Fanatec Clubsport Steering Wheel BMW GT2 – Review

Fanatec Clubsport Steering Wheel BMW GT2 – Review

The Clubsport BMW GT2 steering wheel from Fanatec is a precise replica of the BMW M3 GT2 race car steering wheel, with identical dimensions and materials, supplemented by Fanatec’s typical additions such as the seven-way FunkySwitch.

Ordering and shipping

The steering wheel can only be ordered from Fanatec (link to webshop*), currently it is available for 299.95€ including german VAT.

The steering wheel is shipped by UPS. In any case, I recommend having your own account at UPS My Choice to keep an eye on the progress of the shipment. The shipping costs are €6.95, so the total cost is €306.90.

Scope of delivery

The scope of delivery of the ClubSport steering wheel BMW M3 GT2 includes:

• ClubSport steering wheel BMW M3 GT2
• Quick guide
• Safety pin
• Safety screw

Additional button caps like on the Mclaren V2 are not included.

Compatibility and drivers

Fanatec states the following products as compatible:

• PODIUM Wheel Base DD1
• PODIUM Wheel Base DD2
• PODIUM Racing Wheel F1® (PODIUM Wheel Base DD1 PS4™)
• ClubSport Wheel Base V2
• ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5
• CSL Elite Wheel Base
• CSL Elite Wheel Base V1.1
• CSL Elite Wheel Base + – officially licensed for PS4™

Xbox Compatibility: This wheel is not compatible with Xbox One.

The official drivers can be found on the official homepage (link to Fanatec*) in the Downloads section.

Range of functions (The steering wheel in detail)

Despite its age, the steering wheel is well equipped and has modern features such as a joystick with seven functions. The following functions can be found in detail:

• 11 buttons with a pleasant pressure point in different colours
• 7-way FunkySwitch™ (digital joystick with turning function): left, right, up, down, press and turn in both directions (active in the tuning menu and compatible with any PC game).
• Another analogue joystick
• Shift paddles for up- and downshifting
• LED bar for displaying the speed
• LED display for showing telemetry data
• Two vibration motors integrated in the steering wheel for additional force feedback functions
• Small button to open the tuning menu

The gearshift paddles

The gearshift paddles are made entirely of metal and feel very good to the touch. They are both removable and adjustable in the following aspects:

• Angle
• Distance to the steering wheel
• Travel of the gearstick levers

However, the feel of the shifters is not quite up to par. Those who have already used magnetic shifters could quickly be disappointed by the rather weak feedback during gear changes. However, this can be remedied by inexpensive DIY mods from the 3D printing sector, which can be found on eBay, for example.

Display and RPM-LEDs

A very nice gimmick of the steering wheel is the LED display with three seven-segment displays (for telemetry data such as speed and gear) and a display for the RPMs consisting of 9 LEDs.

Size, weight and force feedback

With a diameter of 320 millimetres and a weight of 2120 grams, the Clubsport BMW GT2 steering wheel from Fanatec is neither particularly light nor small. This makes it suitable (alongside the BMW GT2) for road cars and older touring cars. But it is also quite appealing for modern GT3 cars.

If you are looking for maximum force feedback effects and are equipped with one of the weaker wheelbases, you should rather go for a lighter or smaller steering wheel. Because of the relatively large diameter and the comparatively high weight, the effects are slightly dampened. This does not mean, however, that the combination of a beginner’s base and the BMW steering wheel is out of the question.

Grips

The grips of the steering wheel are made of genuine Italian Alcantara® and, according to Fanatec, are particularly easy to clean. I can fully confirm this.

The steering wheel feels very high-quality and is fun to use from the first second you touch it.

Quickrelease

The built-in quickrelease enables fast and tool-free mounting on the respective wheelbase, even while playing. In contrast to the cheaper CSL series steering wheels, it is included in the scope of delivery. The steering wheel can therefore be operated with full force feedback on a direct-drive base from Fanatec at no additional cost.

Conclusion

Overall, the BMW steering wheel is a recommendation, especially for people who regularly drive road cars in their simulations, fans of the BMW brand or people who simply want to drive a rocksolid steering wheel with a diameter of over 30 centimetres.

The steering wheel feels high-quality due to the original materials used from the original vehicle and has only minor weaknesses in the area of the paddles. However, these can be remedied inexpensively by modding.