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Straight4 confirmed that the awesome cars of the 2004 / 2005 GT Championship will be part of the upcoming Project Motor Racing simulation content list.
This does not come as a surprise, as Straight4 already showcased PMR WIP screens showcasing of some powerful classic GT cars such as the Mosler MT900R, the Lister Storm, Gillet Vertigo, and the Saleen S7-R.
Keep in mind that all included media represent a work in progress.
Straight4 Quote:
The 2004/’05 GT Championship stands out as the sunset of an era that epitomized the raw thrill and camaraderie of GT racing. By 2006, the GT series was already on its way to being replaced by GT3, and by 2009, a decade of brawn and beauty would be consigned to the history books. All that remains now of that fabulous period in GT racing are the memories—and a little sim racing title made by many of the same folk who are developing Project Motor Racing all these years later.
So what was so special? For motorsport purists, that era was the last true season of GT racing, a couple of years (particularly 2004) that was defined by big-displacement engines echoing through iconic circuits like Monza and Spa-Francorchamps.
The series, then in its eighth year by 2004, had firmly established itself as the foremost battleground for production-based grand tourers. And each came to town armed with bulked-up muscles and snarling attitudes: V12s for the Ferrari, Lister, Lamborghini, the all-new (and controversial Maserati) and the Aston Martin (that would come in 2005 with a massive 6L V12), joined by grumbling American V8s in the Saleen and ’Vette and a bully of a V10 in the Vipers.
Standing on the grid when these big boys dropped the clutch was, quite literally, ground-shaking. Engines were ear-splitting, pit stops were furious flurries of mechanics and adrenaline, and the personalities behind the wheel were as diverse and colourful as the liveries on their cars. And the racing was intense.
This was GT racing stripped bare—no turbos, no hybrid systems, no traction control. Just raw, unfiltered horsepower spinning tyres in fourth gear, and drivers wrestling the most beautiful machines in the world. The rules demanded production-based chassis, but teams exploited loopholes with wild aero kits, tuned engines, and flames from exhausts in the most unlikely places. The result? Cars that looked like road-going models but raced like prototypes, their suspensions lowered, bodies widened, and engines stressed to mechanical limits.
Beyond the silverware, the 2004 season in particular, left fans with indelible memories of close-fought duels and dramatic twists that could only have arisen in this golden era of GT racing. It was a time when privateer squads could still square up alongside works-backed entries, forging a spirited environment that earned the admiration of motorsport purists everywhere.
The 2005 championship marked the end of an era. By 2006, rising costs and tightening regulations began squeezing out the privateers and the big V12 dinosaurs along with them. The GT1 class, once a playground for innovation, would fade into history, replaced by a far more homogenized GT3 concept that continues to this day.
Yet, the spirit lives on. Forums still buzz with clips of the Viper’s roar at Monza or the Lister’s fiery displays of power. The season proved that racing’s soul lies not in corporate dominance but in the grit of underfunded teams, the creativity of engineers, and the audacity of drivers who treated every lap like a duel.
But in some ways, it’s inevitable that we look back at that era with rose-tinted glasses: After all, most of Straight4 got their start making the definitive sim of that era.
Those who were there at the time will soon be reminded as to why GT racing was so spectacular back then. And those who weren’t are about to discover what the fuss was really all about.
About:
At the end of 2022, Ian Bell (SimBin, Blimey Games, and Slightly Mad Studios) announced that he founded a new studio branding named Straight4Games or just plain Straight4.
At this point, Straight4 had revealed they were working on a new racing simulation with the project name GTR Revival, later renamed to GTRevival and now Project Motor Racing, which should become available for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.
Project Motor Racing is scheduled to become available in 2025. You can check out some more GTRevival / Project Motor Racing news Here.
Official Webpage – straight4.com – Project Motor Racing
