I brought the GTUltimate V2 rig myself before joining ROOZ and I can tell you, it’s well worth the money…. very solid and seat is comfy (after the marathon SOO3 race win, I didn’t even feel sore). The level of adjustability is ridiculous (in a good way), it took me some time to set it uto a preferred seat/pedal/wheel position but within a few months my consistency has gone up another level.

From the moment my GT Academy journey was over at the hands of eventual champion Matt Simmons, I decided to dedicate myself fully to the sim racing world as being a 30 year old with a wife and daughter, real racing was not going to be that feasible. So how could I give myself the most realistic racing experience possible, whilst still being able to use my computer for other needs too? I did a lot of research but I kept coming back to the GT Ultimate from Next Level Racing. Also, being an Australian company that only made it all the more appealing. I spoke to the team at Pagnian Imports about delivering one to Melbourne and before I knew it the courier had arrived.
After an hour or two of setting it up just the way I liked, I sat down in the simulator just to get a feel for it, and there’s a LOT about the GT Ultimate that gives me that lifelike experience. It only was aided further when I fired up my Fanatec wheel and my Buttkicker primed that the level of immersion I’d just gotten was incredible. I’m only using a single screen setup for racing at the moment, but the next step is triple screens and before I know it I’ll feel like I’m at Silverstone all over again!
The biggest surprise to me was that I am so comfortable in the rig itself that I can quite comfortable play First Person Shooter games as well with the added Keyboard and Mouse tray. All that I do is slide the seat back, move the tray forward and I’m in Battlefield before I know it. It’s been a dream experience for me and ticks every box that I had for it – incredible value!
Simon Feigl - 2015 GT Acadamy International Finalist

  

Jason Cartwright / TechAU.com.au


Since I was a teenager, I had always wanted a driving rig, and more than 15 years later I have it. The GT Ultimate v2 simulator from Next Level Racing is a driving sim ready for almost any steering wheel and pedals you can throw at it. With so many driving games around right now, it seemed the perfect time to move on from the controller and sit behind the wheel.

Recently this month we got F1 2015, before that was the long anticipated Project CARS and soon we’ll get Forza Motorsport 6. It’s a great time to be a racing fan.

After spending some time with the GT Ultimate v2, its time to give you a run down of what works and what doesn’t. Keep in mind this review may be updated over time as more titles come out as well as how it suits additional steering wheels and pedals.

Setup

Because of it’s size and weight, receiving this online purchase is something that needs to be planned. Getting a delivery ticket and picking it up from the post office or depot isn’t going to work for this, especially not with a sedan. Fortunately I was home when it was delivered and shortly later I was slicing through tape and cardboard faster than a knife through butter.

Shortly after opening the box I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick job to setup. There’s multiple components, plenty of bolts, screws, washers and 3 sets of instructions if you choose to follow them.

Bolting everything together really starts with the seat, everything bolts on to that and you progressively build forward. Stopping only to take some happy snaps along the way, the assembly took around an hour to setup and probably the first few races to really get things squared away in terms of angles and positions.

If you’ve ever tackled Ikea furniture, or any flatpack for that matter, this will be a breeze by comparison and is certainly able to be completed by one person.

Quality

The first thing I unboxed was the seat and with a hard glossy black finish that transitioned to a cushion fabric front, it has all the right looks. When it comes to the rest of the hardware, Next Level Racing weren’t mucking around when they built this thing, the steel is bloody huge. I’m pretty sure you could actually have a crash in this thing and survive.

The bolt together design kept getting stronger the more pieces of the rig that came together. You don’t have to, but I chose to bolt the front wheel and pedal mount to the rig. This section features a massive checkerplate section, you know the kind you’d find in the back of a tradies ute, built for serious work.

The strength and build quality of this rig is high and needs to be, as there’ll likely be a line of your mates cued up to try it.

Flexibility

Thanks to more than general seat size, even your heftiest mates will be able to enjoy the racing action. In terms of the vertically challenged, height doesn’t seem to be an issue either, with the seat capable of moving back and the pedals forward to allow drivers of all sizes. At 6 foot 3 inches (193cm), I’m on the taller end and I feel there’s plenty of room to extend if my 6”5’ brother wants a turn.

A real strength of the GT Ultimate V2 is the completely configurable front section. When you’re racing for long periods of time, it’s like highway driving, you want to be comfortable. You don’t want to feel like you’re reaching for the wheel or stretching for the pedals, the right distances everywhere are critical.

Some simulators are dedicated to one driving position, making them great for F1, but unrealistic for the driving position of a rally car. By just adjusting the seat recline and pedal angle, in seconds I can transition between race types, big ticks here.

One area I did miss adjustment was the angle of the seat base, however given the base of the seat mounts to the brackets that run to the floor, this would be hard to achieve, it’s very different to an office chair, but does exist in your passenger car.

There’s bolt holes in the wheel mount and the pedal mount that fits a seriously long list of steering wheel and pedals. The one I have is the Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Spider. The pedals bolt, but the wheel doesn’t sadly. The consequence of this is the clamp style mount means there’s a decent amount of vertical play when using the wheel. If you don’t pay attention, you may end up hanging off the wheel a little. This more of an issue with the wheel, rather than the rig. It works and works well, just could feel more stable.

Size

Unless you’ve got an ultimate man cave, you’ll need to find a place in the house to fit this rig. All setup you’ll need around 155cm in length and around 26cm wide, that’s not including the width of your display. Of course you’ll need more than that to allow room to get in and out of the rig, not the easiest thing to do by the way.

After using it for a while I found having the seat extended further than I need to drive, but sliding forward using the in-build sliding mechanism, allowed for comfortable racing and an easier entry and exit.

