Limit for front-wheel drive cars?

[Belatti]

Very well explained Dumrick.

One more advantage of FWD is under braking the CoG of the car shifts forwards, with all the weight over the front wheels there is also extra grip for braking meaning you stop quicker. (however you have to be a bit careful as the back can easily swing round.)

This advantage you mention is for foward mounted engines, not for FWD
There are cars with RWD that has the same advantage!

[Tom]

yes but FWD cars benefit more as there is no heavy prop shaft or diff to balance the weight more throughout the car, as there is in a front eng RWD.

[Belatti]

From where I see it, you could theorically gain some braking stability, because there is less mass transfered to the front end, but not braking "grip". And I say theorically because from my experience, cars with biassed weight to the front tend to show oversteering buring braking and understeering under acceleration... but maybe its just my idea because of my experience with one kind of car.

Also you´ll have to consider the rear grip loss, as some mass won´t be transferred to the front...

[vis]

Reading last posts seems that FWD are coming out better than RWD. I don't really agree, since all major sports car (F1 included) are RWD...

[mx_tifoso]

Reading last posts seems that FWD are coming out better than RWD. I don't really agree, since all major sports car (F1 included) are RWD...

A FWD is a better handling car in all non-ideal conditions: bad roads, gravel, unexperienced drivers... that's also why when rally cars don't have 4WD, they are usually FWD: asphalt excepted, they are fastest in every other conditions. And the less grip the road has, faster they are than a RWD.

That sums it up very nicely. Thanks Dumrick.

[Tom]

For the roads, FWD are cheaper, as easy to build and as reliable as their RWD alternatives. They are also more stable in most conditions, if you drive them right, so are perfect for going to the shops. However for racing you really want to be going RWD for the acceleration.

[modbaraban]

Somewhat on topic...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-gut6mamjc

[enkidu]

I didn't see that top gear.... But just shows you what you can do with FWD as the RS focus beat both cars with its LSD and it has far less power!

[ds.raikkonen]

The Focus is probably the best FWD car in the world. Grips like a leech. It wuz faster than an impreza STi in 2003. Dunno about now.

[Fiero Brick]

A car with front-biased weight distribution does not brake better than a car with even or rear-biased weight distribution.

While a tire gains grip as weight applied to it is increased, the increase in grip is not proportional to the weight increase. It is somewhat less, meaning as weight goes up, traction per weight unit goes down, in spite of the increased friction provided by the extra weight. The loss in traction of the back tires because of weight transfer and distribution is never made up by the increased traction of the front tires.

For maximum braking, assuming equal sized tires front and back, you want weight as equally balanced (under braking) as possible. This is on asphalt. On a loose surface (gravel or snow), it can be more beneficial to sink in as deeply as possible.

As for 300 horsepower front wheel drive cars, there is the Pontiac Grand Prix GXP with the 5.3 liter LS4 v8 engine. 303 horsepower (226 kw) and 323 ft-lb (438 N-m) of torque. GM has implemented a half shaft system for most of their front wheel drive cars that reduces or eliminates torque steer. Combined with electronic throttle control, I've never heard of any problems with torque steer in the GXP.

Front wheel drive vehicles are excellent for the average driver. They are easier to handle in many low-traction situations for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that you don't need weight transfer to have weight on the driven wheels.

Are there limits to front wheel drive cars? Yes and no. Just like everything else, front wheel drive is a compromise. Even the almighty all wheel drive is a compromise with increased weight.

[HKS]

...then it was axed in favour of a less expensive in-house all front layout, sourcing the 3.2 V6 from the 147 GTA

Thats sad really , to make an Alfa and then compromise on vital things like this. You know what, the Brera reminds me of the SLR, with that long bonnet and relatively smaller cabin...ya i know its shocking but thats what i feel.

one of my friends in college told me that he drifted with a ford car which was a front wheel drive ..

dont worry , one of mine was talking about a full 360 in an 800

I have made 10 donuts in Maruti 800 then