My Subaru Gr.3 'works' livery for the 2021 FIA Manufacturers Series.
Loosely inspired by R&D Sport's 2021 GT300 scheme along with my earlier 'GT300 2019 Concept' livery for this very car. As a change from the traditional WR Blue Pearl finish, I went with a more vibrant pearlescent blue base to bring up the pink and white stripes more. My original intention for the sides was to make them similar to the BRZ, but when I couldn't make the patterns look convincing enough I settled upon solid black blocks lining up with and concealing the rear brake ducts. These also had the effect of lining up with the rear bumper/bootlid treatment influenced by the BRZ scheme. Pink wheels were added because... why not?
My Subaru Gr.3 'works' livery for the 2021 FIA Manufacturers Series.
The only major issue I am aware of with this livery is that in GT Sport, the bonnet stripes tend to go all fuzzy and distorted over the centre intakes. However, I am certain that this anomaly wouldn't happen if this was applied to the BRZ GT300 in real life.
My Subaru Gr.4 'works' livery for the 2021 FIA Manufacturers Series.
This is an updated version of a 'hot pink' livery I made for the Gr.4 WRX based on the classic WRC style. Originally I had intended to create a separate design with side stripes and a black and white front bumper treatment, but wasn't happy with how my ideas for those looked in the livery editor. So, the 'hot pink' design was revisited to take cues from the R&D Sport GT300 cars as well as the #59 TOWAINTEC Racing WRX from the 2018 Super Taikyu Series.
My Subaru Gr.4 'works' livery for the 2021 FIA Manufacturers Series.
The design is entirely Sport Mode-compatible. To fill in the spaces left behind by the number placement, a list of primary and secondary sponsors were added to the front doors in true JDM-style fashion.
Custom Super GT-style livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film...
Before settling with the Gr.2-based "Gran Turismo NSX", my original idea for LEC #61 (Samurai) was for a Gr.3 livery based around Hayao Miyazaki's highest-grossing and arguably best-known animated feature. The base, incidentally, was initially meant to be an FT-1 or a Supra to compliment the other Toyota/Ghibli liveries I had done up to that point, but I decided to use a Lexus RC F GT3 as it would potentially allow more room for character and sponsorship decals.
The RC F began taking shape as a multicolour scheme featuring asymmetrically-coloured patterns, gradient effects and various characters from the film including Chihiro, Haku, No-Face, the 'susiwatari' and the Radish Spirit. Secondary and tertiary sponsors were influenced by the Petronas SYNTIUM-backed liveries of LM Corsa, who at the time of the LEC were running a customer RC F in GT300. It was with this in mind that I imagined this as a fictional sponsorship livery for the established Super GT runners. A number of additional Easter eggs related to the film would also be featured, including a racing number referencing its original Japanese release date ('20-7-2001') along with mentions of Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki alongside the names of LM Corsa regular drivers Hiroki Yoshimoto and Shunsuke Kohno.
Working on the original Lexus idea marked the first time I used SVGOMG to optimise an existing SVG for use in the Livery Editor (the English Spirited Away logo). @Cytoria also leant a hand in making an SVG of the Japanese logo, and @Sven Jurgens kindly gave me permission to use his Spirited Away decals (particularly those of Chihiro and Haku) as placeholders while I waited for a response to my character decal requests in the SVG thread.
When it became clear that I would not be able to have that request completed in time, I decided to put the Lexus on the backburner and submit an updated version of the NSX into LEC #61. Over time, I made further tweaks to the overall design, including the switch from a dark metallic blue base to a lighter, glossier shade, with the view of marking the 20th anniversary of Spirited Away's original theatrical release in Japan. At one point, I began work on a second version with additional decals of No-Face for possible use in this year's Manufacturer Series. Ultimately, I went with Subaru instead, and it was around the same time that I learnt that LM Corsa had switched to the GT300 Supra for the 2021 season after a difficult year in the RC F.
Custom Super GT-style livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film...
It was with LM Corsa's development in mind that I found the spark to start a fresh design for the GR Supra Racing Concept with No-Face as the central focus. A few other ideas would be carried over from the RC F (the 'susiwatari' roof, 'wavy' stripes representing Haku's dragon form), but after a bit of experimenting I ditched the gradient idea and settled on making the entire base black. Chihiro and Haku are still represented in an abstract form through alternating pink and green flashes.
Custom Super GT-style livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film...
As was the case with the RC F, LM Corsa's 2021 livery provided references for secondary and tertiary sponsor placements, though while Dunlop tyres were used Michelins have been kept to avoid clashes while being used in Sport Mode. Lastly, the digits for the racing number were swapped around for added differentiation and to better reflect the date format used in Japan (2001-7-20).
Custom Super GT-style livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film...
The 'susiwatari' actually consist of 11 separate decals sourced from Discover, plus added circle shapes colour coded with the roof to hide any potential overlaps.
Custom Super GT-style livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film...
The No-Face bonnet decal has a number of additional shapes to conceal his 'body', making his 'mask' the most prominent feature at the front end. I did consider doing the same around the sides, but felt that it would detract from him having a material presence on the livery itself.
Custom Super GT-style livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film...
I still intend to complete the RC F at some point, but for now I’m rather happy with how striking and sinister this Supra looks. I've also been making some tweaks to the Nausicaä TS050 which were trialled in my FIA Nations entries last Saturday, so expect an updated version of that to land fairly soon.
Updated version of my Nausicaä TS050 livery, based on the Hayao Miyazaki manga and animated...
As teased in my previous post, this is an update to the Nausicaä TS050 livery with a number of changes over the previous version (1.2). The most noticeable of these include the use of a darker blue base colour, reworked gradient effects, a white roof and the addition of English film logos. The previously plain blue turning vanes also have decals added to closely match those of the main bodywork.
Updated version of my Nausicaä TS050 livery, based on the Hayao Miyazaki manga and animated...
One of the first major things to be reworked was the front end, which now has extra decals, smoother-looking 'handrail' patterns and a reshaped 'intake' intended to better resemble that of Möwe/Mehve when observed from a top-down view. The OpenSky M-02J, an airworthy jet-powered glider inspired by the fictional craft, also provided further visual references for this detail. Meanwhile, Teto has a slightly more prominent presence than before.
