Better handling that is why all top of the line vehicles are rear wheel
drive. all of the Daytona etc cars are rear wheel drive it is not just
marketing: The advantages are a compact and cheap unit. More space inside
the vehicle suitable for small cars. and better traction in snow.
"Tang Wong" <tangwong@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:fzA_a.1388$Nc.829254@news1.news.adelphia.net. ..
> Thanks. Very well put. I suspect RWD is also being used as a marketing
tool
> to differentiate "ordinary" FWD from "special" RWD.
>
> "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <elmop@nastydesigns.com> wrote in message
> news:XVBZa.98520$BU2.66537@fe09.atl2.webusenet.com ...
> > In article <ECBZa.12239$jg.4345625@news1.news.adelphia.net> ,
> > "Tang Wong" <tangwong@adelphia.net> wrote:
> >
> > > As for RWD, can someone really explain what are the advantages of RWD
> over
> > > FWD. I just can't see how RWD can manage snow and ice.
> >
> > Oh, it can; just look at Volvo, for instance. RWD only until just a
> > couple years ago, and in northern Europe to boot. Trust me, a Volvo can
> > go through snow just fine. They also use good snow tires and they have
> > exeperience driving in snow.
> >
> > The advantage of RWD over FWD is this: the rear wheels do one thing,
> > drive, while the front wheels do another thing, steer. When you bunch
> > up both driving AND steering in the same two wheels, neither function is
> > able to be done as well as if you put them on separate wheels.
> >
> > That being said, the above is useful only to people who drive at 7/10s
> > and above. That would be race car drivers, primarily; very little
> > everyday road driving is done anywhere near that.
> >
> > So, let's qualify your question a bit: what are the advantages of RWD
> > over FWD **in everyday regular driving**?? None. And since all I do is
> > everyday regular driving, commuting, road trips, etc., I choose FWD.
> >
> > The next question is, why do I choose FWD for those tasks? ARE there
> > any *advantages* to FWD over RWD in everyday driving? Yes, there are.
> > With the complete drivetrain installed up front under the hood, I get a
> > better packaged vehicle for my passenger comfort--no drive shaft going
> > through the car to the rear. Also, more of the weight of the car is
> > over the front tires, the driving tires--giving them better traction in
> > the wet.
> >
> > Disadvantage: with so much stuff under the hood, you may see repairs
> > costing a bit more because it's that much harder to get to even simple
> > things. But then, with engines being as complex as the space shuttle
> > nowadays, it really doesn't matter. EVERYTHING is expensive to repair.
> >
>
>