Next Level Racing has revealed two new sim racing cockpits, the RC Essential and RC Foldable, both priced at €349 in Europe and tested with Direct Drive wheelbases producing up to 13 Nm of torque.
Both are officially FIA-licensed products and sit below the company’s more substantial aluminium profile rigs, targeting sim racers who want a dedicated driving position without the cost or footprint of a full extrusion-based cockpit.
The two models share several core specifications. Each includes a dedicated GT-style seat, supports users between 130 and 200 cm tall, has a maximum user weight of 150 kg, and is designed to accommodate modern Direct Drive hardware.
Where they differ is in how permanent that setup needs to be.
RC Essential targets fixed sim racing setups
The RC Essential is the more conventional cockpit of the pair.
It uses a reinforced frame with independent adjustment for the wheel deck, pedals and seat, while a seat slider provides additional driving-position adjustment.
Its seat uses a combination of breathable SIMAERO mesh, synthetic suede and cold-moulded foam.
The result is a relatively compact dedicated cockpit intended for users who have moved beyond a desk or wheel stand, but do not necessarily want to invest in a larger aluminium profile chassis.
Support for wheelbases up to 13 Nm also puts it within range of many of the Direct Drive systems now commonly used in mid-range sim racing setups.
RC Foldable combines a GT seat with a folding frame
The RC Foldable takes a different approach.
Foldable cockpits traditionally prioritise storage over rigidity, often using lightweight tubing and fabric-style seats. Next Level Racing’s new model instead uses 38 mm steel tubing alongside a dedicated GT seat and seat sliders.
Despite its folding design, it carries the same claimed Direct Drive compatibility as the RC Essential, with testing up to 13 Nm.
Once folded, rear-mounted wheels allow the cockpit to be moved and stored vertically against a wall or in a storage space.
Crucially, the wheelbase, pedals and seat can remain attached while the cockpit is folded.
That makes the Foldable particularly relevant for users who want a more substantial driving position but cannot leave a full cockpit permanently installed.
Same price, different use cases
Next Level Racing has priced both models identically.
The RC Essential and RC Foldable will each cost €349 in Europe, £329 in the UK and $379 in the United States, with global availability beginning in August 2026.
That removes price as the main deciding factor between the two.
The RC Essential is likely to suit sim racers with enough space to leave their rig permanently assembled, while the RC Foldable is aimed at those who need to reclaim that space after driving.
With Direct Drive wheelbases continuing to move into more affordable price brackets, finding a cockpit rigid enough to support them without dedicating a permanent corner of a room to sim racing is becoming an increasingly relevant problem.
The RC Foldable, in particular, is Next Level Racing’s attempt to solve that without reverting to the compromises normally associated with portable cockpits.
Click here to find out more: https://nextlevelracing.com.
See you on the track!
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