Updates on Mclaren, Podium Base and GTS

Thomas Jackermeier

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. 

 

Thorsten Rinkenberger

Wow, so many good news! Many thanks Thomas. I just wanted to add the QR to my pre-order but obviously this is not necessary anymore. And now we have an update on GTS as well. Great, omce again many thanks.

Neil Farren

While it's disappointing to hear that we have to wait two more months for the GT3 wheel I appreciate that these things happen and would rather wait and have a perfect wheel. And the offer of a free QR is very nice. Thank you very much for that I really appreciate it.

Brian van den Bosch

Thanks for this update. As written also on GT Planet. Good clarification and quick responses. Keep up the good work. 

And we/I know that delays are (a possible) part of new products/solutions and you guys don't like that either. I can absolutely live with it and still looking forward to this magnificent McLaren GT3 wheel in near future. Cancelling pre order? NO WAY! 

Andreas Seeger

Thanks Thomas for sharing this informations! Please keep us up to date! 

Frank Lehmann

Even if it makes me a little bit sad, that i can't have the McLaren GT3 wheel in my hands next week, but it's a very nice move with the free Clubsport quick release adapter. Thanks.

And i'm really looking forward to the DD wheelbase. I hope the aimed release date in Summer can be met.

Sánta László

Thanks for the QR, I almost ordered it.

Ralf Halada

I am not an enthusiastic fanboy from fanatec, so i see this delay not so positiv.

The Problem is, that you have received the Money from all the Pre-Orders. In the End for more than 6 Months before you deliever. Money with which all of us cant plan anymore. How many Preorders you have? 5000 ? This is nearly 900000 Euros!!!! You should overthink your Policy of taking Money without immediate compensation.

And why i have allready in December the Feeling that the announced Release-Date will not be fullfilled.  

Rami Ahola

This suits for me. Haven't preordered but have planned to buy this with CSL Elite wheelrim at same time. But just bought 32" 1440p/144hz pc-monitor(not for sim use, I use other 21:9 monitor for that) so money situation isn't exactly best one just. So it's good if I have to wait few months. 

Patrick Gries

Ralf Halada said:

I am not an enthusiastic fanboy from fanatec, so i see this delay not so positiv.

The Problem is, that you have received the Money from all the Pre-Orders. In the End for more than 6 Months before you deliever. Money with which all of us cant plan anymore. How many Preorders you have? 5000 ? This is nearly 900000 Euros!!!! You should overthink your Policy of taking Money without immediate compensation.

And why i have allready in December the Feeling that the announced Release-Date will not be fullfilled.  

If you don't like putting money up front, you could have also ordered via money transfer. This way you place an order but you can pay whenever you want, but the wheel won't get dispatched, even if in stock, until you paid.

Ryan Hamm

Hey Ralf, look at the bright side of life, you're getting a part that retails for $100 absolutely free.  Life's too short to be angry.

Hristo Goshev

Thomas Jackermeier said:

But it looks that this this should not stop you from going fast. Here are some WORLD RECORDS driven by our Team Redline drivers with a CSL Elite Racing Wheel in compatibility mode.

Thomas if you look at the description of the video it says:Wheel-Thrustmaster T300.;)

 

Adam Dye

awesome driving... all 3 videos using T300..

Olli Pahkala

hristo goshev said:

Thomas Jackermeier said:

But it looks that this this should not stop you from going fast. Here are some WORLD RECORDS driven by our Team Redline drivers with a CSL Elite Racing Wheel in compatibility mode.

Thomas if you look at the description of the video it says:Wheel-Thrustmaster T300.;)

 

Hi,

Olli Pahkala here from Team Redline / Fanatec. I provided Thomas the world record videos. This was done in understanding that our Redline guys were using our racing wheels at that time but they weren't. Now they are, so it was a misunderstanding from my side.

You can check our Redline World Records from their newly created Facebook channel as well, which are done with the CSL E RW PS4: https://www.facebook.com/TRLGranTurismo/

Sorry for the inconvenience, race hard and go pro!

