With the Corsair takeover, it’s party time at Fanatec. The German brand is back with a vengeance in several segments of the sim-racing market, notably with two new Direct Drive bases, a hybrid chassis, a new Load Cell handbrake and steering wheels.

When it came to steering wheels, there was something for everyone. Partnerships with RedBull, Bentley, but also Porsche to offer us One Off, exceptional wheels for sim-racing. And Fanatec is at it again, this time with the CSL Steering Wheel GT3. It’s a brand-new GT-style wheel for fans of rectangular steering wheels, with lots of controls on the faceplate and a diameter of 30 cm.

The CSL Steering Wheel GT3: McLaren GT3 V2 replacement or evolution?

In terms of design, it’s true that these two wheels look very similar, and could be mistaken for one another if you were playing in the dark. Apart from the lower part of the steering wheel, which changes, and a few stylistic additions, the Steering Wheel GT3 is visually a 98% copy of the McLaren GT3 V2.

But the changes are much more subtle this time, eluding the untrained eye. First of all, the QR2 Lite is standard on this flywheel, with High Torque mode enabling the little Quick Release to handle up to 25 nm of torque. This is the maximum developed by the Podium DD2, and more than sufficient for the segment targeted by this steering wheel. And let’s not forget that it’s part of the CSL range.

Secondly, the paddles are worn from a single block of anodized aluminum, for maximum realism when shifting gears. What’s more, Fanatec has kept the top paddles in Push-Pull configuration, so you can shift in and out of gear with just one hand. I love that.

As for compatibility with other Fanatec products, the CSL Steering Wheel GT3 is supported by the German brand’s entire ecosystem, as well as being natively compatible with Xbox, Playstation and PC.

The structure is still composite, however, and the carbon-fiber look is just a skin. It’s certainly a step up from the McLaren GT3, especially in terms of console compatibility, but the price had to remain competitive.

Speaking of the invoice, the CSL Steering Wheel GT3 can be purchased for €199.95 on the Fanatec store, which is the same price as the McLaren, if I’m not mistaken. And the steering wheel in question, the McLaren, is no longer available on the Fanatec store, which answers the question posed above: the CSL Steering Wheel GT3 is the replacement for the McLaren GT3 V2 after all.

It is now available for purchase from the Fanatec online store.