There’s nothing like getting behind the wheel of an actual sports car and thrashing it around at the track. However, most people who own sports cars that aren’t professional drivers would rather not risk totaling it at a track day. Thankfully, these five racing simulators allow you to recreate that experience at home. Continue reading to see more.
5. Carsim
When is a racing simulator not just a moving platform placed in front of a display? When it makes use of the interior of a real car that was meticulously put back together with a Gran Turismo wheel, complete with shifter and gauges. If you want to view only the racing portion of the video above, fast forward to 6:37.
4. TL1
It’s called the TL1 and will cost you $55,000USD, but wealthy racing enthusiasts can now finally bring the track experience home. This system is basically “an ultra-realistic simulation of being behind the wheel, all brought to life thanks to three projectors which combine to give the driver a crystal-clear 180-degree view of the road.” Not just a racing seat and three LCD monitors, the TL1 has a “built-in seat [that] rocks and rolls according to the onscreen action. The manufacturer, Motion Simulation, says: ‘The cockpit includes a motion transducer option that operates in a far more accurate and efficient way than bass shakers (speakers).
3. BlueTiger
Unlike other racing simulators, “BlueTiger gives riders an exciting and realistic experience by precisely matching the motion of the simulator with the vehicle action inside the game. Our patent-pending geometry and proprietary electronics are the secrets to our low-cost high-performance simulators. With BlueTiger you feel dynamic forces like centrifugal force, physical position like tip on a high banked oval, and details right down to the texture of the road.”
2. Robotic Arm
Engineers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tubingen, Germany have converted a robotic arm into a nifty F1 racing simulator. Basically, “players sit in a cabin on a robot arm about 7 feet off the ground and drive a Ferrari F2007 car around a projected track; the robot arm, a type usually found in amusement parks, whips the driver around to simulate the Ferrari’s motion.”
1. BRD 06
The BRD 06 is the world’s first “1:1 scale F1 [racing simulator] with a fiberglass and carbon fiber composite monocoque chassis.” Other features include: F1-style lever paddles, a purpose-built accelerator, three 24-inch displays, and a 5.1 surround sound system. Powder coated steel motion platform construction combining high strength and a modern architectural look. Utilizes the highest grade low friction linear slide technology, for smooth and reliable operation.
