Front wheel drive, rear wheel drive or all wheel drive?

[morobas]

Which do you prefer? i would go for a rear wheel drive coz i can get a nice drag on the car. All wheel drive is great for rainy and snowy conditions, but i feel it is too safe and the driver loses the pleasure and thrill of driving.

[more-boost1555]

it's lighter than all wheel drive, plus it just makes sense...

When you accelerate the car's weight will transfer to the rear wheels giving them more traction, which helps because those are the drive wheels of course. Also I think it helps quite a bit to seperate the tasks of powering the car, and steering the car. It allows the front wheels to do a better job of turning as well as breaking.

Finally, it's just much less technically complex than all wheel drive.

[Egg Nog]

RWD. I've got much too say, but basically, for a sports car, it's the most logical way to do it. However, If you don't really care about your car, feel free to commute in your Toyota Echo

FWD cars are the best for people who probably didn't even realise that their car is powered by the front wheels. Because, of course, they could care less

[crisis]

This is simple. Rear wheel drive for road cars. Power steerable, no torque steer and predictable. More traction on slippery surfaces. Requires more driver skill than on road all wheel drive. Four wheel drive for off road, its the only way, preferably with a lift kit and diff locks. Front wheel drive for girls (no offence Dragon Knight (welcome to the forums by the way )).

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Egg Nog

FWD cars are the best for people who probably didn't even realise that their car is powered by the front wheels. Because, of course, they could care less

Having rallied Minis ( real ones ) and currently competing against them NOTHING can beat a front wheel drive car in autotest sections.
Using the tricks the scandinavians taught us all their is an equal handling experience of rwd.
And in a crazy world, the Japanese have created the skill of drifting FWDs.
We only used the handbrake to do 90+ turns, they use them to go full throttle sideways around ovals !! Is it a godd thing - I've not decided yet

[morobas]

Originally Posted by crisis

This is simple. Rear wheel drive for road cars. Power steerable, no torque steer and predictable. More traction on slippery surfaces. Requires more driver skill than on road all wheel drive. Four wheel drive for off road, its the only way, preferably with a lift kit and diff locks. Front wheel drive for girls (no offence Dragon Knight (welcome to the forums by the way )).

Well said mate. i just don't know y they produce fwd vehicles.

[morobas]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Having rallied Minis ( real ones ) and currently competing against them NOTHING can beat a front wheel drive car in autotest sections.
Using the tricks the scandinavians taught us all their is an equal handling experience of rwd.
And in a crazy world, the Japanese have created the skill of drifting FWDs.
We only used the handbrake to do 90+ turns, they use them to go full throttle sideways around ovals !! Is it a godd thing - I've not decided yet

Awesome dude! i think i gotta go learn these skills of scandinavia!

[dupscadi]

RWD all the way! Peace!

[DiabloVT]

Originally Posted by morobas

Well said mate. i just don't know y they produce fwd vehicles.

they build em cuz theyre cheaper to manufacture dude. plus ud always go for the all-wheel-drive. rear wheel drive dragsters, sure enough, are cheaper to make fast. but a 12sec AWD will always be faster than a 12sec rear/front wheel drive. its just a fundamently faster car in all types of situations and terrain because it has something more than any other type; traction

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by DiabloVT

they build em cuz theyre cheaper to manufacture dude. plus ud always go for the all-wheel-drive. rear wheel drive dragsters, sure enough, are cheaper to make fast. but a 12sec AWD will always be faster than a 12sec rear/front wheel drive. its just a fundamently faster car in all types of situations and terrain because it has something more than any other type; traction

?????

A "12 sec" awd needs a lot more power than a rwd.

AWDs have large power losses in the drivetrain.
For equal power output at the flywheel an AWD needs at least another 20-30bhp to match the 1/4 mile and track times of a RWD. ) road cars - drag cars are something too specialised to use for comparison.
Then there's the extra weight for awd which needs MORE power again !!

When you talk about cheaper, it 'depends'.
rwd need less engineering deisgn effort to get it right - more so if performance is a major requirement.
Getting it all into a compact fwd design takes more design engineering and their insn't a huge win in materials to build.

The real reason for fwd is it makes the passenger compartment more flixible and sopce for more people space.

Getting awd needs space for props, transfer diffs and axles.

??? I'm still confused what you're proposing ????

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by morobas

Awesome dude! i think i gotta go learn these skills of scandinavia!

Don't know where you might find it now, but there was a film made in the sixties by BP or Shell which showed Blomquvist's feet and hands as he drove the mini. Everyone studied it to find out how these guys could make the Mini turn so tightly, effortlessly and FASTER than anyone else.

Great quote from Blonquvist in the film that I remember was ...
"the way to get a Mini round a corner fast is to enter the corner 20mph faster than you think it could be taken and then turn the wheel. As the car starts to understeer, come off the throttle. The Mini will turn in and when the exit is seen apply throttle again"

I miss rallying the Mini

[morobas]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

?????

A "12 sec" awd needs a lot more power than a rwd.

AWDs have large power losses in the drivetrain.
For equal power output at the flywheel an AWD needs at least another 20-30bhp to match the 1/4 mile and track times of a RWD. ) road cars - drag cars are something too specialised to use for comparison.
Then there's the extra weight for awd which needs MORE power again !!

When you talk about cheaper, it 'depends'.
rwd need less engineering deisgn effort to get it right - more so if performance is a major requirement.
Getting it all into a compact fwd design takes more design engineering and their insn't a huge win in materials to build.

The real reason for fwd is it makes the passenger compartment more flixible and sopce for more people space.

Getting awd needs space for props, transfer diffs and axles.

??? I'm still confused what you're proposing ????

I agree with u all the way. AWD does make the car heavier and a little toooo safe for my liking!!

[crisis]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Having rallied Minis ( real ones ) and currently competing against them NOTHING can beat a front wheel drive car in autotest sections.

Ok , girls and Autotests then.

[fpv_gtho]

i think FWD should be kept away from things with more than 200hp. my personall favourite of the 3 would be RWD as its generally easier to work with and is alot less cluttered under the bonnet. as for AWD its really just something for offroad cars or for those people who wouldnt drive because of the conditions unless they felt safe enough

[morobas]

Originally Posted by crisis

Ok , girls and Autotests then.

Well said!