Over the past few weeks, I’ve asked for suggested topics for Encyclopedia Hoonatica, and our own Kaptain Kamil responded by suggesting today’s topic: circular door handles. He included a photo of a Fiat Ritmo (known as the Strada in the U.S.), which was the first one to come to my mind. Okay, it was the only one to come to mind. Since I was unsure how much runway this topic had beyond that, I did some research on my own and was able to come up with exactly two other vehicles that fit this category. Can the hive-mind uncover some that I’ve missed?
The Caveats (there are always caveats):
- The actual handle itself does not need to be round, just the overall shape of the backplate.
- Circular means round, not rounded or oval.
- It’s okay to think beyond the outside of the driver’s door. Inside door handles, liftgate and cargo door handles are all allowable.
- Cars, light trucks and heavy duty trucks are all fair game. I think we can safely exclude motorcycles on this.
- Airplanes? Let’s not go there.
Difficulty: The low hanging fruit is already gone.
How This Works: Read the comments first and don’t post duplicates! Bonus points for adding photos.
Image Source: Wikipedia
Several late model Nissans. Here’s a Cube.
http://images.thecarconnection.com/lrg/2014-nissan-cube-5dr-wagon-cvt-s-door-handle_100452223_l.jpg
Fitting…
https://www.regonline.com/custImages/320000/324319/Nissan_11-LOGO-OOH-02.png
http://www.autoviva.com/img/photos/858/nissan_s_cargo_large_7858.jpg
Your S-Cargo is a better example.
S-Cargo is always a better example.
Two of the other Nissan Pike cars, the Pao and the Figaro do as well. But oddly, not the first, the BE-1.
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2343119!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_635/pike-cars.jpg
http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/pao.jpg
http://www.missmoss.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/figaro2.jpg
http://www.edwardlees.com.au/media/1479/options.jpg
1940s Lincolns used circular buttons instead of conventional handles.
everyone’s favorite punching bag the HHR
http://www.moibbk.com/images/chevrolet-hhr-interior-2.jpg
Came here to post this. The door handles on my father’s HHR felt exceptionally cheap.
Jeep Liberty
http://www.denlorstools.com/autoblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/Jeep_PW_2.jpg
1968 Corvette. The following year (and for the rest of C3 production), they took away the pushbutton and moved the release mechanism to the grip on the top of the door.
http://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large-5/1968-corvette-sting-ray–blue–door-handle–8939-gary-gingrich-galleries.jpg
http://0.media.collegehumor.cvcdn.com/16/54/1723c3db30d0e4196814bb5395f6d85c.jpg
this is too awesome for words, please tell us this is a Craigslist ad somewhere for sale…..
If the guy actually managed to hook it up so that twisting it unlatches the door, this is sort of impressive.
Hmm, well, it’s not exactly “circular”, though it is a closed loop that can take the form of a circle… 911 GT3 RS? (Don’t panic!)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/2010_Porsche_911_GT3_RS_-_Flickr_-_The_Car_Spy_%2818%29.jpg/320px-2010_Porsche_911_GT3_RS_-_Flickr_-_The_Car_Spy_%2818%29.jpg
Old Porsche door lock knobs, too.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/images/interior/door_lock_knob2.JPG
Do you really want a car that’s sticking its tongue out at you?
Do you really want to grab that tongue to close the door? That’s the real question.
Mini (of BMW MINI) Cooper interior door releases are round. The exterior handle has a round backplane.
http://americancarcraft.com/images/F47376486.jpg
Morgan Aeromax Coupe
http://img2.overboost.today/g6/morgan/aero-coupe-2012.jpg
I either deeply love or detest the looks of this car, depending entirely on the angle of the photo. This one is love.
Understandable – it’s not the most graceful thing on the road. But my goodness it’s a desirable car.
first (and only) one i saw over here was being pushstarted out of a gas station by some highly amused but quite helpful chaps
i settled for highly amused at a distance
TVR Tuscan/T350/Sagaris
http://cdn1.evo.co.uk/sites/evo/files/styles/gallery_adv/public/images/dir_473/car_photo_236985.jpg?itok=rJHOh3a3
The first version of the Chevy Aveo had round almost everything inside.
A 1973 Lada Niva prototype took roundness to new levels, including the door handles.
http://img1.liveinternet.ru/images/attach/c/5/85/561/85561607_i_253.jpg
http://img0.liveinternet.ru/images/attach/c/5/85/561/85561620_i_272.jpg
(Also, on the way there, I stumbled across this awesome selection of Moskovich prototypes, some of them already presented in detail by Kamil.)
The Renault Twingo used a circle in an interesting way.
http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Renault/Renault-Twingo-Exterior-Image-012-1024.jpg
And the Mk1 as well, (see below.)
Early Austin-Healey Sprites didn’t have exterior door handles. They did have an interior handle:
one of my first thoughts was the Citroen 2CV. While the door handle is not a perfect circle, you rotate the handle just like a door knob
http://c8.alamy.com/comp/A5NFPR/2cv-door-handles-detail-of-an-old-old-1960s-era-red-citroen-2cv-granada-A5NFPR.jpg
The C2 Corvette interior handle doesn’t feel like it fits the criteria, but the handle is circular. Spheres are circular.
http://www.corvsport.com/Corvette/C2/1964/Images/1964_Corvette_Driver_Door_Interior.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Chrysler_Crossfire_convertible_interior_open.JPG
What about glovebox handles? For some reason, the Crossfire’s sticks with me.
If the Nissan handles count then so do the ones on the Citroen CX and the Citroen Pluriel and C6
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GSGY-uCggBA/U_4pjYMSbzI/AAAAAAAAAcI/Sc_23n2WciY/s1600/Citroen-CX-0.jpg
http://cdn2.autoexpress.co.uk/sites/autoexpressuk/files/styles/article_main_image/public/images/car_photo_215422.jpg?itok=Q7egHmNp
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Citro%C3%ABn_C6_HDI_rear.jpg
Several show cars over the years.
The1972 Fiat X1/23 City Car by Gandini at Bertone, 1973 NSU RO80 based Bertone Trapeze.1970 Nissan 315-a Concept electric city car,1993 Mitsubishi Mum 500 Concept, 2005 Nissan Moco Concept (based on the Suzuki ‘Mom’s Personal Wagon’ Concept Car
and the Renault Twingo Mk1
http://www.carstyling.ru/Static/SIMG/420_0_I_MC_jpg_W/resources/concept/1972_Fiat_X1-23_010.jpg?48DCDD213A6AADEEC6196ED52B0CB3B9
http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/studios/1973_Bertone_NSU_Trapeze_Concept_05.jpg
http://www.carstyling.ru/Static/SIMG/420_0_I_MC_jpg_W/resources/concept/1993_Mitsubishi_MUM_500_Concept_01.jpg?65E5293C67FEC3A6E7A4C5E38A175AAE
http://www.carstyling.ru/Static/SIMG/420_0_I_MC_jpg_W/resources/concept/2005suzuki_moms_personal_wagon_02.jpg?69868C3B59ED74F975DBAFB1B552345B
http://www.carstyling.ru/Static/SIMG/420_0_I_MC_jpeg_W/resources/concept/2005nissan_moco_02.jpg?887CEE258E0B9B0D4F75416449A80910
http://www.frontseatdriver.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Renault-Twingo-1998-Profile.jpg
Rover, think I could whittle that second one (Trapeze?) outta a rusty Fiat X1/9 and
some skillfull fiberglas work.
Is it still a door handle if it’s not on the actual door ? Can THAT be considered a door in the first place ? Who cares, have some Stratos Zero :