Virtual race cars are a serious thing these days, especially in a pandemic-hit planet. Every brand wants to have one; we recently saw the Mazda RX-Vision GT3 and Jaguar Vision GT SV, with the latter also existing as a full-scale model. The P1 we’re seeing here is for Ford’s virtual racing team called Team Fordzilla, and has been designed in collaboration between gamers themselves and Ford’s design team.
The Team Fordzilla P1 also exists as a physical model. Ford asked the gamers via a Twitter poll the features they wish to have, and they responded with requests such as a two-seat configuration with an F1-like seating position. The exterior of the car was designed by Arturo Ariño while the interior by Robert Engelmann, both Ford designers.
The race car is built around a monocoque structure partially covered by a large, transparent fighter jet-like canopy. The transparent canopy not only blurs the boundaries between the exterior and the interior but also emphasizes the car’s F1-like driving position. The sculpted bodyside panels make a good canvas for custom liveries. The rear-end remains completely exposed.
In the cockpit, you’ll find LED notification units, keeping the driver and co-driver up-to-date on the track status. In addition, there’s an integrated screen on the steering wheel that enables live data exchange with the team. On the floor in front of the co-pilot’s seat, there is an AFK (Away From Keyboard) message, a playful reminder that occupants of that seat are away from the keyboard.
A #levelup graphic acknowledges that gamers and racing drivers aim to better themselves each time they play or race, while a #liftoff graphic is a nod to the lifting off of this race car from a virtual world and transitioning it to the real one. On the front spoiler, there’s another important message: GLHF (Good luck have fun).
The Team Fordzilla P1 will be available in Gran Turismo, Forza, iRacing, Project Cars, and Assetto Corsa Competizione.
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