Road feel is not a design flaw, but rather, a design choice. Isolating drivers from the road’s surface, while providing a nice cushy ride, lessens vital feedback like traction. The tradeoff has typically been a bone-jarring ride that magnifies every imperfection in the road’s surface.
Porsche has accomplished the unthinkable and combined road feel with a compliant ride. The word sacrifice has disappeared. Through systems engineering (subsystems that also contribute to the success of other subsystems- synergistic), Porsche has found a balance (not compromise) between a supple ride and excellent feedback from the road’s surface.
The reduction of unsprung weight contributes to ride and handling as well as road feel. Unsprung weight can be determined by bouncing the vehicle’s fender. What moves is sprung weight; what doesn’t move is unsprung. The heavier the unsprung weight, the more rebound and continued motion of the wheel and tire. This lessens traction and unsettles the vehicle.
By reducing unsprung weight, the tire contact patch can spend more of its time where it belongs, on the road’s surface. Being lighter, there is less rebound (bouncing). The suspension is also designed to keep the contact patches mostly flat, even while cornering, for the best possible traction.
This is true of all of Porsche’s models. The SUV’s and sedans lean a little more toward ride and the sports cars toward handling, but neither is at the expense of the other. The result is a level of confidence rarely found in the driving experience.
The feel is transmitted through what amounts to a mechanical central nervous system. The seat, steering wheel, and even the pedals are communicating the exact relationship between the tire contact patches and the road’s surface. The Germans refer to the seat’s interaction with the body as the “Popo Meter”.
Modern cars all have brains, but Porsche has mastered the art of road communication through its virtual central nervous system. Writers refer to this and linear braking and steering as “Soul”. Soul is the essence of a human that connects them with divinity (in harmony with the universe). It is this quality that permits Porsches to interact with humans, ergonomics taken to the next level.
How precise is the road feel? It has been suggested that rolling over a quarter, one could tell if it’s heads or tails. That may be a little optimistic, but the communication is excellent. This greatly enhances the level of confidence in driver inputs.
Road feel can act as an early warning system when laws of physics are about to be broken. The term forgiving is applicable, as corrections can be made before the fact and not after.
Road feel contributes to active safety (what the driver can do to avoid a bad situation) and situational awareness (informing the driver of any changes in traction). Why someone would not want to be aware is the question that begs asking. As modern vehicles strive to turn drivers into passengers, Porsche remains as a purist’s (driver’s) vehicle. Now more than ever, there is no substitute.