Daimler-Chrysler Divorce Negotiations Underway

That is a load of crap. They only apply if you know how to use it and most
don't. Just about any idiot can drive a FWD in the snow which is simply not
the case with RWD and it IS easier to pull a car threw slippery conditions
than it is to push it, especially when most of the weight is in the front.

 

That is because the superior handling characteristics of the FWD give people
a false sense of security and cause them to make stupid decisions. A RWD
vehicle gives far more warning that you are pushing it to hard.

 

Do ya think weight distribution might come into play?

 

Not really. How would front to back weight distribution cause more
rollovers and unless you are talking about a mid-engine car, the difference
in weight distribution between a the FWD and RWD is not all that huge
anyway. The way I see it, a FWD vehicle is just easier to drive at high
speeds which means people with much less skill are driving faster than ever
and when something goes wrong, they don't have the skills to recover and the
higher speeds make it easier to roll the car.

 

Okay.

 

However with iDrive the BMW driver is very confused as to where to go.

 

I had one too. Good car, but with snow tires not even close to my FWD
cars with all season tires for snow travel.

 

They follow.
Come with me for a drive in the real snow driving we get in our western
Canadian mountains and I'll teach you something about FWD.

 

You need to get an oldie VW beetle. They were great in snow with RWD,
but don't try to corner too fast and carry an ice scraper in your hand
while you wear a gas mask.

 

I agree, if they can get back some of those smart Chrysler execs who
couldn't stand the DC direction for Chrysler and left.
My fingers are crossed.

 

In conjunction with emission standards yes. In most other countries
emissions aren't of such concern. Where gas is $6+/gallon consumer
demand for fuel economy is what drives the industry to follow.

 

It's all in the cam timing. German local cars are timed for higher rpm
torque, giving higher HP which is best at high speeds on the Autobahn.
NA cars are setup for best operation at the slower road speeds here.
Recent VVT advances give advantages at both low and high RPM.

I don't find NA cars use more fuel than those I rent in the UK.
My recent experience in England was a 2006 Escort SW stick shift that
gave 36 mpg at 90% highway going 60 mph. I'm not sure what 4 cyl engine
was in that Escort, but I suspect 1.6L.
A few years ago we got 40 mpg with an Escort HB on the same driving.
My wife's 2001 Sebring V6 2.7L 200 hp auto gives 35MPG
and my 1995 Concord 3.3L 165HP auto gives 34MPG on 90% highway at 60 mph.
I city driving the Escort would give the best mileage, followed by the
Sebring then the Concord.

That Escort SW at 60 mph was 3,000 rpm, my Concord at 1,900 rpm and my
wife's Sebring at 2,200 rpm.
Of course you should know which car gives the nicest quietest ride; the
Concord of course, plus the Concord can easily out handle the other two.

 

A van isn't a car, they handle poorly compared to a car, whether FWD or
RWD.
I once owned a RWD GMC long van I made into a camper. Even with the
camper weight in the rear it was a sad joke in snow. Even with top notch
snow tires it was a struggle getting up snowy hills that my Concord just
walks up. How many times I had to back down a hill and take another run
at it, very dangerous.

 

Where is here? In the USA the 300C outsells the Mercedes which is to be
expected. However, sales are dropping in the USA for the 300C because
its a car with little market but then so are other cars in its class.

 

Chrysler's dealer network alone is of great value.
DC didn't take full advantage of it.

My fear is some Chinese car company will and then all they will sell
will be Chinese built cars.
I'd rather buy a Honda or Toyota built in NA.

 

Yes a good point on Honda being a good match with Chrysler.
It just happens that the new Honda CR-V is at the top of my short list
if my '95 Concord suddenly needs replacement.

 

Nope not according to what our police in western Canada say.
They also use big heavy RDW cars for most urban activity because as they
say they often ram a car they are chasing and it usually is less
expensive to repair a RWD car after this activity.
I out of urban country areas our police usually use AWD & 4WD vehicles.

 

So if that's the case I wonder why most of the vehicles I see off the
road in winter conditions are RWD and 4WD?