Rear wheel drive
06-02-2009, 01:18 PM
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Why don't other car manufacurers make rear wheel drive cars since they are supposed to be more fun (apart from MB, ferrari and a handful of others)? I mean, Honda, Toyota, etc., copy BMW shapes, then why not driving dynamics.
BTW, my wife has an MB c300 and its no fun!!
BTW, my wife has an MB c300 and its no fun!!
06-02-2009, 01:24 PM
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Originally Posted by juventus' post='898197' date='Jun 2 2009, 04:18 PM
Why don't other car manufacurers make rear wheel drive cars since they are supposed to be more fun (apart from MB, ferrari and a handful of others)? I mean, Honda, Toyota, etc., copy BMW shapes, then why not driving dynamics.
BTW, my wife has an MB c300 and its no fun!!
BTW, my wife has an MB c300 and its no fun!!
... As with RWD, FWD offers two main advantages — just very different ones. The first is economy. It is cheaper to design and build a FWD car. There are fewer parts — and the drivetrain is easier and cheaper to install as the car rolls down the assembly line. FWD also helps cut down the car’s weight by eliminating the separate transmission and axle assemblies used in a RWD car. This, in turn helps the car get better gas mileage. This is why FWD is most commonly found in economy-type and lower-cost cars.
http://www.motorists.org/blog/pros-cons-re...ll-wheel-drive/
http://www.motorists.org/blog/pros-cons-re...ll-wheel-drive/
06-02-2009, 01:35 PM
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It goes beyond just cost - one isn't inherently better than the other but there are advantages and disadvantages that tend to dictate where the marketplace makes the split. Engine placement can be transverse in a FWD car so the packaging can be a lot more compact. RWD will typically have a longitudinal placement (especially with a long engine such as an inline 6) which obviously won't fly in the more compact vehicles. FWD also eliminates the driveshaft and enables more interior space. Also, FWD is more predictable and manageable for the average driver. Most of us can deal with understeer, but we can't all correct oversteer or fishtailing... It's not true to say all RWD are better performers or handlers than their FWD brethren, there are good and bad examples of each...
06-02-2009, 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by swajames' post='898222' date='Jun 2 2009, 10:35 PM
Engine placement can be transverse in a FWD car so the packaging can be a lot more compact. RWD will typically have a longitudinal placement (especially with a long engine such as an inline 6) which obviously won't fly in the more compact vehicles. FWD also eliminates the driveshaft and enables more interior space. Also, FWD is more predictable and manageable for the average driver. Most of us can deal with understeer, but we can't all correct oversteer or fishtailing... It's not true to say all RWD are better performers or handlers than their FWD brethren, there are good and bad examples of each...
I never bought what people say about fwd and rwd and both having their cons and pluses.I personally think this is something most automotive companies try to push because they making way more money with FWD. As per previous post the no1 reason is cost .Easy of assembly is another one but that still leads into cost.
I'm driving for around 15 years now with 50/50 experience is both drives. For me, saying that the fwd is safer for the average driver (as most manufacturers quote) is rubbish. If you push a fwd in the rain you're goint to steer straight into a wall, same with snow. If something dodgy happens suddenly most "average" driver's reaction is hitting on the brakes. Again, in fwd this is locking the wheels and straight into a wall. The "average" driver will not push a car either way so it would not fishtail if rwd.
Do you know why some say RWD is more dangerous ? Because the cars they drove were badly set up/designed to start with (take the equivalent fwd honda type r).And let's see how those people would have actually ended up if driving a FWD and doing dodgy things as they would with the RWD. Because let's face it he who really likes driving buys a rwd.
Do you know what is the average drivers reaction to oversteer ? the right one...
One of the best cars i drove and really liked (not on the same level as the beemer but close) was the last gen focus zetec sport. That is a FWD -and i'm still scratching my head on this- that when pushed actually behaves like a mild rwd. No wonder why most people rave on their handling.
06-02-2009, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by spiros' post='898246' date='Jun 2 2009, 06:01 PM
Well, rear wheel drive doesn't really make it difficult to intergrate to small vehicles. The z4,honda s2000 and the toyota mr2 is just afew examples.
I never bought what people say about fwd and rwd and both having their cons and pluses.I personally think this is something most automotive companies try to push because they making way more money with FWD. As per previous post the no1 reason is cost .Easy of assembly is another one but that still leads into cost.
I'm driving for around 15 years now with 50/50 experience is both drives. For me, saying that the fwd is safer for the average driver (as most manufacturers quote) is rubbish. If you push a fwd in the rain you're goint to steer straight into a wall, same with snow. If something dodgy happens suddenly most "average" driver's reaction is hitting on the brakes. Again, in fwd this is locking the wheels and straight into a wall. The "average" driver will not push a car either way so it would not fishtail if rwd.
Do you know why some say RWD is more dangerous ? Because the cars they drove were badly set up/designed to start with (take the equivalent fwd honda type r).And let's see how those people would have actually ended up if driving a FWD and doing dodgy things as they would with the RWD. Because let's face it he who really likes driving buys a rwd.
