Gran Turismo 5's pre-online shutdown event unlocks Gran Turismo 6 cars

With Gran Turismo 5's online services scheduled to be taken permanently offline at the end of May, developer Polyphony Digital is hosting one last online event that will allow participants to unlock a handful of cars for use in the game's sequel, Gran Turismo 6.

Beginning late tonight and running through May 30, players will be able to take part in the Gran Turismo 5 Online Event Finale, according to a post on the franchise's website (via GTPlanet). Contained in the event are two stages: one on the Top Gear test track with a 2011 Mazda Roadster TC, and one on the 24-hour Nürburgring track with a 2011 Nissan GT-R N24 Schulze Motorsports.

Once you've registered lap times on both during the month of May, you'll need to start up Gran Turismo 6 (pictured above) between June 2 and June 29 while signed into the same PlayStation Network account. By doing so, you'll unlock the following five cars:

• 2009 Abarth Grande Punto
• 2011 Renault Sport Megane R.S. Trophy
• 2008 Nissan Fairlady Z (Z34)
• 2012 Tesla Motors Model S Signature Performance
• 2012 Subaru S206 NBR Challenge Package

Polyphony says it "hand selected these cars specifically as they will be very useful in the early stages of Gran Turismo 6." Gran Turismo 5 was released on PS3 in November 2010 and was succeeded by Gran Turismo 6 this past December.

GT5 is among a handful of Sony's first-party PS3 games, including the first three Resistance games, MAG, and SOCOM: Confrontation, being taken offline in May. In GT5's case, its DLC is being removed from the PlayStation Store, rendering some of it inaccessible after today, April 30.