Automobilista 2 stands as the more polished, visually reliable, and well-rounded racing simulator, while Project Motor Racing offers a structured single-player career mode and unique vintage machinery held back by inconsistent AI and technical teething issues. Straight4 Studios built Project Motor Racing on GIANTS Engine 10 to deliver authentic multi-class racing, but Reiza Studios' Automobilista 2 remains the benchmark for mature physics, VR stability, and large-grid offline racing.
| Feature / Category | Project Motor Racing (Straight4 / GIANTS) | Automobilista 2 (Reiza Studios) |
|---|---|---|
| Physics Focus | Accessible sim-cade to sim; springy tire recovery | Mature simulator; nuanced weight transfer |
| Career Mode | Structured Authentic Career Mode with progression | Sandbox only (no official career progression) |
| AI Racecraft | Inconsistent pace; struggles in GT3 and LMDh | Dynamic, competitive racecraft across skill levels |
| Max Grid Performance | Struggles beyond 20–25 cars on mid-tier hardware | Runs smooth grids of 40+ cars without frame drops |
| VR Implementation | Alpha stage (Update 2.0); missing working mirrors | Native, buttery smooth, fully optimized VR support |
| Multiplayer Format | Peer-to-peer matchmaking with internal ranking | Dedicated servers and custom community lobbies |
| Base Price | $39.99 (Steam app 299970) | Regular sales, often discounted standalone/bundles |
| Modding Support | Official ModHub ecosystem with planned console support | Primarily third-party vehicle injection |
Physics, Handling, and Tire Feedback
The driving experience between Project Motor Racing (PMR) and Automobilista 2 (AMS2) reveals two distinct design philosophies. Automobilista 2 uses a physics model that emphasizes vehicle inertia and progressive loss of adhesion. When driving high-downforce machinery like the Porsche 911 GT1-98 in AMS2, stepping over the limit requires precise throttle modulation and quick counter-steering to prevent an unrecoverable snap slide.
Project Motor Racing, particularly following the Version 2.2 overhaul overseen by physics specialist Aristotelis Vasilakos, delivers sharp front-end bite and responsive braking. Cars in PMR exhibit a springier tire recovery: when you exceed the slip angle, turning the wheel further into the slide often pulls the front end back in line rather than causing total scrub. In specific historic machinery—such as the Group C Sauber C9 or vintage Trans-Am and Australian V8s—some drivers praise PMR for delivering high mechanical grip, communicative braking pressure, and punchy engine dynamics. However, direct-drive wheel users frequently report that force feedback feels disconnected from road surface details, giving a sensation that the car is floating across turns rather than biting into tarmac.
AMS2 provides a more cohesive connection through the steering column. While its cars can occasionally feel as if they pivot around a center point, Reiza’s regular physics updates have refined tire deflection and curb behavior, rewarding precise steering inputs far more than PMR’s forgiving threshold.
Single-Player Career vs. Sandbox Racing
Project Motor Racing's biggest advantage over AMS2 is its Authentic Career Mode. One of the primary criticisms directed at modern simulators like Automobilista 2 and Le Mans Ultimate is their complete reliance on sandbox race weekends or online multiplayer. PMR fills this gap by incorporating structured progression, tier licenses, and in-game championships.
PMR features platform achievements tied to progression, rewarding players for logging 300 km stints across distinct classes like Group C, GTR2-era GTs, modern GTs, and LMDh prototypes. Players can take the Lister Storm GT through championship calendars or fight through the Factory Driver Challenges, which require setting verifiable target times on cold out-laps rather than restarting instantly with pre-warmed tires.
Automobilista 2 does not offer a native career progression mode. While AMS2 provides an immense catalog of cars, tracks, and historical layouts, players must manually curate championships, set custom calendars, and track their own results outside the software. If you demand a video game with a structured career path, PMR fulfills that desire out of the box.
AI Behavior and Offline Racecraft
For offline racers who spend hundreds of hours battling computer opponents, Automobilista 2 is vastly superior. AMS2’s AI moves across the track defensively, fights for position through chicanes, and maintains high, scalable pace across varying weather states. While AI cars in AMS2 can occasionally feel physically light during heavy contact, their spatial awareness allows for close, side-by-side racing.
Project Motor Racing continues to face steep challenges with its artificial intelligence:
- Pace Deficits: At 100% difficulty, AI drivers in GT3 and LMDh categories frequently run up to four seconds off competitive human pace, especially on high-speed circuits like Northampton (Silverstone) and Spa-Francorchamps.
