~B
Gran Turismo: Complete Car List
Version 1.6--14 April 1999
Compiled by Dave Connoy
connoy@students.uiuc.edu
+---------+
| Preface |
+---------+
This document is simply a list of all 172 (148 distinct) cars available in
the North American version of Gran Turismo. I've decided to compile it
because despite a good chunk of literature on tuning and racing technique
associated with the game, no complete and accurate list of the cars and their
capabilities has been assembled. So, here it is. Because of its tabular
nature, this document requires a monospace font and five-character tabs--be
sure the following characters line up.
blah blah blah
.... .... ....
+-------------------+
| Table of Contents |
+-------------------+
Version History
Introduction/Notation
Car Dealers
Nissan
Honda
Acura
Mazda
Mitsubishi
Toyota
Subaru
Chevrolet
Dodge
Aston Martin
TVR
Prize Car Listing
Gran Turismo's Best Cars
Best Bargain Cars
Best Front-Wheel Drive Cars
Best Normal Cars
Best Arcade Mode Cars
Best Racing-Spec Cars
Final Words
Credits
+-----------------+
| Version History |
+-----------------+
Version 1.5: 17 Feb 1999. "Gran Turismo's Best Cars" no longer known as a
"Super Special Bonus Section" as it's gotten so big now. Added "Best
Arcade Mode Cars" to "Gran Turismo's Best Cars". Added cheapo ASCII
boxes to section headings. Overall ratings added to Chevrolet, Dodge,
Aston Martin, and TVR cars. Changed number of gears for each car to the
"Normal" number (instead of the "Racing Support" number), and verified
each one. Reorganized the "Introduction/Notation" section to make it
a bit more readable. Other miscellaneous changes here and there.
Version 1.6: 14 April 1999. Made major revisions to diversify the "Best
Normal Cars" and "Best FF Cars" lists. Added overall ratings to Honda
and Mitsubishi cars. Cut the "Version History" down to the last two
versions. Added "Prize Car Listing" for a quick reference to the prize
cars.
+-----------------------+
| Introduction/Notation |
+-----------------------+
Name: The first column contains the car's name, prefixed with a "*" if it is
a prize car (obtained by winning a particular event) and/or an [R] if it is a
racing-spec car.
DrvTrn: This column notes the car's drivetrain (using the conventions in the
Gran Turismo manual).
#G: The next column is the number of gears in car's transmission when fitted
with its normal gearbox. All 4-speed cars and some 5-speed cars get an extra
gear when fitted with the "Racing Support" gearbox.
Stock HP: Listed with each car is the stock peak horsepower (this is the real
value from the garage, NOT the figure quoted by the dealership).
Tuned HP: This is the peak HP after all highest-spec parts installed.
Stock Wt.: This is the unmodified weight of the car.
Tuned Wt.: The car's weight after all three stages of weight reduction.
Racing Wt.: The car's weight with racing modification fitted.
Rating: Under the "Rating" column, I'll give a general rating of the car's
race-winning potential when fully tuned. Ratings from lowest to highest are
Poor, Fair, Good, Great.
I'll also note which race awards a particular prize car, its commonality, and
what colors it comes in; many cars will have miscellaneous comments after
their entry describing their rating or other unique characteristics. I have
labeled a few things "BUG" or "Mysterious Fact"; if you find anything that's
similar in nature to them, please let me know. The "distinct" number of cars
under each dealer's name is the total after removing cars with identical
statistics (it's kind of silly to count the 3 identical Eunos Roadsters as 3
different cars).
+-------------+
| Car Dealers |
+-------------+
Nissan (38 entries, 33 distinct)
======
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Primera '90 2.0Te FF 5 142 324 2667 2078 1785 Poor
Primera '95 2.0Te FF 5 142 321 2601 2028 1741 Fair
The '95 Primera has a better suspension than its older brother, which
lets it take corners quite a bit faster.
180SX Type S FR 5 133 318 2645 2063 1772 Fair
Worst power-to-weight ratio in a stock rear-wheel drive car.
