Gran Turismo 7’s latest physics have brought a new tyre model and new suspension behaviour, overall giving cars more traction and initial turn-in, while making the rear end easier to lose under hard braking. Let’s see how the Gr.2 class is shaped up in that setting.
What Are Gr.2 Cars In Gran Turismo 7
Gr.2 in Gran Turismo is mainly based around modern GT500 cars, with cars from 2008 and 2016 being currently featured, but 3 GT1 cars from the 90s and a Class One DTM car also find their way in there.
With only 10 cars, Gr.2 is the smallest class in size in GT7. It also can be divided into 3 separate groups with significantly different driving experiences. Overall though, the cars in this class are very generous with downforce, providing a performance level similar to modern LMP2s. If you’re coming from Gr.3, the main challenges you will face in this category are traction in slow corners, curbs being much more dangerous due to harder spring rates and increased pitch sensitivity, and having to rewire your brain to push for higher cornering speeds.
How We Made This List
Due to the nature of the class and the low number of cars it features, our approach this time is a bit different. While the main focus is still put on the experience under the game’s Balance of Performance (BoP), we will also explore the GT1 cars in their original form and generally talk about where each sub-group of cars shines more than provides a one-fits-all ranking.
Our opinion is mostly based on driving BoP’s default setups with racing hard tyres, but fitting softer compounds on these cars will not mask their differences in any significant way. There is not enough of a gap in terms of endurance capabilities between all the GT500 cars here to make it a decisive factor in our opinion, even at the highest competitive level.
The Different Types Of Gr.2 Cars
All Gr.2 cars are rear-wheel drive, with the only differentiating factor being engine position. Front-engined cars will be a bit more predictable on dry surfaces, but the mid-engined cars will dominate in wet conditions.
FR – Describes a vehicle which is front-engined and rear-wheel drive. It provides good controlled power, whilst leaving the front wheels free to steer the vehicle. FR cars generally provide a fairly safe balance, very controllable at the cost of some agility. The longer driveshaft required to connect the powertrain to the rear axle however induces energy losses in the transmission, making this layout less efficient than MR.
MR – Describes a rear-wheel drive car that has its engine placed behind the driver and between the front and rear axles of the car. This shifts the weight balance and centre of mass towards the rear, creating a more responsive vehicle at high cornering speeds. That speed usually comes at the cost of progressivity: the grip loss on the rear end is usually more sudden and brutal, making it harder to catch in time and control.
Please note that all figures below reflect the current BoP in the 1.50 version of the game.
The 2016 GT500 Cars
HONDA NSX CONCEPT-GT ‘16
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
545hp | 1,175kg | MR | 826pp | 800,000 Cr |
LEXUS RC F GT500 ‘16
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
542hp | 1,150kg | FR | 821pp | 800,000 Cr |
NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT500 ‘16
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
540hp | 1,150kg | FR | 825pp | 800,000 Cr |
The original Gr.2 trio in GT7. These 3 cars have been present since the game release and provide the baseline for the BoP, which puts them close to their real-life race trim specifications. This means they feel more natural to drive and are generally the better-performing cars on your usual race track. All 3 of them are very similar in feel and pace (with the Lexus giving up about a tenth or two in raw pace), seeing as 2016 introduced standardised aerodynamic kits and 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engines.
The amount of grip they provide is intimidating, especially in high-speed corners, and most of the initial learning process will be building up the courage to go flat out in corners you didn’t expect could be taken so fast. Be wary of curbs with these though, and try to avoid heavy steering or throttle inputs if you end up riding them.
AUDI RS 5 TURBO DTM ‘19
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
550hp | 1,150kg | FR | 813pp | 1,000,000 Cr |
The DTM Audi also fits with these cars, since it was built to Class One regulations (which aimed to bring DTM and Super GT together, before DTM decided to switch entirely to GT3 cars), but just performs worse under BoP. Its DRS system is also not very effective, and since it requires a button to be maintained to stay open, most of the time you will just find yourself completely ignoring it out of convenience.
The 2008 GT500 Cars
HONDA NSX GT500 ‘08
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
526hp | 1,150kg | MR | 808pp | 800,000 Cr |
LEXUS SC430 GT500 ‘08
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
524hp | 1,100kg | FR | 806pp | 800,000 Cr |
NISSAN GT-R GT500 ‘08
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
535hp | 1,100kg | FR | 811pp | 1,000,000 Cr |
The 2008 cars bear slightly more nuances between themselves compared to their modern counterparts, as Super GT’s flagship class wasn’t as standardised back then as it is today. The Nissan and Lexus still drive fairly similarly, but the NSX is a bit more on the loose side and will be quite enjoyable if that’s your style. Its V6 is one of the loudest and best-sounding engines in the entire game, which makes this car worth buying for that reason alone.
In terms of racing, they will be generally slightly inferior to the 2016 cars: although they are generally a bit faster in straight lines, the tradeoff in downforce and traction is not worth it, with a few tenths of deficit per lap. If you’re not in a very competitive Sport Mode event, however, you should still be able to put up a fight. The 2008 cars are also a good way to introduce yourself to Gr.2 since they’ll feel more familiar compared to most Gr.3s.
The GT1 Cars
BMW MCLAREN F1 GTR RACE CAR ‘97
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
587hp | 950kg | MR | 770pp | 20,000,000 Cr |
MERCEDES-BENZ CLK-LM ‘98
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
547hp | 940kg | MR | 776pp | 8,500,000 Cr |
TOYOTA GT-ONE (TS020) ‘99
Horse Power | Weight | Drivetrain | Performance Points | Cost |
550hp | 900kg | MR | 788pp | 2,500,000 Cr |
Those cars are all highly regarded classics from the late 90s sports car racing. Sadly, these cars are simply too different from the GT500 cars and the BoP applied to try and balance them in Gr.2 just strips them away from their character. They are even more compromised than the 2008 cars and just feel “off”. GT1 cars in BoP races will potentially be winning races on top speed-focused tracks like Le Mans and Monza but should be avoided on more technical tracks, where you will lose 2 to 3 seconds per lap depending on track length.
However, when BoP is turned off, the GT1 cars become completely different beasts, and end up being much more enjoyable. If you’re hosting community races, you can effectively balance them with pretty minimal adjustments, and get close to racing while keeping the spirit of these legends alive.
Overall, the Toyota GT-One comes out on top, mainly due to its sleek prototype body, allowing it to reach higher top speeds. The Mercedes is however the easiest to drive in this group and will suit beginners better. The McLaren is very enjoyable to throw into corners for experienced drivers, with a very pointy front end, but it is quite unstable under braking, and incredibly expensive at 20 million credits.
To Summarise
Gr.2 is pretty straightforward in Gran Turismo 7. The 2018 trio is the default go-to, with the GT1 cars being situationally good choices for tracks with higher average speeds but generally best enjoyed outside of the BoP. Within these sub-groups, there are not enough differences to make you go against your personal preferences in dry conditions. The Hondas are slightly more difficult to apprehend for beginners, but they have a clear advantage under rain, so it is worth keeping at least one of them in your garage.