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      01-20-2014, 02:22 PM   #20
Sam@Bimmerpost
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Drives: E90 M3 Silverstone
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Vancouver BC

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Quote:
Originally Posted by solstice View Post
Encouraging comments on the steering. I'm curious if the low speed feedback and feel matches that of a good HPS system as well? In the EPS cars I've driven there is some feel when really pushing the car but at lower speeds and lateral forces where you spend 90% of your commuting the feel is one more of isolation than communication. Is the M235i EPS up to E9X M3 standard at all speeds and lateral forces or mainly when whipping the car around a track?
Excellent observation.

You are absolutely correct in that the feel and feedback greatly improve with increasing speed and lateral forces. I think the tuning philosophy is that hard driving is where feel and feedback really matter, while it does not matter as much when driving slowly around town or during parking manoeuvres. This is where BMW tunes the steering to be very light, friction free and easy to use. This is what they call Servotronic. Unfortunately, most of their buyers are not enthusiasts.

My first answer is no, the steering is not brimming with life when driving to work.

However, I did not feel that the E90 M3's steering was brimming with life either when I drove it every day to work. It only really started to chat when the commitment increased and the car was worked.

I think for steering that feels very chatty and organic and mechanical even when going slowly, we have to go several more generations back. E46, E36 and of course, the E30.

I will mention also that the one outstanding EPS on sale currently that does feel very satisfying even at low speed is the Toyota FRS/BRZ. Give that car a whirl if you wish to benchmark just how good EPS can feel even when puttering at low speeds. This is how cars used to be tuned in the 80s and 90s.
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