180SX '94 Type X FR 5 192 479 2667 2266 1920 Fair
180SX Type X FR 5 198 479 2689 2286 1935 Fair
R32 Skyline GTS25 Type S FR 5 181 336 2777 2164 1860 Fair
R32 Skyline GTS-t Type M FR 5 208 323 2777 2361 1999 Fair
R32 Skyline GTS-4 4WD 5 208 333 3130 2660 2253 Poor
The GTS Type M and Type S have better acceleration than their peak HP
indicates, due to their more gently sloped power curves. The GTS-4 has
the worst power-to-weight ratio in a tuned 4WD, and is the least
powerful 4WD overall.
R33 Skyline GTS25t Type M FR 5 237 483 2998 2548 2158 Fair
Fairlady Z Version S 2by2 FR 5 225 314 3240 2526 2169 Poor
Fairlady Z Version S 2seater FR 5 225 314 3152 2458 2112 Poor
Fairlady Z TwinTurbo 2by2 FR 5 272 670 3461 2940 2491 Fair
Fairlady Z TwinTurbo 2seater FR 5 272 670 3373 2865 2427 Fair
Sadly, the engine redlines (and thus the transmission shifts) far too
early on the turbo Zs to fully take advantage of the meaty powerband
*after* the 670 HP peak. Otherwise they might have earned Good.
R32 Skyline '89 GT-R 4WD 5 303 913 3152 2678 2268 Great
Best power-to-weight ratio in a tuned car!
R32 Skyline '91 GT-R 4WD 5 303 913 3262 2773 2347 Great
*R32 Skyline '91 GT-R 4WD 5 303 913 3262 2773 2347 Great
Rare award in Hard-Tuned Car event; red, yellow, or blue.
R32 Skyline GT-R Vspec 4WD 5 303 913 3306 2810 2380 Great
R32 Skyline GT-R Vspec II 4WD 5 303 854 3306 2810 2380 Great
R32 Skyline GT-R Nismo 4WD 5 303 854 3306 2810 2380 Great
What is there to say? The Skyline GT-Rs are all absurdly powerful and
light, and since they're 4WD, even a monkey could race them.
R33 Skyline '95 GT-R 4WD 5 310 937 3373 2865 2427 Great
R33 Skyline GT-R 4WD 5 310 937 3373 2865 2427 Great
R33 Skyline '95 GT-R Vspec 4WD 5 310 937 3395 2885 2442 Great
R33 Skyline GT-R Vspec 4WD 5 310 941 3395 2885 2442 Great
The Twinkiemobiles strike again! The R33 GT-R Vspec is the most
powerful car.
*Nismo GT-R LM FR 5 311 860 3483 2960 2506 Good
Awarded in All-Night II event; silver. Though it has brutal HP, its
weight makes the Nismo GT-R a handful to drive on twisty courses.
*Nismo 400R 4WD 5 411 860 3417 2903 2460 Great
Awarded in IA License test; silver, gray, red, or yellow. Most power and
best power-to-weight ratio in a stock 4WD. Demolishes the Normal event.
[R]Nismo GT-R LM FR 6 653 2513 Great
*[R]S14 Silvia LM Edition FR 6 536 2116 Great
Awarded in All-Night I event; red or ectoplasm green. Least powerful
racing-spec car.
Honda (17 entries, 16 distinct)
=====
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
del Sol '93 S FF 5 123 204 2286 1781 1529 Poor
del Sol '93 Si FF 5 159 262 2286 1781 1529 Poor
Prelude FF 5 188 378 2954 2303 1977 Fair
Tied with Eclipse GT for most powerful tuned front-wheel drive car.
Prelude Type SH FF 5 208 374 3042 2372 2037 Fair
*[R]del Sol LM Edition MR 6 563 1962 Great
Rare award in UK Vs. Japan event; black or red.
Acura (8 entries)
=====
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Integra GS-R FF 5 171 303 2667 2078 1785 Poor
Integra Type R FF 5 189 361 2594 2023 1737 Fair
NSX '91 MR 5 268 490 3009 2345 2015 Fair
BUG: The "Info" screen for the '91 NSX references the info for the
current NSX rather than the '91-'93. View the '93 NSX for the real info.
NSX '93 MR 5 268 490 3020 2354 2021 Fair
The problem of the older NSXs' relatively weaker power-to-weight ratio
is compounded by their 5-speed transmission.
