What is the best AWD system?

When you go AWD, there are many more constraints placed on the location of the engine. For front engined cars the whole engine must be ahead of the front wheels, which gives cars a long nose and ladens the car with unwanted rotational intertia. Prodrive fitted their WRC cars with diagonal gearboxes to pull the engine back as far as possible. At least Subaru went with an engine that's only two cylinders long in a longitudinal alignment, Audi has struggled with nose-heaviness for decades now, as you'd imagine with a few hundred kilo's of V8 clear of the front wheels!

Transverse engines can sit on top of the gearbox when canted back, which pushes the bulk of mass further back.

Mid engined cars that are AWD have to either push the prop-shaft under the engine (lifting significant masses), or next to it.

The Significant difference between the Evo and the Subaru drivetrains is the rear differential, which is active in the Evo. It's a similar device to BMW's M-Differential, but calculates the torque bias across the axle using more variables (steering angle, yaw angle, throttle position...).

From a purely technical standpoint, active diffs are superior to passives in a similar fashion to comparing EFI to the carburettor. In certain conditions there is no difference (peak power outputs, lateral g), but across the board an active diff can maximise the available grip that little bit better. I don't think Nissan pioneered them btw, i'm pretty sure the 959 had a more advanced setup.

Something i can't stand is the new fad of "electronic diffs" which are merely open diffs with individually braked wheels to supress wheelspin. This doesn't make a car faster, this is using the brakes against the engine. It is, under no circumstance, comparable to a mechanical diffferential.

Oh, and is everyone saddened by the fact that the new Focus RS is a front driver? Such a kickass looking car, with promising power (and a central transmission tunnel!), but stopped from being that powerslide-on-gravel hooligan that it should have been. With Subaru and Mitsubishi both going soft, the door was wide open for Ford to walk through.
 
When you go AWD, there are many more constraints placed on the location of the engine. For front engined cars the whole engine must be ahead of the front wheels, which gives cars a long nose and ladens the car with unwanted rotational intertia. Prodrive fitted their WRC cars with diagonal gearboxes to pull the engine back as far as possible. At least Subaru went with an engine that's only two cylinders long in a longitudinal alignment, Audi has struggled with nose-heaviness for decades now, as you'd imagine with a few hundred kilo's of V8 clear of the front wheels!

Escort Cosworth and Skyline GTR (new and old) disagree with you sir. Both are longitudinal and while neither motor is behind the front axel (except the new GTR i believe) they sure are not infront of the axel either.
 
best AWD is one that you can disengage with a button or a lever and enjoy of full RWD hoonage.
 
Escort Cosworth and Skyline GTR (new and old) disagree with you sir. Both are longitudinal and while neither motor is behind the front axel (except the new GTR i believe) they sure are not infront of the axel either.

I'd have to second that. Audi NEVER struggled with being nose heavy, it was a design choice to maximize interior space. They put the engine very far up front in VW's as well be they FWD or AWD. In fact the B7/8 model lines of A/S/RS4 had the engine moved further back to decrease the amount of weight in front of the front wheels and as a result these A4's are as big as A6's with about the same amount of cabin space (it is a little bigger) as B6 and below models.

To add to that BMW X drive sedans don't look any different from their RWD version with insanely short overhangs on the front.
best AWD is one that you can disengage with a button or a lever and enjoy of full RWD hoonage.
But then you are carrying extra weight for absolutely no reason.
 
umm.. it is there until it's needed, thus, it's not unnecessary weight at all. I rather switch it off to save some fuel and gain some steering feedback than leave it on when it's not needed..
 
umm.. it is there until it's needed, thus, it's not unnecessary weight at all. I rather switch it off to save some fuel and gain some steering feedback than leave it on when it's not needed..

Then you basically want an ATESSA. Cept it will decide for you.
 
This seems like a good place to put a sales video... heh heh...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ETRpE3Xpw[/YOUTUBE]
 
Not the best perhaps but the coolest I know of. ...


The first automobile to come equipped with anti-lock brakes was the 1966 Jensen FF. It used the the Dunlop Maxaret anti-lock braking system, which was originally developed for aircrafts. By today?s standards, The anti-skid system of the Jensen FF may be considered crude and unreliable, it was a then astounding technological breakthrough. The Lincoln Continental Mark III improved on the original concept three years later in 1969. He placed the sensors on the rear wheels and successfully regulated the pressure on the rear brakes when they start locking up.

