The miracle of the small turning circle
12/01/2014
Well, a small turning circle is not really a miracle in the strict sense of the word, but it almost works wonders. If the front wheels can be turned sharply, then every parking maneuver becomes child's play and turning maneuvers lose their terror. And yes, there were cars that could turn a train on an eight-meter-wide road. Triumph in particular excelled here, for example with the Spitfire and Herald models . The pictures show that maneuverability was the order of the day here.
In terms of design, a small turning circle is not a miracle, but a consequence of large wheel arches, tightly dimensioned wheels, a short wheelbase and small overhangs. Drive shafts usually have a negative effect on the maximum turning angle of the front wheels, which is why rear-wheel drive vehicles had a clear advantage in this discipline. And if you take all these factors together, then it is also clear why the virtue of the small turning circle has been lost over time.
Modern cars direct their power to the front wheels because they usually have four-wheel or front-wheel drive. And because of the sometimes absurdly huge wheels, the possible turning radius is limited. The overall dimensions and the long wheelbase mean that modern cars often have a turning circle of over 11 meters. But the cars are equipped with beep sensors and assistance systems to help them park anyway. Brave new world ....
