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YOUR RESEARCHQuick quiz - Why is the key to the left of the steering wheel? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
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Use left hand ignition
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My understanding is it's homage to Le Mans cars that used left hand ignition to shave fractions of a second in the start sequence.
Quick quiz - Why is the key to the left of the steering wheel? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
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Leading evidence: 'Use left hand ignition' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'combination of "to be different,"' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Use left hand ignition' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Apparently the left side is closed to the starter and therefore used a very slightly shorter wire.
Quick quiz - Why is the key to the left of the steering wheel? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
combination of "to be different,"
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I'd say nowadays, it's probably a combination of "to be different," and to acknowledge the Porsche brand heritage of it traditionally being that way.
Quick quiz - Why is the key to the left of the steering wheel? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners
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20 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
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I've been told of two reasons:
1) So your right hand is free to put the car into gear. All about racing and getting the car moving as quick as possible.
2) Weight. Shave every little bit. Apparently the left side is closed to the starter and therefore used a very slightly shorter wire. Every ounce counts.
Wow, this is Porsche 101. Races used to start with the drivers running to get to their car
& jump in to start the engine. Turn key with left hand & shift with right hand.
The book "Porsche Speedster - the Evolution of Porsche's light-weight sports car," by Dr Michael Thiriar, goes into much detail. It includes reference to the ignition switch orientation. He finds, less romantically, that it is so the key would be out of reach of the passenger.
I'd say nowadays, it's probably a combination of "to be different," and to acknowledge the Porsche brand heritage of it traditionally being that way. (And thus, even though the modern -- starting with our 986 Boxsters -- water-cooled Porsches don't share any parts with the earlier air cooled models, they are still both Porsches.)
What I can't figure out is why some cars (944, 928 come to mind) have the key on the column. Seriously it shouldn't matter but I've thought about a 928 or 944 someday in addition to a Boxster or 911 and I hate the fact that the key isn't in porsche position.
I know at least newer bmws are the same way. I rented an X3 for a while and it was just like the boxster. Even had the little click slot at the bottom. I like it, much more precise than a sloppy floppy pedal you get in your average minivan.
My understanding is it's homage to Le Mans cars that used left hand ignition to shave fractions of a second in the start sequence. Seems rather absurd given the race is twenty four hours, but whatever who am I to protest.
It's a real pain in the ass though when you've been programmed all your life on daily driver cars with it on the right side of the column, and you constantly enter the car and make a motion towards the wrong side.
Have you noticed the key is on the right in RHD / British versions of the Boxster? Guess Porsche wants the people with the wheel on the wrong side to get going tenths of a second faster too.
I've always heard/read that it was tradition going back to the LeMans cars as well.
Does anyone else find themselves automatically stabbing the key into the left (or right) side of the dash when they get in another car?
Yes lol. I think there is a mark by now on the dash of the other cars in the family. Get in, get the belt with the right hand as my left hand stabs the key into the dash lol. At least half the time I end up genuinely confused.
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