Pininfarina’s Classic Car Sim Rig Could Go For As Much As $160,000

One of the great things about sim racing is that it gives all kinds of people access to many of the thrills of racing at a price that is, relatively speaking, affordable. That’s not to say, though, that you can’t spend ludicrous sums of money if you really want to.

In the latest example of the rich having so much money that they have to dream up increasingly inventive ways to pass it around among themselves, this Pininfarina Leggenda eClassic Simulator is being offered without reserve at RM Sotheby’s St. Moritz, Switzerland sale.

Designed by Pininfarina with the help of The Classic Car Trust, the simulator has been created “to replicate the thrill of driving a classic collector car” at a price that could easily give you the real thing. It is one of nine being hand-made at the legendary coachbuilder’s factory in Cambiano, Italy.

Also a celebration of the 90th anniversary of Battista “Pinin” Farina’s career, the rig is inspired by the Cisitalia 202, a two-seat grand tourer designed by him in the ’40s. Complete with an authentic Nardi wooden steering wheel, a manual gear lever, three pedals, and a vintage Hanhart chronometer that is integrated into the dashboard, it has many of the charms of a classic car. A starter button, meanwhile, is nestled in the dashboard that, along with the seat, is surrounded by Marrone Tobacco Connolly leather.

Finished in Argento Vivo, the narrow body contains a single seat and a curved screen on which sim racing can be played. With the rig, the owner gets a membership to The eClassic Club for three years, an online community for collector car enthusiasts. That also includes training sessions, races, informal group drives, and even coaching.

The most stunning aspect of this auction lot, though, is the price tag, which is estimated to reach between 120,000 and 150,000 Swiss Francs ($130,469-$163,087 USD). Pininfarina’s sim rig will cross the auction block on September 17.