FWD vs. RWD

Market trends say otherwise.

 

Perhaps *you* can't. I've never had a problem doing just that.

DS

 

Cadillac is moving to rwd for all its cars. Lexus and Infiniti upscale cars
are rwd. BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, ... All Chrysler has to do is play off that
image.

 

You can make the front wheels dig down through snow on a REAR-DRIVE car?
That I've got to see.

 

Never said I could. Read more carefully.

DS

 

I beg to differ. If you have a FWD and a RWD vehicle of the same weight,
and same air resistance, it takes the same amount of energy to
propel them down the road, whether that energy is applied to the front
set of wheels or to the back.

You may certainly argue that different transmission designs, gear ratios,
etc. may waste more or less energy, but to assume that lower fuel economy
is a result of RWD is silly. The Japanese were producing RWD economy
cars back in the 70's and 80's that had MPG figures then that still exceed
many FWD domestic cars built today.

I challenge you to ask 20 people on the street what set of wheels
on their vehicle is driven by the engine. I think the responses will
disillusion you.

Ted

 

And if this is how you establish traction in snow, you don't know how to
drive
in snow.

Ted

 

The unibody stiffener down the middle of the floor in FWD cars is always far
smaller than the tunnel in RWD cars.

As to knowledge of which wheels are driving, Aunt Mabel may not be aware but
her sons certainly are.

 

I doubt that many of us look to Jaguar as a pattern for my next purchase, I
know I sure don't, nor most of the people in my social circle.

But let's look at this. First, bulk isn't a minus for cars in this range,
indeed it's a prestige item. Second, winter traction is seldom an issue,
since most such owners either car go south in winter, or have a 4-wheel
vehicle as backup (often as expensive as their sedan).

 

Amongst other things, yes, those are doable by anyone who knows how. It's
not hard at all. Getting around corners using a little steering input and
goosing the throttle is another very useful tactic.

In the real world, the pavement often isn't available, being buried under
snow or ice. So, yes, it'd be nice if we could always get a proper grip on
the pavement, but I do just fine with RWD in the real world, even when
a proper grip on the pavement isn't an option.

That's lovely, but since I don't drive ice races or winter rallyes, it's
pretty much an argument about what should/must be true (on your side)
versus what is (on my side). I get to the grocery store, to my
appointments, to my errands, through my road trips just fine whether I'm
driving a RWD or a FWD vehicle.

DS

 

You can say that again! Around here it's the rain not the snow, and in
the fall when it starts raining we generally have at least 1 major
smash-bang accident that clogs the freeway every single day through the
months of October and November until the morons all relearn the
rain driving that they forgot during the previous 4 months!!!

Ted

 

I think that engine displacement is far more important to fuel economy,
and not so much because of weight reasons, but more so because the
larger engines encourage people stomping on the accellerator then
slamming on the brakes, which is a real mileage killer in city driving.

Ted

 

I think this is more a function of the drivers being so pathetic that they
can't drive a RWD car decently in the snow, so the race organizers must have
to ban them to keep the drivers from hurting themselves.

Ted

 

Even in dirt rally races the RWD cars finished last...even the FWD
beat them, only to lose to Subaru's 4WD...Now all the rally cars have
4 wheel drive...even production FWD cars are modified.

So, one would guess in snow, RWD has no chance...

For the average blowhard driving around in a few inches of snow...no
problem, with some weight in the back, but it's always nice to carry
around some friends to help push...just in case.

 

But it's good to note that the RWD still finished the race, no chance
to win...

And all this talk about sliding the rear end and drift steering, you
lose a lot of time, that's why you see racers keep the sliding to a
minimum.

There was this cool euro race (real track racing not nascar) I was
watching on cable, two types of cars, Alfa Romeo (sp?) and BMWs, the
Alfa were front wheel drive, and the 3 series BMWs would get ahead
going through a corner, but on the straight away the alfa would have
the advantage (turbo), so they would catch up, until the next turn,
etc, etc...

I think the winners were BMW, BMW, Alfa...

Good track, dry payment racing.

 

How many people rally to work or school when it snows?

 

[CHOMP]

In Northern New England, about half the population. Well, OK, not to
school, but maybe to the
ski mountains.

 

read my reply to my original post,


Thank you

 

I don't think the other poster read all the msgs. The question wasn't
about "just getter there" He ask which is better (one vs. the-other),
and it seems FWD is much better in the snow (rally-ing or commuting)
as stated it has been proven on the track, in the snow, you name it.

But if you own a true sports car or luxury car, it's got to be RWD (or
4WD).