Updated version of my Nausicaä TS050 livery, based on the Hayao Miyazaki manga and animated...
An issue with placing decals over the TS050's roof is that the edges will always come out jagged, even if these do not show up with the base chromium finish. To get around this, I placed extra default shapes surrounding the roof and beneath the airbox to conceal the edges and make the effect look more presentable in Scapes.
Updated version of my Nausicaä TS050 livery, based on the Hayao Miyazaki manga and animated...
More decal changes on the rear wing and sides; I was initially unsure about which logo I should use to replace the Gran Turismo one on the driver's side door, but eventually found an Aisin AW decal which happened to be a perfect fit for the main colour scheme.
Updated version of my Nausicaä TS050 livery, based on the Hayao Miyazaki manga and animated...
You may notice that this batch of images does not show driver names on the shark fin, but as with previous versions I have set them to appear in the actual upload shared in the link below. And with that, my main trifecta of Toyota/Ghibli liveries is now complete:
Fictional livery for a fictional 1960s Le Mans racer from Vulcan Auto.
Engineered as a direct competitor to the Ford GT40, the Vulcan Vitessa I debuted in 1967 as one of two endurance racers developed for the World Sportscar Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Several factory and customer-run cars were built to the Group 4 regulations (or the over-2,000cc category in the International Championship for Sports Cars), along with a number of road versions including the luxury-oriented 'GS 5000'. A Group 6 derivative, the Vitessa V.7000, also competed exclusively at the 1967 Le Mans race, but was retired following the introduction of the 3.0l capacity limit for the 1968 season.
The name 'Vitessa' is derived from 'vitesse', the French word for 'speed', reflecting the car's high performance and primary aim to compete at Le Mans.
Fictional livery for a fictional 1960s Le Mans racer from Vulcan Auto.
The earlier Vitessa Is combined a reinforced steel monocoque chassis and aluminium coupe body with a 5.0l V8 engine derived from the Venator V.5000. Initially, the engine featured quad 2-barrel carburettors and was rated at just over 400bhp in racing trim. A fuel injection system was introduced from 1968 onwards to improve performance and fuel economy, followed in 1969 by the 'Vitessa Ib' spec with an aluminium chassis and 450bhp engine. The aluminium chassis was developed out of the Vitessa V.7000 project, which utilised an enlarged 7.0l V8 also found in the Venator V.7000 road car.
For the 1969 and 1970 seasons, factory-supported Group 4 team Gooch Engineering developed their own lightweight version with a fibreglass body, dubbed the 'Vitessa G8', with exemplary results.
Fictional livery for a fictional 1960s Le Mans racer from Vulcan Auto.
The car pictured represents one of the 'Vulcan Cincinnati Dealer Team' Vitessa Is which competed in the 1967 season. These factory-run cars could be distinguished by their striking white and two-tone green livery, representing the collaboration between Vulcan's North American division (who supplied the V8 engines from their Lancaster, Ohio factory) and the UK-based Vulcan Racing Squadron in developing the original Vitessa project. Given its proximity to the Lancaster plant, Vulcan Cincinnati was the dealership chosen to sponsor the works North American entry.
Fictional livery for a fictional 1960s Le Mans racer from Vulcan Auto.
Throughout its original career, the Vitessa I and its derivatives proved highly competitive in the over-2,000cc/large capacity division of Group 4. Among the most significant achievements included class victory at the 1967 Le Mans with the retirements of all three Mk1 GT40s, outright wins at the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, and a pair of overall runner-up finishes at Le Mans in 1968 and 1969 following heated battles with Ford, Ferrari and Porsche machinery. For the 1970 season, Vulcan Racing Squadron developed the Vitessa II to Group 6 regulations in closed-cockpit 'longtail' and open-cockpit 'speedster' configurations, though privateer Vitessa Ibs and G8s would continue to achieve strong finishes at Le Mans and in the International Championship for Makes until their retirement.
Updated custom livery based on Robot Wars reboot competitor Carbide.
An update to the Team Carbide livery found on the previous page, which was actually started sometime last year but put on the backburner for reasons I can't quite remember. A recent Robot Wars fix gave me the inspiration to go back and finally finish it in between preparations for a Real Racing Club event, though I will admit that I haven't had much drive to create new liveries since deciding to take a general break from GT Sport at the end of September.
While the previous version was based around Carbide's original external appearance in Series 8, this version introduces several detail changes reflecting its appearance in Series 9 and 10. Among the main visual changes on the real robot included revised top armour, new logos and an altered black and green paint scheme. The bar spinner with which it decimated opponents gained yellow tips in addition to a new custom weapon motor and a more resilient clutch system.
Updated custom livery based on Robot Wars reboot competitor Carbide.
Most of these differences are represented on the new version, whose design has been almost completely overhauled from the original and '1.1' variants. The 'Carbide' logos were created by myself in Photoshop using a font similar to that used on the real robot, with necessary tweaks in the Livery Editor to achieve the 'compressed' effect on the driver/passenger side doors. 'RS Components' and 'VEX Robotics' decals were obtained from Discover and added to reflect each company's real-life sponsorship of Team Carbide when they fought on Robot Wars.
Updated custom livery based on Robot Wars reboot competitor Carbide.
A closer view of the front end treatment; the red, yellow and grey sections each form parts of Carbide's 'bar spinner' as similarly represented on the 1.1 version. It was while continuously experimenting with and tweaking this section that I decided to make the grey (weapon shaft) double as a sponsorship panel for the 'VEX Robotics' logo.
Updated custom livery based on Robot Wars reboot competitor Carbide.
Before sharing it here, I decided to also share this livery with another community based around Robot Wars and other similar robot fighting events. Suffice to say, it went down a storm, especially with the person who helped build Carbide itself!
A Christmas-themed Fantasy Brand livery for the X2019 Competition.
A Christmas Red Bull scheme based around the Noël 'Fantasy Brand'. Had the idea to come up with it last Sunday as a follow-on from other festive liveries I have created in the past, and will probably be the last festive one I'll create in GT Sport before the inevitable transition towards GT7.
Back in 2018, I began work on a Rudolph-inspired X2014 Junior livery which was meant to have been my second Christmas-themed design after the 'Robin Racer' (which will be one of two additional designs to get its own dedicated thread later). However, I ended up not completing it, either due to a lack of inspiration or me simply not being satisfied with how the design looked, and the idea sat dormant until fairly recently.
