It looks like BMW’s efforts in the field of sim racing are far from over. Initially, a lot of us thought that the push towards simulators took place this spring solely because we were stuck inside our homes and racing events were cancelled. However, this surrogate racing seems to have become a mainstream option and BMW shows no signs of slowing down its investments in the field. Last week, the newly unveiled BMW Motorsport SIM Racing division unveiled a rather odd project: Fusion SL, a furniture concept for sim racers.
If you were ever curious enough to try out sim racing or even play various games using a steering wheel and pedals, you might’ve noticed that you do need a certain amount of space and comfort to do it well. Proper sim racing rigs are even bigger and could pose an issue for adamant fans of the esport, something BMW decided to look into. BMW’s Designworks joined forced with furniture manufacturer Sedus and created a concept that could provide a solution to this problem.
The concept study is called “Fusion SL” and it truly is a unique combination of sim racing rig and lounge furniture. The idea was to develop a piece of furniture that would save space and could be aesthetically integrated into a modern living environment. It can be converted into a rig in just a few simple steps, but is otherwise folded down to serve as a desk, coffee table or seat, thus making “boost” and “ease” concepts that can be experienced not only in the car, but also in the living room.
“The ‘Fusion SL’ concept combines the best of two worlds,” said Michael Scully from BMW Designworks. “It is not necessarily intended to replace the high-end sim rigs used by professionals. Our goal was rather to make sim racing and the hardware required attractive for new target groups – and, to be honest, their fellow occupants. It is not easy to strike the right balance between the necessary stability, portability, flat profile, torsional rigidity and a visual impression that will bring the piece of furniture out of the cellar and into the living room, as many of these aspects contradict each other. However, design is all about overcoming these challenges.”
Ernst Holzapfel, Head of Marketing at Sedus Stoll AG, added: “The ‘Fusion SL’ concept is the perfect home office for sim racers. The Wooom chair is its perfect partner. One minute you can be relaxing comfortably in it, the next it offers you everything you would expect from a good racing seat, with its sporty seating position and good lateral support, thanks to the padding provided.”
