7 iconic British cars in sim racing games

7 iconic British cars in sim racing games

Jul 28, 2021 1 Min Read Posted by OverTake Team
THE TINY FIGHTER At its launch back in 1959, nobody could imagine what an effect the little Mini would have on the history of motoring. Designed as a small family car that could still seat four adults, the Mini soon became an icon and an unlikely motorsports hero. It won the Monte Carlo rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967 and even found success in the British Touring Car Championship. It's little surprise to hear that it appears in multiple games such as Forza and Gran Turismo, and was even a 'secret car' hidden deep in the depths of Driver 2. CHAPMAN'S CHAMPION Following a difficult 1966 season, Lotus founder Colin Chapman came back fighting for the 1967 season with the famous Lotus 49 car. It won its debut race, then Graham Hill took the F1 title with it in 1968. The car was so advanced for the time that it kept winning races into 1970. In its famous green and yellow livery, this car can be added to your garage and enjoyed in Assetto Corsa. THE LIGHTWEIGHT ROADSTER After the disappointment of the widely despised front-wheel drive Elan, Lotus saved themselves back in 1996 with the release of the Elise. Weighing in at only 670 kg, it harked back to Colin Chapman's successful philosophy of "just add lightness". The car was a weapon on the road and the track as well. They are not hard to find in racing games – try Gran Turismo, Assetto Corsa and Forza to name just a few. LICENSED TO KILL It is impossible to see a grey Aston Martin DB5 without thinking someone just as iconically British: James Bond. The car first hit the big screen in the 1964 film Goldfinger and has featured in seven additional Bond films since. Although not ideal for staying incognito, the vehicle at least has plenty of gadgets for when the baddies inevitably gave chase: an oil sprayer, revolving number plates and an ejector seat being just some of them. You can live out your spy fantasies in a number of ancient Bond games, or simply download the Best of Bond pack in Forza Horizon 4. THE HOTTEST OF HATCHES Back in the 1980s, Audi turned rallying on its head with the all-conquering quattro. As the major car manufacturers were forced to rethink their plans, Austin Rover chose an unlikely candidate to take on the fight in the forests – the Metro. Turning a shopping car into a rally beast was no easy feat, but by adding a mid-mounted V6 engine and four-wheel drive, they achieved it. This legend is available in all the main rally games such as WRC and the DIRT series, as well as Forza Horizon 2 where it can be discovered as a fairly unlikely 'barn find'. THE FIRST HYPERCAR When McLaren built their first road car in 1993, they didn't hold back – in fact, they created the fastest production car in the world with a top speed of 240 mph (386 km/h). The record has been beaten since, but the McLaren F1 remains a true motoring icon. Of course when it hit the racetrack it was no slouch either, dominating the GT classes and winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995. With only 106 units produced they are as rare as they are expensive, but you can drive one for free in most major titles including Assetto Corsa, Forza and Gran Turismo. A FUTURE PHOENIX Thanks to rather lacklustre performances in recent years, it's easy to forget that the Williams F1 team is one of the all-time greats. Since its foundation in 1977, the team has notched up 7 drivers' championships and 9 constructors' titles, making them one of the most successful teams of all time. 2020 saw the sad retreat of the Williams family, but hopefully its new owners will see the team financially stable and racing at the front again. If you want to bring Williams success in the virtual realm, you can do so in the newly-released F1 2021 game.

Here are seven of the most iconic cars from British car manufacturers that you can drive in your favourite racing games.Photo credit: Kunos Simulazioni

We’ve travelled from the USA to Germany on our quest to find iconic cars that you can drive in racing games. Now it’s time to cross another expanse of water and visit Britain – hope you packed an umbrella!

Britain is of course home to the Silverstone race circuit, which hosted the inaugural F1 world championship race back in 1950. In fact, there are dozens of tracks scattered across the land, the majority of which sprung up on disused airfields after World War II. This motorsports bond has never faltered, as demonstrated in the fact that many British-made cars have strong links to F1, rallying or GT racing. But we’ve also chucked in a star of the big screen for good measure. So check out our gallery of the best of British!

This is of course not a definitive list of every iconic British car ever. If your personal favourite is missing, tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!

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