Remarkable handlebars over the years
We see more and more that the steering wheel of a car is not round. The Audi Sport models have a flattened steering wheel at the bottom, Lexus has already introduced us to a Knight Rider-like steering wheel in the RZ 450e and Tesla has already designed a special steering wheel for the new Model S and X. Nevertheless, such steering tricks are not recent, the steering wheel has been reinvented many times in the past. An overview of notable handlebars over the years.
Ford Wrist Twist (1965)
Rocket scientist Bob Rumpf develops a system for Mercury with two simultaneously rotating 5-inch rings that you control with wrist movements. It won’t be a success.
Austin Allegro (1973)
The ‘square’ handlebars, intended to be ergonomic and avant-garde, will be replaced by a round one within two years. Also read this article. Chrysler already had ‘quartic’ steering wheels in the 1960s.
Citroen DS (1955)
The first Citroën with a single-spoke steering wheel. It is later followed in the Duck, Ami, GS, SM and CX. The spoke should be in the straight-ahead position at ’10 past 7.30′.
Pontiac Grand Prix (1988)
How eighties do you want it to be? All audio system controls in the center of your steering wheel. And then you can also get a digital set of instruments!
Mercedes Benz 300SL (1954)
To make it easier to get in and out, you can fold down the handlebars of the Gullwing. A clever invention, which, however, will never be imitated.
Edsel Citation (1958)
Old American steering wheels are often works of art in their own right. Edsel, Ford’s failed sub-brand, clusters the push buttons for the automatic transmission in the heart of the steering wheel.
Renault 5 Turbo (1980)
A similar ‘triangle design’ can be found in the Subaru XT. The round hole fits nicely with the instruments. The Turbo 2 gets a normal three-spoke steering wheel in 1983.
Maserati Boomerang (1972)
The coolest concept car steering wheel of all time. The complete set of instruments, including the buttons and levers (from the Citroën SM), is located in the heart of the steering wheel.
Various concept cars
We stick to steering wheels that made it to the production phase, in concept cars you often saw different steering wheels, or even central joysticks as you can see in the photo above. That is the control of the Mercedes-Benz F200 Imagination Concept. Mercedes also showed an SL-class with joystick control.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl