Design Details: Exterior Door Handles Edition

"Amoore100" (amoore100) 10/15/2015 at 21:56 • Filed to: Design Details, Volvo, TVR, Door Handles

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Exterior door handles are an important part of a car. They are the first thing you touch before you drive one and can establish preconceptions about how the rest of the car will be (i.e. crappy handle = badly made/designed car). However, there have been many styles of exterior door handles that have been produced over the years...which has held its image the best in representing the car it opens?

I, for one, am partial to the old trigger door handles that 740 Volvos used...simple and mechanical, with little to break since the entire handle didn’t constantly move back and forth...

On the other hand here we have the buttons that let your entrance into a TVR Tuscan...bespoke and quirky, it is a perfect example of the backwards thinking that goes into the rest of the car.

So what do you think Oppo?

What are the best/worst/most distinctive exterior door handles used on a vehicle?

Rainbow > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:01

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I hate the Miata’s little one-finger slots. Not only is it just awkward to open the door with only one finger, there might be a spider or something hiding in there.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:01

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I am a fan of Aston Martins door handles....same for Jag

Amoore100 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 10/15/2015 at 22:05

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Mmmmm, the Jag lettering on those handles is sexy...much less generic than what Aston has done...

Amoore100 > Rainbow 10/15/2015 at 22:06

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Yep, quite simple and elegant, just like the car...just avoid spiders....

RazoE > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:09

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I generally like HANDLES. A big bar you grip and pull. I hate pieces of plastic you lift up.

camaroboy68ss > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:11

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Probably the most distinctive is Chevys door handle of the 50’s and 60’s almost every car had this design and its classy and does its job.

The early C2 Corvette design was fresh and new in 68 and pretty cool. you slid your ringers into the receptacle and you your thump to push the button. later years got rid of the button.

BUT!! the best door handles are...

NO door handles! really cleans up the lines of the car... now hot to get in the car?

repurpose starter buttons as door poppers, it was more common to put them under the rocker for a “kick-n-pull” action, on our custom they are at the corner of the A post of the top.

Sam > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:12

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To be honest, though, the Aston’s feels much more expensive.

Berang > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:13

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Personally, I hate those trigger handles. Several unenjoyable encounters with them.

I do like the simple buttons used on the R5. “This is a simple car - but in a clever way” they said.

Birddog > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:19

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AMCs handle is one of my favorites. They used it from 1968 to the end in 1988!

Ike > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:21

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Lol my 740 has a door handle that swings in the breeze, I should probably get a new one

Amoore100 > camaroboy68ss 10/15/2015 at 22:21

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Well the P1800 handles are similar to those American ones on the Chevys and ‘Vettes...

Amoore100 > Berang 10/15/2015 at 22:21

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Lol, do tell...

Amoore100 > Birddog 10/15/2015 at 22:22

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Reminds me of an ashtray from an airplane bathroom mixed with the handle off an airplane seatbelt...

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Amoore100 > Ike 10/15/2015 at 22:24

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Especially before auto/rallycrossing it!

ttyymmnn > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:24

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That trigger mechanism looks a lot like the one on my old VW Fox (1988). After about three years, the trigger snapped off and the whole handle had to be replaced. Boo.

Amoore100 > ttyymmnn 10/15/2015 at 22:26

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Well the reason I liked them was because even after 300K miles all of them worked (without replacement I believe) and so withstood the abuse of children...the same couldn’t be said of the auto transmission in the naturally aspirated 740, but tis a different story for another day...

Birddog > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:26

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Knowing AMC, that may have been the inspiration!

ttyymmnn > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:27

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I’m sure it’s all about quality of materials. That ‘88 Fox wasn’t exactly the best built machine in the world. I loved it, though.

Ike > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:27

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It looks so good there! Is that yours?

Also funnier to me that it kinda just hangs and bangs around,

Amoore100 > Ike 10/15/2015 at 22:29

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Lol of course not, ours are long gone...I wish so...good luck getting yours race prepped!

camaroboy68ss > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:31

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the early 50’s chevy models had a design more like that with the key slot in the button, they became separate in 1955 and were like that up till 1973

Bandit > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:45

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I always liked the early MGB refrigerator door style door handles.

