Since steering wheels first became popular accessories for racing games, the search to find the best way to use them has been ongoing. Over the years, we’ve seen lots of creative solutions from just about everyone (including Sony!), and lots of different products have attempted to fill this niche market with varying degrees of success. While everyone else was making noise, though, one company has spent the last 5 years quietly developing and refining their own high-end racing seat. So, does the VisionRacer VR3 take the lead? Read our full review to find out…
First Impressions
It feels a bit like Christmas morning when the VR3 arrives in a large, heavy box, carefully protected under several layers of heavy-duty plastic. Once you rip through the packaging and open up it up, you’ll get your first look at the the parts and pieces that make up your VR3. My particular unit included smaller boxes for the LCD stand and G25 shifter mount, both of which were included in the larger box (so shipping them was not an issue). Here’s what you’ll find in the box:
- Black Racing Seat
- VR3 Frame (2 pieces, front and back)
- Seat Mounting Plates
- Seat Adjustment Arm
- Logitech G25 Shifter Mount (optional)
- LCD Stand (optional)
- Leather Tool Kit
One thing you may notice missing in that list – instructions! At first I was a bit concerned, but I had the appropriate PDF file sitting in my Inbox just 30 minutes after contacting VisionRacer’s support department. They were pleasant to work with and apologized for the packing oversight. My VR3 is the first in the United States, so a minor kink is understandable.
Assembly
On the VisionRacer’s website FAQ, they compare the VR3’s assembly process to that of “building your new race car”. They aren’t kidding! My unit took 4 hours, grease, sweat, and a few drops of blood to assemble from start to finish. There is nothing particularly difficult about it, but I was working alone and the stiffness of the tubular steel frame made a few steps particularly challenging. Getting a friend’s help would cut the time in half. If you don’t have any friends, don’t worry – everything will change once you get this thing running.
The first step – mating the two pieces of the frame together – required quite a bit of wrestling (this is where a friend would be especially handy). Next, I secured the arm which holds the wheel to the base, along with the faux-carbon fiber spine that increases its rigidity. Things got a little more difficult when attaching the seat mounting plates to the adjustable brackets. It looks simple enough, but you must find a way to get the brackets moved out far enough on each end to insert the bolts for the mounting plates. Yes, you just attach and slide the seat’s adjustment arm, but without the weight of a seat on the brackets this is a bit awkward (and there’s not much a friend can do for you here).
You’ll be itching to attach the seat once its mounting plates are secure, but heed the instruction’s warnings and attach the shifter mount first. Everything is fairly straightforward from there, but get ready to do a quick modification to your G25’s components. The large clamp in the center of the shifter will have to be removed via tiny screws on the bottom, but it’s not a big deal – just make sure you have a tiny Phillips screw driver ready to go (one isn’t included in the VR3’s tool kit). You’ll also need to remove the “spacers” on the steering wheel’s clamps, but no tools are required for that.
One of my favorite things about the VR3 is how easy it makes cable management. 
A small hole in the top of the steering wheel arm is perfectly situated to collect the cables as they exit the G25’s steering wheel, and a matching hole at the front of the unit keeps clutter to a minimum. Unfortunately, there is no way to discretely route the cable attaching the G25’s shifter. It’s not long enough to tunnel through the frame, and has to be strung directly up the “spine” to the wheel. Although not messy, it’s a shame a more elegant solution isn’t available.
For the other cables, though, the VR3 includes a 1-meter long “wire feeding line” with a small hook at the end, which makes it a snap to get everything pulled through the wheel arm. A word of warning: thread all necessary cables through the arm before you bolt it into place, as the end connectors won’t make it past the screws inside the frame.
Adjustment
The only thing adjustable about the VR3 is the seat itself – it slides forwards and backwards (with the mounted shifter along for the ride), and the height of the front and rear of the seat can be selected (four selections are available in the front and two in the back). As a result, my initial impressions were not good, and I was concerned that I would not be able to find a suitable driving position. If I moved the seat forward to comfortably reach wheel, I was too close to the pedals, and when I moved back, I was too far away from the wheel.
