Thrustmaster steers Xbox
Announces 360 Modena Racing Wheel exclusively for the console
Thrustmaster has unveiled its latest console peripheral, the expressly designed 360 Modena Racing Wheel Xbox driving accessory. The 360 Modena joins an array of gamepads, flightsticks, memory units and cables that make up Thrustmaster's Xbox line. "Xbox games are filled with intense and adrenalin-pumping graphics, and Thrustmaster's accessories are designed to help deliver the most fun and excitement possible for them," says Jean-Michel DETOC, Guillemot Corporation's General Manager. In what came as a surprise to us, the Thrustmaster press release was accompanied by a number of details on the actual wheel. According to the release, the 360 Modena features two internal motors to power its vibration effects, and its button layout is optimised for the style of play required by Project Gotham Racing. The wheel also has progressive levers (similar to the shoulder buttons on the Nintendo GameCube controller) to enhance precision. Accessories include a Knee Top Adapter for players who don't have a suitable surface to clamp the wheel onto, and other perks include programmability, a dynamic calibration feature and the ability to adjust the vibration effects and steering sensitivity. The former will no doubt please Daily Mail-reading medipundits. The 360 Modena Racing Wheel will be available alongside the console in Europe from March 2002, and costs £44.99 / €80.45 (VAT included).