Spec IV will be a free Gran Turismo 7 update released in two parts: the first arrives in October 2026 and the second in December. The initial PlayStation Blog announcement described the package at a broader level, but the more detailed breakdown on the official Gran Turismo website already assigns the main content to each month. That changes the practical reading of the announcement: most named content can now be separated by release window, while the main open questions are the car names, the exact release days and implementation details for some features.
Gran Turismo 7 Spec IV: the official split between October, December and what is still undefined
| Item | October 2026 | December 2026 | Still not fully defined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit | Sportsland SUGO | Autumn Ring | The exact release day for each part has not been announced. |
| Cars | 6 new cars | 6 new cars | The 12 names were not enumerated in the official text announcement, so each individual model cannot yet be safely assigned to one of the two months. |
| Modes and competition | Experience, with brand-specific driving challenges | Family, Shuffle Race and Online Drift Trial | Full rules, limits and operating details for several modes still need to be explained. |
| Garage, collection and progression | Vintage, Car Concierge, Car Viewer and a higher Collector Level cap | The next evolution of Gran Turismo Sophy and a new Power Pack difficulty level for advanced players | The precise scope of the progression changes, Sophy evolution and new difficulty level has not yet been detailed. |
| Other | A new Spec IV opening cinematic | No additional major item is named in the official list beyond those already mentioned | More information on both parts will be announced later. |
This table follows Polyphony Digital's “Main Content” breakdown. It is more specific than the initial PlayStation Blog post, which confirmed Sportsland SUGO for October, Autumn Ring and Family Mode for December, and listed several other additions without assigning all of them to a month.
What is confirmed for October
The first half of Spec IV will be led by Sportsland SUGO. Polyphony describes the Japanese venue as a technical circuit known for dramatic elevation changes. The PlayStation Blog also highlights its flowing layout and recognizable Dunlop bridge.
October will also receive six of the 12 new cars planned for Spec IV. The important distinction is between quantity and identity: the six-cars-per-month split is confirmed on the official Gran Turismo site, while the PlayStation Blog says the exact cars would be revealed later. Until Polyphony publishes a named list, cars identified in trailers, screenshots or secondary sources should not be treated as the complete official lineup.
Beyond the circuit and cars, October concentrates several additions focused on collecting and navigating the garage:
- a new Spec IV opening cinematic;
- Vintage, a section for cars that are no longer available to buy new;
- Car Concierge, a service for ordering Used and Legend cars;
- Experience, a mode with brand-specific driving challenges;
- Car Viewer, a feature for admiring the cars in the player's garage;
- an increased Collector Level cap.
For players planning to return during only one of the two windows, October is the half most heavily focused on the garage, collection, car viewing and progression, alongside the debut of Sportsland SUGO.
What is being held for December
The second half of Spec IV will add Autumn Ring, the fictional circuit tied to the history of the series since the original Gran Turismo. Official material says the Gran Turismo 7 version will preserve the familiar original layout while adding a significantly expanded configuration. The update is therefore more than a simple return of the old name.
December also receives the remaining six cars and concentrates the most prominent competition and accessibility modes announced so far:
- Family, designed for players of different ages and experience levels;
- Shuffle Race, with randomly selected cars creating less predictable race conditions;
- Online Drift Trial, focused on drift competition against other players;
- the next evolution of Gran Turismo Sophy;
- a new Power Pack difficulty level aimed at advanced players.
The PlayStation Blog explicitly confirms Family Mode for December and describes it as a more welcoming starting point for sessions with family and friends without excluding players who already have experience with Gran Turismo 7.
What is still undefined — and what no longer is
After the more detailed official Gran Turismo breakdown, it is no longer accurate to place all new modes and features in a third “month unknown” column. Among the main items already named by Polyphony, most now have a release window.
The points that genuinely remain open are:
- the names of the 12 cars in the official text list and, as a result, which six individual models belong to October and which six belong to December;
- the exact day on which the October part and the December part will launch;
- rules and implementation details for features such as Car Concierge, Experience, Family, Shuffle Race, Online Drift Trial, the Sophy evolution and the new Power Pack difficulty;
- any additional content Polyphony may still announce for either part.
This distinction prevents two common mistakes: treating an item as monthless after Polyphony has already placed it in October or December, or turning visual identification and car speculation into an official confirmation.
Why the PlayStation Blog post and the Gran Turismo list look different
The two official texts are complementary. The PlayStation Blog post, published on September 3, introduces Spec IV and explains the broad concepts: two parts, two circuits, 12 cars, new modes and Family Mode. The Gran Turismo website provides a more operational list that assigns features to October and December.
For planning purposes, the Gran Turismo list is the better calendar reference. The PlayStation Blog remains useful for the intended role of each feature and, especially, for the caveat that the exact cars would be revealed later.
The next date to watch is October 3
Polyphony says more details will be revealed during Round 3 of the 2026 Gran Turismo World Series in Singapore. The official event page schedules the round for Saturday, October 3, 2026.
Until then, the safest summary is: Sportsland SUGO and the collection/progression block arrive in October; Autumn Ring, Family, Shuffle Race, Online Drift Trial, Sophy and the new Power Pack difficulty arrive in December; six cars are planned for each month, but the named lineup and the assignment of each model still require official confirmation.
