Racing spirit is rife in Ronda as Gran Turismo 6 takes over

Ronda hosted the worldwide launch for the latest instalment of the Gran Turismo series.

On December 1st and 2nd, the culture-rich Andalusian town of Ronda provided an idyllic setting for the unveiling of the sixth instalment in the Gran Turismo series, GT6.

Hundreds of eager journalists from all over the world arrived in beautiful Ronda for the hotly anticipated premiere of GT6 ahead of the game’s official release on 6 December 2013…

Since I can remember, Gran Turismo has been one of the great leaders in driving games and so to celebrate Playstation’s 15th anniversary, the developers of the real driving simulator, Polyphony Digital Inc, have delivered the most authentic and exciting driving experience to date.

Realistic graphics! More than just a video game, Gran Turismo is a driving simulator.

Gran Turismo’s latest release offers an incredible selection (exceeding 1,200) of the world’s most amazing and exciting cars, new and old, plus there are 7 iconic new venues including Spain’s internationally renowned Ascari Race Resort (near to Ronda), the Silverstone Circuit (in the UK) and Australia’s Mount Panorama.

The world premiere of GT6 in Ronda was full of exciting announcements but perhaps the most surprising of all was announced by the mayor of Ronda herself, as she revealed that one of the town’s historic streets would be named in honour of Gran Turismo creator, Kazunori Yamauchi.

‘Paseo de Kazunori Yamauchi’ wraps around the Parador de Ronda hotel, offering some of the best available views of the city’s famous Puente Nuevo bridge.

“Some people may find it a little strange that we have given the same honour to Yamauchi-san as to Orson Welles or Ernest Hemingway,” explained María de la Paz Fernández Lobato, mayor of Ronda.

“But, in the same way that both of them were enchanted by Ronda, so too was Yamauchi-san. There is also no doubt that his work has a huge cultural resonance with people today. He has driven the racing game genre to new levels of realism and his creations are as much art as technology. Ronda’s association with Gran Turismo is also a reflection that our ancient city is a modern, vibrant place in which to live and very much part of the 21st century.”

Fireworks and lights over the Puente Nuevo bridge in Ronda at the GT6 launch this week.

“I feel so grateful to the city of Ronda for this honour,” commented Yamauchi-san. “It is very special to see my name on the street, and especially when I know that Orson Welles and Ernest Hemingway are just around the corner – what incredible company. I know that I still have much work to do to be worthy of their status.”

Beautiful Andalusian weather headed the two-day premiere, shining sun on the stunning supercars dotted around the hosting town. The media event was a great success, featuring press conferences, galas, parties and finishing with spectacular fireworks, the ‘ultimate driving game’, has been given the ultimate introduction…