There are a lot of cars across many racing titles, but some still elude us. We have compiled a list of rather crazy cars that we really want to drive in sim racing.
There is no such thing as too much choice of cars in racing games, right? With so many vastly different types ranging from GTs, Sports Prototypes, Touring Cars and Open Wheelers, we are certainly not short on choice across multiple titles.
But even then, there are still so many cars that us mere mortals have not had the chance to drive in a sim. And there are many rather unusual vehicles out there! So we have compiled a list of very unique cars that we hope can be added to racing sims eventually.
DeltaWing
First up is a car that many will recognise having competed in the likes of the Le Mans 24h and IMSA. The DeltaWing has appeared in a racing game before, that being Gran Turismo 6. It started out as a concept for the IndyCar series, but after it was not accepted, designer Ben Bowlby decided to take it endurance racing.
The incredibly unusual shape endeared it to fans, which resulted in a bit of a legal dispute. Nissan provided the engine, but after seeing the fan reaction, they allegedly made the claim it was their whole idea. That resulted in a legal battle that even saw the DeltaWing be removed from GT6 temporarily before launch.
That and the resulting lawsuit when Nissan got Bowlby to create the ZEOD RC (essentially a DeltaWing with an electric motor) meant neither car has been seen in any game since. Which is such a shame, as the DeltaWing and ZEOD RC are fascinating cars.
Imagine if iRacing were able to bring the DeltaWing to the service. It would be very interesting to see how it would stack up against the BMW, Cadillac, Porsche and Acura GTP cars. Hopefully these legal issues can be resolved as when it happens, us mortals always miss out.
Gordon Murray T.50s
We never pass up an opportunity to mention this amazing car, which is still yet to be available in any racing game. Murray was responsible for the McLaren F1 and the Brabham BT46B fan car, the latter of which was inspired by the equally absurd Chaparral 2J, which can be found in Gran Turismo 7.
The Brabham and Chaparral’s fans would forcibly drag air underneath the car, which worked wonders in slow corners. This counteracted the loss in ground effect aerodynamics at slower speeds, practically glueing the cars to the surface. Murray decided to make the ultimate supercar with the T.50, and he decided to bring that fan tech to the road.
Subsequently, it also carried over to the track-only T.50s, which he named in honour of his late friend, 3-time F1 champion Niki Lauda. The Austrian was one of the BT46B’s drivers in 1978, adding to the connection. Together with its 760hp naturally-aspirated V12 and 852kg weight, the T.50s is already a mouthwatering prospect. But its aero and fan can produce a combined 1,500kg in downforce!
Just imagine the kind of racing that could be done with a whole grid of T.50s cars. It would truly be like nothing else. Meanwhile, the BT46B is already available in Automobilista 2.
Carver One
From some very fast cars to a bit of an anomaly on this list. Anyone remember that episode of Top Gear when Richard Hammond drove a part-car, part-bike vehicle? Well, that was this car. Powered by a 600cc turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, it goes from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 115mph.
So it will not be breaking any speed records by any means, but that is not what makes it amazing. The Carver One can lean like a bike, and sitting in it can truly give you the feeling of driving a fighter jet to your local shop. Undoubtedly (and not at all subjectively) the best motor-related Dutch export ever, and nothing can topple it. Literally.
These days, the petrol powered Carver has been succeeded by an EV city microcar, the fastest of which maxes out at 50mph. That may not sound exciting, but various kart classes barely exceed that, and the racing is still amazing. So why would a car/bike hybrid not lean towards the same outcome? Pun intended.
Motorcycle racing is always hard fought and exciting, a one-make Carver race would be wonderful to compete in. Preferably using the faster petrol-powered one, but maybe the electric cars could also deliver some amazing racing.
McMurtry Spéirling
Who could forget this electric mini rocketship that set the all time record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed? It went over three whole seconds quicker than the previous record holder – the Volkswagen ID.R – and caused a sensation as a result.
Performance wise, there is simply nothing that accelerates faster. It goes from a standstill to 60mph in 1.4 seconds, 100mph in 2.6 seconds and 145mph in 5 seconds thanks to its two electric motors which produce a combined power output of 1,000hp, and it weighs less than 1,000kg.
But of course, sound is also a major factor for many sim racers. The Spéirling may be electric, but like the T.50s, it has a fan on the back which is so powerful that it makes the car sound like a jet at takeoff. Plus, it develops 2,000kg of downforce, which is why it is so quick in the corners.
With the acceleration of a dragster, the cornering of an F1 car, the sound of a jet and the aesthetics of a Batmobile, sim racers all over are begging to be able to drive it. The question becomes when and not if it will come to a sim.
Random fact: The Spéirling already has some sim racing in it. Keen observers may spot Fanatec’s Advanced Paddle Module on the car’s wheel. This can be seen particularly well in the full broadcast of its run featuring longer in-car shots.
Brutus
Now for perhaps the most extreme car on this list of already extreme cars. On another episode of Top Gear, this behemoth was shown off and it truly left people shaken. The Brutus was made not long after the end of World War II, when some mad German engineers decided it would be an amazing idea to weld a 1907 chassis to the engine from an aeroplane.
They took the 47-litre (!) BMW-constructed V12 from a Messerschmitt, which produces 750hp in short spurts when it reaches 1,700rpm. For the most part, the Brutus peaks at 550hp which is enough for it to go at a decent speed. That is in spite of the fact that it weighs over 2,500kg.
The common consensus is that the Brutus is very crude and unrefined, and you only need to see the Top Gear review to fully understand that. It probably would not be a great car to do races with, although the challenge may be enough for people to at least try.
It would probably have to be short races, though. The current owners of the Brutus claim it can do 2.8 miles per gallon (or 1 litre per kilometre), although tests performed on the car put that number closer to 0.18 miles per gallon!
Which bonkers cars would you like to see in sim racing? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
