I am looking at trading an E46 330i for a 530i. I really like to attend DE events and lapping days at the tracks. The motoring press says active steering changes ratios too quickly during hard braking into a turn, adding difficulty in turn in. Does anyone have a real world experience with high performance driving an active steering? Thanks,

Yup on my own and on the E90 330 during the Ultimate Driving Experience that BMW offered.

Its not true. Steering ratios dont change too quickly during hard breaking and turn in and doesnt add difficulty. Believe me I drove that 330 HARD!!!! got that back end out and all. Its fine. Get it. AS is a must! Dont believe me? Ask Rody. He was at the BMW UDE also... once session before me.

It's not a problem.

Couple of warm up laps and AS will be like second-nature.

To me, AS is one of the few technological "advancements" that I really, really like.

AS v. non-AS to me is like the advancement from non-power steering to the now-industry-standard power steering.

the press lives with it for few hours at stretch and booed it! Losers!
i've been driving it for couple of years and was driving another e60 without it and i felt safer and more agile with A/S.
I found myself white knuckling during high speed run and cross arms on taking 90 deg corner with non active steering.

Agree with all of the above replies, big fan of AS. It's utterly predictable in use and is (along with the HUD) the thing I miss most when driving any other car. Personally I think the two of the biggest misperceptions around AS are that it reduces feel or that it gets written off as "parking aid" - IMHO neither are accurate.

Yup on my own and on the E90 330 during the Ultimate Driving Experience that BMW offered.

Its not true. Steering ratios dont change too quickly during hard breaking and turn in and doesnt add difficulty. Believe me I drove that 330 HARD!!!! got that back end out and all. Its fine. Get it. AS is a must! Dont believe me? Ask Rody. He was at the BMW UDE also... once session before me.
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Did same thing here through my dealer :thumbsup: AS is a must have now :thumbsup:

Just did the 6er Driving Experience up at PC in Spartanburg. Drove their 6ers on track and my 6er on the 80 mile trip between Spartanburg and Ashville on some lovely twisties, some with changing radius, up and down hill. Mine is with AS and I loved it. Never an unexpected response. Very happy and I will get it if available on any future car. Go for it, I think you will be pleased with it.

My track instructor drove the first turn around the track. When we were swapping back, I asked him how the active steering treated him. He wasn't even aware that the car had active steering -- said he did not feel a thing unusual.

You don't notice active steering until you get used to driving a car with it.... and then drive a car without it.

Anytime I drive a car without AS now, I nearly wreck it because I try to make a right turn, and don't turn the wheel enough.


Active Steering rules.


I think it is actually better for high-performance driving, since it allows the driver to keep his hands on the wheel more.... ie, making a big turn, you don't have to remove hands to turn wheel a lot.

I was watching a video of some guys racing on a very twisty mountain road. The cameras were showing how much they had to turn the steering wheel to make the turns. These guys were frantic, crossing over hands to get the steerin wheel turned in time to make the hairpin turns. The whole time I was thinking, active steering could really help out there.

When I drive my car, my hands are at 9 & 3 o'clock. They never come off the wheel... not even for a right turn at a stop sign. I love that. Effortless to drive, and I feel more in control.

I sincerely hope they will add Active Steering to the M5.... at least as an option.

do a search about active steering...there are many opinions and pros and cons about it. Also there are a few discussions about the reason the m5 doesn't have as.