front wheel drive vs rear wheel drive

[Daniel]

I do recall Ford Australia building and rallying a RWD Focus that when it didnt break occasionally produced some respectable times.

The weakest part of that car was the driver. Michael "It was the car or a polar bear or a leaf or the tyres or something other than my fault" Guest

[Mickey T]

there are horses for courses, of course.

on dry tarmac, you'd probably take RWD. everywhere else, front wheel drive.

the only valid comparisons being back-to-back, i can only tell you what i've found in Group N Lancer EVO VIs.

have seen them in front and rear drive, with the same driver, due to mechanical problems in the driveline.

nearly three seconds/km off the normal, front running pace in RWD, less than half a second/km in FWD.

so, on the loose, FWD would intrinsically seem faster.

[MrJan]

I'd disagree with that one Mickey. Always seems like FWD bogs down on gravel and you can use power in a RWD to get you out of trouble. On tarmac this doesn't apply and the two will be a lot closer. Of course it all comes down in the end to the driver but I'm still putting my money on RWD being better.

[Langdale Forest]

Which is what happened - Bugalski winning 99 Catalunya and Corsica in the Xsara Kit Car. Before that both the 306 and Xsara and challenged/got podium places in 97/98. Great sounding cars as well.

Does anyone still use the Citroen Xsara Kit car or the 306 Maxi?

[Tomski]

Is it me, or are people using FWD for both FRONT wheel drive & FOUR wheel drive in this thread?

FWD= Front wheel drive
4WD= Four wheel drive

[Mirek]

Langdale Forest: There are quite many 306 Maxi in France but they are not in factory F2 versions since F2 class was banned and transformed into A7VK (restrictor, no electronic traction control etc.). Maybe I'm wrong and they use different regulations in France In fact they are still on top behind modern WRC cars.

One Xsara Kit Car was on sale in France...

[shurik]

Yes, but as far as I'm aware this is mainly to equalise the standing starts.

Not only standing starts, but also concerns corner exit, especially those wich lead to straight. Rear is loaded on accelration, you just ease off whe you feel that your rear is tacklin you for position. ))) And this is the way you win the races - higher exit speed - higher speed on braking. Just be very gentle on throttle and you gain advantage. Well, exept if you have a talent of Michael Schuemacher, you'd gain advantage everywhere.
Compare it to FWD, wich has an absolutely different situation - on acceleration it sucks bad - front is lifting, less traction, hard on throttle - more understeer.
It's like two oppsites - for RWD midcorner and exit and straight acceleration is better, while FWD has staright braking, corner entry and midcorner as an advantage.
And what is 100% true is that in the end it all depends on driver behind the wheel.. RWD is no better than FWD without the driver.. its just a drivetrain, funny shaped peices of metall

Just don't take too serious what I wrote here

[Daniel]

Tomski. I'm not sure what gives you the impression people are saying fwd for four wheel drive.

[urabus-denoS2000]

Tomski. I'm not sure what gives you the impression people are saying fwd for four wheel drive.

True,I am not sure that someone who doesnt understand that would write here

[LeonBrooke]

Not only standing starts, but also concerns corner exit, especially those wich lead to straight. Rear is loaded on accelration, you just ease off whe you feel that your rear is tacklin you for position. ))) And this is the way you win the races - higher exit speed - higher speed on braking. Just be very gentle on throttle and you gain advantage. Well, exept if you have a talent of Michael Schuemacher, you'd gain advantage everywhere.
Compare it to FWD, wich has an absolutely different situation - on acceleration it sucks bad - front is lifting, less traction, hard on throttle - more understeer.
It's like two oppsites - for RWD midcorner and exit and straight acceleration is better, while FWD has staright braking, corner entry and midcorner as an advantage.
And what is 100% true is that in the end it all depends on driver behind the wheel.. RWD is no better than FWD without the driver.. its just a drivetrain, funny shaped peices of metall

Just don't take too serious what I wrote here

Yes, but on a rally stage where you don't know every corner coming up, I think braking, corner entry and midcorner speed are more important. Lifting to adjust your line would be more effective in a FWD, making it faster through the corners, and faster overall.

If you took a WTCC BMW, Seat and Chevrolet and dumped them on a stage from the Tour de Corse, I think the BMW would be marginally slower because of this.

Of course, it comes down to the driver and whether her style suits a FWD or a RWD better.