subject: how to drive your car (Front- wheel drive) [print this page] how to drive your car (Front- wheel drive)
characteristics
Front wheel drive gives more interior space since the powertrain is a single unit contained in the engine compartment of the vehicle and there is no need to devote interior space for a driveshafttunnel or rear diffrential
, increasing the volume available for passengers and cargo.There are some exceptions to this as rear enginedesigns do not take away interior space. (See porsche 911, ) It also has fewer components overall and thus lower weight.The direct connection between engine and transaxle reduces the mass and mechanicalinertia of the drivetrain compared to a rear-wheel drive vehicle with a similar engine and transmission, allowing greater fuel economyIn front wheel drive cars the mass of the drivetrain is placed over the driven wheels and thus moves thecenter of gravity farther forward than a comparable rear-wheel drive layout, improvingtraction and directional stability on wet, snowy, or icy surfaces.[1][2][3] Front-wheel drive cars, with a front weight bias, tend toundersteer at the limit, which according to for instance Saab engineer Gunnar Larsson is easier since it makes instinct correct in avoiding terminaloversteer, and less prone to result infishtailing or a spin.[3][4]
According to a sales brochure for the 1989Lotus Elan, the ride and handling engineers atLotus found that "for a given vehicle weight, power and tire size, a front wheel drive car was always faster over a given section of road."[5] However, this may only apply for cars with moderate power-to-weight ratio.[2][6][7] According to road test with twoDodge Daytonas, one FWD and one RWD, the road layout is also important for what configuration is the fastest.[3]
