Awards Ceremony Honors Automotive Excellence and Hottest Car of the Show
LAS VEGAS, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to find the hottest car for
its next Gran Turismo(TM) property on a PlayStation(R) platform, Sony Computer
Entertainment America Inc. held its third annual Gran Turismo Awards at the
SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) auto show in Las Vegas. Held
from November 1-2, the Gran Turismo Awards provided SEMA exhibitors a chance
to enter and vie for an opportunity to have their car featured in the next
edition of the Gran Turismo franchise. At the world's largest auto show,
hundreds of entries were received for Gran Turismo Awards with only five cars
selected to be chosen for the "Best in Show" award. The 2005 Gran Turismo
Award "Best in Show" was awarded to Stephen Papadakis with his 2004 Honda
S2000. Winners from 2003 and 2004 can now be raced in Gran Turismo 4 on the
PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system that released earlier this year
and has sold more than six million units to date worldwide.
(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051103/SFTH067 )
(Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SFW104-a )
"Since its inaugural year, the Gran Turismo Awards represent a unique
collaboration between the automotive and gaming industries, honoring auto
enthusiasts for their passion and labor of love for cars and games," said
Kazunori Yamauchi, famed creator of Gran Turismo franchise, Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc. "The SEMA show is a unique proving ground and we are
excited to once again extend that through our awards."
About the Judging For The Gran Turismo Awards
Prior to the SEMA show, all exhibitors are invited to enter their car into
the Gran Turismo Awards. The Gran Turismo Awards honor five different
categories that include "Best Domestic," "Best European," "Best Hot Rod,"
"Best Japanese," "Best Truck/SUV" and the coveted "Best in Show." Judges
consisted of various respected automotive journalists. Judging for each
category is based on the judge's choice for a car with well-balanced
performance, style and speed. The "Best in Show" award is selected from the
category winners by the famed creator of the Gran Turismo franchise - Kazunori
Yamauchi.
About the Gran Turismo Award Winners
Held at Las Vegas hot spot, ICE, on November 2, award winners and VIPs of
the automotive industry held witness to the third annual Gran Turismo Award
ceremony. Surrounding the ceremony, party guests were treated to live
performances by rock band Pepper and DJ Cut Chemist, as well as the
opportunity to test their driving skills on Gran Turismo 4 for PlayStation 2.
The overall winner was Stephen Papadakis who was honored with the "Best in
Show" award for his 2004 Honda S2000. In addition to the hardware, Papadakis
will set a new standard for visibility among auto enthusiasts as his vehicle
will be drivable in a future Gran Turismo property. Papadakis was also awarded
the "Best Japanese Import" award. The 2004 winner was Marcel Horn who was
honored with the "Best in Show" award for his one-of-kind HPA Volkswagen R32.
The 2003 winner included a 1962 Buick Special, owned by Ted and Sue Richardson
of Oregon.
The "Best Truck/SUV" honor was presented to Jonathan Ward for his Toyota
Land Cruiser. The "Best European Import" award for the second year in a row
was given to Marcel Horn, this year for his 2006 Volkswagen Jetta RGT. The
"Best Domestic Automobile" award was given to Marc Gerisch for his 2006 Ford
GT. The final category for "Best Hot Rod," was awarded to Alan Johnson for his
1971 Barracuda.
To obtain images from the Gran Turismo Awards, please visit the official
press center at http://www.us.playstation.com/presscenter , Username -- SCEA,
Password -- SC3APR.
About Gran Turismo
With more than 40 million units sold worldwide, the Gran Turismo franchise
is regarded as the best and most authentic driving simulation ever created,
available exclusively for PlayStation and PlayStation 2. With the recent
launch of Gran Turismo 4, a new standard was set for authentic racing action
with upwards of 700 cars and more than 50 tracks encompassing 80 real auto
manufacturers and various real-life courses from around the world, as well as
realistic driving physics and various new game modes. For more information,
please visit http://www.gran-turismo.com .
The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated all
Gran Turismo properties "E" for Everyone. For more information about the ESRB,
please visit http://www.esrb.org.
About Sony Computer Entertainment America
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the
entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation(R) and PS one(TM) game console,
the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and the PSP(TM)
(PlayStation(R)Portable) system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment
system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the
most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network
terminal in the coming broadband era. PSP system is a new entertainment system
that allows users to enjoy 3D games, with high-quality full-motion video, and
high-fidelity stereo audio.
Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops,
publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console, the
PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the PSP system for the North
American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com .
NOTE: "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. PSP is a trademark of Sony Computer
Entertainment Inc.
SOURCE Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.playstation.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051103/SFTH067 /Photo:
NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SFW104-a
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
CONTACT:
Ryan Bowling, +1-650-650-3657, or
ryan_bowling@playstation.sony.com, or Ron Eagle, +1-858-824-5585,
or ron_eagle@playstation.sony.com, both of Sony
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