Hristo Goshev

Olli Pahkala said:

hristo goshev said:

Thomas Jackermeier said:

But it looks that this this should not stop you from going fast. Here are some WORLD RECORDS driven by our Team Redline drivers with a CSL Elite Racing Wheel in compatibility mode.

Thomas if you look at the description of the video it says:Wheel-Thrustmaster T300.;)

 

Hi,

Olli Pahkala here from Team Redline / Fanatec. I provided Thomas the world record videos. This was done in understanding that our Redline guys were using our racing wheels at that time but they weren't. Now they are, so it was a misunderstanding from my side.

You can check our Redline World Records from their newly created Facebook channel as well, which are done with the CSL E RW PS4: https://www.facebook.com/TRLGranTurismo/

Sorry for the inconvenience, race hard and go pro!

No problem.:-bd

Sylvain RAUSCH

Thank you, Sir Thomas for this important communication. As always, you are of an incomparable correction towards your customer. Few companies can boast of such transparency and respect that you give to your customers. Congratulations for that.

Each one's opinion, but before criticizing the other side, for some it might be better to look in the face. The pre order did not impose an immediate payment. There was the opportunity to pre order and pay for the product only when product availability.

Obviously a little disappointed, the delay, for the reception of the McLaren GT3 steering wheel. But so happy to know that you care about the quality of your products and by the same action, the pleasure of your customers. All this with a very nice commercial compensation, spontaneously proposed. Which is very rare not to be highlighted.

Congratulations to the whole Fanatec team.

 

PS: If you could get back to work, instead of reading my messages, it would arrange me. I do not want to lose another day or two more. My patience still has limits. Lollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Torsten Kilp

Hey Thomas, when we will receive the email for the McL-Wheel-Delay?

Lino Carreira

ah well **** happens.. sigh..

Laurynas Tretjakovas

That is very sad. I spent about 1K EUR on your black Friday sale and bought everything except for a wheel base.

You promised to release 2017 Q4 so that's why I waited. But now all of my gear will be collecting dust for half a year. Extremely disappointed.

Armin Habermann

Torsten Kilp said:

Hey Thomas, when we will receive the email for the McL-Wheel-Delay?

You can expect to receive the Email within the next 1-2 days.

Maurice Böschen

Laurynas Tretjakovas said:

That is very sad. I spent about 1K EUR on your black Friday sale and bought everything except for a wheel base.

You promised to release 2017 Q4 so that's why I waited. But now all of my gear will be collecting dust for half a year. Extremely disappointed.

Thomas NEVER promised a Q4 2017 release date.

This is the original statement regarding the Podium DD:

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.

So the Q4 release date was only a target date and not a promised date at all...

Philips Romero

Hi Thomas thanks for the news is always good receive info from you! So for me waiting more for the gt3 rim will be long but just order my load cell with the bonus coupon nice detail hope this keep me busy, good luck with all the opens projects, and please make a review ASAP of the rim. Regards,

Richard Higgs

Hi. Is it still possible to pre order the McLaren wheel ?

Maurice Böschen

Richard Higgs said:

Hi. Is it still possible to pre order the McLaren wheel ?

no, pre-order was black friday weekend exclusive.

Alan T Fruner

Thank You! We pre-paid in good faith and you responded with an honest update and great compensation for the delay. Fanatec will generate a lot of future business from more loyal customers like me. This is how a business secures its future and makes people happy at the same time. Well done.

Antoine Goossens

Thank you very much for all that great news, Thomas

Joel Barsotti

Love to do some beta testing

Markus Vaßen

Thanks a lot for the information and also the compensation for people like me who did the pre-order.

Appriciate that a lot. My next order is already in the shopping Card, so that coupon is a nice plus

Ian Mchale

Thankyou for the update Fanatec AND Thankyou for the free ClubSport quick release adapter offer, which I am happy to accept once email arrives

John Guillory

As a current OSW owner, I'd love to beta the new podium and give comparison impressions.

Georgi Iovchev

Any chance for GTS implementation on tomorrows patch?