GRID MPX

Our rating : 9.7/10

Sim-racing fans will certainly be familiar with Sim-Labthe company operating in the virtual racer cockpit market. This brand offers several chassis that are affordable, solid and highly customizable. With a view to expanding its customer portfolio, and under the sound advice of its CEO Richard SchouterenSim-Lab has decided to add another string to its bow, namely sim-racing peripherals.

Except that building a sim-racing product division from scratch is not only expensive, it’s also extremely time-consuming – if you want to do it right, of course. And what do you do when you don’t want to break the bank? Well, you buy a company that’s already in the business. In 2021, Sim-Lab acquired Grid Engineering. Cette entreprise fabrique principalement des accessoires sim-racing comme des dashboards, des RevLED, des consoles de boutons, des QR et des adaptateurs QR aussi, et avait dans son catalogue un volant, le Porsche 911 RSRwhich costs an arm and a leg, and is clearly not accessible to the average racer.

With a view to changing all this, and above all to attracting new sales, Grid has developed and marketed a brand-new GT-type wheel: the MPX. In what follows, we take a look at this new sim-racing wheel.

Main and technical features of the steering wheel

• Full aluminum structure
• 5mm-thick carbon fiber faceplate
• 9 ELMA encoders, 8 APEM switches, 2 7-way switches and 8 backlit buttons (total of 87 RGB LEDs for controls)
• 4 rear paddles, 2 magnetic and 2 analog
• Height- and spacing-adjustable pallets
• QR on rear with 6×70 mm pattern
• PC-compatible via Lumberg 6-pin and USB cable
• SimHub compatible
• Diameter 29.5 cm and weight 1.7 kg
• Fully remappable controls

Design

The design of the MPX is really sober, with a rectangular shape typical of GT wheels. The faceplate integrates all the steering wheel controls, with the Grid logo in the center. The buttons, like the other controls on the faceplate, are backlit with a total of 87 RGB LEDs, giving you total color customization.

The lower grips are closed, and the carbon fiber adds a healthy dose of racing to this wheel. All in all, the MPX is a fine sim-racing steering wheel, perfect to match any GT setup.

Customized assembly

The MPX can be used with virtually all Direct Drive bases on the market, thanks to its PCD hub and spacer. The latter (hub) features a 6×70 mm mounting pattern, making it compatible with many QRs.

What’s more, every hole in the hub is threaded, making the operation of adapting it to the base’s QR not only quick, but also ultra-easy to do. However, you’ll have a rather long driveshaft with the base (I’d say at a guess, 10 to 15 cm). If you’re used to QRs from Simagic, Moza or Fanatec, this will seem odd at first glance. But the good thing is the solidity of the connection: the flywheel doesn’t move half a degree once in place on its axis.

Manufacturing and finishing

The MPX uses an all-aluminum structure, with a carbon-fiber faceplate. As for solidity, I have nothing to say except that it doesn’t move a muscle. It’s ultra solid, very well made and very premium too.

All the buttons on this steering wheel are perfectly centered, and some are ringed with RGB LEDs. The MPX’s finish is exceptional, and I’d expect nothing less from a Grid Engineering steering wheel. All the parts making up this steering wheel are perfectly in place, with not a single shift, gap, void or flaw. It’s just perfect, superbly finished. And at the same time, it’s normal to see this, because the brand has a reputation to uphold, and the asking price is still high. Not as high as Grid’s Porsche steering wheel, admittedly, but it’s high compared to the competition.

Handling the steering wheel

Let’s get to grips with the MPX. As far as the controls are concerned, they’re all very close to your hands, which makes them easier to use in the middle of a race. The MPX is 29.5 cm in diameter, which is a tad large compared to other models in its class (28 cm in general). But this has its advantages, not least an excellent grip.

Speaking of grip, the riding position is standard for the category, with closed handles at the bottom. These are fitted with a silicone grip material, even without gloves.

At the rear of the MPX, the 4 paddles are adjustable on 2 axes, and frankly, I’ve rarely seen anything like it on sim-racing steering wheels. You’ll need an Allen wrench to do this, but it’s an excellent feature that enhances the MPX’s overall ergonomics.

Sensations during play

You should know that this Grid Engineering steering wheel is expensive, and rather heavy too with its 1.7 kg on the scale. As a result, it’s essential to pair it with a powerful Direct Drive base to get a good feel for the game.

But the best thing about the MPX is its hub, which accommodates more or less every Quick Release on the market, thanks to a 6×70 mm pattern, with all holes having a thread. It’s not only rare to see this, but also very practical for QR installation. The only drawback is the length of the drive shaft, but this has its advantages for immersion, as in motor racing, the steering wheels are close to the driver.

In short, the sensations. Honestly, it’s excellent for the category, even if the market is rather saturated at the moment. Given that the MPX is very easy to handle, the driving sensations go hand in hand too. The weight isn’t felt at all, as long as you’re on a base of 15nm and more torque. What’s more, the stickers that come with the MPX let you customize the controls as you see fit.

Also, the 6-pin Lumberg cable plugs into the back of the steering wheel, below the QR. In the middle of a race, you won’t notice it too much, and you can even attach it to the QR without a problem.

Compatibility

The MPX’s platform compatibility is limited to PC-based Direct Drive bases. As far as QRs are concerned, the MPX hub offers support for virtually all bases available on the market, be they Simagic, Simucube, Fanatec, Moza and so on. And that’s to be expected, too, since Grid doesn’t currently manufacture DD bases for its flywheels.

Value for money

The MPX is normally listed at €1199 on the Grid Engineering website, but is currently being discounted by €100. Its value for money is not bad for what you get as a sim-racing peripheral. Sure, there’s no screen, no RevLED, but that’s not the end of the world either, and in exchange you get one of the best GT wheels on the market, compatible with all Direct Drive bases.

1200 may seem expensive to most riders, but Grid has its own portfolio of customers. So…

My verdict

What I think of the Grid MPX: It’s a great GT steering wheel for professional and amateur drivers alike. Its advantages are customization, excellent build quality, unique design, premium materials and compatibility with all Direct Drive bases available on the market.

The price may put off some racers, but then again, not all racers will turn to Grid Engineering’s sim-racing products. What’s more, some shortcomings of this steering wheel are apparent, such as PC-only compatibility, or the cable that must be supported for connection to the computer.

If you can afford the MPX, go for it without hesitation. And don’t hesitate to buy a dashboard from Grid, and a good base from Simagic or Fanatec.