GT5 Transcripts/Gran Turismo Racing Kart

From Formula 1 Champions to Indianapolis 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans winners, most every one of these drivers likely have one thing in common: they began their motorsports career by driving a racing kart.

Elegantly simplistic in its design, the typical racing kart consists of a rigid steel tube frame chassis, a snug fitting bucket seat, a solid rear axle, a small two-stroke gasoline engine, and two pedals (for brakes and throttle).

When piloting a racing kart, you'll notice that the driving feel is extremely direct and requires precision inputs. There's no other racing machine out there better suited to honing your driving skills.

While the power output of an entry-level kart may only be around 15 HP, its top speed can exceed 100 km/h. What's more, racing karts exhibit extremely sharp handling as a result of their very low center of gravity and high grip level from racing slick tires. There is no conventional gearbox like those found in road cars and the suspension is very basic, so the driver needs to use his skill to be fast around a racetrack. The cornering G-force of a racing kart can often rival that of a top class formula race car.

The new Gran Turismo Racing Karts were given headlights, and are available in three classes: Junior, 100, and 125. While the Junior and 100 classes make use of air-cooled engines, the fast 125 class utilized larger water-cooled engines. While there is only a minor engine displacement difference between these three groups, the driving dynamics and power output of each type are drastically different. Choose the model that suits you best according to your experience and driving skill.