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Discussion List

  • Auction System of DD1 - UPDATE 4
    • This is how the auction system for the DD1 will work.

      Our intention was to create a system where everybody has a fair chance to make a good deal and to eliminate luck. We also want to avoid any technical problems and therefore the auctions are hosted on the Amazon webservers with much better performance of our current server. Side note: We are working on a complete new website and change our server host with it sometime later this year.

      Our target is to start with the auctions on the 30th of July but only if it was tested carefully and runs stable. The exact timing and all parameters will be revealed later.

      This is how it works:
      • The DD1 will be on pre-order before the first auction starts and will be available for regular pre-order the whole time. So you have the choice to place a regular pre-order or to take part in the auction system.
      • Every registered customer can place as many bids as he like per auction but is allowed to win only one auction. We want to avoid resellers.
      • The auction starts at 1 USD / Euro and every bid changes the auctionprice for a certain increment (e.g. +5,00)
      • With every bid a countdown is reset. 
      • If nobody bids within the countdown, the auction is closed
      • After an auction is closed the next product will be put on auction automatically.
      • We will put as many products on auction until a certain amount (will be announced) of auctions reach a certain price of XXX (will be announced) which is  below the regular pre-order price. 
      • This will guarantee that a lot of customers will get the DD1 well below the pre-order price and it can go down as far as a couple of Dollars if there is no more demand. Naturally demand will go down the more we put on auction.
      • Auctions will be held in Europe, USA, Australia and Japan but not at the same time. Exact timing and dates will be announced here and on the auction page.
      • We currently plan only one event but if it is succesful then we might make more events in the pre-order phase.

      If you have any questions, please let me know.

      UPDATE 1
      The auction system is still beeing tested. The auction will not start before 12.00 German Time. We will let you know more by that time.

      UPDATE 2
      The auction system is running but we need more time for testing. We have to avoid the problems we had during the Adventvalendar auctions and therefore we decided to postpone the auctions. I assume it will be postponed for two weeks but I will give you an exact date as soon as we have a reliable date.

      UPDATE 3
      So the first auction will start on Monday 20th of August at 20.00 AEST. It is limited to Australia only as we want to get familiar with the new auction system and we expect less traffic in this region.
      We will put plenty of DD1 on auction and make sure that there will be several units sold below the RRP of 1599,90 AUD. Prices above the RRP make now sense and such auctions will be ended by us if the bidding goes above.
      After a succesful first round we will announce the date for Europe, USA and Japan. 
      Please note that you must live in Australia and have an australian account on Fanatec.com in order to place a bid. But other regions can follow the auctions on the austrialian webpage of the DD1 .
      There will be an auction button which you need to press in order to get to the auction page. 
      We will annouce the auction results here as well.

      Perhaps we will do another round of auctions. We will not stop until we have sold at least 100 units well below the pre-order price.

      UPDATE 4

      We’re giving our Fanatec Australia customers a second opportunity to participate in an auction for the Podium Wheel Base DD1 on Tuesday 30th October, starting 21:00 AEDT. Other regions will follow, and we’ll make separate updates about that.

      As before, each unit starts at 1 AUD with no reserve. This is for Australian customers only, but all regions can view the auctions in real-time.

      Instructions:
      - For those based in Australia wishing to participate, please create a Fanatec account in advance and log in.
      - Once active, you’ll see an ‘Enter Auction Page’ button on the DD1 product page, which launches a secure bidding area hosted on Amazon’s servers, which has been thoroughly tested for stability. (Anyone can click this link to watch the bids in real-time.)
      - Click to bid as many times as they wish. Each click automatically increases the price by a fixed increment of 10 AUD.
      - After every new bid is placed, a 60-second timer will reset.
      - If there are no new bids after the timer reaches zero, the auction ends, and the winner receives an email with details on how to complete the pre-order.
      - The next auction begins immediately, starting at 1 AUD.
      - There is an unlimited amount of auctions if the Auction ends at 1500 AUD or higher (which is still below the regular price of 1599,90 AUD).
      - We will stop the auction event in Australia after 10 Auctions reached an end price below 1500 AUD.
    172 comments 21.6K views 173 comments Most recent by P K Subscribe to this blog
  • Community Event and Community Manager
    • I would like to introduce you to Dom Brennan who works as a community manager for us now. He moved from the UK to Bavaria and is a simracer who knows what he is talking about.

      Dom will also be active in this forum from now on and help you with answers. He is also building up a real forum with help section and guidelines how to set up your Fanatec product in a game.

      This year we are celebrating 20 years of Endor/Fanatec. As we take any chance to make a party we will celebrate that on the 25th of August in Landshut.

      Such a party would not be complete without our fans and customers.Therefore we would like to invite a couple of you to celebrate with us so it will be a community event.

      We will put our old products on display as well as showing the latest Podium DD wheel bases. You can even compare them with its most important competitors both in a racing simulation as well as with test tools to measure torque, smoothness, acceleration, etc.

      So who would like to come to Landshut? 
    45 comments 2.5K views 46 comments Most recent by Thomas Schuster Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec is now an official partner and supplier of Formula 1
    • Esports is getting more and more popular and while other game genres are already attracting millions of viewers, racing is a bit behind in popularity.

      This will change now and one of the leading racing esports series will be Formula 1.  

      All participants of the F1 Esports finals will use Fanatec gear and we also get a massive presence with our simulators at the F1 races and Fan festivals. This agreement is for five seasons.

      But of course we will also come up with licensed and official F1 branded steering wheels which will feature new technology and will be supported by the upcoming F1 games by Codemasters. 

      In parallel we also made an agreement with Codemasters and starting in 2018 you can expect attractive bundle deals of the F1 games with our products.

      Oh and we will have some Paddock Club tickets available for our community.  

      Are you a fan of F1? What is your favourite race?


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    64 comments 4.4K views 65 comments Most recent by Stephen Frith Subscribe to this blog
  • Our first stand-alone PS4 wheel base is now available: CSL Elite Wheel Base+
    • image

      Let me present our first stand-alone wheel base officially licensed for PS4: CSL Elite Wheel Base+

      These features are exclusive among official licensed PS4 racing wheels and wheel bases:
      • Unmatched compatibility. It is the master of compatibility among all racing wheels on the market
      • Precision. The steering sensor mounted directly on the axis and not on the motor avoids all the negative influence of the belt drive on the precision
      • Silk smooth single belt drive system
      • 1000Hz update rate with lowest latency of all PS4 wheels
      • Strongest servo motor on the PS4 (identical to the ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5)
      • Solid metal QR system
      • Integrated rev lights
      This product is available and will ship right away! Please use our configurator to add all the peripherals you would like to add.
    47 comments 4.5K views 48 comments Most recent by Antoine Goossens Subscribe to this blog
  • 220 comments 25.6K views 221 comments Most recent by Paul Hartl Subscribe to this blog
  • New Clutch Bite Point Mode
    • We are about to release a new firmware for the Mclaren Steering Wheel which will feature a new Clutch Bite Point Mode.

      Now you can finally launch your car like a F1 driver. SimRacingGirl will explain how to use it in this video:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au5IAe2WdxI

      The McLaren is only the first wheel which will make use of this feature. There will be more steering wheels in the ClubSport and Podium series with this very useful function in the near future.
    33 comments 7.3K views 34 comments Most recent by Massimiliano Pecora Subscribe to this blog
  • CSL Elite McLaren Steering Wheel will ship in June
    • If you missed the pre-order opportunity for the CSL Elite Steering Wheel McLaren then here is your chance to place an regular order.

      From today you can pre-order those steering wheels again and they will be available worldwide on June 6th for shipment.

      I kindly invite all pre-order customers who already revceived their McLaren wheel to give me their impressions or reviews here in the comments.






    218 comments 12.4K views 219 comments Most recent by Rami Ahola Subscribe to this blog
  • GTS fully supports Fanatec CSL Elite Racing Wheel UPDATE
    • PlayStation Announcement

      With the March patch, GT Sport will add full native support of the Fanatec CSL Elite Racing Wheel. The ClubSport Shifter and even the ClubSport handbrake is supported as well if connected to the wheel base.

      There is no more need to switch to compatibility mode and your Fanatec wheel will be shown in the options menu of the game.

