A few days back, GT Planet reported that a major update to Polyphony’s Gran Turismo 5 for the PlayStation 3 was coming in the month of October, followed by a second downloadable content update. There was a lot of speculation on what the Spec 2.0 Update would include, but precious little in the way of details.

Now we’ve got those details, courtesy of GT Planet, and the Spec 2.0 Update looks to be huge. Here’s a laundry list of included changes:

  • Standard cars now get simplified interior views
  • Weather can now be changed by the user
  • Setting sheet feature allows user to save multiple car settings
  • New Spec 2.0 opening movie (which we’ll watch once, then de-select)
  • Improved user interface response and better usability
  • Fast forward and rewind feature for replay
  • Mid-race save for endurance races
  • Expanded lounge features
  • Expanded Photo Travel features, including NASCAR pit scene
  • Expanded NASCAR car lineup, including 2011 season models
  • New Nissan GT-R N24 Schultze Motorsport car
  • Better physics and artificial intelligence
  • Support for new steering wheels

That’s a lot of content, considering the Spec 2.0 upgrade is free of charge. The downloadable content upgrade, on the other hand, will cost you money but is expected to include a “racing car pack,” a “course pack” and a “racing gear pack.” There’s no word yet on the cost of the content upgrade, and we’re not sure exactly when it will drop, either.

Is it a coincidence that Forza Motorsport 4, the rival Xbox 360’s driving simulator, is also set to hit stores on October 11? We think not.