Gran Turismo 5 DLC due October 18, Spec 2.0 hits today

Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 5 may be nearly a year old at this point, but that isn't stopping the Japanese developer from creating new content for the simulation racer. Case in point, the studio took to the PlayStation Blog today to announce that its sizable Spec 2.0 update is now available, free of charge.

The biggest update since the game's launch last year, Spec 2.0 introduces a multitude of new features, including simplified cockpits for standard cars, 2011 season NASCAR cars, decreased load times, and Logitech G25/G27 racing wheel support, just to name a few.

This update also brings downloadable content support to the racer just in time for its first paid DLC pack set for October 18.

Polyphony Digital will be offering four separate DLC packs. The Course Pack will include SPA-Francorchamps and Kart Space layouts I and II for $4.99. The Car Pack will feature 15 new vehicles, including the Red Bull X2011, touring cars, and three new racing karts for $7.99.

Ninety total suits, helmets, and other items come in the Racing Gear Pack for $1.99, and the Paint Pack offers 100 new car colors for $1.99. The four DLC packs will also be available as a bundle for a discounted price of $11.99.

For more on the PS3-exclusive driving simulator, check out GameSpot's review.