What a tool. lol

  • I Really hope there will be a MASSIVE advertisement for GT5. I want it to be in everyone face everywhere. Let people know this is the best thing to happen this year in gaming history! PLEASE AD THIS WELL!!

  • @ Vanquish23 There probably will be some ads . but forget about a blitz by television , in this day and age of DVR and streaming content , blitzing by television isnt the most cost efficient anymore . people watch their favorite programs differently these days and alot of marketers are shifting ad dollars to the internet . i can barely remember the last time i actually WATCHED ON A NETWORK CHANNEL myself . most content i see comes from the internet .

  • i have confidence sony knows what they’re doing with advertising. you know about it. i know about it. i just got a mailer today promoting gt5 and a couple 3D tvs. considering the type of game it is and its following, i don’t think it needs to be plastered absolutely everywhere.

Please enter your date of birth.

Date of birth fields