NSX MR 6 285 534 3068 2391 2054 Good
NSX Type S MR 6 285 534 2910 2268 1948 Great
NSX Type S Zero MR 6 285 534 2799 2182 1873 Great
[R]NSX-R LM GT2 MR 6 541 2314 Great
Mazda (23 entries, 18 distinct)
=====
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Demio LX G Package FF 5 77 202 2006 1563 1342
Least powerful stock car; lightest commercially available car; worst
power-to-weight ratio in a stock car.
Demio GL FF 5 94 211 2116 1649 1417
Demio GL-X FF 5 94 211 2116 1649 1417
*Demio A spec FF 5 94 211 1807 1408 1210
Awarded in Sunday Cup event; silver. Lightest car.
Lantis Coupe 2000 Type R FF 5 169 326 2733 2131 1829
FC Savanna RX-7 GT-X FR 5 199 429 2755 2341 1984
FC Savanna RX-7 Efini III FR 5 204 432 2645 2248 1904
Eunos Cosmo 13B Type S CCS FR 4 220 506 3350 2848 2411
Eunos Cosmo 20B Type E CCS FR 4 270 673 3615 3073 2601
FD Efini RX-7 '91 Type R FR 5 256 527 2777 2361 1999
FD Efini RX-7 Touring X FR 4 256 527 2932 2491 2109
FD Efini RX-7 Type RB FR 5 256 527 2777 2361 1999
FD Efini RX-7 Type RZ FR 5 256 527 2755 2341 1984
FD Efini RX-7 A spec FR 5 256 527 2689 2286 1935
BUG: The RX-7 A spec seems to have zero downforce (all other cars have
at least a little). This can only be fixed with racing modification.
[R]RX-7 LM Edition FR 6 588 2116
*[R]RX-7 A spec LM Edition FR 6 570 2314
Rare award in UK Vs. US event; green or purple.
Mitsubishi (22 entries, 18 distinct)
==========
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Galant VR-G Touring FF 5 142 168 2733 2131 1829 Worst
Least powerful tuned car. Worst power-to-weight ratio in a tuned car.
Lancer EvolutionIII GSR 4WD 5 259 477 2777 2361 1999 Good
Mysterious Fact: The Lancer III's final gear ratio can be increased to
as high as 5.5 (other cars only go to 5.0).
Lancer EvolutionIV GSR 4WD 5 268 492 2976 2528 2142 Good
*Lancer EvolutionIV GSR 4WD 5 268 492 2976 2528 2142 Good
Common award in 4WD Challenge event; yellow, blue-green, or purple.
*[R]FTO LM Edition 4WD 6 541 2050 Great
Rare award in US Vs. Japan event; black or green.
Toyota (30 entries, 24 distinct)
======
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starlet Glanza V FF 5 131 217 2028 1723 1459
AE86 Corolla Levin GT-APEX FR 5 133 226 2039 1589 1364
AE86 Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX FR 5 133 226 2039 1589 1364
*AE86 Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX FR 5 133 226 2039 1589 1364
Common award in Hard-Tuned Car event; white, pink, or blue.
Lightest rear-wheel drive cars.
Mark II '92 Tourer S FR 4 175 262 3020 2354 2021
Worst power-to-weight ratio in a tuned rear-wheel drive car.
Mark II '92 Tourer V FR 5 266 611 3196 2716 2301
Supra '95 SZ-R FR 6 213 377 3152 2458 2112
Supra SZ-R FR 6 213 377 3196 2493 2140
Supra '95 RZ FR 6 291 883 3284 2791 2363
Supra RZ FR 6 300 910 3328 2828 2396
Most power & best power-to-weight ratio in a tuned rear-wheel drive car.
*Supra RZ FR 6 300 897 3328 2828 2396
Rare award in Normal Car event; dark orange, light blue, or purple.
*TRD 3000GT FR 6 291 869 3328 2828 2396
Awarded in A License test; silver. Has far better suspension and
aerodynamics than the Supra RZ.
[R]Castrol Supra GT FR 7 646 2535
*[R]Castrol Supra GT FR 7 646 2535
Awarded in Grand Valley 300 event; black/red with green or blue trim.
*[R]Chaser LM Edition FR 6 655 2777
Awarded in GT Cup event; black.
Subaru (18 entries)
======
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alcyone SVX Version L 4WD 5 227 452 3571 2784 2391
Alcyone SVX S4 4WD 5 227 452 3505 2733 2347
*Alcyone SVX S4 4WD 5 227 447 3505 2733 2347
Rare award in 4WD Challege event; white, blue, or purple.
