Date: Sun, 06 Oct 2002 09:54:46 GMT From: tangennopsamcom (Leif Tangen) Subject: Re: RWD.
cn <nonenopsam.com> wrote: > Does anyone know why saab doesnt switch to Rear Wheel Drive? I like my > saab, but I hate Front wheel drive. I know they have made leaps and > bounds with the new generation 9-3 to fix the torque steer... but if > they want to compete with the likes of BMW, Audi, merc then it seems to > me that RWD would make a big difference. Most people that review cars, > and I would go so far as to say most people prefer rear wheel drive > cars, and rear wheel drive is seen as more luxurious/sporty > > Am I wrong in my assumptions? When it comes to the popularity of RWD, you're dead wrong. You must be poorly informed about European cars. Audi has been Europe's leading producer of FWD cars since the 30's through famous brand names like Horch and DKW. Mercedes-Benz have started the switch to FWD with their A-series. Volvo completed the transition when their last RWD model 940 went off production some years ago. Even some Jags are FWD these days. Being the odd one out among the Europeans, the BMW range is a conservative if not totally old-fashioned concept which we soon will see the end of, hopefully. By most people these cars are considered useless if not outright dangerous on the surface we have for six months of the year in Scandinavia. The snob value is considerable, though. You may be right in assuming that most people in the US prefer rear wheel drive, though. RWD is fine if you drive in a straght line on a dry surface at 55 mph. By the way, Saabs FWD advertising campaign on the introduction of the 99 in the late sixties showed a photo of a horse and sledge - with the horse harnessed _behind_ the sledge - to show people how stupid it would be to apply the propulsion at the rear of a vehicle (like, for instance, in a car with RWD).... -- Leif Tangen, Svelvik, Norway
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