Thoughts on this steering wheel design?

I am having a tough time making decisions on cosmetics of my car. The steering wheel is one of them. I'd like to do something to dress it up without going over the top.

 

What do you guys think of this design with smooth leather on the top and bottom with black stitching, and Alcantara in the middle with yellow stitching for accent, and a yellow leather centering ring? The Alcantara would be just to add some dimension to the wheel.

 

I am working with an emblem manufacture to make a stick on Lambo emblem the same size as the circle in the middle of the airbag, so that is just me cutting and pasting what the emblem should look like. I should get a sample in a couple of weeks to see if that will look good or not. Easily removed if not.

 

I have the yellow contrasting stitching in my car.

Take a look at DCTMS to get some ideas. They make amazing steering wheels.

Take a look at DCTMS to get some ideas. They make amazing steering wheels.

 

I have been. And this steering wheel design was made on the MAcarbon.com online steering wheel config tool (except the logo). Anyone considering a wheel should try that tool to get an idea of what it will look like.

I like it. Try to get the bottom flattened, I did so with mine. When you get those emblems please shoot me a PM, I'll buy one.

 

I like it. Try to get the bottom flattened, I did so with mine. When you get those emblems please shoot me a PM, I'll buy one.

 

 

Thanks Mondi! Your wheel looks great. It's those kind of ideas that will help me.

Subject to how you hold the wheel, the Alcantara at those positions may serve little purpose in terms of added grip. But if so, it will still look good after a few years (instead of being all gummed up). And I assume it's for the looks more than for functionality? Looking at the pic of your interior, is it correct to assume that there are no other Alcantara or carbon fibre elsewhere?

 

Personally, if there is an absence of Alcantara, I would do perforated leather. Perhaps perforated leather on the upper half and smooth leather on the lower. Or using you sample, smooth leather at where the Alcantara is and perforated leather for the rest. Yellow stitching throughout as well as the centre marker.

 

Not entirely sure about the emblem. AFAIK, no emblem was placed there due to how the airbag is deployed. Of course, no one would ever want to find out how the actual deployment works. But for the Murci wheel, the circular part is split in half at the horizontal cut-line in the middle with the airbag coming out from behind. Mounting an emblem there, especially one made of hard materials may create a number of problems with dire consequences: 1) If mounted securely, the emblem may impede the proper deployment of the airbag when the situation arises. 2) If not mounted securely (to avoid scenario 1), there is a risk that the emblem may become a projectile when the airbag deploys. (3) the emblem may tear the airbag during deployment and thus compromising its effectiveness. I know I may sound like a DOT bureaucrat (to which I am not) but it's just something to consider. Just my $0.02 worth.

Subject to how you hold the wheel, the Alcantara at those positions may serve little purpose in terms of added grip. But if so, it will still look good after a few years (instead of being all gummed up). And I assume it's for the looks more than for functionality? Looking at the pic of your interior, is it correct to assume that there are no other Alcantara or carbon fibre elsewhere?

 

Personally, if there is an absence of Alcantara, I would do perforated leather. Perhaps perforated leather on the upper half and smooth leather on the lower. Or using you sample, smooth leather at where the Alcantara is and perforated leather for the rest. Yellow stitching throughout as well as the centre marker.

 

Not entirely sure about the emblem. AFAIK, no emblem was placed there due to how the airbag is deployed. Of course, no one would ever want to find out how the actual deployment works. But for the Murci wheel, the circular part is split in half at the horizontal cut-line in the middle with the airbag coming out from behind. Mounting an emblem there, especially one made of hard materials may create a number of problems with dire consequences: 1) If mounted securely, the emblem may impede the proper deployment of the airbag when the situation arises. 2) If not mounted securely (to avoid scenario 1), there is a risk that the emblem may become a projectile when the airbag deploys. (3) the emblem may tear the airbag during deployment and thus compromising its effectiveness. I know I may sound like a DOT bureaucrat (to which I am not) but it's just something to consider. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

 

You are correct, no other carbon or Alcantara, and I am probably won't add any to the rest of the interior beyond the steering wheel.

 

My idea was to have the Alcantara on a part that I don't touch often because from what I have seen of other cars, the Alcantara looks pretty ratty from being the oils and crushing effect of hands.

 

If I was to add perforated leather, it would be the same as adding Alcantara because there won't be any other perforated leather in the car. But I would still like something to add more textures to the wheel without going over the top and needing to upgrade the entire interior. So I will sleep on the Alcantara idea. But big thanks for giving me more to think about.

 

On the emblem in the airbag steering wheel, good news, it doesn't open through that circle. The circle stays intact, so there's no way an emblem is going to interfere at all with the opening of the aribag.

 

The stablemate for my Murci is an Esprit, and it has basically the same airbag with a different surround. Not so coincidentally, the circle in the middle of both airbags is exactly the same diameter on both the Esprit and the Murci. You can see from the pic of post airbag deployment that the circle with the logo stays intact.

