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      04-07-2012, 03:12 AM   #30
simianspeedster
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Drives: 2020 840i Coupe
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Propagator View Post
That is a really good summary. The "feel" that many of us look for actually serves very little purpose if all you care about is going fast. You don't need to have the tactile feel of the road surface, which is essentially a glorified steering kickback, to assess your grip level.

But subjectively, it does make you feel more connected to the road, and to the machine. It makes the car feel more "raw", more focused, and less refined. In a way, it is analogous to preferring pure 3 pedal manuals over dual clutch transmissions. There is no longer an objective advantage of rowing your own gears, and yet for subjective reasons, some of us insist on doing just that.
I largely agree. I can't recall where I read this, but I'm fairly certain I recently read that a manufacturer created some kind of physical coupling between the front axle and the electric steering system so some of the "road noise" can be felt by the driver. It's kind of analogous to cars that have a resonator in the dash that lets some of the engine noise sneak into the cabin for a more visceral, enjoyable experience.
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