Yes, they are the same, I didn't claim otherwise? You suggested buying an SSD for a PS3, which makes no sense at all since the HDD bandwidth is limited by the PS3 hardware.
I think it's a fair price to pay, when you see on the enormous amount of cars, tracks and stuff you actually get in this game. Compared to other normal racing games this one is a beast!
I had a dream about GT5 the other day. It came out and me and a friend were playing it. Physics sucked but it was pure car porn. Kinda sums up my expectations.