BMW Vision Gran Turismo Leaves Virtual Racers Drooling

Gran Turismo 6 is getting a new performance BMW, the BMW Vision Gran Turismo, and the virtual car is already leaving drivers wishing it would show up in real-life dealerships. The striking racer – finished in BMW's traditional M colors – was created specially for the PlayStation 3 game, though borrows from some of the real-world touring cars of the 1970s in BMW's record books.

Even though it may not be real, that doesn't mean the Germans have stinted on reality when it comes to performance, design, and aerodynamics.

Under the hood is a three-liter, six-cylinder inline engine with 549 HP and over 500 lb-ft of torque developed at just 1,900 rpm. All that power is funneled through a six-speed sequential transmission, with paddle shifters, to the rear wheels.

In-game, the car tips the scales at 1,180kg (2,601 pounds) and hits that all-important 50:50 weight distribution.

Meanwhile, there's lashings of carbon fiber as well as deep front and rear spoilers, while the distinctive lights are reminiscent of the laser headlamps BMW is offering on its i8 EV supercar from later this year.

The BMW Vision Gran Turismo is being added to the line-up of cars for purchase in the game from today, enabled with a new patch. Alternatively, for a limited time drivers can get it if they complete a lap of the BMW Seasonal Event.

Sadly, unlike Toyota did with the incredible FT-1 concept, there's no word on BMW making a real version of the car.