This initial conundrum was obviously a concern, but the problem was actually with my seating position. I was sitting too far “down” in the seat, in a more reclined position like the one assumed in a formula car. After ensuring that my own rear was as far back as possible, everything fell into place, and the VR3 suddenly fit like a glove. I am not an ergonomics expert, and I have not had anyone of unusual size in my VisionRacer, but comfort could be an issue for taller players (I’m 5’11”) with long arms and legs (thanks to our commenters who mentioned they have had people as tall as 6’5” in their VR3’s without issue). Everyone else, however, should be able to use the VR3 comfortably for hours on end with very little adjustment.
The Fun Part
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84sy02pRjKM
So, what’s it like to actually use this thing? As soon as you take control of the wheel, you will completely forget about the fact that you’re sitting in the middle of your living room. It’s surprising how the location of the gear shift makes the experience considerably more immersive. Unless you drive a Porsche Carerra GT, mounting the G25’s shifter at the same height as the steering wheel is a waste of the muscle memory you have developed over the years in a real car. With a proper seating position and securely mounted steering wheel, pedals, and gear shift, you can “forget” about the real world and concentrate on what is happening on the screen – and isn’t that how it should be?
Indeed, I’m not sure that you could give a racing seat a stronger complement – you’re playing to concentrate on the game, not the seat or steering wheel, and a combination of the VR3 with the G25 allows you to do just that. The seat itself is made of high quality materials and is very comfortable, and can quickly slide back for easy entry and exit. As someone who has personally played Gran Tursimo with a controller for many years, it’s amazing to finally experience “optimal” conditions right in my own home.
Some people have raised complaints about the lack of a keyboard holder, and it is something which you will need to take into consideration of you plan on using the VR3 with PC racing simulators. I have tried the seat with rFactor, and it can be tough to find a place for the keyboard. A wireless keyboard offers the best temporary solution, but it won’t be an issue at all for console gamers.
Practicalities
As fun as it is to use, let’s be honest – the VisionRacer probably isn’t for everyone. At $899, it’s priced for enthusiasts, but considering its sturdy construction and ergonomic qualities, it begins to look like a reasonable investment for even more casual players. Granted, you will need to find a place to keep it, and coming in in at 63” long, 23” wide, and 43” tall you need a good size closet to stow it away. Of course, the VR3 looks so good, that’s the last thing you want to do! The polished stainless steel chassis presents a clean look, and the quality of all the materials make the VR3 look more like a modern piece of furniture than a video game accessory.
Another practical aspect that’s unique to the VisionRacer is the available LCD mount. It latches on to the wheel arm with two heavy-duty red clamps, and provides a standard VESA 100mmx100mm mounting point which should easily accommodate nearly any flat-screen TV under 26”. The top of the mount even includes a small “platform” for your PS3/Xbox 360, turning the seat into a self-contained arcade machine. This frees your VR3 from the entertainment center, and lets you keep it in any part of your house that works for you – be it a basement, office, or spare bedroom. You could probably even attach caster wheels to the holes in the unit’s “feet” and move it anywhere you like.
The Big Picture
If you take a look around their website, you’ll see that VisionRacer, as a company, has very ambitious plans. Each VR3 unit is sold with a unique serial number, which will be used to identify and register owners into international online competitions sponsored and organized by the company. They are also working directly with Sony and Logitech, which could pay significant dividends down the road. Most of the details are just now falling in to place, but it’s encouraging to see the manufacturer embrace the community that will inevitably form around their product while becoming genuinely excited to foster an “ownership experience” long after the date of purchase.
Conclusion
To make a long story short, if you enjoy playing racing games, you want a VR3. There are simply no alternatives at this price point which can provide the same comfort or build quality. Yes, there are cheaper seats out there, and no, the VR3 is not completely flawless. It’s special, though, in the way it fills that sweet spot between utility, luxury, and value. If you’re serious about this hobby, you owe it to yourself to invest in a product that will let you get the most out of it for many years to come.
Where to Buy
Head on over to VisionRacer.com to learn more and place your own order. International shipping rates are determined on an individual basis.
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See more articles on Cockpits, Logitech G25, and Racing Seats.
