Gran Turismo Cheat Codes & Secrets
Complete collection of cheat codes, passwords, unlockables, and hidden secrets for Gran Turismo (1997).
Secret & Hidden Cars
Gran Turismo does not use traditional button-sequence cheat codes. Instead, its secrets are unlocked through specific in-game achievements, exploits, and a handful of known tricks. Most hidden content is gated behind GT Mode (Simulation Mode) progression.
Prize-Only Cars (Not Available for Purchase)
These cars cannot be bought from any dealership — they are won exclusively as championship prizes:
| Car | How to Obtain | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Formula Gran Turismo | Win the Gran Turismo World Championship | Fastest car in the game |
| Castrol Tom’s Supra | Win the GT World Championship (prize variant) | Race-prepped, very high power |
| Dodge Viper GTS-R | Win the GT World Championship league | American muscle, prize only |
| Peugeot 905 | Win specific endurance events | Rare endurance prize |
| Mitsubishi GTO LM | Win the All Japan GT Car Race championship | Japanese GT prize car |
| Subaru Impreza WRC | Complete Rally events at the top tier | Rally prize car |
Arcade Mode Unlockables
Arcade Mode starts with a limited car and track roster. Expand it by meeting the following conditions in GT Mode (Simulation Mode):
| Unlock | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Additional Arcade cars | Purchase or win the corresponding car in GT Mode first |
| Hard difficulty tracks | Complete all races in the Normal Arcade league |
| Extra Arcade vehicles | Obtain a License (B, A, iA, S) in GT Mode — each license class opens more Arcade choices |
The general rule: anything you own in GT Mode becomes selectable in Arcade Mode. Grinding GT Mode to acquire rare cars is the primary method for expanding the Arcade roster.
License Test Shortcuts & Tricks
Licenses gate access to higher race classes. A few exploits help:
- Brake late into hairpins on license tests — the game measures position at the finish line, not driving style. You can clip cones without failing as long as you complete the line within the gold/bronze threshold.
- Automatic vs. Manual: Switching to Manual transmission in license tests where the car tends to bog in a single gear (especially IA and S class tests) shaves significant tenths off your time and is necessary for gold on some tests.
- Retry immediately on overshoot — there is no cooldown penalty for retrying a license test section. Restart and try again as many times as needed.
GT Mode Exploits & Tricks
Used Car Dealership Refresh (Date Trick)
The used car dealership inventory rotates on a timed schedule tied to the PlayStation’s internal clock. To force a refresh without waiting:
- Exit to the PlayStation main menu (hold Reset or power-cycle)
- Navigate to System Configuration > Date and Time
- Advance the date forward by one or more days
- Boot Gran Turismo again
- The used car lot will show a new inventory
Repeat to keep cycling stock until a desired rare or cheap car appears. This is the primary method for finding limited-availability vehicles like certain Japanese domestic market (JDM) specials at reduced prices.
Car Selling & Credit Farming
- Buy cars from the used lot at low prices, tune them slightly, then sell them back at a markup. While not a true money glitch, bargain-hunting the used lot and reselling nets steady credit income early in the game.
- Do not sell prize cars — many are worth far more in races than their sell value, and some cannot be re-obtained.
Weight Reduction Stacking
Applying all three levels of Weight Reduction (available at the tuning shop) plus Engine Tuning creates cars that significantly outclass their listed horsepower would suggest. Weight reduction is the single best credit-per-performance upgrade in the early game and is often overlooked in favor of raw horsepower.
Hidden Tracks
Gran Turismo ships with several tracks that are not immediately visible in all menus:
| Track | Access Method |
|---|---|
| Special Stage Route 5 | Unlocked by progressing through GT Mode; becomes available in Arcade after use in Simulation |
| Reverse variants of all tracks | Select any track in Arcade Mode and press Right on the D-pad at the track select screen to flip to its reverse layout |
| High Speed Ring (Reverse) | Same D-pad method as above |
The reverse track trick is easy to miss — the menu gives no visual indicator that a reverse version exists. All main circuit tracks have a mirrored counterpart accessible this way.
Championship Strategy: Fastest Car Access
The Gran Turismo World Championship — the final league — awards the Formula Gran Turismo as its prize. To reach it efficiently:
- Complete the Sunday Cup to build early credits
- Obtain the B License via License Center
- Progress through regional championships using tuned versions of mid-tier sports cars
- Obtain International A (IA) and Super (S) Licenses to enter the final leagues
- Win the World Championship for the Formula Gran Turismo
This car is the fastest in the game and makes subsequent replays of any championship trivial.
Developer Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
- Replay Theater camera behavior: During race replays, the game’s camera system occasionally cuts to angles that clip partially through geometry near the tunnel sections of certain tracks (particularly Special Stage Route 5). This is a known engine artifact, not a glitch — the replay system uses different camera collision rules than gameplay.
- Polyphony Digital logo car: The opening demo and attract mode feature cars and liveries that do not appear in normal gameplay menus, used purely as showcases for the renderer. These cannot be driven.
- Hidden sound test: No traditional sound test menu exists, but selecting Replay from the main menu and cycling through stored replays will eventually cycle the music tracks, functioning as a de-facto music player.
- Tire wear simulation: Gran Turismo simulates tire wear in longer races but does not display a wear indicator — experienced players listen for subtle handling changes (increased understeer, loose rear) as the informal cue. This hidden simulation layer surprised many players who assumed tires were constant.
Beneficial Glitches
| Glitch | Method | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Wall riding on Super Speedway | Hold the car against the outer wall at high speed on oval-style sections | Eliminates aerodynamic push, maintains speed through sweepers |
| Opponent AI freeze at race start | Hang back at the starting line for 2–3 seconds before accelerating | AI cars occasionally desync and spread unusually wide, creating a clear racing line through Turn 1 |
| Grip exploit on rain tracks | Rain does not affect every surface equally; the painted start/finish box has slightly higher grip than the racing line — useful for braking |
Gran Turismo’s physics engine, while praised for its era, has consistent friction thresholds that experienced players exploit by keeping cars precisely at the edge of grip rather than relying on the ABS system, which scrubs speed.