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[Doctor Gollum]

Still wwd though. 

There are some people (like me) who can't drive real cars, you know...

Amen to that...

[citroenguy]

Still wwd though. 

There are some people (like me) who can't drive real cars, you know...

Amen to that...

 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Why would anyone want the wheels that steer the car to drive it too ?   

[Nick W]

Still wwd though. 

There are some people (like me) who like FWD, you know...

Most drivers wouldn't care if you explained and then demonstrated the difference.
This is the correct approach for 97.78593621% of driving.

[anV6]

All the reasons FWD have become so widely used in cars and any advantages it may have boil down to one thing and one thing only, bean counting.

There is no argument for FWD over RWD or AWD that is not related to that.

[STEMO]

All the reasons FWD have become so widely used in cars and any advantages it may have boil down to one thing and one thing only, bean counting.

There is no argument for FWD over RWD or AWD that is not related to that.

The original reason was to get rid of the tunnel which stuck up through the car to accommodate the propshaft, thus making more room in the rear passenger compartment.
I would say most drivers these days are safer in a FWD vehicle. They would have no idea about how to correct should things go wrong in a RWD.

[citroenguy]

FWD gives better traction, less stuff in the car = lighter and if done right, as easy to service.

I was happy for having fwd last week end, when I were out in the woods watching the Swedish Rally..

[Kevin Wood]

FWD gives better traction...

Not necessarily. Given that I often need to tow trailers onto / off fields, I'm happy to have the traction at the same end of the car as the tow hitch. Most FWD cars are abysmal when towing.

In normal circumstances, you only need to keep the fuel tank full in the winter to keep a RWD car planted as well as a FWD.

The only advantage I'd attribute to FWD cars is that a sudden loss of traction is easier to handle for inexperienced drivers.

[citroenguy]

We used to keep sandbags in the boot of our old Volvo 940's 
I do agree though, that for towing rwd or awd is usually better. Citroens are an exception to the rule, due to the self adjustable suspension.
But for going up slippery hills fwd is always better, except if you have a beetle 

[anV6]

All the reasons FWD have become so widely used in cars and any advantages it may have boil down to one thing and one thing only, bean counting.

There is no argument for FWD over RWD or AWD that is not related to that.

The original reason was to get rid of the tunnel which stuck up through the car to accommodate the propshaft, thus making more room in the rear passenger compartment.
I would say most drivers these days are safer in a FWD vehicle. They would have no idea about how to correct should things go wrong in a RWD.

Yes, sure. But in the end it boiled down to bean counting. Without the tunnel, cars could also be smaller, which means cheaper to build and cheaper to sell. FWD was always about saving on something. It was never because it's the better way to move a car.

[anV6]

FWD gives better traction, less stuff in the car = lighter and if done right, as easy to service.

I was happy for having fwd last week end, when I were out in the woods watching the Swedish Rally..

The only reason for better traction is the weight of the engine over the wheels. But I trade not having my steering wheels also pushing my car forward for that small advantage any day. On snow, ad chain, some weight to the trunk and you have a much better set up than a FWD car. And with current technology such as TC, EPS etc, this FWD excuse is wearing out fast.

[anV6]

FWD gives better traction...

Not necessarily. Given that I often need to tow trailers onto / off fields, I'm happy to have the traction at the same end of the car as the tow hitch. Most FWD cars are abysmal when towing.

In normal circumstances, you only need to keep the fuel tank full in the winter to keep a RWD car planted as well as a FWD.

The only advantage I'd attribute to FWD cars is that a sudden loss of traction is easier to handle for inexperienced drivers.

Totally agree.

But in case of really losing control, RWD is much less dangerous IMO.

[Kevin Wood]

Totally agree.

But in case of really losing control, RWD is much less dangerous IMO.

Maybe. Power-on oversteer beats Power-on understeer turning into severe oversteer on lift-off any day, but FWD cars are only normally that extreme approaching their limits on grippy surfaces where the driver really ought to know what they are getting into IME. I reckon they are quite benign in circumstances where an inexperienced driver will lose it (wet/mud/snow).

Than again, I haven't had to drive one for quite some time, mercifully.

[Doctor Gollum]

If you get overcome with the urge Kevin, throw a Vectra C estate onto a decent sized damp roundabout at a speed which might be considered brave, and lift off...

I warn you now, they don't crash gracefully

[anV6]

Totally agree.

But in case of really losing control, RWD is much less dangerous IMO.

Maybe. Power-on oversteer beats Power-on understeer turning into severe oversteer on lift-off any day, but FWD cars are only normally that extreme approaching their limits on grippy surfaces where the driver really ought to know what they are getting into IME. I reckon they are quite benign in circumstances where an inexperienced driver will lose it (wet/mud/snow).

Than again, I haven't had to drive one for quite some time, mercifully.

No, you are right. You absolutely are.  In normal circumstances FWD is much more idiot proof. 

But if really coming in hot in a bend and losing control, I would rather be in a RWD than FWD, knowing or not knowing how to drive, much for the reasons you explained about too.