Date: Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:42:40 +0100 From: johannes <johsnospam-nosepam-fitter.com> Subject: Re: 338 hp saab 900 2-door
riserman wrote: > > th wrote: > > riserman wrote: > >> Jeremy Brown wrote: > >>> I don't know what to make of this guy: > >>> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7570206935258612439&q=saab > >>> > >>> Jeremy > >>> > >> What a perfect illustration of the limitations of front wheel drive. > >> Under acceleration, the center of mass of the car moves to the rear > >> and there's not enough weight on the front tires to prevent them from > >> just uselessly spinning. > >> > > > > The center of mass does not move under acceleration (except for a small > > shift if the tank is not full). > > > If it's not the center of mass that shifts to the rear under > acceleration, and you may well be right, what resolution of vectors > shifts to the rear? Is it center of gravity or something else? > > Front wheel drive cars lose traction easily under maximum acceleration. > I know this because it wasn't hard to do even in my 1983 900 turbo. > That's why you rarely see front wheel drive race cars. FWD works well i everyday driving. In this case it is mostly beneficial to have the engine weight over the driving wheels. I don't race my Saab. However, ultimately RWD gives more control when sliding the car around. In salon car racing, most of the cars are FWD because that is what you get in the compact car class. It was acknowledged that the RWD BMWs in the race had an advantage, this was counteracted by a requirement of carrying an added extra weight. True performance salon cars are 4 wheel drive.
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