Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete
I note from BMW comment, the suspension changes were partly due to improve comfort, (I suggest also to help mask RFT characteristics) so a departure from MacPherson type suspension of previous 5-series. I suggest that may be one factor in having different roadfeel in the F10/11 chassis.
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HighlandPete, I think that is an excellent observation. One of the characteristics of the old BMW steering was a strong self-centering force, and that would be primarily related to the suspension design, not the steering. And as you said, other changes that were made to the front suspension could easily have significant impact on the steering feel.
It's important to note that the F30, which still maintains the strut front suspension, is also criticized for lacking feel, but perhaps not to the same extent as the F10. I confess I've never driven an F10, so I am in no way criticizing it, I'm merely making an observation based on the reviews I've read.
I also think your point about the more sedate steering fitting a large executive car better is a very good one. After all, the kind of tactile feedback that is missing from the new generation of BMW steering is in a way just glorified steering kickback.
I do however think that it adds a touch of rawness to the car, and makes you feel more connected to the act of driving it. These characters are not in line with what people typically expect from a luxury car, as you pointed out, but on the flip side it could give the car something of a dual personality. I was reading reviews of the new Quattroporte, and that car seems to have just this kind of dual personality in spades. It seems ridiculous to equip a huge luxo-barge like that big Maser with a sporting chassis and an ultra-direct steering, and maybe that will be its sales downfall, but you have to admit it adds a lot of character to the car. So to the extent that people want the 5er to have a more "raw" steering, I think something similar to that is what they are looking for. A car that feels like a luxury car to the passengers, but lets the driver know that at its core it's still something not all that civilized. The problem with this (I think more traditional BMW) approach is that I'm pretty sure it's won't be popular in China, where one gets chauffeured in a long wheelbase 3 series.