rear drive compacts

[HemiCuda500]

Now that Chrysler has made the first all-new rear drive American sedan since....whenever (the new 300), it's time for a manufacturer to do the same with compacts, preferably with sport compacts. I've heard on different websites about how people want to convert their focus/cavalier/neon to rear wheel drive, because that format has better performance (and is also more fun to drive!) I've driven both formats in the winter, and it really isn't that big of a deal. With good snow tires, and being cautious, rear drive is definately ok in the winter.

There are some things that front driver's just can't overcome, no matter how advanced they get, and how much horsepower they produce. With a rear-drive car, you can do donuts (yee haw!) oversteer when turning (better cornering, if you have skill), and a better launch (a car's weight shifts back when you accelerate, which is fine for a rear drive car).

I say enough is enough, and demand that Detroit produce a new, cheap, rear drive compact!

A couple rear drive compacts of the past:
Chevrolet Chevette
Toyota Corolla
Hyundai Pony/Stellar

A couple potentials: Pontiac Solstice, Dodge Razor (they aren't really compacts as I see them, they're 2-seat roadsters)

[cls12vg30]

Hear, hear. As a big fan of small RWD cars I'm with you all the way. Part of the reason I put so much effort into keeping my 88 Nissan 200SX going strong is that you just can't buy a small, RWD hatchback like that anymore.

[Matra et Alpine]

Some of the best (fun) rally cars were rear-drive compacts ...

Escort
Sunbeam
Chevette
Kadette
and a few more of lessor success

Shame that for the first 3, they were HEAVILY revised for the US market and never managed to be the success they were over here

[Quiggs]

A rear-drive Dodge Stratus Coupe R/T would be wonderful. With a 6-speed option. Mmmmm, 6-speed...

And I've seen conversion kits for the Focus, but they're incredibly pricey. And you're still driving a Ford Focus...

[HemiCuda500]

I just read that the new Pontiac solstice will be based on the Kappa frame; which I think is the same as cobalt. Maybe they'll offer a kit in the future to convert the cobalt? Maybe they'll offer that as an option?

[HemiCuda500]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Some of the best (fun) rally cars were rear-drive compacts ...

Escort
Sunbeam
Chevette
Kadette
and a few more of lessor success

Shame that for the first 3, they were HEAVILY revised for the US market and never managed to be the success they were over here

Rallying is a sport where I think it is actually an advantage to have a front-driver compared to a rear-driver. (AWD is still the best) Rallying is all about handling, cornering, braking. Accelleration is very traction-limited. Although in a hairpin turn, a rear-driver would be an advantage because you could oversteer through it instead of understeering right off the track

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by HemiCuda500

Rallying is a sport where I think it is actually an advantage to have a front-driver compared to a rear-driver. (AWD is still the best) Rallying is all about handling, cornering, braking. Accelleration is very traction-limited. Although in a hairpin turn, a rear-driver would be an advantage because you could oversteer through it instead of understeering right off the track

Mk2 Escorts STILL score well in National rallies against the Super1600s which are all FWDs.
Traction out of ALL corners is better in a RWD especially once you get to 200bhp. FWDs just scrabble
BTW, in tight corners the FWD driver will left-foot brake the car into oversteer and in hairpins a hydraulic handbrake works wonders

[fpv_gtho]

I think if America returned to RWD compacts, they would have to be sports compacts at first, because anything like what BMW has done with the 1 Series, but for family use would still intrude too much on rear legroom, which is why FWD is used. I'd like to see it happen though

[IBrake4Rainbows]

In most peoples mind, Rear Drive equals sporty.
Not necessarily the case, look at the Peugeot 205 GTi and Volkswagen Mk1 Golf GTi.
But it's more a psychological thing, knowing you've got two for turnign, two for burning, as the saying goes.
a lot of people will sacrifice a lot, like interior room, for Sheer Driving Pleasure. The 1-Series will be testament to that, it will complete BMW's rung from down and out Bavarian to World Car, to the average family hatchback.

[Falcon500]

I personally think itll be a move in the right driection...

[IBrake4Rainbows]

BMW's are meant to be a bit special, not a mass-market car.

Give it 20 years and it'll be in the same boat as Ford is now.

[Falcon500]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

BMW's are meant to be a bit special, not a mass-market car.

Give it 20 years and it'll be in the same boat as Ford is now.

A bitspeacial...whats so special about being ultra soft? they handel like boats and make carollas and other cars look fast....im talking bread and butter models here but the only special things i can see about them is their price tag...specially desgined to rob you of alot of money....

[bum-man]

Originally Posted by HemiCuda500

A couple potentials: Pontiac Solstice, Dodge Razor (they aren't really compacts as I see them, they're 2-seat roadsters)

Ya, it's a shame though, I don't think they will ever bring out the Razor to production. That would have been one hell of a car, it was light and had one hell of an engine. I guess we will have to wait for the Dodge Slingshot which is heavly based on the European Roadster, yes it's RWD .

[Hispano Swissa]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

Some of the best (fun) rally cars were rear-drive compacts ...

Escort
Sunbeam
Chevette
Kadette
and a few more of lessor success

Shame that for the first 3, they were HEAVILY revised for the US market and never managed to be the success they were over here
[nostalgia photos]

The rear-wheel drive Escort did not make it Stateside (alas), the hapless Yank Fordsters could only get the Pinto (OK, and its cursed spawn the Mustang-II as well); in 1981 they got a front-drive Escort, based on the one from Germany.
I don't recall any US-specification version of the Chrysler Sunbeam (there was an ill-fated Yank-version of the Hillman Avenger, called Plymouth Cricket or Crocket), I do recall the Chevrolet Chevette and Pontiac T1000, let’s just say the adaptation was lesser than the original as in many Hollywood remakes of films from the other side of the ocean.

[Falcon500]

So matra what would be a good buy in the lesser kown ones?