rover key design?

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Hi having a conversation in the pub tonight came onto the design of rover keys as one of the guys owned one, not sure if you know but they can be bent in the joint they have by 90 degrees , just wondering if anyone knows why rover did this as I'm quite puzzled.

rover_key.jpg


The type of key i mean are the 90's cars for the 100, 200, 400, and 600 series.
 
Their primary bending tolerance is about 5-10degrees in either diretion. It 'may' reduce the amount of snapped keys because the actual key design itself does look quite flimsey compared to modern hex shaped ones.

Wether it's worth it for the company i don't know, it hasn't really affected me in anyway though apart from having a friend fiddle with it trying to weaken/wear the joint limiter nubs.
 
I have one of those keys and the best explanation I have come up with (Though it's nothing "official"; just my own thought) is that it is so if the key snaps in the car ignition (E.g., key ring too heavy) then there will still be enough "key" protruding from the ignition for you to get the key out. Without it I gather the key may snap cleanly in the ignition and be difficult to remove.
 
Maybe the joint is supposed to give way before you put enough presure on it to snap the key itself.
 
They don't bend 90 degs, the key for the Metro Amanda had didn't anyway. They keys are quite small though, so pocket comfort is a non-issue I would have thought. Maybe it allows less effort to be used when turning the key thus reducing the risk of snapping them.
 
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