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A classic Gran Turismo, the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO

1953 Bentley Continental grand tourer

A grand tourer (Italian: gran turismo) (GT) is a performance or luxury automobile capable of high speed or spirited long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement.

The term derives from the Italian phrase gran turismo, a tribute to the tradition of the grand tour, used to represent automobiles regarded as grand tourers, able to make long-distance, high-speed journeys in both comfort and style. The English translation is grand touring.

Characteristics[edit]

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Grand tourers emphasize comfort and handling over straight-out high performance or spartan accommodations. Historically, most GTs have been front-engined with rear-wheel drive, which creates more space for the cabin than mid-mounted engine layouts. Softer suspensions, greater storage, and more luxurious appointments add to their driving appeal. Some very high-performance grand tourers, such as Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren make various compromises in the opposite direction while rivalling sports cars in speed, acceleration, and cornering ability, earning them the special designation supercars.

GT abbreviation[edit]

Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Turismo Compressore (1932)

Lancia Aurelia B20 GT, a GT car from the 1950s

The GT abbreviation, so popular across the automotive industry, traces to the Italian tradition of referring to their luxury performance cars as gran turismo. Manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo,^[1] Ferrari and Lancia led the way starting from the end of 1920s.

Among the many variations of GT are:

• GT (Grand Turismo) a two-door coupe. For example Toyota 2000GT Toyota GT86
• GTO (Gran Turismo Omologato) a homologated car for racing (used by Ferrari, Pontiac and Mitsubishi). For example the Ferrari 288 GTO Ferrari 250 GTO Pontiac GTO Mitsubishi GTO.
• GTS (Gran Turismo Spider) a convertible GT car. For example the Ferrari 348 GTS Ferrari 308 GTS Ferrari 365 GTS/4.
• GTS (Gran Turismo Sport) a four-door sedan. For example the HSV GTS.
• GTS (Grand Turisme Spécial) used by Renault in their mid-range variants of the "Numeric" fleet, example the Renault 19 GTS
• GTB (Gran Turismo Berlinetta) a coupe style GT. For example the Ferrari 328 GTB or the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.
• GTV (Gran Turismo Veloce) a fast GT car. For example the Alfa Romeo GTV6.
• GTI or GTi (Gran Turismo Iniezione) a fuel injected GT, first used on the 1961 Maserati 3500 GTI.^[2]
• GTE (Grand Touring Estate) An estate wagon GT. For example the Reliant Scimitar GTE
• GT/E (Einspritzung - German for fuel injection) used on the Opel Manta GT/E.
• GTX (Grand Turisme Xtreme) used by Renault on their top-of-the-range sports variants of the "Numeric" fleet, example the Renault 21 GTX
• GTA (Gran Turismo Alleggerita /Automatic) For example the
  • (Allegerita) (lightened) - Alfa Romeo GTA
  • (Automatic)- Ferrari 456 GTA
  • The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII GT-A, where the A means Automatic, is an example of use of the abbreviation on a car not usually considered a GT.
• GTAm (Gran Turismo Alleggerita Modificata) a modified, lightened GT car such as the Alfa Romeo GTAm.
• GTC - (Gran Turismo Compressore/Compact/Cabriolet/Coupe/Crossover), for example
  • (Gran Turismo Compressore) - Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GTC
  • (Gran Turismo Cabriolet) - Bentley Continental GTC
  • (Gran Turismo Compact) - Opel Astra GTC
  • (Gran Turismo Crossover)- Opel Antara GTC
• GTC (Gran Turismo Corsa) (racing) - an Italian sports car racer. For example the Ferrari 458 Italia GTC.
• GTD (Gran Turismo Diesel), used by Volkswagen in sport oriented Golf version and Peugeot in lowered Diesel 505 models.
• GTR or GT-R, (Gran Turismo Racing), as in the McLaren F1 GTR, Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR, Nissan Skyline GT-R and Nissan GT-R
• HGT (High Gran Turismo), used by Fiat in sport oriented cars version.

Grand tourers in racing[edit]

Four GT cars racing

Today the term grand tourer, or gran turismo is synonymous with race versions of sports cars (even those which don't fit the definition given above) that take part in sports car racing, including endurance races like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 12 Hours of Sebring, Petit Le Mans, Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Carrera Panamericana. Examples of race grand tourers include:

• Aston Martin DBR9
• Audi R8
• BMW Z4 GT3
• BMW M3 GTx
• Chevrolet Corvette C6.R
• Chrysler Viper GTS-R
• Ferrari 458
• Mazda RX-7
• Porsche 911 GT3
• Ferrari 550
• Nissan Skyline GT-R
• Nissan GT-R
• Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3
• Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR
• Saab 93/Saab GT750
• Subaru BRZ
• Toyota GT86

Motorsport classification[edit]

In certain professional motorsport classifications, such as the Grand Touring categories promoted by the FIA, the GT car is defined as "an open or closed automobile which has no more than one door on each side and a minimum of two seats situated one on each side of the longitudinal centre line of the car; these two seats must be crossed by the same transversal plane. This car must be able to be used perfectly legally on the open road, and adapted for racing on circuits or closed courses." GT cars are divided, from most powerful to least powerful, into GT1 (formerly GTS and GT) and GT2 (formerly GT and N-GT) in most championships, although the ACO has canceled further GT1 involvement not only in the 24 Hours of Le Mans but in every other Le Mans Series (LMS, ALMS, ILMC, JLMC) sanctioned by the ACO. This only left room for GT1 cars to race in the FIA GT1 World Championship, while in turn GT2 cars only competed in ACO sanctioned event due to the absence of the FIA GT2 European Championship. GT3 and GT4 class cars also have their own championships, as well as being eligible for several National GT championships.

Examples of grand tourers[edit]

A true grand tourer is a luxury or performance vehicle intended for long-distance spirited travel in both comfort and style; just because a manufacturer appended some form of GT initials to its model designation as a marketing gambit does not make such a car a grand tourer^{[citation needed]}. Some examples include:

Electric grand tourers[edit]

See also[edit]

• Sports car racing
• FIA GT Championship
• American Le Mans Series
• Endurance racing
• Super GT
• Le Mans Series
• World Sportscar Championship

References[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Grand tourer racing cars