Why doesn't BMW use a flat bottom steering wheel?

[brad850csi]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

Ferraris do have flat bottom steering wheels.

My point exactly, an entire brand designed for people who don't drive their cars properly

[ZHP to B58]

I went to a few BMW-sponsored autocross events over the last couple of years where cornering & handling are emphasized more than top speed. There's no way I would've gotten my results with a steering wheel that was anything else but round.

[BMWCCA1]

Y'all probably haven't spent much time behind the awful squared-off wheel of the BMW iX50 or ixM60 tanks yet.

[Mitchd10]

Originally Posted by visionaut

They do… but it’s more subtle.

This looks epic 😍

[Humdizzle]

the flat bottom only works if the car has an extremely tight steering ratio. it also helps ingress/egress from bucket seats. i'd rather have the round one especially for sliding the back end around.

it works in ferrari's because they have extremely fast steering with a tight ratio. a little trick they do to make the car feel lighter than it is. Alfa does the same thing

[g21]

Originally Posted by Tyga11

Mercedes AMG does and so does Audi...why doesn't BMW? Makes no sense

when pros drift a car, they let go of the wheel, let self centering torque spin the wheel and then they grab the wheel just at the right moment.

can't grab a hexagonal or flat wheel easily

example below is a very mild and controlled example where you can follow the wheel by moving your hands if you wish, but some drifts are much more forceful and violent and following with hands is not an option.

[kyrix1st]

It's hard to drift with a flat bottom steering wheel, meaning it is harder to counter-steer.

D-shaped handles on street cars are for posers, not for performance drivers.

[KevinGS]

Originally Posted by kyrix1st

It's hard to drift with a flat bottom steering wheel, meaning it is harder to counter-steer.

D-shaped handles on street cars are for posers, not for performance drivers.

Well, most aren't tracking their cars. And let's hope many people aren't out there drifting their cars on the street. So for most, a flat-bottom steering wheel will work fine. For track-focused enthusiasts, then yes, keep your circle steering wheel so you can drift and have fun.

And unless your car is primarily a track car, then a flat-bottom wheel still works...as those of us who track our cars a few times/year (like me) pales in comparison to accruing 99% of the miles on the street.

[Theruleslawyer]

Originally Posted by kyrix1st

It's hard to drift with a flat bottom steering wheel, meaning it is harder to counter-steer.

D-shaped handles on street cars are for posers, not for performance drivers.

I guess the GT4 drivers are posers then...
https://bmw.fanatec.com/

Rally and drift are probably the only motorsport application of round wheels. Most classes seem to be D or yoke type wheels.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by PYE46M3

Because benz drivers are fat and the bottom of the steering wheel reduces leg space. specially when you want to spread your legs and smoke your cigar on cruise control doing 65 on the highway.

BMW drivers on the other hand are slim and perfectly round steering wheel makes it easier to take corners on the track... aka faster lap times.

lol, tbh we don't use the bottom of the wheel on the track though.

[10"]

They make performance steering wheels—I have had an alcantara M perf wheel on my 1M for the past 9 years and it’s great!

[Hit_Apex]

Flat bottom wheels allow for a bit more leg clearance given the driver position, knee angle, and position of steering shaft. In a road car on track the typical driver can achieve the best results sitting further forward than would feel comfortable on the street, with the wheel telescoped further towards the chest and lower than normal. This position reduces strain on the arms and input delay. This ideal endurance racing position puts the elbows and knees at acute angles and increases potential to interfere with the bottom of the wheel. Given this position, a flat bottom wheel is ideal for driver changes making ingress/egress easier in deep bucketed race seats.

[Tuxedo]

IX and XM have them

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by g21

when pros drift a car, they let go of the wheel, let self centering torque spin the wheel and then they grab the wheel just at the right moment.

But it's fair to say that not all professionals use the same technique. Letting the wheel slip has, in times past, been frowned upon, and is more for economy of motion rather than skill.

[kyrix1st]

Originally Posted by Theruleslawyer

I guess the GT4 drivers are posers then...
https://bmw.fanatec.com/

Rally and drift are probably the only motorsport application of round wheels. Most classes seem to be D or yoke type wheels.

Please read again what I said. It's a conditional statement.

[g21]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

But it's fair to say that not all professionals use the same technique. Letting the wheel slip has, in times past, been frowned upon, and is more for economy of motion rather than skill.

i'm not skilled to answer that. but from my understanding that's an economy of using self aligning torque. there is no way to be quick enough with the hands

obviously with BMW moving from ultimate driving machine to ultimate moving cinema there is no longer a need for round steering wheels

[diirk]

I'm not a fan of the flat bottom, for steering wheels or other things of interest.....

Anyhow, they just seem to throw me off when driving, especially on the track. None of my track cars had a flat bottom steering wheel nor does my current Cayman GTS. While I know the majority of track folks hold the steering wheel only on the sides, I tend to do more of a shuffle which works well for me, and makes a flat bottom more difficult.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by g21

when pros drift a car, they let go of the wheel, let self centering torque spin the wheel and then they grab the wheel just at the right moment.

You also use this technique when coming out of hairpins or other very steep corners that require the hands overgrabbing the wheel when turning in.
Usually not something you do at the track as corners arent that tight there.
With drifting you need huge steering angles (drifting suspension geometry is usually set in such a way that the max. steering angle is extended quite a bit), so there letting the wheel slip in your hand is a normal technique to get back to straightline fast.

I think flat bottom steering wheels are also cumbersome and feeling unnatural when parallel parking (something I have to do every day multiple times) where you also overgrab the wheel looking the other way. Having that dip in the wheel just bugs me.
To me the only advantage is in racecars (or arguably low slung sportscars) where you virtually lying down in position and the flat bottom frees up space. Or in a normal car when you're too fat and short to fit under the steering wheel.
When you're tall you're setting the wheel in a higher position, and then the legs usually always fit. So I don't see any advantage in a normal car when you have a normal built, only disadvantages.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by g21

i'm not skilled to answer that. but from my understanding that's an economy of using self aligning torque. there is no way to be quick enough with the hands

It's certainly an economic technique, but it's far from required, and is absolutely vehicle/set-up specific.

The Drift King himself does not use this technique.

[g21]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

It's certainly an economic technique, but it's far from required, and is absolutely vehicle/set-up specific.

The Drift King himself does not use this technique.

his car has a very high steering rack ratio (or is it very low?)! hardly turns the wheel!

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by ///MPhatic

The Drift King himself does not use this technique.

He also doesn't use a flat bottom steering wheel.

BTW he uses a combination of techniques, whatever suits him best at the moment.
as can be seen in this clip

11:10 and further. Letting the steering wheel slide as he casually uses the handbrake and gearshift. He makes it all seem really easy
I don't think anywone frowns upon his technique and control, other than out of amazement.

[///MPhatic]

Originally Posted by g21

his car has a very high steering rack ratio (or is it very low?)! hardly turns the wheel!

The original cars didn't have such a rack, they were off the shelf, unmodified for steering. Steering modification is super new actually.

Originally Posted by GuidoK

He also doesn't use a flat bottom steering wheel.

He has, many times.

Originally Posted by GuidoK

BTW he uses a combination of techniques, whatever suits him best at the moment.

I said this earlier, it depends on the set-up, but as a general rule he doesn't use the technique. It could be because his skill was forged with normal cars, or it's just his technique, but drifting, like guitar playing, doesn't have an exact technique for everyone.