After a few days of teasing, and a little unexpected leak, Skoda has revealed its Vision Gran Turismo car at a special live event in Czechia that included a race in the brand-new machine, ahead of its arrival in Gran Turismo 7 on April 25
It’s the first ever Skoda vehicle to appear in any Gran Turismo game, although the brand’s logo was on the Goodwood Festival of Speed course in Gran Turismo 6. The car also marks an expansion of the Czech manufacturer into the digital arena in response to what Skoda states is demand from the gaming community.
Vision Gran Turismo is a natural entry point for a manufacturer with very little gaming presence to date, and the brand has adapted a concept car from 2022 — coincidentally called “Vision GT” — to make its bow.
On the outside, Skoda has taken inspiration from its classic — and recently restored — 1100 OHC Spider from 1957, which was originally developed to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans but never made it to the start line.
That set the essential form of the car as a single-seat, open-top racer, though with a central driving position rather than the left-hand offset of the original machine. After that it’s all contemporary design, drawing from the company’s current “Modern Solid” motif.
The bodywork more closely resembles an old Group 5 racer, and those split rear wings over the wheels are active aerodynamic pieces. They combine with dynamic front aero to create a sure-footed racing machine.
Interestingly, the bodywork is removable — although we’re not sure how that will play out in Gran Turismo 7 — and it comes in two different standard colors. There’s a matte Explorer Green hue, last used on the Skoda Vision 7S concept in 2023, and a red, white, and blue livery (the colors of the Czech flag) inspired by the successful Skoda 130RS rally car.
As with many Vision GT cars, the Skoda model is an all-electric machine. There’s a twin-motor setup on each axle, with each of the four producing a total of 200kW (268hp). That’s enough for a combined output of 1,072hp, and an all-wheel drive system that’s balanced across each axle as well as front and rear.
It sports a forged carbon fiber monocoque chassis, with the 87kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the floor. Thanks to a fully carbon body, the net weight comes in at a relatively svelte 1,300kg.
The cabin is a pretty interesting place too, with the driver sitting very much inside a cocoon of sorts. It’s unclear what function the semi-transparent dome over the driver’s head performs, but it doesn’t appear to be part of the human-machine interface (HMI). That’s all confined to the area around the steering wheel, which Skoda says has been designed in conjunction with expert Gran Turismo players.
Klaus Zellmer, CEO of Skoda Auto, commented that the Vision GT car is the next step in Skoda Motorsport’s 120-year history:
“The Skoda Vision Gran Turismo study bridges our rich heritage to our electric future and new Modern Solid design language. Our customers are explorers, and the sleek Škoda Vision Gran Turismo car is a great way to enrich their experiences while also attracting new fans to our brand.”
Skoda hasn’t yet revealed any plans for further vehicles to come to Gran Turismo, although the 1100 OHC Spider was conspicuously present at the launch event. Speaking at the event, GT series producer Kazunori Yamauchi commented: “the true meaning of today is that this is not the end of the relationship between ourselves and Skoda; the project really marks the beginning of the relationship.”
As for the Vision Gran Turismo car, you’ll be able to take the wheel yourself when it arrives in Update 1.46 on Thursday April 25, alongside the Afeela Prototype ’24 and Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 ’70.
See more articles on Gran Turismo 7 Game Update, Skoda, and Vision Gran Turismo.
