Wait, Is Gran Turismo 6 Joining the Space Race?

We try not to laugh when Call of Duty does it best Moonraker impression, but the fact that Gran Turismo 6 may be heading to the moon has convinced us to plonk down a deposit for the impending simulation racer. Hypocrites, huh? Polyphony Digital has all but confirmed that you’ll be exploring outer space in its upcoming sequel, as it’s teased the unorthodox addition in the game’s latest trailer.

Eyebrows were raised late last night when an official list of the game’s whopping 1,200 vehicle roster mentioned a car dubbed the Lunar Roving Vehicle LEV-001 '71, but the video embedded below adds further fuel to the intergalactic fire. The developer hasn’t made an official statement regarding the space-bound excursion, but we expect all will be revealed ahead of release.

Fortunately, it has taken the time to clear up a few other odds-and-ends regarding the sequel. New locations such as Brands Hatch, Willow Springs, and Matterhorn have been added to the title, bringing the total number of circuits to over 100. Spain’s little-known Ascari track has been recreated, augmenting several corners which mimic famous stretches from other popular race courses. Elsewhere, the Gran Turismo Arena has been added, offering a perfect backdrop for kart racing.

Night racing has been expanded to several other locations, with Spa and Laguna Seca getting the twilight treatment. Impressively, the Japanese developer’s implemented a full simulation of the stars, which promises to accurately map constellations as they pass overhead. “It’s a simulation of the Earth,” the studio noted. Ahem.

This is, of course, all being implemented alongside the interface improvements and handling model enhancements that were outlined earlier in the year. It may not be launching on Sony's next generation platform just yet, but we reckon that this is shaping up to be something very special indeed. Check out the trailer for a closer look at the game, and don’t forget to peruse our first impressions through here.