      Kazunori Yamauchi told me that the implementation is still not completely finished and they will continue to add features and better functionality in future updates.

      I will meet with him very soon so please let me know how you like the implementation now and what improvements related to our wheels you would like to see. Please do not list any issues related to the overall force feedback system of the game.

      It took a little bit longer than expected but we are building up a solid long term relationship with Polyphony and in the long run this you all will benefit from that.

      UPDATE
      As a lot of our community members are complaining about the understeer rattling effect, I would like to mention that this effect is not a bug but present with other wheels as well. 
      Please head over to GTplanet and participate in this poll so you can tell us your favourite choice.
      My personal suggestion to PD will be to make this effect adjustable in the game options.

    234 comments 30.2K views 235 comments Most recent by Andrew Hake Subscribe to this blog
  • Updates on Mclaren, Podium Base and GTS
    • I would like to give you a short update on some important topics.

      CSL Elite Steering Wheel McLaren GT3
      We had some last minute electrostatic issues on this product and we had to make some small design changes. This means that the shipping date will be postponed to late April.
      All customers who pre-ordered the steering wheel will get an e-mail and they can also expect a nice compensation for this delay. All affected customers will get a free ClubSport quick release adapter or a coupon code if they already purchased one. Of course they can also cancel the pre-order at any time.

      Podium Wheel Base
      Talking about delays... 
      We are all waiting for this product to be released but we had to fight a lot of small issues. The pre-production is done and we are still making internal tests to verify the design and sort out some obvious issues.
      Currently we select the beta testers and will get in contact with them shortly. The beta tests will start in late february and it is still planned to held a community event in our HQ where we will invite interested potential customers and direct drive specialists to help us fine tuning the wheel base.
      At the moment we are aiming to start selling the DD wheel bases in summer.
      Some good news as well. We managed to crank up the torque on both versions. We also successfully eliminated all torque ripple so you can expect the same smoothness as on your ClubSport Wheel bases which is on par with the very best DDs out there or even better.

      Full Implementation of the CSL ELite Racing Wheel in GTS (blue mode)
      I have received an update from Polyphony and got the confirmation that the wheel is already implemented in the code and that they are fine tuning it. Unfortunately I did not get any confirmation when this change will be patched to the game.
      But it looks that this this should not stop you from going fast. 

       
    752 comments 66.8K views 753 comments Most recent by Dominic Brennan Subscribe to this blog
  • Design the official Fanatec car liveries and win UPDATE2 - The winners
    • Happy new year everybody!

      2018 will be an exciting year for us. Not only the long awaited Podium DD Wheel Bases will launch in the next months but much more good stuff is coming.

      We will start this year with a competition to design a McLaren 650S GT3 and a Porsche 911 Cup livery in full Fanatec design.

      The winning liveries will be featured in Raceroom Experience so that anybody can use them. The Porsche design will also be featured on the giftbox of one of our new products this year. And of course the winner of the McLaren livery will also get our new McLaren GT3 steering wheel with ClubSport QR and the winning designer of the Porsche artwork will get a surprise product as well.

      Terms:
      • Competition ends on January 14th
      • Submit the livery of the McLaren 650S GT3 race car and /or the Porsche 911 Cup (2017 /2018) here in the comments of this post. Make sure you post several views but not more than 4 pictures / car
      • Fanatec logo and "F" signet can be downloaded in the download section. Please use either black on white or white on black.
      • A third coulour is allowed but you need to choose either ClubSport red (#B8161C / R=184, G=22, B=28) or Podium gold
      • You can use any game or program to create the artwork
      • By posting your artwork you agree that Endor or any other community member can copy and/or use this design.
      All other users are welcome to let us know what designs you like the most.

      Good luck!

      UPDATE 
      The terms have changed

      UPDATE 2
      It was quite hard for us to choose the winners as there were so many really great liveries submitted. All of you made a great job!
      But we had to pick just two winners and those were:

      Fabien Tarakci




      image

      René-Yves Jean-Charles

      image
      Congratulations!
    138 comments 18.4K views 139 comments Most recent by Richard Higgs Subscribe to this blog
  • Advent Calendar - UPDATE


    • image

      To make waiting for Christmas a bit easier for you, we came up with our Advent Calendar which started today.

      It is an advanced Auction system and the rules are created to give everybody a fair chance and at the same time to make sure that the winner ends up with a good deal.

      As it is a new system we first launched it only in the US and EU. The first auction just finished and the winner just grabbed a ClubSport Racing Wheel BMW for 426,-€ instead of 849,90€. This is a discount of 50%!

      Please make sure you read the instructions carefully because you only have ONE bid per day. Use it wisely. It is more about luck than having the biggest wallet.

      Auction start and end times as well as the duration changes daily and it is different in both regions. If you do not want to destroy your F5 key then I recommend you subscribe to the auction newsletter.

      Auctions are new to us so we want to learn how to improve it. Please tell us here in the comments what you like or how you want to improve it.

      Good luck!

      UPDATE

      We decided to change the terms in order to make it more convenient for you.
      Everyday the auction will start at the same time and will last for 2 hours.
      We are still improving the performance so I hope it gets better everyday.
    398 comments 18.9K views 399 comments Most recent by Roman Kruszewskki Subscribe to this blog
  • CSL Elite Steering Wheel McLaren GT3

    • We already put it on pre-order and here is a short video aboutr the main features. We have put a lot of attention to details in this steering wheel.

      Please participate in the survey and let me know what you like on it. 

      I will fly to to the factory next week in order to supervise the start of production. Can't wait :)
    164 comments 15.7K views 165 comments Most recent by Monik Gadhvana Subscribe to this blog
  • Black Friday 2017 - UPDATE2
    • So it is Black Friday again. :-bd

      This year we will have 4 offers and I hope this pleases existing customers as well as new ones. All offers will be revealed during this weekend and the sale starts on Nov 24th at 9.00 German time. As usual we will continue the sale until Monday or as long as supply lasts. There is enough inventory so that you do not have to be there at 9.00 but I would not recommend to wait until Monday if you want to be 100% sure to get one of those offers.

      Offer 1 of 4:



      image
      ClubSport Pedals V3 inverted
      Get the inverted pedals for the price of the regular ones! -40% !
      $299.95
      359,95€ (incl. VAT)
      499.95AUD (incl. tax)
      42,900JPY (incl. tax)
       
      Offer 2 of 4:
      image

      ClubSport Steering Wheel Universal Hub for XBOX One
      Get the Rim for FREE!
      $299.95
      349,95€ (incl. VAT)
      499.95AUD (incl. tax)
      43,900JPY (incl. tax)

      Offer 3 of 4:
      image

      CSL Elite Wheel Starter Pack for XBOX One & PC
      $299.95
      299,95€ (incl. VAT)
      399.95AUD (incl. tax)
      39,000JPY (incl. tax)


      Offer 4 of 4:
      image

      Our last offer is the new steering wheel which will be exclusively available for pre-order during the Black Friday Weekend.

      Some people were dissapointed that there is no offer for PS4 users but this is actually not true as you can create your own PS4 bundle if you combine offer 1, 2 and/or 4 with the CSL Elite Racing wheel.

      UPDATE

      This was a painful and slow experience today and I would like to apologize for that. This Black Friday is much stronger than in the years before and in the first 8 hours we made about 16 times the turnover of a normal full day.

       Please take your time as you will get your discount for sure, even if the product is out of stock. But we do have inventory.
      You have plenty of time until Tuesday morning 9.00 CET and all pre-orders of the McLaren will be shipped on the same day anyway.

      UPDATE2
      The CSP V3i are sold out in USA and Japan now but we will keep the discounted price for pre-orders as promised.
    465 comments 61.7K views 466 comments Most recent by Lorenzo TMR Subscribe to this blog
  • Blank Discussion Topic
    • So what is this?

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    62 comments 8.1K views 63 comments Most recent by Danilo Alfio Longhitano Subscribe to this blog
  • Finding the right force feedback settings on PS4
    • The CSL Elite Racing Wheel is the most compatible racing wheel out there. It works with all PS4 and PC games as well as all Xbox One games if you connect a Xbox One steering wheel to it.

      Finding the right setting is easy but you need to know how to do it. Therefore I will give you some guidance how to tune your force feedback settings.

