£300 Gran Turismo 5 driving wheel outed

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 6 December, 2010

Thrustmaster T500RS has H.E.A.R.T.

Peripheral maker Thrustmaster is crafting a new official steering wheel for Gran Turismo 5 – and it's rumoured to cost over £300.

Thrustmaster's website teases the T500RS, which incorporates something called H.E.A.R.T., or HallEffect AccuRate Technology.

It has 16-bit resolution with 65,536 values on the steering. That sounds like a lot.

GT creator Kazunori Yamauchi has discussed the wheel on Twitter and said it costs "in the range of $500", according to GTPlanet, with a gated shifter sold separately.

In various Tweets Kazunori said the "T500RS [...] is a high-quality, premium steering [wheel]," and, "You can feel the delicate and rich feel of the steering." It will feature three pedals, a "high-power motor, belt drive backlash-free, [and] high-speed processing at low latency."

More information is expected at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.

Oli awarded Gran Turismo 5 a 9/10 in Eurogamer's review. Polyphony Digital's epic simulation racer debuted at number one in the UK all-format chart.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (36) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • chrisjm #1 1 year ago

    you could buy a real car for £300. ok so it would be **** and still need insuring, but even so.

  • MerricK #2 1 year ago

    has anyone else go the halo advert taking over half of the article?

  • YoungPayters #3 1 year ago

    @Merrick its the ultimate fanboy there

  • superted1974 #4 1 year ago

    It had better be wheeley good for that price!

  • smithdown #5 1 year ago

    With a 3d screen and 7.1 surround this could be the dog's delicates. Most of the higher-end wheels are around that price anyway.

  • natashaspice #6 1 year ago

    @merrick thought I was the only one noticing that. Although it only happens when am reading an article on the iPhone eurogamer app and I shake it. If your reading this on the iPhone try it for yourself.
    Edited by natashaspice at 06/12/10 @ 11:09

  • sfp_noodle #7 1 year ago

    The G27 is the best racing wheel there is. Got one for £175 off Logitech's website and was an utter steal considering it goes for around £250 most places. If this wheel goes for £300 it would have to be pretty damn special. Even then, I can't see myself giving up my G27. Can also use it with my PC and PS2 if needed so if this new GT5 wheel is limited to the PS3 only it'll be a deal breaker.

  • FutureDave #8 1 year ago

    *sigh* If I was single and rich...

  • leafmulch #9 1 year ago

    @FireworkUK

    Did you clamp it or try just on your lap? I know it's not the best wheel on the market, but I've had many hours of fun with forza and pgr using the wheel. Do I get faster lap times (no, about the same), but the immersion is improved for sure. I actually ended up clamping mine to a cheap ikea fold out chair with a piece of mdf - paying ~100 for the cool fold away stand just seems too much right now. Anyway, once I got a solid base and clamped it - it's pretty good.

  • FogHeart #10 1 year ago

    "You can feel the delicate and rich feel of the steering"

    Has this Kazunori guy been watching too much of James May on Top Gear then?

  • beatwolf #11 1 year ago

    hmm some of the wheels on fanatec.de seem nicer than this one...and a bit cheaper. And one of them works with all current platforms (except the pii)
    Edited by beatwolf at 06/12/10 @ 11:34

  • ZizouFC #12 1 year ago

    For that price - it better steer for you!

    DADUMDISH!

    /runs

  • ToAks #13 1 year ago

    wow... ok i might get this although i have an G25 but i guess i can sell that for like 100 quid :)

  • coolbritannia #14 1 year ago

    Steer the emotion engine!

  • obscured021 #15 1 year ago

    I have a G25 on a play seat but this sounds good, thurstmaster has not made a good wheel in over 10 years, I still have my TM Ferrari 360 wheel

  • Beano #16 1 year ago

    I wonder if it will be possible to use this on the lap?

    I was considering a Logitech wheel for GT5, but they are only for desk mounting :(

  • DoctorFouad #17 1 year ago

    a premium wheel to drive premium cars lol

  • jtodroc #18 1 year ago

    Anyone use a Logitech Driving Force GT? I wouldn't have the money for a G27 or this new Thrustmaster unfortunately.

