This custom leather-braided steering wheel belongs to the Magnolia Special, the first bespoke, hand-built car that runs on compressed natural gas. The car is brand new, but designed to reflect the styling of 1930s European roadsters.
Why build an eco-friendly car that recalls old world styling? Designer J.T. Nesbitt of Bienville Studios in New Orleans, La., explains:
“I really don’t think that environmentalists are worth a damn as car designers. They just lack passion. If the problem of global warming is left only to them, our cars are really going to suck.” [more]
With the exception of Tesla Motors and the now-defunct Fisker Karma, he has a point. But even they don’t build cars like this.
To see more photos of the Magnolia Special, especially its one-off interior, check out Bienville Studios. You’ll be glad you did.
As far as I can see, the steering-wheel as part of the complete design, has a metallic touch rim, and a mixture of handcrafted metallic adornments and vegetable leather trimmings…it looks nice and superb to admire it!
The only thing I’m worried IMHO is about the rim in hot and cold days…unless I use gloves. Maybe, not to lose the handcraft purpose some trims of leather might have been added around the rim.