If you were ever tempted to buy one of the 150 NZ$110,000 Aston Martin AMR-C01 racing simulators that the company designed and developed with Curv Racing Simulators, but thought to yourself "ehh... it seems a bit cheap and not really exclusive enough" then you're in luck!
The company has just revealed an upgraded and even more excitingly expensive version called the AMR-C01-R that features "precision ergonomics, cutting-edge hardware, and an even more immersive racing experience."
Limited to just 50 examples this time, Aston Martin says the new version builds on the "pioneering collaboration" between its design team and Curv Racing Simulators, led by three-time Le Mans winner and simulator specialist Darren Turner.
The AMR-C01-R retains the Valkyrie-inspired all-carbon fibre monocoque and Aston Martin Racing grille, but now features a revised seating position and improved ergonomics, with further adjustment for enhanced comfort and accessibility, particularly for taller drivers.
A new switch panel has been repositioned for improved ergonomics, while a sportier, more dynamic looking front grille has been redesigned to improve cooling.
Yes, you read that right - cooling. The 'grille' is actually for cooling. That is because, far from being "just" a fancy racing seat and steering wheel, the AMR-C01-R also packs a full-blown gaming PC under its sleek, racy carbon fibre nose, now also with "significant" technical upgrades.
The R boasts an upgraded NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, a major leap from the previous-generation GPU in the original, teamed up with the latest Intel 14th-generation processor, 32GB DDR5 memory (up from 16GB), and 2TB M.2 SSD storage (double the previous capacity) which, to put it in car terms, is basically like bolting a pair of massive turbos on an Aston V12.
Additionally, the redesigned PC chassis not only accommodates the latest hardware but also enhances cooling efficiency and accessibility for future upgrades, because being the frugal soul you are, there is no way you would just go and buy a newer one if you wanted something better. Or just newer.
In keeping with the boosted innards, the AMR-C01-R also gets a 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 G95C DQHD gaming monitor with a 1000R curvature, a 240Hz refresh rate (previously 120Hz) and a 1ms response time (previously 4ms) for seamless, razor-sharp visuals.
"Curv’s latest simulator is an exciting continuation of the AMR-C01, which was launched in 2020," said Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman.
"With improved performance, and a seating position inspired by Valkyrie, this is as close to driving an Aston Martin on-track that a racer will experience. The design itself, like any Aston Martin, will fit into a residence as a sculptural work of art, not just a traditional racing simulator."
And he should know, having been responsible for the design of every new Aston Martin since the One-77 from 2009.
As mentioned at the start, the AMR-C01-R is limited to just 50 units and is available to order now from the Curvs website, with a base price of £58,750 or NZ$132,240. Just think; if you buy one you could pretend to be Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll and thrash the Aston Martin AMR25 F1 car around a legendary track like Monza or Sao Paulo!
Except to be just like Alonso you'd have to do it while being a bit grumpy and quite disinterested. But then to be just like Stroll, you'd probably have to stop before the end and smash the front off the simulator...
