GTPlanet

When GTPlanet reviewed the VisionRacer VR3 earlier this year, we really loved what we saw. Anyone dedicated to their sim-racing hobby would be hard-pressed to find something to match the VisonRacer’s ergonomics, beauty, or quality of construction. Craftsmanship is not cheap, though, and the VR3 is still a significant investment for most gamers. To help out, the VisionRacer guys are offering a special price just for GTPlanet readers: $999 with free shipping to the U.S..

To take advantage of the offer, shoot them an email and let them know you’re coming from GTP. Shortly thereafter, you’ll have the perfect accessory for Gran Turismo 5 ready and waiting in your living room. I use a VR3 myself, and it has completely changed the way I view sim racing. If it’s something you’ve been considering, this promotion is a great opportunity to take your hobby to the next level for less money than ever before.

UPDATE: Just learned from the VisionRacer guys that, due to the incredible response from this promotion with free shipping for U.S. customers, the promotion will soon be coming to other countries as well.  If you’re in the UK, sit tight!

The Logitech G25 was one of the first steering wheels to introduce a clutch pedal and gated 6-speed shifter.  It’s success has prompted other wheel manufacturers like Fanatec to jump in the game, fueling competition in this niche market to new heights.  Now, with the G25 pushing 3 years old, everyone is watching Logitech to make a move.

Rumblings about their next device have been occuring in all corners of the web, but we’ve just nabbed the best confirmation of the new wheel thanks to the keen eyes of GTPlanet reader “Homerfreak”.  One of the developers at Codemasters accidentally included the Logitech G27 in the list of compatable wheels for their new game, DiRT 2.  Unsurprisingly, the post was quickly edited, but not before Homerfreak wisely nabbed this screenshot.

This isn’t the first time the G27 name has been mentioned, though – if you take a look around the web, you’ll not only find rudimentary information, but pictures, too!  Of course, nothing has been confirmed officially by Logitech, but here are a few changes you can almost certainly count on from leaked photos:

• Thicker steering wheel.
• 6 buttons on the wheel.
• Shift indicator lights.

Few people gave much weight to these pictures when they surfaced late last year.  However, although the final design could obviously change, GTPlanet can independently verify their authenticity for now.  It’s important to closely watch the development of Logitech wheels, given the company’s long, close relationship with Polyphony Digital.  It would not be unreasonable to expect the G27 to hit at roughly the same time as GT5… Stay tuned!

Since steering wheels first became popular accessories for racing games, the search to find the best way to use them has been ongoing.  Over the years, we’ve seen lots of creative solutions from just about everyone (including Sony!), and lots of different products have attempted to fill this niche market with varying degrees of success.  While everyone else was making noise, though, one company has spent the last 5 years quietly developing and refining their own high-end racing seat.  So, does the VisionRacer VR3 take the lead?  Read our full review to find out…

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Sim racers love their hobby, and we’ve seen some pretty impressive setups over the years (see our Racing Cockpits forum for more).  This, however, raises the bar to a completely new level – it’s a full size replica of a Ferrari F1 car wired up for video gaming, and it can be yours for £13,500 ($18,944 USD).  The mysterious model is actually listed for sale on a website where ‘real’ F1 cars can be bought and sold, but this one substitutes a PlayStation 2 in place of a V10.  Yes, that’s right – more than $18,000 and you don’t even get a PlayStation 3!

Of course, it does come fitted with “play Station 2 steering wheel and pedals”, and they even throw in a copy of F1 ‘06.  That’s nice, but it does make you why the owner wouldn’t splurge for a PS3 and a copy of GT5 Prologue…  Regardless, this mother-of-all racing seats includes the necessities like real mirrors, seat belts, and slick tires.  Information is scarce, and the seller can only be contacted by proxy which makes it even more difficult to find out more about this ridiculous toy – it will probably take $18,944 to find out. Check out the full listing and place your order right here.