Fanatec have officially launched a brand new direct drive wheel base, the Fanatec CSL DD. Priced at just €349.95 / $349.95, Here is everything we know.
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Fanatec have officially launched a new low cost direct drive wheel base, the Fanatec CSL DD.
After teasing us for the past week, Fanatec have officially shown us the first glimpse at the Fanatec CSL DD. Fanatec are hailing this as the new standardd in direct drive wheel bases.
The Fanatec CSL DD is the German sim racing manufacturer’s newest wheel base. It houses a direct drive force feedback system, which means the steering wheel is connected directly to the motor.
When connected directly like this, it allows for much stronger and more precise force feedback compared to gear driven, or belt driven FFB. If you are serious about sim racing, then direct drive is the best experience you can get.
This new direct drive wheel base is Fanatec’s smallest and cheapest direct drive wheel base. It houses a brand new custom built motor which is capable of creating up to 8Nm of torque. As standard it will be able to create 5Nm of torque. However if you add the optional Boost Kit 180, you will be able to safely increase that to 8Nm.
It features Fanatec’s current quick-release system which means it is completely compatible with all modern Fanatec wheels. This quick-release system is interchangeable, which is important, as Fanatec plan to release a new quick-release later this year. When that does get released, you will be able to fit it to this wheel base.
The new Fanatec CSL DD wheel base costs just €349.95 / $349.95.
This is very cheap for a true direct-drive wheel base. To put that in context, the much more powerful DD1 comes in at €1,199.95. This new wheel base is much less powerful, however under €350 for a direct drive wheel base is still extremely good value.
View the CSL DD on Fanatec’s official website.
As mentioned above, the Fanatec CSL DD comes with Fanatec’s tried and tested quick-release system. This allows it to be compatible out of the box with all current Fanatec wheels.
Moving forward, you will be able to change out the quick-release for the new QR2 quick-release which Fanatec are launching later this year.
Currently there is no confirmation of platform compatibility. This means we currently don’t know whether this new direct drive wheel base will work on either PlayStation or Xbox consoles.
Update – Fanatec CEO Thomas Jackermeier has confirmed that this iteration of the Fanatec CSL DD will be compatible with PC and Xbox only, and wont be compatible with PlayStation consoles. However, there will be future versions of the new CSL DD product which will be PS4 and PS5 compatible.
Fanatec haven’t confirmed a release date yet for the Fanatec CSL DD. Over on the Fanatec official forum, CEO Thomas Jackermeier has mentioned that it will be release in Q3 2021. Pre-orders will be available, and will launch once Fanatec have a reliable release date.
Update – Pre-orders of the new Fanatec CSL DD wheel base are beginning now. Read this full article on when and how you can pre-order the Fanatec CSL DD.
View the CSL DD on Fanatec’s official website.
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– – Original Article Below From Before The Official Release – –
If you follow Fanatec on Twitter, you will have noticed a series of rather cryptic posts the past few days. Fanatec have been posting using the phrase “The New StandarDD”. With an intentional DD added to the end of standard.
This has led many sim racers to believe that a new direct drive wheel is about to be launched by Fanatec. DD is of course Fanatec’s naming convention for all of their direct drive wheels.
Update – 21st April 2021 – Fanatec have released a new video which is titled CSL DD. This new video shows the form of a wheel base which closely resembles a smaller version of Fanatec’s DD1 & DD2 wheel bases.
This video points even closer to the new Fanatec CSL DD being a direct drive wheel base from the CSL product range. That should mean it will be priced lower than the current top end direct drive wheel bases.
Fanatec have also published a new page on their website titled CSL DD. View the CSL DD web page here.
The Best F1 24 Racing WheelsThis web page doesn’t have any content on it yet, however it doesn’t redirect back to the homepage (which all other incorrect URLs do.)
The latest Fanatec CSL DD video ends with the date 21-04-21, so check back for regular updates. We’ll update this page as soon as we have more information.
The New StandarDD. pic.twitter.com/eQeI5Fgl2g
— Fanatec (@fanatec) April 21, 2021
Fanatec have teased their latest new product multiple times across the past week. They started with a cryptic Tweet which showed a picture of an LED light, and the messaging “Are you ready?”
— Fanatec (@fanatec) April 14, 2021
This post had sim racers discussing what it could be, with no inclination that it would be a new CSL direct drive wheel base.
The second tease came in the form of a short GIF, which showed what looks like a series of vents. This video had the caption “The new standarDD”, leading many to start guessing we’d see a new Fanatec DD product.
Brace yourself and prepare to embark on a new standardd….Can you guess what’s coming? pic.twitter.com/GeKK8Un5FI
— Fanatec (@fanatec) April 19, 2021
Following this, Fantec have released the video at the top of this page, which shows the form factor of a new direct drive wheel base. It doesn’t show much, but what it does show is rather revealing.
Check back regularly for more information on Fanatec new direct drive wheel base. We’ll update this article as we get more information.
Rich is the co-founder, and one of the main F1 setup creators and content writers for SimRacingSetups. With over a decade of experience as a graphic designer, marketing director, competitive sim racer and avid motorsport fan, Rich founded SimRacingSetup.com to share his passion and knowledge of sim racing and Formula 1 with other sim racers.
View all articles written by Rich
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