Tearing down the Hamilton Straight of Silverstone in pole position is the ultimate dad fantasy—a daydream certainly fueled by Lando Norris’s F1 Grand Prix win last weekend. But with Prodrive’s latest driving simulator—a company that has spent over 40 years making racecars—the real thing, give or take, can now take place in your front room.
The first thing to say about the Prodrive Racing Simulator is that you probably can’t afford it. That’s nothing personal, it’s just a highly bespoke driving simulator that costs at least £60,000 — a number likely to grow with more personalisation. (For some context, this could buy you two real second-hand BMW X3s, or a phalanx of Ford Focuses).
Nevertheless, the one I tried at Bang & Olufsen’s flagship New Bond Street store is a beautiful product. A lot of work has gone into the design, which Prodrive conceived in partnership with Pendennis, the British superyacht designer. The structure is made of compressed beech wood and carbon fibre shaped into an ergonomic onyx shell.
As you step into the simulator, you’re immediately cocooned by the quality Connolly upholstery and locked into the impressively high-resolution curved screen that takes up almost all your peripheral vision. Being the company that makes Aston Martin’s racing cars, Prodrive takes pride in its simulator’s authenticity and the technology inside — from the weighted steering to the hefty pedal box — all felt like the real deal.
While the Prodrive is not the most technologically advanced driving simulator on the market — the seat is static, meaning the movement of a car is not replicated — it’s certainly the most beautiful. You can try it out for free at the B&O flagship too, or Harrods.
Technical Specs
- Screen 49-inch dual-QHD 5k-resolution curved monitor
- Audio Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX headphones or Beosound A9 speaker
- Steering wheel Precision Sim Engineering LM Pro with five rotary dials, 12 push buttons and carbon fibre paddle
Price
- £60,000 (starting price for commissions)
Where to find
Find out more about Prodrive’s Racing Simulator here
