Thrustmaster’s Gran Turismo steering wheel finally does away with the belt. As part of the GT7-licensed bundle, the Thrustmaster T-GT III combines a 5 Nm Direct Axial Drive base, a leather-wrapped GT steering wheel, and a load-cell brake pedal set, available for €699.99 starting December 3 on PS5 and PS4. The base and steering wheel are already familiar to Thrustmaster gamers, but the brake pedal included in the box sets it apart from Fanatec’s GT DD Pro.

The T-GT III, the first Direct Drive T-GT

The first two T-GT models transmitted power from the motor to the steering wheel shaft via a belt. The T-GT III switches to direct drive, featuring the axial-flow motor that Thrustmaster first introduced on the T598. In fact, the base unit shares the same design and display as the T598, and it delivers the same constant torque of 5 Nm. According to the manufacturer, a torque reserve that briefly spikes to 10 Nm prevents saturation during high-load operations.

The steering wheel features the GT Wheel Add-On, which Thrustmaster already sells separately for less than €250. Its 28-cm round rim is wrapped in leather. Its four metal encoders directly control traction control, brake balance, fuel mapping, and torque distribution in GT7. The announcement is aimed at the PS5 and PS4 and does not mention the PC, even though both the T598 and this steering wheel work on PC.

Gear Jolt and Engine Roar: From the T598 to Gran Turismo 7

Thrustmaster highlights two features of its Harmony technology, which adds rapid vibrations to the force feedback. Gear Jolt marks each gear shift with a brief jolt in the steering wheel, and Engine Roar adds vibrations in the base that follow the engine’s RPM. T598 owners are already familiar with both: the first can be adjusted from the base’s display, and the second was introduced via a firmware update in April 2026. With the T-GT III, the brand presents them as designed specifically for Gran Turismo 7.

The bundle is designed to keep up with the game over time: with each Spec version of GT7, Thrustmaster plans to update the steering wheel’s firmware and software. The second half of Spec IV, the game’s next free update, is expected in December—the very same month the T-GT III hits stores.

Thrustmaster Joins Fanatec and MOZA in the Gran Turismo World Series

The T-GT III was unveiled on October 3, the same day Thrustmaster joined the official partners of the Gran Turismo World Series, having previously served as its official hardware partner from 2018 to 2020. It is also Thrustmaster’s fifth Gran Turismo-licensed steering wheel, a line that began in 2011 with the T500RS GT Edition. Fanatec and MOZA are also partners of the competition, and in September, MOZA unveiled its first licensed PS5 bases, the R5S Pro and R16S Ultra.

The T-GT III and Its Load Cell Brake vs. the GT DD Pro

The load cell brake is a first for a T-GT package, and it’s also the feature that most distinguishes this package from the T598. The T598 retails for less than €500 with a two-pedal set, which must be supplemented with a kit to include this type of brake.

The Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Pro bundle costs around €650. It combines a 5 Nm base—or 8 Nm with a separately sold kit—with two Hall-effect sensor pedals, without load cells. The T-GT III therefore costs €50 more, but it includes this brake right out of the box for anyone setting up their system for GT7.

The Thrustmaster T-GT III will hit stores on December 3 at a suggested retail price of €699.99, with worldwide availability expected before Christmas. T598 owners who want the official steering wheel right away can already mount the GT Wheel Add-On to their base without an adapter.