Tame 552 BHP for 107 Seconds And You'll Win Two Million GT7 Credits

Of course, I'll tell you all about them in due time. I'll have stories about drifting, time attack sessions, and many cool Japanese cars. Until then, I'm sitting tight in the comfort of my home, praying for some rain to cool things down. Powering up my PS5 isn't necessarily the best thing to do during a heatwave.

But I couldn't stay away from Polyphony Digital's latest Gran Turismo 7 Online Time Trial. The world is waiting for Update 1.49 to drop, as it will reveal new cars, a racetrack, and some physics changes. It makes sense that the newest Time Trial is only online for one week instead of two, as we're all accustomed to it.

Although I have done quite a bit of driving in the game, I've only focused on a handful of tracks. And the fictional Italian venue "Sardegna" is not one of them. The most sensible thing to do before jumping into the Time Trial was to secure a bit of practice.

Testing New Cars

I always like checking the "Legend Cars" area for exciting new vehicles. And there's plenty of action in there this week. With less than two million credits to my name, the top-tier machines are well out of my reach. That's not to say you can't get a good deal! I bought a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS (901) for 750,000 credits, and I think it looks stunning in Glacier Blue.

It's good that I received the Bronze Record Reward and 250,000 credits for my attempt at Big Willow in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Taking the Porsche out for a drive around Sardegna Road Track A immediately provided a lovely air-cooled soundtrack. With 206 bhp on tap coming from a 2.7-liter flat-six engine, I didn't expect any miracles from the iconic Porsche down the main straights.

It could barely get past 124 mph (200 kph) (as far as my driving skills go). But using the brakes and cornering was a real pleasure, as it only weighs 2370 lbs (1075 kg). That's about as much as a Mazda MX-5! This car isn't difficult to drive even while using the controller. But you should know that some oversteer can always happen if you don't treat the car right.

I registered a fast lap of 2:16.161 on my third attempt. I know that's not fantastic, but I mainly reacted to the corners instead of already knowing how to approach them. I turned to Brand Central for my next two vehicles, and it was time to turn up the heat. I've always wanted a Lexus RC F, and sometimes I think I'd pick it over BMW's M3.

The 2014 model costs 95,300 credits at Brand Central, translating to roughly 200 credits per bhp. While blue is a great choice for the RC F, I chose a Lava Orange Crystal Shine finish. Despite seeing some impressive figures from the 5.0-liter V8, it's quite heavy at 3946 lbs (1790 kg). Coming from the Porsche, I could feel that change right away. The engine loves revving to the moon, and I reached a top speed of 148 mph (239 kph) down the main straight.

You'll find yourself going sideways occasionally, especially in second gear and even in third. However, correcting this behavior is easily achievable. On my third attempt, I stopped the clock at 2:04.903 and knew the LFA would be much faster. Speaking of V10-powered icons, I thought a modern Viper would make a good choice for today's test.

I bought the 2013 version for 140,000 credits and couldn't wait to unleash all 640 bhp and 600 lb-ft (813.5 Nm) down the track. This thing is a big brute! Sure, it's cool seeing that tachometer light up when you're in "the zone," but braking and turning this thing almost felt like a nightmare. Ok, perhaps I'm overreacting here, and, indeed, it might not be as bad with the steering wheel.

However, chassis-wise, I felt the Lexus was superior to the SRT machine, at least racing on this type of layout. Interestingly enough, my first lap was the fastest one at 2:00.726. As I started pushing the car more on the last two laps, mistakes piled up, and I decided it was time to move on.

Sardegna Time Trial

By this point, I already knew the track (sort of) and how I should approach the corners. It's a medium-sized setup at 3.177 miles (5,113m) long, and it can be fun to experiment with occasionally. I can't remember the last time I drove an LFA in a video game, but I am happy to do it now. We all know how magnificent that 4.8-liter V10 sounds, and I expected a real kick out of it with 552 bhp and 353 lb-ft (478.6 Nm).

The car is lighter than the RC F and the SRT Viper but still heavy compared to the classic 911. User Jeddah_Racing had already set the done, being the first to drop below the 1:45 mark with a 1:44.777 lap. I'm not delusional, and I knew I couldn't perform as well. But I was still aiming for at least the Silver Record Reward.

On my first attempt using the controller, I realized several things: the LFA has more grip, better brakes, and sounds much better than the SRT Viper. On my third lap, I was already at 1:54.278, but that was still light years away from the leader.

I reached the limit at 1:53.139 several minutes later, and it was time to bring out the big guns (aka Logitech G29 and PS VR2). It wasn't as easy as I expected, and it took me several laps to deal with the tricky weight transfer.

With a top speed of 168 mph (271 kph) down the main straight, I set a fast lap of 1:51.908 shortly after. Going flat out through some of the corners on Sardegna is scary with the VR2. I watched Tidgney's tutorial to improve my rhythm and realized I should use the third gear instead of the second one more often. His top speed was up to 169 mph (273 kph), and his fast lap almost looked effortless.

But don't take my word for it; have a look for yourself. After nearly two hours of playing (part of it taking photographs), I had covered 90 miles (146 km) at this venue. And for my final attempt, I could only get a 1:50.785. That's inches from the Silver Record Reward (1:50.015), but I hope some of you can do better than I did and score two million extra credits in less than 120 seconds.