Depending on your configuration, you’ll also need to consider cord lengths and placement of consoles and/or PCs. Thanks to the height necessary under the seat to get your driving position right, that also doubles as a great cavity to place devices and can save plenty of space.

While it’s bigger than holding a steering wheel on your lap, this sim is efficient in the size it takes up. Personally I knew I wanted a proper, more permanent setup for racing and found the space along one wall of the home office. If you don’t mind screwing around, you can choose to fold the front section away when not in use, but seriously the space you’ll save is minimal. The only time I could conceive moving this rig is to put it in front of the largest TV in the house for a weekend. If that ever happened, there’d be no folding, just a two-person pit crew to move the rig as it stands.

Comfort

One of the biggest questions you’ll have is the comfort during the longest races. I think any racing simulator would be fine for a race or two, let’s face it, we’ve all raced Daytona at the arcade and never thought twice about the seat.

After racing around Bathurst in Forza 5 and Project CARS, as well as racing multiple GPs including the HungarianGP in F1 2015, I’ve now got around 20 hours on the Next Level Racing GT Ultimate v2 racing sim.

The good news is the seat is comfortable. The bad news is, you have to work hard to make it that way. At least harder than I was expecting. I get the challenge is a difficult one, with so many different sized and shaped bodies to support, but this is the same struggle car makers face.

This version now ships with a lumbar support cushion, at first I thought it was too big and cumbersome, so raced without it. It wasn’t too long before I understood why this was included, from customer feedback. It straps to one of the three velcro removable sections in the seat. Being taller, I strapped it to the middle one, but this will absolutely be personal preference.

With this in place, my driving sessions got longer and I stopped thinking about the seat and just kept reminding myself to breath. It sounds stupid, but when you’re racing wheel to wheel with a full grid of F1 cars, or chasing hundredths of a second in a lap time, it’s easy to forget.

I know why the seat is as wide as it is, to accommodate the growing profile of Australian’s, but after experiencing Evo 8 Recaro’s in my road car, I’ve been spoilt with seat hugs.

In terms of the monitor height, the steering wheel distance, I had it all wrong on first configuration. While it took a couple of days to dial it in, I feel like the rig is now working for me and a reduction in lap times is backing that up.

Accessories

When I purchased the GT Ultimate V2, the checkout posed some interesting questions, do I want a keyboard tray, do I want a controller and remote shelf, a monitor stand that can support up to 55” or triple displays. I appreciate that every racer is the same and having the bare minimum included in the rig and level the rest to optional extras, allows users to buy just what they need.

Personally I did go for the monitor mount, but it’s currently out of stock, so will have more on that when it arrives. It mounts to the front of the rig so the ugly setup you see in the photos is just temporary until the proper solution arrives. With many common VESA mount options supported, it’ll support future monitors from the 27” I have up to 55” at some time in the future.

Price

What’s the damage on a racing simulator like this? Australian importer Pagnian has the Next Level Racing GT Ultimate V2 for A$849.00 which includes delivery. The optional monitor mount is A$179.00 which I think most people will go for, so the overall price just tips of the thousand dollar mark.

There are certainly racing setups that you can buy that are half that price, but I kind of have a mentality on big purchases.. do it once and do it properly. I’d hate myself if I cheaped out on a rig that I’ll have for years and probably across console generations.

If you’re really not constrained by budget, then there’s some seriously bonkers accessories you can throw at this. You can turn it into a flight sim for an additional $525.00 or add a Buttkicker vibration kit for between $649 and $949.

Hands down the most insane mod is a $2,995.00 motion platform option. This connects to games and physically rotates both horizontally and vertically to give you the feeling or really feeling what it’s like to mash the loud pedal in a V8 Supercar.

Overall

After pulling the trigger on steering wheels and pedals earlier in the year, my temptation to go to the next level with my racing addiction, finally took over. The capacity to be so precise as to run your front-left tyre over the white line before turning hard right is exactly what I was after. Only with that level of accuracy could I really do what all racing simulators should do, trick your brain to thinking you are actually driving.

I think there’s still some room for improvement in terms of seat comfort, but the adjustability and flexibility in it’s adjustments are second to none. The GT Ultimate V2 is a big success and from researching V1, it’s a strong evolution forward on the platform.

If you’re into racing, do yourself a favour, seriously consider getting into a simulator and if you do, consider this one. With a killer lineup of driving titles around in the middle of 2015, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better time.

I played many, many hours driving with a controller in games like Forza 3, Forza 4, Forza Horizon, Horizon 2. Now I find myself going back to games I haven’t played in months, like Forza 5, but I know the game I’m enjoying the most right now is F1 2015.

This weekend was the Hungarian Grand Prix and it was kind of fantastic to race the track, post my diminishing lap time on twitter and have friends compete to beat it. It was great to be able to compare my lap times to the actual drivers and the stunning qualifying time Hamilton achieved. This is the first time the official F1 game has shipped mid season and what a fantastic experience it is. At times over the weekend, I was racing as Aussie’s own Daniel Ricciardo in the Red Bull, with Foxtel Play snapped to the side of the Xbox streaming live Practice. That was a killer experience.

There’s no doubt in my mind that if you pony up the cash, when you step out of this racing simulator, you’ll have a stupid amount of fun and a big, stupid smile on your face.

By Atomic Sim Racing


Introduction:
Regular readers of our site will recall that a while back we reviewed the GTXtreme V2 racing cockpit from Next Level Racing. We were hugely impressed by it's build quality and value, but it was the immersion factor it brought to our racing experience that really won us over (you can read all about it here). For many the GTXtreme would be more then enough simrig to meet the demands of their virtual racing needs, but what happens when you have a few extra bucks to spend and want to get something just that little bit fancier?

Next Level Racing are well known for their off the shelf sim hardware products. Their comprehensive range of wheel stands, cockpits and accessories cater to a wide range of users and budgets, culminating with the GTUltimate as their premium sim racing cockpit offering.

