The Portuguese sim racing equipment manufacturer has announced its new range-topping motion simulator, the Garra.
Images: RaceDepartment
Unveiled at the recent Sim Formula Europe event in the Netherlands, we went hands-on with ImSim’s car-inspired motion sim rig, the Garra.
The automotive hints begin with the luscious paint job, which is deeply reminiscent of Mazda’s Soul Red, both in terms of the shade and the quality of the application. At the front, from afar, certain design elements remind us of a sports car – with a ‘mouth’ and slim LED strips analogous to those of car headlights.
Around the back, there’s even a lower light illuminated like a Formula 1 rain notifier and even a brake light that switches on when the user hits the stoppers in-sim.
Of course, all these touches are irrelevant to overall lap time or enjoyment behind the wheel. Superfluous some might say. But in person, this sim rig has an eye-catching presence. In a word, sleek.
This is reinforced by the relative lack of cabling – everything is hidden beneath the athletic exterior save for the one mains plug, a process learnt during the creation of the ImSim’s existing rigs, the Alma and Terra.
The simplicity in design is not really aimed at the likes of you or me, but the (as ImSim terms it) ‘luxury’ sim racer. In other words, if you own a hypercar, then you would have one of these in your garage to practice a track day in advance and stay looking good in the process.
To that point, the whole system has been created with ease of use in mind – this is not something that owners will enjoy setting up or building like flat-pack furniture. It’s one complete ‘simulator’ that just works, with business use also in mind.
The race and flight sim manufacturers use an off-the-shelf Simucube wheel base, but it is ensconced with a custom frame that allows up-and-down movement upon entry with the push of one button. Another button is used to seamlessly glide the company’s own load cell Talento pedals back and forth.
The process is much more elegant than reaching for a bar – after all, millionaires should never be reduced to manual labour. But of course not.
Under the skin is D-Box’s latest G5 motion system, one at each corner combined with strategically placed ButtKickers. Speakers are hidden, woven into the seat’s upper echelons.
On track, using a version of Assetto Corsa, it doesn’t pitch and roll you like a roller coaster but rather delivers a tooth-clattering sensation over large kerbs and makes your gut feel like it’s climbing up Eau Rouge/Raidillon.
Immersion is the name of the game, not necessarily esports-level speed. This is made to deliver an exciting experience while not looking out of place alongside a rarefied car collection.
While final pricing is yet to be confirmed, OverTake believes the complete unit will be available for somewhere under €50,000.
If you had the money, would you purchase a set-up like this? Let us know in the comments below.
Images: RaceDepartment
Unveiled at the recent Sim Formula Europe event in the Netherlands, we went hands-on with ImSim’s car-inspired motion sim rig, the Garra.
The automotive hints begin with the luscious paint job, which is deeply reminiscent of Mazda’s Soul Red, both in terms of the shade and the quality of the application. At the front, from afar, certain design elements remind us of a sports car – with a ‘mouth’ and slim LED strips analogous to those of car headlights.
Around the back, there’s even a lower light illuminated like a Formula 1 rain notifier and even a brake light that switches on when the user hits the stoppers in-sim.
Of course, all these touches are irrelevant to overall lap time or enjoyment behind the wheel. Superfluous some might say. But in person, this sim rig has an eye-catching presence. In a word, sleek.
This is reinforced by the relative lack of cabling – everything is hidden beneath the athletic exterior save for the one mains plug, a process learnt during the creation of the ImSim’s existing rigs, the Alma and Terra.
The simplicity in design is not really aimed at the likes of you or me, but the (as ImSim terms it) ‘luxury’ sim racer. In other words, if you own a hypercar, then you would have one of these in your garage to practice a track day in advance and stay looking good in the process.
To that point, the whole system has been created with ease of use in mind – this is not something that owners will enjoy setting up or building like flat-pack furniture. It’s one complete ‘simulator’ that just works, with business use also in mind.
The race and flight sim manufacturers use an off-the-shelf Simucube wheel base, but it is ensconced with a custom frame that allows up-and-down movement upon entry with the push of one button. Another button is used to seamlessly glide the company’s own load cell Talento pedals back and forth.
The process is much more elegant than reaching for a bar – after all, millionaires should never be reduced to manual labour. But of course not.
Under the skin is D-Box’s latest G5 motion system, one at each corner combined with strategically placed ButtKickers. Speakers are hidden, woven into the seat’s upper echelons.
On track, using a version of Assetto Corsa, it doesn’t pitch and roll you like a roller coaster but rather delivers a tooth-clattering sensation over large kerbs and makes your gut feel like it’s climbing up Eau Rouge/Raidillon.
Immersion is the name of the game, not necessarily esports-level speed. This is made to deliver an exciting experience while not looking out of place alongside a rarefied car collection.
While final pricing is yet to be confirmed, OverTake believes the complete unit will be available for somewhere under €50,000.
If you had the money, would you purchase a set-up like this? Let us know in the comments below.
