Is it that hard to make a good looking seering wheel?

The more I look at newer steering wheels the more I am repulsed. I think it is an overlooked design element, that if done right can really help a car. Even when they get a design rigth they mess it up by putting it in a vehicle it has no business. I remember when I got my Grand Prix...I thought the steering wheel in it was the coolest, sportiest I have seen in forever...especially from GM. Then GM rolled out the new CSV's (which in GM speak means "continuously sh*tty vehicles") with the new GP steering wheel and I was very repulsed. I know the the vans are based on the W-platforum loosly...but why not use the Lacrosse wheel? GM did something similar by putting the Malibu wheel in the C6...

So since I am here...here are my "worst newer steering wheels".

#1-Hands down is the 300 steering wheel (http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/images/300c6.JPG), which is a mess. This wheel would look more at home in a International Dump Truck...than a car a companies future is riding on...

#2-I chose the 350Z wheelsimply because it does not look good... (http://www.autosushi.com/images/reviews/personalautos/350Z_interior.jpg) I know they market test these things...but somewhere you would think a designer would say....that's just not right..

I would choose more but I am tired. Other recent offenders are the 4th gen Camaro "pillow" steering wheel, The J-body wheel they had till 02, and the wheel on the GM trucks that has the very little Chevy logo in the middle.

My all time favorite wheels if it matters are the new GTO, the 2nd Gen Trans Am Wheel, and the 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe wheel.

Ill add to that list, the C6 Corvette!!
WTF! Maybe Red can answer, but why oh why did Chevy put a 4 spoke wheel in the oh-so-perfect C6!! I would have grabed one out of the Solstice or just create a 3 spoke wheel. Why did GM sick a 4 spoke wheel in the C6 that looks a lot like the one in my Maxx! WHY!!

If I had to guess I'd have to say the purpose of the C6 steering wheel is for better visibility of the guages...

http://www.chevrolet.com/corvette/C6_preview/images/gallery/Interior/popup_int_gallery01.jpg

I don't think its that bad. At least it fits with the interior styling. :D

The C6 and Malibu wheels are certainly similar, but I don't think I'd call them the same. The Malibu's is much flatter and "blocky" looking. I think the C6's looks ok, although I probably would have done something different if it had been up to me. :p

Ill add to that list, the C6 Corvette!!
:bow:

#1-Hands down is the 300 steering wheel (http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/images/300c6.JPG), which is a mess. This wheel would look more at home in a International Dump Truck...than a car a companies future is riding on...

...My all time favorite wheels if it matters are the new GTO, the 2nd Gen Trans Am Wheel, and the 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe wheel.

The Turbo T-bird's wheel is nice, but I like the 89-93 Thunderbird SC steering wheel (before the airbag) a little better. I thought the 94 Mustang steering wheel was the coolest thing on the streets when they came out because they had the car's logo on them. Something that new cars with shared steering wheels no longer had.

I too like the GTO's steering wheel as well as the new Mustang's. As for the 300Z, for me it doesn't end at the steering wheel. I don't like the whole interior. It looks OK in pics, but when I sit inside, it just doesn't have a good atmosphere as the C5 does. :(

For the interior design of the 300, I think it's steering wheel actually really nice.

I guess all design is really subjective. :think:

Steering wheels are ugly as hell it seems these days...

I personally like the 350Z wheel...

Pretty much any wheel from GM (except for the new Caddys) or Ford (with new Stang and GT as exceptions) are appliances. They're bulbous contraptions whose sole attribute is that their hideous appearance keeps your eyes away from it and focused soley on the road thus, making our streets safer. The wheels in both my SVT and Tab's Tahoe are complete afterthoughts of the vehicles in which they inhabit, along with the rest of the dash for that matter.

Mazda, BMW, new Caddys - all have nice wheels in everyday type of vehicles...

It's not friggen hard!

C6 and Malibu are NOT the same

Malibu (http://www.chevrolet.com/i/gallery/malibu/int_gallery03.jpg)
C6 Vette (http://www.chevrolet.com/i/gallery/corvette/int_gallery01.jpg)

C5 had a nice wheel, so do the fullsize trucks IMO, GTO, Solstice, and CTSv wheels kicks a$$ too.

i think think the one that came with my car is pretty nice.
(Corolla S) http://199.239.248.45/images/stk/2003/ty2003corollas03.jpg
the thumb grooves are really comfortable.

Agreed... is it really that hard to package an aribag into something that looks like it belongs in the car. I guess I don't mind the one in my C5 too much... but the C6 wheel does not match the image imparted by the rest of the car.

I think this one wins as ugliest wheel ever (http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/merismus//evox/stills/gallery/1708_54.jpg). Ever feel like you are driving a bumper car?

i think think the one that came with my car is pretty nice.
(Corolla S) http://199.239.248.45/images/stk/2003/ty2003corollas03.jpg
the thumb grooves are really comfortable.

That is one of my favorites.

I think this one wins as ugliest wheel ever (http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/merismus//evox/stills/gallery/1708_54.jpg). Ever feel like you are driving a bumper car?

Stand up and be proud! AWESOME post! :D

I really liked my 3rd gen firebird wheel and the 4th gen maro's are awesome. I really never had a problem with a steering wheel before until I saw the c6's . it is so awful it dumbfounds me. I think the c5 interior looked much better anyway but I wouldnt bitch about something like an interior, if it wasnt for that thing on the steering column. I dont think an uglier part has been made in detroit in over a decade

C6 and Malibu are NOT the same

Malibu (http://www.chevrolet.com/i/gallery/malibu/int_gallery03.jpg)
C6 Vette (http://www.chevrolet.com/i/gallery/corvette/int_gallery01.jpg)

C5 had a nice wheel, so do the fullsize trucks IMO, GTO, Solstice, and CTSv wheels kicks a$$ too.

good thing you read exactly what I said :rolleyes:

almost the same is not the same

the 4 spoke wheel is for sedans. 3 spoke is for sports cars.

You could make the 3 spoke wheel to where its easy to see the guages.

the 4th gen maro's are awesome...
Replacing that "seering wheel" with a Momo wheel was my first mod. I dont like the stock 4th gen wheel at all. Or the word "maro"

Or the word "maro"


I know how you feel.

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283000

I have still never seen a steering wheel as nice as or even close to the 3rd Gen Z28's/IROC-Z's. (The TA's were OK too) There were a few GM concepts that had wheels that looked pretty close to them a while back. (I think they were in the SS Concept and the Solstice) Some 1st Gen wheels were nice. I'm a 3 spoke person, especially for muscle/sports cars. ;)

I actually like the 'Vettes...and the Silverado's/Sierra's. Their edgy shaped in a good looking way IMHO.

I like the one in my GTA. Radio buttons on it too :) I just wish they had put a power button on it. The rim does block the fuel guage, but thats more a gauge placement issue than wheel design issue. Almost ran me out of gas once, never let that happen again!!

Man , sooo true . Steering wheels nowadays seems like an afterthought almost .

I think we've mentioned all the major offenders , so how about a pic of one the coolest factory steering wheels :) ......VEEE-dub 3 spoke (http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/585091)
I thought the steering wheel in the Solstice was awesome as hell too . That was a blinged out vibe/corolla/matrix steering wheel .

The factory pillow/ridiculously skinny rim wheel in my TA bothered me so much , I swapped out the upper steering shaft to the newer metric one so I could use a newer factory wheel out of a 2004 bonnevile . Its not the hottest looking wheel , but the rim is FAT and looks worlds better than the old one . The radio controls even worked .

HERE'S (http://community.webshots.com/photo/156199754/156200425QiFKRZ) a pic .