The world of sim racing mods is fascinating - not just because of its authentic recreations, but also wacky, fictional ideas. The Steyr 1108 mod for Assetto Corsa is a mix of both.
When most racing fans hear of a vehicle with slighlty over 400 hp at just 400 kg of weight, they would think of quite a capable car with great handling. In the case of one of the latest Assetto Corsa car mods here on OverTake, they would have to think again, though. How about a racing tractor with these numbers instead?
That is exactly what you are getting with @cbTuned's Steyr 1108 Langegg Racing Team mod. One of the more wacky entries in any AC car library, the tractor is actually based on a real vehicle that runs in a real-life event. Hold on, it gets even crazier.
The team actually reached out to the modder to recreate their tractor, and so they did. "The whole tractor racing stuff looked really fun to me, so I decided to help them. It took a month to finish the model", they remember.
A WIP graphic of the tractor's model. Image: @cbTuned
Some artistic license has been used for the tractor, however. While the real Traktorrennen Reingers sees competitors race on a mix of gravel, tarmac and dirt surfaces and therefore limits the classes to maximum speeds of 40 and 70 kph, respectively, the AC version of the Steyr 1108 is slightly more capable than that.
Mind you, these speeds are quite fast for vehicles that are often limited to just 30 kph in normal traffic. Doing 70 on a loose, bumpy surface seems quite daunting already. But the Assetto Corsa version of the Steyr has received a bit of a track day treatment, if you will.
Ever thought you would see a racing truck rumbling out of the pit lane at Brands Hatch in sim racing? Yeah, neither have we.
Is it realistic? Maybe not, unless the actual tractor only runs in third gear at the real event to make sure it does not exceed the maximum speed. Then again, having an overdrive gear at your disposal that would unleash another 100 kph must be a fun thought when behind the wheel of one of these.
However, to answer the most important question: It is fun indeed! You even have to be careful on the throttle, because simply going pedal to the metal will result in a lot of revs, but not a lot of acceleration, particularly in fourth gear. Letting the revs drop enough after shifting up is crucial for the Steyr to make use of its torque.
And yes, it does also drift, but is quite hard to catch once it does. The tractor will also lift the inside front wheel in corners, so you will experience some considerable leaning in this glorious racing beast. However, if you stuff it into the gravel trap, the traction could be better, we find. Of course, we tried that deliberately and not because we overshot a corner. Obviously.
Who needs four wheels on the ground when cornering, anyway?
Anyway, the Langegg Racing Team's Steyr 1108 is a great testament to how creative and fun the Assetto Corsa modding scene can be. And the Austrian racing scene, for that matter. Now, if only someone could also create the Reingers track used for the 24-hour race, too. Now that would make for a great community fun event.
Competing at the event is actually a bit more complicated than you might think at first, considering the top speed limit. There is a bit of tolerance with this limit, but hit 71.8 kph, and you will be hit with a 10-minute penalty. That means keeping up the momentum and getting clean exits out of turns are essential when tackling the 24-hour event.
Always at 100%: With a limit on top speed, the Steyr Racing Team Langegg needs to push at all times to extract maximum performance from their tractor. Image: Steyr Racing Team Langegg
Meanwhile, modifiying a tractor for racing use also is not quite as straight-forward as simply installing a rollcage and calling it a day. Unlike the factory version of the Steyr 1108, the racing variant requires springs on the front axle, essentially ditches the entire cabin and replaces it with a rollcage, and features smaller wheels. This results in a much smaller overall appearance.
As for the engine, the Langegg team is entered in the B6 class, requiring them to use a 6-cylinder motor, which the production model also features. However, the normal 1108 only has a listed top speed of 29 kph, so some tuning is necessary, of course.
The Assetto Corsa mod has proven popular in Langegg - the village is firmly behind the team's racing endeavours, so "it was cool to see how excited everyone was about the tractor now being available virtually as well", the team stated.
The 2024 edition of the real 24-hour race at Reingers will be taking place on August 24 and 25. After finishing ninth overall and third in class in 2023, the Langegg team will be launching another attempt at tractor endurance racing glory on the mixed-surface track.
What do you think about the Steyr 1108 Langegg Racing Team mod for Assetto Corsa? Will you give it a spin? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
When most racing fans hear of a vehicle with slighlty over 400 hp at just 400 kg of weight, they would think of quite a capable car with great handling. In the case of one of the latest Assetto Corsa car mods here on OverTake, they would have to think again, though. How about a racing tractor with these numbers instead?
That is exactly what you are getting with @cbTuned's Steyr 1108 Langegg Racing Team mod. One of the more wacky entries in any AC car library, the tractor is actually based on a real vehicle that runs in a real-life event. Hold on, it gets even crazier.
