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

[kiwitt]

I just saw a Road Test around a track on BBCs "Top Gear". The Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VIII out-performed the Mercedes SL55 AMG amongst others. (This is a car with more horsepower getting beaten by a car with less and 4WD) NOTE: The fastest were RWD Mid-Engined Lightweight Roadsters.

While, RWD will generally be better (i.e. F1 cars, LeMans, et.al) because of it's weight, it is not necessarily true the that it is the best all the time. Remember when the 4WD Skylines were dominating races. And the current 4WDs dominating the Rally's.

My car is 4WD, yes it is heavier than most, but I wouldn't be without it.

My Order of Drive Train to Overall Road/Race Performance would be this.

Mid Engine - RWD (e.g. F1 and LeMans, Ferrari, et.al.)
Mid Engine - 4WD (e.g. RS200, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, Lancia Delta S4)
Rear Engine - 4WD (e.g. Porsche 959, Turbo)
Front Engine - 4WD (e.g. WRC Rally Cars)
Front Engine - RWD (e.g. GTs, Coupes, et.al)
Front Engine - FWD (e.g. Hot Hatches and Sporty Coupes)

[Egg Nog]

FWD is generally much cheaper for a manufacturer to produce. After they combine the Engine, transmission, axles, clutch, etc into one package, it's easier to install. Combine this with the safe handling characteristics, and you've got an ideal setup for an inexpensive form of transportation. Add a little extra power and it can work quite a bit of fun for a few sporty applications

My preferences will always lead me to choose RWD, but the advatages of FWD are very much apperent.

[KarateBoy]

I know that AWD/4WD has a disadvantage in 1/4 times against RWD, but I also have heard that AWD/4WD helps in the 0-60 times, for example the Lamborghini Murcialago has AWD, but I don't know how true this is it, I would appreciate if someone would clarify this for me,

[fpv_gtho]

the Murcielago under normal conditions has a f/r torque transfer of about 10/90, working through a viscous coupling but i'm unsure what Lamborghini have programmed it to run to a maximum of, i dont think it ever reaches 50/50 though

[Egg Nog]

the Murcielago under normal conditions has a f/r torque transfer of about 10/90, working through a viscous coupling but i'm unsure what Lamborghini have programmed it to run to a maximum of, i dont think it ever reaches 50/50 though

Maybe 29%, a la Diablo VT? I'm not sure either...


Of course, the hardcore racing version of the Murcielago (the R-GT) is RWD anyway... lighter, faster, and RWD. I love it.

[fpv_gtho]

it could be possible, it took the AWD hardware from the Diablo VT but since the torque spread varies from different conditions, it can also be varied as to what the minimum split is. one thing's for sure though its normally got a heavy rear bias

[MikeMcLarenF1]

hmmm.... If it was me I'd take ALL drivetrains, of course depends on which cars....... For FF, I'd take a Mitsu FTO, FR.... many cars, preferably the M3 or RX8, and for 4WD the impreza 22B. MR, i'll take either light ones like the Elise or McLarenF1

[2000CobraR]

First off, I own more than one of each, and i prefer my Cobra R most (RWD) because of the high amount of torque which makes it easy to flick the throttle and drift around a track, but it also handles very well with 1.01 G's on a 200ft skid pad, which is superb for a stock street car. Next up, i prefer my 2001 Nogaro Blue Audi S4 (AWD) because it has sport suspension and the AWD helps it to pull .97 G's according to the Passport G timer. The car that i think handles the worst in terms of understeer is my 2003 Ford ZX2, it has plenty of power because its supercharged, has a full race exhaust system, radical cams, and a pro built cylinder head, but it still has bad understeer even after lowering it and putting on sport suspension. I still managed to pull .72 G's

[Niko_Fx]

First off, I own more than one of each, and i prefer my Cobra R most (RWD) because of the high amount of torque which makes it easy to flick the throttle and drift around a track, but it also handles very well with 1.01 G's on a 200ft skid pad, which is superb for a stock street car. Next up, i prefer my 2001 Nogaro Blue Audi S4 (AWD) because it has sport suspension and the AWD helps it to pull .97 G's according to the Passport G timer. The car that i think handles the worst in terms of understeer is my 2003 Ford ZX2, it has plenty of power because its supercharged, has a full race exhaust system, radical cams, and a pro built cylinder head, but it still has bad understeer even after lowering it and putting on sport suspension. I still managed to pull .72 G's

Can you share some pics of your cars with us?

