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[Martin_1962]

Why do people like them - I have never understood?

Apart from some packaging benefits I do not know why the whole industry is obcessed with them.

I have even come across people who are scared of RWD, that I do not understand at all, I did offer reeducation but they turned me down.

[cem_devecioglu]

sometime ago I drive a volvo S70 t5 ..

definitely faster and cheaper than my miggy but my opinion : I wont give a penny..

for low power and consumption cars I can understand the principle ..but for the latter either RWD or AWD..

[VXL V6]

I think FWD cars have come a long way in terms of development and handling in the past 10 years.

I guess we are a generation that prefer the car to oversteer rather than understeer... it's far easier (well, a more natural instinct) to correct oversteer.

In terms of manufacture it's far easier and cheaper to have the whole engine/gearbox/drivetrain mounted on a single subframe that just gets lifted under the car and a few mounting bolts tightened up.

[Brick Tamland]

I think FWD cars have come a long way in terms of development and handling in the past 10 years.

I guess we are a generation that prefer the car to oversteer rather than understeer... it's far easier (well, a more natural instinct) to correct oversteer.

In terms of manufacture it's far easier and cheaper to have the whole engine/gearbox/drivetrain mounted on a single subframe that just gets lifted under the car and a few mounting bolts tightened up.

Nope, I cant stand WWD either

[cem_devecioglu]

And I must note that also, if you are sensitive to front system noises like me, stay away from fwd.. for the clit I changed the whole front and still noisy

[Chris_H]

My feeling is that the vast majority of car users don't give a fig about pushing the limits of adhesion (which is pretty much what it's about) and the lack of incursion into the passenger cell makes it a no-brainer.

When we get electric pancake motors/generators in the wheel hubs I think that 4wd will become the norm.

[Kevin Wood]

Why do people like them - I have never understood?

People don't like them - most don't care IME. Manufacturers love them because they are cheap to build. Engine, transmission, final drive, front subframe and suspension can be assembled as a single unit and half a dozen bolts later it's installed in the body.

Kevin

[Gaffers]

My feeling is that the vast majority of car users don't give a fig about pushing the limits of adhesion (which is pretty much what it's about) and the lack of incursion into the passenger cell makes it a no-brainer.

When we get electric pancake motors/generators in the wheel hubs I think that 4wd will become the norm.

Only to start with, once the hubs become more efficient I can see them going back to wrong wheel drive

[cem_devecioglu]

Why do people like them - I have never understood?

People don't like them - most don't care IME. Manufacturers love them because they are cheap to build. Engine, transmission, final drive, front subframe and suspension can be assembled as a single unit and half a dozen bolts later it's installed in the body.

Kevin

yep..agreed.. and after, all parts needs replacing 

[Marks DTM Calib]

Cost and assembly.....its as simple as that

[albitz]

I have always preferred RWD,but in reality in 99% of driving it makes little or no difference  what wheel drive a car is.

[deviator]

I think it started off as a cost cutting measure.

Now it's the norm. Look at the vx range now, most are pretty much the same running gear and engine, just in a different shell. It's lazy and cheap that why it's done.

I can understand people being affraid of RWD, as it's not as forgiving if you f'up a corner. But this is not the car, it's the driver training at fault. How many times are you following a car and the person is breaking whilst in a corner? This is a relatively safe thing to do in WWD car, however a RWD car could potentially bite back if you do this. If people drove like you should, slow down prior to the corner and then power out, this wouldn't be an issue. Now imagine trying to explain to half the drivers out there that you need to keep a positive throttle in corners whilst driving RWD cars. Most won't even know if thier car is RWD or not, let alone what positive throttle is.

IMHO it's a shame that VX and other manufacturers don't offer more RWD cars. I want to start learning to drift when I can afford it, it'll be an Omega for me.

[Martin_1962]

Fast hatches are another thing - they try to follow fast RWDs in tight corners then end up over cooking it due to the different cornering requirements.

This was actually fun when I had the Sunbeam as the WWD behind me was so unsettled I though it was going to spin, I was braking in powering out.

[Martin_1962]

Actually people not caring is quite possibly the most realistic thing, personally I don't like the pulling through steering and the numbness under power, I also think it should be on TBs list!

[Martin_1962]

I think FWD cars have come a long way in terms of development and handling in the past 10 years.

Last drove one 4 years ago.

Felt very odd

As to removal, AFAIR to remove the engine from my Sunbeam was 2 bolts on engine, 2 on gearbox, a few on exhaust, remove carbs and wires - then lift out via bonnet.