Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec is a 2001 sim racing video game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2.

[a] With previous titles being developed for the original PlayStation, Gran Turismo 3 marked the series' first foray into the sixth generation of video game consoles.

Originally slated for a 2000 release as a launch title for the PlayStation 2, the game's development primarily focused on taking advantage of the console's newfound hardware capabilities.

While compromising on the number of available vehicles (180, as opposed to 650 in Gran Turismo 2), the game was a significant leap forward in terms of graphics, physics, sound design, car modelling, opponent AI, environments and technical performance.

A landmark shift to the next generation of consoles, it is often cited as a turning point for the series and the sim racing genre as a whole.

In the Japanese and American versions, the name of each car denotes various pieces of information (such as the amount of cylinders in the engine, the year the chassis was raced, and its driver, respectively).

A demo copy of the game under the working title was issued in the PlayStation Festival 2000, allowing players to drive a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution V in the Seattle Circuit for 120 seconds.

Due to its critically acclaimed reception, a short version, Gran Turismo Concept, was released in Japan and various parts of the world except North America in 2001 and 2002.

Frank O'Connor of NextGen called it "The best, most complete, and most impressive driving game so far, lapping its predecessors handily – and the first must-have for PlayStation 2.

NextGen ranked it as the third highest-selling game launched for the PlayStation 2, Xbox or GameCube between January 2000 and July 2006 in that country.

[31][32][33] During the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences honored Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec with the "Console Racing" award; it was also nominated for "Console Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Visual Engineering", which were both ultimately given to Halo: Combat Evolved.

The gameplay may be a little too deep and difficult for many, but for its core followers, Gran Turismo is the be all and end all of digital racing, and GT3 has been voted as the best of the bunch".