“Alvaro martínez” is a freelance writer who writes articles in his spare time and works making automotive reviews and many many more things
**********************************************************************************
When I look at the new cars that have been announced, like a new sporty BEV or a new German Saloon that has enough torque to twist the world like a wet rag… I just can’t help but notice a comment that often catches my attention when I look at the opinions on the new car… And most of the time it reads like this.
“This car has no soul, it feels artificial because…”
This comment always catches my attention whenever I search for a petrolhead among the sea of “commutists” who only care for a car to reliably bring them to A/B/C whenever they need it and complain the new car has no use outside of a track… So, what is the soul of a car? Is it a component on the fuse box? A forgotten engine part? Today I give an honest answer to what “soul” feels like to me… And honestly it’s a combination of many elements some manufacturers have long forgotten in their chase for innovation.
1-The sensations
For example, we have FR configuration cars like the Ford Mustang GT. It’s a car that doesn’t forgive if you pull out of a car show with the throttle mashed to the floor as you turn into the main road, it will just slide out of control until you nail a crowd, a tree or a curb on the best of cases… What do you feel then? It is fear since you’re not in control of it. But the second you learn how to control it’s horsepower? You certainly feel powerful, invincible even!
Then there’s cars like the Mclaren P1, high tech supercars that despite all of the artificial components that help give it’s driver the most control at the limit… you still don’t feel in control despite all of the techy gadgets at your disposal, you might be sitting in a bucket seat with a four point harness… Even then, you feel fear the second you step on the gas or take a turn so fast you feel that your own soul is understeering but your body and the car are following the turn like a strong magnet stuck on a fridge.
And then you slow down, the engine howls angry but you feel the rush of that fear hitting you like a freight train… and Even then you just want to repeat it so you can feel the thrill of that sensation. Other cars just cradle you in a slow cruise amidst all of the luxuries and elegance like a Rolls Royce or a Mercedes… but what else gives a car it’s “soul”
2-The driver Involvement.
Some cars are made to go straight and crash in the first turn, others are made to deal with every bend but get left behind at straights, and others simply manage to balance both of them. What car gives the best involvement? It all depends on your choices and preferences, along your desire for sensations. Granted that some cars like Teslas might be quicker than any Supercar off the line, but what the driver has to do? Step on the gas hard and that’s it? Would it feel the same on a 1970s drag car that would spin uncontrollably the second you slightly tilted the wheel to one side?
Simracing videogames as well taught me a basic idea of what to expect in some cars and different layouts. AWD cars might have good high speed cornering, but they tend to understeer in low speed bends if thrown carelessly into the bends… as for powerful RWD cars they can be faster in straights, but hard to keep tamed on any corner if you’re going too fast. But if you knew the weaknesses, you could exploit the strengths when the track gave you the advantage. It wasn’t just picking a car and driving it like a futuristic hovercar from the wipeout games, you had to learn how it handled to get the best… and the more you learned, the more you got involved with the car.
What else I can say? I love my manual gearbox cars, no matter how much more efficient automatic and semiautomatic vehicles are when it comes to performance. You have way more control with 3 pedals, you’re forced to get involved with the vehicle and pay attention, to involve yourself in order to get the best out of the car… And now for the last part.
3-The “everything”
Sensations, involvement… what is the last element? I call it the “everything” the balance of both its involvement, it’s sensations including what draws the attention of a young enthusiast or a former commutist who has awakened from slumber. Not by their alarm clock but by the sound, the appearance… something that shakes their world awake and draws their attention.
Cars like the Lotus Elise 111R brought me into the automotive world, it wasn’t by their noise nor the sensations I experienced… but the appearance that drove me to stare at it like it was a painting in a museum. Cars like the 2006 WRX STI blob eye? Not its looks but the iconic howl of it’s flat four at the limit. Once a car snatches your attention you just won’t be let go easily until it is gone.
The sensations they bring to whoever drives them, the involvement they need from whoever drives them and the attention they draw from others when driven? In the end, cars with soul often make their presence known to anyone through any of the 3 previously mentioned… And will keep making themselves noticed until the end of times, never forgotten.
Do you think your car has a soul? Leave a comment below!
