5 Drift Cars That Are Cheaper Than This Sim Racing Wheel

You can start shredding tires in this selection of real-world drift cars for less than the new Mercedes F1 replica sim racing wheel.

The $2.5k Sim Racing Wheel That’s Getting F1 Fans Excited

Sim-Lab unveils its latest creation, the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team sim racing steering wheel, with a price tag that’ll make your eyes water faster than a missile car filled with tire smoke. The replica wheel could be yours for “just” $2,499, more than some real-world cars you could throw sideways instead. It’s left us wondering whether we’re out of touch with reality… Or are they?

Sure, the fancy, officially licensed Mercedes-AMG wheel comes with some impressive features, such as a carbon fiber body, a 4.3-inch display that’s undoubtedly handy for telemetry, a load of buttons, and (of course) some fancy LEDs. I mean, you’ve got to feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. Right?

Once you’ve got your hands on the $2.5k wheel, you’ll awkwardly realize that you need a base to go with it. Something like the $2,949 Simucube 2 Ultimate, perhaps? After that, you’ll just need a cockpit, pedals, a shifter… Oh, and a gaming PC – that might help, too. I think you see where we’re going with this.

We’re all too aware that drifting can be an expensive hobby, even when it comes to sim setups, but you could realistically get away with a simple, deep-dish wheel for your drifting sim rig such as this one, currently priced at $27.99 on Amazon. That’s 1.12% of the Sim-Lab F1 wheel, in case you were wondering – we’re not exaggerating, either!

If your sim drifting skills are so bad that you need to be worried about the impact forces of your virtual crashes, you could consider a classier alternative, such as this $119 NRG wheel. This wheel would be decent enough for your real-world drift car, yet it’s still a fraction of the price and won’t require you to sell a kidney.

Budget Drift Cars You Could Buy Instead

Assuming you didn’t get too hypnotized by the flashy LEDs on the F1 rep wheel and start reaching for your wallet, here are five rear-wheel-drive real-world alternatives you could consider.

With each of these, you could simply fit a welded diff and a hydraulic handbrake before letting ’em rip.

1996 Ford Mustang GT – $1,500

Nothing says “drift missile” quite like a ’90s Mustang. You’ll get a grand of cash for upgrades on this one, and we recommend getting a buddy to weld up the diff, along with some coilovers and bucket seats. Once you’re ready to roll, try to be one of those rare Mustang drivers who manages to avoid the sidewalks, will ya?

2006 Infiniti G35 – $2,200

The G35 is a seriously underrated drifter and essentially a classier alternative to the Nissan 350Z. We’ll be honest; the seller doesn’t sound overly friendly, stating, “I have title in hand and don’t ask me for a f**king car report I’ll send you the vin and figure that s**t out your self ask me for a report and I’m blocking you.”

With that said, assuming you come away from the sale alive, you even get 300 bucks of spare change (we wouldn’t recommend haggling too aggressively on this one) to spend on upgrades. Given the seller, it’s safe to say you won’t need to worry about voiding the warranty!

With a diff upgrade (welded, or LSD), and some bucket seats, you’ll be good to go. Once you’ve saved up a little, we’d make some coilovers the next thing on the agenda.

1990 Volvo 740 – $1,400

Who says you can’t drift a brick? These turbocharged Swedish tanks are surprisingly capable when you get them sideways. Just don’t expect your Tinder matches to swoon when you roll up in this boxy beast.

You can start immediately by stripping out the interior for some free weight saving, as there’s plenty of it! The next thing will need to be a suspension upgrade, followed by some bucket seats and a welded diff.

2003 BMW 3-Series 325i -$2,500

The ultimate drifting machine? Maybe not in stock form, but there’s plenty of easy tuning potential. The E36’s smooth inline-six provides a solid starting point, combining 184 horses with near-perfect weight distribution and, let’s face it, easier-on-the-eye aesthetics compared to the Volvo.

All the E36 needs to start tearing up the tires is a welded diff or an LSD if you have the budget and a hydraulic handbrake. Once you’ve got it sideways and ended up in the passenger seats thanks to the boat-like suspension, you’ll likely want to make your next upgrade coilovers and/or a racing seat.

1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK320 – $2,200

Why settle for a virtual (replica) Mercedes wheel when you can own a real one with some spare change left over? This luxury coupe might be a bit older, but it’s a great cheap drift car, and it’s still got that three-pointed star swagger.

Admittedly, the auto gearbox isn’t the most tempting choice, but it’s a great alternative for those who have yet to master the stick shift.To get it sideways properly, you’ll first need to replace the electronic parking brake, which isn’t suitable for drifting, with a hydraulic handbrake.

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