I Tested GT7's Latest Update to See How Exciting the Three New Cars Are

I'm so bent on racing that I have almost explored nothing outside of it when playing Gran Turismo 7. The photo mode has annoyed me, as I've twice discovered that my shots are nowhere to be found. On one hand, the whole experience is formidable: amazing cars in amazing locations. Conversely, it's not as easy as taking out your phone and camera and doing the same.

I've ignored the Scapes mode in GT7 so far, but I had to check it out with Patch 1.44 coming out a few days ago. Fukushima is now a featured Curation in this mode, providing various backgrounds for that perfect shot. I only fiddled around with it for five minutes, as I was eager to get the three new cars and see what they could do.

Of course, Patch 1.44 has several features, including new World Circuits events, new stickers, and Extra Menus in the Cafe. If work weren't a thing, I'd probably spend several hours each day checking them out. But I'm now comfortable improving my lap times on Tsukuba or Nordschleife more than anything else.

Toyota GT-One (TS020) '99

When I saw the news, I knew I'd had to take the Toyota GT-One out for a drive. In 1998, two of the three cars Toyota had entered in the Le Mans race had to retire. And the third one finished P8 in the GT1 class. A similar fate awaited for two crews in 1999, but the all-Japan team won the LMGTP class. And that's why the race car you can drive in Gran Turismo 7 is the 1999 model.

At first, I thought I'd take it to France to see how I fare against the fastest laps set by the competitors back in the day. Then I remembered I was unfamiliar with the layout and thought I'd challenge Spa Francorchamps instead. The Porsche 911 GT1-98 was one of Toyota's main opponents in 1998, and it's a car I love.

I've driven it on the Nordschleife many times before, so guess where I ended up with the GT-One. Did I mention you'll have to pay 2.5 million credits for it in the Legend Cars area to get it? To raise that money, I had to sell my Porsche 919 Hybrid and another dozen cars. The funny part is that its odometer shows 1,999 km. At least it's cheaper than a Nissan GT-R GT500 '99 or a Jaguar XJR-9 '88.

I drove it like a granny for my first lap around the 'Ring, and I still finished it in six minutes and 36 seconds. I performed slightly better on the second one and shaved another 21 seconds. But this is likely a sub-six-minute race car if you know what you're doing. Weighing in at sub 2,000 lbs (907 kg), you must find the courage to hit the brakes as late as possible. Have faith in it; it can handle almost anything you throw at it.

I still wanted to see how well it would fare around a more technical track like Tsukuba. After four laps, I set my all-time new personal best: 51.606. I didn't even begin to scratch the surface of its potential, though, and I guess it could top the charts with a 48-second lap if you drive it right. All I need to do now is to sign up for the Fuji International Speedway Lap Time Challenge.

Lamborghini Urus '18

I was so eager to drive Toyota's iconic race car that I didn't realize it might not be the best idea. Switching to the Lamborghini Urus felt hilarious. It was like moving from a go-kart to a Monster Truck. It's the first SUV I'm driving, a Gran Turismo 7. And I wouldn't have even considered the idea had this not been part of the new patch.

You'll need 300,000 credits for the Lamborghini Urus '18, although I'm not sure how many people are eager to drive one. Sure, it has over 600 hp on tap, but it weighs almost 5,000 lbs. Using it at Tsukuba to set a lap record is like trying to spread peanut butter on your toast by using a hammer. It's doable but not that pleasant.

There's understeer everywhere, but you'll face the wrong way in a flash if you're not careful with your brake inputs. It would be fun to drive around town or in an open-world environment away from the racetrack. But with that kind of body roll, I'm shocked I lapped Tsukuba in 1:06.695. If I ever try something like this again, I'm installing all the upgrades available for the car. At least going in Full Bonkers Mode might be a bit more fun.

Audi R8 Coupé V10 plus '16

The Audi R8 Coupé V10 plus '16 is the second road-going R8 in Gran Turismo 7, or the fourth one if you consider the race cars, too. As expected, driving this after the Urus feels like a massive improvement. If you've got access to a PS VR2 set, take a few moments to admire the interior. I went all-out from the first lap, only to be reminded it's still a production vehicle.

The engine and gearbox are the best parts; you could close your eyes and imagine you're in a Lamborghini. But in typical Audi fashion, there is so much understeer in every corner. I agree; some may be down to driver error, but I can't be that bad at it. You must be very gentle with every input so as not to upset the balance.

It feels infinitely slower than the Toyota GT-One, but there's no sense in comparing the two. It all made sense after looking at the speeds I was driving at. I'd be ecstatic if Audi would call me tomorrow and offer a test drive of the R8. And I'm sure it would be tough for me to unleash its full potential.

But in the Virtual World, you don't feel any G Forces. It's not nearly as exhilarating as the real thing. As I realized all this, I had more fun driving the new R8 so much that I set a fast lap of 1:02.679. I wonder how much longer until the next update?