To face an increasingly hard competition, Fanatec deployed massive efforts this year with a multitude of new products.
Starting with the smaller stuff, new side panels are available for the Clubsport GT Cockpit, adding customization possibilities with liveries. The same cockpit also now benefits from a Dbox motion system mounting kit - we tested it on Asseto Corsa Evo on Brands Hatch, the combination is solid and works as well as you could expect. Following up regarding customization, quick releases are now available in multiple anodized colors, and the V3 wheel sees a RedBull edition to celebrate the recent partnership with the esports team. In line with that collaboration, the Formula Clubsport cockpit will finally be available to purchase in the B2C market within the next months, though price is still unknown to this day.
Onto more significant novelties, the Project Obsidian wheel was revealed and showed as part of the Clubsport range. Simhub compatibility is confirmed, and we also noticed a little "Fanatec Telemetry" logo, which leads us to expect some interesting software features to be implemented. The wheel itself features a lot of rotaries, but few buttons : the idea is to use the multifunction switch to control most things on said rotaries. We like the overall design of the wheel, but note it's still an early stage prototype and subject to changes. Release in planned for 2027, without more precision as of when during the year.
Finally, the biggest and nicest surprise on the booth was the presence of the V4 pedals, finally succeeding to the V3s. They are basically a sort of mini Podium pedals set, borrowing some of its mechanics, but losing the adjustability on the brake's cups, which still maintain their function of avoiding overheating of elastomers, thus preserving a more consistent brake feel during long sessions. The V4s keep the best parts of the Podium pedals but go to the essentials to keep costs down - no confirmation but we are expecting them to go for 350 to 400€ for the complete kit, which would make a lot of sense especially for the console market. Fun little detail, the pedal plates can be flipped around, allowing you to choose between a textured face and a smooth face - you can for instance decide to keep the textured surface for the clutch and brake, and use the smooth surface for the throttle, like what you would see on real cars.
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