We've always said here at ASR that dedicated cockpits add a dimension to sim racing that simply cannot be achieved with a wheel and pedal set alone. It's one thing to have that fancy Fantec or Thrustmaster wheel but if at the end of the day your dragging your office chair up to it then it's easy to feel like your missing that final piece of the sim racing puzzle. So the question is, does the GTUltimate live up to it's name? Is it indeed the ultiamte offering for sim racers?

First Impressions:
The GTUltimate is crated to your door in a single massive double re-inforced box that weighs in at an impressive 55KG (word of warning, couriers will not transport it into your house due to OH&S so be mindful that you'll probably want to bribe a friend to assist in moving it). Alot of the focus on the GTUltimate is centred on the replica bucket racing seat. While the GTXtreme used a leather seat that was modelled on more of a car type arrangement, the Ultimate goes one step farther offering the full body hugging bucket racing seat experience. The contoured back lining gives the illusion of a moulded carbon fibre seat while a full racing harness is also included just to add to the realism factor (potentially perfect if you plan on adding the motion platform option). They have obviously made some concessions to allow for greater comfort with the seat base being fully padded and an additional lumbar support cushion included. Overall the seat certainly looks the part and strikes a very imposing presence.

Moving onto the rig itself, the key to its configuration flexibility is it's simplicity. The whole frame works off a simple 'A' type pivot system that allows the pedal deck to be adjusted, or if your purchasing just the wheel stand without the seat, potentially folding the entire rig away for easy storage. The GTUltimate has a fully adjustable pedal deck allowing it to be positioned on the fly and raked at different angles (useful for when friends come around who differ from your height). Originally I had concerns that wheel mounting system might introduce some wheel wobble but those where not realised and as a whole the base is extremely solid and works well considering it's simplicity. As you'd expect popular wheels from Logitech, Fanatec and Thrustmaster have pre drilled mounting to allow for quick installation. The pedal deck also fully supports the Thrustmaster TSR500 pedals in both the GT and F1 style arrangements. Lastly those who utilise gateshift accessories are also covered with an adjustable bracket that can be mounted on either side, or even from the wheel base itself.

Accessories:
Just like the GTXtreme, the GTUltimate has a number of accessories and add-ons to complete your rig. The carpet mat protects your floor from any lateral movement while the keyboard and mouse stand helps to keep your peripherals within easy reach. One must have accessory is the monitor stand which functions as both a TV stand, or a triple monitor stand depending on your preferred setup. Finally for those with deeper pockets (or more understanding partners) the motion platform accessory adds actuators to your seat for the ultimate feedback system. We'll be bringing a full review of the motion platform in the near future so stay tuned on that front.

Installation:
Assembly is relatively straight forward, however the instruction set is severely lacking in detail and clarity. While I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that understand what an 'M8 x 15 screw' is, others would appreciate those items to be clearly labelled for easier identification. I certainly on more than one occasion had to remove bolts I'd just put in because I realised they were incorrect. One other point of contention for me was that while the pedal base is pre-drilled for Logitech G25/G27 and Thrustmaster T500RS pedal sets it is not for Fanatec ones like my Clubsport V2s. An included pedal stopper plate solves this, but we found that it impedes the V2's clutch mechanism. You could potentially resolve this by modifying the plate but this in my opinion is a curious oversight. I ended up resorting to drilling my own mounting holes to solve the problem which is not really ideal considering this is hardly a DIY product.

Testing:
Sitting in the GTUltimate is without a doubt a wonderful place to be. From the body hugging seats, the racing harness and comfortable driving position all these elements combined give a realistic immerse experience. It's adjustment options edge it out over the GTXtreme which had limited options in this area (something we pointed out at the time of review) and there is no doubt that this is indeed one of the premier sim racing products.

Final Thoughts:
The GTUltimate is a serious piece of kit and at $849 AUD it also comes with a serious price tag. If you already own a GTXtreme (or maybe similar type rig) and had no intention of moving to the motion platform, then I'd argue that the upgrade is marginal. If however your making the big step from desk to rig then I'd strongly recommend going straight to the GTUltimate. Yes it is more, but the additional configuration and adjustment options alone make it worthwhile, the bucket seat is an improvement over the previous one and once you get over some of the nuances and irritants of your initial setup and installation, you'll quickly forget them as you get on with the job of driving. With the motion platform available (all be it at an eye watering $3,999) it certainly gives you options for the future should you decide to take the ultimate plunge.

Pros:

•     Sturdy and adjustable pedal base.
•     The best seat we've come across so far.
•     No wheel wobble at all.
•     Broad range of accessories and customisation options.

Cons:

•     Average instructions.
•     Required some DIY work to install our Fanatec pedals.

Where can I buy?
Pagnian Imports are the sole supplier who are also located in Australia which helps with warranty and support. They sell a wide range of sim racing equipment so check them out at: http://www.pagnianimports.com.au

Score:
8.5/10

By SIMRACING ROCKS


An integral part of making any sim racing or driving experience complete is a good cockpit.  We’ve likely all done the bolt-on jobs where we’ve screwed our wheels to our desks and sat on our office chairs and while it’s fun, it just doesn’t feel real.  The chair moves, the gear stick is in an awkward position, and it’s hard to feel like you’re in a real racing car when every time you stomp on the brakes your ‘car’ seat slides back.

Enter Pagnian Imports and their Next Level Racing GT Ultimate V2 cockpit.  I’ve been using this cockpit for nearly 12 months now and the wheel stand component for about nearly three years.  In that time I think I’ve come to understand the setup pretty well.

The GT Ultimate V2 in its complete form, as I have it, is comprised of a number of components: Wheel Stand, Monitor Stand (supporting single large screen up to 55” or triple 27”), desktop, keyboard stand, and finally the seat (and 4 point harness).