Do you know what is the average drivers reaction to oversteer ? the right one...
One of the best cars i drove and really liked (not on the same level as the beemer but close) was the last gen focus zetec sport. That is a FWD -and i'm still scratching my head on this- that when pushed actually behaves like a mild rwd. No wonder why most people rave on their handling.
I never bought what people say about fwd and rwd and both having their cons and pluses.I personally think this is something most automotive companies try to push because they making way more money with FWD. As per previous post the no1 reason is cost .Easy of assembly is another one but that still leads into cost.
I'm driving for around 15 years now with 50/50 experience is both drives. For me, saying that the fwd is safer for the average driver (as most manufacturers quote) is rubbish. If you push a fwd in the rain you're goint to steer straight into a wall, same with snow. If something dodgy happens suddenly most "average" driver's reaction is hitting on the brakes. Again, in fwd this is locking the wheels and straight into a wall. The "average" driver will not push a car either way so it would not fishtail if rwd.
Do you know why some say RWD is more dangerous ? Because the cars they drove were badly set up/designed to start with (take the equivalent fwd honda type r).And let's see how those people would have actually ended up if driving a FWD and doing dodgy things as they would with the RWD. Because let's face it he who really likes driving buys a rwd.
Do you know what is the average drivers reaction to oversteer ? the right one...
One of the best cars i drove and really liked (not on the same level as the beemer but close) was the last gen focus zetec sport. That is a FWD -and i'm still scratching my head on this- that when pushed actually behaves like a mild rwd. No wonder why most people rave on their handling.
06-02-2009, 02:20 PM
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Originally Posted by spiros' post='898246' date='Jun 2 2009, 03:01 PM
Well, rear wheel drive doesn't really make it difficult to intergrate to small vehicles. The z4,honda s2000 and the toyota mr2 is just afew examples.
I never bought what people say about fwd and rwd and both having their cons and pluses.I personally think this is something most automotive companies try to push because they making way more money with FWD. As per previous post the no1 reason is cost .Easy of assembly is another one but that still leads into cost.
I'm driving for around 15 years now with 50/50 experience is both drives. For me, saying that the fwd is safer for the average driver (as most manufacturers quote) is rubbish. If you push a fwd in the rain you're goint to steer straight into a wall, same with snow. If something dodgy happens suddenly most "average" driver's reaction is hitting on the brakes. Again, in fwd this is locking the wheels and straight into a wall. The "average" driver will not push a car either way so it would not fishtail if rwd.
Do you know why some say RWD is more dangerous ? Because the cars they drove were badly set up/designed to start with (take the equivalent fwd honda type r).And let's see how those people would have actually ended up if driving a FWD and doing dodgy things as they would with the RWD. Because let's face it he who really likes driving buys a rwd.
Do you know what is the average drivers reaction to oversteer ? the right one...
One of the best cars i drove and really liked (not on the same level as the beemer but close) was the last gen focus zetec sport. That is a FWD -and i'm still scratching my head on this- that when pushed actually behaves like a mild rwd. No wonder why most people rave on their handling.
I never bought what people say about fwd and rwd and both having their cons and pluses.I personally think this is something most automotive companies try to push because they making way more money with FWD. As per previous post the no1 reason is cost .Easy of assembly is another one but that still leads into cost.
I'm driving for around 15 years now with 50/50 experience is both drives. For me, saying that the fwd is safer for the average driver (as most manufacturers quote) is rubbish. If you push a fwd in the rain you're goint to steer straight into a wall, same with snow. If something dodgy happens suddenly most "average" driver's reaction is hitting on the brakes. Again, in fwd this is locking the wheels and straight into a wall. The "average" driver will not push a car either way so it would not fishtail if rwd.
Do you know why some say RWD is more dangerous ? Because the cars they drove were badly set up/designed to start with (take the equivalent fwd honda type r).And let's see how those people would have actually ended up if driving a FWD and doing dodgy things as they would with the RWD. Because let's face it he who really likes driving buys a rwd.
Do you know what is the average drivers reaction to oversteer ? the right one...
One of the best cars i drove and really liked (not on the same level as the beemer but close) was the last gen focus zetec sport. That is a FWD -and i'm still scratching my head on this- that when pushed actually behaves like a mild rwd. No wonder why most people rave on their handling.
As for your other comments. I disagree with you, and the industry disagrees with you. Show me a snowy day or a rainy day and for most drivers, most of the time, they will probably do better in an FWD car than an RWD car. With or without snow tires.
More to the point, manufacturers typically and deliberately set up their performance RWD cars to initially understeer when pushed. BMW does it, Porsche does it. Because for most drivers, most of the time, it's safer and relatively easy to correct. With the FWD cars that particular feature comes as standard...
06-02-2009, 02:28 PM
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Originally Posted by swajames' post='898275' date='Jun 2 2009, 05:20 PM
Show me a snowy day or a rainy day and for most drivers, most of the time, they will probably do better in an FWD car than an RWD car.