BMW has unveiled a new virtual race car, the BMW Vision Gran Turismo, that you can drive exclusively on racetracks in the latest Gran Turismo 6.
Looking like a beefed up sportier version of the M235i Racing, the virtual racer is imagined with the same 3.0-liter inline six as in the M235i, but producing an impressive 549 horsepower (that’s all in theory and purely in the virtual world). All this imaginable power is sent to the rear axle through a six-speed sequential gearbox featuring steering wheel-mounted paddles.
549 horsepower is pretty wild from a 3.0-liter inline six! That’s a big jump compared to the real life racing version, which cranks out 333 hp.
The virtual racer also has an ideal 50:50 front-rear weight distribution and a curb weight of 2,600 lbs (1,180 kg). That’s another purely virtual number as it is nearly a thousand pounds lighter than the roadgoing M235i.
Don’t expect to see anything similar in production, though rumor is that some of the design elements from the bodywork of this virtual concept could make it into the upcoming BMW M2.
