Sony has announced that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will debut on the PS3 in Europe this March. The prequel title which showcases the forthcoming Gran Turismo 5 for the PS3 will be available on Blu-ray Disc on the 26th of March for 39.99 Euros and as a download from the PlayStation Network on the 27th of March.

A GT5 Prologue bundle including a 40GB PS3, a Sixaxis wireless controller and a copy of GT5 Prologue will also be available from the 26th of March for 399 Euros.

Get ready to race in 71 cars including vehicles by Lotus, Aston Martin, Subaru and Ferrari. The game includes six tracks, the Eiger Nordwand, the Daytona International Speedway, the London City Track, the Fuji Speedway Suzuka and the High Speed Ring, all drivable in two layouts.

Online racing and more

GT5 Prologue features new driving physics as well as improved opponent AI. In addition this is the first GT title to feature online racing. Racers can look forward to 16 player online racing on PlayStation Network. The game also features Gran Turismo TV, a dedicated online channel available exclusively from the PlayStation Network, as well as an in-game museum that details the history of top car manufacturers.

Gamers can also personalize their homepage with My Garage including a calendar, clock, map and weather of the major race circuits from around the world. The Quick Tune facility allows players to adjust power, tyres, suspension and more.

The European release also includes additional features such as Drift Mode (your drifting technique is measured based on drift angles, racing lines and speeds within evaluation zones at various turns on the course), in depth car tuning (adjust your car’s performance, including power, tyres and suspension, as well as conduct quick tuning while racing), two player split screen racing (race head-to-head offline), new race events (new scheduled events and time trials for online racing).

The complete Gran Turismo 5 launches in 2009.