Your chance to recreate the Italian Job chase scene anytime you want: Mini Cooper simulator set to sell for up to £30,000
- Simulator rig is a recreation of the Mini Cooper from the hit 1960s movie
- Instead of an A-series engine under the bonnet it has a powerful gaming PC
Are you a huge fan of the sixties cult classic film, The Italian Job? Do you have space in your garage? And are you able to splash out £30,000 on a glorified games console?
If the answer to all three of these questions is yes, then we have the ultimate auction lot for you.
It’s a one-of-a-kind Austin Mini Cooper simulator built to look like a replica of the blue example used in the iconic chase scene in the 1969 movie starring Michael Caine.
Instead of the legendary A-series engine under its bonnet, this creation has a powerful gaming PC that projects recreated scenes from the film and also allows a user to play the latest racing simulations beamed onto a white screen placed in front of the vehicle.
Not your typical classic Mini auction lot: This recreation of the famous blue Mini Cooper from the 1969 film The Italian Job is going under the hammer – but it’s not what you might expect
The unique creation is being sold in an online auction by Car & Classic as a listing described as ‘The Italian Job-themed driving simulator’.
It has been built by specialist rig-maker, SimbiotiX, and has been constructed using a donor 1974 Austin Mini and is a like-for-like visual recreation of the blue Cooper driven by actor Richard Essome who played Tony in the sixties movie – though most of the action scenes had stunt drivers Roger Mailles and Jean Claude Bonnichon at the wheel.
The simulator retains the Mini’s original pedals, steering and gears, complemented by functioning dials on the recreated dashboard, to create an immersive experience beyond the usual virtual driving rigs.
The 1974 donor car can’t be driven – that’s because it has no engine
Instead, under the bonnet is a powerful Windows gaming PC, with the vehicle converted into a simulator rig
A built-in projector beams recreated scenes for the famous car chase from the sixties film. Alternatively, you can drive the latest PC games from the seat of the Mini simulator
‘From the outside and inside, the immersion and authenticity are enhanced by the abundance of small details throughout, such as fake gold bullion in the boot, and the numberplate ‘LGW 809G’, a reference to the return flight the heist team intended to catch in the movie,’ Car & Classic says.
Having been built by experienced specialists, the rig boasts impressive technical details that make the virtual driving experience just as faithful.
A full surround-sound system with soundbar and subwoofer, WindSim fan kit and two-degree motion seat work together to make piloting the Mini an exhilarating experience.
Underneath the bonnet is not a 998cc petrol engine but a high-end Windows gaming PC featuring an Nvidia RTX 3080ti GPU, water-cooled Intel i7 CPU and 32GB of RAM. Power is handled by an 850w Gold PSU and the 1TB NVME storage provides ample space for a mix of simulation software.
To tie in with the iconic movie starring Michael Caine, the simulator comes with fake gold bullion in the boot, and the numberplate ‘LGW 809G’ – a reference to the return flight the heist team intended to catch in the movie
The interior of the car has been fully restored and the controls – including the pedal box – are all original Mini parts
The plug-and-play system means the new owner can enjoy the latest racing PC games controlled using the steering wheel, pedals and gear shifter in the Mini
Car and Classic is selling this unique item in a seven-day online auction and expect it to make between £25,000 and £30,000
Currently, the rig uses BeamNG.drive and Assetto Corsa as the basis for the driving experiences, but the simulator is designed to be ‘plug-and-play’, meaning it is compatible with a range of other games and simulations.
‘Whether you want to tear through the streets or Turin, or set the pace on track at Goodwood, this rig offers the chance to do it from the comfort of your own home’, says Car & Classic head of editorial Dale Vinten.
‘Not your usual type of powerful, modified Mini, this simulator demonstrates the variety Car & Classic have on offer.’
As either a ‘great idea’ for the ultimate garage or as a rental at events, Car & Classic’s Italian Job Mini Cooper S driving simulator auction is live now, and runs until 9 October.
It is expected to fetch between £25,000 and £30,000.
