[Guest (MBNZ)]

... the difference between steering "effort" and steering or road "feel." I'm quite partial to a steering effort that's similar to BMW or the 964 or 993 Porsches. The E55 is light to the tough but the automotive press has said it has good road feel. I have always likened the the degree or steering effort with the degree of road feel. While I think there's some correlation, I sense they're two different concepts. Can anyone explain this in layman's terms?

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

If you drive a 901 911 (up to '89) with no power steering and compare it to a 993 that has speed variable power steering, you get good road feel with each, but there is less effort with the 993. You can sense the amount of grip between the tires and the road through the steering wheel. You can also feel the contours of the road through the steering wheel. With a car, such as a Lincoln Continental, the steering is boosted and isolated so that you won't get very much feedback through the steering wheel. It will always be easy to turn the wheel, and the wheel vibrate at all as the road and grip vary.<p>

 

[Guest (MBNZ)]

Too much steering assist...

: If you drive a 901 911 (up to '89) with no power steering and compare it to a 993 that has speed variable power steering, you get good road feel with each, but there is less effort with the 993. You can sense the amount of grip between the tires and the road through the steering wheel. You can also feel the contours of the road through the steering wheel. With a car, such as a Lincoln Continental, the steering is boosted and isolated so that you won't get very much feedback through the steering wheel. It will always be easy to turn the wheel, and the wheel vibrate at all as the road and grip vary.<p><p>Exactly my point. More boost equals less feel. It's a wonder why AMG didn't tinker with the steering boost given the car's performance orientation. By the way, when Porsche boosted the steering effort on the 964 and then the 993, no one complained. The change in the 996 is more dramatic and affects low speed self-centering snap. The E55 also suffers from low speed self-centering wheel return.