In keeping with the X2019's pace and strength, the name 'Dasher' was fixed on what would have been this new reindeer-themed design. As I began work in the Livery Editor, however, I became less convinced about how this would potentially translate into a fully-fledged livery, and it dawned upon me that 'Noël', being the French word for 'Christmas', would be a perfect 'Fantasy Brand' to complement the festive theme. Brown gave way to red, white and black as Father Christmas and candy canes popped up as the main reference points in my mind, along with the unfinished 'Rudolph' scheme and the Mistral Motorsport X2019 created earlier this year for the FIA Nations Cup.
A Christmas-themed Fantasy Brand livery for the X2019 Competition.
The first area I started working on was the 'bonnet' (essentially the entire bodywork around the front crashbox), which was where I developed the idea for the 'candy cane' stripes on the front wing, suspension covers and (eventually) nose supports. For the sides, I had intended to produce a jagged 'blizzard' effect, but decided to simplify it later on as I wasn't convinced by how the patterns looked on the inner sides. If you squint at the front, you might notice a little hint of Audi R10 in the way the red breaks up the white over the aerodynamic fairings.
A Christmas-themed Fantasy Brand livery for the X2019 Competition.
My original idea for the 'shark fin' was to have it in black flanked by white stripes, but eventually this was discarded to allow for a classic Red Bull logo placement directly behind the cockpit. The latter element took some time to get right as earlier attempts resulted in the decals bleeding over the opposite side.
A Christmas-themed Fantasy Brand livery for the X2019 Competition.
Close-up of the Red Bull/Noël decal placements surrounding the cockpit, along with the playful "Dasher" tag which is placed directly above where the player's username would normally reside. Both the "Dasher" and "25" decals were created and imported into GT Sport via custom decals.
A Christmas-themed Fantasy Brand livery for the X2019 Competition.
The 'ring' patterns were one of the more striking elements to make it onto the finished design, and were themselves adapted from similar patterns previously created for the Mistral X2019. With a little tweaking, these not only gave opportunities to pay homage to the default Red Bull schemes, but also introduce some creative sponsorship placements for the front wheel covers...
A Christmas-themed Fantasy Brand livery for the X2019 Competition.
Extra three-quarter shots from the Livery Editor. Probably not the best way to showcase the individual design elements, but still exemplify how sleek and purposeful the X2019 Competition is even in these colours.
A Christmas-themed Fantasy Brand livery for the X2019 Competition.
And finally, a Scapes shot of the completed machine parked beside the Christmas tree somewhere in Milan. To everyone on GTPlanet and in the wider Gran Turismo community, have a Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday and an equally Happy New Year!
A little snow scene featuring a festively-liveried Gr.3 Alfa. Have a safe and merry Christmas...
In the UK, the robin (more specifically the European robin) is a songbird which has become especially synonymous with Christmas through its appearance in cards, postage stamps, decorations and other festive apparel. A commonly-cited Victorian legend states that postmen of that era gained the nicknames 'robin' or 'redbreast' through their bright red uniforms. As the tradition of exchanging Christmas cards took off, illustrations of the postmen and their duty began to be replaced by those of the bird itself, which remains a popular subject of cards issued today.
The 'Christmas card' approach is reflected in the greeting Scapes I made showcasing this Alfa 4C-based livery, which does exactly what it says on the tin. Based very much on the bird itself, with the wraparound orange front end being by far its most eye-catching feature. Looks spartan and a little rough in places compared to later designs, but not bad considering this was made less than two months after I started creating liveries in the full retail version.
Festive Alfa 4C Gr.3 livery inspired by the European robin, a songbird which has become...
The 1.1 version completed in 2018 adds a few tweaks including racing numbers and Manufacturer decals on the rear wing. Otherwise, it remains largely identical to the original.
An older Christmas scene involving Jenkins the Cat and a specially gift-wrapped M4.
Inspired by countless photos of cars being displayed in large bows and wrapping paper, not least this PR stunt for a similarly-treated Chevrolet Spark. The decision to use the M4 road car as the base was influenced by an FIA Nations Cup race which was due to be held on Christmas Day that year; simply put, it was the car I got on best with for that specific combo. Was there a better opportunity to celebrate the occasion than race with a novelty livery against herds of Ferrari F50s? Different versions were prepared and trialled in practice lobbies, each sporting variations on the basic design and theme. What you see here is the finalised version shared on Discover, with which I finished 12th and 7th on each of my 'official' Nations attempts.
A fun Christmas livery featuring a specially gift-wrapped M4 road car.
Since GT Sport doesn't allow you to cover the entire car in wrapping paper - and I didn't know at the time how to make decals go over different sides without them getting fuzzy or distorted - the next best thing was to emulate an archetypal present 'box' while still keeping a distinctly 'racing' style. Elements included chequered patterns and a large 'bow' with corresponding door, bonnet, roof and boot stripes, along with a two-tone green, white and red colour palette. To separate the top and bottom layers, a black stripe was applied over the M4's shoulder line between the head and tail lights, though this took some time for me to optimise.
All patterns were achieved using in-game shape decals, including the bow which relied on a series of carefully-placed and tweaked gradient effects:
A fun Christmas livery featuring a specially gift-wrapped M4 road car. The bow is made...
Gift tags (including the small Christmas trees on either side) were also made with in-game shapes, 'attached' to the M4's body through the colour-coded vent trims. These also feature some of my first attempts at importing custom text-based graphics into the game, forming a greeting message like one would expect to see upon receiving a newly-delivered present.
A fun Christmas livery featuring a specially gift-wrapped M4 road car.
Close-up of the front end treatment and a parting side-on shot. Considering that this was made as a joke for Nations Cup and before I learnt how to properly place camera-aligned decals, I'm still relatively pleased with how this one turned out. Plus, as you might have guessed earlier, it lent itself very nicely to a Scapes opportunity involving Jenkins the Cat...
Updated Nike ONE 2022 recreation livery for the Chaparral 2X VGT. Based on the concept car of...
Sometime back in 2018, I decided to buy myself a Chaparral 2X from Brand Central as a track tool for messing around in Arcade Mode. With that came the impetus to make a livery inspired by the Nike ONE 2022 concept from Gran Turismo 4 as I wasn't content with just driving around in the default scheme.
