The boundaries between simulation and motor racing are becoming finer every year. Simulation, once considered a game by professionals, has now become the norm. Brands and racing teams the world over have come to appreciate the value of simulation in testing their set-ups and honing their drivers’ reflexes. The Fanatec BMW M4 GT3 explodes the barrier between reality and simulation.
How does it do this? By offering a steering wheel that you can install on your Fanatec base… But also directly on the real BMW M4 GT3 thanks to their partnership with BMW Motorsport! You wanted to get as close as possible to a real racing wheel? Well, this is a real racing wheel.
And yes, Fanatec is spoiling us this year! After the explosive release of the CSL DD, which made Direct Drivetechnology accessible to all… Then the GT DD Pro, which came to bury Thrustmaster’s T-GT 2 on the Gran Turismo license. Fanatec decided to treat hardcore gamers to a real racing wheel in their living room.
The Fanatec BMW M4 GT3 is the fruit of the Fanatec – BMW Motorsport collaboration
–> Check the BMW M4 GT3 Wheel on the Fanatec website!
The Fanatec BMW M4 GT3 is quite simply the fusion between the world of racing and simracing. Since 2020, BMW has decided to fully integrate simracing into its racing schedule with the BMW Sim Live Season.
The aim is obviously marketing, but it’s also about taking simracing to the next level of professionalism. BMW has chosen to present the merger at the BMW Sim Live Season finale in December 2020. A BMW driver, arriving at the wheel of a BMW M4 GT3, is in charge of presenting the steering wheel.
He gets out of the car, picks up the steering wheel. We discover that it’s a Fanatec. He then goes to a simracing cockpit and plugs the steering wheel into a Fanatec base before starting the BMW, this time in the simulator.
What’s in it for Fanatec and BMW?
Beyond the marketing and storytelling aspects, we can dig deeper to see the benefits this partnership offers both brands.
First of all, it’s in BMW’s interest to be very active in the world of simracing. Since 2020, the simracing market has grown by 300% (yes, x3). It’s a very lucrative industry, and BMW will naturally earn a licensing fee on sales of the steering wheel.
Simracing is also a showcase for brands. It’s a way of attracting new people into the manufacturer’s world and letting them discover what it has to offer.
On a more down-to-earth level, having the option of buying Fanatec steering wheels will also enable teams and drivers to have spare wheels in case of a problem. Normally, you’d have to pay thousands of euros and make “custom” orders to receive a new steering wheel.
Finally, as far as Fanatec is concerned, it’s a major gain in visibility. All the specialist magazines that tested the car were bound to mention the steering wheel and Fanatec. It’s also a gain in legitimacy, since Fanatec can now boast of being the only simracing brand to make genuine competition steering wheels.
But how did Fanatec and BMW develop this steering wheel?
Because, let’s face it, when Fanatec CEO Thomas Jackermeier launched the idea, the reception was… skeptical to say the least! Fanatec had never created anything other than simracing steering wheels, toys in BMW’s eyes.
But Fanatec arrived at BMW’s offices with steering wheel models already created to demonstrate the brand’s design quality, as well as a clear plan for achieving this new feat.
Faced with Jackermeier’s arguments, BMW agreed to embark on the adventure. And Fanatec’s timing couldn’t have been better! The brand was developing a new racing car, the BMW M4 GT3. Development always begins with a virtual creation phase to prepare and validate the vehicle’s plans.
And throughout this development phase, the steering wheel holds a very special place! It’s the link between driver and vehicle. The steering wheel must therefore be as ergonomic as possible, and resistant to water and dust.
So when the Fanatec teams began developing this new steering wheel, they had to think not only of simracers, but also of professional drivers. Drivers who will need a solid, ergonomic and reliable steering wheel for endurance races!
For the occasion, Fanatec has to learn how to create a steering wheel made entirely of carbon fiber. The rotary selectors and knobs had to be custom-made to meet the needs of professional drivers. The buttons also had to be able to light up with adjustable colors, and the pressure had to be greatly increased to match the expectations of the real track.
From virtual to real..
Once the steering wheel model has been created on the computer, it’s time for prototyping with a 3D-printed model. This is the best way to create several prototypes, whose ergonomics are tested directly by drivers. With 3D printing, we can immediately see whether the grip and positioning of buttons and paddles are really optimal in a racing situation.
Steering wheel design has not always been so meticulous. Before electronics came to the fore in racing, it was all about having the most efficient engine possible, cutting-edge tires and a well-balanced chassis.
In those days, steering wheels were simply steering wheels. Today, steering wheels have a multitude of functions during a race, allowing almost every aspect of the vehicle to be parameterized to suit the situations encountered by the driver.
While Fanatec was developing the prototype of what would become the Fanatec BMW M4 GT3, the carmaker was assembling the prototype of its new racing thoroughbred.
Once the 3D prototype has been validated with the BMW drivers, Fanatec can move on to the next stage!
The printed circuit board of the functional steering wheel prototype is assembled by hand. The molded carbon fiber wheel saves weight while protecting the electronic components as effectively as possible. Once assembled, the prototype is delivered by Thomas Jackermeier in person to the BMW Motorsport workshops.
First road tests and adjustments!
