You forgot:
3) It is CAR and Driver. There should never be an SUV in their pages.

At the limits of performance, a RWD car is superior to a FWD car for one significant reason: weight transfer. When accelerating (off the line or more importantly out of a corner) the rear of a car squats thus shifting weight from the front tires to the rear. This causes a RWD car to gain traction and a FWD car to loose traction. Another minor point is that RWD cars can typically be fitted with wider tires expecially on the drive wheels. Bigger contact patch = more grip. Further, it is generally opined that a RWD car "feels" better than a FWD car.

That said, there are several other factors such as a car's weight distribution, balance, etc. So, saying RWD is ALWAYS better than FWD is incorrect. Grass Roots Motorsports did a feature testing FWD vs RWD vs AWD. It is really impossible to do since no one car comes in all these configurations. But, the FWD car (Acura RSX) and the RWD car (BMW 330) had a very similar power to weight ratio and were fitted with the same tires. On a road course, the Acura was faster the the BMW even with the BMW's stability control turned off! It was sort of noted though, that a prepped BMW (read tires wider than can fit on an RSX and more aggressive suspension) would out perform a prepped RSX.

There is one important point though, unless you are a very good driver (read trained) a FWD car will be easier to drive at the limits. This is an often ignored fact, but one that bears mentioning.

Dave D
90 SPG
03 9-5

posted by 69.3.75...

• Car and Driver Rants, Bob M, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 08:28:19
  • Re: Car and Driver Rants, Noel, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 17:16:46
  • Re: Car and Driver Rants, Phil, Sun, 22 Dec 2002 13:15:57
  • here is the link to the C/D article, turbosaab , Sun, 22 Dec 2002 05:45:59
    • Huh? Now that hatch is gone they want it back... lame., toshi, Sun, 22 Dec 2002 13:34:32
  • You Have It All Wrong...., 9sound, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 20:10:31
  • End of Rope, Dan W, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 18:45:50
  • attitude problem >>>, Eli5, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 16:53:51
  • I like them..., Jeremy R., Sat, 21 Dec 2002 16:31:57
    • Baja..., Dr. Eric Strauss, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 20:20:06
  • Re: Car and Driver Rants, toshi, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 12:57:34
    • Raves as well..., Dr. Eric Strauss, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 15:58:00
  • Edible Fungus = Mushroom (shaped) nm, VP, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:59:57
  • Explaination and you forgot one, Dave D, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:46:20 <-- Viewing This Message
  • They mat be right..., Dr. Eric Strauss, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:30:38
    • BTW. MY Z CAR IS HERE!!!!!!!, b.flippo, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:35:18
      • Congratulations!!!!, J, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:43:55
        • The S2 was shipped away to boarding school..., b.flippo, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:53:00
          • Wow!, Jason 0W-40, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 19:05:59
            • BTW, my wife is mean with a 6-spd...., b.flippo, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 12:36:57
              • Think she'll let you drive it occasionally? n/m, Dave Westlake, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 13:41:28
                • If she's lucky. :-) n/m, b.flippo, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 14:40:45
            • Nope, it's my '87 GLI 16V...., b.flippo, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 09:23:55
              • Hey, I have an 87 GLi too, KL, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 16:48:59
                • Then you'd love mine..., b.flippo, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 18:11:59
                  • Only mod I did was exhaust, KL, Tue, 24 Dec 2002 09:05:26
                    • That reminds me, I forgot to mention one mod..., b.flippo, Tue, 24 Dec 2002 09:18:31
              • Re: Nope, it's my '87 GLI 16V...., GM, Mon, 23 Dec 2002 12:37:05
          • Wonderful, Dr. Eric Strauss, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 12:21:23
            • Super Black on Carbon. Track Model. n/m, b.flippo, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 12:49:02
    • I may be crazy..., b.flippo, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:32:38
      • Turn out the lights!, Jason 0W-40, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 19:04:15
  • 99% of the driving that 95% of us do, Aero'ed, Sat, 21 Dec 2002 10:17:37

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