Car & Classic blows the virtual doors off: The Italian Job’ themed Mini Cooper S driving simulator to be auctioned
Car & Classic, Europe’s largest online marketplace for classic and niche vehicles is currently auctioning a unique ‘The Italian Job’ themed driving simulator. Built by SimbiotiX, the rig has been constructed using a real 1974 Austin Mini and is a visual recreation of the blue Mini Cooper seen in 1969 ‘The Italian Job’ movie.
The simulator retains the Mini’s original pedals, steering and gears, complemented by functioning dials on the recreated dashboard, to create an immersive experience beyond the usual virtual driving rigs. From the outside and inside, the immersion and authenticity are enhanced by the abundance of small details throughout, such as fake gold bullion in the boot, and the numberplate ‘LGW 809G’, a reference to the return flight the heist team intended to catch in the movie.
Having been built by experienced specialists, the rig boasts impressive technical details that make the virtual driving experience just as faithful. A full surround-sound system with soundbar and subwoofer, WindSim fan kit and two-degree motion seat work together to make piloting the Mini an exhilarating experience.
Underneath the bonnet, the A-Series engine has been replaced by a powerful Windows gaming PC featuring an Nvidia RTX 3080ti GPU, water-cooled Intel i7 CPU and 32GB of RAM. Power is handled by an 850w Gold PSU and the 1TB NVME storage provides ample space for a mix of simulation software.
Currently, the rig uses BeamNG.drive and Assetto Corsa as the basis for the driving experiences, but the simulator is designed to be ‘plug-and-play’, with a range of other games and simulations and would be an ultimate setup for ‘Forza Motorsport’, releasing this Thursday.
“Whether you want to tear through the streets or Turin, or set the pace on track at Goodwood, this rig offers the chance to do it from the comfort of your own home”, says Car & Classic head of editorial Dale Vinten. “Not your usual type of powerful, modified Mini, this simulator demonstrates the variety Car & Classic have on offer.”
As either a ‘great idea’ for the ultimate garage or as a rental at events, Car & Classic’s Italian Job Mini Cooper S driving simulator auction is live now, and runs until 9 October. It is expected to fetch between £25k and £30k.
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