@Kaz_Yamauchi via X
It’s the last week of February, which means it’s prime hours for a Gran Turismo 7 update to drop. Series producer Kaz Yamauchi recently posted one of his typical teasers with three shadowy silhouettes, and while two of them appear to be about what you’d expect for inclusions in a GT game, the one in the back has garnered a lot of attention. As it should, because it looks like a Daimler Unimog.
The Unimog is, of course, the German truck maker’s iconic workhorse, which is still in production today. The version in Gran Turismo is believed to be the Unimog 411, which Daimler built from 1956 until 1974. Nealy 40,000 trucks were made over that span, with a variety of different body styles and wheelbases, all for different jobs. Unimog is an abbreviation of UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät, and “gerät” is a German word that loosely translates to machine, equipment, or tool. Based on the teaser, this particular example looks to have a tray bed and the more rounded cab style, as opposed to the flat and boxy shape that some 411s used. Expect to see it in the game’s Hagerty-branded legendary car dealership, hopefully for not too much coin. The Willys Jeep can also be found in that same shop for about 30,000 credits.
Of course, the Unimog figures to be much larger than the old Willys, and in fact any vehicle that’s ever been in Gran Turismo. GT7 has a couple of modern pickup trucks and Toyota’s HiAce and HiMedic vans, but the Unimog is in a different realm entirely. With about 30 horsepower courtesy of a 1.7-liter OM636 diesel four-cylinder, these things were never especially rapid, but the typical slate of in-game engine swaps should address that in short order.
Besides the Unimog are a pair of more enthusiast-minded vehicles that may excite fans. One is the Peugeot 205 GTI, perhaps Europe’s most famous hot hatch not made by Volkswagen. The 205 tends to show up often in video games, but specifically as either a rally car or in its widebody, mid-engined T16 guise. The Group B version is already in GT7 with its Evolution 2 aero kit, and while the GTI may be the more common and pedestrian version of the 205, it’s so often ignored in favor of the T16 that it’s genuinely nice to see here.
Finally, we have the BMW Z4, one of designer Chris Bangle’s most controversial creations for BMW throughout the 2000s that last appeared in the PlayStation 3 GT entries. If it’s the same version, this will be a 2003 model-year car—the Z4’s first—with the larger 3.0-liter inline-six. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Z4 and think it’s aged really nicely, especially these pre-facelift, non-M cars, with their amber turn signals and subtle front-end treatment. I know, I know—everyone wants that Z4 M Coupe, but with any luck, players will be able to swap in the appropriate bumpers in the GT Auto shop anyway.
Speaking of, I wonder what wild exterior accessories and equipment will be available for the Unimog. The “EF” Civic Si in the previous update had an optional front-end bra, which was an unexpected and cool addition. Little surprises like those are what give Gran Turismo its charm. Expect the update to go live around the early hours of Thursday, February 27.
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