New Jaguar GT7 roadster looks like a turtleneck

Jaguar’s latest Gran Turismo 7 sports car is definitely polarizing, and I’m sure gamers will either love it or hate it, nothing in between. It is called the Vision Gran Turismo Roadster, and it joins two other models -the Vision GT Coupé and the Vision GT SV- in the latest edition of the driving simulator.

“We are delighted to announce the Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Roadster, which completes the trilogy of Jaguar Vision vehicles for Gran Turismo 7. It was a great experience to work with the Design team at Jaguar. We look forward to drivers getting behind the virtual wheel in the new game. All three cars lend themselves perfectly to the exciting new user experience that GT7 will offer,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo Creator, President of Polyphony Digital Inc.

The new model is a single-seater, electric roadster developed by the marque’s Formula E team Jaguar TCS (Tata Consultancy Services). Three motors give it 1,020 PS and 1,200 Nm of torque. It will go from 0-100 km/h in less than 2 seconds, and its top speed is north of 322 km/h.

There is no doubt those numbers are mind-blowing, but that is after you get over the design of this race car. The top surface of the roadster is virtually flat except for the four shaped fenders. While we love the sleek and aerodynamic look, its cockpit looks bothersome. It sticks out because of the windshield (Jaguar calls it an aero screen), which is weird in itself because racing roadsters usually don’t have any because it causes drag. Worse, it sticks out like the high collar of a turtleneck. At the tail-end of the vehicle is a modern version of the Jaguar fin found on the three-time Le Mans-winning D-type.

Exact specifications were not revealed, but Jaguar says the vehicle has a lightweight monocoque body thanks to carbon-fiber composites and advanced aluminum alloys. The center of gravity is low and near 50:50 weight distribution because designers positioned the lithium-ion battery pack as low as possible.

“As a car designer, being part of the team that has delivered three virtual cars for the Gran Turismo series has been a dream project. Since the reveal of the Vision GT Coupé in 2019 and Vision GT SV in 2020, we wanted to curate the perfect way to present the full line-up of the three cars together when we revealed the Roadster – Gran Turismo 7 is the perfect way to do it. The visual effect is dramatic and wouldn’t look out of place on any track or circuit around the world, from the streets of night-time Tokyo to California’s Laguna Seca raceway,” said Oliver Cattell-Ford, Exterior Designer, Jaguar Advanced Design.

The Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Roadster is now available in Gran Turismo 7 on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.