Thematically, it made sense:
I remember driving the ONE 2022 in GT4.
Both it and the 2X were developed specifically for the series by American companies.
Both are four-wheeled single-seaters with active aero, a prone driving position and outlandish ideas for future drivetrain systems.
It also helped that the 2X's short nose and wheel fairings would've made the ONE 2022's glasshouse and 'morse code' tyres relatively easy to replicate within my limited editing skills at the time. The initial result was rough around the edges, but did its job and seemed to go down well enough in the wider GT Sport communities...
Custom livery for the Chaparral 2X, paying homage to GT4's Nike ONE 2022...
Fast forward to late May/early June last year, and the 2X becomes the star of the latest Le Mans Super Lap event. Naturally, I wanted to bring out the ONE 2022 Tribute edition as a joke, but eventually got to the stage where I was finding serious pace after learning how to properly manage the car's braking, acceleration and handling characteristics. It only felt appropriate to update this livery for the event, with up to eight newer versions being saved to My Library and used on individual time trial runs.
Updated Nike ONE 2022 recreation livery for the Chaparral 2X VGT. Based on the concept car of...
Early unreleased versions ('1.1') looked very similar to the original, but with a revised base colour (H59, S25, V87) and smoother transitions between the cockpit and nose stripe. At first, I wanted to keep the red inserts at the front and rear to remain truthful to the ONE 2022's design, but ran into issues while applying decals to the 2X's more finicky shapes. Furthermore, simply applying silver gloss decals over the red at the front would have clashed horribly with the metallic effect I wanted to go with for the main body. So, for further revisions leading up to the final '1.2' version, the entire 'Other' section was recoloured to match and narrower red stripes applied to better represent the ONE 2022 glasshouse. Similar stripes were added to the rear beneath the propulsion system to maintain a balanced look.
Updated Nike ONE 2022 recreation livery for the Chaparral 2X VGT. Based on the concept car of...
All the same, the changes ended up making the overall design look tidier and generally more authentic to the glasshouse/wing support shapes of the original ONE 2022. The only other alterations I would've made would've been to make the wheel 'cover' decals metallic and to recolour the components forming the propulsion system, but sadly these are not possible with the very limited customisation options available for the 2X. As it is, however, I'm quite fond of this replica, and it seems like a lot of others are, too.
Updated Nike ONE 2022 recreation livery for the Chaparral 2X VGT. Based on the concept car of...
As for the Super Lap, my final time for the event ended up being a 2:45.633. No jokes, no fibbing, this lap was good enough for me to finish 7th overall in the world rankings according to GT Sport Stats. It was touch and go whether I'd hold onto that position after taking the screenshot below, but either way it was the fastest and highest-ranked time trial run I have ever done in GT Sport. Not something I'd be likely to pull off again before the transition to GT7, but it was enough to make me appreciate the ridiculousness of the 2X even more...
As a follow-on to the updated Team Carbide livery, I was inspired to complete another few Robot Wars-inspired designs over the Christmas/New Year break. All are based on additional competitor robots to have fought in each of the show’s two televised runs.
Custom livery inspired by Robot Wars reboot competitor Apollo, doing battle with arch-nemesis...
The first, Team Apollo, is a Corvette Gr.3-based livery which was a design that had actually been sitting around in the Livery Editor for some time. As its name suggests, it is styled after Apollo, a large wedge-shaped pneumatic flipper which won the main UK Championship in Series 8 and has a well-founded reputation for throwing the formidable House Robots over. Apollo’s shape and NASA-derived theme made it an ideal match for the Corvette and its angular, all-American exterior.
The overall design mixes together elements from both the Series 8-9 (top) and Series 10 (bottom) incarnations, which feature a white and black paint scheme and a chequered pattern on the ‘flipper’ arm. Details specific to the Series 10 version included side panels with mock-up ‘thrusters’ (represented as in-game shapes on both doors) and the barcode-like stripes on the rear panels. For balance, a large black stripe was added to the bonnet in a similar placement to the black flipper panel on the Series 8-9 version.
Custom livery inspired by Robot Wars reboot competitor Apollo.
For the chequers, a custom decal was imported for placement over the bonnet and front 'body' layers. This presented a few difficulties in that the pattern tended to look distorted from certain views due to the way the Corvette's front bumper is shaped. At one point, I had considered scrapping the custom decal and settling for one of the in-game chequered patterns, but this meant extra work to hide the extra squares and it didn't fix the problem on its own. Now that I know how to utilise the 'Align with Camera' settings to my advantage, this aspect was revisited and the custom chequers reinstated. Still a bit of distortion when viewed from the front, but presentable from top-down and three-quarter shots.
Custom livery inspired by Robot Wars reboot competitor Apollo.
On the roof is a crescent-style pattern which was intended to emulate the logo design generally found on Team Robots Live's wedge-shaped flippers. I took specific inspiration from the logo on their featherweight Rocket, which is fundamentally a miniature version of Apollo and has also enjoyed success in major UK championships. The crescent was made using in-game circle shapes which were tweaked and manipulated to get the desired effect.
Custom livery inspired by Robot Wars reboot competitor Eruption.
Next up is Team Eruption, which is based on another reboot All-Star in the form of Series 10 champion Eruption. Prior to competing on Robot Wars, Eruption built up years of experience and pedigree on the live events circuit, winning the FRA (Fighting Robots Association) UK Championships in 2013 and 2014 amongst other events. Armed with a high-pressure pneumatic flipper, capable of tossing fellow competitors out of the arena with ease, it remains an active and highly-successful competitor to this day, having picked up its third FRA title in 2018.
Like Team Apollo, this livery had been in the works for some time and uses an American FR Gr.3 machine as a base, that being the Viper GT3-R. The intention was to produce a clean, but fairly close approximation of Eruption’s TV and later live events appearance, with some creative differences to suit the Viper’s design.
Custom livery inspired by Robot Wars reboot competitor Eruption.
Dominating features include the hazard-striped ‘flipper’ and red front panels representing ‘anti-spinner’ armour pods, both of which were made using in-game shapes. It took some time for me to adjust these so that they didn't look too 'big', but I'm satisfied that the finished result suits the Viper's long-hooded design superbly. The 'flame' decals and red flashes behind the C pillar were added later on to represent the side graphics and decorative spikes carried by Eruption during the rebooted series.