 

In the case of the Esprit, it's a metal emblem that clings to the airbag with a few little tabs that are bent over. These types of emblems are very easy to remove. I know because I replaced one of them on another car. If instead of using tabs, you use a strong double-sided adhesive, it would probably hold better than these tabs, and the tabs doing a pretty good job.

 

The emblem I am sourcing is a soft gel, not a ridged metal. So it doesn't pose the risk of a sharp piece of tin. Plus, if it did come off, it would swing up and away hitting the ceiling since that's how the flap is moving when the airbag is deployed.

 

Here's teaser of my first prototype for the emblem. More tweaks are to be made, and it's a slow process, but you get a good idea from this pic.

^Thank you for the clarifications.

 

That's what I was assuming when I saw the position on where the Alcantara is located (hence my comment earlier). I was also a bit skeptical at first on the perforated leather as, like you said, it's not unlike the concept of the Alcantara. But I thought it's worth a mention. How about perforated upper and lower with Alcantara in between then? Or perforated leather on top, Alcantara in the middle and smooth leather at the bottom (although that might be a tad over-killed)? Looks like your Lotus have perforated leather.

 

Fantastic on the emblem! Thanks for the explanation and the pic. Great to know that is resolved with ease. The prototype looks good!

Emblem looks perfect

agreed, digging the emblem as well. So weird they only come with a lightly debossed logo from the factory.

Plus, if it did come off, it would swing up and away hitting the ceiling since that's how the flap is moving when the airbag is deployed.

 

Thats depend on where the steering wheel is facing, if the airbag deploy when the steering wheel is turning to the right or to the left then your passenger would have a direct gel hit . Just one more scenario to ponder

Here's the wheel with perforated leather.

 

It seems I am in the minority here, but I prefer the OEM wheel design without the new logo.

It seems I am in the minority here, but I prefer the OEM wheel design without the new logo.

 

Since you went there, that does make me feel better about how I feel about your wing

Since you went there, that does make me feel better about how I feel about your wing

I am interested in the emblem.

 

I am interested in the emblem.

 

I am getting another batch made with the logo closer to the edge of the circle (2mm from edge instead of 4mm), and the circle slightly larger to fit just a little better. If that looks good, I'll order a bunch.

 

But I can already sleep better at night just having the prototype on there instead of the generic grab-any-steering-wheel-off-the-shelf-look of the stock wheel...

 

And I just ordered the DCTMS steering wheel. I went ahead with the Alcantara grips for that contrast. I decided it doesn't really need a match in the cabin, but if nothing else, the floor mats provide that furry compliment.

 

DCTMS said it will be here in time for the Lakewood Concours in Kemah. The new emblems will be here by then as well. They take about 3 weeks after every change.

Here's what my steering wheel looks like. It does have a flat bottom but not as pronounced as Mondi's. My interior has a combination of leather, alcantara, and CF.

 

I like it. Try to get the bottom flattened, I did so with mine. When you get those emblems please shoot me a PM, I'll buy one.

 

 

 

I am getting another batch made with the logo closer to the edge of the circle (2mm from edge instead of 4mm), and the circle slightly larger to fit just a little better. If that looks good, I'll order a bunch.

 

But I can already sleep better at night just having the prototype on there instead of the generic grab-any-steering-wheel-off-the-shelf-look of the stock wheel...

 

And I just ordered the DCTMS steering wheel. I went ahead with the Alcantara grips for that contrast. I decided it doesn't really need a match in the cabin, but if nothing else, the floor mats provide that furry compliment.

 

DCTMS said it will be here in time for the Lakewood Concours in Kemah. The new emblems will be here by then as well. They take about 3 weeks after every change.

 

Does it have to be a circle or can you just have the shield?

Since you went there, that does make me feel better about how I feel about your wing

 

Hahaha fair enough. I love it, it makes me think of the Countach. Hey, different tastes make this a neat community.

I prefer the oem embossed wheel too. Had a color crest on the gallardo stock which suited that wheel, but hats off for making the murci your own

Does it have to be a circle or can you just have the shield?

 

It needs to be a circle because there's a bull embossed on the wheel and that will stick out of the sides of the shield and look bad.

 

You could look at use some kind of gold metal looking paint to fill in the embossed area to make the bull show. That was another idea I was going to try, but I like the stick on emblem because it can easily be removed later and that's how most cars have the steering wheel emblem.

Prince came up with the great idea to try a matte finish on the emblem to blend better with the interior, so here's a comparison. Which is better, gloss or matte?

 

I vote for gloss as the matte finish makes it look kind of worn out.

 

Now, if you can make the shield part gloss and everywhere outside of the shield matte, that would be very cool.

Now, if you can make the shield part gloss and everywhere outside of the shield matte, that would be very cool.

 

I think I can work something out to try that.

I think I can work something out to try that.

 

Looking forward to see the prototype.