In a cross-over project that blurs the lines between motorsport and sim racing, the upcoming McLaren Artura GT4 race car will use a steering wheel created by Ascher Racing – and you will be able to use the exact same model in the virtual world too.
Developed in a partnership between the Woking-based supercar manufacturer and the German subsidiary of the KW group, there will be a range of four McLaren steering wheels for sim racing.
The aptly entitled Ascher Racing McLaren Artura GT4 WHEEL is identical to the one used in the race car. Thus, its design and layout are minimalist, including the cute little drinks cup button. The 300mm diameter device features two 12-position rotary switches in the centre and 10 RGB-illuminated push buttons.
Three further variations
Expanding upon the McLaren Artura GT4 wheel, three further variations based upon the base design, will be available for sim racers:
- McLaren Sport-SC/USB – Takes the McLaren Artura GT4 WHEEL, removes the rotary switches but adds on two joysticks and features 14 RGB illuminated buttons, compared to 10.
- McLaren Pro-SC/USB – Takes the Sport-SC/USB, adds in the two rotary switches and four thumb encoders.
- McLaren Ultimate USB – At the top of the range, take the Pro-SC but add a touch-screen colour dashboard screen and 21 RGB LEDs.
These additional models are not identical to the design in the real-world car, but add further sim-racing-specific features.
Gen6 paddles
The McLaren devices also see the debut of Ascher’s Gen6 paddle shifter – which uses Hall sensors instead of switches for increased durability. The company claims they have been tested eight times a second for a month, totalling over 20 million shifts, during testing.
Two new dashboards
A new range sim racing screen dashboards have also been unveiled by Ascher Racing at the 2022 SimRacing Expo in Germany.
They both feature 21 LEDs, touchscreen functionality, 16bit colours, 30 fps and USB-C connections.
- 4″ screen size with a resolution of 480 x 900px
- 5″screen size with a resolution of 480 x 854 px
The McLaren Ultimate USB steering wheel includes one of these new dashboards in-built, whereas owners of the three other variations can purchase and mount separately.
A new dawn for Ascher
All four of the officially licenced McLaren sim racing steering wheels are compatible with SimHub software and come bundled by default with a quick release suitable for Simucube wheel bases.
Coincidentally, Ascher Racing has also agreed on terms to work with Asetek SimSports to offer its quick-release system in the future – although these McLaren wheels are yet to be confirmed.
Pricing is also under wraps for now, but the wheels are expected in Q3 of 2023, while the two new displays are expected in Q1.
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