Gran Turismo 5

For Immediate Release

The Red Bull X1 Manufactured by Gran Turismo

London, 28 ^th October: Sony Computer Entertainment today revealed details of a fantasy racing car built using very real technologies.  The X1 Prototype is the answer to the ‘What if' dream of a world where racing car design is no longer limited by regulation.  Forged by Polyphony Digital, working with world-class racing car constructor Red Bull Racing and aerodynamics expert and racing car design genius Adrian Newey, the result goes far beyond the startling new look.  If the performance of test driver Sebastian Vettel in a shakedown run at the Suzuka Circuit is to be believed, the driving experience, available exclusively through Gran Turismo®5 on PlayStation®3, will be unbeatable.

As with all design masterpieces, the Red Bull X1 has been through several iterations.  The starting point was a low drag single seat wing car with a glass canopy and covered wheels, powered by a forced induction engine.  The result was a startling set of figures; 1,483hp at 15,000rpm, a top speed of 400kmh and up to 6G of lateral G-force.  However under the expert eye of Newey and driven by his passion to realise the dream, the initial concept then took a big step forward.  He proposed the use of ‘Fan Car' technology - last seen and rapidly banned from F1 in the late 70s - where a fan is used to force air out from underneath the car, lowering the air pressure creating a huge amount of downforce. 

A redesign of the car showed its value on the track where traditional low speed corners could be taken at significantly higher speeds.  The new figures showed a maximum lateral G force exceeding 8G, pushing the limits for the human body, and a top speed of more than 450kmh.  The killer combination of low air resistance due to body styling, glass canopies and full tire cowlings; increased low speed down-force courtesy of the fans; and stability at high speed due to front and rear wings and rear diffuser, are what brought about this result.

For a nervous design team the last stage of the journey was the shakedown test.  Enter Sebastian Vettel who, on his first run, slashed more than 20 seconds off the course record on the Suzuka Circuit. 

As Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer of Red Bull Racing puts it: "The results were thrilling.  X1 is about evolution.  Delivering the optimum combination of tested technologies in a single integrated design.  This would be the future of racing were we not bound by regulations, but one that is achievable today.  And as Sebastian has shown, it is about devastating speed coupled with real handling control.  Today thanks to PlayStation®3 and Gran Turismo we can test drive the future."

Kazunori Yamauchi, President, Polyphony Digital Inc and creator of the Gran Turismo series commented: "X1 sees the marriage of virtual and real worlds as we explore the boundaries of our technology and aesthetic senses.  The X1 Prototype Project has been motivated by curiosity and passion, powerful forces that brought together the best the world has to offer in design, physics simulation, racing car product technology and driving."

Welcome to the personification of the Dream for Speed, to the marriage of imagination, of expertise and of technology.  Welcome to a unique combination of Gran Turismo and Red Bull realised in the X1 Prototype Project.

Gran Turismo 5 will contain more than 1000 perfectly recreated cars ranging from the latest supercars to the cars of NASCAR and WRC.   Standing proud will be the fastest car in the game - and one of the fastest to ever leave the drawing board - the Red Bull X1.  Earn your chance to drive the Red Bull X1 when Gran Turismo 5 goes on sale later this year.

Performance Specification:

"X1 Prototype" Technical Specifications

<Dimensions>

Length: 4.75m

Width: 2.18m

Height: 0.98m

Wheelbase: 2.9m

Front Tread: 1.85m

Rear Tread: 1.78m

<Vehicle Weight>

Dry Weight: 545kg

Wet (gross) Weight: 615kg

<Engine>

3000cc V6 Twin Turbo Engine?(Direct Injection)

Maximum Output: 1106.0kw(1503.8ps)?15000rpm *1483hp

Maximum Torque: 714.1Nm(72.9kgf*m)?12000rpm

<Suspension>

Full Active Ride Suspension

<Downforce generated at the bottom by the Fan>

Maximum output 9800N(1000kgf), equal to 1.63G

<Downforce acting at vehicle speed squared due to the wings/Venturi Effect>

At 100km/h: 1044.7N, (106.6kgf) equal to 0.17G

At 200km/h: 4181.7N, (426.7kgf) equal to 0.69G

At 300km/h: 9412.9N, (960.5kgf) equal to 1.56G

At 400km/h: 16732.5N, (1707.4kgf) equal to 2.78G

Test Calculation: Cornering G at 300km/h

Total tire load: Equivalent to 4.19G (=Gravity 1.00G+downforce due to fan 1.63G+downforce due to wing 1.56G)

Coefficient of Friction of Tires: μ=1.97 (baseμ=2.16, model calculates a efficiency reduction to 91.5% under high load)

Cornering G that can be exhibited by tires: 8.25G (4.19 * 1.97)

*Specs in consideration for correspondence with diagram

Test Calculation: Cornering G at 300km/h

Total Tire Load: 2575.6kgf (Front Wheel 1142.7kgf+Rear Wheel 1432.9kgf)

Coefficient of Friction of Tires: μ=1.97 (baseμ=2.16, model calculates

an efficiency reduction to 91.5% under high load)

Cornering force that can be exhibited by tires: 5073.9kgf

Cornering G: 8.25G (= 5073.9kgf / 615kg)

<Performance Data>

0-60mph: 1.4sec

0-120mph: 2.8sec

0-200mph: 6.1sec

Maximum Speed: Over 280mph (450km/h)

Maximum Longitudinal or Lateral Acceleration at 300km/h: 8.25G

Ends

To find out more visit:

http://www.gran-turismo.com. http://www.redbull.com

ENDS

About the Gran Turismo ®  Franchise

With more than 56 million units shipped worldwide, the award-winning Gran Turismo® franchise for the PlayStation® , PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®3 and PSP (PlayStation® Portable) is regarded as the best and most authentic driving simulator ever created due to its true-to-life graphics, authentic physics technology and design. Since the inception of the Gran Turismo franchise, famed creator Kazunori Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital Inc. in Japan have revolutionized the racing category as we know it today. His offerings provide the most realistic driving simulation in the industry and a unique medium for automotive manufacturers to showcase their products.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one® systems, the PlayStation®2 system, the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3 ^TM) system and its online and network services the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets, and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP and PS3 systems for the North American market.  Based in Foster City, California, Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PlayStation®3, PlayStation®2, PSP ^TM (PlayStation®Portable) and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 99 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories. Since the launch of PlayStation 3 in November 2006, over 38 million units have been sold globally and continue to be sold at a record level.  Maintaining its position as one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history, PlayStation 2 has sold over 146.1 million systems worldwide.  Since its launch at the end of 2004, over 62.7 million PSPs have been sold globally, highlighting the importance of the portable entertainment market.  With the huge increase in interest and accessibility of network applications and network gaming, over 54 million accounts have registered to PlayStation Network, the free-to-access interactive environment, and over 1.1 billion items have been downloaded.

More information about PlayStation products can be found at http:/www.playstation.com/www.playstation.com"> www.playstation.com.

PlayStation, the PlayStation logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PS3 and PSP are trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.