Do fwd modified hatches with big power handle well?

[Celt]

I was talking to my friend about modified cars. He's really into his VAG's I'm not particularly affiliated to any brand. He mentioned polo's with 300+hp I said I think it would handle horribly as doubling the power just seems abit pointless. He said with a lsd it would be fine. I know people are more doing it for the bragging rights or self pleasure from doing it rather than enjoying throwing it down a back road.

So would a fwd hatch back handle well with a LSD and coilovers regardless of power?

[davepoth]

Depends on whether you have the foot flat to the floor really...

[VB]

They handle just as well as if it had 100bhp- the throttle isn't an ON/OFF switch. You wouldn't plant the throttle on a V8 M3 whilst going around a round-about & expect it not to break traction, just as much as you would a FWD car.

If you're asking whether the car is set up to transmit 300bhp through the front wheels without losing traction at slow speeds, then it's impossible unless you're running colossal Mickey Ts.

At the end of the day, it's not like we're all driving single seat race cars to the shops, Re-mapping- on a road car, IMHO, is just a bit of fun for the road

[ROOODBOY]

I've driven a neighbours' Astra VXR, which has been tweaked to 295bhp and just over 300 torques with a limited slip diff fitted, and it was terrible. Over-sensitive throttle and it torqued-steered all the time! Just nasty!
In my opinion it was much nicer to drive with the engine as it was when it left the factory.

I have passengered in a friend's Focus RS, and even with 300bhp (as standard) or so it felt absolutely planted and went straight as an arrow, very, very impressive.


Rear wheel drive is still better though!

[danneth]

Mine seems ok !

[C3BER]

Average fwd hot box costs millions to develop. By popping in some extra grunt and electronics is just going to mess up somebody's CAD drawings and calculations. Usual answer is a pig to drive but fun when it's dry straight road.

As an extra to the post can we ban stupid exhausts on tin pot 1ltr cars. In years to come if you have one you will curl up and die with shame.

[VR6 Turbo]

Happy to take you out in Mine! I think it handles ok once you get the nose to turn in as the VR lumps quite weighty. but all in all its balanced I am not the best drive but it will happily hold lift off over steer. this is with no LSD currently get lots of torque steer soon to be sorted though.

VR

Edited by VR6 Turbo on Friday 23 September 14:06

[KingNothing]

My focus ST is upto approximately 300 now, seems to handle well enough, could do with a better suspension setup and bigger brakes though, that's about it, other than the clutch is weak so slipping, lol.

[J4CKO]

My Saab has 250 bhp, ok its not a hot hatch but it is powerful and fwd, it handles it fine, very rarely does it not cope, in the wet it can spin the wheels in third if you catch it wrong but not very often, in the dry doesnt have any real traction or steering issues, I think partly its the ecu limiting torque in first and second but it still manages to go plenty fast enough, FWD is never really anyones favourite but it does the job until I get an M3.

[mnkiboy]

Had a Mk2 Leon Cupra with 300bhp. Drove fine, very little torque steer. Just have to be aware you can't floor it in the first 2 gears, or the first 3 in the wet.