[Mean Green Z28]

So f'n douche bag at work got a '07 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon, and now thinks he's the holy grail of motoring. He says AWD cars (like his WRX, which ofcourse is what god designed himself and put on the dirt road) isn't supposed to be driven on anything else but rallies (just like Ferrari's as supposed to be on the track and not on the road) and cannot be setup for the track and people need to stay off the gas to drive it around an asphalt track and that RWD is where it's at for anything performance oriented 'cos you can bring the ass end around at will. I'm not disagreeing with the RWD part (although I've noticed our f-body's like to understeer) but of course I've never driven an AWD car around a track but from what I've read, heard and seen, AWD's push a lot and have quite a bit of understeer and need more of a nose down attitude to get the handling right and then can be pretty competitive on the track. What say you? If I'm wrong, I'm gonna shut up and cry in a corner (ofcourse, having learned something ... but I ain't telling him, I'll just say I got sand in my eyes .. lol)

so ... does a properly setup AWD like a WRX match, supersede a prepped RWD or will they forever be lagging behind 'cos they belong on the dirt road?

This post has been edited by Mean Green Z28: Dec 27 2007, 05:10 PM

[CMC #37]

I call the AWD cars "cheaters" at the track as they do seem to have an advantage over RWD cars. I would agree they are easier to drive faster than RWD cars - this is a well known bite in the ass though as I have seen plenty of wadded up EVOs. two on one day!

[patred]

I would agree they are easier to drive faster than RWD cars - this is a well known bite in the ass though as I have seen plenty of wadded up EVOs. two on one day!

They're easier to drive but they also don't give inexperienced drivers enough opportunities of what to do when all that grip suddenly goes away. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Pat

[CamaroFS34]

I would agree they are easier to drive faster than RWD cars - this is a well known bite in the ass though as I have seen plenty of wadded up EVOs. two on one day!

They're easier to drive but they also don't give inexperienced drivers enough opportunities of what to do when all that grip suddenly goes away. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

They really aren't easy to drive. Stock-wise, getting the most out of a WRX or an STi is just as hard as getting the most out of an F-body. I do believe it was already mentioned that they are pushy pigs in stock form.

In non-stock trim, the "ease" of driving is directly related to the setup. The only car that I've driven that was more of a challenge than Joel Fehrman's STi was a prepared-class TVR Vixen (and it was prepped to the limit).

I think the perception that they are easier to drive is what causes the aforementioned wadding of cars at the track. The inexperienced drivers would wad anything up just as easily... well, maybe not, if it doesn't have the power.

Just my 2cents, having had a lot of AWD experience. <shrug>