Fanatec CSL DD 8Nm & McLaren GT3 V2 & WRC wheel rim | Long Term Review

Quick verdict: The 8Nm Fanatec CSL DD delivered detailed, enjoyable force feedback and an accessible route into direct drive, while the McLaren GT3 V2 and WRC wheels offered exceptional functionality for their original prices. Material quality and the QR1/QR Lite systems felt less premium than rival hardware, but the overall package was highly capable and easy to recommend in its 2024 market context.

This was the first Fanatec wheelbase I reviewed after testing almost 20 competing bases. I paired the 8Nm CSL DD with the McLaren GT3 V2 and WRC wheels to assess not only the force feedback, but also the value, software, quick releases and wider ecosystem.

Product affiliate links & discounts

Product links for this bundle (affiliate links):

Fanatec Europe: https://fanatec.com/eu-en/racing-wheels-direct-drive-bases/racing-wheels/csl-dd-racing-wheel-wrc-for-xbox-pc-8-nm?utm_medium=FAP+Banner&utm_source=5ecd40d820ab1&utm_campaign=General+Links&a_aid=5ecd40d820ab1

Fanatec USA: https://fanatec.com/us-en/racing-wheels-direct-drive-bases/racing-wheels/csl-dd-racing-wheel-wrc-for-xbox-pc-8-nm?utm_medium=FAP+Banner&utm_source=5ecd40d820ab1&utm_campaign=General+Links&a_aid=5ecd40d820ab1

Fanatec Australia: https://fanatec.com/au-en/racing-wheels-direct-drive-bases/racing-wheels/csl-dd-racing-wheel-wrc-for-xbox-pc-8-nm?utm_medium=FAP+Banner&utm_source=5ecd40d820ab1&utm_campaign=General+Links&a_aid=5ecd40d820ab1

Fanatec JP: https://fanatec.com/ja-en/racing-wheels-direct-drive-bases/racing-wheels/csl-dd-racing-wheel-wrc-for-xbox-pc-8-nm?utm_medium=FAP+Banner&utm_source=5ecd40d820ab1&utm_campaign=General+Links&a_aid=5ecd40d820ab1

Introduction

Jump to: First impressions · Price · Hardware installation · Software · Shipping and reliability · Quick releases · Wheel options · Force feedback · Final thoughts

Review context: This review was originally published in April 2024. Prices, bundles, stock, software, firmware, shipping, compatibility and quick-release availability described below reflect that period and may have changed substantially. Fanatec supplied the reviewed hardware free of charge but had no editorial control. The regional Fanatec links on this page are affiliate links and may support the site at no extra cost to you.

The CSL DD began life as an April Fools’ joke before becoming one of Fanatec’s most important products. Its combination of direct-drive technology, moderate torque and a large wheel ecosystem made it difficult to ignore, both positively and negatively.

The conclusions in this review are entirely my own despite the hardware being supplied free of charge.

First impressions

Receiving and unboxing these products felt very like I went and bought something in the high street. Lovely simple boxes with cheesy slogans, well thought out packaging and nice shiny products. It was immediately clear though that the quality of materials was nowhere near as good as some of the competitors. The Fanatec steering wheels creak and squeak in your hands when you squeeze and manipulate the grips. However, and we’ll cover it in more detail later, Fanatec doesn’t have many competitors in this space. For the purposes of this review, I have focused on the 8Nm power supply. As standard these wheelbases are 5Nm and it seems that most people in my community just upgraded straight to the 8Nm as soon as they could.

I loved the wheel rims. In fact, I was asked by Fanatec which products I’d like to review and I specifically chose this wheelbase, the WRC rim and the McLaren GT3 V2. And right from the outset, it was a pretty damn good combo to be honest.

Price and value

At the time of this April 2024 review, the CSL DD wheelbase alone was €499. It represented a worthwhile upgrade from the CSL Elite, although owners of the still-capable ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5 had less reason to move immediately. Used V2.5 bases could also offer strong value.

The reviewed CSL DD Racing Wheel WRC bundle was €649 at the time, while the WRC wheel alone was €199. Fanatec frequently changed its bundles and promotions, including a short-lived wheel-and-pedals offer around €400, so these figures should be treated only as historical context.

The other rim I got is arguably the best value steering wheel in sim racing: The Fanatec McLaren GT3 V2 steering wheel. This thing has it all, and if you’re on a budget, it’s perfect. I even know people with DD1 and DD2 setups who still swear by this rim. Heck I even know people who changed wheelbase manufacturers and USB converted their Fanatec McLaren rim just so they could keep using it! That’s pretty telling. The McLaren rim comes in at only €199 too, so going by today’s prices, you can pick up this whole bundle for just over €1,000. Of course, you still need pedals, and even though this isn’t a pedals review, I highly recommend the Fanatec CSL Elite v2 pedals. They’re only €299 and feature a brake elastomer stack that some pedal sets twice its price would be jealous of.

