Garmin Announces All New Catalyst 2 Motorsports Device
Garmin today announced the Garmin Catalyst™ 2, the newest edition of the popular motorsports lap time, video recorder and digital coaching tool. The Garmin Catalyst 2 is the next iteration of the tool and appears to add a number of enhancements.
The all new Garmin Catalyst 2 will be available to purchase starting Feb. 20, 2026. The Garmin Catalyst 2 driving performance optimizer has a suggested retail price of $1,199.99.
The new Garmin Catalyst 2 has a smaller screen size and overall footprint, faster refresh rate and new social, export and coaching features.
Garmin Catalyst 2 Highlights
The Garmin Catalyst 2 is a compact motorsports device that helps high-performance drivers find faster times on the track. Designed with a bright 3-inch display and a built-in camera, Garmin Catalyst 2 easily mounts on the windshield and brings on-track coaching features to the cockpit, including Garmin’s unique True Optimal Lap™, which shows drivers their best achievable time with a composite video of lines they drove. It also features real-time audio cues and post-session comparison of performance data to help drivers see where they can gain time.
“We’re excited to continue to serve the motorsports community with Catalyst 2 — a powerful, feature-packed performance optimizer that helps drivers realize their potential. Drivers can learn new insights every time they hit the track. It removes the guesswork and identifies their top areas to focus on for improvement.” –Susan Lyman, Garmin Vice President Consumer Sales and Marketing
Garmin Catalyst 2 Features
Garmin Catalyst 2 includes unique motorsports coaching features that can help drivers improve on the track. After a track session, drivers can open the Garmin Catalyst app on a compatible smartphone or tablet to review detailed performance analysis, driver comparison data and more.
- True Optimal Lap: Patented Garmin technology splices together a driver’s best achievable time into a single video based on lines driven if all best lines had been driven on the same lap.
- On-track coaching: Receive real-time coaching with audio cues for speed, braking and more – heard through connected earbuds or the car stereo.
- Automatic data interpretation: See the top three opportunities for improvement after every session, allowing drivers to spend less time analyzing previous laps and more time on the track.
- Leaderboards: Drivers can see how they stack up against other drivers with best lap times sortable by session, day, year, car make or model.
- Video with data overlays: View graphic overlays on 1440p high-definition videos, which include track map, speed, delta time, G-G traction circle diagrams and more.
- Detailed performance data: See animated graphs, comprehensive driving information and friend comparisons.
- Enhanced data accuracy: Refined True Track Positioning™ uses built-in accelerometers, gyroscopes, image processing and 25 Hz multi-GNSS positioning for recording the most precise racing line on the track.
- Vault storage: With an active Vault plan, optimal and best lap videos are automatically saved and accessible through the Garmin Catalyst app. This makes it easy for users to view and share videos and allows them to manually store laps or sessions for as long as their plan is active.
New Garmin Catalyst 2 Drag Racing Timer
With the new drag racing timer, race enthusiasts can record drag racing times and distance milestones. Participants can see their 0-60 mph time as well as 1/8-mile and 1/4-mile times.
Garmin Catalyst vs. Garmin Catalyst 2
The all new Garmin Catalyst 2 most obvious different between the original is the size. The original Catalyst sported a 6.95″ display vs. 3″ display. While always a subject of debate, a common complaint amongst some owners was the significant size of the original Catalyst took up a lot of windshield real estate.
Other significant differences include 25mhz refresh rate vs. 10 mhz (nearly 2.5 times the updates) for increased accuracy, 1440p resolution (GC2) vs. 1080p (GC1).
Other noted new features are the ability to easily export videos, sharing videos among friends and other interactive elements. While some of this as ultimately possible with the original, it appears Garmin is going a long way to create a deeper more interactive experience between the device, social components, mobile app and cloud storage with their vault subscription.
About Garmin
Garmin Ltd. (NYSE: GRMN) is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademarks and Garmin Catalyst, True Optimal Lap, True Track Positioning and Garmin Clarity are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