Custom livery inspired by Robot Wars reboot competitor Eruption.
Alongside those, a number of extra decals and shapes were added to further emphasise certain design features on the real robot. These included custom SVGs based on the main Series 10 logo as well as graphics promoting its successes in Robot Wars and the live FRA UK Championships, the latter proudly carried by Eruption whenever it competes at modern live events in the UK. One idea that came up late into the process was a two-tone grey/silver panel directly beneath the front grille, which was intended to replicate the lower flipper lip. The pseudo-3D effect was accomplished by placing a thin black stripe in between the lightly-shaded panels.
Custom livery inspired by various incarnations of original Robot Wars competitor X-Terminator.
As my reboot-inspired liveries gained traction and appreciation from the Robot Wars community, one request received from a fellow fan was a design based on the Nissan 350Z (the exact model being the Z33 Type S road car). After brainstorming a few ideas on which competitors to base it on, I set myself a rule to theme it around a competitor from the original UK run, which was still being broadcast by the time the Z33 entered production.
The robot I ultimately settled on was X-Terminator, a fairly recognisable and successful competitor which fought in every series between Series 3 and Series 7. Originally armed with an axe (sometimes interchangeable with a flipping arm), its initial highlights included a Semi-Final finish in Series 4 and a closely-fought Heat Final in its debut appearance against Series 2 champion Panic Attack. The final version built for Series 7 swapped the axe for a more damaging vertical spinning disc, which was powerful enough to throw two opponents out of the arena in separate fights on its way to fourth overall in the main competition.
Since the appearance of the real X-Terminator changed frequently throughout its career, I decided to base the design mostly on the robot’s Series 4-5 and Extreme 1 incarnations (Series 4 and 5 versions pictured above). The general paint scheme usually featured a silver base and offset 'XTERMINATOR'/'XT2' logos, along with a few intricate patterns which I felt would be interesting to try and recreate in GT Sport. Such patterns included dashed line motifs running at various angles all over the machine, along with a large 'X' sawblade logo on the top-right. Incidentally, it is this aesthetic which I remembered and liked the most, helped in no small part by the fact that toys based on X-Terminator (including the pullback from the Gauntlet set which I still have) were also modelled specifically on the Series 4 version. As was the case with the reboot-specific liveries, all patterns and logos would be created using a mix of in-game and custom decals.
Custom livery inspired by various incarnations of original Robot Wars competitor X-Terminator.
Finicky to get right at times (especially the 'X' logo which was specifically modelled on the Series 4 iteration), but a fun exercise in creating some distinctive and unusual patterns with the in-game shapes. It occurred to me fairly quickly that the dots and dashes could be used strategically to highlight circular design features such as the left 'Z' badge, aerial and fuel filler cap.
Custom livery inspired by various incarnations of original Robot Wars competitor X-Terminator.
For the silver base, I did experiment for a while with formulating a custom colour, but eventually decided that the default ‘Brilliant Silver’ would work just fine. To represent X-Terminator’s axe, a simple set of twin stripes were applied over the bonnet and roof to simulate the weapon space and arm. An extremely late addition was a set of red and black circle shapes which represented the flashing light fitted to the back of the robot until the end of Series 5.
Custom livery inspired by various incarnations of original Robot Wars competitor X-Terminator.
The rear bumper had similar patterns and logos to the rest of the body, but was made dark blue as a deliberate nod to the Series 7 version. Maybe I could've got away with making that area silver as well, but at the time I decided that that would've made for a less interesting scheme as the rear of the Series 4-5 and Extreme versions was relatively plain by comparison.
Custom livery inspired by various incarnations of original Robot Wars competitor X-Terminator.
Really delighted with the responses I’ve received for these in the wider Robot Wars community, which have included further endorsements from the builders of Apollo and Eruption themselves. I’m open to creating more like these in the near future (whether it be on GT Sport or GT7) and already have a few ideas on which other competitors to make liveries out of. Which ones, however, you’ll have to find out once they enter the arena…
Custom VW Beetle Gr.3 livery inspired by the Red Dwarf shuttlecraft Starbug.
Before settling on making ‘Blunderbird 2’, one of the ideas I had considered for LEC #51 was a VW Beetle themed around the Red Dwarf shuttlecraft Starbug. This was in turn a revival of an older livery, ‘Carbug’, made originally for the modern Gr.3 version; the name also cross-references the modified Smart car seen in the three-part Back to Earth special.
Custom VW Beetle Gr.3 liveries inspired by the Red Dwarf shuttlecraft Starbug (original 'Carbug'...
As you can see in the above screenshot, the design was more than ready to be updated and revised to match my current standards. The plan for LEC #51 was to use the 1966 model Beetle 1200 in keeping with the competition's ‘LeMons’ theme and rules. As an added challenge, I wanted to use the opportunity to experiment with gradient effects to simulate weathering and scorch marks, using photo references of various models of the Starbug craft available online. I went fairly far into the design process for the '1200' version before changing my mind and creating ‘Blunderbird 2’ instead. Not wanting to let the idea go to waste, I began transmogrifying the abandoned ‘LeMons’ idea into an updated version of the original Gr.3-based design.
Custom VW Beetle Gr.3 livery inspired by the Red Dwarf shuttlecraft Starbug.
The key differences over the original are a less sickly green base and a higher level of detailing better matching that of the shuttlecraft. Gone are the makeshift numberplates (which I later decided wouldn't make sense to leave on a pure racing model) and in-game fonts for the ‘Starbug 1’ decals; in come custom imported decals and basic weathering effects attempted using in-game gradient shapes.
Custom VW Beetle Gr.3 livery inspired by the Red Dwarf shuttlecraft Starbug.
At first, I was thinking about leaving the upper parts of the car pristine, but when I got inspired to continue working on this fairly recently, I decided to complete the effect by extending the weathering to a few other areas – including the roof, doors, bumpers, tailgate and bonnet. The results can be seen below:
Custom VW Beetle Gr.3 livery inspired by the Red Dwarf shuttlecraft Starbug.
