Why are some cars more enjoyable to drive than others?

[Elaphe]

I'm not talking about racing, but just driving. I can understand than a modern F1 or a GT3 race can be very exciting and rewarding but, leaving out the fun that comes from the competition itself, do you really enjoy driving a F1 or a GT3 car? I mean, take any GT3 race car and start hotlaping around any circuit or driving aggressively just for fun, taking the car to its limits and exploring your driving abilities. I just can't enjoy them. I'm not sure why. Maybe too much grip, too much downforce, too much power? The point is that those cars drive like on rails and it's not easy to make them slide and play with them controlling drifts. They are fast, no doubt about it, but they just feel like too stable and too performance oriented.

However, as soon as you go back a little in time, you start finding that missing feeling. For instance, the Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti or the Mercedes 190E EVO II, despite of them also being race cars, are so much more enjoyable and have actually become my favorite cars in the game. The same comparison can be made with F1 cars, being the models from the 60s a blast in terms of fun.

Now, what is wrong with modern race cars? Or maybe it's me driving them the wrong way? Obviously, this is all talking from my experience with the simulator, as I have never been lucky to try any of these beasts in real life.

 

[Goblin616]

I'm wondering if you have a license in real life. I'm assuming yes so: Why are some road cars more enjoyable to drive than others?

I don't think there's a pure answer. The best answer I can give is the cars you enjoy suit your driving style and/or abilities better. Obviously when it comes to racers, the more extreme they are (F1 especially) the more skill it takes to maximize them.

Did you ever watch old Top Gear? When is a car the most fun? At the limit of grip. It's much easier to reach the limit on slower / less capable cars. Not that DTM cars aren't capable, but they are nothing compared with F1 cars.

This is of course my opinion, but I hope it maybe answers some of your question.

 

[onearmedbandit46]

Different strokes for different folks is the saying you are looking for.

 

[Mr Deap]

If the car ain't drifting, I don't play them.

 

[Mogget]

I personally feel that modern race cars are incredibly boring to drive. Far too much downforce, and very little "feel". Even the 90s DTM cars are nothing compared to the feel I get from the road cars or classic race cars.

 

[Genex13]

I actually like to drive the Mclaren GT3 Cars in AC and ACC because I love the special dynamics of that line of cars and could not find a single car that feels that natural with my driving style and exciting in the same way.

That beeing said I occasionally like to step up to something harder to drive which includes cars with way more downforce (F1 2021) or none at all (Caterham Academy) or just really difficult GT cars (Lister Storm GT). But these cars don't feel more (or less) exciting to drive for me (just generally different)

 

[A.Bert]

I'm not talking about racing, but just driving. I can understand than a modern F1 or a GT3 race can be very exciting and rewarding but, leaving out the fun that comes from the competition itself, do you really enjoy driving a F1 or a GT3 car? I mean, take any GT3 race car and start hotlaping around any circuit or driving aggressively just for fun, taking the car to its limits and exploring your driving abilities. I just can't enjoy them. I'm not sure why. Maybe too much grip, too much downforce, too much power? The point is that those cars drive like on rails and it's not easy to make them slide and play with them controlling drifts. They are fast, no doubt about it, but they just feel like too stable and too performance oriented.

However, as soon as you go back a little in time, you start finding that missing feeling. For instance, the Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti or the Mercedes 190E EVO II, despite of them also being race cars, are so much more enjoyable and have actually become my favorite cars in the game. The same comparison can be made with F1 cars, being the models from the 60s a blast in terms of fun.

Now, what is wrong with modern race cars? Or maybe it's me driving them the wrong way? Obviously, this is all talking from my experience with the simulator, as I have never been lucky to try any of these beasts in real life.

I'm not a good driver and in AC many cars are really hard to drive, but the best are the ones created by very talented modders. I have tried many, but the best I found, in order of quality, on www.tiiips.com
In particular Ginetta G55 GT4 gave me the real pleasure of driving.