---
title: "Rent a Seat in the World’s Coolest Racing Simulator"
description: "The first-ever horizontal 200-degree wraparound spherical screen, plus an incredible 6 million pixel image. And it's all inside an arcade room."
date: "2016-03-21"
modified: "2016-03-21"
authors:
  - name: "Jonathon Ramsey"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jonathon-ramsey.md"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/tech/2639/rent-a-seat-in-the-worlds-coolest-racing-simulator"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
  - "Video Games"
tags:
  - "racing"
  - "Simulator"
---

# Rent a Seat in the World’s Coolest Racing Simulator

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/archive-images/032116-racing-simulator-hero.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

The [most expensive publicly available racing simulators](<https://www.therichest.com/luxury/most-expensive/driving-simulators-the-10-most-expensive-on-the-market/?view=all>) cost more than many racecars. The exquisite [CXC Motion Pro II](<https://www.cxcsimulations.com/products/motion-pro/>), for example, will run you over $81,000. *Renting* a racing sim, however, is much more economical, and nothing beats the new [Motion Simulation Room](<https://thedrive.gathercontent.com/item/The%20most%20expensive%20publicly%20available%20racing%20simulators%20cost%20more%20than%20a%20lot%20of%20race%20cars%20up%20front%20(like%20the%20%2481,000%20CXC%20Motion%20Pro%20II),%20but%20they%E2%80%99re%20still%20cheaper%20over%20time%20because%20replacing%20parts%20made%20of%20pixels%20is%20free.%20Booking%20time%20in%20a%20racing%20sim%20is%20much%20more%20economical,%20and%20at%20a%20place%20like%20the%20brand%20new%20Motion%20Simulation%20Room%20in%20England%20it%20could%20beat%20the%20real%20thing%20%E2%80%93%20especially%20when%20considering%20British%20weather.%20The%20room,%20in%20an%20industrial%20estate%20outside%20London,%20houses%20six%20sphere-shaped%20TL3%20simulators.%20The%20pilot%20occupies%20a%20seat%20inside%20the%20pod%20that%20can%20be%20adjusted%20for%20the%20driving%20heights%20of%20Formula%201%20cars,%20GT%20racers,%20so-called%20%E2%80%9Csaloon%20racing%E2%80%9D%20sedans%20like%20British%20Touring%20Cars,%20and%20street%20cars%20like%20the%20Bentley%20Continental%20GT,%20and%20there%20are%20three%20different%20force-feedback%20steering%20wheel%20options%20to%20enhance%20the%20mimicry.%20The%20curved%20interior%20walls%20present%20a%20200-degree%20wraparound%20screen%20%E2%80%93%20said%20to%20be%20a%20world-first%20for%20horizontal%20breadth%20%E2%80%93and%20a%20resolution%20of%20six%20million%20pixels.%20The%20TL3%20runs%20world-class%20iRacing%20simulation%20software,%20meaning%20scads%20of%20car%20and%20multi-player%20options,%20some%20famous%20tracks,%20and%20%E2%80%9Cobsessively%20realistic%20physics.%E2%80%9D%20That%20will%20be%20backed%20up%20by%20genuine%20physics:%20the%20seat%20can%20generate%20up%20to%202%20Gs%20of%20acceleration%20and%20move%20in%20three%20axes%20to%20recreate%20the%20heave,%20pitch%20and%20roll%20of%20a%20spin%20through%20the%20Karussell%20at%20the%20N%C3%BCrburgring%20or%20a%20trip%20into%20the%20Armco%20barriers.%20What%E2%80%99s%20more,%20the%20weight%20of%20the%20throttle%20and%20brake%20pedals%20varies%20depending%20on%20the%20in-game%20forces.%20You%E2%80%99ll%20have%20to%20be%20at%20least%20five%20feet%20tall%20to%20reach%20those%20pedals,%20though,%20and%20no%20taller%20than%206%E2%80%99%2010%E2%80%9D%20to%20fit%20inside%20the%20sphere.%20You%20won%E2%80%99t%20need%20sponsorship%20to%20get%20a%20race%20seat,%20just%20%C2%A315%20for%20fifteen%20minutes%20of%20a%20free-for-all%20practice%20session,%20or%20%C2%A360%20buys%20you%20a%20full%20premium%20race%20event%20consisting%20of%20%E2%80%9Csign%20in,%E2%80%9D%20a%20briefing,%20and%20fifteen%20minutes%20each%20of%20practice,%20qualifying,%20and%20racing.%20That%20package%20also%20includes%20a%20%E2%80%9Cpodium%20finish%20and%20a%20trophy%20ceremony%20for%20the%20winner,%E2%80%9D%20but%20you%20actually%20have%20to%20win%20to%20get%20those.%20If%20you%20end%20up%20liking%20it%20so%20much%20you%20want%20to%20take%20a%20TL3%20home,%20Motion%20Simulation%20will%20sell%20you%20one%20for%20%C2%A334,995%20(about%20%2450,000)%20before%20options,%20like%20the%20rather%20awesome%20flight%20simulation%20package.>) in England.

The room, in an industrial estate outside London, houses six [sphere-shaped TL3 simulators](<https://www.coolthings.com/tl3-racing-simulator-200-degree-display/>). The pilot occupies a seat inside the pod. These can be adjusted for the driving heights of Formula 1 cars, GT racers, racing sedans like British Touring Cars, and street cars like the Bentley Continental GT, and there are different force-feedback steering wheel setting to enhance the mimicry. The weight of the throttle and brake pedals varies depending on the in-game forces. The curved interior walls present a 200-degree wraparound screen—said to be a world-first for horizontal breadth—and a resolution of six million pixels. So lunacy, pretty much.

The TL3 runs world-class iRacing simulation software, meaning scads of car and multi-player options, famous circuits, and “obsessively realistic physics.” Its' all backed up by genuine physics: The seat can generate up to 2 g's of acceleration, and moves in three axes to recreate the heave, pitch and roll of a spin through the *Karussell* at the Nürburgring and trip into the Armco barriers.

You won’t need sponsorship to get a seat, just £15 for fifteen minutes of free-for-all practice sessions. Alternatively, a full premium race event—which includes consisting of “sign in,” a briefing, and fifteen minutes each of practice, qualifying, and racing—runs £60. That package also includes a “podium finish and a trophy ceremony for the winner,” but you actually have to win to get those.

If you end up liking it so much you want to take a TL3 home, Motion Simulation will sell you one for £34,995 (about $50,000) before options.

https://youtube.com/embed/09Y9R_onbHQ

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