Drivetrain layout

[thepolarfoxqx]

Anyone want to soundoff on thier thoughts of drivetrains, here are mine:

Front Drive - Front Engine: Well, their cheap, they typically don't exhibit much balance (with a few swedish exceptions), they have torque steer (especially in a few swedish situations). The longitudinally mounted engine allows for fewer right angles in power transfer, though Saab, Volvo, and Honda/Acura have made some Front transveral models that are truly impressive.

Rear Drive - Front engine: It can depend - Front midship (G35, 350Z, and all BMWs) are truly ideal, allowing for perfectly balanced weight, unpoluted steering, but at the price of cabin space (yeah, a 5 series bimmer is as roomer inside statistically as a Honda Civic. Ouch). Standard front mount with a rear transaxle also works well, though is very complex. In its corvette application, it has made a night and day difference in handling from C4 to C5 (and get this, corvette uses a leaf spring suspension - maybe someone should tell GM it is 2002). Overall, this is a good layout for handling - though not exactly ideal for cabin space.

Rear Drive - mid engine. Ok, you can only use this on a sports car, and if you rearend anything at high speed - physics is stacked against you (you have nothing of substance between you and this object - and a heavy and dense engine/transaxle sitting right behind you with a ton inertia going your way. Can you say crunch. Otherwise - this allows stunnig handling, is typically pretty forgiving, and you can fit a huge engine in there. From what I hear, if you break your clutch on a certain center engine european car - you have to sink 25k into fixing it. Suddnely front midship sounds better huh?

Rear Engine - Rear Drive. Ok, well, Ralph Nader's book about the Chevy Corvair sums it up "unsafe at any speed" - the only one still made is the Porsche 911 series - which is a truly stunning sports car. It is also the product of over 3 decades in rear engine/rear drive format. In theory this is the most efficent layout. Problem is - minimal front intertia allows for a very sharp turn-in, the massive rear inertia doesn't want to follow. Suddenly you spin.

Have any opinions?

[Anzeige eBay]

Hallo thepolarfoxqx,

 

kennst du schon Drivetrain layout (Anzeige)? Dort ist vieles zu finden.

 

Verschiedenes über Autos Ersatzteile (Anzeige) | Verschiedenes über Autos Zubehör (Anzeige)

[Seb2]

One word.

911

[thepolarfoxqx]

Yeah, 911 is a truly impressive piece of machine. Just not really a mechanics car.

[WiWa]

One word.

911

YEAH!

I like front-motor and rear-drive. My old 745 Turbo...hmmmm

My friend's old 245 Turbo is very cool. Not so heavy but over 200hp.

[thepolarfoxqx]

911 huh?

Turn off the PSC and try driving hard into corners.

One word for ya - Spin!