When Gran Turismo 7 launched back in March 2022, it quickly earned a reputation for gorgeous visuals, smooth handling, and some of the most immersive DualSense feedback on PlayStation. Yet the road was not always smooth. Players grumbled about the grind-heavy economy, and the microtransaction pricing made more than a few racers raise an eyebrow. Still, Polyphony Digital kept the engine running, and in late 2023 it dropped the biggest update the game had ever seen: SPEC 2 Update 1.40.
This update was not a quiet tune-up. It added seven new cars, a fresh SPEC 2 opening movie, a brand-new snow-covered circuit, extra Café menus, World Circuits events, and a pile of quality-of-life improvements. But here is the kicker: not every PlayStation racer got to enjoy the two biggest features. Those were reserved exclusively for PlayStation 5 players.
The first PS5-only star was Gran Turismo Sophy, the AI driver agent. Sophy was no ordinary rival. It behaved less like a scripted bot and more like a living, learning competitor, one that could read the track, adjust its racing line, and push human players into genuine battles. With Quick Race support, Sophy finally stepped onto the tarmac outside of limited test events. The second PS5 exclusive was 4-player split-screen races, a feature that brought back the old-school couch multiplayer magic. For players who grew up passing a controller to a friend, this was a big deal. Let's be real, there is something special about four people squeezed onto one sofa, all shouting at the same screen.
The seven new cars covered a wide range of motorsport moods. From American muscle to German precision and a futuristic electric sedan, the lineup had something for nearly everyone.
| Car | Character |
|---|---|
| Dodge Charger R/T 426 Hemi '68 | Raw, rumbling muscle car nostalgia |
| Dodge Charger SRT Demon '18 | Modern drag-strip attitude |
| Lexus LFA '10 | A high-revving V10 symphony |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II '91 | Touring car royalty |
| NISMO 400R '95 | Japanese tuner legend |
| Porsche 911 GT3 RS (992) '22 | Track-focused precision |
| Tesla Model 3 Performance '23 | Silent but brutally quick EV |
Those cars could stretch their legs on the new Lake Louise circuit. Designed as a fictional ski resort, Lake Louise arrived with three different layouts. Snow lined the roads, and the setting felt like a postcard that had suddenly become a racetrack. The course gave the update a cold, scenic playground that contrasted nicely with GT7's usual sun-baked circuits.
The update also fed hungry collectors through three new Café and Extra Menus. Extra Menu No. 31 focused on road-going racers for players at Collector Level 30 and above. Extra Menu No. 32 celebrated Lexus at Collector Level 34 and above, while Extra Menu No. 33 put the Red Bull X Series front and center for high-level collectors at Level 49 and above.
World Circuits received a serious injection of racing variety as well. Five new regular events joined the rotation, including World Touring Cars 900, the X2019 Nations Cup, a World Rally Challenge Gr. B at Lake Louise, a Japanese 4WD Challenge 600, and a Pick-Up Truck Race at Lake Louise. Two new Expert Race Events also appeared: the Clubman Cup+ and the GT Cup Gr. 3, both offering longer, harder contests for seasoned drivers.
Beyond the headline features, SPEC 2 Update 1.40 polished the overall experience. Fifty additional Challenges were added to Licenses, giving players more ways to sharpen their skills. The Multiplayer Menu gained a new Paddock area, while a dedicated Event Directory button made finding races much easier. A Weekly Challenge system gave racers a regular reason to return, and new features in Photos and Scapes expanded the creative side of the garage. The GT Menu and Dashboard were also refreshed, making the whole interface feel tidier.
For PS4 owners, the update still delivered plenty of fresh content. The new cars, Lake Louise, Café menus, and World Circuits events were all available. But the two most exciting additions, Sophy and 4-player split-screen, remained locked behind the PS5's more powerful hardware. That was a tough pill to swallow for players still racing on the older console.
As of 2026, Gran Turismo 7 remains one of the series' most successful entries, and the SPEC 2 Update 1.40 stands out as a defining moment. It showed that Polyphony Digital was willing to keep expanding the game in meaningful ways. The Gran Turismo franchise also enjoyed a wider cultural moment through PS VR2 support and the star-studded movie adaptation. But for many players, the update's real message was simple: if you wanted the complete Gran Turismo 7 experience, the PS5 was now the place to be.