      First of all you need to get the latest firmware. Please make sure that the wheel is in PC mode (red) if you open the game controller options to do the firmware update. It also works on an Apple PC if you install Windows on it.

      Some games (e.g. Assetto Corsa, WRC 7) also require that you first configure the game with the Dualshock controller and choose a wheel in the controller options menu.

      Selecting the right mode for PS4 is important. You need to do that before starting the game.
      For most games you can use the blue mode. This list will tell you what games require the compatibility mode (purple).
      For Dirt Rally, F1 2015 and Project Cars 1 I recommend to use the yellow mode. You need to press and hold the mode button for 10 seconds to go to yellow compatibility mode.

      Please note that Project Cars 2 currently has a major bug in the support of our wheel so we recommend to use the purple mode until this is fixed. They are fully working on it.

      Every new game will use the blue mode so it will get easier.

      In game settings:
      The most important is to avoid force feedback clipping. This means the game sends out signals which are to high for the motor to reproduce. You will lose fine signals from the road. If the ff is very active on straights but in corners you only feel the full power but no more details then you probably have clipping. Lower the ff strength in the game (not the wheel) to avoid clipping.

      I also suggest to add some small dead zone on the pedal axis which will avoid that you accidentally press a pedal if your foot rests on it.

      Tuning parameters on the wheel:

      FEI Force Effects Intensity
      Always start at 100% and if the effects are too sharp or there is a strong and noisy rattle which you do not like then turn it down to a lower value.

      FF Force Feedback
      Some games like GTS do not have the option to adjust overall force feedback strength. Therefore you can reduce the strength in wheel. Otherwise I would always suggest to keep this value at 100 and adjust the ff strength in game.

      SPR Spring
      Very few games use spring effects instead of force effects. This value controls the signal coming from the game. Keep it at 100 unless you notice dull force feedback because there is a permanent spring over all other force effects.

      DPR Damper
      This option controls only the damper effect signals coming from the game. It really makes sense to keep it at 100 unless an effect really annoys you. Usually a damper makes sense for example when the car is standing and you try to turn the wheel.

      DRI Drift
      The default is -5 but all values from -5 to 0 will add a damper over all other effects. A natural damper will avoid shaking on straights and also make the car feel more realistic but you might want to choose a higher value if you prefer a faster response from the wheel. Values above 0 will  use motor power to artificially accelerate the steering wheel. Please note that this can cause the wheel to shake heavily if you release it. Those higher values are recommended for heavy steering wheels or for drifting in games.


      And if you think that you screwed up all settings then simply make a reset by pressing the Tuning menu button for 10 seconds until you see "rst" on the display.

      Please let me know if you want to know more or still need help.

    170 comments 28.8K views 171 comments Most recent by Thorsten Rinkenberger Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec CSL Elite Racing Wheel - GT Sport Compatibility - UPDATE
    • Announcement:

      "Some of you might have tried the demo version of GT Sport which is online as of today.
      Unfortunately, at this time it is not possible to select the CSL Elite Racing Wheel in the GT Sport controller options menu. Therefore players can’t enjoy some of the wheels advanced features in the game, such as Force Feedback.
      We apologize for any inconvenience caused, and are working hard with our engineers and partners with the aim of rectifying this for the games launch. We will continue to update you and appreciate your patience. "


      UPDATE

      GT Sport has been released and it works great with the Fanatec CSL Elite Racing Wheel. Due to time constraints, Polyphony was not yet able to fully implement our wheel in the controller options menu but you can enjoy full force feedback and support for the rev lights and the ClubSport Shifter if you install the latest firmware v335 (which is included in the driver v293) on your wheel.
      This firmware has a revised compatibility mode which now adds compatibility to:
      • GT Sports
      • F1 2016
      • WRC6
      • DriveClub

      Polyphony assured us that they will fully implement our wheel and that they are working on it. In the meantime you can already enjoy the game with the compatibility mode.

      Please let us know your preferred Tuning settings for the new games.

    901 comments 102.4K views 902 comments Most recent by Chris Gambera Subscribe to this blog
  • CSL Elite Racing Wheel now available in the USA
    155 comments 7.3K views 156 comments Most recent by Maurice Böschen Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec Podium Series - UPDATE


    • image

      Introducing the new Fanatec Podium Series.

      The Podium products will be our hardcore range of products and positioned above the ClubSport Series. Of course the compatibility throughout the whole product palette will remain.

      We try to set new standards in terms of functionality, performance and durability combined with the typical Fanatec attributes plug&play comfort, compatibility and a great price performance.

      We will show the first Podium product at the Simracing Expo: Our new  direct drive wheel base

      UPDATE

      Some interviews:
    166 comments 58.5K views 167 comments Most recent by Jesus Gallegos Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec Eco-System
    • I am quite proud of what my team has achieved together with our strong community in the past 20 years. 

      Fanatec invented the idea of an eco-system and nobody offers a bigger variety of high-end sim racing products than us.

      We already have three product lines and will add another one very soon. Almost every component is compatible with each other and we managed to make the first and only true multi platorm licensed racing wheel.

      Products like our ClubSport Pedals or the Formula rim became sim racing Icons and our community is growing every single day.

      Please keep telling us what you want and we will make it happen.

    32 comments 2.1K views 33 comments Most recent by Thorsten Rinkenberger Subscribe to this blog
  • Introducing the CSL Elite Steering Wheel P1

    • image
      We are continuing to expand our range of CSL and CSL Elite steering wheels to make high-end performance better available for a broader group of sim racers.

      Of Course it looks familiar to you as it is based on our popular P1 steering Wheel. But the Elite Version of the P1 Comes with the following improvements:

      • The realistic sized steering wheel (Ø30cm/11,81") has a lightweight design of only approx. 970g which makes it the lightest steering wheel Fanatec currently offers.
      • The design incorporates aluminum spokes, a fiber enforced back cover, as well as genuine Alcantara® with an eye-catching red cross-stitched seam. 
      • The newly designed durable shifter paddles utilize Snapdome™ technology and have an intensive and positive click feeling.
      • The Xbox One® button caps can be exchanged easily to racing style button caps (included), with symbols that match the most popular functions needed during a race.

      It is an Xbox One licensed product and just like our other licensed steering wheels it will work fine with the upcoming Xbox One X later this year.

      Please check out our new "Xbox One Competition Pack" which combines the power of our V2.5 base and the fully metal CSL Elite pedals with this steering wheel for just 699,95 €

      It is available for pre-order and will be delivered in early September.
    55 comments 4.3K views 56 comments Most recent by Maurice Böschen Subscribe to this blog
  • New Tuning parameter "Force Effects Intensity" (FEI) - Beta Firmware & Survey
    • We have developed a new firmware and driver (v291) for the CSL Wheel Bases and we kindly ask you to test it and give us your feedback. 
      On one hand the CSL Elite Wheel Bases (CSL E WB, CSL E RW PS4) can reproduce high-dynamic force feedback effects as intense as sent by games/simulations. On the other hand some of you and some reviewers reported that these harsh effects can cause some mechanical noise within the new and extremely direct (single) belt drive system. Even if this behaviour does not harm the hardware in any way, in some situations the mechanical sounds of the wheel base might be perceived as being too loud, depending on your game and tuning menu settings.

      To provide optimizations according to your personal preference we are introducing a new tuning menu parameter called 'FEI' ('Force Effect Intensity'), adjustable within the range of 000 - 010. The current default setting is 000 which is equal to the parameters in previous public released firmwares for both bases. Increasing the value for FEI means that the motor will decrease the attack impact, when FFB effects are leading to immediate direction changes. Higher FEI values softens up the intensity of harsh effects to reduce mechanical sounds and can even make them feel more natural. 
       
      We’re giving you full ability to tweak your wheel within the FEI scale to find your preferred sweet spot, or still enjoy the product even without using this new parameter. 

      Please tell us which FEI setting you would recommend to be our new default setting providing a perfect balance between effect intensity, feeling and noise. This should suit to the average customer out of box, not only the hardcore sim-racer. Please test it in as many simulations/games and platforms as possible.

      If there is anything you want to let us know then please post it in a comment.