You may notice that I deliberately made the bigger marks around the A and B pillars asymmetrical to differentiate both sides of the car. The idea was to suggest that the 'ship' had experienced a number of fire-related mishaps in the past, whether it be related to refuelling issues or unexpected collisions with flaming meteorites.
Custom VW Beetle Gr.3 livery inspired by the Red Dwarf shuttlecraft Starbug.
I do not claim that this is a perfect replica of Starbug, the only replica of Starbug around on Discover, or a perfect attempt at a ‘weathered’ car. However, I can say with certainty that the additions improve the design significantly and make the Gr.3 Beetle look even more convincing as a spaceship. Engage "Content Mode."
Updated Vulcan LMP1 livery (#19 and #20 versions).
The Vulcan Vitessa HP-4 is the third iteration of Vulcan’s modern sports prototype racing cars, developed for the World Endurance Championship LMP1 regulations. Introduced for the 2018-2019 superseason as an evolutionary update of the 2017 Vitessa X, it combines a 3.0l twin-turbo V6 engine with a four-wheel drive hybrid system, itself using lithium-ion batteries and an MGU-K motor on each axle.
Changes over the Vitessa X primarily focused on improvements in efficiency, cooling and performance, including revised aerodynamics as well as lighter batteries and MGU-K motors. The front-end design incorporates a streamlined nose and impact structure reminiscent of the Porsche 919 Hybrid, along with design details linking the HP-4 with Vulcan’s road car models.
Immediately, the HP-4 proved evenly matched against the Toyota TS050s, the 2018-2019 superseason essentially becoming a two-horse race between the remaining LMP1 hybrid outfits. Five wins enabled Vulcan Racing Squadron to take the overall WEC LMP1 Championship, though a third Le Mans victory would twice elude them.
Conceptual LMP1 'works' livery for my fictional car manufacturer Vulcan Auto. Garage shot...
For the 2019-2020 superseason, the Vitessa HP-4 was subjected to stricter weight and fuel restrictions under Equivalence of Technology (EoT) parameters. These included a weight increase, success ballast based on championship points and reduced fuel flow rates at pit stops. It was hoped that this would level out the playing field between hybrid and non-hybrid machinery, enabling privateers to challenge the factory Vulcan and Toyota squads. As with previous seasons, two HP-4s (#19 and #20) were entered by Vulcan Racing Squadron, initially sporting a two-tone green, grey and white livery.
Conceptual LMP1 'works' livery for my fictional car manufacturer Vulcan Auto.
Vulcan began their title defence strongly with pole and a 1-2 finish at the 4 Hours of Silverstone, followed by third place at the 6 Hours of Fuji and second at the 4 Hours of Shanghai. In spite of EoP handicaps favouring the non-hybrid Rebellion and Team LNT entries, the HP-4 would pick up a second win at the 8 Hours of Bahrain, further extending Vulcan’s advantage over Toyota by the end of the 2019 leg.
In early 2020, it was announced that Vulcan Racing Squadron had signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with Sony to promote the PlayStation 5 games console. A revised livery with blue panels and ‘PS5’ logos was introduced for the Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of the Americas, in which the Vitessa HP-4 had to make do with another third-place finish behind the #1 Rebellion and #8 Toyota.
Following the resumption of the 2020 leg, a further livery alteration saw both HP-4s promoting the forthcoming racing game Gran Turismo 7 for the remaining three rounds. Again, Vulcan had to settle for third behind the two Toyotas at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the LMP1 grid further depleted by the withdrawal of Team LNT’s Ginettas.
Updated Vulcan LMP1 livery (#19 and #20 versions).
This set the stage for a dramatic and historic battle between the factory squads at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the early hours, a high-speed puncture dropped the #19 HP-4 out of the leading group, but the #20 car remained in contention for the overall lead as both Toyotas suffered various issues during the night. From that point, the race became a straight duel between the #20 Vulcan and #8 Toyota, both cars trading the top two positions until the British machine got ahead in the final hour. The #20 then built up an unassailable lead to secure Vulcan’s long-awaited third win at Le Mans; their first since 1994 and the last for any LMP1-spec machine.
Updated Vulcan LMP1 livery (#20 version, grey mirrors, in focus).
With Rebellion Racing deciding to end their racing activities after Le Mans, the two HP-4s were left to take on Toyota one last time at the 8 Hours of Bahrain, finishing 2nd and 4th overall. Though both manufacturers finished the season with three victories apiece, the double points scored by Vulcan’s Le Mans triumph proved decisive, securing them the 2019-2020 WEC LMP1 Championship.
Updated fantasy 'Vulcan Venator GT3' livery coinciding with the 'Road to GT7' series.
Making its debut at the 2020 Bathurst 12 Hour, the Vulcan Venator 40R GT3 (also known simply as the Vulcan Venator GT3) is Vulcan Racing Squadron's current customer car for the ever-popular GT3 category. Based on the seventh-generation Venator VPS 40R fastback, it is powered by a 4.0l twin-turbo V8 producing up to 600bhp depending on Balance of Performance (BoP) parameters. Initially reported as an update of the 'T40' V8 found in the preceding Spitfire GT3, the engine is actually based on the newer, more efficient '40V' unit found in the production Venator GS 4000 road car. Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox as per the FIA regulations.
Updated fantasy 'Vulcan Venator GT3' livery coinciding with the 'Road to GT7' series.
Despite being generally larger than its predecessor, the Venator GT3 benefits from a chassis incorporating ultra-high tensile steel and recycled aluminium, along with a carbon-fibre safety cell. Following the precedent set by Porsche and their 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, it and the Venator 30S GT4 also feature body panels and aerodynamic components made from an organic fibre composite material, bearing similar properties to carbon-fibre. This development aligns the Venator GT3 and GT4 with Vulcan's ongoing sustainability initiatives, one of which concerns the increased use of renewable materials in newer road and racing models.
Updated fantasy 'Vulcan Venator GT3' livery coinciding with the 'Road to GT7' series.
Alongside the initial works-backed Intercontinental GT Challenge campaign, run by Gooch Engineering, several other Venator GT3s have appeared as both customer and factory entries in various racing series around the world. As of 2022, these include (but are not limited to) the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (GTD and GTD Pro), Super GT (GT300), GT World Challenge, British GT, ADAC GT Masters, DTM and the Nürburgring Endurance Series (formerly VLN, SP9). Venator GT3s also competed in the SP9 class at the 2020 and 2021 Nürburgring 24 Hours, with details of a 2022 programme set to be confirmed by Vulcan Racing Squadron in due course.
