Video Gaming News - November 2004
Las Vegas, NV (November 2, 2004) - Sony Computer Entertainment America
hosted the second annual Gran Turismo 4 (GT4) Awards yesterday at the SEMA
(Specialty Equipment Market Association) auto show in Las Vegas.
From Sony:
In its inaugural year, the GT4 Awards marked a historic collaboration of
videogame and auto enthusiasts, while featuring a distinguished line-up of
entries from top SEMA show exhibitors, all vying for the coveted honor of being
dubbed "Best in Show," a title that included the historic privilege of having
their vehicle inserted into the revolutionary Gran Turismo franchise,
exclusively for PlayStation 2.
Held at Las Vegas hot-spot ICE, the GT4 Awards highlighted six categories that
included "Best Truck/SUV," "Best Japanese Import," "Best European Import," "Best
Domestic Automobile," "Best Hot Rod" and the coveted "Best in Show." The Best in
Show vehicle will be immortalized by being inserted into the next installment of
the Gran Turismo franchise videogame, available for all consumers to view and
drive, making it the talk of the auto industry.
"We're very excited to have hosted the second annual Gran Turismo 4 Awards at
SEMA. Through our awards program, we honored automotive enthusiast's passion for
car culture that is synonymous to the mission of the Gran Turismo franchise,"
said Kazunori Yamauchi, famed creator of the Gran Turismo series. "With the
ongoing support of the automotive and PlayStation 2 community, the Gran Turismo
franchise continues to serve as a unique medium to experience car culture like
never before for now and the years to come."
"SEMA and Gran Turismo 4 both showcase the high level of enthusiasm and passion
for cars that goes well with the automotive culture," said John Kiewicz, Editor,
Motor Trend Magazine. "The Gran Turismo 4 Awards further communicate the meaning
behind the franchise, while honoring SEMA exhibitors in their quest to be the
best at what they do. From selecting unique automobiles from five different
categories, I had the opportunity to serve as a judge and was honored in
selecting the Best European entry, which later won the "Best in Show" award,
enabling it to be featured in an upcoming Gran Turismo game for the world to
see."
Entries for the GT4 Awards included vehicles encompassing manufacturers around
the globe. GT4 Awards category winners were selected by representatives from
popular automotive media and related company outlets including Road & Track,
Motor Trend, Truck Trend, Red Line Oil, Racer Magazine and Super Street, with
the "Best in Show" award being selected by Kazunori Yamauchi. Last year's "Best
in Show" winner included a 1962 Buick Special, owned by Ted and Sue Richardson
of Oregon, which will be available in the upcoming release of Gran Turismo 4.
The overall winner was Marcel Horn who was honored with the "Best in Show" award
for their one-of-kind HPA Volkswagen R32. In addition to the hardware, Horn will
set a new standard for visibility among auto enthusiasts as his vehicle will be
drivable in the next installment of Gran Turismo when it becomes available. Horn
was also awarded the "Best European Import" award.
The "Best Truck/SUV" honor was presented to Brett Garner for his Ford F-250.
Walking away with the award for "Best Japanese Import" was Mark Mendoza for his
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII.
The "Best Domestic Automobile" award was given to Jeff Tetzlaff for his 1966
GT40. The final category, which was for "Best Hot Rod," was awarded to the Craig
Morrison for his 1955 Chevrolet 210 Sedan.
With more than 36 million units sold worldwide, the Gran Turismo franchise is
regarded as the best and most authentic driving simulation ever created,
available exclusively for PlayStation and PlayStation 2. For the launch of Gran
Turismo 4, a new standard will be set for authentic racing action with upwards
of 650 cars and more than 50 tracks encompassing eighty real auto manufacturers
and various real-life courses from around the world, as well as realistic
driving physics and various new game modes.
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