The airbag cover is the surface right in front of you on every drive. In the Apex Studio configurator, it comes in nappa leather or Alcantara, with your choice of colour, stitching and logo. Chosen well, it links the rim to the centre of the steering wheel and gives the whole steering wheel a coherent look.
What is the airbag cover on a steering wheel?
The airbag cover trims the shell at the centre of the steering wheel, the part that sits over the airbag module. The airbag mechanism stays your vehicle's own: you keep your original airbag. The cosmetic cover, available as an option, goes on in a few minutes and takes the material you choose.
Before choosing the finish, check the shape of your module: the guide to checking the airbag shape and cover tells you which photos to take.
Nappa leather or Alcantara: how they differ at the centre of the steering wheel
| Criterion | Nappa leather | Alcantara |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | smooth and supple | velvety |
| Look | taut surface, soft reflections | deep, matte appearance |
| Colours in the configurator | 9 | 10 |
| Pairs naturally with | a smooth or perforated leather rim | Alcantara grip areas |
Your hands touch the centre less often than the rim, so the choice comes down mainly to the look and how it matches the rest of the steering wheel. The Alcantara or leather comparison explains what each material brings to the grip areas.
Which material suits your steering wheel?
- Mostly leather steering wheel: nappa leather on the airbag cover carries the same smooth surface from the edge of the rim to the centre. The whole wheel looks like one piece.
- Alcantara grip areas: Alcantara at the centre gives a fully velvety, matte steering wheel, in the spirit of a sporty interior. Nappa leather, on the other hand, creates a clear contrast between rim and centre.
- Steering wheel with carbon trim: the carbon trims the top, the bottom or the structure. The airbag cover then uses the grip area material, so the carbon stays the main visual highlight.
The guide to choosing your steering wheel material walks through these combinations zone by zone.
Colour, stitching and logo: how do you match them?
The colour of the airbag cover is chosen from the colours of the material you picked. A shade identical to the rim gives a uniform steering wheel. A shade taken from a detail of the interior, such as the seats or the trim inserts, ties the steering wheel to the rest of the car.
The stitching on the airbag cover works best when it echoes the rim. The article on stitching colour gives pointers for a discreet or contrasting result.
The logo is also chosen in the configurator. To compare the materials and their colours side by side, open the materials page.
