The Asetek Invicta Formula Wheel costs €1,249.99. That's a crazy amount of money for a sim-racing wheel, but then again, there are wheels I've tested for around the same price that are worth their insane price tag. The Invicta wheel is not one of them. Unfortunately. I think it should have cost about half as much as its competitors, considering how it felt in my hands, like how a really good sim-racing wheel should feel for about €600.
Now, the clever Danes behind Invicta have released a cheaper version of that particular wheel under the "Forte" category (which is their mid-price brand) called the Asetek Forte Formula Pro, which costs €629.41. It does have a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic body instead of aluminium milled from a single piece, and it doesn't come with handles/grips from the factory, as you have to buy these separately, bringing the price to around €700 for a complete package. But otherwise, this is exactly the same steering wheel as the one that costs twice as much, and it can only be described as a real bargain, even if it's obviously a lot of money.
The Asetek Forte Formula Pro measures 30 centimetres, houses a 4.3" LCD screen with touch functionality running at a resolution of 800x400, and is equipped with 10 push buttons, three steering dials, six thumb buttons, two switches, and two magnetic gearshift paddles. The back includes Asetek's own quick connector, and for those who want to use the steering wheel with a Moza base or a Fanatec DD1, metal adapters are easily available to make this possible. The choice of grips is made via Asetek's own site, where there are four different options to choose from. I chose the "Formula Regular Handles," which are made of a kind of compact rubber reminiscent of the plastic grips on my Cube Controls wheel, and they are really comfortable. There are also Alcantara-covered handles and LMP grips that connect at the bottom, making the wheel look more like a Hypercar steering wheel.
This wheel looks exactly like the Invicta version, which costs exactly twice as much, which is pretty absurd.
For me, there are always, without fail, too many buttons for what I could ever imagine using on a steering wheel of this type. I need thumb wheels for brake balance and traction control, then I need a button for the clutch and one for the windscreen wipers, and then I'm done. Radio communication with the Crew Chief can also be linked to one of the push buttons, but then there are always 10 buttons on these expensive Formula Style steering wheels that I never touch, which is a shame. But that's how it is. It should also be said that the quality of the buttons here is very high. They are well-built and give a luxurious feel when activated, unlike many cheaper alternatives, and the thumb wheels in particular are very good.
The carbon fibre reinforced plastic provides zero flex and is really attractive to look at.
The screen is also spot on, as are the RPM LEDs, which are bright and respond quickly. I like the grip and I really like Asetek's quick-connect feature, plus how the buttons are placed on the front of the wheel. Sometimes I find this wheel a little top-heavy and would like to see the grip and my thumbs higher up towards the top of the wheel, but overall the ergonomics are good, better than I had expected even. The only real downside I can find is the fact that the shift paddles on the back are made of hard plastic. They are hard as granite and thick enough not to flex, and they also offer a satisfying click when I shift gears, while feeling perfectly fine in my hand, but for over €600, they should have been made of either aluminium or carbon fibre, and they should have been at least three centimetres longer.
If you have the money and really want to drive an LMP/Formula car with a truly luxurious, well-built steering wheel, it's easy to recommend the Asetek Forte Formula Pro, which is the Danes' finest creation so far. Now I just hope they release pedals with a radically different design than their existing ones...