      Changelog:
      Driver changes:
      Included new CSL rim option "Disable CSL Steering Wheel RevStripe" in Property Page - Settings tab.
      Included new CSL E WB PS4 option "Allow CSW V2 Compatibility mode on PC" in Property Page - Settings tab.
      Various small improvements and bug-fixes

      Firmware changes:
      New firmwares for CSL E WB and CSL E WB PS4 (CSL Elite PS4 Racing Wheel)
      “FEI” function has been added to tuning menu
      CSL P1 rev-stripe can be de-activated by the driver

      There is no new firmware for other wheels, wheel bases, pedals or accessories included in this package but the driver still can be used for other devices as well.
    105 comments 27.6K views 106 comments Most recent by Maurice Böschen Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec is hiring! Recommend someone and get a free DD Wheel Base.
    • We are happy and proud that Fanatec is growing and growing and already became one of the pacemakers in sim racing.

      Main reason for our great success story is a strong team of professionals which know exactly what to do in order to bring us to the next level.

      We are now looking for three more team members and would love to recruit those among our strong community. Please check out the detailed job descriptions and contact us as described below.

      If you know somebody which would be a good fit, please post his name below and ask her/him to contact us as descibed below. Only the frst member who mentions the name will get the reward so hurry up and check with your friends.

      If we hire the person you recommended, you will get a free Direct Drive Wheel Base once it is available!

      Position 1: Quality Manager

      Endor is looking for an experienced Quality Manager for its worldwide operations. Multi-country Supply Chain Management is also an appreciated experience.

      This individual will be responsible for extensive personal , written and programatic interaction with Endor's  suppliers, on-site in Germany, China, the USA and some other countries.

      Primary activities include enforcement of Quality Control Systems, defined in written form, with owners, managers, QC managers and workers in Endor's primary suppliers, both in person and by electronic communications.

      Also included in the duties of the job:
      • Management of Endor's own QC team in China
      • Root-cause analysis of common quality errors
      • Manufacturing line inspections
      • Materials inspection
      • Leading continous improvement efforts in suppliers and in HQ offices
      • Problem solving
      • Observing and reporting activities in suppliers facilities back to HQ offices
      • Supplier relations
      • Writing, and teaching the writing, of Quality Standards and Methods
      • Design and implementation of QC procedures and HQ offices
      Formal qualifications include:

      • 4-5 years experience managing internal company quality control and document control
      • 2-3 years experience interacting deeply with domestic or foreign manufactures, specifically in areas of quality control documentation
      • Team leadership in manufacturing and/or manufacturing QC experience
      • People skills
      • Superb ability to read and write German and English
      • Knowledge of Mandarin is a definite plus
      • Experience manufacturing in China is a plus
      • Experience with standard certification processes (ISO, BRC, etc.) is helpful, although we will not implement such a system
       
      Travel is a significant part of the job. Total travel per year not less than 4-5 months. 
       
      Salary commensurate with experience. In case you are interested, contact us the way described at the very bottom of this blog post!


      Position 2: PR Manager
      In July 2016 we already looked for a PR Manager and also found somebody but we still need to expand in this area. If you already applied for this job in 2016 and you are still interested, please feel free to apply for this position again.

      Responsibilities:
      • Manage press and  community reviews and tests
      • Provide ideas from the community/press to the product development team
      • Helping to create, develop, and manage all proactive and reactive press opportunities (print and online)
      • Press release and newsletter writing and dissemination
      • International media outreach
      • Provide content (reviews) to the web and social media team
      Requirements
      • Decent knowledge of sim racing equipment and racing simulations
      • Fluent spoken and written English with excellent grammar is mandatory. German or other languages are a plus
      • Strategic thinker, with excellent public relations skills, solid and cooperative media relationships, and knowledge of the evolving digital and social media fields 
      • Should have strong writing and organizational skills, excellent people skills, plus the ability to always keep calm and proffessional.  
      • Bachelor's degree is not required but a plus.
      • Two or more years’ experience in an agency or corporate environment


      Position 3: Customer care / Technical support
       
      Since German-speaking is a mandatory skill for this position the call for proposals is expressed in German:
       
      Als stetig wachsendes Unternehmen suchen wir einen neuen motivierten, engagierten Mitarbeiter als Unterstützung im Bereich technischer Support, aber auch Qualitätssicherung und Entwicklung. Die Hauptkompetenz von Endor/Fanatec sind bekanntermaßen Projekte im Produktumfeld Spiele-Controller für PC und Konsolen (PS4, Xbox One) mit dem Hauptaugenmerk auf Sim-Racing-Hardware.

      Wir bieten Ihnen ein interessantes Arbeitsumfeld mit vielseitigen Aufgabenbereichen als Teil eines hochmotivierten Teams an unserem Standort im Zentrum von Landshut.

      Ihr Aufgabengebiet:

      • Unterstützung und Entlastung des technischen Supports
      • Sofortige Mitarbeit an konkreten Projekten in der Produktentwicklung
      • Schnittstelle zwischen technischen und administrativen Abteilungen
      • Übernahme diverser Aufgaben in unserer Werkstatt

      Ihr Profil:

      • Flüssiges Deutsch und Englisch in Schrift und Sprache ist Voraussetzung. Weitere Sprachkenntnisse in Französisch/Italienisch/Spanisch sind von Vorteil aber nicht notwendig
      • Praktische Erfahrung in Sachen Hardware, Elektronik/Mechanik wünschenswert
      • Belastbar, flexibel, teamfähig
      • Gute EDV Kenntnisse: Erfahrungen mit PC-Hardware sowie Microsoft-Betriebssystemen und Spielekonsolen 
      • Handwerkliches Geschick sowie Basiskenntnisse Umgang mit Schraubenzieher, Kabeln und Steckern
      • Erfahrungen mit PC- bzw. Konsolenspielen (vA. Rennspiele) sind hilfreich. Diesbezügliches Interesse wird vorausgesetzt.
       
      Der primäre Arbeitsort wäre unsere Firmenzentrale im Zentrum von Landshut. Alternativ könnten konkrete Vorschläge bzgl. Fernarbeit, nach einer ausreichend intensiven Einarbeitungsphase, in Betracht gezogen werden.

      Wenn Sie an dieser abwechslungsreichen Aufgabe interessiert sind, freuen wir uns über Ihre aussagekräftige, schriftliche Bewerbung.  Bitte senden sie uns ihre vollständigen Bewerbungsunterlagen mit Angabe Ihrer Gehaltsvorstellung und Ihres frühestmöglichen Einstiegstermins wie im folgenden Absatz (Englisch) beschrieben:
       
       


      To apply for those positions within our company please send your CV and other documents to [email protected]
      Since there will be automatic filtering, please use the following subjects in your Email: “Quality Manager”, "PR Manager" or “Technical Support”.
      Please notice that we will not be able to process incoming Emails which do have other subjects or which do not have the necessary document(s) attached.
      Please do not forget to mention the first person who recommended you so that we can give him/her a new Fanatec DD.

      Thank you very much for your time. I hope to welcome you very soon to our great team.


    21 comments 5.7K views 22 comments Most recent by Torbjørn Mundal Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec Direct Drive
    • It is an open secret that we are working on a Direct Drive wheel. I have posted in several forums and there are some bits of information here and there. It's time to open a single thread for this subject.

      This post will be updated from time to time and the main purpose for us is to collect information of what you really want. Of course we already have nailed down several specs but there are still things we can change or add. So please tell us what your dream system looks like.

      Models
      We are developing more than one base. The main difference will be the maximum torque. The torque range is starting at a competitive level far above the CS WB V2.5  and ranges up to a level most of you will not be able to use for a long time. 
      It will not replace the CS WB V2.5 and we will keep this model as the best non-DD solution on the market.
      The DD wheel bases are the first products of a complete series of hardcore products which are positioned above the ClubSport series. This series will include wheel bases, steering wheels, pedals, shifters and handbrakes in the (very) long run.

      Plug&Play
      The DD will be a typical plug&play product like other Fanatec wheel bases. All in one housing and no cable mess. 

      Certification
      Like any other Fanatec product, the DD will be fully certified and lab tested. This will avoid EMI issues and other interference with your other devices. The DD uses a lot of power and huge magnets are involved so this is a very important point which is often not considered until you get a lot of mysterious issues and damages to your whole system.

