Fanatec Porsche 911

Our rating : 9.8/10

Steering wheels at FanatecYou name it, we’ve got it. You’ll find cheap models, officially licensed models and some even for specific disciplines. In a nutshell: it’s a sim-racer’s paradise. With over 20 years’ experience in the game, the German sim-racing peripherals manufacturer knows a thing or two about steering wheels, bases, pedalboards and everything else that goes to make up a setup. In fact, Fanatec is the official equipment supplier for BWM in GT for several seasons now.

Fanatec’s vision is quite simple: to offer a peripheral for every runner in the world. Here we are. And with over 40 entries in its steering wheel catalog, I have to say that it really does. From memory, no other brand has so many sim-racing wheels. Well, at least all compatible with the manufacturer’s other peripherals.

Among the brand’s steering wheels, we have the Porsche 911 GT3 RThis is a premium wheel, an official replica of a real racing car wheel. In what follows, I’m going to introduce it to you, tell you about its strengths and its only weakness ( spoiler, that’s the price) and give you my opinion on it.

Main and technical features of the steering wheel

• Anodized aluminum frame
• Leather or alcantara finish
• 32 cm diameter
• Metal QR Podium
• 6 rear paddles, 2 of which are magnetic
• Podium button module with OLED and RevLED display

Design

Whatever people may say Porsche are superb cars, both in terms of design (with the possible exception of the Taycan) and performance. The design point is no exception to this rule for the Porsche 911 GT3 Ra magnificent steering wheel taken directly from motor racing.

The design of the wheel is minimalist, with a flat base, leather or alcantara all around, a band at the top and everything else on the button module. Podium. Okay, this module is flashy, I admit, but the overall design of the wheel isn’t really affected. As the English say: this steering wheel ” means business “And it shows at first glance. Personally, I love the design, which I find perfect, especially if you’re planning to race in GT3.

Customized assembly

Assembly of the Porsche 911 GT3 R is very easy to make, thanks to its metal QR Podium. Of all the Quick Releases developed and marketed by Fanatec, this is the best of the lot. As a result, you can mount the Porsche 911 GT3 R on any base sold by Fanatec, whatever the range.

What’s more, the assembly operation is very easy to perform: simply pull the safety ring, align the steering wheel, place it in the base and then release the ring. Simple, easy, elegant, and it holds up well too.

Manufacturing and finishing

Between anodized aluminum, leather or alcantara finish, yellow or red color band, carbon fiber paddles and metal QR, it’s simply perfect. Perfect, I tell you! The wheel is superbly well finished, whether in terms of the aluminum, which has no burrs on the edges, or the leather/alcantara, which is premium.

You also have stitching, but this time Fanatec has chosen a discreet approach to the color, which is identical to that of the finish. In fact, it lends a premium touch, already very present on this steering wheel.

The pallet module includes 6 pallets, 2 of which are magnetic. It’s also very well finished, both in terms of assembly and choice of materials. As for the Podium button module, it’s made from carbon fiber and a metal structure. It’s just as well finished as the other Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Handling the steering wheel

It should be noted that the Porsche 911 GT3 R is available as a wheel-only version, without the additional modules. In any case, this steering wheel is easy to get to grips with, thanks to ergonomics taken directly from motor racing. All controls fall perfectly under your fingers, except for the switches where you have to take your hands off the wheel.

The wheel is 32 cm in diameter, which is a little larger than I’m used to, but it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. By the way, if you’re a small-wheel afficionado, you’ll get used to the grip of the Porsche 911 GT3 R rather quickly, believe me.

The leather is slightly textured, giving you a better grip without having to resort to gloves for your errands. Speaking of hand protection, I’d advise you to wear it if you opt for the alcantara version, to protect the material. Although Fanatec uses a quality textile, alcantara is known to wear quickly in the presence of liquids (perspiration).

There are 6 paddles, all easily accessible with your fingertips. 2 are magnetic and click superbly when shifting gears. As for the others, you can map them as you see fit, according to your needs. However, their size is rather small, and you’ll need a little time to get used to their location. But that’s nothing to worry about.

Sensations during play

So how does the Porsche 911 GT3 R in play? Well, it’s an excellent steering wheel! Ergonomics are just perfect, and that’s to be expected given that it’s officially licensed by Porsche. With its flat bottom, the 32 cm diameter isn’t too noticeable, especially if you have a cockpit.

To get the most out of your Porsche 911 GT3 Ryou need to pair it with powerful underpinnings, such as the Podium DD1 or DD2which deliver 20 and 25 nm of torque respectively. Oh yes, you’re not going to buy such an expensive flywheel to stick it on a €350 base either!

The aluminum structure provides great rigidity, especially if you’re a GT3 fan. The leather feels great in the hand and offers excellent grip during your sim-racing sessions. As for the Porsche 911 GT3 Rthe screen displays all the game’s telemetry data, which is very useful if you want to keep an eye on your pursuers.

However, this steering wheel is rather heavy if you have all its accessories attached. Indeed, this beast weighs close to 4 kg on the scale with the wheel, button module, paddles and QR, and that’s going to be noticeable in your hands. That’s why I advise you to have a powerful base to compensate a little for the weight of the Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Compatibility

On paper, the Porsche 911 GT3 R is compatible with both PC and Playstation, which is a shame for Xbox racers. As far as bases are concerned, you have all those offered by Fanatec, whether from the CSL DD to the Podium DD2. Once again, this flywheel is designed for use with a powerful base, not Fanatec’s entry-level models.

As far as sim-racing titles are concerned, you have practically all those available on the market that will support the Porsche 911 GT3 R without the slightest problem. A word of advice: opt mainly for GT3 competitions.

Value for money

Priced at €730 excluding special offers and €650 with special offers, the Porsche 911 GT3 R is an expensive wheel, and that’s its only major drawback. Nevertheless, this Fanatec wheel offers very good value for money, especially when it comes to the accessories it comes with.

It should be noted that the Porsche 911 GT3 R is available as a steering wheel only for €150. For this price, it remains a good option for those who already have a QR and a pallet module.

My verdict

Honestly, I loved the sessions with the Porsche 911 GT3 R. This steering wheel is one of Fanatec’s top 10 sim-racing peripherals, and the best if you’re looking for a GT3 steering wheel. The build quality is exceptional, the attention to detail is pushed to the extreme, and the features on offer are virtually limitless.

As far as I’m concerned, the Porsche 911 GT3 R is an excellent steering wheel for all sim-racing pros, whatever their preferred category. It simply ticks all the boxes for a perfect tool to help you smash lap times on the world’s most legendary circuits.