Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 Steering Wheel
In the world of sim racing, the Fanatec brand is without a doubt an established name. With an extensive range of high-quality products, the brand has made its mark on both novice and seasoned sim racers. As experienced reviewers we have had the privilege of reviewing several Fanatec products over the years, developing a deep understanding of the Fanatec ecosystem.
During this time we have welcomed and tried virtually all Fanatec wheelbases and steering wheels on our test simrig. However, there was one notable absentee, but fortunately that is coming to an end now. Fanatec has sent us the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel of which we can share our opinion with you. Fanatec surely won’t have to ask us twice, so we will get to work with a lot of enthusiasm and curiosity.
The Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel is a steering wheel from the Fanatec ecosystem which is suitable for use on the PC and Playstation (with compatible Playstation wheelbase). In addition, the steering wheel can also be used in the real 2022 BMW M4 GT3 race car. At the time of writing, you pay € 1499.95 excluding shipping costs for the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 Steering Wheel in the Fanatec webshop.
Packaging & Contents
We receive a recognizable brown box delivered by UPC. The package has been on the road for two days from Fanatec’s warehouse to our front door. This brown box contains a well-protected BMW Motorsport product box. We are pretty familiar with Fanatec, but even we think this box is next-level. In the heart of the box is a BMW logo with the text ‘Press to Start’ below it. As soon as we click on the BMW logo, the box is unlocked and we can slide the interior out of the frame.
The interior is a black box with a silhouette of the steering wheel with the BMW logo in the heart that we just pressed. When opening this box we find the steering wheel which is wrapped in a plastic shell. The steering wheel is fully mounted with the well-known Fanatec (QR1*) quick-release system and is therefore immediately ready for use. We also find a small black box containing some extra button inserts and a USB QR1 update cable.
*The steering wheel was originally supposed to be the first Fanatec steering wheel with the announced QR2 system. The steering wheel is pre-installed with the QR1 quick-release system on the steering wheel side. The QR2 (steering wheel side) quick-release system is also included in the price and will be shipped separately when available. Source: Fanatec
The Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 Steering Wheel
The Fanatec Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3, as its official name sounds, is an official BMW M Motorsport product. The steering wheel has been developed together with BMW M Motorsport and can therefore be used for both the real 2022 BMW M4 GT3 race car and for sim racing. The housing is made entirely of high-quality lightweight forged carbon fiber and weighs only 1700 grams including the quick-release. The steering wheel has a diameter of 308mm and is finished with durable rubber grips that have a hardness of 60 shore (durometer). This hardness is comparable to the rubber of the wiper blades of a car, to name just one example. All this has a homologation for GT3 racing with the standards set by the FIA.
Front Side
Twelve push buttons, six on each side, are integrated at the front of the steering wheel. The push buttons have interchangeable button inserts and feature color adjustable and dimmable RGB LEDs that act as backlights. At thumb height there are two, one on each side, twelve-step rotary encoders integrated into the handles that you can turn left and right. These rotary encoders are equipped with hall sensors. At the heart of the steering wheel are three twelve-step rotary encoders which are provided with a fixed color label (red, blue and green). In the middle of the steering wheel is the BMW logo which functions as a (hidden) D-pad. You can push the BMW logo in four directions (up, down, left and right).
Back Side
At the back of the steering wheel, at index finger height, there are two push buttons one on each side. These push buttons are the same as the front push buttons, only without interchangeable button inserts. At middle and ring finger height are the magnetic shifter modules with push/pull functionality. This allows upshifts and downshifts on the same paddle, or they can function as four separate inputs. Just like the housing, the paddles of the shift modules are made of high-quality lightweight forged carbon fiber and are 2mm thick. These paddles are minimally adjustable in width. At the height of the pinky finger are the analog modules, which are also equipped with hall sensors. The analog modules have an adjustable travel and can be used as a double clutch, analog inputs or as button inputs.
