The unexpected end of the steering wheel gearshift
10/18/2011
In the later 1950s, the steering wheel gearshift was considered chic. Not only did it allow "barrier-free" use of space on the front seats of the vehicle and thus enabled continuous bench seats and space for three people, it was also a useful development from a road safety perspective, as the hand did not have to reach far and was quickly back on the steering wheel after changing gear.
Technically, however, the steering wheel gearshift was more complex, as the shift commands had to be mechanically routed to the gearbox via more "corners". This is why some manufacturers charged extra for the steering wheel gearshift. However, it was not this that killed off the steering wheel gearshift, but the unsportsmanlike aura that surrounded it. Sporty drivers shifted gears with a gear stick between the seats, the steering wheel gearshift was considered to be comfort-oriented and soft-edged. One manufacturer after another abandoned them, saving money and development costs and making (most) customers happy.
And so the gearshift on the steering wheel disappeared in the course of the 1960s and only became interesting again when Formula 1 drivers began to change gears on the steering wheel, but this time electronically and no longer mechanically.
