This Car Racing Simulator Costs More Than A Racing Car

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You’re looking at the world’s “Most Realistic Racing Simulator”. It looks pretty badass. And it costs $185,000. That’s a lot of dollars. For that amount of dollars you could probably buy a half decent racing car, and you know, actually race it. You could buy a bunch of cheap racing cars and practice crashing those if you’re not very skilled, then still have money left over for an upgrade or two once you get better. But hey, don’t let our practical minds deter you from this piece of tech.

This is the simulator that provides riders with the most realistic car racing experience available. Selected by Ford Motor Company to demonstrate ride experiences, the simulator uses linear servo actuators that cause its suspended, monocoque fiberglass chassis to roll, pitch, and rotate 360° at up to 0.5G acceleration. Faithfully reproducing actual racing conditions such as entering a turn at 200 MPH or moving up a bank in the slipstream of an opponent, the chassis’ front dips when braking at hairpins, pushes forward when accelerating during passes, and rumbles when driving on an apron, all while a driver up to 300 lbs. is secured by an actual racing seat, seatbelt, and “doors”. Its two paddle gear shifters, steering wheel, accelerator, brake, and clutch—all from real race cars and modified for simulator use—provide rapid gear changes and provide adjustable travel for optimal realism. The force-feedback steering system generates 10x the forces of lesser simulators. Providing 12 race cars that include stock, GT, F1, and F3 models, the simulator replicates precisely modeled signage and backgrounds for 16 short, tri-oval, or road courses, ranging from Joesville Speedway to Nuerburg on a 108″-wide, triple HD monitor display with a 500-watt audio system

So yeah, there you have it. The racing simulator to end all racing simulators. It weighs 2,100lbs, and costs, as mentioned, $185,000.

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You Could Buy An Exotic Car With Some Track Time, Or This Fancy F1 Simulator For About The Same Amount

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Only this simulator doesn’t go anywhere. It’s a glorified game. And yes, it’s as expensive as some exotic cars, clocking in at an astounding £90,000 (roughly $140,000). So what do you get for the same price as a slightly used 2006 Ferrarri F430 Spider?

This Formula 1 Full Size Racing Simulator houses a custom racing simulator, complete with three 23-inch screens, a 5.1 surround sound system, and a custom computer powered by an Intel Core i7 processor. The details continue with a full set of pedals, an F1-type quick-release steering wheel with force feedback, your choice of a silver, red, or black paint job, magnesium alloy wheels, and Pirelli F1 show tires.

Pirelli F1 tires… for a vehicle that doesn’t move? Three screens? Please… There is an art in separating people from their money, and this particular gimmick includes sending a team over to your house to install this thing and “make sure it fits”. This, sadly, is probably a selling point for some.

Oh… we should mention it’s being sold at Costco. Yeah…

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