The concept of using a real race car's steering wheel on your sim racing rig may not be new, but it is always exciting. That is also true for the VPG Ford Mustang GT3 Sim Wheel - here's our review.
I'd say the Ford Mustang is in my top 3 when it comes to GT3 cars in iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione. It is one of the newest GT3 cars, has a brutal V8 and can be a bit stubborn. If you are a sim racer and want a near 1:1 replica of a current GT3 wheel, your options are relatively limited.
Now, VPG is not only releasing the first officially licensed Ford sim racing wheel, but it is also a true premium product that uses the exact same materials and moulds as the real wheel. You could say it is bolted straight from the pony's cockpit onto your wheelbase with minimal adjustment! So it is not exactly a last-minute Christmas present that's not going to break the bank. Who is it for and what makes it so special? Let's find out together!
Price & Basic Facts
I've been riding this carbon monster on our rigs for the last few days. British Sim Racing hardware forge VPG, in collaboration with bf1systems, is launching the Ford Mustang GT3 wheel today. Let me give you a few facts about this noble steed: The price is definitely tough - for the authentic Pony experience VPG wants $2049 without tax, or £1599 / €1899. But you also get everything that makes a real racing wheel, including the development and ergonomic tweaks made by Ford Performance and its GT racing teams over the last few years.The packaging is beautifully simple in its Mustang design and looks good on the shelf as a collector's item. The box basically consists of the wheel, the USB cable for the M12 connector and some gel stickers. The latter are very high quality, and it's good that VPG remembered to include a spare for the original button layout, in case you change it and want to restore the original setup. The wheel has a diameter of 309 mm and weighs only 1120 grams - there is no screen or even shift LEDs, as the wheel follows the replica approach.
Buttons & Funky Switches
However, an important adjustment has been made for use in sim racing, and I am very grateful for this: We get two 7-way funky switches that can perform multiple functions, a modification that makes perfect sense as it adds so much utility compared to two standard buttons. In combination with the multi-switch below, you can also assign the encoders on the funky switches to four different functions, such as ABS, brake bias and so on. There are also ten front buttons, each with four addressable RGB LEDs, which also have a decent brightness. Two rear buttons can be used for other functions, I often use them for ignition and engine start, DRS or to open pit menus.The three rotary switches are also backlit with 12 LEDs each. The magnetic paddle shifters are tight and feature a shorter throw than those we have tested in recent months. All the buttons, including the shifters and dual clutches, feel exactly as they should - great! The fact that the double clutches are at the top seems unusual at first, but you soon get used to it. In theory, we have a total of 79 mappable inputs and 76 controllable LEDs. Would a couple of thumb encoders near the handles have been nice? Absolutely. But that would have taken us further away from the original Mustang GT3 Wheel.
Compatibility & Software
In case you were wondering, this is a PC Sim Racing wheel only. It is compatible with 50.8mm PCD and 70mm PCD quick release systems, the latter only if you have the separately available VPG Wheel Hub with Adapter. This costs just under £50 or $60, and it would be nice if it came with the wheel. We were able to install Asetek, MOZA, Simucube and Simagic quick releases without any problems and tested the wheel with a variety of bases.VPG uses SimHub to control all the LED functions, a tool that has been exciting the sim racing world for a few years now. If you have a lot of time, you can program a lot of sequences, even in combination with telemetry, flags or RPM. A sort of shift LED display via the buttons or flashing in the rev limiter is also possible. But is it a bad thing that there are no RPM LEDs? The place where the GT3 logo is embedded would be perfect for them. But if you go for this wheel, you will probably be pairing it with a DDU - or you could just have a look at the in-game dashboards, which was fine for me.
Clutch Bite Point
How about other special features? Basically, the most important extra feature is the clutch bite point. What we have already criticised about Thrustmaster should not go unmentioned here - unfortunately, the function cannot be controlled via a software suite, but you need a button combination to adjust the percentage of the clutch bite point between the left and right paddle with individual clicks. Unfortunately, the exact value you set is nowhere to be seen.The process is well explained in the rather short manual, I have just printed it out and will keep it close to the rig. For the price, it is a pity that VPG doesn't even include a small, simple software suite that allows you to make basic settings and updates. It would be nice to see something like this. During our testing period, we were able to update the firmware using an archive and batch file provided by VGP.
Driving Experience
How does it feel to drive with the Mustang GT3 wheel, though? The ergonomics are first class for me. 310mm wheels are the sweet spot for me anyway as I have quite broad shoulders. We visited VPG at Sim Formula 2024 earlier this year and talked about the philosophy that the wheel body and structure can play a role in delivering force feedback effects, especially when using a lot of carbon fibre. When you test other wheels back-to-back with the VPG wheel, you notice that the overall balance and fine frequencies are perfectly transferred to the grips.Does this explain part of the high price? This type of wheel layout has proven to be the best ergonomic option in endurance racing over the decades and you can tell that the Mustang GT3 wheel is very comfortable to drive, everything feels right. And when you actually drive the Mustang GT3 and see in the replay that the steering wheel is the steering wheel you are holding in your hands as well, that is cool for immersion.
The wheel is also perfect for prototypes, hypercars and formula cars. I would also like to see the top two 12-position switches set as left and right encoders. I never actually use the fixed positions, so that would be another minor drawback, but it could certainly be upgraded with a software update and a button combination to switch the mode, as with the clutch bite point.
Verdict: Very Well Made, But Not Flawless
The final question is whether the VPG Mustang GT3 Wheel offers enough for the price. At this point you have to be very committed to the hobby, it is a lot of money. You can get the BMW M4 GT3 wheel from Fanatec for around €1500, so a bit less, which is also praised for its ergonomics and for me comes closest to the Mustang GT3 wheel. The closer €2000 Bentley GT3 wheel is more of an exhibition piece. There are USB conversion kits available for the M4 wheel, but they require a bit of tinkering and might be hard to come by these days.If you do not mind having a screen and shift/flag LEDs, the GRID 911 RSR wheel or the Asetek Invicta, which we also tested, are good choices. The latter would probably be my choice in this group of wheels, it ticks most of the boxes, especially in terms of price for what it offers and is just as high quality.
The Ascher McLaren Artura GT4 wheel in its various versions is also very popular, and the Cosworth Simrep wheel for over 9000 Euros proves that the sky is the limit for such motorsport wheels. Finally, I have to say that I think it's cool that we're finally getting another very well made modern GT3 wheel for sim racing. For the overall package I give it a 4 out of 5, as the price is already very high and the little things I mentioned should be more flawless.
What are your impressions of the VGP Ford Mustang GT3 Sim Wheel? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our hardware forum!