-Alvaro
Published in Thoughts and Takes
Excellent! Great setup for discussion.
To answer your question, yes. I’ve had many cars and driven many more in my 50 years. Of those cars the one that really stands out is my 1987 e24 M6. It had some serious upgrades which took it to the next level. Three pedals. Stage 2 suspension. BBS RS2 wheels, stainless braided brakes lines and Dinan chip, along with several other upgrades, made it a monster on the streets. I could drive it the speed limit but it REALLY didn’t want to go that slowly. It wanted to be opened up and driven. 142 daily into work. No joke. I lived in the middle of nowhere outside of Memphis, TN. I would blast until I hit traffic then real it into reality. It didn’t really come alive until 115 when the aero was doing its thing. It absorbed holes well but cornered like it was on rails. I traded a friend for his 964 for a day. I HATED the 964. Rode like it was on bricks. Stiff. Didn’t take turns as well. Didn’t accelerate as well. Didn’t ride as comfortably. That friend ultimately bought that M6 from me when I got divorced. (Rough time in life). Even he felt it had more “soul”. It wasn’t about the performance numbers. It wasn’t about the speed. It was about doing so while seated in white leather seats that were as comfortable as a Herman Miller chair but kept you snug so when corners came along you could blast through them like you were on rails. It had feeling. There wasn’t as much car around you since cars back in 1987 didn’t have any airbags let alone side-impact. It was man and machine. That’s it. At $65,000 in 1987 this car wasn’t a joke. But to date this car had more soul than any other car I have ever driven. I’ve had several Golf’s and those are amazing but nothing compared to an e24 M6 with upgrades. Even 911’s of the era didn’t have the feeling. The e30 I had prior didn’t have as much soul. Close, but not as much.
Yes, cars have soul. Feeling. Although they are machines, they come to life when you turn that key or push the button. Some feel better than others. It’s not totally subjective either. Let’s debate that last sentence.
Mine doesnt feel “alive” sometimes, but sometimes when I have to overtake and press that SPORT button on the dash? (I only use it for more than 3-5 cars) let’s just say what I feel.
Pedal to the metal, turn left into the oncoming lane, engine howling and rpm rapidly climbing as it hits 70mph in what feels like an instant, I’m afraid because I’m pushed HARD against the seat as it hits 3.5k rpm, yet it keeps going strong as I shift into next gear. Then back into my lane and turn off SPORT mode.
That’s when It hits me, the high of that fear? first time It was scary, now it’s yelling in excitement at that raw performance. taking corners easily and feeling invincible? I can truly say that it might not draw looks on the street but man… it surely comes to life the second SPORT mode awakes it from slumber.
And I can tell.. it WANTS to go faster. (but diesel prices are prohibitive lately 😭)
You’ve found it! That moment when the fear becomes excitement! Fear is good. Let’s you know you are outside of the box. Keeps you safe. But also prevents serious fun. Ken Block was asked if he ever got scared while driving on the limit. His response was incredible, “If I’m not scared then I’m NOT going fast enough”. That’s that point where you tap that primal urge within. But the soul of the car has to be there too or the experience falls flat. Taking at 20mph turn at 120 with the tail stepped out isn’t something a soul hunk of scrap metal can do and feel good about doing it. It’s more than the shear performance. It’s the feel of the car. How does it FEEL. This feeling doesn’t have to come on the limit. I once drove a 65 Pontiac GTO. HOLY CRAP Batman! Exciting isn’t the full sentiment. That car had feeling. It felt good to drive. The first car I drove the beloved GTV6 had soul. It came alive in 3rd gear. The sound it made and the feel it had was like nothing I’ve ever felt until I bought my M6. Those two cars had SOUL. Turn the key and they came alive. Gave the tingles every single drive. Smiles and grins every time. Soulless cars cannot do this. They are appliances … LOOKING AT YOU TESLA and 98 Pontiac GrandAm.
hahaha 😂
WHY I cannot edit comments?! I found the last part pretty funny to say the least, those two certainly feel artificial.
I think we reached the max limit of reply space on this article. I cannot reply to your next comment asking why you can’t edit a reply. I found that I can only add or edit on the activity feed page and not at the end of the article itself. May not be aware of this bug.