My rig originally had a G27 on it, which over time evolved into a complete Fanatec clubsport set with Derek Speares button boxes and a custom dash.  Out of the box, the GT Ultimate supports Logitech G27 and Thrustmaster wheels and pedals (and probably lower spec Logitech wheels too), and also the Fanatec Clubsport Wheel Base, which is great for the majority of users.  The weighs in at near 50KG and takes a while to put together, so if you’re assembling one yourself, invite a few mates over and offer some of their favourite beverage.

Once assembled, the GT Ultimate is an impressive package, about 1300mm long and 1500mm wide with triple 27” monitors installed.  With keyboard stand installed, the GT Ultimate even simulates getting inside a real cockpit; some flexibility is required, even with the seat slid fully back. But it’s not too bad, you just can’t “flop” into the seat and get going, it’s more of a step.  Once sat down, drivers can reach down to their left and pull up on the slide lever, as in many older cars (I think newer cars that don’t have electric seats have a full bar across) and slide the seat forward into their preferred distance.  The seat also has a recline function, like real car seats, and you can tilt forward or back to your preferred angle.

Assembling the unit, one thing that I found strange was that the seat frame comes with a number of bolt holes to allow the builder to set the desired distance from the wheel.  I’m 5’10.5” (178cm) tall and I had to connect the very front bolts.  I also slide the seat as far forward as possible.  I’d hate to be shorter and be compromised in my preferred driving position.  As mentioned earlier, the rig can accommodate a Fanatec Clubsport Wheelbase, but I found I had to bolt mine on by only the two ear connections in order to move the wheel forward a bit more and get the desired distance from my torso to the wheel.  I do drive with my arms bent though (as the racing books instruct).

The seat itself is an impressive piece of kit, a proper replica racing seat with fibreglass backing.  Pagnian have included thee foam inserts of varying thickness, all of which are used to provide customised lumbar support.  Personally I had to go and purchase more memory foam from my local craft store and provide extra lumbar support and move me yet close to the wheel and pedals.  I tried without the lumbar support but I felt instantly uncomfortable and within 15 minutes I had had enough of driving and trying to make it work.  That was in January and in August Pagnian released a new lumbar cushion to help with this problem.

The gaming desktop is great addition too.  With that installed I can rest my buttkicker controller, headphones, mouse recharger and other occasional items (my mobile phone and snacks).  Well worth the addition.

I can’t say the same about the initial version of the keyboard stand.  The initial version bolted on to the side of the seat and swing around.  It was also affixed on top of the harness on one end, which meant the other end was lower.  It made for simple entry to the seat but I found it was always swinging back of its own accord and it was never flat.  Because it wasn’t flat it wasn’t viable to use long term, like if you want to type a review, or play your favourite 3rd person shooter in the event your simrig is your only PC at home.  The keyboard tray kept swinging out and extending the arm and over time the weight acting on a lever (the arm) applied a torque to the small piece of metal that was screwed in and it twisted right off.  Fortunately Pagnian released a new keyboard arm which bolts into the front of the seat and in secured horizontally in two place reducing the axis and amount of torque that can be applied.  It also meant the keyboard tray is perfectly flat and you get the added bonus of climbing into the rig.
This cockpit ticks every box except motion. Unless you're going for a $20,000+ build, the GTUltimate V2 is the ultimate cockpit.

Speaking of previous versions of components; I have version 1 of the wheel stand, purchased in late 2011.  A few months ago my seven year old daughter was in my rig (bad I know, but I like to encourage her driving every now and then) and she pulled down on top of my wheel to get up.  I heard a loud pop and the horizontal bar to connecting either side of the wheel stand and on which the wheel is bolted had come off.  On investigation I saw the connector, which was fastened by two tiny spot welds had come off.  The spot welds had popped off the frame.  Once I received my new crossbar I noticed two things: The connected was much more solid, and the spot welds were now continuous welds all the way around.

The previous things might sound bad for Pagnian and the Next Level Stand but I have had the wheel stand for nearly 3 years and this was the first defect I had encountered.  The other, more important thing to note, Pagnian have listen to feedback made to them and improved an already good product significantly.  While I’m no engineer (actually, I am an engineer – a software engineer – but I digress) it seems the design and manufacturing of the improved components will ensure a solid and robust product for years to come.

Still on the setting up: I did have a problem installing my Fanatec Clubsport pedals.  There are no bolt holes for this pedal set (V2 is the same – I now run with those pedals) and I had to get creative with my power drill.  The solution was to drill another hole and affix only one side.  In the 18 months I’ve been running with this solution I’ve never had the pedals move on me, so I think it’s an easy fix and the rig cannot be expected to accommodate every single piece of equipment on the market.  Oh yes, if you own the Fanatec Clubsport shifter (SQ or normal) you’ll need to also purchase the desk-clamp or you won’t be able to mount your shifter without using more handyman skills than I possess.

Finally, with all that mentioned, once the rig is setup it’s one sturdy piece of equipment.  The pedals can be slid further or close from you, the seat can be slid further or close from the wheel and tilted to the desired angle, with everything other than an adjustable steering column found in modern cars it’s easy to find the a comfortable driving position for those long sessions.  I’ve done a few 2.4 hour races in this rig and I can attest that while I was exhausted when the races were done, the driving position itself didn’t contribute to that.  That’s impressive coming from someone as picky as me.   I mentioned I’m 178cm. I’m also 100kg and rather wide across the shoulders.

