Flat bottom steering wheels - what's the point?

[4lf4-155]

While I have not driven a car with one I struggle to see the point of a misshaped steering wheel.

Surely it makes transitioning hand positions awkward, uneven and unpredictable and therefore results in a reduction in control?

Can't say I have ever seen one in a racing car and when you see people drifting with them it appears to make steering in puts more difficult and jerky.

Does anyone have positive or negative experiences of them?

Can an engineer tell me why they exist?

If it's for reasons of space surely a smaller wheel would suffice - a small wheel worked in the Elise where space and access was an issue.

[zeduffman]

I read the original idea was to allow easier access into tight cockpits (where it is difficult for legs to fit under the wheel). Then it became a thing to highlight the sporty credentials of everyday cars.

[Buff Mchugelarge]

zeduffman said:

..Then it became a thing to highlight the sporty credentials of everyday cars.

very much so..

[4lf4-155]

That's the only logical reason I could come up with and it king of makes sense.

More marketing bull st then!

I think a smaller wheel and and adjustments to the power/electric steering is a better solution.

Anyone got one and think its ok?

[kambites]

I think they were originally used in the tight cockpits of racing cars to make it easier to get in and out. Now they're a fashion accessory. I really, really don't like the things; maybe it's because I push-pull steer, but I find them really unnatural feeling to use.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 18th February 22:23

[littlebasher]

Made it easier to steer with my knees in the Laguna, although i expect it's intended purpose was to make getting in and out easier.

[J4CKO]

It is shorthand for "Sporty" for the punters, having a fully round steering wheel is social death in the company car park these days.

[4lf4-155]

When I say I have not seen them on a racing car I was excluding f1 but in f1 or in a racing car you would very rarely change your hand positions on the wheel.

[4lf4-155]

J4CKO said:

It is shorthand for "Sporty" for the punters, having a fully round steering wheel is social death in the company car park these days.

I guess that's why they are seen on many and audi then

[kambites]

4lf4-155 said:

When I say I have not seen them on a racing car I was excluding f1 but in f1 or in a racing car you would very rarely change your hand positions on the wheel.

I assume that's the point - they were originally designed for cars with a fast enough rack that you didn't ever have to shift your hands on the wheel. As soon as you want to apply much more than half a turn of lock from centre, they're horrible.

[poppopbangbang]

4lf4-155 said:

Surely it makes transitioning hand positions awkward?

4lf4-155 said:

Can't say I have ever seen one in a racing car

You've not been around many racing cars have you?



There is no transitioning hand positions in a race car. Reasons for using them is multiple, in a formula car there is no "turns" of the wheel so to speak as a single turn lock to lock is about it. The reduction in height allows the column to be lower and therefore the tub thinner. In a saloon it allows the column and driver to be packaged lower and again there is very little useful past 180 degrees in each direction. Flat tops can be used for dash display visibility or to ensure the drivers eyeline is uninterupted.

There is actually very little reason for a round wheel, it's just most people who are road car drivers push/pull the wheel and allow the steering to self centre by essentially letting go of the wheel. For those types it suits their limited driving ability and ensures when they have released the wheel it remains a constant distance away when they are hands off.

[drd63]

I've got one in my DS5 and it's not a problem, I suspect it was done more to accomdate the size ot the wheel which is quite large but overall very comfortable.

[poppopbangbang]

Few more fun wheels.

Audi A4 DTM


BAC Mono Road Car


Drayson Electric LMP

[J4CKO]

They seem to get chunkier, smaller and more leathery, with the flat bottom and more controls the further you go up the range.

I drove an old Merc the other day with a ludicrously huge wheel, no controls, no airbags, fully round and a normal width rim, quite nice really.

[kambites]

[Megaflow]

I had one in my Westfield, because the gap between the support for the back on the thighs and a normal wheel was very small, the steering wheel was 280mm in diameter making anything smaller a problem.

Oddly, because the style of wheel with a flat bottom is actually a single seater wheel, it means you have to use a quick release boss, not that I really wanted one, but it turned out to be very useful and actually rendered the flat bottom slightly pointless.

[eldar]

My w204 merc has one. I'd never really noticed until this thread, even then I had to go and check. Obviously a useful feature.

[kambites]

This monstrosity has got to be the biggest car-interior crime in the history of the automobile:

[4lf4-155]

Some of those racing interiors are the mut's nut's - still wouldn't op want one on a road car though.

That 4c wheel just upsets me

[CrutyRammers]

poppopbangbang said:

There is actually very little reason for a round wheel, it's just most people who are road car drivers push/pull the wheel and allow the steering to self centre by essentially letting go of the wheel. For those types it suits their limited driving ability and ensures when they have released the wheel it remains a constant distance away when they are hands off.

Can't agree with that. As soon as you need more than 1/2 turn each way, and have to start swapping hands over (i.e. virtually ever road car ever made), a round wheel is by far the best solution.