Today at the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC), Logitech announced the Driving Force GT racing wheel, "the official wheel of Gran Turismo." Designed by Logitech together with GT-developer Polyphony Digital, it will feature powerful force feedback and an innovative 24-position real-time adjustment dial for on-the-fly control of car tuning settings.

“We’re excited to be working with Polyphony Digital again to deliver a wheel that will satisfy the needs of car enthusiasts, like me, around the world,” said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech’s director of product marketing for gaming. “People who love the striking realism of the Gran Turismo racing series will discover that Logitech’s latest wheel will allow them to experience the cars the way they were meant to be driven. With the Logitech Driving Force GT, you’re not playing games anymore – you’re racing!”

Logitech and Polyphony collaborated to add the unique real-time adjustment dial, a first for force feedback wheels, allowing players to fine tune their car’s balance by adjusting the brake bias, traction control and damper settings. Now Gran Turismo drivers can have precise control over the car’s setup to achieve maximum performance.

“The Gran Turismo series has always been designed for racing enthusiasts,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital. “The Driving Force GT racing wheel was designed to perfection by our team, specifically for the next generation of Gran Turismo.”

The force feedback wheel simulates understeer, oversteer, and traction loss "with frightening accuracy." While the full-size gas and brake pedals deliver precise throttle and brake response, racers can use either the sequential stick shift or the wheel-mounted paddles to race through gears. The wheel also features a large 27.9 cm (11-inch) wheel with rubber-overmold rim, providing exceptional comfort and control, and an illuminated horn button with the official Gran Turismo logo at its center.

The Logitech Driving Force GT turns 900 degrees lock-to-lock allowing drivers to navigate hairpin turns with greater accuracy. And with anti-backlash gearing, there is no slack in the steering response, making any race a smooth, realistic experience.

The wheel is engineered for use with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on PS3, but is also compatible with Gran Turismo 3 and Gran Turismo 4 on the PlayStation 2.

No word on a local release but it's expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in May, with an RRP of US$149.99 ($190).