L.A.-based CXC Simulations builds racing simulators they describe as being professional grade but practical enough for home use. While we question the practicality of having a $54,000+ racing simulator at home, if you’re a professional driver, aspiring racer or an automotive nut hell-bent on having the best damn man cave around, CXC’s Motion Pro II is ideal for getting a realistic racing experience without ever leaving your castle.
Capturing the motions and changes in G-force during hard racing was a major priority for CXC. For that, they created their “low-mass motion system”, which reacts quickly to the user’s driving input. Other simulators may react with more extreme movements, but the motion pro’s quick, small (about four- to five-inch) movements are just enough to offer a realistic racing experience while maintaining a lighter, more compact construction.
Beyond movement, CXC also included several “tactile transducers” to enhance driver feedback. These transducers produce timed, accurate vibrations and feedback to further simulate a realistic driving experience. The transducers are installed throughout — on the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the seatbelt. These motion and tactile systems are also paired with a 1,500W Dolby 5.1 surround sound audio system and a 1080p screen with a 60-degree field of view. Upgrade to a more expensive system and you can get three screens with a combined 180-degree field of view.
CXC uses their own software to maximize other software platforms, primarily iRacing. This doesn’t bind them to any particular platform, and allows them to remain flexible to the user’s needs. They’re able to present tracks from around the world and cars in a variety of motorsports (F1, rally, NASCAR, etc), so while you can’t race Gran Turismo or Forza on the machine, you’re getting something markedly better. It’s not a video game, it’s a racing simulator with full physical dynamism. And it’s reported that the experience is good. CXC says that Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Benz F1), Stefan Johansson (Ferrari F1), Patrick Long (Porsche factory team) and Graham Rahall (IndyCar) have tested or trained on the system.
CXC also takes a meticulous approach to craftsmanship by using materials such as aluminum and carbon fiber that are nearly identical to those used in a typical race car. Depending on how much money you want to drop, you can also kit it out with different steering wheels, shifters and even flight simulation gear so you can live out both your Days of Thunder and Top Gun fantasies with one machine.