*Impreza Sedan WRX-STi ver.III 4WD 5 270 494 2689 2286 1935
Common award in Normal Car event; yellow, orange, or blue. Tied with
Pulsar '91 GTi-R for lightest four-wheel drive car.
Impreza WRX-STi Type R 4WD 5 270 494 2733 2323 1966
Best power-to-weight ratio in a commercially available stock 4WD.
[R]Impreza Rally Edition 4WD 6 575 2160
Chevrolet (4 entries, 2 distinct)
=========
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Camaro Z28 FR 4 279 415 3461 2698 2317 Fair
*Camaro Z28 30th Anniversary FR 4 279 415 3461 2698 2317 Fair
Awarded in Clubman Cup event; white with red stripes.
Corvette '96 Coupe FR 6 323 479 3218 2508 2156 Good
Corvette '96 Grand Sport FR 6 323 479 3218 2508 2156 Good
Dodge (5 entries)
=====
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Concept Car FR 5 213 249 2160 1684 Poor
Awarded in B License test; orange-red. Inability to fit a racing body
lowered this car's fully tuned rating. Good as a normal car, however.
Viper RT/10 FR 6 440 572 3187 2484 2134 Great
Viper GTS FR 6 440 578 3240 2526 2169 Great
Most powerful stock cars.
*[R]Concept Car FR 6 560 1329 Best
Common award in UK Vs. US event; yellow or purple. Lightest racing-spec
car; best power-to-weight ratio in the game!
*[R]Viper GTS-R FR 7 680 2753 Great
Common award in US Vs. Japan event; white with green or blue stripes.
Most powerful racing-spec car.
Aston Martin (3 entries, 2 distinct)
============
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
DB7 Coupe FR 5 328 424 3802 3231 2738 Poor
*DB7 Coupe FR 5 328 424 3802 3231 2738 Poor
Common award in Megaspeed event; white, orange-red, or purple.
DB7 Volante FR 5 328 424 4133 3511 2976 Poor
Heaviest car.
TVR (4 entries)
===
Name Drv # Stock Tuned Stock Tuned Racing Rating
Trn G HP HP Wt. Wt. Wt.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Griffith 4.0 FR 5 327 430 2336 1820 1565 Great
Griffith 500 FR 5 333 430 2336 1820 1565 Great
Best power-to-weight ratio in a stock car!
Cerbera FR 5 343 436 2425 1891 1624 Great
*[R]Cerbera LM Edition FR 6 581 1984 Great
Common award in UK Vs. Japan event; gray with red or green trim.
+-------------------+
| Prize Car Listing |
+-------------------+
This list isn't anything that's not in the big list above, it's just a quick
reference to the prize cars, sorted by race.
License Test
============
B License Test
*Dodge Concept Car (orange-red)
A License Test
*TRD 3000GT (silver)
IA License Test
*Nismo 400R (silver, gray, red, or yellow)
GT League
=========
Sunday Cup
*Mazda Demio A spec (silver)
Clubman Cup
*Chevrolet Camaro Z28 30th Anniversary (white with red stripes)
GT Cup
*Toyota Chaser LM Edition (black)
GT World Cup
No car is awarded; the "GT Hi-Fi" mode will appear in the Special Event menu.
