I’ve always fancies getting a racing wheel for racing gamers, but I never ever got round to getting one….maybe this year!
Following the Ferrari 250 GTO Wheel Add-On and T80 Ferrari 488 GTB Edition, the third product unveiled by Thrustmaster to celebrate Ferrari’s 70th anniversary is the TS-PC RACER Ferrari 488 Challenge Edition racing wheel. It features high-performance technologies which seamlessly work hand-in-hand with the stunning 488 Challenge Edition wheel.
Tailor-made for competition
A truly exceptional product, the TS-PC RACER Ferrari 488 Challenge Edition has been designed with fans of the legendary Prancing Horse automaker in mind: PC gamers looking for performance, quality and realism. The racing wheel replicates that found in the 488 Challenge, the most powerful car in the Ferrari one-make series history thanks to its turbocharged engine. The end result is a 9:10 scale replica (12.6″/32 cm in diameter) of the real 488 Challenge wheel, with hand-stitched wrapping made from the same Alcantara material used on genuine Ferrari wheels. As seen with Thrustmaster’s recent Ferrari 70th anniversary releases, the TS-PC RACER 488 Challenge Edition boasts advanced onboard pieces of equipment of impeccable quality: a faceplate crafted of black brushed anodized metal, two 5.5″/14 cm tall sequential metal paddle shifters, two D-pads with push function, two metal rotary switches with push function, and eight action buttons. That’s no less than 25 programmable functions in total!
To put an extra bit of shimmer on this crown jewel, Thrustmaster has incorporated 15 LEDs into the wheel – a first for the brand – to serve as a tachometer, giving their drivers yet another decisive advantage in competitions.
A motor base that combines power and nuanced performance
To maximize their racing performance using the TS-PC RACER Ferrari 488 Challenge Edition racing wheel, virtual racers can rely on the wheel’s numerous powerful features:
- Brushless 40-watt motor. The powerful motor generates precise effects and provides incredible velocity – from long stall curves (STALL mode) to super-responsive zigzags (DYNAMIC mode).
- Motor Cooling Embedded system. Avoid overheating and optimize noiseless operation. (patent pending)
- Field Oriented Control (F.O.C.) algorithm. Ensure surgical precision without losing power, even with intense torque demands. The built-in algorithm dynamically optimizes the onboard H.E.A.R.T (HallEffect AccuRate Technology) system and its 16-bit resolution (65,536 values).
- Turbo Power unit. This specially-designed external power supply, which features a toroidal-shaped body with a finless design, provides an impressive 86% efficiency (with just 14% heat dissipation), along with a jaw-dropping 400 watts of peak power!
- Mixed belt-pulley and gears system. This system, along with an axle mounted on metal ball-bearings, allows for extremely smooth and silent operation.
- Sturdy attachment system. The wheel base is compatible with all mounting surfaces (desks, ‘racing cockpits’, etc.) for guaranteed stability when racing.
This wheel is fully compatible with Thrustmaster’s unique ecosystem of PC racing products (Sold separately) – for virtually limitless customization possibilities.
The TS-PC RACER Ferrari 488 Challenge Edition racing wheel will be available at the beginning of February 2018, at a suggested retail price of $699.99 (taxes excluded).
