What it is
The CSL Steering Wheel GT Alcantara V2 is a fully round 300mm rim in Fanatec’s CSL line, wrapped in genuine Alcantara and built onto the CSL Universal Hub V2. Like the rest of the modular CSL rims it carries the hub’s snap-dome shifters and a small 3-digit display, and it connects through the QR2 Lite quick release. It is a rim, not a complete wheelbase: it adds the grip, buttons and shifters to whatever Fanatec base you already run.
Who it’s for
You are the right buyer if you race modern GT, touring cars or want a single wheel that handles general all-purpose racing. The 300mm round shape is the point of it, it suits a broad spread of cars rather than committing to one discipline, and the Alcantara is the traditional grip for this kind of driving. On a Fanatec base it is a clean way to get a versatile GT rim without paying ClubSport money.
You are the wrong buyer if you specifically want full-size, real-car dimensions, where the larger 330mm GT V2 is the better tool, or if you want an on-wheel display and rev lights, because this one has neither beyond the hub’s basic readout.
In use
The 300mm diameter is the day-to-day advantage. It is large enough to feel like a proper road or GT wheel but small enough to keep the steering quick and the cabin tidy, and crucially it brings the hub buttons and shifters within easier reach than the 330mm rim. Inputs you take mid-corner are a shorter stretch from your thumbs and fingers, so a busy stint is less of a reach. The Alcantara grips well once you are in gloves, with the slow, deliberate hand movement that suits GT and touring cars.
The 3-digit hub display does the basics and no more. There is no RPM LED strip, so if you rely on a shift light you will be reading it from the screen or going by ear.
What to watch out for
Alcantara needs gloves. Bare-handed use will mat and polish the material over time, so factor a pair of gloves into the purchase if you do not already wear them.
Remember the rim does not decide console support. If you are on Xbox or PlayStation, the licensing lives in the base, so check your wheelbase is console-licensed before assuming this rim gets you on track.
Verdict
A versatile, easy-to-live-with GT rim. The 300mm Alcantara build gives you all-purpose dimensions on a Fanatec base for $264 / £209, with easier button reach than the larger sibling, and the only real compromises are the gloves the Alcantara demands and the lack of any rev lights. If you want full real-car size instead, the 330mm GT V2 is the wheel to weigh up.