all wheel drive

[imsa fiero]

can a all wheel drive car be faster in autocross than a rear wheel drive car.if the car is built for this purpose.i did a search and i did not have much luck.any insight would be great

[mc84_zz4]

Checkout the track times in similar size/weight along the lines of a Nissan 240 RWD, or Toyota Supra vs a Mitsu AWD, or Subaru WRX, etc (hopefully both being turbos, to keep that level also.)
I would expect the AWD to brake later than a RWD and faster back on the gas too.

Maybe not directly connected, but in rallyes there is nothing like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2kPs3C1NC0
Road racing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HS3g...eature=related

[Motorcitydak]

Im building one but it will be another year or two before I can give any feedback on how it handles.

There was a Top Gear episode I watched a while ago where they had the Stig drive a RWD and AWD porsche around some indoor race track. The AWD car was about 2 seconds faster. That being said, it was also much less dramatic in the turns because there was no oversteer

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

they mainly have an advantage in corner exiting.. but i think they arent the end all be all.. rear wheel can do the job very well.. and awd might be too costly for an advantage that a good driving school, and rw can give..

[LeighP]

You know, even though it never made it to US shores, the 2004/2006 GTO had an AWD version available in Australia....LS powered.
Call the HSV Coupe 4 (yeah, crook name, eh?)

[jjordan]

I know of several Audi's that were built and autocrossed here in KC that were very succesful. Like you said, not as dramatic to the spectators (spectators? autocross?) but they were quick.

[Ron.in.SoCal]

I know of several Audi's that were built and autocrossed here in KC that were very succesful. Like you said, not as dramatic to the spectators (spectators? autocross?) but they were quick.

Conventional wisdom from the Porsche crowd is that AWD reduces the fun factor but is the 'ultimate sticky device', mostly on the road course. Owning one, I'll tell you it pushes some in tight corners like those you would see in AutoX. For those reasons I'd rather have a rwd muscle car...

[dropit69]

You Ausi's get all the cool stuff..bet that was fun car to drive..

[Bryce]

How much weight would a AWD drive setup add?

[Motorcitydak]

Id guess all my stuff may add up to 160 pounds if that. That includes the transfer case (about 60#), front driveshaft (20?), front diff (40?), cv shafts (15-20 each?)It really depends on what you use tho. You will have to use front knuckles and hubs that accept the cv shafts. Also there will be some creative fabricating to mount the front diff rite next to the engine, allow the front driveshaft to get there and the CV shafts to get out to the wheels. Ill be modifying the floor pan and frame rails to do that. Ill have to see what will be done about the motor. One other nice point is that all this weight goes down low on the car and the transfer case is at the back which will help with weight distribution.

[Derek69SS]

If you look at SCCA Solo II STX class rules, you'll see that they allow bigger tires on RWD cars than AWD cars to keep them more evenly matched. RWD cars are allowed up to 265mm tires and AWD cars are only allowed up to 245mm tires.

If they give that big of a handicap to AWD, I'd say yes, they definitely have an advantage.

[brad02ss]

I autocross a lot and the AWD cars are tough to beat (Mitsu Evos, Subarus). It adds weight and changes the feel of how a car handles, but the grip in a turn and coming out a turn is awesome. I'd love to see an old-school muscle car with AWD. That would be a hell of a project. I've thought about building a Typhoon or Cyclone.

[preston]

Autox is one thing, but for the road course note that the GT3 and GT2, as well as RS models, from Porsche always come RWD. Also, most (not all) track enthusiasts with turbos end up removing the front drive. LIving in Seattle though, I sometimes wish I had built someting AWD as if it rains on a track day its all over for me. I mean I can still go out, but its a waste of time with steamroller tires and 750 hp.

[4OfaKind]

Every time this question comes up there is always some reference to higher forms of racing and there choice of RWD cars. (Audi bias, weight penalties, rules, etc.) I don't know too much about all that. What does stick in my mind very vividly though is a couple of real world things:

1. Our own Mr. Swartz (sp) got his TT LS1 Ultima smoked by an AWD Mitsu EVO a few years back in the 0-200-0 competition. It showed me a purpose-built AWD race car has a distinct advantage over RWD if it can get off the line and brake quicker.

2. MotorTrend had a 1-mile shoot out and Hennesey's 1k hp Viper whipped the 1k hp Bugatti Veyron because 1k hp to one axle produced more accelleration than 500 hp to two. So as long as there are not too many long straights in the course again AWD has an avantage.

Just my $.02 and it is worth about half that.

MAl

[Motorcitydak]

If you look at SCCA Solo II STX class rules, you'll see that they allow bigger tires on RWD cars than AWD cars to keep them more evenly matched. RWD cars are allowed up to 265mm tires and AWD cars are only allowed up to 245mm tires.



If they give that big of a handicap to AWD, I'd say yes, they definitely have an advantage.

Hmmm, guess they would not like my 315's on all 4 corners then

[Derek69SS]

Hmmm, guess they would not like my 315's on all 4 corners then

...or a non-factory engine, or any engine bigger than 5.0L, or modified suspension geometry, or just about anything else common to "Pro-Touring" type cars...

[imsa fiero]

Thanks for the help.I look at things a little different than most people.315's or more on all 4 corners and big HP would be killer.

[mc84_zz4]

This is not an autocross scenario, but here is an interesting video: AWD Porsche Turbo Vs Corvette ZR-1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJx85diM3IE

The AWD tromped on the drag race (as expected with extra traction)
but the Vette took the road course.....