Tweet
Why will the ME Corvette have a squircle steering wheel?
The Corvette ME’s square steering wheel with rounded corners was noticed a very long time ago. As we have heard, some are not pleased that next year’s C8 will have that shaped steering wheel.
Thanks to Wikiapedia: “A squircle is a shape intermediate between a square and a circle. There are at least two definitions of "squircle" in use, the most common of which is based on the superellipse. The word "squircle" is a portmanteau of the words "square" and "circle". Squircles have been applied in design and optics.”
Perhaps a squircle is just an “in” thing that GM is enamored with, that Corvette ME is just “copycatting” the Ferrari LaFerrari’s steering wheel.
Actually not, for the ME’s squircle is not an “image” thing, but IMO the squircle steering wheel is very a functional shape for the ME.
Taking this one step at a time for the soon appearing ME Corvette:
1) Its flat bottomed steering wheel: GM got tired of complaints from Corvette drivers, that getting in an out of the C6 was difficult for many, so starting with the C7, the bottom of the steering wheel became flat. Of course the growing size of Americans, coupled with the Corvette being low slung and thus harder to get into and out of than most vehicles, were major precipitants in the C7’s steering wheel having its flat bottom.
2) Its flat topped steering wheel: One of the best advantages of a mid engine car is that without a motor up front, its hood can be angled down quicker and more steeper — to give one a fantastic view of the road right in front of the car and equally seeing a corner’s apex better/more easily as a result.
Conversely, with the C8’s sharply dropping down hood, a typical C7 curved top steering wheel would literally be in the way of your downward/forward visibility. Hence, why the C8’s flat topped steering wheel gives the best forward, lower-angle visibility (for an enclosed steering wheel).
3) Its curved sides: Looking at the part of the ME’s wheel we can see, its sides seems to not be flat as the sides a true squircle would be, but instead have more of an outward curve as it goes from its outer, downward corners to the outer, upward corners. In that regard, it also mimics the LaFerrari’s steering wheel side curvature (which also deviates from a true squircle. Why are the C8’s sides like the Ferrari’s? Again, not for mimicking reasons, but IMO for three functional reasons.
A) Our hands are used to such a curvature; it is most comfortable to us;
B) Curved sides are probably easiest to gradually turn a wheel, especially executing the many small wheel-turning movements we make most of the time; and,
C) The “wider” the side curvature of a steering wheel is, the more open visibility there is behind the wheel, e.g., the wider the digital IP that cab be seen through the wheel without being blocked by the steering wheel’s rim itself.
Might this last component factor also suggest that the IP behind the C8’s steering wheel could be fairly wide?
Even more to the point, these reasons collectively confirm IMO, why the 2020 Corvette ME steering wheels is functionally and properly a squircle.
The Corvette ME’s square steering wheel with rounded corners was noticed a very long time ago. As we have heard, some are not pleased that next year’s C8 will have that shaped steering wheel.
Thanks to Wikiapedia: “A squircle is a shape intermediate between a square and a circle. There are at least two definitions of "squircle" in use, the most common of which is based on the superellipse. The word "squircle" is a portmanteau of the words "square" and "circle". Squircles have been applied in design and optics.”
Perhaps a squircle is just an “in” thing that GM is enamored with, that Corvette ME is just “copycatting” the Ferrari LaFerrari’s steering wheel.
Actually not, for the ME’s squircle is not an “image” thing, but IMO the squircle steering wheel is very a functional shape for the ME.
Taking this one step at a time for the soon appearing ME Corvette:
1) Its flat bottomed steering wheel: GM got tired of complaints from Corvette drivers, that getting in an out of the C6 was difficult for many, so starting with the C7, the bottom of the steering wheel became flat. Of course the growing size of Americans, coupled with the Corvette being low slung and thus harder to get into and out of than most vehicles, were major precipitants in the C7’s steering wheel having its flat bottom.
2) Its flat topped steering wheel: One of the best advantages of a mid engine car is that without a motor up front, its hood can be angled down quicker and more steeper — to give one a fantastic view of the road right in front of the car and equally seeing a corner’s apex better/more easily as a result.
Conversely, with the C8’s sharply dropping down hood, a typical C7 curved top steering wheel would literally be in the way of your downward/forward visibility. Hence, why the C8’s flat topped steering wheel gives the best forward, lower-angle visibility (for an enclosed steering wheel).
3) Its curved sides: Looking at the part of the ME’s wheel we can see, its sides seems to not be flat as the sides a true squircle would be, but instead have more of an outward curve as it goes from its outer, downward corners to the outer, upward corners. In that regard, it also mimics the LaFerrari’s steering wheel side curvature (which also deviates from a true squircle. Why are the C8’s sides like the Ferrari’s? Again, not for mimicking reasons, but IMO for three functional reasons.
A) Our hands are used to such a curvature; it is most comfortable to us;
B) Curved sides are probably easiest to gradually turn a wheel, especially executing the many small wheel-turning movements we make most of the time; and,
C) The “wider” the side curvature of a steering wheel is, the more open visibility there is behind the wheel, e.g., the wider the digital IP that cab be seen through the wheel without being blocked by the steering wheel’s rim itself.
Might this last component factor also suggest that the IP behind the C8’s steering wheel could be fairly wide?
Even more to the point, these reasons collectively confirm IMO, why the 2020 Corvette ME steering wheels is functionally and properly a squircle.
Comment