Enter the surreal world of Wirth Research and be amazed. Here people walk about with electronic masks over their eyes examining cars which are not there or, even stranger, they drive such cars on race tracks which also do not exist.

All very unnerving for an old fashioned driver of a standard saloon, particularly when you step into the world of Wirth from the humdrum reality of Bicester's Telford Road Industrial estate.

The company, which this year won a Queen's International Trade Award for Enterprise, set up in 2003 with the aim of saving real money for its customers through virtual simulation.

Technical director and company owner Nick Wirth explained that in 2004, the company developed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques to reduce customers' dependence on testing with track and wind tunnel, thereby potentially saving them tens of thousands of pounds.

He said: "If you can do this, it's a huge advantage over people who have to do it the traditional way."

Mr Wirth argues that information gained by computer simulation is more comprehensive than that gained from wind tunnel research alone.

Now his aim is to raise CFD to the level of replacing wind tunnel testing altogether.

His company's research is cumulative, which means engineers are not simply tweaking designs, but are instead continually adding to their bank of knowledge.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Wirth Research's customers now include two current Formula One racing teams.

Engineering manager Darren Davies said: "Information on, say, flows around wheel arches, is gathered every 10,000th of a second. But I am still constantly astonished by just how good the drivers are."

Embarrassingly enough, I found out the hard way just how good they are. I took the wheel of the new Wirth Driving Simulator with top racing driver David Brabham looking on.

Only with difficulty did I meet his pained eye when I wobbled out of the cockpit minutes later, after a round at Brands Hatch' in which I probably killed off dozens, if not hundreds, of virtual spectators.

I had driven half way round the track at a modest 200 kilometres an hour before I realised that, unlike an ordinary car, you need to pump that brake pedal to make it bite!

And I learned there is nothing virtual about the way the simulator shakes you about, either.

The blurb stated: "Based on flight simulator technology, the six axis motion control platform will feed you every bump and corner from the GPS modelled tracks, supported by realistic visual representation. It even comes with weather. You'll all but be there. It is as simple as that."

Emerging feeling seasick from that bone-shaker, I believed it all. Certainly Mr Brabham did.

He said: "I am convinced that the Wirth Driving Simulator is the best driver training and development tool in the market place."

Mr Wirth launched the firm with the technical backing of Honda five years ago. Now, Wirth Research has 40 highly-skilled employees, and an undisclosed turnover, up 350 per cent from start-up.

Mr Wirth said he had set up the business in Oxfordshire because it is the centre of the British motor racing industry, where a skilled workforce is likely to be found.

I realised the truth of this when I found myself chatting to simulator expert Mark Herd, who works for Wirth Research.

He has racing in his blood, being the son of Robin Herd, who started the first Oxfordshire Indy racing team not far from where we were standing.

But why were those people walking around an empty room with electronic masks over the eyes, apparently examining a car which wasn't there?

Still woozy from my murderous drive round Brands Hatch', I donned one of the masks and, hey presto, a car appeared, apparently garaged in the room.

I could bend down and examine the wheel arches, or peer into air vents.

Electronic wizardry gone wild, perhaps, but a convincing illustration of the argument that it would be cheaper and quicker to experiment with the dynamics of such a machine as this, than with one made of solid steel.

But then, if all the research is virtual in this brave new world devoted to making cars go faster, why not have the races themselves conducted with simulators instead of real cars?

It would be greener and safer.

o Contact: 01869 355000 www.wirthresearch.com