Quote:
Originally Posted by Skyracer
Quote:
Originally Posted by msej449
Try driving a Lotus Elise or a Caterham, then you'll really know what good steering is. I imagine that the same applies to Formula 2000 or similar track-only cars. All with no power assistance at all. On a scale of 1-10 with the Elise/Caterham/track car at 10 I'd say yes, the M235i/M240i is 5 but I'd only rate the Porsche Carerra S4 I had at 7 and an M I tried at 6.5 So it always makes me smile when people criticise the M-Lite steering: yes, it's not terrific and not as good as an M or Porsche etc. but it's fine for a sporty road car.
|
You're being generous with the m240i. Subjectivity again, but on a scale of 1 to 10 for feel (with 10 as the best) I would rate it a 1 or 2. Sure, it's accurate and direct, but it has absolutely no feel whatsoever IMO, and is ridiculously light, utterly appalling and completely unfit for a sporty road car. Like steering a video game. |
In my opinion, msej449's opinion is very accurate. I have a Caterham R400 (one of the hardcore versions that will keep up with supercars on the track, but is still road legal). It has no steering, brake or traction control assistance and is as archetypal of 'telepathic' steering of any car I have ever driven, especially with the tactile feel of the 260mm quick release Momo steering wheel, definitely rates a 10/10. Of the other BMWs I have had over the years I would rate the M240i as decent:
E46 323Ci - 7
E85 Z4M - 7
E90 325i (with sport package) - 5
E82 135i - 6
M240i - 5
I wouldn't rate any recent pickup truck I have driven above a 2 and typical SUVs I have rented lately such as the Nissan Rogue, Mitsubishi Outlander or Chevy Yukon all rate either 1 or 2. I have a special place for the worst steering on any vehicle I have ever driven that is from this century - 0 for the PT cruiser, the antithesis of the Caterham steering.
Perhaps in non-sport mode the steering on the M240i is quite light, but in sport mode it has decent weight (similar to the Caterham when at highway speeds). Lightness also doesn't correlate to feel. One problem with feel that was brought to my attention some years ago by ex-Formula 1 driver Allen Berg when I attended one of his race schools is that most people steer by pulling down on the steering with their arm muscles and therefore have little feeling for what the wheels are really doing, whereas they should be pushing up the wheel with their wrist muscles and that with steering that is too heavy you lose a lot of feel due to not being able to use the wrist muscles effectively. Also that the shoulders should never move on the seat when steering and that there should be about a 90 degree bend in the elbow with the hands at 3-9 position on the steering wheel. I find the M240i steering has decent feel when steering with this method.