24-Hour Tractor Race In Austria
You see, the tiny village of Reingers in northern Austria, right by the border with Czechia, is alive with the roar of tractor engines - racing tractos, that is. Every summer, an enormous amount of tractors turns up to run in the International 24-Hour Oldtimer Tractor race, the Langegg Racing team being one of them. It is their Steyr 1108 @cbTuned has recreated for AC.The team actually reached out to the modder to recreate their tractor, and so they did. "The whole tractor racing stuff looked really fun to me, so I decided to help them. It took a month to finish the model", they remember.
A WIP graphic of the tractor's model. Image: @cbTuned
Some artistic license has been used for the tractor, however. While the real Traktorrennen Reingers sees competitors race on a mix of gravel, tarmac and dirt surfaces and therefore limits the classes to maximum speeds of 40 and 70 kph, respectively, the AC version of the Steyr 1108 is slightly more capable than that.
Mind you, these speeds are quite fast for vehicles that are often limited to just 30 kph in normal traffic. Doing 70 on a loose, bumpy surface seems quite daunting already. But the Assetto Corsa version of the Steyr has received a bit of a track day treatment, if you will.
Fourth Gear Overdrive, Engage!
The first three of the four gears get you to the 70 kph limit, but once you shift up to fourth, the Steyr really takes off. If you have enough space - and the start/finish "straight at Brands Hatch is enough already - you can reach north of 170 kph. Quite a scary thing to imagine in a tractor built in 1970.Ever thought you would see a racing truck rumbling out of the pit lane at Brands Hatch in sim racing? Yeah, neither have we.
Is it realistic? Maybe not, unless the actual tractor only runs in third gear at the real event to make sure it does not exceed the maximum speed. Then again, having an overdrive gear at your disposal that would unleash another 100 kph must be a fun thought when behind the wheel of one of these.
However, to answer the most important question: It is fun indeed! You even have to be careful on the throttle, because simply going pedal to the metal will result in a lot of revs, but not a lot of acceleration, particularly in fourth gear. Letting the revs drop enough after shifting up is crucial for the Steyr to make use of its torque.
And yes, it does also drift, but is quite hard to catch once it does. The tractor will also lift the inside front wheel in corners, so you will experience some considerable leaning in this glorious racing beast. However, if you stuff it into the gravel trap, the traction could be better, we find. Of course, we tried that deliberately and not because we overshot a corner. Obviously.
Who needs four wheels on the ground when cornering, anyway?
Anyway, the Langegg Racing Team's Steyr 1108 is a great testament to how creative and fun the Assetto Corsa modding scene can be. And the Austrian racing scene, for that matter. Now, if only someone could also create the Reingers track used for the 24-hour race, too. Now that would make for a great community fun event.
Langegg Racing Team: Four Friends Go Racing
You might be wondering, though: Who is the racing team behind the tractor? Langegg Racing was founded in 2019 by friends Dominik Reutterer, Patrick Weißböck, Andreas Kahl and Thomas Weiß in their namesake village. The quartet had actually raced together since 2016 when they decided to create the Steyr Racing Team Langegg. Today, the team has 25 members, with the four founders being entered as the drivers for this year's 24-hour race at the Reingers circuit.Competing at the event is actually a bit more complicated than you might think at first, considering the top speed limit. There is a bit of tolerance with this limit, but hit 71.8 kph, and you will be hit with a 10-minute penalty. That means keeping up the momentum and getting clean exits out of turns are essential when tackling the 24-hour event.
Always at 100%: With a limit on top speed, the Steyr Racing Team Langegg needs to push at all times to extract maximum performance from their tractor. Image: Steyr Racing Team Langegg
Meanwhile, modifiying a tractor for racing use also is not quite as straight-forward as simply installing a rollcage and calling it a day. Unlike the factory version of the Steyr 1108, the racing variant requires springs on the front axle, essentially ditches the entire cabin and replaces it with a rollcage, and features smaller wheels. This results in a much smaller overall appearance.
As for the engine, the Langegg team is entered in the B6 class, requiring them to use a 6-cylinder motor, which the production model also features. However, the normal 1108 only has a listed top speed of 29 kph, so some tuning is necessary, of course.
"Happy with how the physics turned out"
All this is reflected in the virtual version of the tractor. "It was received very well, because it has good performance and the physics have been done well compared to the real tractor", Steyr Racing Team Langegg told OverTake. "Of course, it is hard to compare a simulation to real life, but after some extensive tinkering, we are very happy with how the physics turned out."The Assetto Corsa mod has proven popular in Langegg - the village is firmly behind the team's racing endeavours, so "it was cool to see how excited everyone was about the tractor now being available virtually as well", the team stated.
The 2024 edition of the real 24-hour race at Reingers will be taking place on August 24 and 25. After finishing ninth overall and third in class in 2023, the Langegg team will be launching another attempt at tractor endurance racing glory on the mixed-surface track.
What do you think about the Steyr 1108 Langegg Racing Team mod for Assetto Corsa? Will you give it a spin? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
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