How do you get motor racing fans to buy your company"s sports car?
Simple. Have them drive it for 100 hours first -- on a PlayStation game console.
That marketing ploy may seem far-fetched, but it appears to be working judging from the popularity of the "Gran Turismo" car-racing game and recent plans by Japanese car makers to sell their mean machines abroad.
Japanese sports cars are well-known around the world -- some with excellent track records on European racing circuits -- but to fans" dismay, many of them have never been sold outside Japan.
That is slowly changing. The Subaru Impreza -- considered one of Japan"s best sports cars -- began selling in Europe and the United States in the past two years after making a debut there in videogame form only. Two other top Japanese sports cars are set to do the same.