>A properly-balanced RWD car will be faster in the dry, and a nose-heavy FWD
>car will be faster in the slimy.
Having driven both in both conditions, I wholeheartedly agree. I've told my
story of catching the tricked out BMW 2002tii in my Mercury Tracer on the
ice - the Tracer being a very nose heavy FWD car. I can't catch the guy in
the dry, but after driving the Tracer and my properly balanced RWD BMW 320i
back to back on Saturday there's no question which I'll be driving. The
Tracer's been retired from autox duty - the BMW's much faster and smoother
despite its low power.
>To have one car that excels in both probably requires a properly-balanced
>AWD car.
An AWD Talon turbo is an amazing thing...!
Back to your original point, Phil - I think the dismal FWD handling
tendancies you describe relate directly to the driving abilities of the
masses. Here's how I see it... Once manufacturers got the hang of building
FWD cars, average people noticed how much better they are in the slimy stuff
and started buying them. Average people never were experts at tail-out
drifting through a slippery turn, and FWD reduced the possibility that this
might happen. Manufacturers saw that the average driver liked this, and so
they designed cars to enhance these understeering tendancies, since average
drivers on average roads can handle this easily - slow down a little and
you're all set.
Now obviously none of us qualify as "average" drivers. :) We expect more
performance from our vehicles than Mr. George Grocery Getter, and we know
how to handle a car better most since we flirt with the edges of our
operating envelope on a regular basis. But it's a mandate from the masses,
so in stock form most cars handle the way manufacturers perceive that most
people want them to. A car like the Neon is an interesting exception -
Dodge builds the ACR and R/T versions for people like us, and in so doing
they balance the suspension a bit better. Yet I'll bet (guessing, haven't
experienced this) the lesser versions handle with a lot more understeer,
just like George Grocery Getter would expect, and actually want. Pony cars
and Miatas handle like sports cars because, well, they are, and drivers want
them to drive like that.
OK, I've said a whole lot of things here, some of which may be totally off
base. Waiting and watching... :)
- Justin
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