- The premium tire maker brings both real and virtual worlds together for the film “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story” featuring the real-life range of Michelin tires available in the beloved video game.
- By engaging with different generations of fans, Michelin aims to underline its pioneering technology in the field of mathematical tire-modeling for racetrack performance
Kuala Lumpur, 24 August 2023 – Fans of virtual and real-world motor racing and cars will soon be able to enjoy Sony Pictures’ “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story” which is due for release in cinemas August 25. Michelin is the official tire partner of the film and can be seen on the big screen. Gran Turismo is based on the unbelievable true story of a team of unlikely underdogs – a struggling working-class gamer (Archie Madekwe), a failed former racecar driver (David Harbour), and an idealistic motorsport executive (Orlando Bloom). Together, they risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Gran Turismo is an inspiring, thrilling, and action-packed story that proves that nothing is impossible when you’re fueled from within.
Gran Turismo was filmed on location on real racetracks around the world, including the Slovakia Ring in Slovakia, the Dubai Autodrome, the Nürburgring, the Red Bull Ring in Austria, and the Hungaroring.
In Sony Pictures’ “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story” all cars are fitted with two of the most innovative Michelin tires built for ultra-high performance on the racetrack: the MICHELIN Pilot Sport 4 S and the MICHELIN Pilot Sport Cup 2R.
With a movie that heavily features high-performance racing cars, Michelin has not hesitated to fit what it terms ‘confidential’ tires which pack some of the same cutting-edge technologies as those that compete at Le Mans in real life.
Michelin’s involvement with the Sony Pictures film comes in line with its partnership with the video game Gran Turismo 7, the seventh iteration of the original video game franchise first released in 1997 by Polyphony Digital Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
As part of its partnership with Sony, Michelin provides Gran Turismo 7 with the world’s most advanced racing tires, the fruit not only of the company’s unique expertise in the field of mathematical tire modeling, but also of the smart data it collects in real-world international motor racing.
The actual latest-generation Hypercar and GTP prototypes for Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship all race on Michelin tires that were developed entirely in virtual form on the simulator. As a data-driven business, the Michelin Group has also invested in the most innovative and sophisticated simulation technologies for its work alongside its numerous automobile manufacturer partners as they develop new models.
By bringing these tires to attention on the big screen, the film “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story” provides Michelin with an opportunity to engage with a broad cross-generational audience of fans and non-fans to promote the brand and showcase the technological advance it enjoys in the field of virtual tires.
To learn more about Michelin’s partnership with Sony Pictures for the film “Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story”, please visit: https://www.michelin.com.my/gran-turismo-movie.