[werty]

why do you own more than one cobra, i'm not complaining just wondering

[Spastik_Roach]

You can't help but be skeptical about this guy suddenly coming out and saying he has 2 fast and exspensive cars (excluding the ZX2, unless these mods he has done make it fast and exspensive )

[V8turbo4me]

You guys are kinda overlooking a feature of FWD which makes them a wanted comodity. The FWD is great in snow compared to RWD when it comes to front engined cars and since almost every car made in the states is front engined it makes sense to reason that here in the midwest where GM, Ford, and Chrystler trace their roots that there be an emphasis towards making a car work more reliably in the snow.

I personally am a huge fan of light mid engined rear wheel drive cars but I own and drive my VR-4 on a daily basis and it is a heavy AWD car and it handles like a dream so I guess it would come down to conditions and ultimately to personal preferance.

[eagle63]

experience wise i have driven an evo 9 mr, 93 civic lx, 240 sx and i now own a eagle talon tsi. haveing a civic sucked suspension in a stock civic horrible now 240 beutifl handles great evo even better greatt at launch but bogs down so give front a rear a chance plus there goes that wieght from the lsd and etc. but at the the long run awd picks up alot of hp only cause it has tracction so all power is delivered to the wheel but then again we all have ways of getting traction wheely bars, air pressure whieght distribution. and if you tryna runn an awd on a 1/4 mile no way boging down will provent you from hitting good time you may be fast on the road but on a 1/4 mile front and rear are guna do it on a quarter mile. point is i have a talon turbo but is not awd its front and it handles great i dont sway i dont lean on turns its nice and stiff and i havent even lowered it you would not notice it wasnt awd for thos who think the talons tsi comes only in awd it does not and im happy cause i cherp all three gears and lose no tration all the wieht of my car is baissicly in the front i did not size up on rimmes im all tire so i have less whieght on my axles since rims are lighter and more traction. and as far as safety you can take a awd through turns at fast speed nice steering system rear wheel they have their ways front wheel they have there ways allso it all depends on the driver cause no matter what system you have if you cant drive you cant drive you can hit a wall anyways lol. basicly pick a powerplant and learn what it takes to get what you need for your car to do what you want there is no superior car.

[johnnynumfiv]

experience wise i have driven an evo 9 mr, 93 civic lx, 240 sx and i now own a eagle talon tsi. haveing a civic sucked suspension in a stock civic horrible now 240 beutifl handles great evo even better greatt at launch but bogs down so give front a rear a chance plus there goes that wieght from the lsd and etc. but at the the long run awd picks up alot of hp only cause it has tracction so all power is delivered to the wheel but then again we all have ways of getting traction wheely bars, air pressure whieght distribution. and if you tryna runn an awd on a 1/4 mile no way boging down will provent you from hitting good time you may be fast on the road but on a 1/4 mile front and rear are guna do it on a quarter mile. point is i have a talon turbo but is not awd its front and it handles great i dont sway i dont lean on turns its nice and stiff and i havent even lowered it you would not notice it wasnt awd for thos who think the talons tsi comes only in awd it does not and im happy cause i cherp all three gears and lose no tration all the wieht of my car is baissicly in the front i did not size up on rimmes im all tire so i have less whieght on my axles since rims are lighter and more traction. and as far as safety you can take a awd through turns at fast speed nice steering system rear wheel they have their ways front wheel they have there ways allso it all depends on the driver cause no matter what system you have if you cant drive you cant drive you can hit a wall anyways lol. basicly pick a powerplant and learn what it takes to get what you need for your car to do what you want there is no superior car.

I am now dumber for trying to read that. Thank you.

[Quiggs]

Punctuation. Grammar. Spelling. Capitalization.

Know it, use it, love it.