I’ve seen the VisionRacer pretty much since the 1st model came out and always thought it was a top notch product. The only reason why I didn’t get one when I purchased my BRD Race Frame Pro was because the cost to ship the VR from across the pond, added to the cost of the VR was going to cost me more then the BRD Race Frame Pro..plus I picked up the BRD RFP from a local distributor, thus I didn’t have to wait for ‘delivery’.. :) The only draw backs IMHO that would make this one of, if not THE BEST, racing cockpits on the market is:
1) Additional speakers stands for 5.1 surround and
2) A TV Mount that can hold up to a 37″ HDTV, versus a 26″ HDTV or monitor
3) Seeing as Jordan said “…The only thing adjustable about the VR3 is the seat itself”…is to allow for not only the seat to move forward/backward, but to also allow for adjustments for where the wheel gets mounted as well as the pedal base.
4) One more side mount, as what you have for the G25 shifter, so I can mount my Frex hand-brake..:-)
Add those and I just may reconsider trading in my BRD RFP for a RennSport Cockpit….To trading in and getting one of THESE BAD BOYS!
Wow, I love this. A must buy once GT5 comes out.
If by some chance in the future this gets lowered to 600-700 per unit (including the shifter mount) then I would gladly buy it, if not two. But at the current price point it’s just a little bit too high.
Besides, I honestly won’t really use it till GT5 comes out anyways, maybe sometimes next year. Hopefully it will be down in price by then.
Alain, where are you located? contact me through simon@visionracer.com
I found about this cockpit a while ago and I would totally love to have one, since I’m addicted like crazy to rFactor. The only major disapointment is the fact that for 899$ you STILL have to pay 100$ to have a shifter mount (which, I don’t know, should come WITH the whole 900$ package…!! :P )
Fair enough. Thanks for the replies guys.
Sorry I tell a lie, there are 4 height settings at the front and 2 at the rear meaning 8 different height settings with the seat. The company who make the vr3 come from a racing and engineering background so you would expect it to be ergonomically sound, and my opinion, it certainly is.
Hi George, I’m going to let Brimful tell you more about the seating position, what i will say is that the seating position took a huge number of hours to get correct, with enough variations in positions to satisfy 99.9% of people. The ‘designer sim’ as some people put, it was designed by guys who are heavily involved in the motor industry, they build and drive cars, we are talking Peugeot, DIMMA, R.E.D, Tech 9, to name a few. Along with Lola’s, GT40’s, Porsche Carrera GT, the list goes on. This isn’t just a pretty face ;-)
Ahh I understand your comment now. There are three height settings with the seat on a vr3. With jordans set up, it looks as though he has it on the highest setting. On the lowest setting (which is about a drop of 1.5 – 2 inches) it is quite a big difference. I have it on the mid setting which to me is more of a touring car set up.
Let me state it another way, the leg position in relationship with the pedals and the seat in the vid looks more VW Golf than Corvette. Go sit in a new Corvette, Lotus, 911, etc. The pedals are just a touch lower than the seat. Unless of course you are really short and need to raise the seat up all the way, which may explain your race car comment.
I like my playseat (although it doesn’t see a lot of use) however the VR3 would be a nice upgrade but I don’t want to trade the race car ergonomics so I can have a shiny frame but feel like I’m driving a hatchback with a race seat. Can the seat be lowered enough on the VR3 so that the pedals are more on level as sitting in e.g. an Exige?
As the chair is adjustable in both height and length, there is a position to suit everybody. Not aware of anybody who drives with straight legs unless your a single seater race car driver :o )
Brimful or Jordan, (or Simon)
How’s the relationship between the pedals and the seat on the VR3 compared to the playseat? I noticed in the vid that there seems to be a significant amount of bend in the knees. Although it really looks like the chair needs to be backed out a notch but with no way to move the wheel forward maybe that is not an option.
I have a VR3 and have successfully mounted the MS wireless wheel to it. It works wonders and is amazing with RacePro. For all you guys with fanatec wheels, as they were a limited edition, I can understand why the VR3 doesn’t support it. With logitech being the main company to produce steering wheels, it’s completely understandable why VR have gone down this route.
I called it the “Designer Dressed Sim Frame” in a previous thread.
No doubt it looks good in a plush apartment or fancy house.
