GTS vs GTR Bucket Seats: Which Is Right for Your Sim Rig?

Choosing the right seat for your sim racing setup is about more than simply finding somewhere comfortable to sit. Your seat plays an important role in the overall driving experience, influencing your seating position, comfort and sense of immersion.

At Upshift, our GTS and GTR Bucket Seats are two popular options for sim racers looking to recreate the feel and appearance of a real motorsport cockpit, without spending a fortune.

Both seats share many of the same features, including rigid fibreglass construction, fixed side bolsters, adjustable side-mount brackets and a dual-locking seat slider. However, there are some important differences in their styling, upholstery and overall seating design.

In this guide, we'll explore those differences to help you decide which is the better choice for your sim racing setup.

GTS vs GTR Bucket Seats: At a Glance

Before exploring their individual characteristics, here's a quick comparison of the two seats.

Feature	GTS Bucket Seat	GTR Bucket Seat
Seat type	Fixed racing bucket	Fixed racing bucket
Upholstery	Black fabric	Black suedette
Construction	Rigid fibreglass shell	Rigid fibreglass shell
Headrest design & VR compatibility	Conventional, open design Suitable for VR headsets	Wrap-around motorsport-style headrest wings NOT suitable for VR headsets
Side bolsters	Deep, fixed bolsters	Deep, fixed bolsters
Rear shell	Exposed gloss-black fibreglass	Exposed gloss-black fibreglass
Adjustable side-mount brackets	Included	Included
Dual-locking seat slider	Included	Included
Compatible Upshift rigs	R-PRO / R-MAX	R-PRO / R-MAX
Standalone price*	£279.99 inc. VAT	£299.99 inc. VAT
Bundle price*	£249.99 inc. VAT	£269.99 inc. VAT

Prices correct at the time of writing and subject to change.

Although both seats have similar core construction and mounting features, their appearance and upholstery create two distinct options for sim racers.

GTS Bucket Seat: Traditional Racing Style and Excellent Value

The GTS Bucket Seat is our more traditional fixed-bucket design, combining motorsport-inspired styling with comfortable fabric upholstery.

Its design resembles the conventional racing bucket seats commonly associated with GT and touring cars. The backrest has a relatively open upper section, while the deep side bolsters and rigid fibreglass shell create the enclosed seating position characteristic of a fixed racing seat.

The GTS features black fabric upholstery, complemented by the embroidered UPSHIFT logo and contrasting stitching. The exposed gloss-black fibreglass rear shell reinforces its purposeful motorsport appearance.

Despite its racing-inspired design, the GTS is intended for home simulator use, with comfort and adjustability being important considerations.

Why Choose the GTS?

The main appeal of the GTS is its combination of a traditional racing seat appearance, practical upholstery and competitive pricing.

Its fabric upholstery will appeal to sim racers who prefer a conventional cloth seating surface, while its more understated styling makes it suitable for a wide variety of simulator builds.

The GTS also offers the same essential mounting equipment as the more expensive GTR, including adjustable side brackets and a dual-locking seat slider.

We recommend the GTS if:

• You prefer traditional fabric upholstery.

• You will be using a VR headset for your sim racing.
  

• You favour a more conventional GT-style bucket seat design.

• You're building a cost-conscious simulator and would rather allocate the price difference to other equipment.

For many sim racers, the GTS represents a sensible balance of styling, features and price.

View the Upshift GTS Bucket Seat

GTR Bucket Seat: Distinctive Motorsport Styling and Suedette Upholstery

The GTR Bucket Seat takes a different approach, featuring a more distinctive motorsport-inspired design and soft suedette upholstery.

Its most immediately recognisable feature is the enclosed upper backrest, which incorporates pronounced wraparound headrest wings. These create a more aggressive racing-seat appearance, reminiscent of the specialised seating designs seen in various forms of motorsport.

The GTR also has deep, fixed side bolsters and a rigid fibreglass shell, creating a supportive, racing-inspired seating position.

