Petri sports steering wheel for Volkswagen + Audi
Mads van Appeldoorn
April 7, 2024
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Passat TS, Scirocco TS + Fox GT “special” steering wheel
I have already written a very detailed article about the Petri sports steering wheel for BMW. The different versions, sizes and hubs for the different BMW models. The article necessarily also deals with the Volkswagen variant – very briefly, because the steering wheel is largely the same. At least the 380mm foam variant. But there are a few interesting aspects of the Petri Volkswagen + Audi steering wheels and hubs, which I’d like to take a closer look at.
Petri steering wheels (not only) for Volkswagen + Audi
What I already reported in the Petri BMW sports steering wheel article, Petri has produced steering wheels for countless brands, almost all of us have put our hands on a (OEM) Petri steering wheel, more unconsciously than consciously, which you can find in so many European cars. Many people owe their lives to Petri’s airbags.
The Petri sports steering wheel is at least familiar to BMW enthusiasts of the E10 (BMW 2002) and E9 (BMW 3.0 CS/CSi/CSL) series. And the small and fine Passat TS, Scirocco TS and Audi Fox GT community. And a few more.
Some of our dear BMW friends don’t like to hear that the exact same steering wheel has been installed in Volkswagen models. They take refuge in crazy stories about how it’s not the same, but we don’t want to dwell on that. The fact is, the classic 380mm Petri sports steering wheel is absolutely identical, regardless of whether it is a BMW or a Volkswagen. Perhaps excitingly, in addition to the well-known, flat 380mm Petri sports steering wheel that I was just talking about, there was also a 400mm deep dished Petri sports steering wheel as an optional steering wheel, but only for the Volkswagen Passat and the Audi Fox GT.
In the nature of those things, every car has a different steering column and needs a special hub for mounting sports steering wheels. And here we come to the crux of this article. Only in relation to Volkswagen and Audi, I have looked at the BMW hubs for the E10 and E9 in detail.
Petri sports steering wheel in a Volkswagen Scirocco TS
Petri sports steering wheel in a Volkswagen Passat TS
400mm deep dished Petri for Volkswagen Passat + Audi Fox
Deep dished 400mm Petri
The Petri hub adapter for Volkswagen + Audi
Now things get really interesting and I only have limited answers as to why there were so many different hubs for the same Volkswagen model. Let’s start with the easy thing. The dished 400mm Petri only had a very short hub due to the depth of the steering wheel. Makes sense.
Front of the “short hub” used with the 400mm dished Petri
Back of the “short hub” (841 419 655, 321 419 091 A)
“Short” hub from the 400mm dished Petri steering wheel
“Long” hub from the flat 380mm Scirocco TS Petri steering wheel
While the short hub makes some sense, it doesn’t explain why there are 3 other, different hubs that all fit the steering columns of Volkswagen models. The next two longer ones have the exakt same length and hub cover (last picture above). If you look at the detailed image, you can see the collapsible structure of the hub that we all know from Momo hubs, even though these hubs have a hard hub cover and not the rubber accordion style. However, the top of these two hubs looks different.
First variant Petri Volkswagen + Audi hub
Collapsible structure, Volkswagen + Audi logo
Second variant Petri Volkswagen + Audi hub
Back of the Petri Volkswagen + Audi hub
And the third variant, which also fits the same Volkswagen steering column (presumably the same as the Audi Fox), is visually reminiscent of the BMW hubs. A solid hub without that net-like structure that you can see in the detailed photo of the other Petri Volkswagen hub.
Third variant Petri Volkswagen + Audi hub
BMW CSL hub on the right
More narrow hub cover compared to the other long Volkswagen style cover
Solid structure, Petri logo only
So three different hubs for the Volkswagen Passat TS, Scirocco TS and Audi Fox GT. Only question is why. If you happen to have the answer, please let me know!
The Petri to Momo hub adapter
Sometimes these hubs are harder to find than the steering wheel itself. And sometimes you just like the wheel but can’t find the correct hub for your car, simply because it doesn’t exist. This is where my Petri to Momo hub adapter comes in. Momo hubs are widely available for a huge variety of cars, so just get a Momo hub and the adapter and install your Petri sports steering wheel in whatever car you like. Get it here!
Petri to Momo hub adapter and cover ring
Made from high quality aluminum in Germany
The Volkswagen + Audi horn buttons by Petri
As you can see in the images from the original advertisements from the 1970s at the beginning of the article, two different horn button variants for the Volkswagen existed, the bigger one for the Scirocco TS and the smaller one, similar to the Petri BMW horn buttons, for the Passat TS. The Audi Fox Petri steering wheel came with the big horn button as well.
Petri Volkswagen horn button
Same size Audi Fox GTi horn button
For most BMW, Volkswagen + Audi lovers, the classic Petri sports steering wheel is a very exciting and nice to have steering wheel that comes with an interesting history. What I would really like to know is why Petri made three different hubs for the same car manufacturer and what is the difference between these three hubs, if there is one (apart from the short hub). I wasn’t able to find one, so please let me know and let me share your knowledge here!
And always drive respectfully!
