There was delight amongst Italian car fans this week with news that Alfa Romeo’s famous Balocco test track is to star in the next version of Gran Turismo 5. The legendary Italian proving ground will feature as part of a new ‘Car Launch’ add-on pack which will be available for the popular driving game later this year.
Sources at GT5 development HQ say that when players select the Balocco option they will have access to a virtual range of Fiat Group products, all of which will feel absolutely brilliant on digital recreations of the facility’s smoothly surfaced handling routes and high speed tracks. For added realism, players who complete the Balocco stage of the game will then be able to take those Fiat Group cars onto normal roads and discover that actually they are a bit disappointing and rubbish.
Further details of GT5’s forthcoming ‘Car Launch’ pack are scarce but it’s believed that the new add-on will also include a Ferrari Event stage with special ‘Jethro Bovingdon mode’ which allows players to score points based on how badly they kerb the wheels on the test car and how many swear words they say in the 30 seconds thereafter.
However, Gran Turismo sources also report that players who dare to criticise the actual car will be banned from playing the Ferrari level again.