  • NinjaChimp #19 1 year ago

    @Beano

    <a href="http://www.wheelstandpro.com/index.html
    ">Wheelstandpro
    </a> is great for mounting and (relatively) cheap. It doesn't look like much, but very stable and decent quality all metal construction. I've had one for over a year now and it's been great.
    Edited by NinjaChimp at 06/12/10 @ 12:36

  • realworld666 Verified Lead Programmer, Fuzzy-Frog Games #20 1 year ago

    My first car cost £300. Is it better than that? .... Actually my first car was a piece of crap so it probably will be.

  • realworld666 Verified Lead Programmer, Fuzzy-Frog Games #21 1 year ago

    My first car cost £300. Is it better than that? .... Actually my first car was a piece of crap so it probably will be.

  • DrStrangelove #22 1 year ago

    First I wanted to buy it, but that "HEART" pun is just too awful. No thanks.

  • smurphs #23 1 year ago

    @jtodroc

    I use the Logitech Driving Force EX and it works great with GT5. At £25 I think it was well worth it.

  • Ryze #24 1 year ago

    Acronym.

  • SeesThroughAll #25 1 year ago

    First I wanted to buy it, but that "HEART" pun is just too awful. No thanks.

    What about if they told you that it achieves improved steering sensitivity through the clever use of Hall Effect sensors tracking a magnet? Would that sound cool enough?

    :)

  • SeesThroughAll #26 1 year ago

    has anyone else go the halo advert taking over half of the article?

    How do you suggest EG to make money then? Care to donate?

  • jtodroc #27 1 year ago

    @smurphs

    Thanks mate, I was thinking of getting the Driving Force GT as the G25 & G27 are too expensive but wasn't sure if it was decent.

  • tjlazr #28 1 year ago

    The GT wheel is more than good enough for me, unless you're one of the hardcore and possibly in possession of more money than sense I'd say that it is the better bet.

  • linksdad #29 1 year ago

    Three times more expensive than my first car!!!

    I had an analogue wheel on the original ps and despite it being a fairly cheap and non feedback thing it knocked literally seconds off my RR times. (I could almost manage one perfect (foot to the floor all the way, no sceneray scraping) lap per three)

    I also had the MS sidewinder wheel (RIP - MS killed it off by removing support in XP - cunts) which was great, primarily in colin mcrae 2.

    Unfortunately I bought the MS wheel for xbox and could not get on with it at all on whatever game I played it on. I dont know whether it was the great analogue pads of today that give a much better adn tighter feel but I really struggled getting round the tracks in forza2. I lent it out shortly after purchase and never bothered asking for it back.

  • soundfx #30 1 year ago

    @PatAU

    There is a perhaps a good reason why reverse is on the triangle button - F1 2010 players have been complaining about dropping into reverse when changing down one to many gears.

    It may be easier to gear down when you have less gears but Triangle solves that problem however you look at it.

    Besides, how many times do you use reverse in GT?

  • billythekid #31 1 year ago

    If it works on PC, 360 and PS3 I'd be seriously interested, but I'm not having two wheels cluttering up the place.

  • jtodroc #32 1 year ago

    I'd be surprised if it works for the 360 with it being an official GT5 wheel.
    Edited by jtodroc at 06/12/10 @ 16:17

  • man.the.king #33 1 year ago

    @MerricK

    "has anyone else go the halo advert taking over half of the article?"

    Not me - but then I use Firefox with AdBlock Plus and NoScript :)

  • influenceuk #34 1 year ago

    so let me get this right GT5 still has no damage? But still brands itself as "the realistic driving simulator"?
    Ok, yeah cause you can smack into cars at 70+ MPH and come out with no damage!!

    Sorry i only just saw the video on this article. I have not been paying attention to the game over the last few months lol

  • DrStrangelove #35 1 year ago

    @sfp_noodle

    The G27 is the best racing wheel there is.

    I would have bought one if it had a sequential gear lever. I don't like the flappy paddles, and honestly I don't see why you would actually want to use the standard manual in a racing game.

    I wonder what the new Thrustmaster will be like, although I'm hardly going to buy it for that much money. Guess I'll stick to my old DF Pro. If only it didn't have those rubbish pedals *sigh*
    Edited by DrStrangelove at 07/12/10 @ 00:18

  • natureboy #36 1 year ago

    The original GT was the reason i bought the PS. The pricre is too much and it would probably cost near £600 mark i am sure