Thrustmaster is well known for its Ferrari branded line of advanced gaming peripherals, including a number of sweet racing wheels for game consoles and the PC.
Recently, Thrustmaster announced two new Ferrari branded game controllers: the Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit 458 Italia Edition and the Ferrari game pad for Xbox 360.
Personally, I find GT Cockpit to be quite an interesting device, as it boasts a steering wheel that resembles the one inside the actual Ferrari 458 Italia – complete with two pedals. The wheel itself is attached to a moving arm, allowing the gamer to easily adjust it to the correct height – all while working the pedals on the floor as realistic vehicle controls.
The wheel itself – which measures 11.2-inch diameter – features A, B, X, and Y buttons in the place of the engine start button and turn signals you find inside a real Ferrari. The wheel also boasts aluminum paddle shifters and 16-bit resolution for a more accurate, realistic driving experience. The GT Cockpit folds up for easy storage and weighs 22 pounds allowing for stability during hot racing action.
The game pad is saddled with a rather long name, as it is officially dubbed the GPX LightBack Ferrari F1 Edition Gamepad. Essentially, it is a corded controller with a Ferrari paint scheme and logos. Both the thumb sticks are backlit and the controller is equipped with dual rows of LED lights at the top which can be programmed to provide visual indicators for engine speed or braking power.
Neither of the new controllers are available for purchase right now. However, the F1 game pad can be pre-ordered for $49.99, while the GT Cockpit roll out in September at an approximate $300 price. It’s really too bad the GT Cockpit doesn’t do anything other than vibrate, because after you play racing games with force feedback wheels, well, you never go back to vibration alone.