Updated fantasy 'Vulcan Venator GT3' livery coinciding with the 'Road to GT7' series.
Virtually, the car has been represented in Gran Turismo Sport in its launch, 'Bathurst' and 'Tripadvisor EXCERL8' British GT liveries, and more recently by the 'R2 Edition' featuring sponsorship logos promoting the forthcoming instalment Gran Turismo 7. Further details on Vulcan's 'presence' in GT7 have yet to be confirmed, though it is likely that a similar selection of current and historic machinery - including the Venator GT3 and Vitessa HP-4 - will be made 'available' to players once again.
Custom '246 Press' and 'Mistral Motorsport' liveries created for the 2021 Nations Cup.
A couple of quick liveries created specially for two rounds of last year's main Nations Cup seasons. Both maintain my recurring theme of using in-game 'Fantasy Brands' as a primary sponsor, with one being a continuation of the 'Mistral Motorsport' theme that has served me well since the early days of GT Sport. These came about as I was having trouble finding the time or inspiration to prepare more intricate designs, but still wanted to bring along something distinctive and presentable for each car's Nations debuts.
Custom '246 Press' livery for the au TOM'S RC F '16, used in the 2021 Nations Cup and Dailies.
First up is this all-black RC F GT500, which takes direct inspiration from the BTC-T spec Lexus IS200s run by ABG Motorsport (later Total Motorsport) in the 2001 British Touring Car Championship. I took visual references from the initial version carried in earlier rounds by Kurt Luby, and the later Evening Standard-sponsored variant shared by Thomas Erdos and Steve Sutcliffe in the second half of the season. The latter happens to match the colours of the '246 Press' logos quite well, which was important as it would be the first time I would use that particular Fantasy Brand on a custom livery.
Most of the secondary decals reflect sponsors on the default au TOM'S scheme, but the aim was to maintain a clean look sympathising with both its basis and the aero parts of the GT500 car. Thus, the majority of them are confined to the lower skirt, with the Motul and Denso branding being placed in areas intended to pay homage to the original IS200.
Custom '246 Press' livery for the au TOM'S RC F '16, created for the 2021 Nations Cup.
The RC F in this scheme proved an instant success, finishing 3rd in Season 1, Round 9 (Fuji) after a ferocious drive from 8th on the grid. It was also used for a handful of Sardegna B Daily Races where the best result was another 3rd place, and in Season 2, Round 8 (Red Bull Ring) where I finished 7th despite an unfortunate collision on the final lap.
Custom 'Mistral Motorsport' livery for the Red Bull X2019 Competition, created for and raced in...
Though the final design was shared around the same time as the RC F, this Mistral scheme had actually been around for a few years in a more basic and tongue-in-cheek form. This was when the X2019 Competition first got added to GT Sport, and was intended as a 'joke' since I had no chance of being competitive in my first Sport Mode race with it. Hence the 'novice cross' sticker (obtained from Discover) which reflected my inexperience and initial hopelessness at being able to manage the car's downforce and power delivery.
Fast forward to Season 2, Round 4 of the Nations Cup series and again I go into this as a joke knowing full well there is no way I can get a lot out of the X2019. Yet, the more I practiced, the more genuine pace I began to find around Sardegna A. As my testing efforts became more serious, so did the design, which takes in elements from other 'Mistral Motorsport' designs I've done in the past.
Custom 'Mistral Motorsport' livery for the Red Bull X2019 Competition, created for the 2021...
Key features included a P8 Fluorescent base - close in hue to the regular pink while making the car stand out in low light - as well as black wheel fairings and small white hazard stripes on the lower edges. Gradient stripe effects were added to the space above the headlights, with very loose references to the gradient stripes seen on the original Red Bull X2010 S.Vettel scheme. The final feature worth noting is the circular ring patterns on the wheel covers, which were made using default shapes as a way of making those areas of the car less empty. I deliberately made these 'rings' different in size at the front and rear to simulate a variation in tyre/wheel sizes at either end, though some consideration also had to be made towards accommodating default numberboards for Sport Mode racing. The 'ring' motifs were repeated and further altered for the Christmas Noël Dasher scheme shared earlier in this thread.
Custom 'Mistral Motorsport' livery for the Red Bull X2019 Competition, created for the 2021...
Like the RC F, I was able to get a surprisingly great result in the Mistral X2019 on race day. Despite starting 13th and spinning on the first lap, I ended up finishing 6th for 235 points after a hard charge through the field, my second-highest finish and score out of the second 2021 Nations Cup season.
Custom Super GT-based livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film, originally intended as...
One of the final two designs to be shared on GT Sport before the GT7 data transfer on February 15th. As highlighted in my earlier post, this RC F was my original idea for LEC #61 (Samurai), based around the Ghibli film and featuring the Japanese film logo decal created by @Cytoria. Though my original request for more detailed Chihiro/Haku decals could not be fulfilled, I still wanted to share the finalised design at some point and so kept working on it from time to time.
At one point, I did consider joining Lexus for the 2021 Manufacturers Series, which motivated me to create a version with extra No-Face decals on the sides instead. Then I found out that LM Corsa - who ran the RC Fs in the Super GT GT300 category at the time - switched to the Supra that same year, and thus the No-Face Supra came to be.
Custom Super GT-based liveries themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film. Japanese film logo...
I mentioned in the main GT Sport Livery thread that this was probably my most ambitious Ghibli-themed livery of the lot, and it shows in the individual details. We have No-Face taking up a menacing presence on the bonnet and doors, a tiny Radish Spirit taking up space just above the diffuser, and dozens, upon dozens, of 'susiwatari' on the roof and above the headlights. The front end also has asymmetrical primary colours to represent Haku's dragon form (left) and Chihiro (right) respectively, while nods to director Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki are also present in the driver names listed above the B-pillar.
Custom Super GT-based livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film, originally intended as...