Special Event
=============
FF Challenge
*Honda CR-X EF-8 Si-R (black, yellow, or purple)
*Toyota Celica SS-II (yellow, blue-green, or purple)
FR Challenge
*Nissan S13 Silvia Q's 1800cc (yellow, brown, or blue-green)
*Nissan Sil Eighty (yellow, blue, or purple)
4WD Challenge
*Mitsubishi Lancer EvolutionIV GSR (yellow, blue-green, or purple)
*Subaru Alcyone SVX S4 (white, blue, or purple)
Lightweight Sports Battle Stage
*Honda EK Civic Type R (pink, yellow, or blue)
*Mazda Eunos Roadster (yellow, gold, or lavender)
US Vs. Japan
*[R]Dodge Viper GTS-R (white with green stripes or white with blue stripes)
*[R]Mitsubishi FTO LM Edition (black or green)
UK Vs. Japan
*[R]TVR Cerbera LM Edition (gray with red trim or gray with green trim)
*[R]Honda del Sol LM Edition (black or red)
US Vs. UK
*[R]Dodge Concept Car (yellow or purple)
*[R]Mazda RX-7 A spec LM Edition (green or purple)
Megaspeed Cup
*Aston Martin DB7 Coupe (white, orange-red, or purple)
*Toyota Soarer 2.5GT-T VVT-i (yellow, red-orange, or purple)
Normal Car World Speed Contest
*Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX-STi Ver.III (yellow, orange, or blue)
*Toyota Supra RZ (dark orange, light blue, or purple)
Grand Valley 300 Endurance Race
*[R]Toyota Castrol Supra GT (black, red, and green, or black, red, and blue)
Hard-Tuned Car Speed Contest
*Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (white, pink, or blue)
*Nissan R32 Skyline '91 GT-R (red, yellow, or blue)
All-Night II Endurance Race
*Nismo GT-R LM (silver)
+--------------------------+
| Gran Turismo's Best Cars |
+--------------------------+
I added this section to help fill out where this list is lacking; it contains
a few more subjective lists that I hope you'll find useful. I like these
more because they let me inject color commentary. :) :) :)
Best Bargain Cars
=================
First, the "bargain" cars. When you first start Simulation Mode, you only
have 10,000 credits to your name, and amongst the various dealers' used car
lots, about twenty different cars to choose from with which to start your
career in the Sunday Cup. Here are my top picks from the El Cheapo
department.
7. Mitsubishi GTO '92
This car makes the list because it's one of only two bargain-priced 4WD
cars. The other cheap 4WD is the R32 Skyline GTS-4, which is a better
car in stock form, but I have to give the nod to the GTO for better
expandability (it can get as high as 381 HP). Only buy this car if
you're hellbent on starting out with a 4WD, and do it right away--a
cheap '92 GTO is only available for the first 9 career days. And for
god's sake, spend your remaining cash on weight reduction! :)
6. Mazda FC Savanna RX-7 GT-X
This RX-7 has a good mix of power and weight for a starting car. It has
better expandability than the front-wheel drive cars on this list, but
still not as much as the Supra or Silvia. No bells and whistles, just a
decent turbo-engined FR car.
5. Mitsubishi Mirage '92 Cyborg R
The Mirage Cyborg R is a fairly good FF car with straightforward
handling. It's neither hugely powerful nor very upgradeable, but it's
capable of winning the Sunday Cup with no modification and is eligible
for the Lightweight Battle down the road.
4. Toyota MA70 Supra GT Turbo Limited
This is the most powerful ride you'll find for under 10K beans. It's
also expandable to a whopping 585 HP! However, since it is rear-wheel
drive and badly in need of some time on the Jenny Craig program, it's a
bit tough to handle. Avoid this car if you're inexperienced, or it'll
be, in the words of one Usenet reader, "time to make the donuts!"
3. Honda Prelude '94 VTEC
The '94 Prelude is a superbly powerful, easy to handle front-wheel drive
car. If a heavy chassis doesn't bother you as long as you've got muscle
under the hood, then this Prelude is for you. Though not a turbo, it
can still be tuned up to a healthy 377 HP, which is very high for an FF.
2. Nissan S13 Silvia '88 K's 1800cc
Though nothing special in stock form, this car has great expandability
(492 HP fully tuned) which, combined with its light(er) weight, makes it
a great value for your money. Not only that, but its purchase price is
so low, you can spend your remaining cash on some upgrades right away!
1. Honda Civic '93 3Door Si
This is without a doubt the all-around best front-wheel drive car you
can afford with your starting cash. Its power may be nothing special,
but its light weight makes it very speedy and nimble. This car is also
eligible (and awesome) for the Lightweight Battle.
Best Front-Wheel Drive Cars
===========================
Unfortunately, no front-wheel drive car in the big list earned even a "Good"
rating. The front-wheel drive cars simply don't have the potential of the
other drivetrains, and because they get such a shaft when compared with other
cars, here's a rundown of the most effective FF cars. The Civic, Integra,
and FTO are best bets in the Lightweight event as well.
7. Honda Civic '93 3Door Si
Mentioned above as a good car to start with, this Civic just keeps on
going and going. Upgraded to racing-spec parts and turbo aspiration, it
can embarrass the Vipers and NSXs in the Sunday Cup easily. Don't use
racing modification on this car unless you like to tip over.