I mentioned the rig is solid didn’t I? The monitors do not shake or move when my CSW is going mental during.  Things may shake off the desktop (like spare gear knobs…) but the monitors don’t move.  Oh I forgot about one other thing that broke.  After about 4 months of buttkicking action, the pole the buttkicker is mounted to under the seat clean snapped off from where it was bolted to the rig.  I do like my vibrations.  I did get another pole though and I have seen most setups like mine have multiple buttkickers and they’re mounted to the frame itself rather than a small pole.  If possible go that route.  I will be, soon.

Finally, the four point harness; it sounds a little geeky (it is) but I love racing with it on. I like being pulled firmly into the seat as my rig rumbles and shakes beneath me.  If you don’t have it, get it.

Overall it may sound like I am disappointed with my rig but that’s not the case.  It would be fair to say it gets a workout every day, and a strenuous one at that.  Given the improvements that have been made I see this rig lasting a long time in the future without problem.  If there are problems (or even improvements) I have complete faith in Pagnian Imports to resolve them in quickly and in a positive manner.  I don’t see myself getting another rig at any time, except unless I want a full motion solution and there’s no Next Level Racing add on for that!

By SunCrossed OZFM Member

I've had the new GTUltimate rig since release and I've been using it for quite some time, but haven't had a chance to get a review up, I thought I really should before Christmas hits because this is worth looking into.

I'll start off by saying it's a great product, I don't think I'm faster at all, but I don't have to keep adjusting seating positions or move the wheel stand any more, I get in and off I go. It pulls apart into two manageable pieces, so when people come over all they see is a racing seat in the corner and knowing me just think it's me being a racing nerd. Without this feature I don't think I could get it around my apartment.

The main thing to consider with this is it's a real racing seat, as far as I can tell anyway, it looks and feels exactly like the one in my Dad's race car. There are no adjustments it's a rigid one piece. This isn't a criticism that's just how it is and if you want to play with anything seat related like in your car you are out of luck. Definitely no seat warmer either... =)

Delivery was smooth, the day after release, it was delivered in the morning by Toll from QLD, luckily I had the day off to play.

It's a big box and weighs in at 35kg. It's packed in 2 boxes so very much protected.

Putting it together is pretty easy, one person can do it, the adjusting will take you a bit longer.
The seat is just two side plates and a front and back brace. The front brace is fully adjustable.

Being tall 6'4" I thought I'd need it all the way out, not the case in the end. You can adjust these when it's all hooked up with relative ease.

You can adjust the seat angle a bit but moving these bolts on the side. In the end I moved the front all the way to the top and the back to the bottom for a slight recline. The seat fabric, base and back padding is all head in place by Velcro so getting to the bolts is easy enough. It is though a finicky job. 
The wheel stand is the v2 version and joins to the seat with 2 long bolts. The stand hasn't changed much but it doesn't need to as it's a great stand way better than the Rennsport Fanatec one. I did discover that the manual seems to point the wheel plate out over the pedals this is actually incorrect, it should go the other way facing towards you. Put the wheel on first before attaching the plate to the stand.

Most of the bolts use allen keys and 13mm spanner so pretty easy.

The Gear Shifter adapter and plates you will get two of, one with the seat and the other with the stand as you can attach the shifters to either of them on either side what ever suits.

End result is it looks like this, I haven't tidied the cables up properly in this photo, please ignore and I don't have shifters.

It took me a couple of days to get my seating position just right. Getting the right leg and arm distances just takes a bit of time to dial in, due to the seat and the pedal base both being able to slide. Once it's in just know which notch you lock the seat in and off you go. I suggest not moving the pedal plate once in place. I actually used old HDD's to give shorter people access. Everything else is easy enough to adjust and remember.

Construction is rock solid nothing moves, wobbles or flexes on it. I pull the whole rig forward right up to the TV screen and back every night at least once. I never get distracted by any shifting of couches, and stands any more and I think in general that helps my concentration and immersion more.

The seat by itself might rock a bit before you sit in it but after that it settles nicely.

Rubber pads underneath are very good.

Some things to consider with this rig, the racing chair will not be for everyone. It's very snug for me at a 37 inch waist, I disappointingly discovered yesterday, Brett from Pagnian says it can accommodate a 38-40 inch waist max. If you use Kinect for head tracking it will not work with this seat, I've tried everything and the headrest just stops Kinect from working properly. That said I'm not missing it that much any more.

Because I'm a bit of a sloucher I can get a stiff back from this sometimes just because there is less lower back support, but that's just me, as I don't have the lumber curve sitting straight has never been all the comfortable for me. That said I'm about that stiff after being in the car for that long too, so have had no issue being in this rig for 6 hours.

The Clubsport Pedals still only sit on the pedal plate, but I haven't found that an issue so far. I might at some point attempt to bolt them to the plate and drill some holes. Right now I'm happy the way it is.

Pagnian support as always has been great I've heard and this was no different. Brett touched base the whole way along as it was new kit, and answered all my questions very quickly. OZFM do get a discount of $50. People who already have a stand can just buy the seat I believe.

Final Words: It's not cheap at $799 and the seat isn't for everyone but after comparing it to so many other rigs out there this one has more options than most. In all likelihood I will eventually make it a self contained rig with a big screen and Xbox attached to it, in a gaming dungeon sometime in the future, it has that flexibility and that is one of it's many great points.

Verdict: It is sensational and I love every minute in it. It's a very solid and great looking piece of kit. If you need a portable rig this is it, 10 minutes and it'll be out of your lounge room and hidden away. That said every person who has come in and seen has instantly wanted a go =)

Hope this helped, sorry if it's overly detailed, but I thought due to the expense it's good to know what you are getting. If you have any further questions let me know.

By MONTREALRACING.com



Last week I had the pleasure of trying out the Pagnian GT Ultimate Next Level Racing Simulator at their office in Lachine. For those who are not aware, Pagnian is world renowned for building high quality simulators and has recently expanded from Australia into North America. Pagnian Americas is run by none other than long-time MontrealRacing.com member Babak.

