I'm not so sure about the last part. I think the target audience for this game might be more interested in tidbits about Amy Winehouse than the 1984 F1 Championship.
Hmmm..when did this GT not being just about cars happen? Every GT I've ever played has focused on cars, taking pictures of cars and racing.
Is Gran Turismo like every other racing game then? I don't think so....
What about the street that got named after Kaz himself for his achievements? The career opportunities that were given through GT Academy? The designers wet dream that is the Vision Gran Turismo Project? The photo mode that Gran Turismo as a franchise pioneered and other developers took inspiration from? The historic achievement of being approved and worthy of a motorsport governing body?
Obviously, the main focus is on the cars and racing, but how often does any other racing game offer any of the extraordinary revelations and achievements that Gran Turismo has?
What I'm trying to say is, most racing games feel the same. Give the player cars to drive and tracks to race on. The same basic concept persists. You get the thrill of racing, but that's it. Gran Turismo is a rebel of sorts, because it challenges the way we see cars. They're more than just machines you race around a track. They're extensions of your personality, devices that allow you to travel the globe and explore the wonders of planet earth. No other racing game achieves this feeling better than GT in my opinion. I don't know if it's nostalgia, presentation or a combination of the two. GT just does it right for me.
It's because of Gran Turismo that I have a fascination for photography as a general practice. My taste in music has been influenced by Gran Turismo's rather unconventional use of jazz. Gran Turismo has also influenced my career path, automotive design, of which VGT is a great inspiration. And the way things are going, it looks like GT will also be telling me an interesting fact or two about Charlie Chaplin, and I'm ok with this!
Gran Turismo is about cars. But it's also about career prospects, historical achievements, the thrill of design.
I simply would not be the person I am today if it wasn't for Gran Turismo. I wouldn't be here on this forum and my interest in cars probably wouldn't be as significant, even with all the other racing games out there. Sounds cliche and idiotic I know, but I'm telling you how I honestly feel. THAT is the reason Gran Turismo, to me at least, is far more than just cars.
That's my opinion anyway. I understand it's not entirely relevant to this thread, but there you go.
Oh, and let's not forget this guy eh? 'The Real Petting Simulator'.