6. Nissan Primera '95 2.0Te
Nissan's only FF car is a solid one, with consistent handling and very
good power delivery. The '90 version is okay at best, because its
handling is a little too slippery.
5. Mitsubishi Eclipse GT
A big ol' turbo engine makes this the most powerful front-wheel drive
car. Unfortunately, it also has a big ol' butt, so its cornering
ability is not too spectacular.
4 & 3. Honda Prelude & Prelude '94 VTEC
As powerful as the turbocharged Eclipse but lighter when fully tuned.
I hate to include the current-model Preludes in here as I think they're
butt-ugly, but they're as good as the older ones in tuned performance.
2. Acura Integra Type R
In addition to its excellent power (for a front-wheel drive) and light
weight, the Integra has amazingly responsive steering. Unlike most FFs,
it doesn't need a tap on the brakes at corner entry to avoid understeer.
1. Mitsubishi FTO GP Version R
Though they suffer from more understeer than the Integra, in the end the
higher power and lighter weight of the FTOs gives them the advantage.
The GP Version R is the best of the many FTO sub-models, though they're
all quite good.
Best Normal Cars
================
Since the ratings in this list reflect the cars' potential when fully tuned,
I feel it necessary to give some recognition to the cars that most excel with
no tuning. These are, of course, the cars you'll want to go to for the
Normal Car event (and they're all capable of winning it even when the NSX is
around).
7. Subaru Impreza WRX-STi Type R
This two-door version of the Impreza Sedan is not quite as nice as the
prize version awarded by the Normal event, but it's still the best stock
4WD car that you can buy in a store.
6. Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX-STi Ver.III
This is the super-light prize version awarded by the Normal event. Not
as good as the Nismo 400R, but it's a lot easier to get. Too bad you'll
still have to win Normal (presumably with something else) to get one.
5. Acura NSX Type S Zero
Fight fire with fire, they say (though RPG players use ice). The NSX's
mid-engine configuration can make it tricky to drive at first, but soon
you'll find its well-distributed, light weight lets you catapult through
corners without even bothering to brake.
4. TVR Griffith 500
TVR's cute little roadster. You probably hated the Griffith in the IA
license tests, but the fact remains that the Griffith 500 has the best
power-to-weight ratio of any normal car in the game--period. Like the
Cerbera, its handling is a little mushy, but practice makes perfect.
3. TVR Cerbera
TVR's hardtop wonder stuffs a 343HP V8 into a tiny tiny 2500-pound body.
Don't try to go all the way on the first date with the Cerbera--buy it
some flowers, take it out for a few nice dinners. Then it'll love you
forever. :) :) :)
2. Nismo 400R
Though it's absurdly difficult to obtain without a cheat, the Nismo 400R
is the most bad-ass stock 4WD in the game. It doesn't quite have the
demonic acceleration of the Vipers, but its 4WD makes it easier to drive.
1. Dodge Viper RT/10
The hellacious 440HP V10 makes this the best stock car in the game (it's
a touch lighter than the GTS). Though it's rear-wheel drive, it's quite
easy to keep under control thanks to its mega-wide tires. Awesome.
Best Arcade Mode Cars
=====================
GT's Arcade Mode is a neat little addition that's an excellent way to get
started with the game and handling cars of various drivetrains. To release
the various bonus items, you have to win each race three times, with cars
from classes A, B, and C. Some cars stand out above the rest within their
class:
7. Honda Civic '93 3Door Si
Quite simply, this is the only Class C car you'll ever need. It totally
outshines the other cars in the class.
6. Mazda FC Savanna RX-7 Efini III
Until the Toyota cars are released, this is your best bet for Class B.
It doesn't have the high-end power of the Eclipse, though, so be sure to
block on the straightaways.
5. Toyota Soarer 2.5GT-T VVT-i
Probably the best Class B car. A little harder to handle than the RX-7
above, but Arcade Mode cars have such forgiving handling in general that
this shouldn't be a problem.
4. Chevrolet Corvette '67 427 Coupe
This Arcade Mode exclusive has nosebleed inducing acceleration compared
to the imports, but it handles like a... how do you say? Ah, yes--turd.
The NSX is more nimble, and the Skyline more forgiving, but this is the
fastest car that the initial selection has to offer.