When you sit in the Pagnian cockpit you immediately notice the quality of the build. The seat hugs you and holds you firmly in place and the control are perfectly positioned. In front, the ultra-high definition 4K LCD puts you into the game of your choice via a PC or any other gaming console. I played Gran Turismo and it was incredibly real. So real that if I crashed my whole body tensed up as if I were in a real car about to crash.
The Next Level Racing Game simulators are the most advanced racing car simulators on the market and have been featured in Top Gear, Gizmodo, Games.on.net, Crank and Piston, Alpha Magazine, TeamOz Racing, ARL TV and more. They are not only used by gamers but also professional drivers.

Review by Callen Sayers - Winner of the Inaugural Swift Drivers Challenge - Swift Cup Driver - Formula Ford Driver

I am a race-game nut! For years, I played rFactor with my Logitech G25 screwed onto the desktop and I had no idea what I was missing out on. Sure enough, it did the job – my driving improved and I noticed a difference in my lap times, but I still wasn’t getting the full slice of the cake. After doing a bit of research online I quickly realised that the GT Ultimate Next Level Racing Simulator was the way to go – Australian built, excellent price and the quality and design ensures for a good investment.

The sense of immersion from the GT Ultimate simulator is phenomenal. It really rivals that of a real race car cockpit. The bucket seat wraps around the driver providing extra sensation of being in a car. Not to mention the three 23-inch monitors that cover well into the drivers’ peripheral vision - this would have to be my favourite feature on the GT Ultimate as it increases the sensation and increases the enjoyment of door-to-door racing online.

The build is absolutely top quality. The whole rig is compact and doesn’t waste any space. To keep the room looking tidy, a computer, PlayStation or Xbox can be stored under the seat. It’s also strong enough to support three monitors securely. 
One annoying thing I had to put up with when playing the G25 screwed onto the desktop was how it would occasionally come loose during a quick movement. All this has been resolved as the GT Ultimate comes with pre-drilled holes to allow for hard mounting the wheel, pedals and shifter – you can be assured that every movement or vibration will not cause the wheel, pedals or shifter to move. 

Driver comfort is quite possibly the upmost important factor in determining how quick the driver can go. The GT Ultimate has no shortage of adjustability and allows for a whole range of driver sizes. The height and angle of the wheel is adjusted via screws on the wheel mount, the distance and height of the pedals is tweaked on the pedal platform and seat slides back and forth like in a real car to allow for the perfect position to make sure you can drive those virtual laps as fast you can!

Now getting down to the real world improvements I’ve experienced from playing the GT Ultimate. As I said before, I am a race-game nut and spend a good few hours a week playing rFactor and the like. Back in my karting days (pre-GT Ultimate) dad noticed an improvement in my driving style after I’d spent time behind the wheel of the G25 and having a steer. Now that I am racing in the Australian Swift Racing Series with the Shannon’s Nationals, it is more serious and I use the GT Ultimate Simulator to learn the tracks before I visit them in my Swift. I believe this has certainly paid off as I scored my first career Pole Position and the lap record at Winton, and Second at Queensland Raceway after spending hours on the simulator in the lead up.

Having the extra sensation of the three monitors and the bucket racing seat makes it feel that much more realistic and I highly recommend the GT Ultimate to any simulator enthusiast through to weekend race-day warriors. 

Callan Sayers

#33 Shannon’s Nationals Suzuki Swift, Australian Swift Racing Series

Review by Travis Edwards -  Aussie Racing Car Super Series Darrell Lea Aurion #9

Early last year I was on the hunt for a simulator that would help me get keep up my time in the seat between races and when it wasn’t convenient to get out to a test day.  After doing my research I realized that the Next Level Racing Wheel Stand was the perfect option for me as I had very limited space and needed something that could easily be folded away into the corner when I was done. 

It was about 12 months ago that I first met the helpful guys at Pagnian Imports and handed over my money in exchange for a rather heavy cardboard box.  After getting it home and unboxing my new toy, it became obvious that what I had was well worth the money.  The build quality of the stand was immediately obvious and my Logitech wheel, pedals and gearshift were able to be hard mounted via the predrilled holes.  There was more than enough adjustability in the stand to set the wheel at the height and pedals at the correct reach and height that would suit my desired driving position upon whichever chair I decided steal from about the house.  The weight of the stand helped to ground the setup in front of my plasma so much so that I found the chair constantly pushing back away from the stand across my timber floor.  Right, my new stand is too good for this sort of shenanigan mid race.  Cue call no. 2 to Hess and the guys at Pagnian.

Hess set me up with a Next Level Racing floor mat that would serve 2 purposes.  I didn’t have to worry about the stand in any way scratching my floor (not that it did anyway thanks to the rubber feet that came standard), but also to help give my chair something to grip to whilst I was mashing the pedals.  Whilst I was at it I decided to add the triple monitor and then went and pick up three shiny 23” screens to help me achieve a more immersive experience not readily achievable with a boring flat screen.

This setup kept me occupied for a good few months and happy as I was with my rig, racking my seat time up, it just didn’t quite cut it in terms of immersion or realism in that I was literally driving in a dining room chair.  I recently paid Pagnian Imports another visit, hoping they could help ‘complete me’, well my rig at least.  I walked out with a kit to make my Wheel Stand into a bona fide GT Ultimate Racing Simulator.  The kit comprised a racing seat, sliding rails, seat mounts, gearshift mount and the frame onto which the seat attaches, all of which then mates up with the Wheel Stand.  As I had an early model Wheel Stand I had to drill holes through which to bolt the seat frame (also with the monitor mount) however I understand the Wheel Stand now comes pre-drilled. 