Nauraushaun > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 22:54

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I feel compelled to mention the Alfa 156 hidden handles which a few manufacturers use today. But the car is hideous so I won’t.

Amoore100 > Nauraushaun 10/15/2015 at 22:58

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I had a feeling this would come up...the new Spark for example (Barina for you folks) has a similar design...

And the 156 isn’t one of the worst looking cars...it’s no Brera though...

Nauraushaun > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 23:10

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I really think it is one of the worst looking. Maybe not as bad as the 166. People (Top Gear for example) think it’s pretty!

No it’s not. Nor is it on par with the 159....my god.

The HRV does it too, in a sad attempt to hide the fact that they revived the name of a 2-door SUV on a 4-door SUV.

Amoore100 > Nauraushaun 10/15/2015 at 23:20

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Yeah, the 166 was far worse...

But I can find something that beats it in that category...

The Ford Taurus Ghia! Sold in none other than Australia itself...

American versions were slightly different, for better or for worse...

roflcopter > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 23:23

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I know these are interior handles, but I love the lever release ones on my Volvo 240, it confuses damn near everyone that gets in the car.

Amoore100 > roflcopter 10/15/2015 at 23:25

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Same in our 740s...I thought all car handles were like that as a kid and they were really difficult to use with my little hands so I always needed help...P.S. Interior door handles are for another week...nothin against ya, just saying ;)

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 23:25

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This is something that I’ve been thinking a bit about: how could a person design a (near) perfectly flush door handle that still makes it easy to open the door, but also is aerodynamically smooth with the rest of the vehicle? The only thing I can think of is a small panel that could be pushed in, that then pushes open the door.

But there’s two problems with something like that:
1. How would the mechanical leverage work?
2. Would there still be enough room inside the door to allow a sliding glass window to fit down inside?

Something like the pocket design used on the i8 could work, but that leaves a tiny area that would potentially introduce a tiny vortex/drag:

It looks as though Jaguar has some sort of flush door handle, but does the door handle just pop out, then you can grab it, or does pushing it in actually cause the door to prop open? I’m not sure:

I’m not a huge fan of the Tesla Model S door handles (from what I’ve seen online). Yes, having them automatically pop out is cool, but the added weight and complexity kills it for me. I’m a huge fan of simplicity in design.

Amoore100 > BaconSandwich is tasty. 10/15/2015 at 23:41

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Well the old Viper managed that, although given Detroit engineering I’m not sure how well it worked...

The rest of the car didn’t really echo “simplicity” however...

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 23:42

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I kind of wonder how such a design would work when it gets icy/snowy out. How easy is it to freeze it shut?

Berang > Amoore100 10/15/2015 at 23:45

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The problem with those triggers is they ice up in cold weather. They’re pretty much perfectly formed to trap ice and get stuck, and there’s no good way to clear them out if this happens.

Second: stubbing my fingers when going to open a door, because who the hell sticks an obstruction in the middle of an f’n handle?

A push button or pull handle any day over those things.

Amoore100 > BaconSandwich is tasty. 10/15/2015 at 23:45

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I doubt that was a consideration, and I also doubt that many Vipers see snow and ice...

RazoE > Amoore100 10/16/2015 at 00:20

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The Ghia Taurus used Sable headlights. Like the SHO did, but horribly executed.

RazoE > roflcopter 10/16/2015 at 00:26

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I always loved the MKIII Supra’s handles.

Every one had a hard time getting out of my Supras the first time.

Amoore100 > Berang 10/16/2015 at 00:33

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Ah, we never had that problem because warm weather climates :D

That and you get used to it after a while...not that they’re the best solution, but they were definitely a suitable solution for the time...

Nauraushaun > Amoore100 10/18/2015 at 05:08

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I’ve always thought those Tauruses were disgusting. You’re right.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Rainbow 11/08/2015 at 01:11

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Is it safe to say that they don't work too well worth gloves on?

DirtyVDub > RazoE 08/11/2016 at 16:57

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Why is it covered in plastic?

RazoE > DirtyVDub 08/11/2016 at 17:43

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Google photo from last year. I’m assuming the car was brand new.