I think front wheel drive is great for slowly busting throgh snow, but, having been raised on RWD cars in Maine's winters, I think that, overall, RWD is a much more controllable ride in all conditions -snow included. During the winter I'd put a couple of hundred pounds of bagged sand over the rear wheels, so, along with a good pair of snow tires, traction was very good from the rear.

I liked being able to use the engine, rather than the brakes, to brake the rear wheels on slight inclines in snowy conditions, as well as "kick out" the rear wheels during turns. I've tried to do similar things with our Honda's FWD, but all of this is very dangerous - expecially any maneuver that compromises front wheel traction.

I'd really like to see Honda offer an upper end vehicle that has RWD.

To those who have driven RWD extensively in all weather conditions - do you agree, or disagree about rear vx front wheel drive?

 

I grew up in Maine and I too learned to drive in the winters up there. One of my best cars was a Datsun 280ZX RWD. The car could climb some serious hills, but when I put in a manual tranny I lost all that ability. When I moved onto FWD cars I had re-learn how they handled in the snow, it took some time but I wouldn't have any problems now. I'm just glad I live in Phoenix and I shouldn't see too much of the white stuff!

 

I live and have grown up here in montana so snow and hills is nothing new to me.... Traditionally busting through snow and just trying to go down the road a FWD is faster/easier than a RWD the difference comes in extreme situations, if you dynamite the brakes on a RWD it will almost always just slide forward and still afford you some control, however, do that in a FWD and you're going to spin most of the time since the from brakes grab more than the rear brakes, so long story short I think that RWD are easier to drive when you're just starting out since your impluse in a scary situation is to hit the brakes, but a FWD is easier to drive under throttle, will plow through deeper snow more easily and it's faster on snow/ice... No matter what though AWD is far superior.

As with everything this is just my opinion and there is exceptions to every rule this is just what I know based on stats from winter racing leagues etc.

 

Did Porche, Lexus, Mercedes, Jaguar or BMW ever make FWD cars? (not AWD)

Also what does NASCAR know about FWD cars that Joe Public does not?

 

Here's a good link that explains some of it.... and a quick quote for people who don't want to read the whole article:

http://gtplanet.net/insider/archives...nt-wheel-drive

"slippery conditions affect a FWD much less than they do a comparable RWD car. So conditions such as wet tracks, gravel surfaces, or the rumored GT4 snow tracks negate much of the advantage RWD enjoys on dry surfaces, and can even shift the balance in favor of FWD.

That’s why FWD drivers always pray for rain at the SCCA Runoffs…"

 

Nasty, that's an interesting article.

Another thing I don't like about FWD cars is that they seem to me to be more difficult and more expensive to be worked on. But I leave it up to the experts to say if that's true or not.

I think that originally they were created strictly for space considerations during and after Oil Crisis I back in the 70's. They allowed people to be more comfortable in a small, fuel-efficient car, without the "hump" rinning down the middle of the car.

Ironically, some of the past few years FWD cars have so much "console" that you might just as well deal with the "hump" of the RWD cars. Come to think of it, why haven't some FWD manufacturers gone with column shift, dispensed with the console altogether, and substituted a "bench", or at least a hybrid, seat so that three can sit in the front?

I also think that RWD cars ALL accelerate nicer than FWD cars. Our 1988 MB 560SEL was an awful money pit, but that thing would outrun many so-called "sports" cars under just about any condition except a really serpentine road.

 

Good heads up link there sir_nasty

Reads good and has the right information..

WheelBrokerAng: Thanks![sm=americanasmiley.gif]

 

If you notice that article is "inspired by Grassroots Motorsports" and that magazine for SCCA and Rally is amazing... pick up a copy one day if you've never read it.... Also, under a straight line yes a rear wheel is going to be better typically (on dry surfaces but not always on slick ones) since when you hit the throttle it transfers weight to the rear tires and aides in grip...

 

FWD is better in the snow because MORE of the weight of the car is on the front wheels providing better traction. RWD has better weight distribution and that is why they generally handle better on DRY pavement. FWD is also less susceptible to sliding of the rear wheels since the back of the car will tend to follow in line with the front....

 

NSX?

I've driven a couple s2000s in the snow, they suck.