What a difference a seat can make.  It is adjustable almost infinitely in reach thanks to a variety of bolt holes and sliding seat rails, and also in height by way of three different height holes on the side seat mounts at both the front and rear of the seat, thus allowing you to also adjust the tilt of the seat.  For me I was trying to achieve a position most like my Aussie Racing Car, which meant setting the seat on it’s highest level.  With my monitor mount at its lowest level I found this to be the closest setting to what I’m used to.

Once all of the adjustment was done I fired up the PC and gave it a crack.  What a difference a seat makes.  Not taking away from the entire GT Ultimate system, it was just what the doctor ordered to complete the immersion experience.  The helmet restraints on the seat in conjunction with the wrapping around of my screens helped close the simulator in such that I was oblivious to my surroundings.  With only a few laps under my belt of Queensland Raceway (my next race destination in the Aussie Racing Car) I found myself instinctively leaning into turn 1 and 2.  The seat kit includes a mount moves the gearshift from its wheel stand mount, down to a more natural position beside the seat.  I don’t find myself missing gears now and can focus more on what I should be doing (no I don’t mean mowing the lawn) rather than making sure I get it into the right gear.
This is what I was looking for when I first began searching for a simulator.  Something that felt realistic enough that I could legitimately use it to get real seat time and help with my driver development away from the track.

What astounds me even more is that in the design of this system, thorough consideration was given to ensure that you can either upgrade through stages like I did, or just pick the pieces that you want to suit your own situation.  Right down to the necessary bolts and nuts, it all just goes together like an IKEA bookcase.

I couldn’t be happier with my GT Ultimate Racing Simulator, money very well spent in my eyes, and a tool that I have no doubt will be instrumental in my endless development as a race car driver and is sure to improve consistency and reduced lap times when I’m behind the wheel of my Aussie Racing Car, or any race car I drive in the future.

Travis Edwards

 Aussie Racing Car Super Series Darrell Lea Aurion #9

 by DIRT ACTION EDITOR

I’ve wanted a car simulator cockpit for a lot of years. I’ve had a steering wheel for my PS3, but without a proper rig to set it up with it was pretty much useless. I had a table and a bean bag which worked, kinda, but not all that well. So when I saw these Next Level GT Ultimate Simulator Cockpits on Facebook, I punched an email off in the slight chance we could give one a whirl.

When it arrived it was like all Christmases had come at once. The Next Level GT Ultimate is the most advanced on the market and has been in the works for more than two years. It’s bursting with features including a full-blown race seat, a solid design and my favourite — it can be separated for easy transport or storage. All major steering wheels are supported with this simulator and it can also support three 27-inch screens or a 55-inch screen. It can also be converted into a flight simulator or a gaming cockpit for your computer, all with optional extras.

I’ve been playing this thing flat out; it gives you a true “in-car” feel and is awesome for games like F1 and the dirt rally series. The whole system is rock solid and no matter how aggressive you get on the wheel and pedals it keeps its form to offer a true simulation. The seating position is fully adjustable so it will fit every shape and size, so you can’t hog all the fun for yourself.

It blows me away how realistic these games are once you’re sitting in a seat with a steering wheel in your hands: turn the lights off, crank the sound and it’s like you’re in the cockpit of a real racecar. Not only are these games awesome fun, they are a great way to improve your concentration. In a game like F1, a simple case of brain fade can set you off into the grass and back in the pack. Throw this on your Christmas list kids! – Matt Bernard

Review by Josh Hunter - Kumho Tyres V8 Touring Cars NATIONAL CHAMPION

The Next Level Racing simulator is a great tool that I can use to help improve my driver skills on and off the track. The simulator seating position makes for a realistic and comfortable experience as well as maintaining the 'race car' feeling. With the combination of the Next Level Racing Sim, Buttkicker vibration system and the Rfactor software it offers a realistic racing environment and creates a great opportunity to get laps under my belt. As there is a limited amount of laps allowed during the championship season the simulator is a crucial part of equipment that I can use to maintain focus and keep in touch with the car characteristics and tracks. I use the simulator for 1-2 hour sessions at least 3 times a week and have noticed improvement in terms of when I hop back into the car for the first time I am able to be adapt to the car quickly. With the help of Pagnian Imports and Next Level Racing I am able to refresh my driving skills and regain the focus needed during the large gaps of the championship season. '

Review by Troy Mackaway
Troy has been an avid flight simmer since 1982 with the release of the very first Microsoft Flight Simulator. He has worked in the Information Technology field for over ten years and more recently taken on the role as Simulation Support Specialist for Bohemia Interactive Australia, the manufacturer of VBS2 used to train militaries around the world. Troy continues to pursue his passion for flying both in a virtual environment and real life environment. He currently flies with Flight Sim X, the full range of Digital Combat Simulations titles such as A-10C, P-51D, BlackShark 2, and Flaming Cliffs 3. He also uses the Next Level Flight Cockpit and three monitor configuration for Battlefield 3 and Arma 2.

Quality 9/10
Instructions & build process 9/10
Comfort & use 9/10
Overall 9/10 *

Class yourself as a flight simulation enthusiast? TrackIR head motion tracker, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS flight controller, CH Pro Pedals and even the Flight Yoke adorn your little corner of sim heaven? For all flight simmers the ultimate conclusion to the home setup is your own personal simpit. Simpit? The Simpit is an abbreviation for simulation cockpit. It’s a place to house those expensive controllers you have invested in. To envelope your senses with sound and multiple screens. To sit comfortably whilst shooting through the sky at Mach 2 or slowly descending on final to your local airfield in a Cessna 172.

I’ve been flying simulations since the very first Microsoft Flight Simulator in 1982 and all these years the idea of my own cockpit has been nothing more than a dream. Over the years I’ve seen some incredible homemade simpits, from SU-27 fighters to Boeing 737 cockpits. But alas my ability to construct something that intricate, time consuming and technical is beyond my skills.

