Project Motor Racing Japanese GT500 Pack Details & Impressions

The Project Motor Racing Japanese GT500 Pack introduces nine high-downforce silhouette and touring machinery icons spanning two distinct eras of Japanese endurance competition, accompanied by the scanned Takimiya Circuit. Arriving alongside the simulation's major Update 2.0 soft relaunch, the DLC targets both modern Super GT prototypes and early 2000s Japanese Grand Touring Championship (JGTC) classics.

What Is Included in the Japanese GT500 Pack?

The DLC delivers nine cars split across two distinct competition eras, alongside one technical Japanese circuit featuring multiple layout configurations.

Modern GT500 Evo Class

These modern machines feature production-style body silhouettes built around dedicated prototype engineering, generating high levels of downforce without active electronic driving aids such as ABS or traction control.

• 2024 Honda Civic GT500
• 2022 Honda NSX GT500
• 2022 Nissan Calsonic Impul Z GT500
• 2021 Nissan Motul AUTECH GT-R GT500
• 2022 Toyota GR Supra GT500

JGTC Icons Golden Era

Representing the late 1990s and early 2000s, this class focuses on analog, front-engine and mid-engine turbo layouts that reward precise car control and throttle management.

• 2003 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) JGTC
• 2003 Honda NSX JGTC
• 2004 Nissan Fairlady Z (Z33) JGTC
• 2002 Toyota Supra JGTC

Circuit Additions

The pack incorporates Takimiya Circuit (an unlicensed digital recreation of Okayama International Circuit). The track includes two playable configurations:

• Grand Prix Layout
• National / Short Layout (featuring sub-minute lap times around 49 to 51 seconds depending on class)

(Note: In single-player gameplay menus shown in player test footage, the track also surfaced under the Tsukuba listing, though official store entries specify the venue as Takimiya Circuit.)

Pricing and Season Pass Inclusion

The Japanese GT500 Pack is available as an individual standalone purchase or as part of the bundled post-launch content roadmap.

Note on Licensing: Following release, community reports and documentation noted that the DLC experienced temporary storefront delistings related to licensing challenges over the "GT500" moniker and unlicensed track naming, resulting in naming adjustments such as the JP1/JP2 classification in updated builds.

Driving Physics and Handling in Update 2.0

Update 2.0 deployed on March 25, 2026, delivering substantive updates to the underlying physics model and user interface ahead of the GT500 Pack.

Modern vs. Classic Handling Differences

• Analog Classic JGTC: Testers and sim racers highlight the early 2000s icons as the standout vehicles in the pack. Cars like the 2003 Honda NSX and Skyline R34 exhibit natural rotation, allowing drivers to balance the chassis under trail-braking. Because these cars lack ABS and traction control, aggressive braking or overthrottling leads to direct lockups and rear snap.
• Modern Silhouette Prototypes: Modern GT500 Evos sit aerodynamically between GT3 cars and hypercars. They produce high cornering downforce, though testers noted they share similar handling profiles across models due to standardized platform behavior.
• Default Setups: Several community testers noted that out-of-the-box base setups for cars like the Nissan GT-R suffer from noticeable mid-corner understeer. Adjustments such as lowering rear ride height to trim aerodynamic rake and allow the rear diffuser to plant the car significantly improve turn-in and high-speed stability.

Gamepad and Force Feedback Performance

Prior to Update 2.0, controller inputs suffered from twitchy handling and unpredictable spins over curbs. In Update 2.0:

• Steering response on gamepad thumbsticks feels more progressive, providing subtle visual and haptic warnings when the rear contact patch begins to lose grip.
• Under-braking stability has been improved on both pads and wheelbases, although the simulation's dynamic tire slip model still heavily rewards drivers who manage tire slip angles smoothly through long sweepers.

Update 2.0 Core Platform Changes

The GT500 release coincided with broad foundational changes to Project Motor Racing:

• Redesigned User Interface: A streamlined UI reduces menu lag, simplifies vehicle selection displays (showing power, torque, curb weight, engine layout, and transmission details), and integrates contextual setup tooltips.
• HUD Telemetry ECU Widget: A real-time telemetry widget displays live tire load, weight transfer, aerodynamic balance, and dynamic stint fuel usage.
• Ranked Multiplayer Overhaul: The mandatory online license test at Lime Rock Park was rebalanced. The layout no longer forces players through the tight chicane against three aggressive AI drivers; players now share the circuit with a single rival car to cleanly verify race control.
• Anti-Cheat and Sportsmanship: Straight4 Studios integrated a dedicated online anti-cheat system alongside a protest tool for deliberate griefing and track-cutting.

PC System Requirements

To run Project Motor Racing and the Japanese GT500 Pack on PC, systems must meet the following hardware criteria:

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the GT500 cars feature ABS or Traction Control?

The GT500 and JGTC machines run without factory ABS or traction control aids. Drivers must manually modulate pedal pressures to avoid lockups and sudden power oversteer out of slow exits.

Is Takimiya Circuit an officially licensed track?

No. Takimiya is an unlicensed virtual laser-scanned rendition of Japan's Okayama International Circuit, adopting a fictional name similar to other circuits in the title (such as Northampton representing Silverstone and Brianza representing Monza).

Can I run the Japanese GT500 Pack on console?

Yes. The pack is available across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. On consoles, grid sizes remain capped at 15 AI opponents in single-player sessions to maintain target 1440p 60 FPS performance.