I’m a sim racer with a passion for Motorsport, good racecraft and the tech side of sim racing. I made SIMRACINGCOCKPIT.GG as a place to share my experiences. I hold an International Class C race licence and write for sim racing store G-Performance and Motorsport resource Driver61.com
Today I’m completing my Mercedes-AMG GT Edition journey – after working with this brand-new sim racing wheel for about a month or so. Instead of a super lengthy review, I decided to take this one a little slower. For example, I thought I’d cover this device over a longer period of time in “bit sized” chunks – for example; guidance on how it should be fitted.
On that note, I’ve also spoken with Massimo Cubeddu, Lead Designer and Co-Founder at Cube Controls to better understand the background of the Mercedes-AMG // Cube Controls partnership – Massimo is so enthusiastic about these wheels!
So now it’s just time to write about what the wheel is like to have set up on your sim racing rig; how it feels and whether this wheel is a suitable choice for your style.
If you’re a GT3 racer and tend to prefer the Mercedes cars, then clearly this is a wheel that brings you right into “full immersion” mode. The wheel is built very solidly and looks the part on my setup, with a shining Mercedes badge really adding something to the overall vibe.
You can of course still use this wheel for other racing categories too – it would certainly lend itself to occasional formula racing too. As the grips have a more road car-like feel, there’s really something to get hold of – if you use high torque loads and you use large-sized gloves – this wheel might be a welcome relief.
Wheel diameter
The wheel diameter lends itself to smoother inputs owing to the Grip-to-Grip wheel diameter of 320mm, some 30mm larger in diameter compared to a typical formula wheel. This fits my driving style well – I’ve watched how wheel diameter affects my input style – the smaller the wheel, the more saw-like my inputs become.
Feel and Ergonomics
Overall the wheel chassis is highly communicative, I can feel everything I need from my Simucube to get confident with it very quickly.
The Mercedes-AMG GT Edition SIM Wheel’s design has an industrial feel to it, with grips that are thicker than those on previous wheels I’ve tested. These grips allow you to maintain a firm hold on the wheel, giving you precise control over the car’s behaviour, using those smooth inputs I mentioned earlier.
The wheel’s design is reminiscent of a high-end GT spec road car rather than a traditional racing rim, which means you can rest your hands in various positions on the straights without experiencing fatigue.
As Massimo explained, Cube Controls have embarked on a partnership with Merceds-AMG racing. You might not know that a Cube Controls wheel design features in the new AMG GT2 PRO Track series car:
For more on the Mercedes-AMG partnership, check out the announcement here.
Buttons and Inputs
The buttons on the Mercedes-AMG GT Edition SIM Wheel set it apart from typical gaming devices. These push buttons have a distinctly sturdy feel, providing a satisfying and reliable response when activated. The aluminium knobs are another high-quality feature, backed by encoders that ensure precise and smooth rotation. The thumb rotaries are stiff, probably the first feature on the wheel that lends itself more towards the additional grip offered by a pair of sim racing gloves.
All push buttons are backlit – so if your sim cockpit is traditionally in a darkened room, you’ll get the benefit of being able to see each button very clearly.
The design of the multi-axis encoders has changed from previous generations. The knob is narrower, and it’s fairly stiffer. I think this design is intended to reduce any likelihood of activating a control by accident as it’s very close to the hand. They’re now more accessible from the grips, particularly the distance from the control to the thumb is perfect.
Paddles
Using the shifters is quite an event. They’re strong with a high amount of certainty on activation. The resistance at first is significant, with their resistance to input force tailing off as you depress the paddle. The “click” comes quite late, but it quickly feel well-timed.
The shift action is a little louder than my F-Pro but as a compromise, they’re very difficult to mis-shift. The paddles as a feature and the overall design lends itself to a driver who wants to make fewer mistakes and likes to drive in a smooth, unhurried way (the best way, in my opinion, to get a fast lap on the board).
Conclusion
This is a good choice for drivers who really want more control over their GT3 cars – smooth inputs are enabled by the larger wheel diameter, and the grips give you something to grab hold of, ready to wring a fast lap out of your Mercedes AMG-GT car in the simulator.
Technical Details
The wheel has a grip-to-grip diameter of 320 mm, with the grips themselves having a maximum diameter of 36 mm.
The bolt pattern follows a 70 mm PCD (pitch circle diameter) with countersunk holes measuring 5 mm in diameter.
The grips are made from a combination of silicon and rubber materials, providing a comfortable and secure hold for the driver.
The entire wheel assembly weighs 1246g, which is a testament to its sturdy construction and high-quality components.
The wheel is priced at $860.00 (USA), £660.00 (UK) and €759.00 (EU). If you’re shopping around, check out our sim racing wheel buyer’s guide here.
Topic: Sim Racing Wheels