World premiere at BMW SIM Live: Technology transfer from real and virtual motor racing
The leading manufacturer for sim racing equipment, Fanatec, announces new real racing steering wheel and partnership with BMW Motorsports. The Fanatec Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3 is the actual steering wheel for the upcoming 2022 BMW M4 GT3. The steering wheel has been developed simultaneously for both real and virtual racing, engineered by Fanatec in collaboration with BMW Motorsport.
To learn more about the Fanatec Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3 go to:
bmw.fanatec.com
All carbon. No compromises. Pure GT3.
Homologated for GT3 racing, the Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3 is built for ultimate performance, with a full carbon fibre construction, optimised with feedback from BMW Motorsport pro drivers. It features RGB LED-backlit front buttons, backlit 12-position rotary switches, custom thumb encoders, dual-action magnetic shifters, dual-Hall sensor clutch paddles, and more.
Optimised inputs.
The thumb-operated rotary encoders are the best we’ve ever made, and the use of Hall sensors means they are ultra-reliable and precise. All-new push-pull magnetic shifter paddles allow the driver to upshift and downshift (or activate other functions) with either hand.
Illuminate the possibilities.
RGB LEDs behind all 12 front-facing buttons plus backlit multi-position switches means you’ll always find the right input in the heat of competition. Programmable via CAN bus in the real car, and via FanaLab on your PC.
Professional racing driver for BMW Motorsport, Philipp Eng, shares his experience with the new racing steering wheel:
“The first time I heard of the idea to design the BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel to be compatible with a simulator, I was flabbergasted - because I was thrilled by the concept from the word go,” says Eng. “You have to take your hat off to the pioneering role that BMW Motorsport and Fanatec have taken on here, and to the courage to implement a project of this kind. I know the people who were involved in the development at BMW Motorsport and at Fanatec, and never doubted that they would design a superb steering wheel. Compared to the steering wheel in the BMW M6 GT3, for example, the new wheel has extremely good ergonomics. It is very comfortable to hold. You can tell that real professionals have been at work in every area.”
Features
Official BMW Motorsport product
Designed and developed in Bavaria by Fanatec and BMW Motorsport
Multi-layer (8 layers) full carbon fibre body
Rubber hand grips molded over carbon fibre structure
Meets rigorous environmental condition specifications for shock and vibration, IP65 rating (dust and water resistance)
14 push buttons (12 front-facing, 2 rear-facing) with 700 g activation force
RGB LED-backlit front buttons (colour-adjustable and dimmable, interchangeable caps)
1” OLED display
Customisable via FanaLab
Three backlit 12-position rotary switches with encoder functionality
Two custom-designed, 12-step thumb encoders with Hall sensors
4-way D-pad under the BMW logo
Dual-action (push/pull) magnetic shifter paddles
Two dual-Hall sensor clutch paddles
Fanatec QR2: all-new quick release allows operation in the 2022 BMW M4 GT3 race car
New-generation firmware, upgradeable via integrated USB-C port
Communicates with 2022 BMW M4 GT3 via CAN bus
Compatible with Windows PC
Compatible with all PS4 and PS5 systems when connected to a PlayStation-licensed wheel base
310 mm diameter
1400 g (approx)
Coming Q2 2021.