For a Formula One Experience in the Family Room So the $354,000 Neiman Marcus Edition 2013 McLaren 12C Spider is sold out (within two hours, Neiman Marcus says), and you weren't quick enough to land one of the 12 available cars. Now what do you do to impress the family gearhead this holiday season? Well, there's usually more than just one outrageous automotive gift offered at Christmastime, and we've found another. For less than half the price of the McLaren, you can get a $140,000 full-size racing car simulator that, while not as impressive as a limited-edition McLaren, will probably earn a gushing thank-you note. And you can buy it from the rather plebeian Costco instead of at a retail chain favored by the 1 percent. The unit is a Formula One simulator built around a mock F1 racer. Considering that Formula One is mostly a European sport, despite the race in Austin, Tex., last Sunday, it makes sense that the simulator is available only from the British Web site for Costco. The unit is made by FMCG International, based in Bicester, England, and comes pretty well sorted. Equipped with three 23-inch screens, a 5.1 digital speaker system with a subwoofer and a custom computer with Intel Core i7 processor, the system has all the fixings of a real race car, like AP Racing or Brembo brakes, Pirelli F1 tires and magnesium alloy wheels. Each simulator is made to order, and the color can be customized by the customer, who can also add any desired logos. The company said it created its own software for the system. This F1 simulator uses force feedback through the steering wheel to simulate the load effect while turning, braking and accelerating. There are also settings ranging from rookie to pro to help users to get accustomed to it. Simon Harvey, the chief executive of FMCG, said in a telephone interview that the company had been selling high-end driving simulators since 1986, but that this was the first time it had sold them through Costco. The Costco Web site says FMCG will install the unit in your home; Mr. Harvey said that meant the company would fly in an engineer -- at extra charge -- to do the installation in any home, anywhere. He said an installation in New York City would cost $9,600 to $13,000. Of course, considering that the unit is the size of a real F1 racer, keep in mind that it's going to take up a lot of space in the family room. F1-loving apartment dwellers might prefer to stick with Codemasters's recent F1 2012 for the more space-efficient Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. As with many things that cost $140,000, sales of the Costco unit have been low, Mr. Harvey said, though he added that there had been interest in the simulator in the United States. If the Austin race created new F1 fans in America, more installation engineers might be heading this way.