Your paying for the classy looks guys and we cant deny it IS a lovelly sim frame.
I just dont get it:
With no X360 support or attachment possible, means halving their available market
With a high price approx 2x that of many competiing brands is limiting sales further
With missing features for true sim fans is limiting sales even further again
I wouldnt like to go on “Dragons Den” with that as a business model
how does this compare to the obutto? It seems like having the bar in the middle would hinder heel toe shifting.? I love my obutto and at less thatn half the price this items seems hard to justisfy! obutto ftw!
The cost is outrageous, I cant justify spending that much money.
Dear Yeti, the gearshift mount is fully reversible so it mounts on either the left or right hand side and yes the Logitech shifter is also suitable for left and right hand drive
I too had sent Simon an email about the Fanatec with the clubsport pedals mounting on the VR3. I think it is a significant product mistake to only support one wheel. For the cost of the VR3 I want to be able to choose my own wheel.
What would be ideal is if Jordan could do a review of the RennSport Cockpit as well. My concern on that setup is it seems, from the pictures, the pedals are too far below the seat. I’ve seen this on setups like the D-Box where it looks like you are driving a truck not a sportscar.
At any rate it is a shame the VR3 chooses to limit itself to only one option.
Forgot to ask you guys but Jordan weird you didnt mention that other leading console in the review :
Does anyone here own a X360 and have the MS wheel?
Can a X360 wheel and pedals fit to this, has anyone tried?
Thanks Simon on confirmation of that.
With many other racing cockpit/frames that allow various wheels and pedals to be attached, this means you can upgrade in the futurewhich is great. So with what your saying regards the VR3 maybe thats for a bit of a worry for some people.
Looking at the “Renn Sport” which has adapters for Logitech’s G25 even though its a major competing product to Fanatec’s own steering wheels, yet they provide a solution for it.
Unless Logitech have been involved with the VR3 project it seems in a business sense not ideal to limit your VR3 so a single product of theirs. So maybe even future Logitech products might not be supported or can you confirm if a new Logitech product to replace the G25 is launched within the next year you have an agreement that it also will fit the VR3?
Even with the core of the market purchasing the G25 and it having sold no doubt in very large numbers which gives you an already existing userbase for which you can sell/appeal to I cant help feel that the community will jump ship to the next best thing when it comes along with other steering wheels but the VR3 then leaves them in a very awkward position.
So – being a brit from Blighty – my gear stick in my car is on the left of me – is it possible to swap the gear shifter holder?
Also – Does the shifter work on the left hand side (the logitech one) or is it designed for right hand use only?
C.
@Inno: I admit that I was concerned about that myself, but once you sit down in the unit you completely forget that it’s even there. As you can see in the video review, I can easily heel-toe downshift without touching it.
Hi Mr Latte,
Just to explain to you further the holes in the pedal plate on the VR3 are specifically designed for the Logitech G25 pedals so they will not fit the Clubsport pedals.
The VR3 is designed exclusively to work with logitech wheels and pedals
One query ive had for a long time is if this device would work or fit the upcoming Clubsport Pedals.
Looking from the pictures and measuring my current G25 pedals (measured the width of the mounting holes on the bottom) I dont think that the VR3 pedal base is actually wide enough as I see even the G25 hangs over the edge a bit. Additionally the problem with the CS pedals is that they are not a flat base but have feet which I think means the only way CS pedals could fit would be to mount them onto a board which in turn is mounted onto the VR3.
Owners that have posted in here Id appreciate if you measure how wide the VR3 pedal base section is.
Clubsport Pedal Size
width: 13.4 inch [340 mm]
depth: 12.6 inch [320 mm]
height: 7.9 inch [200 mm]
How is it to heel/toe with that black framepiece going down from the steering wheel holder? Seems like it would be in the way.
un_peacekeeper , as Simon Says :)
It’s fine for Kids. My Daughters 12 and has no problem, the seat adjust forward and she and her friends have loads of Fun in it.
