What FWD car should have been RWD?

[nando]

you can still spin a FWD car. luckily, people who can't drive a RWD don't normally buy them.

also, if they had proper equipment (tires meant for ice/snow) then it becomes more unlikely. people spinning their cars left and right in front of you probably have all seasons..

[Stephen]

yeah, I disagree. how your wheels are driven doesn't change that you can't stop or turn as fast with all seasons. FWD doesn't even mean you can take off better - all it means is people who don't know how to drive are less likely to spin their car. they're just as likely to get stuck in a snow drift or rear end a stopped truck.

given the choice I'd pick RWD with an LSD and snow tires. the 318is for example, is surprisingly capable in the snow - light weight, good balance, and LSD. easy to rotate, accelerate and stop.

I will take someone getting stuck on their own over someone spinning in front of me any and every day. When driving in the snow (in either my fwd or rwd cars) people spinning is always when the brick shitting happens.

[nando]

I think you've just made my point for me. Sure, put studded ice tires on your RWD car and have traction for days, run a standard all season and you're all over the place. Same standard all season on a FWD car and you will likely make it home safely. Swapping tires every time it rains is not a feasible solution. Am I saying you can't make an RWD car safe to drive in the low traction, absolutely not? All I'm saying is that the similarly equipped FWD car will handle those situations better.

yeah, I disagree. how your wheels are driven doesn't change that you can't stop or turn as fast with all seasons. FWD doesn't even mean you can take off better - all it means is people who don't know how to drive are less likely to spin their car. they're just as likely to get stuck in a snow drift or rear end a stopped truck.

given the choice I'd pick RWD with an LSD and snow tires. the 318is for example, is surprisingly capable in the snow - light weight, good balance, and LSD. easy to rotate, accelerate and stop.

[IS300E30]

Acura TSX

Audi A4 or any Audi that is not awd

[smitche]

You wouldn't try to eat soup with a knife would you? Then why would you use summer tires in the rain and mud.

Clearly you don't understand how to put the right tires for the conditions on your vehicle. The tires I have on the E30 in the winter will generally keep the car going straight, even when I hammer on the throttle. On the other hand the slicks I had on the E30 are terribad and dangerous in the rain. So before you attribute the dangerous handling to the RWD think about the proper tires for the conditions.

I think you've just made my point for me. Sure, put studded ice tires on your RWD car and have traction for days, run a standard all season and you're all over the place. Same standard all season on a FWD car and you will likely make it home safely. Swapping tires every time it rains is not a feasible solution. Am I saying you can't make an RWD car safe to drive in the low traction, absolutely not? All I'm saying is that the similarly equipped FWD car will handle those situations better.

[smitche]

I'm pretty sure if you are going fast enough to fuck up in a rwd car in the rain or snow, the same can happen in a fwd. Understeer or oversteer, if you can't drive, you can't drive. Either way, almost every car nowadays has TCS, ASC and ABS. These car's will not even let you do something as stupid as oversteer in a rwd car and crash.

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.

[ravenlord89]

saying RWD cars are just as good in snow and FWD cars, is like saying FWD cars are just as good drifting. I will actually not allow my wife to drive a RWD car due to where we live. When it gets rainy/muddy, RWD cars are dangerous on these roads.

You wouldn't try to eat soup with a knife would you? Then why would you use summer tires in the rain and mud.

Clearly you don't understand how to put the right tires for the conditions on your vehicle. The tires I have on the E30 in the winter will generally keep the car going straight, even when I hammer on the throttle. On the other hand the slicks I had on the E30 are terribad and dangerous in the rain. So before you attribute the dangerous handling to the RWD think about the proper tires for the conditions.

[Roysneon]

I think we can look to a certain 70's car for a few rules:
Cadillac badge? RWD!
Convertible? RWD!
Fewer than 4 doors (but not a hatch)? RWD!

This car?



Should Have Been RWD!

There are plenty of cars that would have been 'cooler' had they been rear wheel drive. There are few that when you realize they are front wheel drive you can only slap your forehead and ask WHY!?!?!

That makes sense as well.

[Andy.B]

I think we can look to a certain 70's car for a few rules:
Cadillac badge? RWD!
Convertible? RWD!
Fewer than 4 doors (but not a hatch)? RWD!

This car?



Should Have Been RWD!

There are plenty of cars that would have been 'cooler' had they been rear wheel drive. There are few that when you realize they are front wheel drive you can only slap your forehead and ask WHY!?!?!

[Roysneon]

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.

That's well thought out, logical and reasonable.

[gtdragon980]

saying RWD cars are just as good in snow and FWD cars, is like saying FWD cars are just as good drifting. I will actually not allow my wife to drive a RWD car due to where we live. When it gets rainy/muddy, RWD cars are dangerous on these roads.

I'm pretty sure if you are going fast enough to fuck up in a rwd car in the rain or snow, the same can happen in a fwd. Understeer or oversteer, if you can't drive, you can't drive. Either way, almost every car nowadays has TCS, ASC and ABS. These car's will not even let you do something as stupid as oversteer in a rwd car and crash.

[slammin.e28]

I think that would be sweet but in this day and age there would be a thousand lawsuits when suzie teenybop died because she lifted mid-corner on the way to get new flowers for the in-car vase

I mean I've seen plenty of teenybops driving 911s come through the shop. One chick burned up a new clutch in a month.

[Wh33lhop]

Rear engine too.

It'd be so easy. Just transfer the FWD platform to the rear and leave the steering up front. They fucked up.

I think that would be sweet but in this day and age there would be a thousand lawsuits when suzie teenybop died because she lifted mid-corner on the way to get new flowers for the in-car vase

[Northern]

saying RWD cars are just as good in snow and FWD cars, is like saying FWD cars are just as good drifting. I will actually not allow my wife to drive a RWD car due to where we live. When it gets rainy/muddy, RWD cars are dangerous on these roads.

Lololol

[slammin.e28]

The New Beetle.

Rear engine too.

It'd be so easy. Just transfer the FWD platform to the rear and leave the steering up front. They fucked up.