      Compatibility
      PC for sure as this is the main market and there is no reason that it should not work on Xbox One. The first generation will not be compatible to PS4.
      We have a great relationship with all racing game developers and you can be sure that there will be broad support for this wheel base. Our target is to set a new standard in simracing.

      Motors:
      We looked at the current motors on the market and there was nothing which really fulfilled our requirements. Those industrial motors were not designed for simracing. Steppers and hybrid steppers deliver a way too notchy feeling for a hardcore product, no matter how good you tweak the software. Also other servo motors are always a compromise. Therefore we developed complete custom servo motors where we decided about what speed, torque, size, power consumption, pricing etc. we need.

      Steering Wheels
      All the current ClubSport steering wheels will be compatible. We developed a new QR system on the base to handle the extra power but it will stay a quick release. 
      There will be no cable from the wheel to the base or to USB. The wheel will be able to rotate unlimited without the risk to snap off a cable or to disturb you while driving.
      The CSL and CSL Elite steering wheels will be compatible as well but torque will be reduced if such a wheel is detected.

      Software 
      Please let us know what kind of software your are expecting to get with the DD. What parameters do you want to adjust and how and where do you want to adjust these parameters. We are pretty flexible on this point.

      Target Dates
      Disclaimer
      Dates are always a very sensitive subject. In principle you need to understand that the DD technology is not only new to us, our DD wheels are completely designed from scratch and a breakthrough for the whole industry. This involves some completely new technology which had to be invented and everything is customized. A lot of unknown factors are not good to give any solid time projections. 
      We simply cannot give you any guaranteed dates at this point. But at least you get some indication of our target dates.


      Community event: 
      There will be a community event where we invite interested simracers to test and compare our new DD wheels directly to all other solutions on the market. Time and date is not defined yet but it will obviously be before the launch date. More news and how to apply for this test will be posted here.

      Beta Test: 
      The external beta test will start after all internal tests are done. We will also make a separate announcement where you can apply to become a tester. We are interested in the opinion of current DD users and ultra hardcore users as well as people with analytic and structured thinking which are able to find remaining bugs and make suggestions for improvements. 
      Please make sure you already filled out this form

      First public appearance:
      We plan to show this product at the Simracing Expo this year.

      Launch date: 
      Q4 2017


      Pricing
      There will be a significant difference to the current wheel bases we have so there will be different performance levels at different price points. As the current CS WB V2.5 is still priced significantly lower than any other DD wheel on the market (please compare it with a full system incl. steering wheel with buttons) there is still room for us to make a very competitive offer.
      Our new DD bases can compete in pricing as well as superior functionality and performance. 


      Oh and did I mention the beauty of them? :)






       
    163 comments 42.8K views 164 comments Most recent by David Madden Subscribe to this blog
  • Introducing our first officially licensed racing wheel for PlayStation®4 (PS4™) - UPDATE 1
    • image

      The CSL Elite Racing Wheel - officially licensed for PS4 is available in our webshop from today and it is the first Fanatec® racing wheel which is officially licensed by Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe (SIEE) for PlayStation®4.

      In the press release we will talk about the specs and features but most of you already know our products well so let me tell you some inside information.

      The Wheel Base
      The base looks obviously very similar to our CSL Elite Wheel base, but there are some significant differences.
      • As this is an officially licensed product we added some electronics provided by Sony and this ensures that the racing wheel is properly recognized by the console
      • The motor driver electronics are completely different to the CSL Elite Wheel Base and the same as on the ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5.
      • The motor itseld and the power supply is also identical to the CS WB V2.5 but because of the diffferent gear ratio, this wheel base has less torque but more speed.
      The Steering Wheel
      The steering wheel of the CSL Elite Racing Wheel also looks familiar but we improved it significantly on several points over the existing CSL P1 Steering Wheel.
      • It now comes with perforated genuine leather and suede fabric with blue stitching.
      • The weight is now reduced to 970g which makes it the lightest steering wheel in our range. This increases acceleration and consumes less torque.
      • The shifter paddles have been re-designed and now include Snaptron® snapdomes. They deliver a sensational positive and strong click feeling.
      • The buttons are now interchangeable so you can use easy symbols to remember the mapping of your most important racing game functions.
      Please note that the steering wheel will not be sold separately for now.

      Compatibility
      By working really closely with SIEE on the development of the CSL Elite Racing Wheel we have been able to integrate features that we know racing fans on the PS4 will be able to appreciate, including: 
      • Fully supported within the PS4 console menu.
      • Enables advanced functionality with select upcoming compatible games, including GT Sport.
      • The CSL E RW is backwards compatible to all games which were compatible to the CS WB V2 with the help of a compatibility mode. It will work fine in the game but not in the system menu of the console.
      •  Assetto Corsa and Dirt 4 are the first fully compatible titels and many more will follow. This includes F1 2017, Project Cars II and of course GT Sport.
      Availability
      At the moment the CSL Elite Racing Wheel is only available in Europe and Australia but we are exploring the possibility of expanding the availability into further markets. 

      The orders will be shipped right away. 

      We will also have a special introduction bundle which will be attractive especially to new customers. For just 519,95 € you get a complete set with CSL Elite Pedals.

      More info and a video to be posted soon.

      How do you like it?

      UPDATE 1

      We just signed the agreement with Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC about selling this wheel in the US. Now we need to make new packaging and produce products and get all of that apporved so we are still some time away from shipping it to customers in the US but we will get there.

      We have also developed a new firmware which gets rid of the clunky noise in some games. It will be adjustable through a Tuning parameter and is currently under beta testing.

    399 comments 29.2K views 400 comments Most recent by Hristo Goshev Subscribe to this blog
  • You found the Easteregg! - UPDATE
    • But what is it?



      image

      Here  we go ;)


      image
    566 comments 42.5K views 567 comments Most recent by Joseph Gossen Subscribe to this blog
  • ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5 reviews
    • The first reviews of our new ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5 are coming in and Shaun Cole gives a detailed overview about the product and it's new features:



      If you have bought a V2.5 it would be great to share your opinion in the comments as well.
    57 comments 7.3K views 58 comments Most recent by Dan Binder Subscribe to this blog
  • Upgrade kit for ClubSport Pedals
    • A lot of customers asking us now if we will offer an upgrade kit for the CSP V2 or V3.

      This picture shows all the parts we have changed or are new in comparison to the regular CSP V3. That means an upgrade kit would have to include all the red parts.
      As you can see you would have to exchange almost the complete pedal and this is only if you have a V3. In case of a V2 or even V1 you would have to change almost everything.

      This kit would not be cheap either and it will be very difficult to assemble. This increases the risk of potential damage a lot and if your V3 pedal is still under warranty and you buy such a kit then you would expect a proper warranty as well, right?

      We might make an upgrade kit for the CSL Elite pedals in future if demand is high enough as this would be much easier but for the CSP there is absolutely no way to make it work properly and easy enough.

      The CSP V3i are still the most affordable inverted pedals with loadcell and hydraulics on the market and I hope you like the addition in our portfolio.

      image
    34 comments 7K views 35 comments Most recent by Kimmo Leppänen Subscribe to this blog
  • Introducing the new ClubSport Pedals V3 inverted
    • image

      In 2017 we will announce a couple of exciting products and this is the first.

      The new ClubSport Pedals V3 inverted.

      It was developed for our driving school simulator and while the floor mounted CSP V3 are more close to a pure race car, the modified sportscars in a GT series come with inverted pedals.

      Unlike other solutions on the market, the CSP V3i will come with two hanging and one floor mounted pedal. Just like in a real car.

      We are also using exactly the same ergonomics as in a sports car so they are not just inverted.

      Here are the changes to the regular CSP V3:
      • Clutch and brake pedals inverted
      • More travel and different mechanics on the clutch
      • Comes with damper kit pre-installed on the brake
      • Longer heel rest
      • Wider distance in between the pedals
      The rest of the features is the same as on the CSP V3. We decided to use the PU foam and damper instead of the Eladur springs as this will give you a more realistic travel and feel. If you like the ultra stiff feeling of a formula car then you can still purchase the optional brake performance kit for those pedals as well. The stiffest setting of the Default V3i is a little bit softer than the softest stick combination of the BPK.
      The footprint is the same as on the V3 pedals so it should fit well into most cockpits.
      A lot of customers keep asking us how they can invert their CSP V3 or V2 and if we can offer an upgrade kit. As it is quite complicated to assemble it we decided to develop a completely new product and there will be no conversion kit.