Hi Guys,I thought I would help out with the height question from un_peacekeeper; roughly 110cm tall – 7/8 year olds okay with a cushion on the seat as well, but as you all know kids range in height, not necessarily equivalent to age, cheers
Well I let my little brother play it who is now 7, but he has played it from the age of 5, he is tall for his age through. The problem for small people is the bucket seat, if they sit all the way to the back, their feet can’t even get close to the floor. I put two pillows at the back of the seat so that he could sit right on the front of the seat and set the seat as close to the wheel as possible. This worked very well, he still does a similar thing now but with just the one pillow. I don’t know what height you have to be before you can reach the pedals without pillows, sat all the way to the back of the seat, I would assume it is closing on about 5 foot.
So what about shorter folks, does it adjust for kids?
Well I have a VR2 which doesn’t have the pads so it moves easily on my carpet. My dad has the VR3 but I haven’t tried moving it personally, its probably light enough to move around though although it may be trickier as his VR3 has the TV and PS3 attached, with the additional weight it might be trickier, but would be easy with two people.
I have photo’s of an old VR2 mod which is on a flat base with wheels underneath, the likes of which were taken to shows and wheeled around, its probably a bit big and unsightly for your application though. How often do you plan to move the VR3? Building wheels might cause it to move around a bit when your driving aggressively..
I WANT THAT IN MY ROOOM!!!! LOL :D
Yeah, you definitely wouldn’t want to take this apart. Yours slides with ease, Sevisiov? I suppose you have hardwood floors? My VR3 has rubber pads on the bottom of the feet which stick to carpet like glue. As a temporary solution, I’ve cut out the bottom of water bottles and placed them under each pad. They do the job, as I can slide it around my room now, but as I mentioned in the article I’m going to look into some caster wheels for a more permanent solution. I’m moving into a new place with hardwood floors soon, though – then it might roll around too much…
Its built out of aluminium, its very light, its slides with ease and can be carried up even the trickiest of stairs easily with just two people, the main thing is getting it through doorways if you have the shifter option.
What do you do with it when you’re done with it? Wouldn’t it be heavy to push out of the way? Or do you have to pull it aparyt and spend another 4 hours putting it together again?
Thanks for the input, tall guys, I will update the post with a link down here to your comments.
@Adam: I write all of the articles here on GTPlanet. I’ve updated the template to include author information below the post title, thanks for bringing that up. Not sure why that information wouldn’t be there by default…?
Gus – I found a direct link (I think) to the Rennsport cockpit on the Fanatec site (from the UK shop – click for pictures): http://www.fanatec.de/webshop/new_eu/product_info.php?cPath=29&products_id=53&osCsid=d58f961379d45c6b89c0d6b24db85cc7
my car didnt cost that much
something we could never afford. Next?…..
Great write up Jordan, I think the point you made it being part of the furniture is very true. When friends come round, instead of hastily tidying it away, it stays right where it is. Everyone who comes wants a go on it, even my girlfriend who hates cars and computer games (heathen!), asks to go on it every so often.
Its worth mentioning, that I am 6’2″ and I find it comfortable to sit in and a friend of mine whom is 6’5″ hasn’t mentioned it being uncomfortable.
This is an Excellent Review, as an owner of one of these products I concur fully with all your comments, and as an aside I’m 6’3″ and it’s comfortable for hours for me. Also I’m running a 28″ 1080P display on the mount with no problems what so ever. Only issue for me Is I know I’ll have to buy another because you can’t get your friends off it.
Perhaps they can pitch in on the costs, and we can setup a racing team for some VisionRacer Events in the future. Theres a few Challenges springing up on the VisionRacer website forums as it is. Perhaps a gtplanet vs VisionRacer team event! that might be a laugh….
I like it, might consider it, but for that money, i would prefer the wheel stand pro. Nice driving there jordan, but you will always be behind me in a race lol.
For that kind of money, I would rather have the fanatec cockpit. http://www.fanatec.de , products -> rennsport cockpit. Twits dont have a direct link….
Very nice review. No name for the author? Who wrote the dang thing I’m wondering :p
Wow, that setup looks fantastic! One of the best cockpits I’ve seen. Still, at $899 it is a bit out of my budget and I consider myself a fairly hardcore sim racer. I’ll stick with my G25 & Playseat Evolution setup.
Finally!
A proper cockpit that mounts the shifter near your waist where it belongs. Thumbs up.