With years of experience and hundreds of products developed by the German sim-racing giant, I really don’t need to introduce you to Fanatecor even some of its flagship products. As far as I’m concerned, Fanatec is on a par with Audi in terms of innovation, build quality and price. The products of these two German brands are premium, high-quality, reliable and not excessively expensive either, compared with the high-end competition.

Needless to say, to be on runners’ minds as soon as they hear “sim-racing”, you need to be a brand that not only has a very large fan-base all over the world, but also one that offers numerous products to satisfy a wide spectrum of runners. And that makes sense, for the simple reason that not all sim-racers around the world are the same, and will therefore have specific needs in terms of peripherals and racing equipment.

The simplest example that comes to mind, and the subject of this article too, is wheels. Given that sim-racing is largely inspired by motor racing, you’ll agree that peripheral manufacturers offer discipline-specific products. This is the case on the track, as well as with Fanatec, Simucube and Moza Racing. In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to a few Fanatec wheels and guide you through the process of choosing the right peripheral for your needs.

The different wheels offered by Fanatec

Given that the German manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals is one of the market leaders, its wheel catalog has to be extensive. Currently, Fanatec’s products are divided into 3 categories: CSL (entry-level), ClubSport (mid-range) and Podium (high-end). So we have CSL, ClubSport and Podium steering wheels for a variety of motor racing disciplines. I’m going to try and present you with wheels that cover several categories, and budgets too, as Fanatec offers wheels from €120 up to €1,500.

The CSL Steering Wheel P1 V2

We start with the most basic steering wheel Fanatec offers in its CSL range, the CSL Steering Wheel P1 V2. So, this wheel sports a very sober design, with a composite structure, rubber for the contour and two paddles at the rear, plus a small LED display above.

This steering wheel is 30 cm in diameter, and completely round. The design is very sober, with a carbon-fiber-style faceplate, the Fanatec logo in the middle and controls on the sides. At the rear, there are 2 grey metal paddles and the QR1 Lite.

As for compatibility, this steering wheel will work on virtually all Fanatec bases, provided you have the QR Base Side. As for platforms, it will only work on PC and Playstation. As for price, this is the cheapest steering wheel Fanatec has to offer, and it will set you back €120. Honestly, it’s a great product for getting started in sim-racing for drifting or touring, for example, as well as for driving arcade titles.

The CSL Elite Steering Wheel WRC

Let’s move on to a wheel I really like, the CSL WRC. This wheel is 30 cm in diameter, completely round, with brushed aluminum for its structure and alcantara around the edges.

In terms of design, it’s very handsome, with the WRC logo in the center of the faceplate and a very attractive tire trace at the bottom. The wheel is very sober, apart from the very large bright orange paddles and orange stitching on the alcantara. There’s also a small LED display above the steering wheel and the QR1 Lite at the rear.

In terms of ergonomics, it’s the same as the CSL P1 V2: the buttons are well positioned and easily accessible when running. In fact, the two wheels are identical, except for the materials used. As for compatibility, the WRC wheel will run on all Fanatec bases, on PC and consoles. As far as I’m concerned, it’s the perfect wheel for sim-racing enthusiasts looking for a wheel that’s not too big, of good quality and will do the job for various motor racing competitions, and the CSL WRC costs just €200 incl. VAT.

The CSL McLaren GT3 V2

We now move on to a GT-style steering wheel and an official replica of a McLaren wheel, the CSL GT3 V2. This wheel is just sublime, with carbon fiber for its structure, rubber grips, 4 paddles at the rear, 2 of which are fully parameterizable analog paddles for Launch Control, clutch and all the rest.

In terms of design, it’s truly beautiful, especially with the carbon fiber, buttons and switches, small screen and bright orange paddles. The wheel is 30 cm in diameter, with a rather rectangular shape, making it perfect for GT racing. However, this wheel comes with the QR1 Lite, which limits its use with Fanatec bases, especially those developing more than 8 nm of torque.

For compatibility, it’s PC, Playstation and Xbox, even if the steering wheel is branded Xbox. But you’ll have to be careful what base you use, as this will determine whether or not it works on your platform.

Now for the price. The McLaren GT3 V2 retails for €200 incl. VAT. As far as I’m concerned, this wheel is excellent for the price, especially in terms of build quality, ergonomics and controls. The only weak point of this wheel remains its QR1 Lite, which limits its use with large chainstays, unless you swap this QR with the metal one.

ClubSport Steering Wheel Formula V2.5 X

Let’s take a look at a wheel specifically designed for Formula racing: the ClubSport Formula V2.5 X. As its name suggests, this wheel is perfect for everything to do with F1, F3 and all the rest. It features a carbon-fiber structure with a rectangular 27 cm diameter, alcantara on the grips, 2 rear paddles as well as the metal QR1, a host of controls on the faceplate and a small LED display overhung by a RevLED.

Design-wise, there’s not much to say, except that this steering wheel is sublime. The mix of carbon fiber, black and light red gives it a superb look, matching any sim-racing setup. The ClubSport Formula V2.5 X comes as standard with a metal QR1, enabling it to be used on powerful bases such as the Podium DD1 and DD2. What’s more, ergonomics are just excellent, with all controls falling easily under your fingers.

The only two faults I can find with this wheel are the 2 paddles and the small display on the front panel. As for the paddles, I’d really have liked to have at least 4, including 2 analogs, and a bigger screen at the same time.

In terms of compatibility, this steering wheel is designed to work on Xbox, PC and Playstation. And for the price, you’ll need to spend €350 to get it. It’s expensive, but at the same time it’s a premium device, perfect for semi-arcade and simulation F1.

Podium Porsche 911 GT3 R

Let’s finish with a steering wheel I really like, the Podium Porsche 911 GT3 R. Available in 2 versions (leather and alcantara), this wheel is simply gorgeous. As you’d expect, this wheel has been developed in partnership with Porsche, so you get impeccable build quality.

At 32 cm in diameter, this wheel is a little larger than the others, but its flat bottom means it can easily be used on all setups. The structure is in anodized aluminum, with leather or alcantara. At the rear is the metal QR1, enabling this wheel to be used on large chainstays.

As for controls, the steering wheel doesn’t have any, as these are located on the Podium Module Endurance, and you have everything you need: loads of buttons, a large screen, 6 paddles, switches, and the whole shebang. It’s complete, perfect for use in GT3, endurance racing and so on.

Ergonomics are excellent, and that’s to be expected from a wheel that costs €650 on special offer. The only downside to this wheel is its platform compatibility: only PC and Playstations are supported by this wheel, and that’s a bit of a shame for Xbox racers. Nevertheless, I’d recommend it to all budding racers, as it is, for me, one of the best wheels Fanatec has to offer for simulation titles.