The world of racing sim enthusiasts (read: go fast fanatics) is much like the real world of racing in that driving fast is a very tactile experience--the connection between the driver, his car, and the road blurs until all three are seamlessly connected.

A powerful PC with enough grunt to render beautiful cars and authentic tracks and a killer surround sound system able to reproduce the aural clamor of big time racing go a long way toward suspending a driver's disbelief--right up to the moment he slips his hands onto a keyboard instead of a leather clad steering wheel.

Logitech is easily the most respected PC peripheral manufacturer on earth and today, we look at their latest and possibly greatest racing wheel package--the G25. It includes a force feedback steering wheel, a three pedal assembly, and a six speed shifter. I can almost smell the high octane fuel and burnt rubber.

The wheel "console" just reeks of quality from the very first moment you touch it, and the first thing you touch is the hand stitched 11" leather wheel. The next thing you become aware of as you pull it out of the box is its beefy weight--if weight equates to quality, then this is very high quality.

The brushed stainless of the wheels' 3 spokes and the shifter paddles delights the eye and furthers the impression of quality. At 3:00 and 9:00 are a pair of red buttons within easy reach of either thumb and with just the right amount of pressure and tactile feedback.

Mounting the unit to your desktop is accomplished with a pair of screw down clamps. Twist the knobs till the unit is secure, then push them in flush and out of the way--easy, and tool free. There are also a pair of threaded holes for those who wish to frame mount--a very welcomed feature.

This brings me to one of the few complaints I have about the G25. It mounts much as the MOMO Racing Wheels--also from Logitech--and because the surfaces of the clamps' jaws are hard, the wheel can slip off during difficult maneuvers--becoming a writhing force feedback powered boat anchor. The inclusion of a rubber matting surface is easy to fix (I used an old heavyweight dish glove and a pair of scissors), but this should have been an obvious and included design element.