The Motor Forum

Li'ldude · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:50 pm Post subject: A Drivetrain Question

Simple this...

Included a couple of ones for Porsche fans.

Personally, I think Mid-engine, 4WD.
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Blarno · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 8:53 pm Post subject:

Having owned 3 of the above drivetrains, I find it hard to choose. I've had more FWD cars than anything else, but that's purely because of their ubiquity. I'd love another RWD or a really powerful 4WD, such as an RS4.

I will have to vote FWD, as it's what I know best.
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Matt · Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:00 pm Post subject:

FR
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BeN · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:32 am Post subject:

Having no experience whatsoever, I picked front-engine 4WD. Nice to have safety.

The Corolla is an FF car, and squirms nervously when taking high speed corners. Noticable understeer as well.
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Jasper · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:15 am Post subject:

I do, on the road prefer Front/ Front. Simple, cheap and safe. All good words to the masses.

But just for fun? Front engined Rear wheel drive.
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Stuntman · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 5:16 pm Post subject:

I voted MR: direction-changing ability, resistance to understeer, cornering precision and proximity to mechanical noise swing it for me.

Honourable mentions:

FR - tops for entertainment but not quite there in the precision stakes IME so far
F4 - most confidence-inspiring IME so far.
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Nice Guy Eddie · Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:02 pm Post subject:

Rear engined, Rear wheel drive.
I need a 911 badly to cure me of this stupidity
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FR - but I haven't driven anything else apart from FF

Stuntman · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:08 pm Post subject:

I've driven all these layouts apart from M4. In fact, I can't immediately think of anything that's mid-engined and 4WD.

Anyone?

Edit: oh yes, Gallardo, Diablo, Murcielago and R8 perhaps. Still haven't driven those!
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BeN · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 1:41 pm Post subject:

Ahem.

I'd like to think I will do better on an empty track, though I won't know for sure.

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Matt · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:15 pm Post subject:

Fun can be found in anything though. My near-obsession for RWD is just the history behind it; how it's been the standard for racing since time immemorial and the knowledge you have it and can build up some thrills mid-corner if you like, by changing the aggression by unsettling it slightly, which I know isn't exclusive to RWD. I can say I wouldn't have done that in the Vectra but having not driven a Focus on a b-road, I'm not going to make statements my ass can't cash, something I've been guilty of this week with the RWD vs. 4WD thread.
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Jasper · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:02 pm Post subject:

Matt · Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

That still looks futuristic. Cosworth engined, wasn't it?
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Li'ldude · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 12:18 pm Post subject:

Looks like a dubbed MR2.

On the basis of which I am most familiar with, it has to go to F4, as the only car I have driven was 4wd.
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D. · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 7:59 pm Post subject:

D. · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject:

Martin · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

I've driven FF, FR, MR and F4. A reasonable selection, but not really enough to make a definitive decision.

It's an impossible one to answer anyway, as it depends on how much power the car has and what it is. e.g I've driven a A4 with Quattro , but I expect that I would have been more impressed if it was the RS4. The lower end 4 cylinder models don't really need 4WD. Also, I expect the Boxster I've driven would make a better case for MR than some other cars would have.
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D. · Posted: Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject:

LittleSwill · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:43 am Post subject:

And the S4.

Can anybody think of a RF or MF?
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Stuntman · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:33 am Post subject:

Ranulph Fiennes and Margaret Fatcher?

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Matt · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:41 am Post subject:

Marriella Frostrup?
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BeN · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:13 pm Post subject:

MF, Toyota Previa?

But I think that's RWD. Not sure.
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Blarno · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject:

D. · Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:57 pm Post subject:

Does the ItalDesign Columbus count?!

Matt · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:03 am Post subject:

That was an awesome design.
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woof woof · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:30 pm Post subject:

Ah the Panther Solo.

I remember lusting after one of these but I read that in reality the few they made were rough. I remember that the designer went to work for some Korean company. Dunno if it was the same maker who bought the rights to the "new" Lotus Elan or not but I did await the launch of a better engineered and better made Solo but as far as I know it never happened. Shame.

As to the question, mid engine is potentially good and potentially unforgiving. Of the cars I've owned the FR ones have probably offered the best blend whilst the Elise offered the most, er..excitement.

M. · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:31 pm Post subject:

cbeaks1 · Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:33 pm Post subject:

Engine under the front seats as far as I can remember. I don't know whether that counts as mid.