What the hell is with Euro/Brit cars?!!!

[GT-Driver]

Hi all,

We all know that most of European (and British) cars handels and most importantly Feeeeels so gooooood (aahhh) to drive. The steering wheel is crisp, sharp and acts like a precise swiss watch. There is the driver-car connection, you know what I mean guys right?!

The Jap cars are not the same, the are in the middle, they handle fine and great for some cars too like the Evo, STI and GTR but they lack that SWEET STEERING feel. they are still nimble and even if they beat the Euro/Brit cars in numbers they can hardly match them in sensation.

American cars are on the other side of the scale (my brother loves them though, he likes muscle cars and drag race and drifting..etc).

So the question is: Whay do the Euro and Brit cars feel so good?!!!

[nicanary]

Where most road are narrow and winding the steering/chassis characteristics have to be good, or you die.

[Dave Brand]

That may be OK as a generalisation, but the specifics of my limited experience are very different.

My Citroen DS3 does fit your perception of European cars - agile, with very good steering feel, but the C3, basically the same car, is far from being a "driver's car" - sloppy steering, underdamped suspension.

The worst steering I've experienced for a long time was a Fiat Grande Punto. The steering has two settings. One of them gives overlight steering with absolutely no feedback, giving no hint of any mechanical connection between the steering wheel & the front wheels; the other setting makes it even worse!

As for American cars, my recent experience is limited to Dodge Charger, Challenger R/T & Ford Mustang. The Dodges both had good steering feel; didn't find any twisties to try the Charger, but the Challenger handled them well although its bulk was always apparent. As for the Mustang, I was lucky enough (well, I actually planned it!) to drive it on one of America's most famous stretches of road, Deal's Gap, TN - 308 bends in 11 miles! That was the most fun I've had in a car for a long time . . . it's a good-handling car!

So, on the basis of my very limited experience, it's USA 3, Europe 1!

Can't comment on Japanese cars, as the only time I've ever driven one was over 20 years ago.

[GT-Driver]

Jap cars are in the middle, I have driven a subaru STI around the track a lot. You get good steering feeling and feed back but it is nutral...not sweet.

The new Americans are good handlers too. Now the new mustang is dead close to the BMW-M3 on the circuit!!! for less than half the price -but again the M feels little better and more agile.

[bella]

my audi s3 is a good compramise - you do still feel the road in the steering but it's not overpowering, the rest of the feel comes through the suspension. that thing is my guardian angel in the snow, it's on summer tyres and i spent the best part of monday driving around in slush and fresh snow 2 inches deep at least and it was rock solid. my previous bmw would have been all over the show, that was like driving drunk in cold weather.

in terms of the smaller more common euro cars, the best fun i've had in one was a ford ka, one of the old body shape ones. a bit spartan inside but superb for chucking around mountain single track roads. really responsive steering, very easy to judge the size and no comedy understeer. unlike the new fiat 500 that i took on the same road last year and just didn't trust at all.

dave, being fair the euro cars you've driven are mostly handbags except for the ds3, the spam cans are a bit more serious

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by bella

dave, being fair the euro cars you've driven are mostly handbags except for the ds3, the spam cans are a bit more serious

Just being selective to support my argument!