      It took way too long to develop this product and I learned that nothing is as easy as it seems if you want to make it right.

      The ClubSport Pedal V3 inverted are in the warehouse and ready to ship in the EU and USA/Canada. Australia and Japan will follow soon.

    26 comments 6.2K views 27 comments Most recent by Carl Cavers Subscribe to this blog
  • Comparison Charts
    • We have now added comparison charts to our pedals, wheel bases, wheel rims and steering wheels so get a better and quick overview about the differences between our products.

      You will find them on the product page in a new "comparison" tab.

      We have also added more info about the pedal axis sensor resolution in the special notes of each pedal.

      Is there any other info you are missing on our Website?


      image
    6 comments 2.2K views 7 comments Most recent by Greg Snell Subscribe to this blog
  • Wishlist for FM7 UPDATE
    • I have a meeting with the team of Turn 10 this week and we will discuss several things we could do together for their next title of Forza Motorsport.

      If you would like to add something, please let me know. Please tell me any wheel/pedal/shifter related issues you have in FM6 and let us know what new features you would like to see supported in FM7.

      Please do not list any other things as we will only discuss issues or features related to our products.

      This is your chance to change something!

      UPDATE

      I had a very good meeting with them and I am happy to report that there is a good chance that a lot of things will change for the better in upcoming FM titles.

      The PC market seems very important for them and they are aware that this market is dominated by wheel users. Therefore  we will intensify our co-operation and get the best out of the games for wheel users.

      I cannot confirm at this point what features can be implemented but the interest to do so is very high. 

      :-bd

      Please continue to give me feedback and I will make sure that you will be heard.
    75 comments 9K views 76 comments Most recent by John Warrington Subscribe to this blog
  • Interview with Gamereactor
    • Last Friday was one of those days why I love my job.  :x
      I was invited by Kunos and Porsche to drive a 911 around the Vallelunga race track and had some great discussions there.

      Gamereactor made this interview with me:

    58 comments 1.9K views 59 comments Most recent by Dominik Rother Subscribe to this blog
  • Brake Performance Kit for ClubSport Pedals V3 is now available

    • image

      We were finally able to ship the Brake Performance Kit for our ClubSport Pedals V3.

      It makes your pedals more stiff than the stiffest settings you can reach with your PU foams and also allow a different feeling as you can combine PU foam and Elastomer springs for some travel in the beginning and then super stiff resistance for braking. This emulates a race car brake like you find in F1 or LMP. you will brake using only muscle memory instead of memorizing the foot position and this can make you faster.

      This kit is not there to replace the damper kit as the damper will add hydraulic feel to it. And it is also not designed to fix any issues some customers had with the smoothness of their V3 brake in the first batches. Those customers should contact support and get a free PU foam with better lubrication which will not need service.

      The Brake Performance Kit contains 4 different types of elastomer springs and a small PU foam which will allow different spring settings. Green is harder than red and both colours come in two diameters and the bigger the diameter the stiffer the pedal.

      Please note that there is a reason why we did not ship the CSP V3 with the BPK as standard equipment as you will see that the adjustment of the travel and stiffness cannot be made with the pre-load screw anymore.

      Let us know how you like the feeling of your modified brake pedal and what colour combo you use.
    46 comments 3.3K views 47 comments Most recent by Gregory Karydis Subscribe to this blog
  • Black Friday 2016 - UPDATE


    • image
      It became tradition that Fanatec makes one sale per year and this is on Black Friday (25.11.2016).

      We will not just one but three strong offers:
      A
      Porsche 918 steering wheel for your ClubSport or CSL Elite Wheel base
      EU: 299,95 €
      US: 299,95 $
      AUS: 449,95 AUD
      J: 34.900 JPY

      B
      CSL Elite Wheel Base + CSL P1 Steering Wheel + Assetto Corsa (Xbox One)
      EU: 399,95 €
      US: 399,95 $
      AUS: 649,95 AUD
      J: 39.900 JPY

      C
      ClubSport Handbrake + ClubSport USB Adapter
      EU: 79,95 €
      US: 79,95 $
      AUS: 139,95 AUD
      J: 11.900 JPY


      Depending on product and region this means we give discounts of up to 48% on our top products. But  keep in mind that the sale starts only on November 25th and will last until supply lasts. With this message we just want to inform you ahead of time what you can expect. There will not be any other offer.

      How do you like our offers?

      UPDATE
      The sale starts on Friday at 9.00 CET in the morning

    101 comments 20.4K views 102 comments Most recent by Mona kelly Subscribe to this blog
  • CSL Elite Pedals + Wheel Base shipping NOW
    • I am very pleased to tell you that we are able to ship the new CSL Elite Wheel base and the CSL Elite pedals with and without load cell kit from today and that means well ahead of the original schedule.

      All pre-orders up to this moment will be fullfiled but supply is still very short and won't last very long. You will receive your pre-ordered unit within the next two weeks regardless what region.

      If you are one of the lucky owners, please let us know how you like your new gear.


      image
    49 comments 2.9K views 50 comments Most recent by Barrett Birnbaum Subscribe to this blog
  • The road to hell -Part I
    • At the Simracing Expo I met a great guy and he inspired me to make an old dream come true: Participating in the famous 24H race on the Nürburgring.

      The guy I met was Dale Lomas, the famous driver of the Ring-Taxi, blogger and one of the most experienced Nordschleife experts in the world. He is doing 2000 laps per year!

      He is also a simracer and so we teamed up and he will help us to make this dream happen. The plan is to get a team and car ready for the race in 2018. We need to start from scratch and learn how to race, make licenses, how to build up a car and how to survive without damaging ourselves or others. Our target for 2018 is not just to be an driving obstacle, we want to compete.
      The team will consist of 4 Drivers. At least two will be Endor employees but we will also recruit one or two drivers from the community. If it is a success in 2018 then we will do it every year and bring more drivers to the best track in the world.

      Our first step was to take a full track day with Dale. The track was reserved for participants of this Event and we were able to make 20 laps (=400km). My product designer, Bernhard, was with me and both of us were driving two laps with Dale as coach and then we changed. Dale taught us all those little tricks you need to know and while he was talking and talking our brains tried to save all that Information and at the same time keeping the car on track.
      We had a modified BMW 228i with roll cage and sport tyres but the engine was standard. It was a great car to start and have fun and we gave several Porsches and GT-Rs a hard time with it. The McLaren P1 was a bit faster though. ;)

      We finished the session by letting Dale drive a lap and that brought us back on the ground and we realized that it is still a long way to go for us. Thanks to Dale for this fantastic day.

      Next step will be to make the National license A and to build up a car during winter time. I will keep you posted!

      image
    8 comments 1.1K views 9 comments Most recent by Alexander Prus Subscribe to this blog
  • Steering Wheel Survey
    • We continue to develop new steering wheels and wheel rims for both the ClubSport and the CSL series and it is important to understand your preferences so we develop the right products for you.

      Therefore I created this little wheel survey.

      Please feel free to participate but only if you are a CSL or ClubSport Wheel Base owner.

      Please also note that this is just a wish list and wheels which require a license need to be approved by this 3rd Party  first.


    123 comments 7.2K views 124 comments Most recent by arto halonen Subscribe to this blog
  • CSL Elite Wheel Base & Pedals

    • It is my pleasure to introduce our new mid range series: CSL Elite

      image

      CSL stands for „ClubSport Light“ and racing fans know that light is good. We essentially used the technology of the ClubSport series and concentrated on pure performance and durability rather than fancy materials or a the prefect finish you know from the ClubSport series.
      Of course we also had to cut a few features but on the other side we also added a few innovative features which cannot be found anywhere else.

      Therefore the CSL products are 100% Fanatec and state-of-the-art!

      You can find the full description on our webshop or in the press release but here are the highlights of the new base and the new pedals. Both products are sold separately and of course they are compatible to most previous Fanatec equipment.

