carl3989

In the most recent Road&Track edition interview of Tadge Juechter he was asked what he hoped for the steering feel in the new C7, his response: " The C6's steering feel wasn't terrible, but it wasn't as good as the (Porsche) 911's, so that's what we benchmarked". What say you?

str8six

I say he is trying to sell C7s. His job probably depends on it.

dvilin

I say the man knows what he is talking about. Drive a 911 and you will agree with him as well.

talon90

He's right. The Porsche is widely considered the gold standard in terms of driver feedback in the auto industry and particularly the sport car segment. The Corvette "feel" is adequate. The Porsche "feel" is better and has been for years. The Corvette team has been chasing this in the C6 and introduced updates in '08 and '09 to try to get closer up to the point where the limitations of the current architecture got in the way.

With the C7 being an all new architecture they had a lot more flexibility to change things to be able to address these concerns.

carl3989

....keep in mind it's a lot easier to have good steering feed back in a rear engined car than a car with a large engine in the front.

EVRose

I guess those of us who have never driven a Porsche or ever intend to (like me) are very happy with the way the C6 steers. I know I am. I've had to make a few flash maneuvers to avoid some road debris and the steering came through for me with flying colors.

EyeMaster

You'll never know how a good steering feels unless you've tried it. It's a sad thing that the C6 has a truck steering feel. I've never driven a Porsche, but I intend to. I did try the Scion FRS and the steering is sooooo much better than the Corvette. My old Miata was also much better, our Ford Fusion is also on par! lol It really is my only dissapointment with my C6 z51. I'd like to try a 2010 or later model to see if it's better than my 07.

AORoads

I would tend to disagree that rear engine makes it easier to have good steering feedback than front engine (just as I wouldn't use an O'Reilly-ism for part of my question). I'm glad to see the steering improving altho I have few issues with mine. I recall when many of car mag tech editors called recirculating ball as antiquated for sports cars (that rack and pinion was the ONLY way to go), but one of note that did almost miraculously well was the long-running RX-7.

Bill Dearborn

I suspect it depends on what you get used to. I hadn't driven any BMWs until the last 10 years or so when I drove students cars at the beginning of a novice school. After 40+ years of driving Corvettes I didn't really notice any thing in particular about the BMW steering feedback. Definitely not something drastic like the magazine writers run on about. With my C4, 2 C5s and the C6 I had/have plenty of feedback while driving on the track or autocross course.

Bill

LEAVINU

My initial thought as well.

racebum

easier maybe but honda nailed a near perfect feel with the s2000. that is one very easy car to drive at the limit with excellent driver feedback. it's also front engine / rear drive

that said i'm still not sure how some people expect corvette to be the best at everything at 1/4 the price

windyC6

These places just get better and better..LOL. A C-6 has steering that feels like a truck. WOW. What the heck does a truck feel like then ?? Kinda like the ol come back to the saying of "If hitting water at 80 MPH feels like concrete, what the heck does concrete feel like?"....lOl. The C-6's are fine steering cars. Are they the best in the world...of course not. But plenty good for the "Normal" driver. And they ain't to bad if you want to unwind a little bit too.

bgspot

I have no problems with the c6, but i still understand the normal gripes most people have with the corvette. If they make the vette too perfect, i know i may not be able to afford one!!!

ATC399

I turn right it goes right..I turn left it goes left...I'm ok with my Z's steering "feel"..If I were a pro driver it might matter

BenDiem

^^^ Agreed. I'm a Corvette convert, from 911s. 911s are the cats meow, but b/c the non-Turbos lack torque, is why I left the Porsche scene. I refuse to spend $140+ large for a new Turbo; hence, the reason I converted to Corvettes. Much better bang for the buck.
I have to say, the C6 is a great car. Looking forward to the C7 upgrades... I'm smitten!

B

R&L's C6

Some of this stuff is so nit-picky, does it make any difference to 99% of of us.....

not08crmanymore

If I was a race car driver or still driving a cab/Limo for a living,it might matter to me.At this point in time my 08 is good enough for me.When I change my name to Mario Andretti and go racing,I'll look into improvements.

olefam

In my opinion, steering feel is subjective. What I like you may not like. I have taken my "old" C5 to the track more than once to pit my skills against the car's capabilities. Result: the car is better than I am. So unless I'm addressing a bunch of professional drivers or even VERY serious amateurs, I doubt that the vast majority of us would be able to take advantage of the supposed "improved feel" in the C7s. JMO. Glen

red2012

Not so fast randy, when you buy a sports car you want it to behave like a sports car and that was the very first thing i noticed and was pretty disappointed in my '12 coupe. I traded in my 07 miata with some suspension work and when i drove the vette off the floor I thought something was wrong with it. The steering was that sluggish and unresponsive compared to my miata. I'll even go on to say the steering speed, response, and feedback of a miata is light years ahead of a C6. But I got used to it and after not driving the miata and getting that feel out of my system the C6 will do. Plus just yesterday i ordered some michelin super sports and with the JOC SUSPENSION I already have in it I should have some nice steering response.
I guess im in the 1%.lol

Bedouin

Agreed & well said, Bill.

My last Porsche was a Boxster S & the steering felt excellent, light & precise like a mid/rear engine car should, but depending on the course; My '12 GS handling blows that boxster s away on faster turns & the track, as in totally flat cornering w/ zero understeer, & while the steering feel is on par with the Porsche, the track manners of the GS changes the whole comparison, because the overall platform of the car influences everything, not to mention the Boxster only had 225 & 265 width 18's.

On tight 2nd-3rd gear mountain roads, the 2,800lb & skinny-tire Porsch could corner tight turns quicker...& on a super-tight mountain road, like Hwy1-Mt Tam-Stinson beach tight, I'd put a well sorted 2,200 lb Miata (165/16 tires) up against both of them... Different tools for different jobs.