Assembly
The Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel is only suitable for use on a Fanatec wheelbase, in our case the Fanatec DD2. As mentioned, the steering wheel is equipped with the QR1 system, which is pre-assembled at the factory. By simply clicking the steering wheel on the wheelbase, we can get started with the configuration in the Fanatec and Fanalab software.
Software
Before we can actually use the steering wheel, we first have to install the Fanatec drivers. You can optionally install the Fanalab software, which is necessary to adjust the RGB LEDs, which act as backlight, of the buttons. Fanalab is also required to use the telemetry functionality on the steering wheel. Because we already use Fanatec components, freshly installing the software is not necessary in our case, but just to be sure, we always check whether we have installed the latest version(s) of the software.
Via the Fanatec drivers we can check whether the steering wheel needs a firmware update. This can be done simply by clicking on the ‘Firmware Update’ menu. After this, the ‘Fanatec Firmware Manager’ opens, allowing us to update all our Fanatec components at the touch of a button. After about a minute the firmware is up to date and we can continue in the Fanalab software for further settings.
In the Fanalab software we can make the necessary settings for the RGB LEDs and telemetry functionalities of the push buttons via the menu item ‘LED’. We can adjust the RGB LEDs in different colors and adjust the brightness. In addition, we can assign telemetry functionalities to the push buttons, such as RevLEDs (RPM) and tire slip indicators (see image). We cannot make this more complicated than it is, because there are not (yet) more options.
Using the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 Steering Wheel
Because the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel is fundamentally a GT-style steering wheel, we will of course test it in GT cars. We like to drive Assetto Corsa Competizione, and where we normally like to drive around in a Porsche 991 II GT3, we will now step into the BMW M4 GT3. After starting Assetto Corsa Competizione, all we have to do is assign the buttons and encoders to the correct in-game functionalities and we’re ready to race!
The Steering Wheel
While driving the first meters we can already understand the quote ‘this is not a replica’ with which Fanatec presents the Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel. Especially in our virtual BMW M4 GT3 we can feel the experience which makes our sim racing heart beat faster. With a diameter of 308mm, the steering wheel doesn’t feel too big to us and it feels solid. The handles offer a good grip and therefore the steering wheel is comfortable to hold. The handles are non-sticky to the hands and very comfortable to use both with and without gloves. After using the steering wheel for a while, we notice that the handles hardly attract any dirt or dust.
When driving, we do not notice any flexibility or play. Thanks to the full carbon housing, the steering wheel is pleasantly light and the nuances of the force feedback are well transmitted through our Fanatec DD2 wheelbase. Our curiosity leads us to reduce the force of our DD2 to about 8 to 10 Nm. Remarkably, the details in the force feedback are still very noticeable. From this we can conclude that the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel will also perform excellently on an 8nm version of the CSL DD.
Front controls
The twelve push buttons have a very short travel and a pleasant click. They are conveniently placed within reach and at the same time sufficiently separated from each other to prevent accidental pressing. The button inserts are easy to change by putting your fingernail under the button, then you can just pop it out. Strangely enough, it is a simple operation, but the button inserts are firmly attached. Unfortunately, you are limited in terms of labels by the button inserts supplied by Fanatec. In addition to the twelve supplied as standard, there are only three blank copies that you could stick a label on yourself. However, stickers to apply to it are not included.
The rotary encoders at the thumbs have a pleasant resistance and a tactile click that still feels soft. The three rotary encoders in the heart of the steering wheel are also easily accessible while driving. Here the resistance and feedback during use offers a similar experience to the thumb rotary encoders. The BMW logo, which acts as a hidden D-pad, also performs well and gives pleasant feedback in all directions. In-game we find the D-pad somewhat more difficult to reach and therefore less suitable for operating an MFD (Multi-Function Display), for example. We mainly use the D-pad to navigate through different menus, such as when we are in the pit for example. All in all, the buttons simply feel very nice and satisfying during use.
Rear controls
The push buttons at our index fingers are well positioned and easy to operate. They are identical to the push buttons on the front of the steering wheel, only the buttons on the back are not equipped to swap out the button inserts.