      CSL Elite Wheel Base
      - Super strong and fast brushless servo motor which delivers 6 NM on the steering axis
      - Single belt drive unit with just one belt between axis and motor
      - Automotive grade QR system and compatibility to all Fanatec CSL or ClubSport steering wheels
      - 1080° of rotation. Good for drifting
      - Rev Lights integrated on the base
      - Strong table clamp integrated
      - 2 shifter ports plus handbrake port. There are CSL Shifters and handbrake also coming up next

      CSL Elite Pedals and CSL Elite Pedals Loadcell Kit
      - Solid full metal construction
      - Basic set comes with two pedals but with the optional Loadcell Kit you add a loadcell brake and transform the former brake pedal into a clutch pedal.
      - Great brake feeling even on the basic set as it comes with a strong metal spring and a PU foam damper/spring
      - The loadcell brake pedal is actually a big loadcell. The whole arm is the sensor and it measures pedal pressure of up to 90kg. Of Course you can adjust the brakeforce during gameplay.
      - Travel and stiffness of the LC brake can be easily and quickly adjusted without the need of tools
      - You can choose between 3 surfaces for your pedal plates. Blank metal, rubber or a sandpaper anti-skid patch

      My team has worked a long time and very hard to bring those products to the market. I am very proud of them and also my thanks goes to the feedback of all testers and the community for telling us what you really want and need.

      And finally a word to the PlayStation situation. We know that a lot of people want to know what the status is but we cannot announce anything before the contract is signed. We have a good relationship with Sony but we need to follow the rules and although there are absolutely no points of disagreement, sometimes things takes a while because of procedures and work flows. I am confident that we can announce a PS4 Version of this Wheel base soon.


    115 comments 14K views 116 comments Most recent by Alberto Martin Subscribe to this blog
  • CSL Elite will go online this Friday
    • The new CSL Elite series will be online in our webshop and available for pre-order this Friday, 26th of August.

      If you buy a complete bundle of CSL P1 steering Wheel, CSL Elite Wheel Base, CSL Elite Pedals and CSL Elite Loadcell Kit then you will get a free copy of Assetto Corsa for Xbox One.

      On Friday you will get full specs, pricing and  pictures. The first reviews will follow as well.

      image


    19 comments 2.1K views 20 comments Most recent by Chris Broshar Subscribe to this blog
  • Server problems
    • Some customers have received an e-mail from our server with an old invoice.
      This occurred because we had to do some maintenance on our server and but the mail function was not deactivated.
      It is a harmless mistake and your data was not in danger at any time.
      Just ignore this e-mail, there is nothing to do on your side.
    2 comments 769 views 3 comments Most recent by Jean-Pierre Helpap Subscribe to this blog
  • Sim Racers Wanted! Fanatec is hiring and we pay a headhunting fee
    • Fanatec is expanding quickly and therefore we also need to enlarge our team.
      Enthusiam and fun with what you do are key to make a great job and therefore we are looking for sim racers who want to turn their hobby and passion into their daily job.

      You will work in the beautiful Bavarian town of Landshut but it does not matter if you speak German or where you come from. Our team is international and they all speak good english.

      If you know somebody who might be interested and bring us in contact, you will get a coupon code for our webshop with a value of 1000,- Euro. Please tell us the name of this person before he/she applies. The code will be sent after the trial period of the candidate.

      Here is what we need to create more great products and let the people know about it.

      If you are happy with what you do youn

      Community & PR Manager
      Responsibilities:
      • Manage forum on Fanatec.com in order to grow the community and increase customer satisfaction
      • Find and supervise moderators
      • Post FAQ and manage feedback to the Support team
      • Create forum rules and make sure that they are followed
      • Manage social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, etc. 
      • Create content and campaigns for all social media channels
      • Monitor international sim racing forums and guide customers to get support
      • Manage community reviews and tests
      • Provide ideas from the community to the product development team
      • Helping to create, develop, and manage all proactive and reactive press opportunities (print and online)
      • Handling of sponsored teams
      • Press release and newsletter writing and dissemination
      • International media outreach
      Requirements
      • Decent knowledge of sim racing equipment and racing simulations
      • Fluent spoken and written English with excellent grammar is mandatory. German or other languages are a plus
      • Strategic thinker, with excellent public relations skills, solid and cooperative media relationships, and knowledge of the evolving digital and social media fields 
      • Should have strong writing and organizational skills, excellent people skills, plus the ability to always keep calm and proffessional.  
      • Bachelor's degree is not required but a plus.
      • Two or more years’ experience in an agency or corporate environment

      Product & Project Manager
      Responsibilities:
      • Summarize and update specifications
      • Communicate with senior product managment about spec changes 
      • Create and manage project plans
      • Follow up with internal and external project ressources
      • Optimize project end dates and try to permanently keep or reduce the critical path of a project
      • Manage hand over from R&D to production
      • Get and check quotations for components or complete products
      • Create content for manuals and website descriptions
      • Arrange tests with internal and external betatesters
      • Support initial production stages before mass production
      • Interact with PR and Marketing team to co-ordinate launch campaigns
      • Report to management about project status on a weekly basis


      Requirements
      • Decent knowledge of sim racing equipment and racing simulations
      • Superior project management, communication and presentation skills. Must be proficient in MS Office suite (specifically in MS Project, Excel, Word and Visio).
      • Extensive experience of full life cycle projects. 
      • Highly organized and attentive to detail
      • 1-2+ years of experience in product and/or project management
      • Fluent spoken and written English is mandatory. German or other languages are a plus


      Please send your CV and other documents to [email protected] and we will come back to you.

      I hope to welcome you very soon to our great team.

    23 comments 12.5K views 24 comments Most recent by Nuno Ramalho Subscribe to this blog
  • Slogan for CSL Elite Wheel Base and Pedals wanted! -UPDATE
    • It has been silent for a Little while but we are coming back strong. The production of the CSL Elite Wheel base is starting soon together with the new CSL Elite pedals.

      As usual we would like to put a funny or surprising slogan on our giftbox so when you open the box you already know what to expect.

      This time we ask our community to come up with those slogans. We need one for the wheel base and one for the pedals.
      - 4 Lines
      - English language
      - Not too long

      Please post your proposals here in the comments and win a set of the new CSL Elite Wheel Base and CSL Elite Pedals.

      The slogan which will be chosen on the giftbox wins.
      If two people send in the same slogan, the first one gets the wheel.
      You can enter as many sloagans as you want

      UPDATE

      You are amazing!!!

      The feedback is overwhelming and there was a lot of great feedback! We have chosen the two winners and notified them but there will be probably more winners as we would like to use more of those slogans on future giftboxes. Of course you will also get the CSL Elite wheel.

      Production starts next week and if everything goes smoothly we plan to put it in our webhshop soon.


    393 comments 14.5K views 394 comments Most recent by Lorrell Waddell Subscribe to this blog
  • PlayStation compatibility UPDATE 2
    • You might have already noticed that we have removed the icons to show the PlayStation compatibility on our website. So what does that mean?

      As part of the licensing process for a new, officially licensed racing wheel, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) has asked us to stop promoting our unlicensed wheels as beeing PlayStation compatible and we are happy to comply with that. As soon as we have a fully licensed PlayStation wheel on the market, we will officially announce the compatibility again.

      If you already purchased a Fanatec product with previously promoted PS3 or PS4 compatibility, basically nothing will change for you. The compatibility for those wheels still depends solely on the game developers and if they decide to add/keep support for their wheels in their games or not.
      If you purchase a new wheel from us from now on we will only guarantee the PC or Xbox One compatibility as advertised.

      I hope you understand our position and rest assured that we do everything to make our products as compatible as possible.

      UPDATE
      The situation has still not changed much as we are still wating for a contract but it seems that a lot of our customers are very angry based on wrong assumptions.
      Therefore I would like to make some statements:

      1. Sony clearly said that PS3 steering wheels will only have limited Support on the PS4. This was posted on their Website and accessible to every PS4 owner.

      2. We never made any promises that your wheels will be future proof and 100% compatible with any upcoming PS4 game. In fact DriveClub was the first racing game on PS4 and it was never compatible. All owners of a CSW V2 could have known that and we clearly made big warnings on our product page that compatibility depends on the support of the game developer. We were never hiding anything and we did not try to mislead anybody. Please do not blame us if you did not read or believe in the big warnings in the the product description.

