RWD with LSD vs 4WD ?

[stevebgt1]

Ok, big question ? Prob get slated for this by the purists !! Had a good chat today with Birds regarding the Quaife deal for my C63. Kevin Bird , very helpful and knowledgable regarding this mod by the way . Having thought about it all evening , I can't help thinking , should I spend the money on this to gain more traction and useable power ? Or just save the money and put it towards my next car , and go back to 4wD ? My last car (audi tt RS ) used to stick and punch everywhere with no dramas . I miss that , but I love my V8. So, are high output rwd cars still the way to go ? Or do we accept that with engines getting more power , cars getting lighter , gearboxes getting slicker , then 4wd is the natural technical way forward ?? Hmmmmmmmm?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Some prefer AWD and others prefer RWD, and I dare say some like FWD

If you prefer RWD then an LSD makes sense. I like both although the two cars I drive most are both AWD as it suits my driving style.

Truth be told I'm not a good enough driver for it to make a difference to the performance or experience!

 

[Deleted member 37751]

So, are high output rwd cars still the way to go ?

Yes. The only way.

 

[StuartK]

RWD is the only way to go really for out an out performance and dynamic driving.

I love Audis but my god do they understeer. I tried an RS5 and it was atrocious.

 

[Blue78]

if you would buy a 4x4 with a decent setup like a Mitsubishi EVO than yes.
They are rock solid and will carry speeds in a safer way.
but for fun nothing beats a RWD high output car.

I have a +700bhp EVO trackcar and a E36 M3 trackcar and although the EVO is alot faster around track the M3 makes me laugh each time and I prefer that car.
You feel in control and it grips you.
The evo just has mindstagering grip and therefor you never get into trouble.

I hate Audi 4x4 systems as they do oversteer ALOT when pushed.

 

[Blue78]

oh and I also have the C63 with LSD and it's just fenomenal!

 

[grober]

Really depends on the nature of the 4wd SYSTEM. Many 4WD cars are basically front wheel drive with an "on demand" rear wheel drive system which kicks in only when required - mainly for traction purposes. Such a car is likely to understeer under most circumstances. The current Mercedes A45 would probably fall into this category being derived from a FWD setup. Perhaps the secret is to find a 4WD car that started out as a RWD model and has front drive added rather than vice versa?

 

[stevebgt1]

I love Audis but my god do they understeer. I tried an RS5 and it was atrocious.[/QUOTE]

Try the TT. RS.....Mind blowing.

I think the A5 is geometrically all wrong to have fun in.

I recently test drove the RS3, that was literally on rails everywhere. Would not get out of shape, loads of grip, perfect steering no matter what throttle stage you were at. It felt safe.

Maybe I`m just getting too old to be `losing the rear and catching it again`...

I cannot make my mind up if all this fun is for the track. In the real world the Audi`s work, but still....NOTHING beats the noise and feel of the 6.2 V8.

 

[moonloops]

Having owned a moderately powered S3 I agree on the numb driving experience, but it out performed most on the road given the UK's mainly wet weather. Next car will probably be a uber powered Audi for me.

 

[stevebgt1]

Really depends on the nature of the 4wd SYSTEM. Many 4WD cars are basically front wheel drive with an "on demand" rear wheel drive system which kicks in only when required - mainly for traction purposes. Such a car is likely to understeer under most circumstances. The current Mercedes A45 would probably fall into this category being derived from a FWD setup. Perhaps the secret is to find a 4WD car that started out as a RWD model and has front drive added rather than vice versa?

The V6 and V8 Audi`s are exactly that .

 

[Mr Kripling]

I think it depends what you use your car for. Personally, I don't drive on public roads in a manner where either understeer or oversteer are serious issues for me. On a track, however, RWD will certainly be more fun but for a day-to-day proposition there is something to be said for just flooring the throttle after the apex and having the car pull you round without any scrabbling...

 

[BenzedUP]

 

[stevebgt1]

I think it depends what you use your car for. Personally, I don't drive on public roads in a manner where either understeer or oversteer are serious issues for me. On a track, however, RWD will certainly be more fun but for a day-to-day proposition there is something to be said for just flooring the throttle after the apex and having the car pull you round without any scrabbling...

My point exactly.....

 

[Mr Kripling]

I do think there's a lot of prejudice against FWD/AWD drive cars thanks to motoring journalists. When people talk about "chronic understeer" in cars my first thought is usually that they just don't know how to manage weight transfer.

 

[stevebgt1]

This is the reason for my OP. We are brainwashed by this crap all the time. Yeah fit and LSD in your C63 and you hold your drift all the way round the bend. C`mon.... how many of us are drifting every roundabout or bend on the way to work ?
I completely understand for the hardcore track enthusiast, but they are a minority.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

This is the reason for my OP. We are brainwashed by this crap all the time.

So your OP was a rhetorical question? You think AWD is 'better' as an all round proposition than RWD?

 

[F1BHP]

The Audi R8 is the key and the future. It is essentially a RWD car first with the ability to put power to the front when needed. I have driven many high power RWD cars on track and road but the traction on the R8 cannot be matched. It has slight understeer at turn in but easily fixed with power.

 

[renault12ts]

I love Audis but my god do they understeer. I tried an RS5 and it was atrocious.

[/QUOTE]Try the TT. RS.....Mind blowing.

I think the A5 is geometrically all wrong to have fun in.

I recently test drove the RS3, that was literally on rails everywhere. Would not get out of shape, loads of grip, perfect steering no matter what throttle stage you were at. It felt safe.

Maybe I`m just getting too old to be `losing the rear and catching it again`...

I cannot make my mind up if all this fun is for the track. In the real world the Audi`s work, but still....NOTHING beats the noise and feel of the 6.2 V8.[/QUOTE]

I think that's a good point.

A quiet performance car must be a little boring because, unless you track regularly, there is little opportunity in most real life situations to get any excitement from the handling of the car. Therefore, a nice exhaust note compensates for this and gives excitement where otherwise none would exist.

My other car is noisy and RWD, and bumpy and (it has to be said) uncomfortable...but pure fun.

 

[stevebgt1]

Rhetorical...maybe ...
I suppose I am merely seeking a majority vote here. I personally `feel` safer in an AWD performance car on the road than I do in a RWD car. That said, there are probably far better drivers on here than can explore the limits and beyond of their RWD cars and never look back. Coming from an Audi driver of the last 5 years or so, I am struggling to find the same measure of safe feeling in my C63. It`s brutal power is addictive, but un predictable too...

 

[renault12ts]

Not a criticism...but I would give up long before the point where I felt safer in any car no matter what wheels are/are not driven.