Produced by the British manufacturer Jensen between 1966 and 1971, The Jensen FF was an all-wheel drive GT car. The Jensen FF was a very influencial vehicle in technical aspects, but it failed to click with the masses and did not achieve commercial success. FF stands for Ferguson Formula, Ferguson was the inventor of the all wheel drive system, which was the first on a production sports car.


1966-Jensen-FF.jpg


hologram107.jpg
 
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Not the best perhaps but the coolest I know of. ...


The first automobile to come equipped with anti-lock brakes was the 1966 Jensen FF. It used the the Dunlop Maxaret anti-lock braking system, which was originally developed for aircrafts. By today?s standards, The anti-skid system of the Jensen FF may be considered crude and unreliable, it was a then astounding technological breakthrough. The Lincoln Continental Mark III improved on the original concept three years later in 1969. He placed the sensors on the rear wheels and successfully regulated the pressure on the rear brakes when they start locking up.

Produced by the British manufacturer Jensen between 1966 and 1971, The Jensen FF was an all-wheel drive GT car. The Jensen FF was a very influencial vehicle in technical aspects, but it failed to click with the masses and did not achieve commercial success. FF stands for Ferguson Formula, Ferguson was the inventor of the all wheel drive system, which was the first on a production sports car.


1966-Jensen-FF.jpg


hologram107.jpg

Which used a Chrysler engine, Chrysler transmission, and IIRC the transfer case out of a Jeep.
 
Yep lots of Chrysler under pinnings, but look at that design, not out of place today! As I said not perhaps the best, but the one I want
 
Not the best perhaps but the coolest I know of. ...


The first automobile to come equipped with anti-lock brakes was the 1966 Jensen FF. It used the the Dunlop Maxaret anti-lock braking system, which was originally developed for aircrafts. By today?s standards, The anti-skid system of the Jensen FF may be considered crude and unreliable, it was a then astounding technological breakthrough. The Lincoln Continental Mark III improved on the original concept three years later in 1969. He placed the sensors on the rear wheels and successfully regulated the pressure on the rear brakes when they start locking up.

Produced by the British manufacturer Jensen between 1966 and 1971, The Jensen FF was an all-wheel drive GT car. The Jensen FF was a very influencial vehicle in technical aspects, but it failed to click with the masses and did not achieve commercial success. FF stands for Ferguson Formula, Ferguson was the inventor of the all wheel drive system, which was the first on a production sports car.


1966-Jensen-FF.jpg


hologram107.jpg

Now that's cool, me want! :mrgreen:
 
Wow that is a very good looking car that I have never ever heard of in my entire life. Very interesting.
 
I love Jensons. I particulary like the Healey as well. Not AWD, but fantastic nether the less.

Jensen_healey.jpg
 
Any idea how the AWD systems in the old BMW 325xi (80s and early 90s/E30 Generation) performed? Those 325xis might not be LeMons cheap, but they are good bang for the buck. If only they had a $1000 Rally race to compliment LeMons :(, then i could have so many projects i would never have to worry about finishing absolutely any of them.
 
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Define "best"?
 
It depends on how you define best..

I've done a good bit of rallying in various marques of AWD cars and i was really impressed with the modern day Peugot and Ford rally systems. However as these new systems never make it into production cars I'd have to stick my neck out and say of the systems that did make it to production cars the Toyota/TTE developed GT-Four system is superb and was and still is (still being used on cars in japan). Celicas that have had their output power upped to Evo/Sti levels can easily keep up and some times post better times than them both on track and dirt!

Saying that if we're ignoring the electronic systems that are available nowadays i'd Subaru has a very mechanically advanced system in terms of it being more nuts and bolts engineering than say the Evo/Nissan computer controlled system.

But as i said you could be defining it as the best to get you up a hill in the snow, or go uber fast round a dirt corner or a system that allows you be at crazy angles and keep traction.

On that note i show this video..

[YOUTUBE]edLnXzAwHVc[/YOUTUBE]

Peugeot AWD T16... amazing what you can do to a crap base car with a rally budget and a decent driver :)
 
Yep lots of Chrysler under pinnings, but look at that design, not out of place today! As I said not perhaps the best, but the one I want

Yeah, but the problem with the car was that the ONLY things on it that worked were the Chrysler engine, Chrysler transmission, and Jeep transfer case....

:lol::mrgreen:
 
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