Mazda MX-5 Door Pulls
minimal and lightweight
About
The door handles on the inside of a car normally aren't given a second thought, but is something you interact with every time you drive. I wanted something less bulky than the handles Mazda fit the MX-5 with in the early 90's. The longer time has gone on, the more complicated cars have become. This project is about reducing the handle to it's most minimal form, but finding a way to make it interesting.
Design
Two anchor points and something inbetween, that's all it takes to make a handle. In the process, I removed the armrest, and experimented with some different materials. Nylon webbing (shown in red) is a traditional material, but leather or some synthetic material would work just as well. The circular design was a design trend with the interior of the 1st Generation (1989-1998) of the Mazda MX-5, and fits the car rather well. The design works with the standard bolts that come with the car, which are covered by the caps on either end.
Concept Development
Several designs were prototyped in order to find the best possible solution to the problem. Each iteration explored different methods of attaching the new handle design. There was a basic design idea with a cover that hides the bolts that hold everything together. A snap fitment seemed to be the right way to attach the cover.
