So, why does the key go in on the left side?

[Ashley Bowler]

is there a logical reason?

[jdm61]

In the immortal words of John Belushi...."BUUURRRPPPP....WHY NOT?"

[2.7RACER]

Ashley,
Good question. Switching hands all the time. Unlock with my right hand, open the door with my left, switch keys right to left, start car.
Do they want us to have one hand on the keys and the other on the gear shift, E-brake?
I wonder where the switch is for right hand drive cars.
Come on Australia and New Zealand, you guys are still up and running around.
America needs an answer.

[madmmac]

Le Mans style start. Left hand cranking the starter, right hand getting it in gear......maybe??

[jdm61]

Do 356's have it in the same place, because all of the old VW's that my family owned did not. Key was in the normal place. I will say this.....the Porsche location is a LOT better than the Saab center console key.

[unclebilly]

Porsche musta copied the early Toyota Landcruisers... I have 2 vehicles with the ignition switch on the left side...

[87coupe]

Originally posted by madmmac
Le Mans style start. Left hand cranking the starter, right hand getting it in gear......maybe??

Ding ding ding ding! We have a winner

['76 911S 3.0]

Originally posted by 87coupe
Ding ding ding ding! We have a winner

x2

[unclebilly]

That's why they did it on the land cruisers too...

[livi]

I believe 'left lainers' ie England, Australia have a mirror image with the key on the far right. Besides the Le Mans explanation, I am certain I have read there was another reason too. Can´t remember what though. Something about manufacturing cars for said left driving markets - easier to move the wheel to the right side.

[Bill Douglas]

Kiwi guy here. Yup the key is on the right.

[2.7RACER]

Thanks Bill, now I can go to bed.

[Pingo]

From early racing where rules demanded that the car would start the race with the engine stopped/not running. Left hand = ignition key, right hand = gear shifter.

[Mothy]

Key on the right for Australia BUT the control stalks are the same way round - wipers on right and indicators on left - which is great fun if your other car is local made or Japanese with has them the other way round.

Lost cound of the number of times I have wiped the windscreen as I came up to a corner to turn left!

Tim

[livi]

The racing heritage explanation is probably true, but it does seem a little ridiculous.

How many tenths of a second does it take to move right hand from key to gear lever ?? With the advantage of having the left hand already on the wheel.

And why is Porsche practically the only production car with that set up ? Or you mean thats the reason for Porsche being dominant at Le Mans in the eighties ?

[MBEngineering]

HI UK ignition key on the right with the light switch, wipers/indicators same, washer jets the same (water reversed) gear lever on the left (where it is supposed to be).

regards mike

[1972_911T]

Wouldnt proper race spec cars have push button start to save time?

Steve

[Yoda]

My understanding is that the location was chosen so that the mechanic could start the car from the outside while the driver was strapping in.

[KCinBR]

I know them Ford trucks in the 60's and 70's had the key on the wrong side............ ........

[livi]

BTW, tell me once again the logical reason for mounting the engine in the rear.

That Professor had a lot of peculiar ideas going:

Air / oil cooled
Key to the left
Engine in the back
Floor hinged pedals