The magnetic shifter modules with push/pull functionality immediately feel familiar if you have driven Fanatec steering wheels before. In our opinion, the modules of the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel feel and look the same as the Magnetic Paddle Module or the Advanced Paddle Module. The shift modules are, as expected, extremely responsive. They have a short travel and a clearly palpable click. A rubber pad dampens the click, making the shifter modules virtually silent.
The analog modules, which function as a double clutch, are equipped with springs and offer a pleasant resistance. Thanks to the hall sensors, they are completely free of friction, which makes them enjoyable to precisely operate them. In addition, the analog modules are equipped with adjustable travel via an adjustment screw. We did notice that after adjusting the travel we had to recalibrate the modules. Of course, the analog modules can also serve as individual analog inputs or as button inputs.
Display
The one-inch OLED display widely used by Fanatec shows telemetry data. The OLED display does its job and shows data such as speed or acceleration. You can also change the force feedback and other hardware settings on the fly via the tuning menu (in combination with the Tuning Button and D-pad) through the display. As far as we are concerned, a display of this size is outdated. It is handy, but we do miss a larger (color) display for displaying telemetry data on a steering wheel of this caliber, and price. On the other hand, it of course would be a little odd to put a display on the steering wheel of a car that actually has a separate display.
Video: Driving with the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 Steering Wheel
The video below is a short driving impression of the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel. In this video we drive with the BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel mounted on our Fanatec DD2 wheelbase. As a racing game we use Assetto Corsa Competizione.
Conclusion
The Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel is a steering wheel that offers an authentic experience for sim racing enthusiasts. Being able to use the steering wheel in both the virtual and real 2022 BMW M4 GT3 race car is of course a nice extra, although most sim racers don’t have an actual BMW M4 GT3 in their garage. At 308mm in diameter, the steering wheel feels solid and comfortable to hold. The handles provide a good grip without feeling sticky, both with and without gloves. The steering wheel remains clean and free of dust, thanks to the quality of the materials.
There is no noticeable flex or slack when riding, which is attributed to the full carbon housing. Force feedback is accurately transmitted through the Fanatec DD2 wheelbase, even at reduced force settings. The steering wheel therefore also seems to be suitable for the CSL DD 8Nm version, for example.
At the front of the steering wheel are twelve push buttons that are easy to reach and have a satisfying click. The button inserts are interchangeable and well attached. Rotary encoders at the thumbs have a nice resistance and clear click. The three rotary encoders in the center of the steering wheel are easily accessible and offer similar resistance and feedback. The BMW logo acts as a D-pad and responds well. Although it is sometimes difficult to achieve in-game, Fanatec has done a great job.
At the back, the push buttons at the index fingers are well placed and similar to those on the front. The magnetic shifter modules with push/pull functionality are responsive and quiet thanks to a rubber damping. The analog modules function as a dual clutch with adjustable travel and freedom from friction, making them feel precise and enjoyable. The one-inch OLED display shows telemetry data and hardware settings, but we find the size a bit limited and would have expected a larger and more colorful display for a steering wheel of this level and price range. At the same time we realize it would be odd to put a display on the steering wheel of a car that actually has a separate display.
The steering wheel would initially be the first Fanatec steering wheel with the announced QR2 quick-release system. We are disappointed that this system is still not available, despite its announcement in December 2020. The steering wheel comes with the QR1 quick-release system on the steering wheel side. However, Fanatec has indicated that the QR2 quick-release system (steering wheel side) is also included in the price and will be shipped separately when available.
The Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel is Fanatec’s most expensive steering wheel. The high price makes the steering wheel not accessible to everyone. All in all, we think the Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 Steering Wheel is a very nice GT steering wheel and it offers us the experience that makes our sim racing heart beat faster. As far as we are concerned, this is the steering wheel for BMW fans or that one enthusiast who is lucky enough to have an M4 GT3 in their garage! Have you become enthusiastic after reading our review!? The Fanatec Podium BMW M4 GT3 Steering Wheel is available at the Fanatec webshop for € 1499.95 excluding shipping costs.
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