      3. No other manufactuerer even bothered to make unlicensed PS3 wheels compatible to PS4. Fanatec at least made several games compatible to several of our wheels. Wheels which we are not even selling anymore so there was no commercial sense for us. We even made old Xbox 360 wheels compatible to PS3 and PS4. We did it for YOU.

      4. Official PS4 wheels require a security chip. The only way to get such a chip is to make an agreement with Sony.

      5. Making an agreement with Sony is not a matter of money or effort or is anything we can influence. We can make proposals and they can accept it or not. They are not obliged to give us a license and there is no right for us to get one. If you think that it is simply a matter of money then ask yourself why we have no problem to pay royalties to Porsche, BMW or Microsoft but would not do so to the platform holder which gives us access to 65% of the wheel market. We are not stupid ;-). And by the way, Sony is not asking for crazy royalties. It is the normal rate that anybody has to pay if he gets selected.

      6. We only get such an agreement if we strictly and 100% follow their rules. If they want us to stop sending dev kits to the game developers then we do so. If we have to make our unlicensed wheels not compatible anymore then we do so. The only alternative we have is to have no licensed wheels at all.
      And that means you not only have to buy a new base but you also need new steering wheels, shifters, handbrakes, static shifter paddles etc.

      5. Emulating the security chip or other hacks might be possible but I hope you understand now that we are not even thinking about such an option.

      6. Making a Universal hub for  PS4 would be our preferred choice and we suggested that idea to Sony. Unfortunately it was rejected with no reason given. Again, we cannot force them to accept something.
      But there is a very positive aspect of that. On the Xbox it is impossible to use the popular Formula, BMW or Porsche steering wheels. It is likely that those steering wheels could be used on a potential PS4 base. Most of our customers have 2 or more steering wheels. It might be cheaper to replace the base than to replace all steering wheels.

      7. If we can get a license then it will be for something based on the CSL Elite base. This is certainly a step down from a CSW BV2 but probably still a lot better than any other alternative for PS4. And if this PS4 Wheel is selling well then there is no reason that we cannot get another license for another wheel.

      So what are my recommendations for you?

      Stay calm. We are working hard on a solution which is best for you and there is a high chance that we can achieve it.

      If we can make a PS4 Version of the CSL Elite Wheel base then it is very likely that you can keep your pedals, steering wheels, shifters, table clamps, handbrakes etc.. And there is great new stuff coming up as well.
      You can sell your CSWB V2 for good money to a PC or XOne user. Used bases sometimes sell on eBay with almost the same price as new. Perhaps you lose only 10% to  25% but you used it for several months.

      Of Course you could also sell your PS4 and switch to PC or XOne. Or you buy a product of the competition and support this license business which made you so upset.

      Let us get this contract done and then we hurry up to catch the Launch of GT Sport. We make sure that you have a decent setup for it.

      UPDATE 2
      Good News!
      I am happy to announce that we finally signed an Agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe for an officially licensed racing Wheel for the PlayStation 4.  Of Course we are in discussions with other regions as well and our target is to make a fully compatible racing wheel for Gran Turismo Sport and other great racing simulations in 2017.

      We can now make this new racing wheel compatible to the console system and that means you get full functionality like the PS button or navigation in the console menu. Unfortunately we cannot share more technical details about this product until it is fully approved.
      It is still Sony's policy that only official licensed products will be compatible to future games but we will make as much of your current peripherals compatible to the PS4 as possible. What we can already confirm is that at this point it is not possible to make existing wheel bases compatible anymore. This is not a technical problem but was part of the deal. I am aware that this is not what some of you want to hear but we will make sure that the new racing wheel will be the best wheel for PS4 out there. So if you stay with Fanatec it will still be your best option.

      We can also not comment on the timeline but rest assured that we are already working full speed on this project and try to start the approval process already this year. How long it takes is out of our control.









    962 comments 75K views 963 comments Most recent by Mario Eisenbach Subscribe to this blog
  • BLACK FRIDAY: Bundle with CSW B V2 and the new CSL P1 steering wheel
    • This year, we are making it a bit easier to get one of our high-end ClubSport Wheel Bases V2 with the new allround steering wheel CSL P1.

      This allows you to enjoy a complete new level of force-feedback quality on PS4, PS3, Xbox One and of course PC.

      The bundle is avalaible from tomorrow until Cyber Monday until supply lasts. We have some inventory so take your time.

      image
    245 comments 12.4K views 246 comments Most recent by Lorrell Waddell Subscribe to this blog
  • CSP V3 owners: Betatesters wanted for Brake Performance Kit
    • We will release a new Brake Performance Kit for the ClubSport Pedals V3 (only) which includes two special dampers made of a high-end material.


      image

      This material is made in Germany and allows for an ultra direct braking experience. There are two different stiffnes grades. It is easy to lubricate and super durable with cycle times of well over 1 Million.

      We are now looking for up to 60 testers who already own a ClubSport Pedal V3 and are willing to give us Feedback about:
      • Ease of Installation
      • Feeling
      • Precision
      • Stiffness
      • any issues you find

      Just leave a comment here and make sure that this is the account which contains all your latest adress Information.

    146 comments Closed 9.7K views 147 comments Most recent by Armin Habermann Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec releases CSL Wheel P1 steering wheel for Xbox One
    • image
      Landshut, 17.11.2015 – Fanatec announced today the newest official racing wheel for Xbox One: “CSL P1 Steering Wheel for Xbox One.”

      This is the first component of the new CSL series which is positioned below the very popular Clubsport Series.
      This steering wheel is an add-on for your existing ClubSport V2 base or the upcoming CSL base. As soon as you connect this steering wheel to your base the whole system with attached peripherals like shifters, pedals or handbrake will become an Xbox One peripheral.
      The diameter of 30 cm makes it more compact than other ClubSport steering wheels and the low weight of 1170 g makes it spin and react very fast.
      The most unique feature is the combination of the center stripe and the shift light. A multicolor LED  illuminates the center stripe so you always see the middle of the wheel rim as well as the revs of your engine.
      The TUNING LED display is also integrated on top of the rim and enables you to see telemetry data right in front of your eyes.
      The spokes of the P1 steering wheel are made of brushed aluminum and match the solid feel of the metal shifter paddles.
      A new quick release system will mount the wheel with strong forces to the wheel base hence allows a quick change of the steering wheel.
      The CSL P1 Steering Wheel for Xbox One will be is available from now on at www.Fanatec.com with immediate delivery in several countries and at a price of 149,95 € (EU) or 139,95 USD (US) which makes it the most affordable steering wheel option from Fanatec.

        EUR USD AUD YEN
      Black Friday Bundle (+CSW B V2) 799,95 649,95 1069,9 92400
      CSL P1 Steering Wheel 149,95 139,95 249,9 19900

       

    238 comments 19K views 239 comments Most recent by Remco Van Dijk Subscribe to this blog
  • New Generation
    • I told you that we are not done for 2015 yet and here it comes. It is already in stock in EU and USA and we will start selling next week.

      image
    61 comments 6K views 62 comments Most recent by Greg Unger Subscribe to this blog
  • A Hymn to Simracing
    • At the Simracing Expo 2015 we had the rare chance to meet several members of Team Redline at one place. We took the chance to make an interview. Enjoy.


    6 comments 710 views 7 comments Most recent by Antoine Goossens Subscribe to this blog
  • Subaru with Fanatec input controls
    • Mark Puc visited QSP Products in the Netherlands and found this amazing car outfitted with our equipment.

      Read the full article or watch the video:


    6 comments 939 views 7 comments Most recent by Trevor Geddis Subscribe to this blog
  • Fanatec live from the Simracing Expo
    • We are enjoying a great Simracing Expo at the Nürburgring which is taking place in parallel to the GT500 which starts in this minute.

      iRacing teamed up with us to show the GP track and behind closed doors even the new Nordschleife for iRacing.

      Later today we will have a great head to head race where race driver Michael Bartels will drive a BMW Z4 race car live against a driver of Team Redline in a Fanatec simulator on FM6. This race will be streamed LIVE here on youtube at 17.00 CET today.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ42K9G8m6Y


    25 comments 1.4K views 26 comments Most recent by Dillon Ryan Subscribe to this blog