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Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

thedrive.com

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Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#21

Post by kube-system »

yamtaddle wrote: post #17
PaulHoule wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For one thing, you can enter and maintain a drift in an FR car. In a FF car you can easily enter a drift but the car will either straighten out or go into a spin. I’d tell you about my tactics for going around corners fast in a FF car but I’d get downvoted…

FF = Front-wheel drive FR = Rear-wheel drive For anyone else who couldn't puzzle out WTF those meant, I'll save you looking it up.

The first letter refers to the location of the engine. The second letter refers to the drive wheels.

FF = front engine, front wheel drive

FR = front engine, rear wheel drive

RR = rear engine, rear wheel drive

MR = mid engine, rear wheel drive

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#22

Post by Vvector »

PaulHoule wrote: post #5
Our_Benefactors wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not such a straightforward equation any more. As the article explains, electric cars can play tricks with the weight distribution that ICE vehicles can’t, and I would put a modern rwd with the latest traction assistance features above a FWD car from the early 2000s. Snow tires makes more of a difference than being FWD or RWD in heavy conditions is the real truth here.

I have an 1/8 mile long driveway with a curve on a slope. I have sworn by an FF compact car with good snow tires (Used to be Hakka R's, but now Blizzak) Snow tires are essential. I went out one day on Dec 31 without snows and made it about 300 feet from my driveway before I went in the ditch and rolled my car. Circa 2008 I drove a FR Buick for a few weeks that had traction control and I was impressed with how it hand…

My apologies, what does FF and FR stand for?

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#24

Post by bydo »

Vvector wrote: post #22
PaulHoule wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have an 1/8 mile long driveway with a curve on a slope. I have sworn by an FF compact car with good snow tires (Used to be Hakka R's, but now Blizzak) Snow tires are essential. I went out one day on Dec 31 without snows and made it about 300 feet from my driveway before I went in the ditch and rolled my car. Circa 2008 I drove a FR Buick for a few weeks that had traction control and I was impressed with how it hand…

My apologies, what does FF and FR stand for?

FF is front engine, front wheel drive

FR is front engine, rear wheel drive

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#25

Post by melenaboija »

Our_Benefactors wrote: post #3
segmondy wrote: post #2

RWD are harder to drive in snow and slippery conditions.

It’s not such a straightforward equation any more. As the article explains, electric cars can play tricks with the weight distribution that ICE vehicles can’t, and I would put a modern rwd with the latest traction assistance features above a FWD car from the early 2000s. Snow tires makes more of a difference than being FWD or RWD in heavy conditions is the real truth here.

RWD are harder to drive on snow than AWD, that is a fact. Moving the weight helps on making them more similar to a front wheel drive (which traditionally were better than RWD on snow) but I don't think is even close to an AWD.

And snow tires is what makes a difference, true, but you can mount them on any car and same thing for traction control. So a same age AWD with snow tires drives better than a RWD with snow tires, specially if you come from a stop on an upwards icy road.

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#26

Post by iamthefury »

Vvector wrote: post #22
PaulHoule wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have an 1/8 mile long driveway with a curve on a slope. I have sworn by an FF compact car with good snow tires (Used to be Hakka R's, but now Blizzak) Snow tires are essential. I went out one day on Dec 31 without snows and made it about 300 feet from my driveway before I went in the ditch and rolled my car. Circa 2008 I drove a FR Buick for a few weeks that had traction control and I was impressed with how it hand…

My apologies, what does FF and FR stand for?

Front engine, Front drive vs Front Engine, Rear Drive

The engine can be placed front (in front of the front axle), mid-engine (between the axles), or rear over/behind the rear axle.

It affects weight distribution and therefore the vehicle’s handling.

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#27

Post by Kon-Peki »

One of the big negatives to sportiness in FWD cars has always been torque steer. But that is due to unequal-length driveshafts, not strictly the FWD-ness. A FWD EV shouldn't suffer from torque steer.

I do welcome RWD EVs, but let's not get carried away. Honda has demonstrated again and again that FWD vehicles are capable of very high track performance.

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#28

Post by dsfyu404ed »

melenaboija wrote: post #25
Our_Benefactors wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not such a straightforward equation any more. As the article explains, electric cars can play tricks with the weight distribution that ICE vehicles can’t, and I would put a modern rwd with the latest traction assistance features above a FWD car from the early 2000s. Snow tires makes more of a difference than being FWD or RWD in heavy conditions is the real truth here.

RWD are harder to drive on snow than AWD, that is a fact. Moving the weight helps on making them more similar to a front wheel drive (which traditionally were better than RWD on snow) but I don't think is even close to an AWD. And snow tires is what makes a difference, true, but you can mount them on any car and same thing for traction control. So a same age AWD with snow tires drives better than a RWD with snow tire…

Snow tires don't hold a candle to the doubling(!) of contact patch over which torque is transmitted that you get going from FWD/RWD to AWD and no amount of low effort quips about steering and braking will change the fact that, among people who drive like adults, the ability to get up hills, cross snow banks where cross streets meet plowed main roads and get up to speed for a merge without anything dumb happening are the dominant factor in the "can I safely drive today" equation.

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#29

Post by vlan0 »

Kon-Peki wrote: post #27

One of the big negatives to sportiness in FWD cars has always been torque steer. But that is due to unequal-length driveshafts, not strictly the FWD-ness. A FWD EV shouldn't suffer from torque steer. I do welcome RWD EVs, but let's not get carried away. Honda has demonstrated again and again that FWD vehicles are capable of very high track performance.

That’s the truth. Track performance on the Civic type R was surprising.

Re: Rear-wheel-drive cars are back and we have EVs to thank

#30

Post by PaulHoule »

kube-system wrote: post #21
yamtaddle wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FF = Front-wheel drive FR = Rear-wheel drive For anyone else who couldn't puzzle out WTF those meant, I'll save you looking it up.

The first letter refers to the location of the engine. The second letter refers to the drive wheels. FF = front engine, front wheel drive FR = front engine, rear wheel drive RR = rear engine, rear wheel drive MR = mid engine, rear wheel drive

Heard these for the first time in the Initial D anime.
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