GRAN TURISMO CAR REVIEWS

Gran Turismo 6 National B License Tests














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For Gran Turismo 6, Polyphony Digital has brought back their required license tests. In GT5, all the tests were optional for some reason. Nobody actually needed to do any of them. Now we do. In fact, drivers cannot progress past the Novice Hall until at least all five B license tests have been bronzed.
 
But this shouldn't be a deterrent. Matter of fact, don't think bronze, think gold! All five of these tests can be golded quite easily, even by those with intermediate talents.
 
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License B-1
 
Car: '09 Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4  T Sport
 
Track: Test Track X
 
My time: 32.157
 
1). Rev the engine somewhat low. I chose to rev at about 3,000 rpms as the clock started down. Truthfully, the car can be redlined if you wish, and gold will still be possible. To get a really LOW gold though, it's best to rev low. Traction is preserved off the line this way.  
 
2). Accelerate through the gears, shifting at redline. The car will wind up in 5th gear at its highest.
 
3). The description for this test advises we start braking "at 900 meters." WRONG. Do not do this, you will wind up far short of a thousand. Instead, start braking at about 950 meters (in effect, start braking about halfway between 900 and 1,000. SLAM those brakes too, do not modulate. Keep the car in a straight line.
 
The Alfa will get pretty deep into the finish area, but an easy gold can be had here. In fact, I am thinking that braking at about 925 meters might lower one's time even further.
 
4). Downshift as the car slows. When it's finally in 2nd or 1st gear, the E-brake can be clamped firmly for extra slowing.  
 
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License B-2
 
Car: '10 Mazda Demio Sport
 
Track: Apricot Hill  
 
My Time: 20.200 
 
Those who thought they've escaped the wrath of the Demio are going to get a sore lesson!  On a brighter note, the game puts us back to a track not seen since GT4 was released, which is nice. I personally did not even know Apricot Hill has returned.
 
This is another super-easy trial. Really, I imagine only the very worst drivers out there (those who go off into the grass) will have trouble golding B-2.
 
1). Rev the car high at the start. Unlike that Alfa, this Mazda's got some really poor torque. Its revs will bog down immediately with anything less than 6,000 off the line.
 
The car also has a CVT-type transmission, meaning that it's only got one gear. So no gear-shifting is necessary.
 
2). As the car lurches off, nose its front-end toward the inside, keeping both inner tires rolling on pavement. The Mazda's left-side tires can lightly graze the inner red & white curbing if you're feeling adventurous. Stay out of sand though (duh).
 
3). Keep the gas floored the entire time, letting the car's front-end move toward the outside as the turn straightens.
 
That is literally the entire test. Took me two tries to gold.
 
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License B-3
 
Car: '08 Renault Megane R.S.
 
Track: Silverstone National Circuit
 
My Time: 15.600
 
Time to do a classic out-in-out, at a track which is new to the GT series. Those who feared they'd be attempting another 'del Sol at Deep Forest Turn 1' can keep those worries allayed.
 
1). This time the game gives us a rolling start, rather than a standing one. The car is automatically shifted into 3rd gear. Get over to the left side of the track, keeping off the red & white curbing.
 
2). Pay attention to the little white marker on the left side of the track. This marker has an arrow on it. Pass this first marker at full throttle.
 
3). A second marker approaches fast on the left. Just before passing it, nose the car's front-end toward the inside, keeping full throttle.
 
At this point, the car was in 4th gear, however I think it's possible to also just leave it in 3rd.
 
4). Do NOT brake. As the Renault heads inward, modulate throttle a bit (I found myself cutting it by about half). If the car is in 4th gear, downshift into 3rd.
 
5). The turn is sharp, but straightens quickly. Though steering might need to be cranked viciously toward the end of this turn, keep throttle fully planted.
 
6). Shift into 4th when the car redlines. Finish line is right there, dude.
 
