What FWD car should have been RWD?

[nando]

you said "experts". they look like they were written by somebody who did a quick google search on the +'s and -'s of different drive types. actually, all 3 articles look like they could have been written by the same person, or plagiarized from each other.

just because you see an opinion everywhere doesn't make it correct. opinions are like assholes, remember.. also, I'm pretty sure everything I've read on the internet is true. ;)

[oliver.r]

god damn CORRADO
I would own one if it was rwd

[smitche]

those are some pretty weak articles - where's the scientific testing/proof? it's all opinions. Those articles are written for people who don't even know which end is the drive end (or that there is a drive end) and never open their hoods.

No serious article about snow traction would totally neglect the most important element: TIRES!

Those articles are written for the common everyday driver, which is what I've been talking about all along. They are also written and posted on very reputable automotive sites. On top of that, if you read the articles, they are very pro RWD vehicles and the performance they provide, however they are open minded and subjective enough to understand the benefits of all drive types. Just because they, and 90% of the other articles you'll find searching google, don't agree with you, doesn't make them wrong. I encourage you to provide factual data proving your OPINION, but until then, I'll believe and voice the majority opinion and my own experience.

[nando]

Well, my 23 years of legal driving experience, in all conditions (nope, I haven't dealt with treacherous California winters my whole life) says you're wrong, but let's hear it from real experts...

http://blog.motorists.org/winter-dri...d-fwd-awd-4wd/
http://www.carsdirect.com/car-buying...ar-wheel-drive
http://www.kbb.com/car-advice/articl...-best-for-you/

those are some pretty weak articles - where's the scientific testing/proof? it's all opinions. Those articles are written for people who don't even know which end is the drive end (or that there is a drive end) and never open their hoods.

No serious article about snow traction would totally neglect the most important element: TIRES!

[smitche]

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that the driver should be going slow enough to prevent spinning. If you were going at a reasonable speed for the conditions, FWD or RWD, you will be fine. Some "idiots" though, simply don't know how to drive and get over confident even when weather is really shitty. Having a FWD or RWD will not prevent that "idiot" from spinning and wrecking. It is all about controlling your speed in these conditions.

agreed!

[QUKBMER]

LOL its early i miss read it.

[Kevinl]

chevettes are RWD

[QUKBMER]

[gtdragon980]

not everyone is a drifter... having steering and drive at the same wheels allows you to seek traction when you start to slip, whereas separating the steering and drive once you slip you've lost control. Hit the brakes, you spin, hit the throttle you spin. for the average, everyday driver, a front wheel drive car is safer in low traction situations.

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that the driver should be going slow enough to prevent spinning. If you were going at a reasonable speed for the conditions, FWD or RWD, you will be fine. Some "idiots" though, simply don't know how to drive and get over confident even when weather is really shitty. Having a FWD or RWD will not prevent that "idiot" from spinning and wrecking. It is all about controlling your speed in these conditions.

[Roysneon]

Cars were designed by God to be FWD.

[Tisoc]

TBH, I love that my Saab 900 SPG is fwd. It just adds to the weirdness (backwards longitudinally mounted engine + fwd = WTF)

[der affe]

I always wished my MKII Jetta was RWD. :(

[Pete_E30]

Old civics, namely the EF sedans would be really cool if they were RWD

EF9s were awesome as FWD. I loved mine (got to love living in a RHD country where we could import them). I owned mine for 7 years before a bus hit it, at no time did I ever want it to be RWD.

I think back to how fragile the AWD Civic sedans we got over here were and how they stopped being nimble compared to their FWD counterpart. No thanks. AWD Suzuki Cultus were great but the drivetrain needed to be a lot beefier.

Preludes on the other hand would have been cool as AWD as would Accord Euro first gens - but then again, there was a nice Type R version of it as I recollect.

[Pete_E30]

Yep

If you are to be realistic about it, there are lots of benefits to fwd

Cost
Packaging
Less parasitic loss (theoretically)
Weight

Most fwd cars have been designed from the ground up as FWD and likely wouldn't be successful as rwd cars

I like all drivetrains, they all have their place.

Last line says it all. I love my E30 and I love my DC2R both for totally different reasons, but each because they are fun packages to drive. I've been 50-50 split in owning both over the past 26 years of driving and try not to laugh at the polarisation of enthusiasts too much. :yawn:

The FWD vs RWD debate reminds me of IOS vs Android fan-arific arguments.

[Exodus_2pt0]

Corrado.