However, the biggest material difference is the upholstery.

Rather than conventional fabric, the GTR is trimmed in soft suedette, giving the seat a different texture and a more luxurious appearance. This finish complements its motorsport styling and is particularly attractive for customers seeking a premium-looking simulator cockpit.

Like the GTS, it features an embroidered UPSHIFT logo and an exposed gloss-black fibreglass rear shell.

Why Choose the GTR?

The GTR's appeal is primarily its combination of upholstery and distinctive design.

The soft suedette material offers a different tactile experience from conventional fabric, while the wraparound headrest wings create a more enclosed visual appearance.

Its styling is particularly well suited to customers looking to reproduce the atmosphere of a dedicated racing simulator or motorsport cockpit.

Importantly, the GTR doesn't require any additional mounting hardware compared with the GTS. Both seats include the same categories of fitting equipment.

We recommend the GTR if:

• You prefer soft suedette upholstery rather than traditional fabric.

• You want a more aggressive, motorsport-inspired bucket seat appearance.

• You particularly like the distinctive wraparound headrest design.

• You're happy to spend a little more for the upholstery and styling you prefer.

If appearance and material finish are important factors in your simulator build, the GTR is an attractive alternative to the GTS.

View the Upshift GTR Bucket Seat

Fabric vs Suedette: Which Upholstery Is Better for Sim Racing?

One of the most meaningful differences between the GTS and GTR is their upholstery.

The GTS uses conventional fabric, while the GTR is upholstered in soft suedette.

Fabric upholstery, as found on the GTS, is a practical and familiar material choice for a simulator seat. Its understated appearance works well across different cockpit styles, particularly for customers who prefer a conventional racing bucket.

Suedette upholstery, as used on the GTR, has a softer, more velvety surface and a distinctive premium appearance. It gives the GTR a different visual character, particularly when paired with its enclosed headrest and pronounced bolsters.

Neither material is automatically more comfortable for every driver. Personal preference, clothing, seating position and the shape of the seat can all influence the experience.

Both materials also require appropriate care. Suedette may show changes in surface appearance as its fibres are brushed in different directions, while fabric can accumulate dust and everyday wear.

Ultimately, this decision comes down to personal preference rather than one material being objectively superior.

For a traditional, understated racing bucket, we'd lean towards the GTS. For a softer-feeling upholstery finish and more distinctive motorsport appearance, we'd choose the GTR.

VR Headset Compatibility: GTS vs GTR

An important functional difference between the GTS and GTR Bucket Seats is their suitability for use with virtual reality (VR) headsets.

The GTS Bucket Seat is our recommended choice for VR sim racing. Its more open headrest design provides greater clearance around the sides of the head, allowing drivers to turn their heads naturally while wearing a VR headset.

The GTR Bucket Seat is not recommended for VR headset users. Its distinctive wraparound headrest wings extend forwards on either side of the upper backrest, potentially interfering with the headset during head movements, particularly when looking towards the sides of the cockpit.

Although these headrest wings contribute to the GTR's authentic motorsport-inspired appearance, they can restrict the freedom of movement needed for a comfortable VR racing experience.

If you regularly race in VR, we recommend choosing the GTS rather than the GTR.

 

Comfort and Fit: An Important Consideration

Although their appearances differ, both the GTS and GTR are fixed fibreglass bucket seats.

Unlike conventional road-car seats or reclining simulator seats, their backrests do not recline independently, and their fixed side bolsters cannot flex or widen significantly to accommodate different body shapes.

This is an important consideration when choosing either seat.

The pronounced bolsters help create an authentic racing-seat feel, but they can also make fixed bucket seats less suitable for users with broader hips, shoulders or larger overall builds.

The GTR's enclosed headrest design introduces an additional consideration around the upper body, particularly for customers who prefer more open space around their shoulders and head.

However, it's important not to assume that the GTS will necessarily fit a particular driver better simply because its headrest looks more open. The internal dimensions and the individual's body proportions are equally important.