Now that the BMW M4 GT3 is ready to take to the road, it will be tested on the BMW Dingolfing test track. An emotional moment for Fanatec’s CEO, who has been dreaming of this project for over 10 years!
These field tests enable us to highlight all the improvements that need to be made to the steering wheel very quickly. For example, during this first test, one of the gearshift paddles stopped working. This was probably due to the car’s vibrations, which are much more powerful in a race than in a simulator.
Within a few hours, Fanatec engineers had solved the problem and the test session could continue.
Following this session, BMW will adapt the car to take account of its test driver’s recommendations. At the same time, Fanatec assembles an improved version of the steering wheel, better suited to the demanding conditions of the circuit.
This new version of the steering wheel is being tested on a simulator, and new ideas are already emerging! For example, the illuminated buttons could also be used as a wheel-lock indicator.
Second series of track tests
Now that BMW and Fanatec have improved their products, it’s time for another round of testing! This time, the tests take place on the Monteblanco circuit in Spain.
The tests went wonderfully well, and the drivers were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Fanatec steering wheel. Whether in terms of grip or ergonomics, it’s a winning bet for Fanatec. The frontier between simracing and the world of motor racing has become even smaller.
… And from the real to the virtual.
The BMW M4 GT3 was designed on computers, then created from scratch, tested and tuned by drivers as engineers. Now it’s going back into the world of simulation, thanks to the iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione teams, who are using the 70Gb of BMW data to create a virtual model of the car.
The aim is to offer the BMW M4 GT3 to simracers even before the “physical” car is offered for sale. At iRacing, the car will be available from early 2021. As for Assetto Corsa Competizione, we had to wait for the release of update 1.8 in October 2021 to get the engine roaring!
The Fanatec BMW M4 GT3 from a technical point of view
Now that we’ve learned about the creative process between Fanatec and BMW, it’s time to come down to earth and talk technicalities!
- Base Compatibility: Fanatec Podium, ClubSport, CSL DD, and of course the BMW M4 GT3!
- Console compatibility: PC, PS4, PS5
- Parameter-setting software: FanaLab for simracing and CAN bus for real racing.
- Vibration: No
- Wheel diameter: 31cm
- Materials: Molded carbon-fiber body (8 layers), molded rubber grip over carbon fiber.
- Paddles: 2 double-action magnetic paddles (push/pull). 2 clutch paddles.
- Customizable buttons: 12 backlit buttons on front panel. 2 buttons on rear panel. 2 12-position rotary thumb selectors. 4-position directional cross under BMW logo. 3 backlit 12-position rotary selectors.
- Button pressure : The buttons are operated by 700 grams of pressure to match the needs of professional drivers in real racing.
- Backlighting: Backlit buttons are color-coded and brightness-adjustable.
- Lap counter: No
- Display: OLED for telemetry information and steering wheel settings.
- Connections: New Fanatec Quick Release QR2 (also allows steering wheel to be connected to real car).
- Weight: 1.40Kg
The price of the Fanatec BMW M4 GT3 shocked everyone
It’s been a source of debate in some enthusiast forums. Everyone was expecting a price of over €4,000. Indeed, when you know the prices of real competition steering wheels, this wouldn’t have been shocking.
But once again, Fanatec has managed to surprise us by offering a real racing wheel compatible with the simulation at a price of just €1,399.95!
So obviously, this isn’t a price that’s accessible to all simracers. But still! It’s an excellent deal. When you remember that a few months ago the Simucube Tahko, a very basic steering wheel, was presented to us for 800€… We end up thinking that 1400€, for what Fanatec has to offer, is pretty cheap!
The real BMW M4 GT3
I couldn’t talk about the Fanatec BMW M4 GT3 without mentioning the race car for which it was designed. The BMW M4 GT3 was developed by BMW Motorsport for the 2022 season. It’s a 590-hp monster powered by a 3L M TwinPower Turbo in-line 6-cylinder engine. This engine is a competition version of the one found in the M4 Competition Coupe. Power is delivered to the rear wheels via a 6-speed sequential transmission.
It’s a vehicle you can buy as an individual… although you’ll need a strong wallet, since it costs a whopping $530,000. And, of course, it’s not street-legal. But for the curious, know that for an extra $55,000, you can treat yourself to the “Competition Package”, which includes a reversing camera and radar, an extra set of wheels, a tire pressure management monitor, extra lights and a day’s training on the BMW M motorsport M4 GT3 simulator.
But if, like me, you don’t have half a million dollars to invest in the original model, you can indulge yourself on iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione. Both simulations have added the BMW M4 GT3 to their virtual garages this year.
Find out how the steering wheel is created!
Want to find out more about the partnership between Fanatec and BMW Motorsport? I invite you to discover the film released by BMW on the creation of this steering wheel. The birth of a future simracing legend deserved a proper film!
What do you think of the Fanatec BMW M4 GT3?
I’m really looking forward to reading your feedback and opinions on this new steering wheel model, which will join the plethora of Fanatec wheels. Personally, I can’t wait to get my hands on it! And I promise I’ll write you a full review as soon as I get my hands on it. I’m pretty sure it will definitely replace my Fanatec Clubsport Formula V2.5.
See youin the comments to talk about it and share our views on this new step forward in the world of simracing and its professionalization!