Also worth noting that Fanatec were good enough to send me 2 of their metal QR1 quick releases which I did use. These QR1s cost €100 each which add 33% cost to each wheel. However, thanks to Milex from our community, I got to experience the plastic QR Lite also. I’ll cover how that went in a later section but it’s worth noting that my recommendation in this video is to save your money and just stick with the QR Lite.

Hardware installation

Installation was relatively straightforward. There are two T-slot channels at the bottom of the base which accommodate custom oversized t-nuts. This makes it nice and easy to adjust your wheelbase forwards and backwards. However, the T-slot nuts fall out really easily so be careful.

I didn’t require any special mounting hardware and I am happy with the nice short form factor which meant that I could get nice and close to my screens. However, the fins on the outside of the wheelbase make this device a lot taller and wider than some of its main competitors.

Installing the quick releases on the steering wheels was a little bit cumbersome but not the end of the world. Personally I’d prefer to receive the wheel with the QR already attached, but given the various quick release options, I understand why this is the case.

The button caps were easy to change and make it nice and intuitive for someone to change their button layout. I had no issues with the hardware whatsoever.

Software setup

I installed the Fanatec Control Panel and was also advised to install Fanalab software. Needing two pieces of software was a bit of a drag to be honest. It was hard to tell where one piece of software ended and the other one began. Instantly I was met with firmware upgrades that were needed, so I followed the instructions. Both my base and wheel needed updating to the latest firmware so I did a one-click update. I was met with very worrying times as my wheelbase and wheel rim stopped responding completely! There was a button to recover faulty device drivers and I clicked it and crossed my fingers. Luckily it did exactly what it was supposed to do and I was able to update the firmware of the base and steering wheel separately.

After that when I hooked up the second wheel rim it was plain sailing. So all in all, a nice and easy software experience despite the apparent need for two pieces of software. You can save profiles in Fanalab but you can’t name them. That was a bit confusing as I bounced between sims. I may have missed an option, but I could not find a way to give the profiles descriptive names.

Shipping, reliability and returns

When a company makes hardware on this scale, there are going to be plenty of stories of bad experiences. Luckily, it’s not difficult to find lots of great stories too. While this is the first Fanatec wheelbase I’ve ever reviewed, it’s not the first Fanatec product I ever reviewed. In fact, both my Fanatec handbrake and Fanatec shifter both failed on me. I bought mine second hand and got some good mileage out of them but I feel like I need to be completely transparent.

I’ve not had any issues with this wheelbase though, and I believe that the general reliability of Fanatec hardware has improved over the years. I must stress that the materials are much more flimsy than all of Fanatec’s competitors. The Moza, Simagic and Logitech hardware are all far superior when it comes to the quality of materials used. I’m mainly referring to the QR and steering shaft, and I’ll cover those in the next section.

Finally, shipping from Fanatec is very expensive, especially for small items. I remember ordering a USB adapter for my shifter before and it cost me €27 to ship it even though the adapter cost less.

Quick-release systems

When this review was produced, Fanatec had announced QR2 but it was not yet the normal option for this package. The available QR Lite and QR1 systems both felt compromised: the plastic QR Lite appeared basic, while the metal QR1 could still exhibit noticeable play. Current buyers should check which base-side and wheel-side quick releases are included, as the ecosystem has changed since April 2024.

I’ll put it out there that even though I used both quick releases intensively for this review, I didn’t see any reason to justify the €100 per wheel ‘upgrade’ to the QR1. It still exhibits a lot of flex but honestly, it didn’t affect me or my driving. This was maybe down to the fact that this base has 8Nm of torque, which while plenty for an excellent force feedback experience, it’s not enough to put either of these quick releases to the test. That’s just my opinion, but honestly I expected to hate this QR based on everything I’ve heard. The QR Lite wasn’t exactly quick, but it was functional.

With the QR1 you get a little screw which reduces the play between the QR and shaft. I found that it made more of a difference with the WRC rim than it did with the GT3 rim. But I can only imagine after forking out €100 to upgrade my QR, how crap I would feel needing to screw in a bolt with an Allen key every time I change wheels. If you don’t ever change rims, it may not be an issue for you. But for me, the QR Lite allowed me to forget about the bolt and just turn the collar to fasten the wheel to the base.

In a blind test, while driving normally, I wouldn’t be able to tell you which QR was installed on the wheel rim I was using. Perhaps with a higher torque wheelbase, but not with an 8Nm CSL DD.

Steering-wheel options

There’s no way I can cover all the Fanatec steering wheels in this section. Firstly, I haven’t reviewed them. But secondly, there are so many of them.

I specifically chose the WRC wheel and the McLaren v2 wheels because if I was in the market for a DD wheelbase, these two rims would give me everything I need and then some. They’re really great value.

