Every Car Gran Turismo's Creator Has Ever Owned

Kazunori Yamauchi--recognized as the creator of Gran Turismo--is considered one of the most approachable game studio heads in the industry, provided you know how to get a hold of him. He was more than happy to meet with GameSpot at E3 2017, where he shared thoughts on what was learned from the spring beta of Gran Turismo Sport and he shared feelings on how the his series differentiates itself from Forza Motorsport.

More recently, we recently threw 10 questions at him about his personal history with driving. Given his well-known love of cars, we wanted to know all the cars he's owned and we also learned how his tastes and enthusiasm for sports cars has influenced his driving series, which happens to be celebrating its 20-year anniversary.

GameSpot: Would you be able to name every car you've owned?

Kazunori Yamauchi:

• Toyota Corolla

• Toyota Supra

• Nissan 300ZX

• Nissan GT-R (R32)

• Mitsubishi FTO

• Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5

• Honda S2000

• Porsche 911 GT3 (996)

• Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG

• Ford GT

• Nissan GT-R (R35)

Of these cars, which one was your favorite? Why?

Ford GT, because it’s the most beautiful car.

Has Gran Turismo ever influenced your car-buying decisions? If so, how?

The R35 Nissan GT-R appeared in Gran Turismo starting from its concept model, and I was responsible for the design of the information system in the production car. It was a car which Gran Turismo helped to bring into the world, and it was a car I helped to create in part, so it was natural for me to buy the car.

Think of a car you own that's in a Gran Turismo game. How would you describe the handling of the car in the streets of Tokyo compared to a race track?

The Tokyo Expressway in Tokyo, is 14 miles per lap, and is a challenging course much like the Nürburgring, but as long as you are driving at the speed limit it is a unique winding road even on a global level, with beautiful scenery. Cars like the Porsche 911GT3 and the Nissan GT-R are cars which are difficult to understand their true worth unless you take it to the track, but when you are driving on the Shuto (Capital City) Expressway, it is possible to understand their level of handling performance even at a slow speed.

Is there a type of car that you wish you could put in Gran Turismo that has never appeared in the series?

‘Work cars’ like firetrucks, ambulances, crane cars and road rollers, I am half joking, but I’d like to include them in Gran Turismo one of these days.

Of the cars you have handled in real life that are in GT Sport, are there any nuanced driving tips that aren't covered in Gran Turismo Sport's tutorial?

The world of driving is very deep, and we can only touch upon the entrance to this world in a tutorial. It would take a long amount of time to talk about things that are not covered. But once you are at the entryway, I believe that people will be able to trail blaze their own way into the vast world of driving beyond it with their senses. I myself continue to make new discoveries regarding driving even now.

Do you remember what made you become a car enthusiast to begin with?

When I was 3 years old, I rode along in the car my father drove for work every day. I naturally started to take interest in the cars driving around town, and by the time I was 4 I was able to name all the cars on the road.

What's your dream car?

The most balanced car on earth is a racing car. The higher the performance of the racing car, the more control you have when you are driving, and the better it feels to you. It would be fantastic if a racing car like that was sold as a road legal production car as is.

When you've purchased a car, do you keep its factory specifications or do you like modding?

That would depend on the car. If it’s a Mercedes or Porsche, I would keep it factory. If it’s a GT-R or S2000, it’s fun to tune and mod the cars. There are lots of high performance parts available too.

Going through all the cars you've owned, can you say in one or two sentences why you decided to buy that car in that time in your life?

Toyota Corolla – This was the first car in which I experienced understeer. I raised my cornering speed a bit at a time every day, and one day, the front tires started sliding and I experienced understeer.

Toyota Supra - This was the first car I practiced drifting in. When it snowed in the winter I would line up pylon cones in a parking lot, and practice slaloms and drifting.

Nissan 300ZX – This was a difficult car to drive. Just changing lanes on the highway while on the throttle would make the car oversteer and dance on the road.

Nissan GT-R (R32) – This was the car in which I first experienced what a high performance sports car is. I will never forget the first time I drove this car. It was like a combat fighter.

Mitsubishi FTO – It was front wheel drive, but had a naturally aspirated V6 engine that would run up to 8000RPM. When I look back on it now, I think it really had a lot to offer.

Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5 – Acceleration, cornering, stability, at the time it was the most potent weapon of choice.

Honda S2000 – Sharp steering and a chassis balance that would make it oversteer immediately; it was a difficult to drive, but educational car.

Porsche 911 GT3 (996) – Incredible body rigidity and direct response, I think it is still the benchmark of sports cars today.

Mercedes Benz SL55 AMG – Not only is it fast, you can relax when you drive with its soft ride quality. And its movements are very precise.

Ford GT – Low ride height, beautiful exterior and interior. Fantastic to drive, and it just makes you happy looking at it.

Nissan GT-R(R35) – High performance, like a modern day weapon. I completed the Nürburgring 24 hour race in an almost fully stock production car, winning in its class.