RE: Porsche and the death of steering feel

[MadMark911]

Slippydiff said:

MadMark911 said:

I've owned a 987 Boxster S, a 997 Carerra C2S and my current toy is a 997 GT3 so I would like to think that I "get" Porsches and steering feel is a key part of the experience, the GT3 being arguably the "best of breed" for me.

Well I went to the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone to drive a 991 for the first time and was quite disapointed! Yes the steering is accurate and direct, but I found (as was confirmed by instructor) that I wasn't turning in fast or hard enough when we were playing "slide the 911" on the Ice Hill / Kick Plate / Low Grip Surface; because I just couldn't "feel" the transition from "grip to slip". OK it was much better on a dry Handling Course and when just nibbling the limits of understeer / oversteer, but for me it didn't give me the confidence I wanted.

So unless the optional Sports PASM or later iterations of the 991 improve things, I can't see myself buying one!

No disrespect to you Mark, I suspect that having owned the vehicles you've listed, you don't get Porsches or more accurately that their steering feel is a key part of the experience of driving them.

If you'd driven/owned a 2.7 RS, a 964 RS, a 993 RS and a Mk1 996 GT3 (and some would say a 996 GT3 RS) then you'd know just what Porsche steering feel is, and how key it is to the whole 911 driving experience.

As plenty other have highlighted, Porsche want to reduce production costs, if fitting a cheaper part enables them to do that that, they will. Seemingly they'll go to the end of the world to justify the fitment of such a part, even when it's removed a key part of the DNA that contributes to the 911 driving experience.

Though I still own several of their cars, I feel nothing but disgust towards the company that used to prize their engineering integrity and customer loyalty above everything.

No offence taken - I did say "I think", what I should have said was that I got more "modern" Porsches, but I agree with Manks. You're going back too far for me and whilst they might be the best reference points - they're not mine - they're yours!

Manks said:

More accurately what old Porsche steering feel is.

[Sauriel]

I tried a GTS back to back with my cayman R in wet conditions. I have to say, one of the drawbacks of the new electric steering is that while fine in the dry, I really dont have a clue about what the front wheels are doing when its damp. They dont tell me enough, and I cant feel the limit like I can in my R.

Is this also present in the GT4?

[ATM]

Hello

I have a modern boxster with Electric steering. It's a good car.

I just bought an 1998 carrera 2 with old school hydraulic steering. It's a great car.

I think someone must be able to engineer something which we can retro fit to our modern cars which can fix this for us. The simple solution might be an unassisted rack. Would this be heavy - yes. So how about a hydraulic rack. I'm sure I read somewhere that some versions of the 997 cup cars had an electric powered power steering pump in the front of the car. I'm not an engineer but if I think it must be possible then err surely it is.