Which would be faster FWD or RWD?

[KenBlocksPants]

The question hopefully isnt a mongy as it sounds. I was having this debate with a guy at work yesterday and we couldnt figure it out(in our honestly limited knowledge of driving and dynamics)

Say for example you have 2 cars identical in every way, sma engine / power, same brakes, suspension, chassis etc..

ONLY difference is one is FWD one is RWD. I assume the RWD would be slighly heavier due to getting the power to the back wheels (longer shaft etc.. ffnnnaaar)

So which would be quicker around a track?

Yes RWD might be more 'fun' but would it be faster?

[10 Pence Short]

Where's the engine? What tyre specs front/rear?

In theory better traction and more front end grip for RWD as the front tyres do not have to work with both steering and traction.

[KenBlocksPants]

10 Pence Short said:

Where's the engine? What tyre specs front/rear?

In theory better traction and more front end grip for RWD as the front tyres do not have to work with both steering and traction.

Engine in the front, same for both cars.

Tyre specs the same imagine R888s or something.

[The Wookie]

From a standing start, the RWD no question

Round a track is more difficult. If it's heavier and the circuit is high speed, it could be the FWD, but most of the time in the dry I'd put my money on the RWD

In the wet, FWD.

[harryowl]

Power is also a factor- a FWD Mc F1 would fail!

[Dave^]

The Wookie said:

From a standing start, the RWD no question

Depends on the weight and the power... Shirley?

If they both weighed 2 tonnes and only had 50bhp, there wouldn't be much in it would there?

But if we're talking sub-tonne weight and 300bhp, the RWD motor would disappear into the distance while the FWD motor would be sitting in a cloud of it's own tyre smoke...

[kambites]

Depends massively on power to weight ratio. In terms of outright track speed, RWD buys you nothing much in a car which doesn't have enough power to break traction coming out of the slowest corner. A car with enough power to still break traction on the fastest bit of the circuit would obviously be much faster if the rear wheels were driven.

Edited by kambites on Wednesday 26th May 09:47

[The Wookie]

Dave^ said:

The Wookie said:

From a standing start, the RWD no question

Depends on the weight and the power... Shirley?

If they both weighed 2 tonnes and only had 50bhp, there wouldn't be much in it would there?

But if we're talking sub-tonne weight and 300bhp, the RWD motor would disappear into the distance while the FWD motor would be sitting in a cloud of it's own tyre smoke...

Sorry, perhaps I should clarify with 'enough power to be traction limited'

[defblade]

Well in old BTCC where different cars were built to the same power/weight rules, they had to give the BMWs a big weight penalty to give the FWDs a chance

[kambites]

defblade said:

Well in old BTCC where different cars were built to the same power/weight rules, they had to give the BMWs a big weight penalty to give the FWDs a chance

And 4wd Audis an even stiffer weight penalty, IIRC.