The Ascher Racing McLaren Artura Pro is one of those sim racing wheels that tells you exactly what it is trying to be the moment you look at it. Clean, serious, premium, and clearly aimed at the kind of sim racer who wants proper high-end hardware with a real motorsport connection to back it up. And in this case, that connection is a big part of the appeal.
Made in collaboration with McLaren and based on the real-world McLaren Artura GT4 race car, the Artura Pro is designed to deliver a driving experience that feels as close as possible to the real thing. The unit I have here sits just below the Artura Ultimate, which I reviewed not long ago, and the biggest difference is the lack of an integrated screen. Interestingly though, that actually makes this version even closer to the real race car wheel, because just like the real-world Artura GT4, it does not carry a telemetry display on the wheel itself.
So while this is still technically a replica, it uses identical components, keeps the same overall shape and layout, and carries over the same feel that makes the Artura wheel so special in the first place. And after spending proper time with it, I can say this much very quickly. It is outstanding. That does not mean I have zero criticisms, because I do have a few, but as a complete high-end GT wheel, this thing is seriously impressive.
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One of the biggest things that separates the Artura Pro from a lot of other premium sim racing wheels is how authentic it feels in both concept and execution. There are plenty of wheels on the market that borrow heavily from real motorsport, but this one feels like it goes a step further. The connection to McLaren does not feel cosmetic. The shape, size, layout, and overall design language all feel purposeful, as if the wheel was meant to preserve the real-world identity rather than just vaguely imitate it.
That comes through immediately in the ergonomics. The thick rubber grips feel great in the hands and do an excellent job of keeping everything secure while driving. The overall shape of the rim is spot on, and almost everything you need is placed within comfortable reach. The buttons, thumb encoders, and switches are all positioned intelligently, which makes the wheel very easy to live with once you are actually out on track. The only exception for me is the clutch paddles, which sit a little further out than I would like. They are still usable, but they are the one part of the layout that does not feel quite as natural as everything else.
That aside, the wheel just feels right. And that is probably one of the highest compliments I can give a product like this. You do not really think about the layout too much while driving because it makes sense so quickly. In a high-end wheel, that is exactly what you want.
Despite not having a screen, the Artura Pro is still absolutely packed with functionality. On the front, you are getting 14 RGB backlit buttons, four thumb encoders, two multifunctional joysticks, and two 12-position rotary switches. That is a lot of usable input, and more importantly, it is all implemented very well.
The buttons feel excellent, with a firm and satisfying push action that immediately gives off that premium Ascher Racing quality people talk about so often. The thumb encoders also feel very well judged, with enough resistance to feel deliberate without becoming annoying to use. I am especially a fan of the two 12-position rotary switches, which have a very satisfying click to them and just feel great every time you interact with them.
There is also a nice amount of customization available if you want it. An optional knob kit can be purchased separately, which is useful for people who want to tailor the wheel a little more to their taste. Even without spending extra though, you still get a large sticker sheet and laser-etched button caps in the box, which lets you customize the labeling and layout to better fit how you actually drive. Installing those does take a little bit of time, but it is nice to have the option there, especially at this level.
Finishing off the front, the wheel uses a metallic face plate and a metallic casing that look fantastic in person. The way the face plate catches the light gives the whole wheel a very clean, premium appearance, and overall the finish here is exactly what I would expect from something in this part of the market.
As good as this wheel is, there are still a few things I would change. The first is the lack of RGB shift lights. On a wheel at this price point, and honestly even on wheels much cheaper than this, that feels like a strange omission. I understand the real-world authenticity angle, but it is still one of those features that would have been very welcome in sim racing use.
I also think the branding could have been handled a bit better. Personally, I would have preferred if Ascher Racing had left only the McLaren logo on the face plate and removed their own logo from that area, especially since the Ascher branding is already very visible at the top of the wheel. It is not a huge issue, but visually I do think the front would look even cleaner that way.
The other thing worth mentioning is the grip material. The rubber grips feel very good in the hands, but they are also an absolute magnet for dust and debris. It does not take long at all for little bits of fluff and dust to start sticking to them, and that slightly takes away from the otherwise pristine look of the wheel. It is not enough to ruin the experience, but it is definitely something I noticed and something potential buyers should know going in.
Turning the wheel around, the rear hardware continues to leave a strong impression. The quick release on my setup is the optional Asetek adapter, and it works flawlessly. It is easy to attach, easy to remove, and once installed there is no real flex or unwanted movement to complain about. More importantly, the Artura Pro is not limited to one ecosystem. With the correct quick release and USB connection, this wheel can be used with several different wheelbases, which is always good to see in the high-end market.
The wheel comes with both a USB cable and an extender, which connect at the back of the unit, and it can also be used wirelessly with Simucube wheelbases. That flexibility matters a lot because buyers at this level often care just as much about ecosystem freedom as they do about the wheel itself. A premium wheel should not feel overly restrictive, and thankfully this one does not.
As for the paddle module, Ascher Racing has done a very good job here as well. The upper magnetic shifters feel excellent, with a firm snap on release and a more discreet, silenced action than some other high-end wheels offer. I have basically zero complaints about these. If I were really nitpicking, I might say slightly more adjustability would have been nice, but that is genuinely a very minor thing.
The clutch paddles underneath are individually adjustable and have a heavier, long-travel feel, which gives them plenty of usable functionality. Again though, their position slightly further away from the rim is my one recurring complaint in the ergonomic department. They work, and they work well, but I do not love their reach as much as I love the rest of the wheel.
Out on track, the Artura Pro is basically everything I wanted it to be. It feels incredibly solid, there is no flex, no unwanted movement, and no sense that any part of the structure is under strain. It simply feels like a properly built high-end wheel, which at this price is exactly what it should feel like.
Paired with my wheelbase, the wheel also communicated detail extremely well. Force feedback came through vividly, the hands-on feel stayed comfortable across long sessions, and the overall sense of connection between driver and car was excellent. This is one of those wheels that disappears in the right way. You are not thinking about the hardware while driving because it is doing exactly what it should do.
The backlit buttons are also a very nice touch in actual use, and the fact that their colors can be changed through SimHub adds a bit more flexibility for anyone who likes tailoring their setup. That sort of polish, combined with the already excellent ergonomics, makes the whole on-track experience very easy to enjoy. And honestly, once I was actually using it, there was very little to complain about at all.
The Ascher Racing McLaren Artura Pro is an outstanding wheel for serious sim racers who care about authenticity, build quality, and proper high-end execution. The design is excellent, the materials are premium, the functionality is strong, and the on-track experience is exactly what a product at this level should deliver. It feels like a very mature, very polished piece of sim racing hardware.
Yes, I wish it had RGB shift lights. Yes, I think the grip material could be better in terms of resisting dust and debris. And yes, I would have liked the clutch paddles to sit a little closer in. But those are relatively small complaints in the context of how good the wheel is overall. The build quality, the feel of the inputs, the rear hardware, the compatibility, and most importantly the driving experience all come together extremely well.
So if you are in the market for a true high-end GT wheel and you are willing to spend the kind of money that category demands, the Artura Pro absolutely deserves to be on your shortlist. It delivers a highly realistic, highly satisfying experience, and it very much lives up to the premium reputation that both Ascher Racing and McLaren bring to the table.