So there I was surfing the internet before starting my day of work when lo and behold I come across the Next Level Flight Simulator Cockpit sold by Pagnian Imports (www.pagnianimports.com.au). To say that I was excited would be an understatement, here was an affordable simpit being sold right here in Australia. My only question, what is the quality like? You, like me, have probably seen these simpits before in driving sim configuration and they are very popular with that market segment. Immediately I contacted Pagnian Imports and a week later I have the pleasure to be reviewing this product.

For any product to be successful it is essential to have quality support at all levels from pre-sales right through to after-sales. There is no point in having a fantastic product if there is no communication or support from the manufacturer or distributor. From the outset I knew Pagnian was going to be a pleasant experience as a customer. The website states that the Next Level Simpit will ship within 24 hours of ordering, and it ships completely free. They also state that all enquiries will be answered within 24 hours. My first contact with Pagnian was via their facebook page where I posted to ask if anyone had reviewed the cockpit. My enquiry was responded to within the hour where I was told that someone from sales would contact me shortly to answer my enquiry. I provided my email address and in less than an hour I had an email from them.

Pagnian have lived up to their claims from the outset, they are professional and prompt in their correspondence. My cockpit was shipped the very next day as promised. Whilst we had some courier issues the staff of Pagnian were fantastic at getting it resolved despite being in the middle of an office relocation. I arrived home from work to find four boxes, one large box obviously containing the fibreglass bucket seat, one long box with the monitor stand, a box for the flight accessories and the final box for the keyboard and mouse tray. I’m certainly glad they provide free shipping as this alone would cost a significant amount of my cash with any courier.

So the ordering process was easy, communication good and despite a hiccup with the courier everything went smoothly. The next challenge was getting it assembled.

For anyone who has had to put together those flat packed office desks or one of the countless other products made cheaply in Asia with poorly written instructions you will understand my trepidation when I saw the work involved in assembling the cockpit. But fear turned to confidence as I saw how each part was carefully protected in bubble wrap. I quickly found the first instruction manual and was even more pleasantly surprised to find it well written and easy to follow. The instructions list all of the components included and you are provided with all of the tools required.

  
                      
The frame is extremely sturdy and thickly powder coated black in colour. The welds are all clean and tidy with no sharp protrusions. In fact is so sturdy that the frame easily supports my large build comfortably with no sign of weakness. Add a bucket seat that is one piece fibreglass with good stitching and a protective trim around the ventilation holes at head height. The cushions are comfortable and secure in place by velcro that is attached to the seat. The seat can also slide back and forth along the mount, much as a car seat does. And best of all it ships with a mount for the Buttkicker which adds a whole new dimension to gaming by shaking the living daylights out of you in response to explosions, bullet hits and so on. Unfortunately I didn’t thrash out on a Buttkicker, maybe next time, but I’ve had the pleasure of using one a few years ago.

 
Assembly was for the most part painfree, in fact there are plenty of spare bolts just in case you lose one or two. In putting the monitor stand onto the frame I thought I might leave extra room between the seat and the displays so I placed the stand in reverse (as listed for a single display). However after doing this and putting up two of the screens I decided they would be best as per the instructions. To change them did not take long but my recommendation is certainly to follow the instruction manual. The only issues I had were with the monitor stand and the lack of detail in the instructions for the stand. One of the monitor arms required a hole to be drilled which I found very odd considering the quality of everything else. I also found the two side monitor arms to be angled oddly, however with the assistance of a friend who stood behind and made adjustments they now sit perfectly. So my advice for others is to get an extra set of hands to help. With my setup the side monitors have their bezel sitting over the middle monitor so that way there is not a much of a gap.

 
Besides those very minor issues with the monitor stand as you can see in the photo above it all came together beautifully. The mounts for my Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS lined up perfectly. I did end up not bolting the joystick shaft into the middle as I find with my size it becomes difficult to get in and out of the seat, others most likely won’t find that. Though I would love to see the cockpit come with some form of quick release for that support post.

I also discovered that it is best to put the mat if you purchased it down first, then build the cockpit on top of it. As trying to get the mat underneath afterwards is awkward to say the least.

So the build process was not too bad what about the gaming? Now this is what we all want to know. The rigid bucket seat holds you in comfortably and adjusts on sliders back and forth to enable optimum positioning. The cushions that you sit on can be repositioned via velcro which is also a plus, and they are very comfortable for hours of gaming. I plan to attach my 24” touch screen below the main monitors for use as an instrument display. Unfortunately the leg arrangement on my AOC monitor means I will need to make some kind of platform up that attaches to the height adjustable flight yoke bracket. And finally the only other thing that I would possibly change would be the height of the keyboard/mouse tray. If you also play other games, such as first person shooters, or just want to draft an email, then the height of the tray makes it uncomfortable on your wrists after an hour or so. Not a major issue and certainly not a game breaker but one for consideration. That being said it is very easy to lose yourself in the virtual world of your choosing in the comfort and surrounds of the Next Level Flight Simulator Cockpit.

Pros:
●Great service from the supplier
●Well packaged to protect all the parts
●Built strong
●One piece fibreglass bucket seat
●Comfortable for long periods of time
●Easy to follow instructions
●Good price and free delivery

Cons:
●Monitor stand could use better instructions
●Monitor stand did not seem to sit level
●Keyboard tray too high for long use on other games or normal use

Rating:
● Quality - 9/10
● Instructions and build process - 9/10
● Comfort and use - 9/10
● Overall - 9/10 *

* I would rate it as a 10 out of 10 and perfect addition to any serious gamers kit if those minor issues were not present. Overall though I would definitely recommend this product.

By INSIDE SIM RACING

By gtplanet

By iWolf OZFM Memeber

By Phil McGovern - Editors Pick