Mercedes-Benz designs concept car just for Gran Turismo 6

Meet the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo -- a car that's unlikely to ever feel the road beneath its rubber. Like the name suggests, the car has been designed for one purpose: appearing in Polyphony Digital's PlayStation 3 exclusive, Gran Turismo 6.

Although the concept car has been created for inclusion in a fictional product, Mercedes-Benz hasn't slouched on the design. Every step of the way, the manufacturer has gone out of its way to build a vehicle that could work in the real world. A 1:1 scale model of the car has even been built, debuting at the opening of the new Mercedes-Benz research and development center in California.

"The sports car proportions that are a typical Mercedes-Benz feature have been reinterpreted: the long bonnet has a flowing transition into a compact greenhouse offset to the rear, which takes the form of an aerodynamically efficient water drop to descend slightly at the rear, where it rests on the rear end with broad shoulder contours," Mercedes-Benz wrote on its Web site. "The dynamic aura is accentuated by an extended, dramatic side contour and a pronounced bulge to the wheel arches, which blend into the low-slung, muscular bodyshell. The angled headlamps, with their color scheme and determined look, convey a sense of sportiness and readiness to leap forward."

Once you get inside the car (in the game, of course), you'll see a central display floating above the steering wheel right in the driver's field of vision, displaying road speed, engine speed, and operating temperature. The car is operated by rocker switches in the center of the dash and in an overhead console, similar to a jet's cockpit.

The radiator grille on the front is designed to catch the eye, studded with LEDs that flash a variable pattern with the Mercedes-Benz star in the center. But it's not all about how pretty the car looks. Under the hood is a 430-kilowatt (585 horsepower) V8 engine with a maximum torque of 800 Newton meters, and its body is constructed of aluminum space frame with carbon fiber components, weighing the car in at 3,053 pounds -- around 5.3 pounds per hp. The high-composite braking system is constructed of ceramic, and the exhaust system incorporates eight tailpipes.

This feeds into the final detail that makes the car seem spectacular: the sound. Mercedes-Benz's sound specialists have created a powerful exhaust note that's designed to pay tribute to the V8.

Gran Turismo 6 will see a worldwide release on December 6. We're looking forward to getting our hands on the wheel.

(Source: CNET Australia)