Rennsport Cockpit V2

Our rating: 8.9/10

The cockpit market is highly competitive, with players such as PlaySeat having been around for over 20 years. In sim-racing, there’s a certain pattern for brands: typically, they specialize in one segment and stay there to build up a worldwide reputation. This applies to virtually all manufacturers, but there are a few exceptions to the rule.

Simlab for example. In the early days, this manufacturer specialized in the design and manufacture of aluminum profile chassis. In the world of sim-racing, Simlab’s reputation no longer needs to be made, as this manufacturer is present in the minds of racers as soon as the subject of chassis is broached. Except that to thrive in a market, especially if your catalog doesn’t include many products, well, you need to diversify your offerings. As a result, Simlab acquired Grid Engineering some time ago to offer a sim-racing range.

Fanatec is also a Go-To for sim-racing, this time with a truly comprehensive catalog of simulation peripherals, covering entry-, mid- and high-end. But this German manufacturer wanted to add another string to its bow by offering cockpits. Fanatec’s current range includes the Rennsport V2, a tubular chassis designed for sim-racing fans. It has long been the only cockpit offered by Fanatec, and in what follows, we’ll see how it fares against its blood brothers.

Chassis main and technical features

• Dimensions 115x54x54 cm
• 30 kg weight
• Full tubular metal structure
• Compatible with all Fanatec and third-party peripherals
• Supports for triple-monitor configuration available
• Shifter/handbrake bracket
• Sober, all-black design

Design

We start with the design of the Rennsport V2. If we were to show it to you, without any information on the model or brand, you’d be hard pressed to determine that it’s a Fanatec product.

Part of the ClubSport range, the Rennsport V2 sports a discreet, all-black exterior. The black tubular structure is all curves, with arch-shaped tubes at the front that plunge towards the rack. Is it beautiful? Honestly, it doesn’t look like a Fanatec cockpit, especially when you compare the Rennsport V2 with the German brand’s latest releases.

In absolute terms, the design is sober, dotted with black mesh between the metal tubes. This gives it a certain personality, without giving it a breathtaking look.

Customized assembly

Not surprisingly, the Rennsport V2 comes fully disassembled, with tubes and all component parts, plus an assembly guide. This operation is fairly easy to carry out, given that this is a Fanatec product, and the guide is detailed and easy to read, but also due to the fact that the Rennsport V2 is a tubular chassis.

If you dip into the Fanatec catalog, you’ll find several brackets to go with the chassis. Whatever your configuration, Fanatec offers a pretty comprehensive catalog of accessories, including monitor mounts (single or triple), shifter mounts, speaker mounts and bucket mounts.

Manufacturing and finishing

The entire structure of the Rennsport V2 is based on standard-diameter metal tubes. In terms of solidity, we’re well served, even if this cockpit is starting to show its age. As long as you don’t use it with a Podium DD2 or equivalent base, the Rennsport V2 is stable in absolute terms.

As for the finish, I’m not really a fan of the mesh between the tubes, even though it’s very well finished I must say. It looks a bit cheap, and doesn’t really reflect Fanatec’s asking price. However, the overall finish of the chassis is excellent, worthy of the brand’s standards. You won’t find any sharp edges, poorly manufactured parts or defects in general.

Chassis adjustment

Apart from the bucket and crankset, you won’t be able to adjust the Rennsport V2’s other components too much. The bottom bracket deck can be adjusted for tilt, and the bucket for distance only. Compared to recent cockpits, Fanatec’s first one pales in this respect. But let’s take things in context: it was the German brand’s first chassis, released several years ago, so…

But for its time, the Rennsport V2 still offered decent settings, suitable for most sim-racing riders. It’s just that, these days, it’s not much to offer angle adjustment on the crankset and distance adjustment on the bucket.

Sensations during play

Well… The Rennsport V2 is a cockpit that came out several years ago. For its time, the design was pretty good, even if I’m not a fan of the mesh on the sides between the tubes.

In terms of feel, the Rennsport V2’s tubular structure is solid, offering little in the way of racing movement. Of course, you can install a new Fanatec Direct Drive chainstay, but personally, I wouldn’t go with a Podium DD2, for example.

In my opinion, the Rennsport V2 is perfect for the setups of drivers new to sim-racing, with chainstays developing less than 10 nm, Load Cell cranksets weighing less than 90 kg, and a good little bucket. Incidentally, if you’re using peripherals from the CSL range, they’ll be perfectly suited to the Rennsport V2, offering great racing stability.

But the Rennsport V2 is not without its faults, the biggest of which is its settings. The base deck is fixed, and the bottom bracket is adjustable for inclination. As for the bucket, it’s also limited, even if Sparco’s options are truly magnificent.

Compatibility

If you scroll to the very bottom of the Rennsport V2 description page, you’ll find that this cockpit is compatible with the entire Fanatec range of Direct Drive bases, pedalboards and other sim-racing accessories sold by the German brand. The Logitech G25 and G27 are also on the list, as is Thrustmaster’s T500RS.

And it doesn’t stop there, as the Rennsport V2 also comes with other compatible brackets, such as one for monitors (1 or 3), one for speakers, one for shifters, and so on. On this point, which is compatibility, the Rennsport V2 is a pleasure to use, and doesn’t limit itself to a bare-bone chassis.

Value for money

Priced at €999, the Rennsport V2 may be an old chassis, but its price hasn’t changed over time. Today, its value for money is not the best, even against Fanatec competitors such as the CSL Cockpit, which is more recent, but less stable in absolute terms with large bases, or even the ClubSport GT Cockpit, which is clearly better than the Rennsport V2, and above all less expensive.

My verdict

So, my verdict on the Rennsport V2. It’s a chassis with a rather atypical design, tubular and very sober. In terms of adaptability, we’re limited to Fanatec accessories, but the Rennsport V2 supports sim-racing peripherals from other brands, which is really quite good.

Its biggest flaw, as far as I’m concerned, is its price, which hasn’t changed over time, especially as Fanatec has since bolstered its catalog with the CSL Cockpit and ClubSport GT Cockpit, both of which are less expensive than the Rennsport V2. If you can find one for like €500, or even less, then this cockpit is worth considering. While it’s still priced at close to €1,000, Fanatec currently offers more modern options in its catalog, and above all at a lower price.