Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2001 15:48:18 GMT From: IleneDovernopsams.com Subject: Re: Toyauto vs Slaab : bottom line
I do not wish to get into the FWD, RWD, HANDLING debate once again. I would just point out that over the years when they tried to use FWD for high speed police cars and race cars, people died. All higher performance cars and race cars, that are capable of speeds over 120 MPH where handling is paramount, are RWD period! You figure out why, but don't confuse traction on various surfaces with handling. Mike Johannes H Andersen wrote: > > dizz <dizzNOnopsampro-ns.net> wrote in message news:<Hs3GO8ySdUhaw4bAWCYZYtUpv5danopsamcom>... > > On Fri, 12 Oct 2001 14:55:35 GMT, MikeHunt2nopsamcity.com wrote: > > > > >Not quite true. It actually cost more to build a FWD car than a > > >comparably sized RWD. If you recall when Chrysler replaced their > > >complete line of RWD with much smaller FWD the prices were comparable. > > >What they saved on steel glass and plastic was replaced with extra labor > > >cost and reductions of economies of scale. Assembly of FWD cars is > > >slower because of the greater ratio of off line assembly required for > > >FWD construction. > > > > No, I'm sorry, but you are WRONG. Front-drive is MUCH cheaper for > > them to make. The entire power-plant can be built as a single > > assembly and dropped-into the front of the car. Good God, people, buy > > a fucking clue! The car makers would not have all gone front-drive if > > it was more expensive! The car makers like it because it's CHEAPER. > > To be fair, there is something in what you are saying. FWD leads to > modular production lines; you can call it cheaper - or you cal call > it more efficient. However you can have good or bad FWD designs just > as you can have good or bad RWD designs. A cheap and nasty RWD design > which was popular in its days was the solid rear axle, it is still > popular in commercial vehicles because it can carry a high load. I once > had a quite sporty RWD car, and I admit it was fun to boost-rocket it > through corners if you were in that mood, but the wheels slide more > easily due to the lesser weight at the rear. However, FWD with front > engine gives better traction, and this partly explains the amazing > straight line performance of top end Saabs compared to some RWD cars > with more HPs.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