3. Subaru Impreza '96 Sedan WRX-STi Version III
The best 4-wheel drive car in Arcade Mode, the Impreza has very good
acceleration and stupid good handling.
2. TVR Griffith 500
A speedy car indeed, but the transition to Arcade Mode didn't seem to
help the TVRs as much as it did the Viper--the Griffith and Cerbera
still retain some of the quirks in their handling.
1. Dodge Viper GTS
The Viper is absolutely heinous in Arcade Mode--as if the Simulation
version didn't handle well enough considering its huge power delivery,
the Arcade Mode version has even better grip characteristics.
Best Racing-Spec Cars
=====================
I kind of copped out and gave all the racing-spec cars (LMs and Special
Models) "Great" ratings. Even the weakest racing-spec cars are a cut above
racing-modified stock cars because they have far better downforce, gearboxes,
and powerbands, but there are a half-dozen racing-spec cars that absolutely
stand out above the rest. These are the best cars Gran Turismo has to offer,
and will allow you to win any race and look good doing it.
6. Subaru Impreza Rally Edition
The Impreza has nearly flawless handling and is the better 4WD 500K
Special Model available. As its name implies, it smokes on the rally-
style Special Stage R11 course, and is a perfect pick for the All-Night
I event. The trademark Subaru close gear ratios give it blistering
acceleration at the cost of top speed, so be sure to lower the final
gear ratio on tracks with straightaways and long sweeping bends.
5. Mazda RX-7 LM Edition
This is the other 500K Special Model well worth investing in. It's
powerful, light, and extremely nimble, and being a saucy RX-7, it's a
helluva lot more fun to drive than the "safer" 4WD cars. The rush to be
had from driving entire races *this close* to spinning out is something
unmatched by the conservative handling of 4WD cars.
4. Mitsubishi FTO LM Edition
Though racing US Vs. Japan repeatedly to get this car is time consuming,
it is well worth the effort. The FTO LM Edition is a fabulous all-around
racer that's absurdly easy to drive. While it doesn't have the flat-out
speed potential of the best rear-wheel drive LM cars, its forgiving
handling and 4WD make it a great choice for the endurance races.
3. Honda del Sol LM Edition
Why Honda picked the del Sol to make an LM out of, I have no idea. But
rejoice! It is far and away the finest mid-engine car in Gran Turismo.
The del Sol LM drifts so well that you can hurl it into turns without
even hitting the brakes first. Too bad it's so hard to obtain--you may
have to race and win UK Vs. Japan many, many times before it comes up.
(So many, in fact, that this car almost obtained "myth" status.:)
2. TVR Cerbera LM Edition
The Cerbera's slutty older sister that you *can* go all the way with on
the first date. This car is just so damned good that I can't even find
words for it. It's the best alternative to the Concept Car if you're
looking for a car you can race right out of the box, without having to
fiddle with its setup, and still destroy everyone and everything.
1. Dodge Concept Car
The greatest overall car in the game comes with one caveat: it can
barely stay on the road under its default suspension settings. It's
necessary to put some time into tweaking this car's suspension and
transmission settings before it can be truly competitive, but once it
is--look out! It can go from 0 to 200 and back in the blink of an eye,
and in the words of Usenet reader Simon Palko, it "can corner like a
bastard". As good as it gets.
+-------------+
| Final Words |
+-------------+
I hope everyone that reads this finds it a useful reference that helps them
enjoy Gran Turismo more (and spend less time buying and tuning cars just to
find out they suck). For information on car tuning and settings, try Jet
Jaguar's excellent GT Tuning FAQ, also available at www.gamefaqs.com. Feel
free to contact me at connoy@students.uiuc.edu with any comments on this
list, but please try not to be too hostile if you feel your favorite/least
favorite car got shafted/praised by my rating system. :)
+---------+
| Credits |
+---------+
Thanks to:
Simon James Palko for that colorful "corners like a bastard" quote.
Whoever uploaded "gran_turismo_e.gme" to the DexDrive site at cheatcc.com.
Matt Ma (matma@home.com) for a few great list suggestions for the "GT's Best
Cars" section.
Jeff "CJayC" Veasey (cjayc@gamefaqs.com) for hosting this list at
www.gamefaqs.com (always check there for the latest version!)
All the fine folks on rec.games.video.sony, for keeping Gran Turismo alive
even almost a year after its release.