It’s been a good few years for racing game enthusiasts. And we say that both in terms of software with the release of games like the Gran Turismo 5, as well as hardware with choices ranging from the low cost Logitech G27, the mid-priced Fanatec Porsche wheels and Clubsport pedals, to the upper-end Thrustmaster T500 RS wheel / pedal combo and TH8 RS gated gearbox.
Now Thrustmaster, which has been on a product roll lately, has announced a new authentic replica of the Ferrari F1 steering wheel found inside the cockpit of the 150 Italia racecar. The life-size wheel is not a stand-alone item but a removable add-on designed to attach to the T500 RS base.
The rubber-textured wheel features a scratch-brushed reinforced metal facing and F1 Push & Pull sequential shifters as well as an abundance of working rotary knobs, switches and action buttons, just like the F1 car.
According to the Thrustmaster, the steering wheel is PC and Sony PS3 compatible. It offers two modes, a normal setting for both PCs and PS3s with 17 programmable functions, and an advanced setting only for PC with programmable functions.
And now for the bad news, which as you may have already guessed, concerns the price. The Ferrari 150 Italia Racing Wheel add-on will start shipping in early October for US$199.99, while the TS500 RS, which includes a normal steering wheel and a set of pedals, is priced at $599, meaning the complete setup will cost you close to $800.
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