- First-Lap Compression: The AI packs together tightly on standing starts, braking excessively early into opening corners before spreading out erratically.
- Line Lock: AI vehicles frequently stick rigidly to the default racing line, failing to react when a human driver is alongside and causing avoidable pit-maneuver collisions.
Players looking for realistic racecraft and multi-class endurance challenges will find AMS2 far more responsive and reliable.
Visual Quality, Optimization, and VR Support
Project Motor Racing runs on GIANTS Engine 10, bringing dynamic track drying lines, living cockpits with visible G-force effects, and True2Track weather. However, optimization varies drastically depending on your hardware and settings:
- Flat Screen Visuals: PMR looks sharp at close range, featuring detailed car textures and grime buildup. However, draw distance and distant trackside objects suffer from noticeable pop-in unless draw distance is forced to 150%–200%. High cockpit filtering also creates a hazy, scratched-glass appearance through windshields.
- Hardware Demand: Running PMR on an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X with an RTX 3080 Ti requires lowering volumetric fog, atmospheric quality, and screen-space reflections to medium, with FSR 3 enabled, to sustain 40–50 FPS with 20 cars on track. Grids exceeding 25 cars cause sharp frame drops.
- Automobilista 2 Stability: AMS2 runs smoothly at triple-digit frame rates on comparable hardware, easily rendering full 41-car grids without stuttering or erratic frame pacing.
- VR Implementation: PMR introduced an experimental VR Alpha in Update 2.0. While high-end cards like the RTX 5090 can achieve smooth 70 FPS in headsets like the Pimax Dream Air, mirrors remain non-functional in VR, and menu navigation is difficult. In contrast, AMS2 features native, rock-solid VR optimization widely regarded as an industry standard.
Multiplayer Infrastructure and Community Racing
Online infrastructure differs fundamentally between the two platforms:
- PMR Multiplayer: Project Motor Racing utilizes a peer-to-peer (P2P) hosting architecture paired with an internal driver license ranking system. While this allows friends to host private sessions without maintaining dedicated hardware, it severely limits organized esports. Organizers on platforms like Simracing.GP cannot automate grid generation, enforce safety penalties server-side, or automate live telemetry; race results must be entered manually. Public lobbies also suffer from net-code desynchronization and connection drops.
- Automobilista 2 Multiplayer: AMS2 supports dedicated servers, robust custom lobby settings, and integration with third-party league tools. Netcode is stable, allowing large leagues to run scheduled multi-class events with automated grid orders and live stewarding.
PMR counters its multiplayer limitations with its ModHub system, intended to streamline community car setups and bring vetted user mods to both PC and console platforms, whereas AMS2 relies primarily on manual PC file injection.
Verdict: Which Simulator Should You Buy?
Your choice between Project Motor Racing and Automobilista 2 depends on your input hardware, platform, and preferred game modes.
Choose Automobilista 2 if:
- You race on a dedicated sim rig with a direct-drive wheelbase and load-cell pedals.
- You prioritize VR immersion, consistent triple-screen performance, and fluid frame rates.
- You spend most of your time racing offline against competent AI or joining structured online leagues.
Choose Project Motor Racing if:
- You want an authentic single-player career mode with structured licenses, progression, and championship goals.
- You play on console or use a gamepad, where PMR’s forgiving tire recovery and accessible slip angle physics excel.
- You enjoy niche motorsport categories, such as historic V8 Supercars, Trans-Am machinery, and classic Japanese sports cars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Project Motor Racing support VR like Automobilista 2?
Project Motor Racing introduced an experimental VR Alpha in Update 2.0. While it renders high-clarity cockpits on high-end hardware, virtual rear-view mirrors currently do not function in VR. Automobilista 2 offers fully integrated, polished VR out of the box with functioning mirrors and complete UI support.
Does Automobilista 2 have a career mode?
No, Automobilista 2 currently operates as a sandbox simulator where players configure custom single-player races or championships. Project Motor Racing features a dedicated Authentic Career Mode complete with licensing requirements, driver progression, and class-specific championship achievements.
Can you race Project Motor Racing in organized online leagues?
Project Motor Racing uses a peer-to-peer multiplayer system without native dedicated servers. Community platforms like Simracing.GP can host PMR events, but grids and results require manual input rather than automated server tracking. Automobilista 2 supports full dedicated server hosting for automated league management.