Our advice is to check the dedicated sizing diagram on each product page before ordering.

Both seats have their own sizing guidance to help customers understand the available space and choose a suitable seating position.

If you have a larger build, or simply prefer a less restrictive seating position, a reclining simulator seat such as our RS1 Recline Seat or JDM Recline Seat may be a more suitable alternative.

Mounting, Adjustability and Sim Rig Compatibility

When it comes to mounting and adjustment, the GTS and GTR are very closely matched.

Both seats include:

• Adjustable side-mount seat brackets, allowing the front and rear mounting heights to be adjusted to fine-tune the seat's height and inclination.

• A dual-locking seat slider, allowing the complete seat to move forwards and backwards along the rig.

• A fixed fibreglass shell, providing the rigid construction associated with traditional bucket seats.

The included side brackets are particularly useful for adjusting the overall seating angle, allowing you to fine-tune your driving position to suit your wheel and pedal placement.

The slider is also useful in shared simulator setups, where different drivers may need to adjust their distance from the steering wheel and pedals.

Both the GTS and GTR are compatible with our R-PRO 80x40 Aluminium Profile Sim Rig and R-MAX 160x40 Aluminium Profile Sim Rig.

For customers purchasing a complete rig and seat together, both models are also offered as seat options within our simulator configurations.

In other words, there's no significant difference in the included mounting equipment between the GTS and GTR. You aren't paying extra for additional adjustability by choosing the GTR.

GTS vs GTR: Is the GTR Worth the Extra £20?

With a relatively small difference in price, choosing between the two seats is less about budget and more about what you value in your simulator.

At the time of writing, both seats are also available with a £30 discount when purchased alongside an Upshift R-PRO or R-MAX Sim Rig, reducing their respective prices to £249.99 and £269.99. Purchased standalone, the GTS costs £279.99 and the GTR costs £299.99 when purchased separately. Whichever purchasing option you choose, the difference between the two seats is just £20.

Both models use fixed fibreglass shells and include adjustable brackets and a dual-locking seat slider.

If you're primarily interested in getting a high-quality fixed bucket seat at the lowest cost, we'd recommend the GTS. It's also our best-selling bucket seat.

However, if you strongly prefer the GTR's suedette upholstery and motorsport-inspired appearance, we think the relatively modest price difference makes it a worthwhile consideration.

The best choice is ultimately the one whose design, material and fit suit you best.

Our Verdict: Which Upshift Bucket Seat Should You Buy?

There's no universal winner between the GTS and GTR, because both seats are designed to offer similar core functionality, with different upholstery and styling.

Choose the GTS Bucket Seat if you want:

• Traditional fabric upholstery.

• A conventional racing bucket seat design.

• A less enclosed upper-backrest appearance.

• A VR headset-friendly sim racing bucket seat.
  

Choose the GTR Bucket Seat if you want:

• Soft suedette upholstery.

• More distinctive motorsport-inspired styling.

• Pronounced wraparound headrest wings.

• A premium material finish for a modest additional cost.

Both seats provide the fixed-bucket design, rigid fibreglass construction and adjustability that many sim racers look for when upgrading from a conventional office or gaming chair.

Whichever you choose, we strongly recommend checking the relevant seat-sizing information before purchasing to ensure it is suitable for your build.

Explore the GTS and GTR Bucket Seats

Ready to complete your simulator?

Explore the GTS Bucket Seat and GTR Bucket Seat to view their individual product features, sizing information, prices and current availability.

Both can be paired with our R-PRO and R-MAX aluminium-profile sim rigs, making them suitable options for anything from a straightforward home racing simulator to a more advanced direct-drive setup.

If you're unsure which seat is right for your build, get in touch with us and we'll be happy to advise on the most suitable option for your requirements.

Please note: the GTS and GTR are gaming seats designed strictly for use with simulator equipment, not for installation in road or competition vehicles.