Thrustmaster unveils Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit 458 Italia Edition and Ferrari gamepad for Xbox 360, we go hands-on

Thrustmaster unveils Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit 458 Italia Edition and Ferarri gamepad for Xbox 360, we go hands on

It's been almost a year since Thrustmaster rolled out its first replica Ferrari 458 Italia racing wheel and pedal set for Xbox 360, and the company's finally outed its successor: the Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit 458 Italia Edition. Like its elder, the GT Cockpit has an 11.2-inch replica of the Ferrari 458 Italia's steering wheel, with A,B, X and Y buttons in place of turn signals and an Engine Start button that's actually a d-pad. It also sports brushed metal paddle shifters and 16-bit resolution to ensure a realistic digital driving experience. However, the new wheel is attached to a base sporting a pair of stamped steel pedals via an adjustable steering column. The whole thing has metal underpinnings and weighs 22 pounds to provide stability as you virtually race around Sebring or Laguna Seca. Plus, it's foldable, so you can easily stow it out of the way when you're not doing your best Stig impersonation.

In addition to the GT Cockpit, Thrustmaster has also outed the GPX LightBack Ferrari F1 Edition Gamepad. It largely looks like a standard corded 360 controller, with a Ferrari-style white and red paint job (replete with racing sponsor logos), backlit thumbsticks and two rows of LEDs at the top of the controller. The LEDs are programmed to provide visual indicators for engine speed or braking power, and the thumbsticks have been tweaked to be more precise than those on other available 360 gamepads. The F1 gamepad's up for pre-order today for $49.99, and the GT Cockpit can be yours in September for $300. Wanna know more? Check out our hands (and feet)-on impressions after the break.

Continue reading Thrustmaster unveils Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit 458 Italia Edition and Ferrari gamepad for Xbox 360, we go hands-on

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Thrustmaster unveils Ferrari Vibration GT Cockpit 458 Italia Edition and Ferrari gamepad for Xbox 360, we go hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Aug 2012 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forza Motorsport 4 July Car Pack Offers Something for Everyone

If you’re a fan of the Xbox 360 video game Forza Motorsport 4, the July car pack is now available to purchase. The July expansion pack brings 10 new cars to the mix including some very interesting options. The download pack will cost you 560 Microsoft Points and has both new and old vehicles.

forza mcclaren

The best of all the cars is the 2011 McLaren 59 GT MP4-12C GT3. This is a race version of the latest supercar from McLaren. Some of the other vehicles in the game are questionable such as the 1973 AMC Gremlin X, which is one of the ugliest cars ever designed.

forza gremlin

Another track-tuned supercar available in the expansion is a 2012 Ascari KZ1R. Luxury performance car fans get a 1998 Aston Martin V8 Vantage V600 to drive. One of the more historically important old cars is a 1952 Hudson Hornet, which was a serious stock-car winner in its day. The pack also gets in 1954 Jaguar XK120, 1956 Lotus Eleven, and a 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG. A couple more exciting sports cars include the 1995 RUF CTR2 and a 2012 Spyker C8 Aileron.

forza jaguar

You can grab the entire July download pack on Xbox Live now for 560 Microsoft Points ($7 USD).


Xbox 360 250GB Racing Bundle totes Forza and a wheel, driving talent extra

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Most Xbox 360 bundles focus on shiny colors over extra features. We'll take them any day, but we prefer functional pack-ins like that in the just-unveiled 250GB Racing Bundle. On top of Microsoft's higher-end console, you'll find a copy of Forza Motorsport 4 to build your racing chops and a Wireless Speed Wheel to give a slightly more faithful driving experience. The effect won't match that of a Motion Simulation TL1, but at $299, you'll have money left over to buy a real car when the Xbox bundle arrives in mid-June -- and only a slight premium over the usual 250GB console's $249 price tag.

Xbox 360 250GB Racing Bundle totes Forza and a wheel, driving talent extra originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 13:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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