GTR 2 was developed as a direct successor to the original GTR, which had established SimBin as a serious competitor in the PC simulation space. The sequel expanded every dimension of the original: more cars, more tracks, more session types, and a refined physics engine. Development was split between Blimey! Games and SimBin Studios, with 10tacle Publishing handling distribution.
GTR 2 simulates the official 2003 and 2004 FIA GT Championship racing seasons. The car roster exceeds 140 highly detailed vehicles drawn from the GT and NGT classes. Thirty-four different track layouts are available, encompassing the circuits used across both championship seasons.
Session types go well beyond a straight championship mode. Players can run open practice, structured race weekends, championships, time trials, and endurance events — including the Spa 24 Hours. A driving school provides an entry point for newcomers to the simulation.
The physics engine extends the model from GTR with realistic behavior including steering sensitivity settings, dynamic lighting, and damage modeling. Three difficulty levels — Novice, Semi-Pro, and Simulation — let players calibrate the experience. Online multiplayer supports up to 32 simultaneous players, a significant number for the era. Input options include keyboard, mouse, joypad, or PC steering wheel, with configurable sensitivity, speed sensitivity, and maximum steering lock angle for non-wheel setups.
A notable feature of GTR 2 was its open modding architecture. The game's structure allowed the community to create custom vehicles and tracks, which produced a large and active modding scene and significantly extended the game's lifespan.
GTR 2 received widespread critical recognition in 2006. IGN awarded it Best PC Racing Game of 2006. GameSpot gave it both Best Driving Game of 2006 and the unusual secondary award of Best Game Nobody Played of 2006, acknowledging the gap between its quality and its commercial visibility. GameSpy ranked it the 9th best PC game of 2006 across all genres. Metacritic listed it as the third-best PC game of that year. Computer Games Magazine presented GTR 2 with its 2006 Best Simulation award and listed it as a runner-up for the year's top 10 computer games overall. PC Gamer US also awarded it Best Racing Game of 2006.
GTR 2 is considered one of the landmark PC racing simulations of the 2000s, sitting alongside rFactor and Live for Speed as defining titles of the era's simulation renaissance. Its FIA GT Championship license provided authentic content that complemented rather than duplicated the content of other contemporary simulators, while its modding community ensured the title remained in active use for years after its commercial peak. The studio behind it, SimBin, later became Sector3 Studios and then KW Studios, continuing to develop simulation titles rooted in the same technical philosophy.