It may still surprise you to write or read it, but Xiaomi is indeed a car manufacturer. The Chinese giant is making a real, even promising debut in this sector and is making a splash with the SU7 Ultra. The electric supercar that challenges Tesla and Porsche is taking a new step forward by arriving in a video game: Gran Turismo 7.
Alongside the Gran Turismo World Series, tech giant Xiaomi and studio Polyphony Digital have formalized a collaboration that seemed improbable just a few years ago. Xiaomi's first electric car, the SU7 Ultra, will be squealing on the virtual circuits of the PlayStation 4 and 5. And while this news is making gamers' controllers vibrate, it should especially give the management of traditional car manufacturers pause.
Because Gran Turismo is not just a game, but an iconic franchise that is making its way into the best-selling video game series. With over 90 million units sold, it has influenced generations of gamers and played a major role in popularizing numerous cars, including the Nissan Skyline GT-R, the Mitsubishi Evolution, the Mazda 787B, and the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo created for Gran Turismo Sport. The latter then made an appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015.
To have your vehicle featured in this game is to agree to be judged by millions of enthusiasts on the basis of raw performance, physics, and feel. A sort of stripping bare that Xiaomi, a newcomer who shook up the world of telephony before tackling the automobile, has decided to lend itself to.
When the virtual consecrates the real
This rapprochement is a form of recognition for the Chinese firm, which places its first model in the franchise. Before the arrival of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra in Gran Turismo 7, the creator of Gran Turismo went to Beijing in person. Kazunori Yamauchi not only met with Xiaomi founder Lei Jun, but he also tested the SU7 Ultra and visited the ultramodern factory where it comes from. His verdict is unequivocal: "I am deeply moved by Xiaomi's courage, curiosity, passion, and unwavering dedication." He hails an "exceptional vehicle" at the heart of an intelligent ecosystem. Coming from the father of Gran Turismo, these words make sense. They confirm that Xiaomi is making a remarkable entry into the automotive industry.
It must be said that under the hood (real or virtual), the SU7 Ultra's technical specifications are enough to make your head spin. Xiaomi is aiming for performance by integrating three "HyperEngines" developing a combined power of 1,548 horsepower, a 0 to 100 km/h time of 1.98 seconds, and a top speed of over 350 km/h. The four-door sedan isn't just a figurehead, it's chasing the territory of the most established hypercars.
As gamers around the world prepare to get their hands on this new electric bomb, the message is clear. Xiaomi's arrival in Gran Turismo isn't the end of the race, but the kickoff for the Chinese manufacturer. In Europe, the Gran Turismo universe is currently the only way to get behind the wheel of a Xiaomi electric car. Despite persistent rumors, the Chinese group is not selling the SU7 in our countries and is focusing on the Chinese market, where it will soon launch the YU7.
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