If you’ve been following our coverage of Thrustmaster’s latest direct drive wheel bases, you know I had plenty of good things to say about the T598 and its innovative axial flux motor. You also know I was less than thrilled with its bundled “Sportcar” wheel rim, with its hard plastics, cheap soft-touch material, and exposed screw holes. Finally, a refreshed “GT Wheel Add-On” offers a welcome alternative.
First unveiled at the SimRacing Expo last October and available for pre-order since March, it’s now on sale and shipping from the Thrustmaster store, which you can access via our affiliate link.
It’s essentially the same Gran Turismo-branded wheel rim that originally shipped with the T-GT, now updated with Thrustmaster’s next-gen Quick Release connector so it works natively with the T818 and T598 direct drive bases, no adapter required.
The rim is officially licensed by Gran Turismo and Sony, and was designed in collaboration with Polyphony Digital.
Having owned a T-GT myself, I can say this rim is still my personal favorite, and probably the best officially-licensed Gran Turismo wheel rim ever produced.
The 11-inch (28cm) frame is wrapped in leather, and the four metal rotary encoders automatically map to traction control, brake bias, fuel, and torque in Gran Turismo. You also get two mini-sticks, two metal paddle shifters, and a complete set of PlayStation buttons. It’s a proven design with high-quality materials that simply works.
For T598 owners especially, it’s a straightforward upgrade that puts a much better rim in your hands.
The GT Wheel Add-On is available now for €249.99 / $299.99 from the Thrustmaster store (affiliate link). It’s compatible with PS5, PS4, and PC.
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