BMW & Benz: Justifiably Rear Wheel Drive

[bmw046series]

BMW and Mercedes-Benz are two marques that have touted for years the blessings of the rear wheel drive format -and stuck religiously to it.

Fast skeptics quickly harp on poor foul weather traction and that gas mileage is typically better on most front drive vehicles.

Both Munich and Stuttgart have added all-wheel drive models to the market; BMW has the 3-Series and 5-Series with "xi" models; the Mercedes-Benz C, E, and S-Class have 4-Matic offers.

German rival Audi also offers all wheel drive models - in fact most Audis are Quattros.

That said, unlike BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Audi touts its Quattro cars as having handling benefits that outshine the competition. BMW and Benz merely use their all wheel drive models to answer critics' critiques of poor rear-wheel drive traction in wintry conditions rather than touting them as better handling cars.

In fact, the numbers generally support the evidence that there is little to no handling advantage in having four wheels driving as opposed to only the rear wheels.

Motor Trend's 2004 performance data on the BMW 745i vs. the Audi A8 is a case in point. In the 600 ft slalom, the rear wheel drive BMW beat the Quattro Audi at 68.1 mph vs. 64.1 mph. In the same test, the Mercedes-Benz S430 also out slalomed the Audi with a 1 .3 mph lead.

Doubtlessly, the latest figures show similar results on the 2006 model years.

The point? BMW and Mercedes-Benz can continue to feel justified. And Audi? A little less so.

 

[MrElussive]

Thoes figures are worthless. They should have compared a Mercedes 4Matic to the same model without 4Matic.

I agree that in the dry, there is little or no handling advantage for 4WD, but it really comes in handy in the rain and snow.

But 4WD/AWD does hurt acceleration and fuel economy.

Either way, I don't care what people and companies prefer. It would just be much cooler if BMW would give sport suspension to the xi models when you opt for Sport Package...they shouldn't make you compromise just because you gotta drive in snow.

 

[frolf]

Thoes figures are worthless. They should have compared a Mercedes 4Matic to the same model without 4Matic.

I agree that in the dry, there is little or no handling advantage for 4WD, but it really comes in handy in the rain and snow.

But 4WD/AWD does hurt acceleration and fuel economy.

Either way, I don't care what people and companies prefer. It would just be much cooler if BMW would give sport suspension to the xi models when you opt for Sport Package...they shouldn't make you compromise just because you gotta drive in snow.

i agree with most all of this post. the weight gain off awd is a big factor. we should all just agree that as long as its not front wheel drive, its ok

 

[epj3]

i agree with most all of this post. the weight gain off awd is a big factor. we should all just agree that as long as its not front wheel drive, its ok

I concur

 

[Chesty Bonds]

4WD understeers too much for me.

 

[Kirby]

After 20 years of touting FWD, even the US manufacturers are now going back to RWD.

 

[Abdoman]

After having a AWD vehicle for 1-1/2 years, there are some real benefits.
I never have to worry about wet take offs - I remember in my bimmer that I had a few harrowing experiences.

As for AWD understeering, I thought so too when I first started to driving my AWD, but you can't drive an AWD like you can a RWD. Instead of lifting on the throttle when it begins to understeer, you actually accelerate and power through. With that said, my next car will definitely be a RWD. They are just more fun to drive.

 

[bmw046series]

They are abandoning it because technology like better snow tires and Traction Control make it just as good in snow, quite frankly I think it is funny that the Japanese and American brands are turning back to Rear drive while the Germans NEVER let go the way a car should be designed.

 

[MrElussive]

They are abandoning it because technology like better snow tires and Traction Control make it just as good in snow, ...

Nah dude, that's just not true. AWD/4WD is really useful in deeper snow and when going uphill.

 

[Wadula]

MrE is right. in rain and snow there is nothin better than 4WD. no matter how good your tires are, 4WD with the same tires will always run circles around you.

there was said that 4WD understeer too much. tell that an EVO driver but in general that is right. they drive more stable and oversteer is not stable. it is fun. but it is not stable and not at all fast (unless we extend this discussion to Rally driving, though)

 

[epj3]

FWD, RWD, AWD, 4WD... who cares. For most of the people HERE, let alone most of the people you see on the road, the difference is non-existant unless you're a woman driving in more than just flurries (just kidding...)

But FWD is f'ing boring and VERY unbalanced. Four wheel drive is for HICK TRUCKS like my dad's Silverado (nearly ALL import trucks/suv's have all wheel drive, completely different from the old four wheel drive). RWD is as balanced as you're going to get, and is insanely fun. Also gives you the best control. Think if you start oversteering in a FWD or AWD car... what can you do? Maybe compensate and try to get the rear back. In RWD you just let off the throttle. Weeee!!!

 

[Militant-Grunt]

After having a AWD vehicle for 1-1/2 years, there are some real benefits.
I never have to worry about wet take offs - I remember in my bimmer that I had a few harrowing experiences.

As for AWD understeering, I thought so too when I first started to driving my AWD, but you can't drive an AWD like you can a RWD. Instead of lifting on the throttle when it begins to understeer, you actually accelerate and power through. With that said, my next car will definitely be a RWD. They are just more fun to drive.

I disagree.. You cant always just power through, you try doing that in my ML, you'll start understeering hard, and if you put even MORE power down, the thing torque steers. I love AWD nothing like doing 80mph in terrential rain with incredible grip.

 

[bmw046series]

I'm not disagreeing with the fact that it isn't better (coming from a guy who lives in place that gets over 100 inches of snow a year), 4wd costs more than rwd and rwd costs more than fwd, the price of cars has gone up and the wants of consumers has changed so much that build a rwd car just makes more sense. People have more money now (well more debit and demand for credit), so they will buy a big SUV and a car like the 300c or Caddy.

RWD is just better, Matt just watch out for hydroplaining.