Changing the side panels from dark blue to black also meant breaking up the rest of the design with more eye-catching colours for the rear quarters. A shade of light blue was chosen to contrast the exisitng pink and green, and as an added nod to the title card present at the start of most Studio Ghibli productions. To further emphasise his mysterious and ominous presence, No-Face originally had his 'body' concealed by black shapes on the sides as well as the bonnet. However, this was reversed on the released version to match the treatment on the No-Face Supra.
Custom Super GT-based livery themed around the 2001 Studio Ghibli film, originally intended as...
The main reason why I decided to release this 'interim' version was so that I can hopefully keep working on the 'final' livery in GT7. I also felt that with the way that I kept mentioning it in the LEC #61 and Livery Gallery thread, it would've been unfair to keep this design under wraps until it came to a point where I could no longer transfer it to GT7, or access it in GT Sport once the servers shut down. This, and the GP-218 which will form my next post, are my last new designs to be shared on GT Sport; all new liveries from this point on will be made using the updated Livery Editor available in GT7.
Though a recognisable and highly successful name in endurance, GT and touring car racing, Vulcan has largely shied away from Formula One ever since the company’s foundation in 1946 as Agate. Only with the demise of the World Sportscar Championship in 1993 would an opportunity to enter the premier single-seater category present itself, when Vulcan Racing Squadron agreed to supply March Grand Prix with 3.5l V10 engines originally developed for the Vitessa VI prototype. Vulcan Motor Group (now Vulcan Auto Works) bought a 50% stake in March to alleviate the team's financial woes, thus renaming it March-Vulcan F1 for the coming season.
In 1994, VMG bought out the remaining share and became the sole owner of the March team, now renamed Vulcan Grand Prix (VGP). Building on the consistency and reliability demonstrated in the previous season, VGP developed the GP-994 - a mostly all-new car designed to be as stable and easy to drive as possible with the FIA's then-recent ban on electronic driver aids. The existing Vitessa VI-sourced engines were also upgraded to produce over 800bhp. Coupled with the shock signing of four-time World Champion Alain Prost as lead driver, this was enough to earn Vulcan four race wins and third in both the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships in only their first season as a full works team.
For 1995, VGP developed a brand-new 3.0l V10 engine for the GP-995 chassis, now with additional safety improvements. However, the new unit proved less reliable, hampering the team's overall performance along with Prost's retirement from racing at the end of the previous year. Furthermore, financial losses within the wider Vulcan Motor Group chain - coupled with the company's impending acquisition of struggling luxury marque Windermere - meant that the costs of running the Vulcan Grand Prix project were quickly deemed unviable. Though the GP-996 rectified its predecessor's faults, Vulcan withdrew from Formula One at the end of 1996 in the interests of their parent company. Vulcan Grand Prix were disbanded soon after and many staff members transferred to work on other programmes run by Vulcan Racing Squadron.
In winter 2005, reports circulated that Vulcan were looking to return to F1 as an engine supplier, developing a unit for the 2.4l V8 regulations in what was later revealed to be a 2007 supply deal with Williams. However, the deal would not materialise, with Williams opting to use Toyota engines in place of the stop-gap Cosworth V8s.
The 'Vulcan Grand Prix' name was briefly revived in 2009 for a joint application between Vulcan Racing Squadron and Lola Cars, outlining a proposed entry for the 2010 season. This built on an alliance between the two companies first established during the latter half of the decade, resulting in them collaborating to develop new-generation road and racing models under the 'Vitessa' badge. The initial Vulcan-Lola entry outlined a development of the 'MB-01' chassis, renamed GP-210, powered by works Vulcan engines like those initially planned for Williams. However, the FIA insisted on the team using rebranded Cosworth engines, causing this part of their application to be subsequently amended. Cost and parity concerns relative to existing engine suppliers scuppered the 2010 proposal, though Lola would still aspire to a future F1 entry as early as the 2011 season. Nevertheless, a 2011 entry did not materialise either, as Vulcan and Lola had already switched focus to preparing the Vitessa IX LMP1 for the 2015 World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
With the original 2014 LMP1 regulations highlighting the possibility of using F1-derived 1.6l V6 hybrid units, speculation began to ramp up regarding a similar unit being developed for the Vitessa IX. This would, in turn, allow Vulcan Racing Squadron to return to F1 as an engine supplier, with the added advantage of the Vitessa IX programme being used to gather and exchange additional data between both disciplines. Ultimately, the Vitessa IX entered competition with a 3.0l twin-turbo V6 hybrid drivetrain, and Vulcan Racing Squadron decided against an F1 programme once again for cost reasons. However, a one-off chassis, GP-214, was built to demonstrate the 1.6l unit to potential customers; its existence confirmed in early 2016 when Pirelli bought it to test their 2017 season tyre compounds.
A third chassis, GP-218, is rumoured to have been completed sometime in winter 2017-2018, though both Vulcan Racing Squadron and the rejuvenated Lola Cars continue to deny its existence to this day. A number of conceptual mock-ups of the vehicle depict it in a stealthy two-tone green livery based on that carried by the 2017-spec Vitessa X prototypes, as well as with 2017-style aero and the 'halo' device first mandated in the 2018 season. Pictured in this post is a mock-up recreated in the video game Gran Turismo Sport, using the Super Formula SF19 as a base.
The actual appearance of the completed Vulcan-Lola GP-218 remains a mystery, as it has not been publicly displayed by Vulcan Racing Squadron or Lola Cars as of 2002, or purchased by any third parties. Neither have any photos, videos or audio recordings of it in action been made available to the public. With both companies directing their main motorsport focus on Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship, a sister Formula One campaign in the mid-to-late 2010s would always be ruled out due to costs and potential performance concerns against the initial 2014 suppliers - Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault.
Nevertheless, a number of cost-saving measures - including the 2021-2022 budget caps and revised 2026 engine rules - have prompted fresh rumours concerning Vulcan's participation in future F1 seasons. In February 2022, Vulcan Racing Squadron confirmed that 'early consideration' was being made towards developing a 2026-spec power unit, though they stopped short on whether this would be for use as a customer engine or as part of a fully-fledged constructor entry. With the Squadron also committed to a number of all-electric motorsport projects at present - including the Vulcan Swallow Pikes Peak racer and a rumoured Formula E entry for Windermere - it remains to be seen how a revived Formula One programme would align with the company's ongoing electrification and sustainable mobility strategies.
