[sugarwood]

The steering of the 3.2 911 is amazingly responsive, unlike any other car I've driven. Even on the highway, it's like you're on rails. You have to actively steer the car at all times. I feel like if you get distracted reaching for a bite of your food, you can veer right out of your lane! What makes the 911 steering like this? What would make the wheels respond so much with such slight steering movement? It's the rack and pinion system, correct? But do all cars with R&P steering behave this way? Or does the 911 have an aggressive steering ratio? Is this accomplished with larger rack/pinion teeth? That way, for a given amount of turn of the steering wheel/pinion gear, there will be more rack displacement?

Why aren't all cars like this? Is there a downside? Who doesn't want more responsive steering? Costs? The technology is old, so it’s not R&D costs. Materials? I’d think it can’t be more expensive. The pinion gear size should not have any effect on cost to manufacture, either. Also, if rack/pinion is so good, why do they not use it anymore? Is this a cost issue? Convenience and comfort issue related to power steering?