4WD or RWD on a road car?

[Ferrer]

well maybe it is good to remember that before the Citroen Xsara WRC entered the rallye scene, it first appeared as a FWD kit-car. It regularly beat the proper WRC AWD contenders (Peugeot/Subaru/Mitsubishi) at tarmac rallies....

That was because it was lighter than the WRCs and just as powerful.

4 pages in one day, lively indeed.
This is slightly off topic but... Henk, what modern FWD car would you say is equivalent (or better) in terms of performance and handling and other quialities to a BMW 3?
Just to make it interesting, it cannot be a Citroen.

The Ford Mondeo.

[f6fhellcat13]

Good call, I completly forgot about that. I was hoping Henk would show me some quirky fwd car that we don't get in the US, instead of a mainstream car we don't get in the US.

[henk4]

4 pages in one day, lively indeed.
This is slightly off topic but... Henk, what modern FWD car would you say is equivalent (or better) in terms of performance and handling and other quialities to a BMW 3?
Just to make it interesting, it cannot be a Citroen.

Talking about handling and performance the new Ford Mondeo comes close, but it is already about the size of 5-series...May be a Focus (not the US version) would be good too. There are some pretty fancy Renault Meganes out there as well, but that model has just been replaced by a new one, from which the sporty versions still need to be developed.
"Other qualities" is a bit vague....(but there is probably where a C5 would win, comfort, space and standard equipment/price)

[henk4]

That was because it was lighter than the WRCs and just as powerful.

The Ford Mondeo.

Yes, I know about that, but it goes to show that AWD does not compensate at all occasions....and that actually weight/power ratio is more important than the actual drive train.....

[f6fhellcat13]

Talking about handling and performance the new Ford Mondeo comes close, but it is already about the size of 5-series...May be a Focus (not the US version) would be good too. There are some pretty fancy Renault Meganes out there as well, but that model has just been replaced by a new one, from which the sporty versions still need to be developed.
"Other qualities" is a bit vague....(but there is probably where a C5 would win, comfort, space and standard equipment/price)

That, my friend, is a Citroen, which is illegal by the arbitrary rules of this comparison.

[clutch-monkey]

The Ford Mondeo.

+1
but if buying ford.... would you take the option of a falcon/FPV?

[henk4]

That, my friend, is a Citroen, which is illegal by the arbitrary rules of this comparison.

well, as you introduced "other qualities" I took the liberty to introduce the C5....I would not have mentioned it if you had limited yourself to handling and performance....

[henk4]

+1
but if buying ford.... would you take the option of a falcon/FPV?

absolutely not.....don't want to wait forever till it arrives....

[f6fhellcat13]

well, as you introduced "other qualities"

Shall I strike it from the record, then?

[henk4]

Shall I strike it from the record, then?

skip the "Citroen" ban

[f6fhellcat13]

skip the "Citroen" ban

I wonder what car you'd suggest if I did that.
How far off of the 3series' handling is the C5?

[henk4]

I wonder what car you'd suggest if I did that.
How far off of the 3series' handling is the C5?

it ranks just a little behind the Mondeo...

[f6fhellcat13]

Have you test driven the new monstrous one that you're going to get?
Does handling suffer compared to your current car because of the size?

[henk4]

Have you test driven the new monstrous one that you're going to get?
Does handling suffer compared to your current car because of the size?

the new one will be of exactly the same size of the old one. It will only have some more guts, so I am bound to experience torque steer and all those negative things that people attribute to FWD cars

[f6fhellcat13]

For some reason I though it had grown a lot. Hmmm...?
Anyway, after getting this thread quite off topic, I'm going to sleep.