Sim racing manufacturers building equipment to be used in real cars is not unheard of in 2023. The reverse path is much rarer though - and Porsche decided to go down that route with an exclusive sim racing version of the 911 GT3 Cup car's steering wheel. Spoiler: It will likely not make its way to the average sim racer's setup.
Image credit: Porsche (2)
An official Porsche product, the carbon-fiber based wheel is made "from the original 911 GT3 Cup steering wheel", according to the product listing in Porsche's web shop. This means that if you are going to mount the wheel to your rig, you get to enjoy the same feeling Porsche Cup drivers have when they climb into the bucket seats of their real cars.
The wheel comes with a spacer that "fits most common wheel bases", and the 12 buttons at the front (plus 2 at the back in addition to the shifter paddles) work via USB connection to your PC. The buttons are backlit, too, and can be activated by plugging them into a normal power outlet as well. Combined with the included stand, the 911 GT3 Cup can also serve as a decorative element of the motorsport connoisseur's home.
Of course, this wheel is not aimed at the average sim racer, but rather Porsche enthusiasts with deep pockets or "cup drivers or teams who want to improve their performance on the road." Of course, simulator work is becoming more and more important in real racing even for customer teams in lower-tier series, so some teams could grab one of the wheels to make their simulator as accurate as possible. Or just display them in a nice cabinet, showing off the backlit buttons.
Image credit: Porsche (2)
An official Porsche product, the carbon-fiber based wheel is made "from the original 911 GT3 Cup steering wheel", according to the product listing in Porsche's web shop. This means that if you are going to mount the wheel to your rig, you get to enjoy the same feeling Porsche Cup drivers have when they climb into the bucket seats of their real cars.
The wheel comes with a spacer that "fits most common wheel bases", and the 12 buttons at the front (plus 2 at the back in addition to the shifter paddles) work via USB connection to your PC. The buttons are backlit, too, and can be activated by plugging them into a normal power outlet as well. Combined with the included stand, the 911 GT3 Cup can also serve as a decorative element of the motorsport connoisseur's home.
Deep Pockets Required
There is an enormous kicker, though: For one, the wheel is limited to just 150 units - but that does not mean that it will be sold out in no time. Its price will prevent that from happening, as the 911 GT3 Cup wheel will set you back a whopping 7,911€/£7,950/10,475$. Yes, that is the sound of our collective wallets screaming in agony at these numbers that you are hearing.Of course, this wheel is not aimed at the average sim racer, but rather Porsche enthusiasts with deep pockets or "cup drivers or teams who want to improve their performance on the road." Of course, simulator work is becoming more and more important in real racing even for customer teams in lower-tier series, so some teams could grab one of the wheels to make their simulator as accurate as possible. Or just display them in a nice cabinet, showing off the backlit buttons.