I bought my real-life car based on GT4

[sandmonkee]

The guys at the Subaru dealership did a double-take when I told them what made me decide to buy my Impreza. Was it their flashy website? TV commercials? Special promotions? Nope. It was playing GT4.

I've been playing GT4 for over a year now, and my car of choice for almost every event is the Impreza STi '04 sedan. Of course I've pimped it out to something totally other, but yah - that car will beat just about any "supercar" the game can throw at me.

So I figured, if its that good in the game (which as a physicist, I can say has pretty accurate physics), it's gotta be pretty good in real life. So I decided to go buy one

Sure, I couldn't afford the top-of-the-line WRX STi, but even my 2.5i has pretty amazing acceleration and speed, and it sticks to the road like nothing I've ever driven before (including my old 89 Jeep YJ). This morning we got 30cm of snow here in Ontario, and it handled like it was on dry asphalt.

So if any car dealers out there are reading this, step into the 21st century, and embrace a new marketing tool that could pay off HUGE - give away free copies of GT4!!!

Mike

 

[Scaff]

So if any car dealers out there are reading this, step into the 21st century, and embrace a new marketing tool that could pay off HUGE - give away free copies of GT4!!!

Mike

Good to have you on board here at GT Planet Mike, and I can tell you that a number of manufacturers have already taken it on board.

Toyota, BMW and VW have all used special 'demo' releases of GT games as marketing tools.

Toyota Prius demo disc

In the summer of 2004, Toyota sent a demo disc of GT4 along with a marketing brochure for its 2004 Prius hybrid car by way of customer request from their web site. The demo was also given out at a presentation of the Toyota MTRC at the New York International Auto Show. The demo disc featured only two cars, namely the Prius and the Toyota MTRC concept car. Two tracks were included, Fuji Speedway 90's and Grand Canyon, but each was limited to two minutes of play time. Toyota stopped offering the demo discs when the requests for the marketing brochure became disproportional to the real interest in their cars. The disc became a collectible item for Prius owners and is still sometimes available via auction at eBay.

This Toyota edition was also available in European (PAL) territory and it is named Gran Turismo Special Edition 2004 Geneva Version (SCED-52455). It comes in a regular card sleeve with an illustration of the CD.

[edit] BMW 1-series demo disc

Features four models of the 1-series (118i, 120i, 118d, and 120d), and three Gran Turismo 4 tracks – including the Nürburgring (driving around this circuit was limited to three minutes). BMW customers in the United Kingdom who ordered a 1-series before its official release date were invited to a private event at the Rockingham Motor Speedway in Northamptonshire. On departure from the event, all guests were given a pack containing the demo disc.

[edit] Nissan Micra demo disc

With the release of Nissan Micra Roma, Nissan distributed a press kit for each concessionaire in several countries in Europe to promote the car. This press kit included several photographs, a press information booklet and three discs. One of the discs included in this kit is an official Gran Turismo demo named Nissan Micra Edition.

Link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Turismo_(series)#Toyota_Prius_demo_disc


BMW 1-Series demo thread
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=46215&page=4&highlight=mp4


I've got the BMW 1-Series demo that was given away at BMW dealers at the launch of the 1-series in the UK (and the rest of Europe I believe).

Regards

Scaff

 

[Vince247]

thanks scaff, didn't know that.

I wish I had the money to buy a car from GT4 IRL, to bad I'm just 16 years old...
and in Europe the law is you can't get a drivers licence until your 18.

Good luck with your impreza! maybe you can post some pics soon?

 

[sandmonkee]

Toyota, BMW and VW have all used special 'demo' releases of GT games as marketing tools.

Scaff

Well I'll be! Good for them! Can't say I'm surprised that those three companies in particular would do it - they seem to be quite in touch with their customer base!

 

[DLRgian]

The guys at the Subaru dealership did a double-take when I told them what made me decide to buy my Impreza. Was it their flashy website? TV commercials? Special promotions? Nope. It was playing GT4.

I've been playing GT4 for over a year now, and my car of choice for almost every event is the Impreza STi '04 sedan. Of course I've pimped it out to something totally other, but yah - that car will beat just about any "supercar" the game can throw at me.

So I figured, if its that good in the game (which as a physicist, I can say has pretty accurate physics), it's gotta be pretty good in real life. So I decided to go buy one

Sure, I couldn't afford the top-of-the-line WRX STi, but even my 2.5i has pretty amazing acceleration and speed, and it sticks to the road like nothing I've ever driven before (including my old 89 Jeep YJ). This morning we got 30cm of snow here in Ontario, and it handled like it was on dry asphalt.

So if any car dealers out there are reading this, step into the 21st century, and embrace a new marketing tool that could pay off HUGE - give away free copies of GT4!!!

Mike

Welcome to GTP buddy, another fellow Ontarian. That was some storm we had huh lol.

The game does benefit most manufacturers due to the advertising and such. But its good to know that GT4 has had an impact on you also.