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License B-4
 
Car: '13 Ford Focus ST
 
Track: Twin Ring Motegi
 
My Time: 15.089
 
By now, I think I can confirm: Gran Turismo 6 has the easiest license tests of all. I haven't even been writing this guide for an hour, yet I've already golded three tests. An hour ago, I was wondering where the "demo" videos are for these tests, you know, those videos featured in earlier games which showed how to tackle each test. Well they are not in this game, probably because they literally are not needed anymore.
 
 The idea of B-4 is to take on an S-curve, a turn which goes left but then almost immediately right. Twin Ring Motegi actually features a couple sets of esses. 
 
1). This test starts with another rolling start, and again, the car automatically shifts into 3rd gear. Stay on the right side of the track.
 
2). Look to the right. A small white marker hangs off to the side, denoting 100 meters. Pass 100 meters with full throttle.
 
3). As 50 meters get passed, start edging the car toward the inside of the track. Try to stay smooth. Don't just jerk the car suddenly, all at once. Try to approach the inside of the track more mildly. But also, keep full throttle!
 
4). As the car approaches the blue & white curbing on the inside, again do NOT brake. Do not shift gears. But lift off the throttle for a couple seconds, and turn more sharply. The Ford's front tires will protest, which is fine.
 
5). Do NOT let the car go all the way outside -- instead, as the track straightens out briefly, try to place the car in the track's middle. Keep it in 3rd gear.
 
6). Again, immediately start edging toward the inside. No brakes! Keep it in 3rd gear. It's okay to lightly roll over the blue & white curbing on the inside.
 
7). Briefly, the track straightens out, but what does it matter? The finish line is up ahead.
 
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License B-5
 
Car: '10 Peugeot RCZ
 
Track: London
 
My Time: 19.700
 
PD's advice for this track is exactly what I'd recommend too: "it's crucial to think ahead for every corner. Therefore you'll need to drive this track several times (or more) until you have memorized every corner." Very sound advice, for those who did not own Gran Turismo 5, in which London was featured several times.
 
One of the toughest things about London are its walls, but also its constant changes in light. There are a lot of buildings at this track, and sunshine passes through gaps in all of them, creating shadowy areas mixed with areas of full brightness. All of which makes it tough to see which direction the track is headed, and where braking & steering zones begin.   
 
B-5 does not even portray the entire track though, which is odd. To me, this sounds like yet another one-shot gold landing into my portfolio. Or maybe two shots. (okay, it took me three).  
 
1). Again, the car's transmission gets shifted up into 3rd. Redline the car heavily if you wish, or shift into 4th earlier than this.
 
2). Look up and to the right, at the yellow markers. As 150 meters gets passed, the car should be on the right side of the track. At 100 meters, now it should be middle-ish. I kept it middle-right as I passed 50 meters. Full throttle, and 4th gear.
 
3). A split second after 50 gets passed, starting nudging inwards. No brakes, but feather the throttle. I was going from half to full throttle ... half-to-full, several times, trying to keep the car  from understeering.
 
This part is really tough to gauge (again) for those who have never driven this track. Keeping away from those guardrails can be especially tough for noobs. For those of us who have navigated this track multiple times though,  it becomes second nature to avoid those barriers.
 
4). The track bends quickly to the right, all at once. As I approached the inside, I blipped the brakes briefly before touching the inner curb, and shifted down into 3rd. This car's front-end is really grippy though. Understeer kept at a minimum.
 
5). As the car passes the apex of this right curve, go ahead and give full throttle. Get over somewhat to the left. Shift back into 4th.
 
6). This next part is tricky, and it's a rather long right-hand curve. Just after passing 50 meters, and just before approaching the orange arrow sign on the upper right, brake fully for about a second. Downshift into 3rd gear.
 
Steering needs to be modulated. Again, the front-end is grippy. Give too much steering, and you'll slam into the inner guardrail. Too little, and the car will wander to the outside, adding time.
 
7). So keep to the inside of this curve. Graze on the red & white curb if you wish, but DO NOT touch that guardrail. Keep it in 3rd gear, redlining that engine.
 
8). Keep that throttle planted, lifting off maybe just once!  Eventually the car will start to understeer, but this is okay, because by the turn starts to straighten. Upshift into 4th. There's the finish.  
 
















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