The first single-spoke steering wheel fitted to a production DS in the 1960s was inspired by the genius of Le Corbusier? There is no certainty, but this thesis is a concrete possibility, after the discovery, among the sketches of the well-known Swiss architect (born Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris), of some ideas produced around the 1936. When Le Corbusier had designed an innovative car, with a rear engine, large interior spaces, minimal front and rear overhangs, and several other new discoveries.
In fact, in these sketches, Le Corbusier had hypothesized (“Voiture type A” and “Voiture Type B” projects) there was the idea of creating a monorace steering wheel.
It is not known whether these drawings ended up, in any way, at the Study Center from Citroënbut the TPV and VGD project (one of which was the basis of the future DS) at that time they had several points in common with the projects of Le Corbusier (an architect who revolutionized the style of homes and everyday places by aiming at minimalism and functionality, always with an eye to aesthetic pleasure).
Flaminio Bertoniarchitect and automobile designer, perhaps taking a cue from one of those sketches, around the 1952imagined a new type from steering wheel for the DS almost ready to go into production (the DS 19 will be presented in 1955). Bertoni, therefore, was given the opportunity to get the job done, and design the first elegant single-spoke steering wheel for DS.
In addition to the style, what were the benefits of that kind of steering wheel? The monorace was designed to be flexible in the event of an accident (reducing damage to the driver’s chest); to facilitate the vision of the instruments onboard; and to foster a high level of concentration while driving, considering that together with the steering wheel the DS eliminated the elbow rest (on the driver’s side door) in order to entice the driver to keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel.
A single-spoke steering wheel that was initially coated with a thin nylon thread white, later taped (again in white, and then in black), until 1971, when the steering was replaced by a version with a more modern design, covered in polyurethane foam soft to the touch, remained unchanged until the end of production.
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