Let’s start with the WRC rim. Despite looking a little arcady, it’s a nice looking wheel with nice orange accents on the stitching and paddles. The buttons are basic but functional and plentiful. You do get a five-way hat and it’s in a great position. As I mentioned before, the materials aren’t amazing. You can feel some creaking when you grab parts of the wheel but while driving, creaking wasn’t an issue for me. If you’re in the market for a round rim and on a budget, I actually recommend this wheel quite highly despite being realistic about your expectations. It’s light and nimble so the CSL DD can transmit every single detail. The 300mm size is plenty for all types of driving too. There’s an LED rev light and gear/speed indicator on the top of the wheel rim. This is really nice functionality. 

Instead of stickers you get interchangeable button caps which I actually quite like too. Sure, the quality isn’t going to blow your mind, but I didn’t have any issues with them during my weeks of using these products.

Last but not least, the McLaren GT3 V2 wheel is a great piece of kit. Again, the quality of the materials isn’t amazing. But you get a pseudo carbon fibre effect on the face and some buttons in several shapes and sizes. The two larger N and P buttons are significantly heavier to press and protected by a plastic collar which makes them perfect for things you don’t accidentally want to press like pit limiter and ignition. The smaller buttons are replaceable. Rather than attaching stickers, the whole button cap is replaceable which is really cool and leads to a high quality end product. At first I didn’t know what these dots on the front of the face plate were, but a community member highlighted that they are for easy sticker placement which again, is a pretty nice addition.

But the functionality goes far beyond the basics here. There’s a full 7-way hat but it’s a little bit low on the wheel so you need to adjust your grip to access it. There are toggle switches too which are ideal for lights and wipers. Again let me remind you that this is a €200 steering wheel. The amount of functionality for the original €199 price was remarkable. There are two functional rotaries on the front plate and a third to switch between various clutch paddle modes. Yep, that’s right! This thing has clutch paddles. They work great. If you’ve never experienced a clutch paddles launch, you’re missing out. This wheel costs less than some high-end wheels charge for the paddles alone. That’s crazy good value. Finally, the lightweight shifter paddles are a single piece meaning that you can grab a drink on a straight and still shift up and down with either hand. The shifts actually feel really nice and aren’t too loud. The ergonomics of the grips are decent but I’d prefer for them to be a bit more chunky. At 300mm, this wheel is a great size for GT3 and formula driving. There’s even a little screen on it that shows the gear you’re in and the speed you’re going. It’s really rich in functionality.

I could talk about this wheel all day long, but let me leave you with this: For a CSL DD buyer seeking a GT-style wheel, the McLaren GT3 V2 was exceptionally easy to recommend.

I would go as far as to say that if Fanatec released a higher quality version of this exact wheel, they could easily charge twice as much and people would queue up to buy them.

Force feedback

The force feedback was surprisingly good. I get to use wheelbases with all levels of power so this is one of the lower powered DD wheelbases that I’ve reviewed. With that, there were some details that lacked but none that affected my driving adversely. I was more than happy with the force feedback. If I didn’t have additional wheelbases to review, I would have kept it on the rig for a bit longer. It’s a great all-rounder and it performed really well in every sim I threw at it.

The force feedback clarity comes in part by the lightweight and small diameter wheels, but I also think that Fanatec have done quite a good job in interpreting what the sims are trying to tell us. I wasn’t around for the earlier firmware versions but when I expressed my delight with the force feedback of the CSL DD, community members told me that their firmware updates over the past two years have made it a completely different beast.

Final thoughts

That’s a lot to digest. While on the one hand, I have quality concerns and these products don’t feel as rewarding to touch as some of their competitors, they come to life when you use them and all the things that people love to complain about kind of become a little less important. I’m used to high-end equipment, but there’s some functionality like the little LEDs and screens that you just don’t get with the competition. It feels kind of similar to when I upgraded my Fanatec Clubsport V1 pedals to a different brand and missed the little rumble motors. I think that Fanatec broke the mould with some of these features and didn’t quite realise that they bring people like me a lot of joy.

My wider concern in April 2024 was Fanatec’s stock situation and the delays surrounding products such as the BMW and Bentley wheels and QR2. Those circumstances were specific to the original review period. Judged purely as hardware, the CSL DD’s force feedback lacked little beyond the extra headroom offered by more powerful wheelbases.

Within its 2024 market context, I could recommend the 8Nm CSL DD as a first direct-drive wheelbase. It offered enough power for an excellent experience and access to affordable, feature-rich wheels. I did not test console compatibility, so console buyers should verify the exact base, wheel and platform requirements before purchasing.

Overall, the CSL DD, WRC wheel and McLaren GT3 V2 formed a compelling ecosystem: not the most premium-feeling hardware in the hand, but highly enjoyable on track and unusually rich in functionality for the prices reviewed.